I couldn’t understand where I was. Was I floating? But I had no sense of direction—no sense of up or down, no ground beneath me or sky above. There was only the heavy, all-consuming darkness. Was my body... still there? I couldn’t feel anything. But the cold—it gnawed at me from within.

The silence was deafening. No whispers, no breeze—just nothing. There was not a single sound to anchor me. It was as though the world itself had come to a stop. I tried to move, to reach for something solid, but I couldn’t even tell if I was moving.

Was this a dream? Or was it something worse? I couldn’t grasp how long I had been here—if "here" was even the right word. Time seemed warped, as if hours and seconds had become one.

Yet, despite the emptiness around me, I couldn’t shake the feeling that I wasn’t alone. I had died. I knew it the moment the knife pierced me. The pain had been so sharp, so violently shaking. And then... nothing. My body froze, and the world around me vanished. So, this was death. Just nothingness.

This must be what nothingness felt like. No end, no release—just an endless sleep without rest. But something didn’t feel right. How could I still think? I shouldn’t have been aware. I shouldn’t have remembered. Yet, I was here, and my memories clung to me.

Don’t worry, Shinya. Every end is a new beginning, and every beginning has an end.

Was this voice a memory, or something else? The moment it surfaced, I felt it. Something was pulling me, an irresistible force dragging me through the void. Fast, too fast. It was like being tossed through space—uncontrolled, powerless. No matter where I was headed, I couldn’t fight it.

Seconds passed, maybe hours. Time followed no rules here. And then, just as suddenly, it stopped.

A light appeared before me; blinding, bright—a light that burned through the darkness. A pale yellow streaked with white, so luminous it felt like it was setting the void on fire.

Wait... I can see!

The light moved closer, spinning until it took the form of a woman. Her long golden hair cascaded down her back like liquid sunlight, and her piercing blue eyes reminded me of Inochi. She wore a delicate white dress adorned with golden flowers, each petal glowing as though touched by the sun. Behind her, soft, glowing, angelic white wings unfurled. On her head, a simple crown of flowers rested gently, adding to her serene and ethereal presence.

"My name is Luminara," she said, her voice soft and soothing, like a gentle breeze caressing the soul. "I am the Goddess of Light and Creation, the mother of all living things born from my light."

Her words carried a warmth that was both comforting and awe-inspiring. To be honest, her divine appearance had truly captivated me.

"I am Shinya Kage," I replied, trying to make sense of this strange reality. "I was human. I'm not exactly sure who or where I am now."

"You died and went into the void," she explained. Her voice was gentle, as if she were a mother comforting her child. "The final end is nothingness itself. I pulled you out of there to give you another chance."

Really? I couldn't help but wonder what had made me worthy of being saved.

"May I ask why, Goddess-sama?" I used the respectful term not out of fear, but formality. I figured it would be wise to be polite, as testing her patience didn't seem like a good idea.

"You can call me Luminara, Shinya."

"Alright, Luminara-sama," I said, still holding on to a bit of formality. "Why did you save me from the void?"

"Your life was hard," she began, her voice soft and full of compassion. "You endured so much—your father’s addiction to alcohol and gambling, and the pain he caused you. The abuse you suffered at his hands was merciless, and your mother had to bear the burden of his debts."

It seemed like she had been watching my life like a series.

"But the most tragic part was that you were killed by your own family," Luminara said gently, her voice filled with the silent sorrow that echoed in the void.

"Wait... what?" The words escaped, breaking through her calm tone. "What do you mean by 'my family'?"

She met my gaze; her expression was soft but serious. "The one who stabbed you, Shinya, was your father."

After hearing those words, I felt my nonexistent body stiffen. My father? No, this couldn't be true. He was dead. He had been killed. There’s no way... Was this some kind of joke?

"But... he was dead. He was murdered." I could barely speak the words. "How could he—?"

"It was meant to be," Luminara explained, with patient kindness. "But he had a connection, a friend in the Yakuza. With their help, he faked his own death."

Memories flooded over me—the state of my father’s body when we found him—he was unrecognizable. It had always felt strange, but I had never imagined... that he would go so far as to fake his own death.

"But where had he been all this time? Why didn't he contact us?" I asked, still under the shock of it all.

"The Yakuza was watching you and your mother because of the debt. That’s why he had to remain hidden. When he learned that your mother had finally paid off the debt, he decided to come to the café."

I couldn't say I was glad to hear he was alive; after all the abuse he had put my mother and me through, and the debts he left us with, that feeling felt hollow. My childhood had hardly been normal because of him. Yet, the idea that he had faked his own death was still shocking.

"Then why did he want to kill my mother?" I asked Luminara, afraid of the answer I already knew.

"He hoped to apologize to both of you and start anew," she explained. "But when he saw that your mother had accepted Haruki’s marriage proposal, he went mad and tried to attack her."

I remembered the figure wearing a mask and hood to conceal his identity.

As if reading my thoughts, Luminara added, "He wore those to hide from the Yakuza. He was desperately trying not to be noticed."

"What happened after I died?" I asked Luminara, my heart weighed down with the need to know how everyone had coped with the situation.

Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

"If you truly wish to know..." she replied, showing me a glowing screen. The image reflected the café.

"Chihiro! How could you do this to our son? Why? Why did you do it?" My mother’s anguished screams echoed through the scene, and I could see the tears of those around me, filling the air with their sorrow.

"Shinya, my son. Why did you do this? It should have been me, not you! You could have had a beautiful life. What will I do without you?" My mother's sorrow pierced my heart, and even though I no longer had a physical body, I could feel the tears streaming down my face.

"This is the truth," Luminara said, closing the screen. "Now, let me explain why I saved you."

"I had completely forgotten," I said, recalling my earlier question. "So, why did you save me, Luminara-sama?"

"You sacrificed yourself to save your mother," she answered, her voice warm with admiration. "You didn’t hesitate for even a second. You are a true hero, Shinya."

"So, you saved me because you needed my help? Am I a potential hero candidate?" I asked, trying to piece everything together.

"You understood the situation immediately, Shinya," she confirmed, a small smile appearing on her lips. "I rule over Luminarca, a magical realm filled with fantastic creatures, different races, and countless dangers. The Lord of the Void, Tenebris Dominus, has invaded my lands with his monsters. His goal is to destroy all life in my realm. I need you to stop him."

Ah, here we go. The classic 'isekai' setup. Some unlucky souls die, and a goddess—or a god, or a celestial being; pick your choice—comes in, gives them a big mission and some fancy powers, and sends them off to fight the demon lord. The hero saves the world, and they all live happily ever after. Classic stuff.

I guess I'm the main character in an isekai now.

Let's clarify this: am I the protagonist of a novel, manga, or maybe even an anime? If that's the case, I really want to see the trailer. I’d love to watch how they dramatize all this chaos. Maybe they'll throw in a nice soundtrack while they're at it.

But instead of a typical Demon Lord, there's the Lord of the Void. That sounds terrifying. I definitely wouldn’t want to bump into him on a dark street. But something inside me says our paths will cross eventually. It always happens that way, doesn't it?

"So," I said, trying to sound casual, "you’re going to make me your hero and give me powers to stop the enemy?"

"Yes, Shinya. You are the one to defeat the Lord of the Void," Luminara replied. Her voice was calm and reassuring, like a gentle breeze on a warm day.

"I’ve got one thing on my mind," I said, genuinely curious. "Why did he invade your world and try to destroy everything?"

Her answer would tell me a lot about the Lord of the Void. Kazuki once said that villains aren’t always evil just for the sake of it. Many of them have tragic backstories. The bad things they went through somehow turn them into the villain.

"Yes," Luminara confirmed, her tone heavy with the weight of history. "We have been fighting for centuries. But the rules of our agreement keep us from directly facing each other. We can only act through our followers. It has always been a battle of indirect influence, of using our champions to carry out our wills."

"Wait, so you and Tenebris Dominus have been at war for a long time, haven't you?" I asked, processing the complexity of their cosmic struggle.

"Indeed," Luminara replied with a solemn nod. "But now, the situation has escalated. The Void Lord has grown stronger. His influence is spreading, and the balance we once maintained is slipping. I can no longer rely on mere indirect tactics. I need someone who can confront him directly, someone who can stop him once and for all."

The gravity of her words settled over me like a thick fog. A centuries-old war, hidden behind the scenes of this world, now thrust upon me. It felt unreal, like something out of the very fantasy novels and anime I had once read, but here I was, caught in the middle of it.

"So, you want me to be the one to defeat him, to break the pact and end this war once and for all?" I asked, trying to wrap my mind around the enormity of the task.

"Yes," Luminara said, her eyes filled with a mix of determination and hope. "You have the potential, Shinya. Your heart is strong, and you have the power to reshape the future. The fate of Luminarca, and perhaps even the fate of countless worlds, lies in your hands."

"He wants to seize my essence of light," Luminara explained, her tone tinged with frustration. "His sole goal is to gain more power."

A power-hungry villain. Classic. There’s no real "tragic backstory" here. But still, wanting more power— isn’t that natural? The strongest survive, right?

"Then why don’t you face him yourself if you want to stop him so badly?" I asked. "Why do you need a hero to fight for you?"

"We, the four great gods, made an agreement to prevent our own destruction," Luminara explained. Her expression softened with sincerity. "The condition was simple: no matter what our followers did, none of us would directly fight each other or intervene in the world. However, this did not stop us from strengthening our soldiers. Last time, I managed to stop him in some way."

"Wait, so you and Tenebris Dominus have been fighting each other for a while now, right?"

"From the very beginning," she replied, her voice tinged with pain. "When I created life, I lost a portion of my power. But Tenebris? He hasn't lost anything. With every death, he grows stronger. Every soul he consumes increases his power."

I paused for a moment, processing her words. "So, didn't all of you gods fight Tenebris Dominus at some point?"

"No," Luminara said softly, her voice heavy with the weight of memories. "Our enemy was someone else, and much stronger. The four of us, the great gods, barely managed to defeat him."

Wait, what? Someone stronger than the Lord of the Void? What are the odds? I had thought Tenebris was the big bad. Now there's someone else?

"Don't worry," Luminara said, sensing my concerns. "The four of us used all our power to seal him away. He is imprisoned for eternity."

"Well, that's a bit reassuring. I'd like to keep the number of cosmic horrors I have to face to a minimum. Thanks."

"Shinya," Luminara continued, her voice returning to its warm and reassuring tone, "I will make you the Commander of the Knights of Light. They are my loyal soldiers and will assist you in your mission. When you arrive in Luminarca, you will undergo three years of intense training; you'll learn how to fight, how to harness your new powers, and the history of the world. Use your time wisely. If you succeed in defeating the Lord of the Void, I will reward you with anything you desire."

A reward, huh? That could be useful, assuming I live long enough to claim it.

"Well..." I sighed, feeling the weight of her words. "It seems I don't have much of a choice. Spending eternity in the void isn't exactly on my to-do list. I'll follow your orders, Luminara-sama."

It really seemed like I didn’t have much of a choice. She had pulled me out of the void, so clearly, she had a plan. Would I succeed? I didn’t know. But I’d do everything I could.

Luminara’s voice softened further, and suddenly, a mirror appeared. "From now on, you will have a new appearance. Take a look."

As I gazed into the mirror, my transformed reflection caught me off guard for a moment. My face still held the familiar features of my former self, but there were noticeable changes. My hair had turned a striking shade of silver-gray, cascading in elegant, untamed waves. My eyes, once a dull brown, now gleamed with a vivid red; almost unnatural in their intensity. I looked like I had stepped out of a dark fantasy novel—maybe a vampire without fangs.

My body was striking as well. The once-weak, average physique I had was replaced with a near-perfect form, every muscle meticulously defined. I looked stronger, more athletic. It was impossible to deny the sheer power my new form promised. I had the kind of physique that could defeat an army—or at least make an impact on one.

And, well... other details hadn't gone unnoticed either. My banana... size had grown. Yeah, I’m not sure why that needed development, but it seems the goddess has a bit of an obsession with details, I suppose.

"Are you ready, Shinya Kage?" Luminara's voice pulled me out of my thoughts.

"Yes, Luminara-sama," I responded, still pondering everything. "I'm ready to go."

As I spoke, a glowing magical circle appeared beneath my feet, with intricate symbols radiating with ethereal light. Luminara began a detailed ritual; her movements were fluid, her presence commanding.

"I am Luminara, ruler of light. I grant life to those who seek it. My light is the essence of creation. Holy light, heed my call! Infuse this soul with the power of my will!"

With every word, the magical circle grew brighter, its intensity filling the space around us. It felt as if the air itself was charged with energy, vibrating with life. The warmth was overwhelming but not uncomfortable; it was invigorating, like standing in the sun on a perfect day.

And then, without any warning, the light engulfed me.

End of the Part 1

to be continued...