Pain.
A sharp, searing agony tore through his body like a thousand burning needles piercing his flesh. Blood gushed from the wound in his stomach, pooling on the cold asphalt beneath him. The metallic taste of iron coated his tongue as he gasped for breath. The streetlights above flickered, their dim glow barely illuminating the deserted alleyway where he lay.
'Damn… So this is what dying feels like?'
His vision blurred, his breath grew shallow, and the sounds of the world around him became distant, as though he were submerged underwater. A dull ringing filled his ears, drowning out everything else.
Just moments ago, he had been walking home, exhausted after another grueling shift at work. The rain had started to fall, cold and relentless, but he hadn't cared. He was used to the dreary monotony of his life. He had long stopped dreaming of anything beyond mere survival.
And then, in the blink of an eye, it had all been stolen from him. A flash of headlights. The screech of tires. A sickening crunch as something—no, someone—collided with him.
His body had been thrown like a ragdoll, crashing onto the pavement. The pain was immediate, sharp and all-consuming, but in a strange way, it was almost numbing. He had barely registered the vehicle speeding away, its taillights disappearing into the night, leaving him behind to bleed out.
How unfair. How absurdly unfair.
He had always imagined that if he were to die, it would be in some miserable hospital bed at the age of eighty, alone and forgotten. Not like this. Not because of some careless driver who wouldn't even stop to check if he was alive.
His fingers twitched weakly, reaching for something—anything. But all he felt was the wet pavement beneath him. His limbs grew heavier, his consciousness slipping further into the abyss.
And then—
"Oops."
The voice was light, almost amused, yet it echoed through the darkness like a bell tolling in an empty void.
He tried to move, but he was no longer on the cold, rain-soaked ground. Instead, he found himself floating in a vast, boundless space filled with shimmering golden light. The pain was gone, replaced by an eerie sense of weightlessness.
A figure stood before him, draped in flowing white robes that seemed to shift and shimmer like the very fabric of existence. Their face was ageless, neither young nor old, and their eyes held an unfathomable depth, as though they had witnessed the birth and death of countless worlds.
The figure scratched the back of their head, looking genuinely embarrassed.
"Umm… I might have made a small mistake," they admitted, offering a sheepish smile. "You weren't supposed to die yet."
For a long moment, he simply stared, his mind struggling to process what he had just heard.
"…What?"
The figure sighed. "Yeah, well… I was adjusting the balance of fate, and somehow, I accidentally pressed the wrong button." They gave a nervous chuckle. "Uh, sorry?"
His expression darkened. He had just died because of a mistake? Some cosmic clerical error?
He opened his mouth to protest, but the figure raised a hand. "Before you start yelling, let me make it up to you. Since this was my fault, I'll compensate you. I'll grant you a few wishes before sending you to another world."
The frustration bubbling within him faltered at those words.
A second chance.
The very idea sent a thrill through him. His previous life had been mundane, filled with endless struggle and exhaustion. But if he could start over… if he could have power…
"I see you're thinking about it," the god said, their lips curling into an amused smirk. "But before we continue, let's get something out of the way. What's your name?"
He hesitated for a moment before answering. "…Rei."
"Rei, huh? Alright, Rei, let's talk compensation." The god clapped their hands together. "You get three wishes. Choose wisely."
Rei took a deep breath. Three wishes. A true chance to rewrite his destiny. He wasn't going to waste it.
"I want the power to turn others into my loyal subordinates, ones who will never betray me. And I want to be able to grow stronger without limits."
The god's eyes gleamed with intrigue.
"Interesting choice," they mused, stroking their chin. "Most people ask for immortality or invincibility. But you're thinking strategically."
He remained silent, his fists clenched at his sides. He didn't just want to survive in this new world. He wanted to thrive. To rule.
The god chuckled. "Very well. Your wish is granted." They extended a hand, and golden energy coiled around him like ribbons of light. "You will be reborn in a world governed by the rules of an RPG. Your new profession will be… Beast Tamer."
His brow furrowed. "Beast Tamer?" That didn't sound particularly powerful. He had expected something more intimidating, like a Warlock or a Sword Saint.
The god grinned. "Don't underestimate it. With the abilities I've granted you, your potential is limitless."
Rei still wasn't entirely convinced, but before he could press for more details, the god raised a hand.
"One last thing," they said. "Since I feel extra bad about this whole mess, I'll throw in a special blessing. You'll have an innate ability that no one else in your new world possesses. It's a surprise, though, so you'll have to figure it out yourself."
Before he could ask for further clarification, the golden light around him intensified. A warmth spread through his body, an overwhelming sensation of being pulled somewhere.
"Good luck, Rei," the god said, their voice fading as the light swallowed everything.
And then—
He awoke to the sound of rustling leaves and distant bird calls. The scent of damp earth filled his nostrils.
Blinking, he pushed himself up, his fingers sinking into soft grass. Above him, the sky stretched endlessly, a vibrant shade of blue unlike anything he had seen before.
A new world. A new beginning.
And this time, he wouldn't be powerless.
He smirked, determination burning in his chest.