Kiritsuka Rei, age 15, a young man that always sacrifices himself for helping others. Why would he do such things? when there's a polices that keeping the people safety and a firefighter who helped people in trouble. But despite all of that he doesn't want to choose either of those as his carrier in his dream, he rather choose to become a "Knight". 

Yes, a knight with shield and armor, who gives an oath to himself, to protect others from enemies.

In his childhood when Rei was still 5 years old, his parents got divorce and left him alone without love. He is now lived with his uncle family, but he decided to live alone so he won't trouble their family like a mature person.

When he was 7 years old, in the midst of emptiness and boredness, he watched a simple cartoon shows in tv, the story was a knight that was brave enough to protect the princess with all his might from the demon kings army and sacrifce himself before the heroes come to the save.

Rather being captivated of that hero, his eyes was sparkling when seeing this brave knight willingly to protect others. So his childish dream had started and he wish to become a knight that could protect someone despite how powerless he is in front of powerful enemies.

But in the end... that dreams end before he knows it. Kiritsuka Rei, got into car crash accident after saving a girl when on his way to go home from school.....

******

In the realm between life and death Rei was standing there clueless why he was here.

"Where... am I...?" He said while looked around, the place he was standing was pure white and nothing else.

But then a voice came out. "Boy .. you finally awake .." the voice was gentle yet there's a strong pressure on it.

Then a young man wearing a white robe appear in front of him. His face was blured just a like a glitch in computer program.

The young man smiled at him. "I Welcome you .. boy .." 

"Who are you .." Rei said in calm tone, he looks too calm in this kind of situation.

"I see .. it seems that your life from before must be pretty hard .. most of the people who I met .. feel fear, panick, and scared. But I didn't sense anything of that from you .." the young man said while observing Rei.

"Why should I be scared of? A knight must not feel fear of everything ... and the moment he feel fear .. he will died in the hands of enemies ..." he explained his own rules to the young man.

The young man looks suprised as he laugh at him. "Hahahaha! .. that's a good one! Boy! .. aren't you interesting one ...? I never imagine someone from modern era .. having that kind of mindset ..."

"Well I always read about knighthood story in my free time .." Rei replied.

"I see .. I see .." the young man said in playful manner while rubbing his chin and a smile on his face as if he was having fun.

"So what do you want from me ..? and you haven't told me about who you are.." Rei said while crossing his arm looking at the young man.

"Hmmm .. ? aahhh, I'm a god of course .." the young man proclaim himself as the god as he just said it casually.

Rei's eyes widen and looked confused, seeing this young man just blurted something absurd casually.

"Hmmm .. you doesn't seem believes of what I said .." the young man said while smiling and still rubbing his chin.

"Of course ... why should I believe a stranger that suddenly appear out of nowhere .. calling himself a god ... or you might be a demon or something ..." Rei just explained it calmly, then after that the young man snap his finger a black board pop out beside him.

"True, but first let me explain it to you .. right now you are in this realm between life and death ... this is an empty space where the soul of someone ... wanders ..." 

The young man explained and suddenly a black board screen pops out beside him, while showing him there's a young man with black hair sleeping on the bed, and around him it looks like a hospital room. The young man on that bed look exactly the same as Rei.

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

Seeing this, makes Rei's eyes widen. He was suprised seeing himself on that screen. 

"Wait ... is that ... me? .. So that's mean .. I am-.."

"-Yes .. and no .. you are not dead yet .." The young man cutted Rei's words before he have to finish it.

The young man continue "Do you know about 'Out of body experience' ..."

"You mean 'that' out of body experience?? ..."

 "Yes ... the truth is the car accident didn't kill you at all ... but it puts you into long coma after being checked by the doctor ..." 

"So rather waiting for you to die slowly ... I decided to pull your soul out from your body and bring you here .." he explained in playful manner while he slowly sit on the air.

"Then what do you want from me ... it doesn't explain why you are doing this to me ..." Rei said while looking straight at the young man, his eyes looks like he already accepting his own situation.

The young man or the god smirked after seeing his determination to accept everythinh so easily.

It makes this god laughed again then he said "Hehehe ... Hahahaha!! Hahahaha!!.. just as I thought, you truly are interesting!! .."

Despite seeing this god laughing, Rei remained calm and wait for his question to be answered.

"Okay okay ... enough laughing .... so the thing that what I want from you is that ... I'm going to make you reincarnated into this world .. called Astria ..."

"Astria .... then what do you want me to do there ..." Rei quickly asked again for another question.

"Hey .. hey .. calm down ... don't rush it ..."

 "The thing what I want to do is .... that I want you to be happy there ..."

After hearing those words, the whole space gone silent again. Rei who are standing in front of this god was confused of what he told him to do.

"Happy? ..." 

This one word struck into his heart, it makes him remember, when is the last time he is happy? he gladly to help others and make them happy, but he never seen himself being happy, rather being glad to help.

"What do you mean .... by that ...?"

The god didn't stayed silent with a smile on his face.

"Just as I told you .. I want you to be happy there .. as you know we are gods and we know everything and always watching you all from above ...."

"And for the first time ... a god like me ... got interested such a human like you ..."

Rei could only stare at this young man in front of him and only listening of what he said.

"Kiritsuka Rei, born in 16th April, 2000 .. his parents got divorce because of their own affair to each other ... feeling disgust having a child between them ... they decided to move on leaving their only child ... you ...." 

Rei remain calm after all those introduction of himself by him. Rather feeling down or sympathy to himself, he just sigh. 

"So .. is that it ..?" 

The only words that come out was that, his facial looks doesn't change and he looks as if he stop caring all of those past.

The god smiled again and clap his hand. 

"You are a person ... who always help the others without payment .."

"You who keep sacrificing your own happiness for people around you .." 

"You who never accept someone kindness and kept moving on without any regret .. and makes this god took interest of you ..."

*SWUSHSHHH*

The whole white space start distorting as it changes into hell and covered them with hot fire.

Rei's eyes widen once again after seeing the whole place start changing.

"I, the God of Flame"Ifrit" will grant you one wish ... before you go ..." 

All of sudden the young man body in front of him start burning that making a swirl of flame, as a huge muscled man came out from that swirl of flame, he had face of lion that with mane of fire surrounding his face.

"Now .. what do you wish for!! Kiritsuka Rei .. what kind of happiness do you want to have !!"

Rei still remain his calm and slowly showing off a grin.

"You already know what I wish for ... I don't need happiness .... but I want to be the strongest knight that can protect everyone I will care ..!" 

"Hahaha! what a childish wishes! Well then tell me human ... why do you wish to become the strongest knight .... even though you don't have someone that you care .. or even care for you?!"

"Then I just need to find one!! I rather create my own happiness without someone help!!" 

Rei continue smile and stay calm in this situation, as the heat surrounding him getting stronger and stronger

Ifrit smiled and laughed as the whole realm finally covered with sea of flame that he created.

"Ku...ku..ku..kuhahahaha!!!!! Very well!! Since you wish a rough path then I give it one to you so don't cry after that!! ..."

"Then I'm looking forward to it old man ..." Rei looked at the god of flame with his serious determine looks.

"Old man .... Heh ... fine... then .. this is a gift for you from me .." 

Ifrit suddenly point it's finger on Rei forehead as a symbol carved on his head.

"That's a blessing from me ... it will help you when you are at the certain age ... and after this the process of reincarnation ...." 

"The body that you will be living have a certain dark fate that he will meet .... who knows what will happen to you after that .... but that the least thing I can do to help you ..."

As the flame from around them slowly vanish as the Ifrit was smiling at Rei.

Rei could tell, despite those playful and arrogant manners he show it to him, he is a kind god.

"Don't worry ... I won't lose to those things ..." 

Rei said while closing his eyes and giving off a warm smile towards Ifrit.

"Hmph! Well I guess I can expect that for someone that I choose .... and ... it's about damn time.." Ifrit snorted while smiling as Rei body slowly slowly disappearing like a mist.

"Farewell human, I wish you safe journey .." Ifrit said.

"Thank you ... and farewell .." Rei replied with a smile as he slowly disappear but..

"Oh yeah .. I forgot the world you will reincarnated is the world of Otome game .. so good luck!" 

Ifrit quickly said as he forgot to give another explanation of that world.

"Wha—?!" 

Rei suprised after hearing that but before he wanted to complained his whole body already disappeared. 

"Ah .. sorry" and that for the first time the [God of Flame, Ifrit], reincarnated a person.

******

In the world of Astria, Rei soul finally arrived in a body of a child that sleeping in his room, the place that he lives at certain village called Blumund village that located far from the human Kingdom called Luxion.

The body was belong to Ray Houston, at age 6 years old. He is the eldest son of the Houston family that famous with their blacksmithing skill in that village.

After few minutes Rei(Ray) finally woke up from his slumber and felt pain around his head. 

"Uggghh.... my head.... so this is..." 

He looked around the place while touching his head and remembered that this place was his room, no Ray Houston room.

"Finally I got reincarnated- / -back to past .." 

Then Rei got silent, the words that coming out from his mouth was different and it was at the same time when he said something.

Rei closes his eyes and went into his own mind and found himself looking at a person that looks the same like him wearing an armor, as the man was standing there right in front of him.

"Wait—... Who are you?!!!"

"Wait—... Who are you?!!!"

Asking the same question, after that Rei found out there is another person inside this body.

As the story of the strongest knight had begin...

To be continue...