Life is always unpredictable.
But my life… was perhaps the most unexpected one of all.
For fifteen years, I studied tirelessly, believing that if I worked hard enough, I would eventually secure a good job and live a peaceful, fulfilling life. It was a simple dream, yet it meant everything to me.
All my life, I thought about only one thing—how to repay the kindness of my parents. They had sacrificed their own happiness just to raise me. Their tired smiles and silent struggles were something I could never forget.
I wanted to succeed.
I wanted to give them the life they deserved.
But just when I was about to take the final step toward that dream… misfortune struck.
I was diagnosed with late-stage cancer.
When I first heard those words, my mind went completely blank. I couldn't believe it.
Cancer?
How could I have cancer?
All this time, I had been living with it, yet I never felt seriously sick. There were no signs that made me suspect something so terrible.
At that moment, anger surged inside my chest. I wanted to shout, to curse the heavens for such cruel fate. But even if I did, what would it change?
Nothing.
The anger soon faded, leaving only a deep, unbearable sadness.
"How… am I supposed to tell my parents?" I muttered to myself.
How could I tell them that their only son—the one they had raised with so much hope—was going to die soon?
The thought alone shattered my heart.
Lost in grief and confusion, I walked aimlessly along the street. My mind was completely elsewhere. I didn't even realize when I stepped onto the road.
Nor did I hear the shouts of people around me.
Then—
HONK!!
A deafening horn suddenly echoed.
I instinctively turned my head.
But it was already too late.
A massive truck rushed toward me like a raging beast. Before I could react, the impact struck my body with overwhelming force.
In that instant, it felt as if every bone in my body shattered.
The world spun violently before my eyes.
Darkness swallowed everything.
And the last thought that crossed my mind was strangely calm.
"Ah… another unexpected thing."
...
...
...
In a strange void where only endless darkness existed, a tiny flicker of light suddenly appeared.
It was small—fragile, like the flame of a candle struggling against a storm.
Yet, in that boundless darkness, it shone with quiet persistence.
This unusual phenomenon caught someone's attention.
"Hmm… how strange."
A mysterious being gazed at the flickering light with curiosity.
"It seems like an unfortunate soul."
As the being observed it more closely, surprise appeared in his eyes.
"Interesting… Why hasn't this soul been corrupted by the darkness?"
Even he had to remain cautious when dealing with the endless darkness surrounding this place.
Yet this tiny soul remained pure.
After a moment of silence, the being seemed to reach a decision.
"Perhaps this is fate, little one."
He slowly extended his hand and gently grasped the flickering soul.
"But first… let's get to know each other."
...
...
...
After losing consciousness, I had no idea how much time had passed.
At first, there was a heavy sensation, as if something was dragging my soul downward.
It felt like drowning in an endless ocean.
Just when that suffocating feeling disappeared, a terrifying cold swept over me.
It was so cold that it felt as if I were standing naked in the middle of Antarctica, with icy winds piercing through my very soul.
Then even that sensation faded.
Gradually, I began losing everything.
My feelings.
My emotions.
Even my thoughts.
It was as if my existence was slowly dissolving into nothingness.
Time passed… perhaps seconds, perhaps centuries. I couldn't tell.
Then suddenly—
Warmth.
A gentle, comforting warmth surrounded me.
It felt like being embraced by a mother.
And in that moment, my fading consciousness slowly returned.
Along with it… my memories.
...
...
...
After merging some of his soul power, the mysterious being spoke softly.
"This should be enough."
The tiny flicker of light in his hand had now transformed.
It was no longer just a spark.
It had become a human figure, glowing with a beautiful blue radiance.
The form of a young man in his early twenties slowly emerged.
Moments later, the boy's eyelids trembled.
"Oh? Little one… you've finally awakened," the mysterious being said calmly.
I slowly opened my eyes.
"Hmm… Who are you?" I asked weakly. "And where… am I?"
The being looked at me thoughtfully before answering.
"I do not remember the name I once had. However, in the world I came from, people worshiped me as the Soul King."
He paused briefly before continuing.
"As for where we are… even I do not know."
Hearing that title, my eyes widened in shock.
Soul King.
Of course I knew that name.
In my previous life, the Soul King was a mysterious and godlike figure from the famous anime Bleach.
But how could such a being be standing in front of me?
The Soul King seemed to notice my confusion but continued speaking calmly.
"I don't have much time left in this place. That is why I awakened you using my remaining power."
"You might be wondering why I haven't left this place, despite possessing such power."
Indeed, that question had already formed in my mind.
If he was truly the Soul King, why was he trapped here?
"The answer lies in the question itself," he said.
"My soul long ago surpassed the limits of mortality and became transcendent. Because of that, I can no longer pass through the boundaries between worlds."
He looked into the endless darkness around us.
"And after remaining here for countless years, this darkness began to corrode my soul."
His voice carried a faint trace of exhaustion.
"Then you appeared."
"When I first found you, your soul was only the size of a thumb."
"But despite being surrounded by this darkness, it remained pure."
He looked at me again.
"So I decided to give you a second chance at life."
As he said this, he gently placed his hand on my head.
I hesitated for a moment before asking,
"Why… would you do this for someone you don't even know?"
The Soul King remained silent for a few seconds.
Then he gave a faint smile.
"I don't know."
"Perhaps because my life is about to end… I decided to help a pitiful soul."
Hearing those words, I didn't know how to respond.
In my previous life, aside from my family, no one had ever helped me without expecting something in return.
I lowered my head sincerely.
"Thank you."
"My name is Jay. I am truly grateful for what you are doing."
"If I ever have the chance… I will build a statue of you in the world I go to."
And I meant it.
Even though the Soul King ruled the three realms in the world of Bleach, very few people even knew of his existence.
The Soul King chuckled softly.
"Even if you do nothing to repay me, I do not mind."
"Just live your life without regrets."
He then continued,
"Simply reincarnating you will not be enough to help you survive in the world you are going to."
"So I will give you something else."
"My lifelong experience… and the techniques of my world."
The moment he finished speaking, a vast stream of unfamiliar yet strangely familiar knowledge flowed into my mind.
Surprisingly, there was no unbearable pain.
Instead, an overwhelming wave of sleepiness began to consume me.
"It seems… my time has come," the Soul King said quietly.
"Listen, child."
"Live well."
"And do not pursue power blindly."
"Because in the end… it will destroy everything you love."
After saying those final words, he slowly closed his eyes.
His figure gradually dissolved into the endless darkness.
At the same time, my consciousness also began to fade.
Unable to resist the sleep any longer, I closed my eyes.
And drifted into darkness once more.