Darkness. The only thing I can see, after a sharp pain pierced my chest.
For a moment, I couldn't breathe. My body froze as an unbearable burning sensation spread through me. I slowly lowered my gaze.
A knife was buried deep in my torso. The world around me blurred. The panicked screams of my classmates rang in my ears, but their voices felt distant, like echoes in an empty hallway.
I looked up, my vision hazy, and met the wide, terrified eyes of my attacker. A boy from my school. A boy who was never supposed to have a weapon.
His hands trembled as he let go of the handle, stumbling backward in shock. He hadn't meant to stab me. I wasn't his target.
But none of that mattered anymore. I was dying.
It had been a normal school day. I was sitting in the classroom, chatting with my friends, laughing about something stupid. Nothing seemed unusual. No signs, no warnings.
Then—chaos.
A student from another class had burst into the room, his face twisted with pure rage. His eyes were wild, filled with something inhuman—hatred, pain, madness. Before anyone could react, he pulled out a knife.
His target wasn't me. It was my friend sitting beside me. I should've stayed still. I should've let the teachers handle it. But I didn't.
I moved.
My body acted on its own, stepping in front of my friend just as the knife came down. I felt the cold steel tear through my uniform, piercing flesh. I gasped, stumbling back. My knees buckled, and I collapsed to the floor.
Blood pooled around me, warm and sticky. My vision darkened, and my strength faded. Was this really how it ended? My body grew cold, my mind lightheaded.
The last thing I saw was my friend screaming my name. Then—nothing.
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When I opened my eyes, I wasn't in my classroom anymore.
I wasn't even in my world.
Everything around me was white—a vast, empty void stretching endlessly in all directions. There was no ground beneath my feet, yet I was standing. No sun in the sky, yet the world was bathed in a soft, comforting glow.
And in front of me, sitting upon a golden and quartz-kind throne, was an old man.
Long silver hair, a flowing white robe, and eyes that seemed to hold the Wisdom of Centuries.
I swallowed hard.
"You are finally awake," the old man said with a gentle smile. "Welcome, Ryu."
I blinked. "Who… are you?"
His smile didn't fade. "I am what you would call God." That Statement itself made me tilt my head, God? I am in Heaven? "God?"
"Yes, my child, I am the God, the one who in all religions no matter which, loves each of their child equally, though it can't be said equality exists." The God said "I feel sad to say this my child.... but you aredead."
Silence. I had known it. Deep down, I had felt it the moment my consciousness returned. But hearing it confirmed… It was different.
I was dead. I took a deep breath, steadying myself. There was no use panicking. I had already faced the worst. I looked at God. "So… what happens now? Will I go to Heaven or Hell?"
The old man chuckled softly. "You are surprisingly calm."
I shrugged. "I don't see the point in freaking out. It won't bring me back." I was outright lying to the God, I am freaked out but I can't lose my cool in such a matter.
His smile widened. "Indeed. Which is why I have an offer for you." I raised an eyebrow. "An offer?"
He nodded. "I will not send you to Heaven or Hell. Instead, I will give you the chance to live again… in another world." My heart skipped a beat, "Another World?"
God's eyes twinkled with amusement. "Something like a fantasy world as you call it."
I swallowed. This was insane. But at the same time… exciting. A fresh start. A new world. A second chance. "What's the catch?" I asked hesitantly.
He chuckled. "No catch. However, as every other soul, I shall grant you three gifts to aid you in this new journey."
My mind had too many thoughts to process, Three Wishes? Any Wishes I want?! But something suddenly popped up in my mind, a wish I once read in a fanfiction, "I want to keep all my memories, all, in the other world."
God smiled. "A wise decision. Granted." I nodded my head, for the second wish, I have something special in my mind. Something that I always read in many comics and fanfictions, "For my second wish… I want a Level-Up System. One that lets me grow infinitely stronger, no matter what world I'm in."
The god smiled approvingly. "Granted, You are smarter than the ones before you."
I frowned. "The ones before me? Are there others from my world in this 'other world'?"
The god shook his head. "Each one is sent to a different dimension. You will not encounter them." Something about his tone felt off. But I decided to ignore it... for now. Now moving onto my third wish, I knew I had to pick it carefully, my next life might be dependent upon this.
I smirked slightly. "Then for my third wish… I want a Cheat Skill."
The god chuckled. "You truly are an interesting one."
I raised an eyebrow. "What's so funny?"
He shook his head. "Unlike others who ask for absurd power, you ask for what will allow you to grow. That is respectable."
I crossed my arms. "Then, show me my options."
With a snap of his fingers, dozens of glowing cards appeared before me, floating in a perfect circle. They rotated around me, their surfaces shimmering with golden light.
"Pick any one," the god said.
I studied them carefully. Each card contained the name of a powerful ability:
[ Sword of Nemesis ] A blade of divine wrath, capable of destroying anything in its path.
[ Copy Cat ] The ability to copy any skill or technique upon witnessing it.
[ Immortality ] Grants eternal life. You will never age, never die.
[ God's Eye of Divination ] Allows the user to see past, present, and future.
[ Luck's Chosen ] Grants an unnatural level of luck, bending fate in your favor.
[ Instant Mastery ] Instantly master any skill or ability with no effort.
[ Title Collector/Enhancer ] Grants powerful titles and the ability to enhance them.
[ Glove of Life Absorption ] Drains the life force of enemies upon touch.
The abilities were insane. Any of these could make me ridiculously overpowered. But… none of them truly excited me. I didn't just want power. I wanted adventure. Then, at the bottom of the deck, I noticed something.
A single hidden card. It was different from the others. Ancient patterns decorated its edges, giving it an air of mystery. I reached for it—
BZZZT!
A faint force pushed me back, sending a strange tingling sensation up my arm. I noticed from the corner of my eye, the god's eyes widened slightly.
I smirked and murmured "So this one is special, huh?"
I reached again, pushing forward despite the resistance. The force field shattered, and I grabbed the card. The letters on it glowed as they revealed its name:
[Skill Rewrite]
No description, nothing, just the name. It oddly felt like a voice was calling me from within it. I understood that this was it. This was the one.
I looked at the god. "I choose this one."
He chuckled. "You have chosen well, Ryu. That skill… even I do not fully understand it. I will add just a bit of 'extras' necessary."
Before I can question about anything, with a snap of his fingers, the god summoned three glowing rings appeared around me. One circled my head, while the other two spun around my body.
The card in my hand glowed brightly before dissolving into light, merging with me in my head. The god stood up from his throne, "I wish you luck, Ryu."
Before I could respond, a pillar of golden light engulfed me, pulling me away from this world and into the my new life....
Author Note: Thanks to all of you for reading, I would appreciate if you give a review and comment to give your advices for the future chapters.