The last thing he remembered about his life was how painfully ordinary it had been.
A young man of around twenty walked along the side of a dimly lit road, hands stuffed into his pockets, shoulders slightly hunched against the evening breeze. He wasn't particularly handsome, nor unattractive—just average. The kind of face that blended into a crowd without effort. His clothes were simple, his posture relaxed, and his thoughts… well, his thoughts were just as mundane.
He was wondering what to do when he got home.
Maybe he'd heat up the leftover food in the fridge. Or order something instead. He still had that unfinished anime episode waiting. There was also the assignment he'd been putting off for two days now. His mother would probably complain again if she saw him gaming all night.
Yeah… maybe he should study first.
That thought never finished forming.
The next moment, everything changed.
A deafening horn blared from his left, too close—far too close. Bright headlights flooded his vision, turning the world into a blinding white blur. His brain barely had time to process what was happening before the impact came.
The force was overwhelming.
Pain exploded through his body as something massive struck him, launching him off his feet like a ragdoll. The world spun violently. Asphalt rushed toward him. Sound disappeared into a high-pitched ringing.
His final conscious thought was strangely calm.
'I swear… I just heard someone say… "Isekai time, bitch."'
Then everything went black.
—
When he opened his eyes again, the world no longer made sense.
There was no sky. No ground. No horizon.
Instead, he floated in a vast, shifting space made of geometric patterns that folded into themselves endlessly. Colors existed that he couldn't name—shades that seemed to belong outside human perception. Cubes rotated inside larger cubes, pathways connected at impossible angles, and light bent in ways that defied physics.
It reminded him vaguely of the tesseract scene from Interstellar movie he once watched, but even that comparison felt inadequate.
"Where… is this place…?"
His voice echoed strangely, as though sound itself had depth.
"You are at the junction between life and death."
The voice came from everywhere at once.
The young man stiffened, his heart—or whatever passed for his heart here—racing.
"What…? Who are you? Where is that voice coming from?" he asked, turning around frantically, searching for the source.
"I am the reincarnation god responsible for guiding souls such as yours."
As the voice spoke, space in front of him warped. Lines of light converged, forming a humanoid outline. Slowly, an avatar appeared—something vaguely shaped like a person, yet utterly incomprehensible.
The figure shimmered constantly, its form phasing between countless versions of itself. Angles shifted. Limbs existed and didn't exist simultaneously. Looking directly at it made his head hurt.
"I… can see you now," the young man said hesitantly, squinting. "But I can't make any sense of what I'm looking at."
"That is because I exist in a higher dimension than your mind is capable of fully perceiving," the being replied calmly. "This form is merely an approximation so that you may interact with me."
The young man swallowed.
Higher dimension, Reincarnation god, Junction between life and death.
"…So… I'm dead?" he asked quietly.
"Yes."
The answer came without hesitation or emotion.
Memories flooded back instantly—the road, the headlights, the impact.
"Right… yeah," he murmured, rubbing the back of his neck reflexively. "Truck-kun strikes again."
A pause followed.
Then the god spoke again.
"You have correctly deduced why you are here. You are to be reincarnated."
The young man blinked.
"…Wait," he said slowly. "You mean… like… reincarnation reincarnation?"
"Yes."
"With memories intact?"
"Yes."
"With… like… another world?"
"Yes."
His eyes widened.
"So this is isekai?!" he blurted out, excitement creeping into his voice despite the absurdity of the situation.
The god tilted its head slightly, an oddly human gesture.
"You are unusually enthusiastic for someone who has just died."
"Well… I mean…" He scratched his cheek awkwardly. "My old life wasn't exactly amazing. And if this is actually happening… that's kind of awesome."
The god considered him for a moment.
"You are a fortunate soul," it said finally. "Not only will you retain your memories, but you will also be granted two wishes before reincarnation."
For a few seconds, the young man simply stared.
"…Two wishes?" he repeated.
"Yes."
"That's… that's like premium isekai package stuff," he muttered under his breath.
Hope sparked inside him.
"So… can I choose the world I go to?" he asked eagerly.
"No."
The answer was immediate.
"The destination world is determined randomly. You may be reborn into a world from fiction you recognize, or one entirely unknown to you."
His shoulders slumped slightly.
"Oh… okay. That's fair, I guess."
"There are also restrictions," the god continued. "You may not request infinite wishes. You may not request omnipotence. I advise you to choose abilities that allow growth rather than immediate supremacy."
The young man nodded slowly.
That made sense. Too much power from the start would probably be boring anyway.
Alright… think carefully.
He closed his eyes.
What did he want?
Power? Obviously. But not just raw strength. Something versatile. Something that could adapt to any world he ended up in.
Then it clicked.
His lips curled into a small grin.
"I've decided," he announced.
"So quickly?" the god said, mild amusement in its tone. "Very well. State your wishes."
"My first wish," he said confidently, "is to have the best possible talent in any field I choose to pursue."
There was a brief pause.
"A broad and intelligent request," the god replied.
He nodded.
Talent meant limitless potential—combat, magic, strategy, crafting, anything. No matter the world, he'd have an advantage.
"And your second wish?"
His grin widened.
"I want the 'Golden Rule' skill of Gilgamesh."
For the first time, the god's aura shifted noticeably.
"…An interesting choice," it said.
Golden Rule—the legendary ability associated with overwhelming wealth and fortune. Combined with talent? That was basically a cheat code for life.
"Very well," the god continued. "Both wishes shall be granted."
A warm sensation spread through his body, like energy weaving into his very existence.
"Before your reincarnation," the god added, "there is something you should know. Your memories will awaken when you reach the age of four in your new life."
"Oh," he said, surprised. "That's actually really considerate. Thanks."
"You are welcome."
He hesitated for a moment, then spoke again.
"Can I ask something?"
"Yes."
"Why me?" he asked. "Why give me wishes and let me keep my memories? There has to be some reason."
For the first time, the god was silent.
Then it answered.
"…Entertainment."
The word hung in the air.
"I have existed for an immeasurable span of time," the god continued. "Observing reincarnated individuals with advantages is… mildly interesting."
The young man blinked.
So I'm basically a reality TV show contestant for a cosmic being.
He let out a small laugh.
'Well… at least I'm getting a new life out of it,' he thought.
"Are you ready?" the god asked.
He looked around the impossible space one last time.
His old life was gone.
Ahead of him lay uncertainty, danger… and opportunity.
A slow smile spread across his face.
"Yeah," he said. "I'm ready."
"Then go."
The god raised its hand.
Light swallowed everything.
And once again, darkness took him.