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Chapter 0: Isekai But...
For so many years... I was just another salaryman.
Grinding through life.
Working overtime.
Getting underpaid.
Overworked and underappreciated—like any other cog in the machine.
And then, one day... I collapsed.
A heart attack. Sudden.
And fatal.
But you know what? I was actually... kinda glad.
No more work.
No more responsibilities.
Maybe even—just maybe—I'd get to live in one of those cool isekai fantasy worlds I used to play in games.
And just like that...
Boom.
I woke up in another world.
Heaven? Hell? Who knows.
But a floating text appeared before me.
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[SYSTEM INITIALIZING...]
[WELCOME TO THE REAPING SYSTEM.]
[MISSION: Escort souls to the afterlife. Salary: None.]
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"…Excuse me?"
I tried to curse, but the words wouldn't come out.
This damn system was robbing me more than my old boss.
At least my boss paid a salary.
This thing pays in stress and existential dread.
"Is this supposed to be better than dying...?"
I clutched my head, trying to stay calm.
[REWARD GRANTED.]
My ears perked up. I looked up, hopeful.
[REWARD: 1 Hearse. Soul Manipulation. Absolute Power.]
"...Wait, seriously?! That sounds OP as hell—"
[WARNING: You currently do not possess a physical body. You cannot interact with the real world.]
I froze.
Looked at my hands.
Looked at my... soul?
What body? I was literally see-through.
"Wh—What the hell is this?!"
[Further questions will trigger auto-purification.]
"W-Wait—! Purifi—"
[System has exited.]
Gone.
Just like that.
I felt like the universe had just laughed at me.
This wasn't reincarnation.
This was... unpaid labor from the afterlife.
It was worse than my 9-to-5.
I crouched down, clutching my ghostly head.
Laughing. Crying. Maybe both.
What was even the point of existing anymore?
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[MISSION ASSIGNED: Escort the soul to where it belongs.]
[WARNING: Failure to comply will result in your own purification.]
"…You've gotta be kidding me."
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