Bazil died simply and quickly. A truck not stopping at the red light.
His body was sent flying, crashing and rolling on the ground. Bazil’s soul still floated there, on the middle of the crosswalk, not really registering the situation it was in.
It saw words in big, red, and stylized letters on the side of the vehicle that had ended Bazil’s life.
Truck-kun & spawns, your best isekai provider since the dawn of time.
By the time Bazil’s ample internet experience helped it realize what was happening, its soul was snapped away.
---
“Salutations soul, be honored for you are in my presence.” A powerful voice reached Bazil’s soul, shaking it from the state of absence it was in.
“Where am I?” Bazil asked, wondering a bit why it wasn’t worried about the situation.
“You are in my presence soul, as I have previously stated. Be honored.” Came the response from a floating sphere of light in front of Bazil’s soul. Insofar as being himself a floating ball of light it could have a ‘front’. A great difference in the comparable size of the two balls of lights could be noticed, as well as in the shininess of said lights.
“I am greatly honored to be in your presence Oh Great and Powerful One!” Bazil said, quickly understanding that the other being was mightily arrogant and probably had some sort of control over the situation. Or at the very least they would have far more information than they would potentially share.
“However, I am ignorant of my situation and of whom your mighty being might be. Would you be so kind as to enlighten me? I am certain that a magnificent being such as yourself could answer all of my questions.” Bazil inquired, starting to lay the compliments rather thickly.
“Oh? You are far more amenable than the former humans I had to deal with. But you are just as much ignorant, indeed.” The light pulsed in a way that Bazil assumed meant it was pleased. “I am Gronarityuerocjequa The Purveyor. Other Eldritchs and some Deities come to me when in need or want of some hard to obtain articles.”
“Oh Great Gronarityuerocjequa, would you answer more of my inquiries? Your vast understanding of everything that is would easily provide me with the information I require.” Asked Bazil, wondering how it could pronounce such a complicated name on its first try after only hearing it once. Probably some shenanigans linked to its current state of being. A disembodied ball of light it was, after all.
“Yes, I’ll allow you to inquire as to my unfathomable knowledge, however, I may decide to retain information or to ask for a price. My services aren’t free.”
“Then Oh Great Gronarityuerocjequa, I have already understood that I am dead and I assume will be reincarnated into another world. I pray you to grant me every bit of knowledge your infinite wisdom sees fit to impart on me.” Bazil had read a bunch of stories with reincarnation on other worlds and the involvement of Trunk-kun in its death was a good indication of the situation.
“Very well soul! You are indeed dead and will soon be reincarnated into another world, as you said it.” Bazil was glad to have guessed right.
“You are to be reincarnated in a word with a System, like in some of your video games.” Bazil was really pleased to hear that bit, being a gamer.
“The God that bought your soul is bored and wants to spice things up a bit on his world, Hirt, with souls from outside his universe. As such you will be granted some kind of bonus over local lifeforms.” The more it heard, the happier Bazil was about the situation.
“With this System, you’ll be able to reach nearly divine power. It is a world of might and magic. Although technology can exist it has always been repressed by magic uses. There are a bunch of sapient species such as Humans, Dwarves, Elves, Kloptrs, Fratsis, and the likes.” The fantasy fan in Bazil was overjoyed.
“And if you manage to get enough power, the rules of society don’t apply to you, as you may destroy and make civilizations on a whim.” And with that last bit Bazil was completely sold.
It would be the opportunity to do whatever the fuck it wanted. Once it would manage to get the power needed, it would finally be able to live the life it always dreamed of. No moral to abide to, no law to obey, no nothing to restrain it if not for the power of others. Well, it could be argued that nothing else but the power of society really stopped it before, but this time it could manage to acquire enough personal power to overcome it!
Bazil was starting to dream of crushing its enemies, seeing them driven before him, and hearing the lamentation of their women. Not that it had any enemies yet. It would bring perversion, despair, and suffering to this world, all the things it could not do back on Earth.
“Yes, as always, I have chosen magnificently. With what I see in your soul, you will bring great evil to this world.”
Hold on a sec, could this Eldritch being read Bazil’s mind?
“Of course, I can.”
Fuck! Then why was that thing so glad to hear praises then?
“Oh, Mighty Gronarityuerocjequa! Please do not pay attention to my mind, it has always been unruly and does not represent what I truly think!” Bazil tried to lessen the dreadful consequences it feared would come.
“Fret not for I am too great to be offended by the like of you.” The bigger ball of light said dismissively. “But I do enjoy flattery, you may keep on groveling before me.” Bazil was a bit taken aback by this and mainly relieved it would not be smashed into nothingness.
“Now, even as time has no meaning here, I am growing tired of this. Know that you won't be the sole denizen from Earth to be reincarnated on Hirt, and some are quite full of self-righteousness. They will surely try to kill you if they hear of your plans.”
Bazil was not too worried about those, it would already have to fight its way against locals with years and years of experience over it. What more danger a bunch of morons from its world could represent?
“Lastly I have a proposal to present to you. You will allow me to observe the world of Hirt through you and if I am offered something sufficiently entertaining or new, I will arrange for you to be provided with some kind of reward. Also, I may offer you a trade or another. Do you accept?”
“Will I be able to refuse said trade? And can you guarantee the rewards will be useful?” Bazil asked, forgetting to praise the eldritch being.
“You forget yourself, soul. I am Gronarityuerocjequa The Purveyor, not a simple salesman.”
“My deepest apologies, oh Great and Mighty Gronarityuerocjequa. I am certain that in your infinite wisdom you see and understand far more than I will ever be able to grasp or even fathom. As the small and insignificant being that I am, I am merely afraid of not being able to fully appreciate the quality of the professed rewards. I also fear that in my ignorance I may not see the benefits that the things you would present me in trade could bring to me, in my basely desires I may prefer more basic items than the grandeur of what you could propose me.” Bazil quickly and grovely explained what it meant earlier, although it had no doubts the eldritch ball of light was merely playing with it.
“Much better. As I understand your concern, know that yes, you’ll be able to deny a trade, even if I would more often than not present you with something of greater value to you. As for the rewards I may grant to you, as you put it yourself, you may not fully appreciate their quality, but fret not. Even if you are not able to use them to their fullest potential, they will bring me entertainment.”
Bazil wasn’t sure that it wanted to provide an eldritch being with ‘entertainment’ and be rewarded for it. Although it thought that if Gronarityuerocjequa was pleased with what it was seeing through it, they would probably want to see more of it, therefore offering Bazil the means to do more of it. Since Bazil planned on only doing what it wanted, the ‘rewards’ would probably help it in a way or another. And if it could refuse a trade, then what harm would there be?
“Then yes I accept your proposal.” Bazil declared.
“Soul formerly known as Bazil Fantasio Dupont, last birthplace on Earth, you are presented with the following bargain. You will allow me, Gronarityuerocjequa The Purveyor, to observe the world of Hirt through you, in exchange, you will be provided with the occasional reward should I be pleased with what I observe. Should you found something I want you may be presented with a trade for something of at least equivalent value to you. Do you accept the Bargain?” The eldritch being stated the terms of the Bargain to Bazil.
Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.
“Yes, I accept.” The former human gave anew its consent.
“Then the Bargain is struck.” At those words, Bazil saw and felt a bit of light leaving the eldritch being to enter its own soul. The feeling was highly uncomfortable but not painful and quickly passed away.
“Good, now you will go back to slumber. I hope you survive and bring me entertainment. I bid you good luck, you’ll need it.” Where the last words Bazil heard in this place.
---
“Salutations soul, be honored for you are in my presence.” A new voice startled Bazil out of its new slumber.
“Where am I?” it asked a feeling of déjà-vu in its mind.
“You are in my divine palace. I am Hirtole, God of the world of Hirt.” Like previously, a ball of light floated ‘in front’ of Bazil’s ball of light. As in the previous encounter, this one was bigger and shinier than Bazil’s, although less than the eldritch one.
“Please oh divine Hirtole, accept my sincere apologies. I meant no offense to your great and mighty being.” Bazil quickly started offering praises to this new powerful being, even if it would have liked to start with its new life already. Discussing with eldritch and divine entities was good and all, but it had a harem to gather.
“Don’t bother with the empty flattering, I prefer honest ones or simple honesty. As long as you speak with respect, of course,” the God said to Bazil.
“Then I apologize again and will endeavor to do so,” the former Human answered.
“Good, now I know you have struck a Bargain with Gronarityuerocjequa, so tell me the terms of it.” Demanded Hirtole.
“I, the soul formerly known as Bazil Fantasio Dupont last, birthplace on Earth, will allow Gronarityuerocjequa The Purveyor to observe the world of Hirt through me, in exchange they will be providing me with the occasional reward should they be pleased with what they observe. Should I found something they want I may be presented with a trade for something of at least equivalent value to me.” Bazil gave the exact terms of the Bargain from simple memory, probably something to do with it being a Bargain with an eldritch entity.
“Hmm, I see. Well, it doesn’t hinder my plans, but it does bother me that you struck such a Bargain with Gronarityuerocjequa. I should have seen this coming, making a Bargain with an Eldritch, you’re here to be one of the villains after all.” Said the divine being causing some alarm to the former human one.
“I am not stupid and will not renege on my own Bargain with them, although I won’t tell you what it entails, just that I can’t directly smite you and that I must give you the ability I promised. I will however make it difficult for you to survive at the start. Serves them right if you die and all the more fun for me in the other way.”
“What? Wait! I-” Bazil was cut in its attempt to alleviate the situation and send to its new body on Hirt.
---
[Welcome on Hirt!
You have been born!
Congratulations!]
Green text started to appear in Bazil’s empty field of vision at the same time as a girly voice entered its nonexistent ears.
Whut? Bazil thought. Is that the System Gronarityuerocjequa told me about?
[Yes!
No!
That is me!
The Great System Interface Intelligence!
Or GSII for short.
But I don’t like it.
I manage a big chunk of the power that goes on on Hirt for Hirtole.]
The System voice and text sounding like someone was a strange thought to Bazil.
And you can read my thoughts too? Can everybody do it here? it asked, a bit too worried to notice its inability to speak.
[Teehee!
Nah, silly.
Only beings of significant power or telepaths can do this.
And I need to do it to monitor your Skills growth.]
Such lifelikeness started was worrying for the former Human.
And you won’t judge me for what I’m going to do?
[What?
The whole world domination, pain, despair, and stuff?
Pffrt!
I don’t care.
It’s not often that I have someone to talk to, so I may as well enjoy it.]
Bazil was a bit surprised by that declaration.
You sure you don’t mind? I must admit I wasn’t expecting something like that. Nor to interact with the System in this way.
[Oh, that?
Let me guess, you expected some insensitive and boring blue text, right?
Something that could come straight out of a Golem?
Or what you would call a Robot?]
Hmm, yes.
[Well, that’s my sisters, they’re boring like that.
But I kind of pity them, always having to deal with stupid animals.
But I have the chance of not having to take care of those pests.
I swear!
If I could get rid of those filthy, degenerate, degrad-]
Wow! Stop! What do you mean by that? You don’t deal with animals? And sisters? Bazil asked a dreadful feeling creeping up what it assumed to be its spine.
[Yeah!
I have four sisters...
Argh!
And they’re all so boring!
Or stupid!
Like their stupid animals!
Anyway, I have one sister that takes care of sapients, one for animals, one for minerals and one for the rest.
Me?
I take care of the plants.
Like you!
And I’m so glad to finally have someone from another universe to talk too!
I love my veggies, but they are not great conversationalists.
And every time one starts to be smart and awake enough to be interesting they are cut down!
And the sapient species that are plants you’ll ask?
I can’t have them!
Because ‘They are sapient species and therefore are under the responsibility of your sister’.
Raah!
It infuriates me!
Hirt only likes my sisters.
He doesn’t really like me...
Hey!
You’re alright?
I don’t hear you think.]
I’m a plant! But I’m Human.
[He!
Not anymore!
Now you’re a plant!
A tiny little cute seed!
So you’re mine to take care of!
Even if I won’t always have time to talk to you like that.
You wouldn’t believe the number of stuff I have to manage.
Anyways, try to say ‘Status’.
Or think it maybe.
Since you can’t talk.
Yet.]
I… I may need a minute to put my mind around it.
[A minute?
It’s been three hours already since you’ve been officially born!
You’re thinking mighty fast for a seed.
Congrats!
Now go on and look at your status.
I have to focus elsewhere.
I’ll be back.
And I’ll always keep an eye on you.]
A plant. Even a seed apparently. Was that what that God had said when he sent Bazil here? Would it be eaten by some rodents passing by?
Damn!
Even if being a simple seed explained its current inability to see or hear anything else than the green text and feminine voice that talked to it earlier and delivered such bad news. The only thing it could perceive with any sense was some sort of physical feeling of being encased in something rather hard and hot.
And what the System Interface had said about time was also worrying. It felt like barely ten minutes had passed in their conversation, but she said it was more than three hours? Was Bazil that slow now?
Double Damn!
Bazil really hoped it would be able to improve its speed of thought if it was to survive and take over the world.
Take over the world. It was a good thing it didn’t know yet exactly how to do it, because being a plant would certainly not help in that matter.
Anyway, the green text, voice? It had to ask for her name. She told it to access its Status by thinking about it. So it tried to do it.
Status!