“Where am I?”

Leo who was in a marbled room said so out loud. His voice echoed in the vast space and took a few seconds before dying away, it was empty and silent, but it couldn’t hide the fact how magnificent the place looked. The design and kinda reminded him of eastern european style architecture, not only colossal in size but very tall, almost reaching over 70 feet in the air he looked small in comparison in the spacious area surrounding him.

Everything from the ceilings, walls, and floor were all made up of carefully crafted marbles, paintings with vases that had flowers were just about anywhere, elegant furniture aligned the room, and chandeliers reached high up into the sky above him.

Whatever this place is, someone had to be really rich to afford such extravagant building and merchandise, which by looks of it seems to be individually forged and constructed with unique decorations. The paintings also appeared to be commissioned and Leo could only imagine the price of each one. It would of made anyone think this was a imperial palace with an art gallery.

What he wanted to know was why did he abruptly been teleported to this place? Did someone kidnapped him? If so then why? Questions clouded his entire mind with worry and anxiety, chills ran down his spine and his skin prickled with goosebumps, the place was cold, plummeting in temperature, Leo stood no chance with his light t-shirt and jeans, when he began shivering, not only did his entire body shake, but his teeth chattered in response and had started forming misty clouds from his mouth.

Then it dawned on him, he couldn’t have been here very long or else his body would of froze to death from the gelid conditions. What he wanted to do anything more was to first escape from this unknown location, just when he was about come up with a plan to break out of here, a woman’s voice rang through the deserted palace, which instantly shattered his absence and brought him back to reality.

“Young man, unfortunately for you it seems like you had died.”

There was somebody else there next to him, she was a beautiful woman that wore a cream-colored dress with her hair braided, there was also a small headband just above her forehead and a crystal tiara to go along with it. Her attire greatly resembled that of ancient greek, however the beauty she possessed could not mask the peerless even if her fashion had been outdated.

“But your death was meaningful and deserved great respect, even I was impress how many lives you had save throughout your life.”

She said so in an apologetic manner and sincere attitude and brought her head down and bowed.

“For your actions I shall reincarnate you into another world, an alternate world where you will shine brightly like a star in the night sky. There you will be truly appreciated.”

Leo was surprised more than anything to find someone in the afterlife, was she a goddess? Possibly a god? The way she spoke and her posture were all dignified with pride, then it finally hit him, he was dead.

“Wait… Why do I deserve to be reincarnated?”

“Hmm? You saved many people when you were alive, even you should know that.”

He was silent and listen attentively, for now that was all Leo could do and he thought it would be interesting what she had to say.

The goddess waved her hands and the air became a screen when it had started to play the heroism of Leo and his good deeds. There were many, from terrorist attack to attempted murders he could clearly see himself in the middle of all of them.

It was weird seeing himself looking like a fantasy hero and being praised at the same time, and on top of that the one applauding him was a divine goddess.

“‘The legendary white knight” that was what he was called before he died, Leo had no doubt he would be missed back at earth, but for him it was more than a relief not having to carry the burden anymore and living up to expectations after recollecting all his memories he finally understood what she meant and how he had died.

It had all started after recently graduating from high school, after he had received a phone from the chief of police recruiting him into the police force. Apparently he had heard about the incident in the news about a woman nearly getting raped and Leo who had came to the aid shortly afterwards.

You could say it was fate and his destiny that pointed him to the direction, to the rapist and the woman being there to set him up towards where he was about to head. But, nevertheless Leo had accepted the offer and in one year grown in ranks and climbed to the top renown as the special prodigy.

The attention he got quickly picked up, doing the impossible tasks of saving innocent civilians from many situations. Never in his career did he back down on the mission no matter how small the chance of survival was.

But his real break was at the white house, saving the president from mercenary’s from the middle east. Then his popularity jumped and skyrocketed, winning medals, getting raise in both his salary and rank.

He thought nothing could have gone better than this, what he didn’t know the consequences of being on top of the pedestal. The way he died was quite tragic, recalling the memory of being backstabbed finally resurfaced.

It all happened at a bar located near the headquarters where he worked, after a day he would always hang around there and have a couple of shots. That was his routine, all his coworkers knew that, and so did everyone working in the area.

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He remembered a young girl specifically enter through the door asking for his help. She led him in a dark alley and there he had been surrounded by mobs that murdered him. Leo felt neither fear or angry, he had anticipated something like this would happen after a while, but he didn’t expected it to be so soon.

Now, that he was dead, not only is a goddess telling everything about his life, but also declaring him to be reincarnated, it was a crazy situation.

“Now, shall we proceed with your rebirth?”

Asking a rhetorical question before Leo could object she then continue where they had left off.

“Hmm….. unfortunately I cannot bring you back to earth if that was what you wished..”

She frowned and shook her head and had a face full of regret, he was no expert in reading people’s mood, but the answer had been obvious why he couldn’t go back.

“In its state right now the population is reaching the limit, in the past century it has increased too much and with a person like yourself it would be wasted.”

She was giving him the rundown of the circumstances and he understood very well the problem. Leo honestly didn’t mind not going back, although the only thing he missed were his precious parents who had showered him with love, the others wasn’t really that big for him to be sad about, still he couldn’t help feel guilty not being able to say goodbye to his mom and dad, they must have received the news by now that he had been gruesomely killed and Leo could only imagine their reaction.

It made him feel even worse just thinking about it so he quietly shook his head. The goddess who had been talking stopped and gave him a gentle smile.

“It’ll be alright, i’ll send someone to say those parting words for you, like a witness before you died, for now let us move on, I already have a tight schedule answering prayers and a meeting in 1 hour.”

She clapped her hands and showed a smile, and patted his shoulder signaling him to cheer up. Finally, putting his emotions aside and raising his burrowed head, Leo got to the main point.

“So if it isn’t earth what kind of world would I reincarnate into?”

“I’m glad you asked, it’s simple, a world where magic and swords exist, think of it like a fantasy game and that pretty much sums up what it is.”

“Swords and magic….”

He was dumbfounded, did such a world exist? If so, then could you really call it fantasy anymore? Nevertheless the idea sound quite attractive, it would be a totally new experience and he liked that.

“By your reaction, you don’t seem disappointed, that’s good”

“Mhm, living on earth was fun, but swords and magic, how could I turn that down?”

“Very well, if you didn’t like that option, there was always eternal sleep, but even if you wanted to I would of reborn you anyways without any objections.”

“Oh…”

She clenched her first and instantly bright light emitted from her palm, when she opened them there was a sphere of blue flames.

“I will put this into your soul and newly body.”

“What’s that…?”

“This?”

She pointed at the single lit fire on her hands.

“Well I thought i’ll give you something as a parting gift before you go, it’s basically my blessing and a special type of skill.”

“Skill?”

“Yes, I call it ‘Heaven’s Calamity’, a skill that will grant you the power of Aoi, the strongest and mightiest dragon out of all. It’s soul is sealed and when release and kept inside your new body. You will wield unyielding potential. You will also have the soul that even surpass me in power.”

“Aoi ? Soul? I don’t get anything you’re saying….”

Leo expression was between puzzled and disbelief, he didn’t know why the goddess would give him that kind of power. If you look at it, even though he was a considered a savior with unmounting praise, shouldn’t she be a little more careful? The unwavering attitude was admirable.

“Let’s just say I want to create a story that will carry on towards the future generations. Earth already has one, the man that had the long beard and hair. However this world does not, but I have chosen you to carry out that deed.”

Then in a flash she flicked her index finger and the flame came rushing towards Leo’s chest and disappeared inside.

“With this, the debt should be paid. I’m expecting big things from you. Maybe someday we'll meet again, but for now, we shall part. Don’t disappoint me young one.”

She snapped her fingers and then immediately, the marble palace disappeared from sight and was replaced by whiteness and again by darkness. His vision blinded and his senses paralyze, he thought the goddess made a mistake and sent him into the abyss, but it wasn’t long before light reached his eyes again and his questions were answered, the grown body that were recently there was gone, what was there instead were small hands and feet flailing around uncontrollably.

Leo then knew he had been reborn into the alternate world, his memories intact he remembered the conversation and his past life. Gradually scanning around him something felt wrong.

The image of man he knew was gone, and now instead replaced by feminine like aura with an unknown slit that use to be his crotch.

Then this could mean one thing...

“Ris, it’s time for dinner! Say Ah!”

“I’m a g-girlll!!!!!!!?”

That goddess tricked me!