Death. For some, it's a scary existence. After all, you could die horribly or abruptly. You could die at the height of your career or in your prime. What happens after death. "Is it heaven or hell, or simply an eternal rest?

No one truly knows besides those who worship gods who speak of things like reincarnation. Or the authors who cool fantasy stories Brian enjoyed. To him, death was something to look forward to. He’d heard it all.

“ Think you’re life’s hard? Imagine those kids living in whatever third world country?”

“ Being short isn't bad. Look at this celebrity. He’s 5 '5 and his girlfriends hot!”

“ Son, if you want to lose weight you have to eat a bunch of disgusting food and starve yourself.”

They wouldn’t understand. Of course there were people who had it harder than him, but couldn’t that be said for everybody? He was sure nobody said that to the jocks at his school or the beautiful girls with rich parents. But him? Oh, the gaslighting.

He was sure they wouldn’t say it now. Not in this predicament. A life changing car accident now had him paralyzed with his health deteriorating day by day.One silver lining is that no one in his family was harmed but it left him a cripple and alone.

All's not bad. With his life ruined, he turned to the lives of characters in webnovels. They were reincarnated into foreign lands filled with magic and harems. Reading these stories gave him a release he didn't know he needed.

Now he lay on his hospital bed, flipping a book about a man reincarnated as a slime. He wouldn't want that but what room does he have to complain? Brian’s reading was interrupted by a familiar face.

“ Mr.Knight, I’m here for your daily cleaning,” a male nurse said.

Brian let out a tired breath. Another embarrassing moment to add on to the thousands he’d had so far. Oh well, it wasn't like the man hadn't seen him nude before. He’d wanted to ask for a female nurse, but after giving it some thought, it would come off as a bit weird.

After his cleaning and a meal only a hospital could provide, Brian finished a novel about a kid living out his chuunibyou fantasies. If he were to be reincarnated, this would be the life he chose to live. He would be the cringiest edgelord possible like the guy from that one anime. The one with the demon fox and aliens?

“ Mortal, would you truly live like that if given the chance?” a feminine voice made her presence known. The only issue is there was no one else in the room besides Brian. Brian eyed the room, vision scanning back and forth to find the woman who sounded pleasant. Maybe he was hallucinating? After all, he was on death's door or maybe it's the medicine? One too many pills could do the trick.

He let the situation go, blaming the medicine for the voice he heard and continued reading the book. At this point in the story, the mage was slowly building the town and feeding the starving residents while gaining personal strength. He silently agreed this was one of his favorite stories. Kingdom building was a genre he’d recently gotten into. The process of creating your own empire and having thousands worship and praise him was satisfying. Not to mention the harems.

“ That life is possible. If only you agree to worship the goddess.”

This time he flung his blanket over his head. It's not like he could move with the paralysis and all, but it still provided some comfort, reminiscent of hiding under the covers as a child.

“ Who’s there?” he whispered. He waited and waited. But the voice didn't respond. Light grazed his eyes as he removed his cloth shield. No one was here. He was going crazy or about to die. In fact, something inside him felt the latter was closer than the former. Brian decided to call it a night. If whoever that is wanted to attack him, it would've happened by now.

He closed his eyes and drifted off into a deep sleep for what had to be hours or at least he thought it was. He opened his eyes at the sound of clicking heels to find himself floating over his sleeping body. Or dead body.

He moved a bit closer to see. He couldn’t walk as whatever he was but with a bit of will he floated closer. He was dead. No doubt about it.

“ Do you want to live a life like those in the novels you read, mortal?” the feminine voice asked.

This time he didn’t feel any fear but his being shook at the voice.

“ Am I dead or is this some sort of dream? I’ve read that lucid dreaming can be realistic but I never expected this.” If dreaming could be this real, he would have trained lucid dreaming to its peak.

“ You are dead Brian. In fact, you’ve lived longer than you should have, but this doesn’t have to be your end. Now answer. Do you wish to live like those in your novels?”

“ You aren’t a demon are you?” This is a fair question. This woman could be a succubus trying to suck his life away. At least she could actually do it. Dying a virgin isn't cool.

He could swear he heard a chuckle. “ No I am not. In fact, I am the opposite. Please make your answer quick before your time runs out.”

Brian mulled over the question. On one hand, this could be a demon coming after his soul. On another, this could be the opportunity to live the life he dreamed of. After weighing his options. The only answer he could come up with was fuck it.

“ Yes! Please remove me from this hell hole!”

“ You haven't seen hell yet young man,” the voice said sultrily.

If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.

A tear appeared. Like reality itself was ripped open beside him. Brian floated towards his exit slowly, muddling through his thoughts. If his soul was to be taken by evil now, at least he would get to witness a sight like this.

On the other side of the tear, there was a room. More like an office. A place with a desk filled with books. Walls adorned with schedules and bulletin boards. It even had windows showing a sky with two suns.

Behind that desk was a woman he was sure would be in every magazine possible on earth. She looked too perfect. Almost like she was AI generated. Blonde, busty and blue eyed.

“ Please stop staring and sit Mr.Knight.” The woman fixed her glasses and lifted from what it looked like was a crystal and glass tablet.

“ Brian knight. 18, fat, unathletic,shor-”

“ Woah, lady.” He held his arms out .“ Do you want me to name your non-existent flaws? I could do it. Blonde lady. Boobs are too big. Back problems. See? I could do it too.”

The blonde lady's eyes bore into him and then he felt his ghostly form burn.He thought he knew pain on Earth, but this is what true pain was. Brian’s scream didn't sound like him. It was like a sound made when demons yelled in movies.

“ I apologize! PLease stop! Make it end!” The pain halted but the blonde lady's eyes never relented until she looked back at the tablet. She continued to list his flaws, even laughing when his lower halves size was mentioned.

“ You do have positives. You are kind and brave. The record claims you are a leader.” She looked his form up and down. “ I’m sure you haven't led anything in your life but the soul doesn't lie.”

“ You’re damn right it doesn’t.” Brian smirked but his face was back to being meek with just a crinkle of her brow.

“ Would you speak to me like this if you were alive?” Brian remained silent, eyes not able to meet hers.

“Here's the deal: you have been chosen because of the strength of your soul to transmigrate to another plane. You are tasked to spread my boss's name far and wide. Her life as a goddess depends on it. If she dies, kiss your power good bye and on that plane, you’d die a gruesome death.

The blonde lady still hadn't told him her name or her boss. If her boss was anything like her, he might resend this invitation.

“ I could hear your thoughts in my room by the way.” Brian's eyes shot open. What was he thinking? This lovely woman and her boss were gracious enough to give him another chance at life. How could they be so generous!

Brian coughed. “ Can I have your name Ms…”

“ My name is Lidia. The goddess you will be worshiping is Iris. She is known for mischief and jealousy but if people knew the true reason why, they wouldn't paint her in such light. That damn Zio-”

Lidia corrected herself and looked at the crystal tablet. “ You have an ascendant soul ranking,” She passed Brian the tablet. “Choose your skills and really think. Your second life depends on it.”

Brian was hesitant to show it, but a grin crossed his face. There were five levels of soul ranking. All with different amounts of skills that can be chosen from the basic, intermediate,advanced, master and legendary rankings. With an ascendant soul ranking, he could choose two of each or create a skill.

He’d spent a large portion of his life in a hospital reading novels about great mages or murder hobos. Those dreams and thoughts came into fruition and now he could put those to use. He scrolled until he found the create a skill option.

<< If user creates a skill too powerful for the rankings, skill points from other skill rankings will be used>>

That was fine by him because he had a legendary skill already created in his mind. He would call it ‘ The Great Sage ‘ no. That's too close to the slime novel. He would call it ‘Coeus’ after Apollo's father in Greek mythology. His name literally means query or question.The skill would be all knowing. It would be able to analyze and appraise. It would aid him in learning and form an ego if it could. He added a few more things hoping it could fit. After confirming the skill the tablet responded.

<< Notice. User created a skill tool for ranking. Notice. Interruption. Bloodline awakening. User has 1 advanced skill left. Create skill?”

Brian selected yes and the screen burst with colors. Large circles with letters and symbols that looked like they came all sorts of mythologies popped up before stopping.

<< God-like skill ‘ Coeus‘ created. User would be able to learn anything searched from the universe query. User can analyze, assess and appraise targets. User can synthesize and create new matter. User can burn skills into other souls. Skill will be burned into users soul momentarily>>

With that done, Brian handed the tablet back to Lidia who looked at it with wide eyes.

“ Sacrificing other skills to create something this powerful was a great idea.God-like skills are exactly what they sound like.Not bad at all, but the pain on your soul will bring me great satisfaction.”

This bitch. No. No. This lovely lady cared for his well being! He appreciated it greatly but there was one last thing on his mind before the excruciating pain.

“ This new body of mine is it… is it better than this.” He gestured to himself. If he had to live another life as the short fat virgin they might as well cancel this arrangement.

“ Oh no. Your new husk of meat is way better than that.” He caught it but she could read his mind and he couldn't tell her where she could shove it.

“ He is a nobility. Fifth son of a city lord and war veteran. Born of a concubine. You may have your work cut out for you to improve your image but the young lad is a tall, broad redhead with Olive skin to match. Here's a look. After a few swipes, she gave the tablet back to Brian.

Lidia wasn't wrong at all, He looked ethnic. Maybe a handsome black-white mix or middle eastern. Whatever he was, the boy's features were sharp, his brows thick and his frame looked like he played every sport possible. And his dong made Brian a lot more insecure than he wanted to be but that was his dong now. Wait a minute!

“ How did a guy like him die?” He didn't know how this slipped his mind. He could be transmigrating into a damn perv for all he knew.

“ Ethan was a perv but not a rapist. He abused his status as a noble. Neglected his training and by earth’s standards “ Ntr'd '' a lot of men he shouldn't have. He died on the way to the land his father exiled him to. Poison of course.”

That wasn’t that bad. There's some crimes that can't be ignored. Being a homewrecker wasn't one of them.

“ I’m ready Ms. Lidia.”

“ That you are. Remember, the life of Iris and yours is dependent on you and your actions.”

“ I got it. Take me away! “ Brian jumped out his seat, arms stretched to the heavens. “ I thank goddess Iris for the opportunity. I promise to make you proud.” Then he howled like he was being tortured. He forgot about the damn skill! His soul was finally whisked away to its new body.

—-----

“ Did we really have to lie about your life being in danger to the boy? I’m sure he would've tried his hardest to fulfill the mission.”

Goddess Iris appeared through a tear of reality. “ It was just enough to light some fire under him. He seemed like the type to get some riches and harem and forget about the task.”

“ Did you forcefully awaken Ethan’s bloodline too?”

Iris chuckled and left through the tear of reality once more.