Chapter 0: I Died and Reborn in a Blank World
My name, is Ethan Stanford. And I want to die.
Why do I want to die you ask?
Well it’s because my life sucks.
I’m bullied all throughout my life.
From the moment I was born, my parents hate me.
It seems that I was an illegitimate child that was created by accident.
Because of that, I was forced to be with my real father while my mother disappeared with her real husband.
After that, my father tried to take responsibility but soon gave up and killed himself due to debts piling up.
Next thing I knew, I began working in some evil organization as a drug carrier. But that too, was gone again.
Police arrested them. And I was left with no place again.
Of course, I was not arrested as I am just a kid. So it was decided to send me in an orphanage.
There, I grew.
They gave me food, shelter, and a simple public school to attend.
Even there, I was bullied.
Be it in the orphanage or in school.
Why? I don’t know why.
If I knew, I would’ve changed myself after all.
But I don’t know…I don’t know why they bully me…
I decided to run from life and found mangas from a certain person.
That person was the only one kind to me.
He was always at that spot on the park and whenever I see him, he would always give me a manga to read.
Next, he started showing me animes.
Then light novels.
Web novels.
It was fun.
I liked them all very much.
I even went with him to a cosplay convention where he gave me a costume and treated me to foods and stuff.
I wonder…if I had a brother, will it be like this.
Hence, I started calling him brother.
Hearing that, he let out a tear and smiled as he hugged me.
Who is he?
I no longer cared.
But…he died.
Like every day, I tried to meet him in that park…only to find a car out of control and ramming towards that spot where he usually sat waiting for me.
Underneath the car…dark red liquid spilled.
I understand what it was.
I know who it belongs to.
But I don’t want to accept it!
WHY!?
WHY IS THE ONLY PERSON TO CARE ABOUT ME HAD TO DIE!!!???
I screamed.
I ran.
I don’t know where I was going.
I just ran.
I learned later on that he was actually my half-brother.
My brother from my mother’s side who threw me away.
Because of that, my mother blamed me again.
She threw things at me.
I didn’t run away.
I let her hit me.
I no longer cared.
I wonder how brother is right now in heaven?
That’s when it struck me.
In some of the mangas, animes, light novels, and web novels that brother showed me…wasn’t there that scenario?
Reincarnation.
Right. Brother must have reincarnated in another world!
Maybe even became a hero!
If it’s brother, then he has to be a hero!
Right, I should follow as well!
Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.
I want to be with brother!
That’s why I will also die like brother!
But I should increase the chances of reincarnation from cliché scenarios.
Trash life, check!
Bullied child, check!
Regret in dying, …hmm…ah, that’s right! I regret that I won’t be able to see the ending of One Piece and the others! So, check!
No harem, check!
Now, all that’s left is a car accident! Preferably, a truck! There’s a lot of reincarnation stories that has a cause of death like that!
Trucks are magical tools for reincarnation!
So this is it. My 18 year old life will finally end.
No girlfriend.
No friend.
No college.
No work.
…And no one would care.
Right…let’s look for a good truck.
Oh! That one looks good and big!
The logo on the side has a hammer and a wrench so it was a construction delivery truck or something. Maybe I will be sent to a world where it has a lot of advancement in building or crafting?
No, not that one then. I want a world of magic so let’s choose another truck.
Oh oh! This one has a pillow logo!
…Do I get sent off to a world full of pillows then?
Then again, what is the logo for magic?
There’s no way potions would be sold here so there will be none with that kind of logo. Same could be said with staves or wands.
Ah! That one’s blank. Let’s just go with that!
Right, one…two…three!
*SPLAT*
Ah…it doesn’t even hurt…
I hear someone yelling but I don’t understand what they’re saying anymore.
Now God! Take me to another world!
Like that, my consciousness disappeared.
# # #
I woke up in a dark place.
Ah, it succeeded!
Right, next should be where a light will appear or some God will show himself.
Now God! Show yourself!
…
…
…
…
…
Eh?
…
…Umm…God…are you there?
…
…No way…since there was no logo, I was sent to a blank world!?
No no no no, why did I even think that the logo will change anything!?
Rather, this only means one thing. There is no God!
Where is this place!?
I can’t feel my body!
I can’t see!
…D-don’t tell me, I failed! I didn’t die!?
I’m now a vegetable!?
Noooooooo!!!
Wait…let’s calm ourselves.
What reason do they want to keep me alive? None. No one cares about me.
Hence, this theory is wrong.
This means that I’m stuck in some sort of purgatory?
But I don’t see any way to go…
Do everyone go here once they die?
…Haah…I wonder if I will find brother here?
I tried to move…there is this feeling of moving, but I don’t know if I went forwards or backwards.
Rather, which way is up and down? Left and right?
Whatever, I’ll just keep moving as it is…hopefully I’ll discover something…
Hence, my journey began…in a blank world.