"…"
He never really had a great life.
He never knew his parents, so he was raised by his grandfather on the outskirts of a city until the old man passed away when he was fifteen.
Losing his only family was very hard, but he swore at his grandfather's grave that he would move forward, facing whatever adversities life put in his way.
And life certainly gave him adversities: he had to find a job to pay for the small apartment he started living in, and it eventually became very difficult for him to continue studying regularly.
Luck knocked on his door when he received a scholarship to attend high school due to his great talent in kendo and Kung-fu.
His grandfather had taught him martial arts when he was still young. That was his only gift; he never stood out as an excellent student.
Thanks to that gift, he became the captain of his school's kendō club, managing to qualify the team for a national competition.
Yes, he finally found some happiness after his grandfather's death; he was happy with his new life and truly had no complaints about what he had.
The tournament soon arrived, and they had to travel to another city to participate. It would only be for two days, as they couldn't be absent from school for too long.
During those two days, they worked hard and achieved victory thanks to his remarkable performance in the final match. They won the kendō tournament cup.
Happy about their feat, they caught a flight back to their city to resume classes and place the trophy in the museum display case.
However, everything went wrong in an instant. They lost communication with the control tower, and one of the engines began to fail.
That was the prelude to disaster. The pilots couldn't save the situation, and after ordering everyone to put on their oxygen masks, they collapsed.
The plane began to plummet at an immense speed, and everyone started screaming in panic over what was happening.
Many began to pray, some cried in terror, others closed their eyes... and there he was, in the midst of the disastrous situation.
He was also afraid of what was happening; he certainly didn't want to die yet.
But he remained silent, gripping his seat tightly, knowing the plane was mere moments from crashing into the ground and that the inevitable would soon arrive.
He looked at the faces of his friends and teammates, knowing this would be the last time he would see them. He saw utter desperation on their faces.
"I couldn't save any of them... what have I lived for if I couldn't achieve anything?" Masaru wondered, a bitter smile forming on his face.
He closed his onyx eyes to avoid seeing the impact, but it never came... now, all that reached his ears was a peaceful silence.
"...."
"...."
"...."
Masaru opened his eyes, noticing he was in a completely white, seemingly infinite place. He sighed; he had indeed died after all.
At just eighteen years old, with his whole life ahead of him, he had died. But there was no point in lamenting, as it wouldn't change anything.
"I hope I can meet Grandpa again," Masaru said, smiling at the thought—it would be the only positive thing in all this.
Masaru scanned the area to see if there was an exit or something, but there was nothing. The only thing there was an endless void. He didn't know where to go.
He sat on the floor and ran his hands through his messy black hair, still processing his bizarre situation. Everything was so sudden...
His friends and teammates had also died in this plane crash, and that was what pained him the most. Each of them had a family waiting for them at home, and now they would never return, as they all lay lifeless.
He had no one at home, but his friends did. That's why he felt such sorrow and helplessness over what happened.
"Sigh... I really wouldn't mind staying dead, but my friends..." Masaru spoke, just as a screen appeared in front of him.
[Congratulations! You just died!]
[Fantasy Link System successfully installed]
A strange voice sounded in his mind, reflecting what was written on the screen. Masaru blinked twice, unable to believe what was happening.
'What is this? Why is it congratulating me for my death?' the black-haired boy wondered, completely bewildered as he observed the screen before him.
[God has observed your life, a life full of continual adversity that you successfully overcame]
[Therefore, He has decided to reward your efforts with one wish. Any option is available]
[What is your wish?]
Masaru listened carefully. From what he could understand, God had granted him a wish because he had overcome all the challenges and adversities life had put in his path.
He had never really believed in a god as such, but he always had a feeling that someone was up there watching over them. This confirmed it.
'So, I just have to choose a wish?' Masaru wondered, looking at the last screen. He smiled; he already knew his wish very clearly.
"I would like my friends to be revived. Is that possible?" Masaru asked, hoping the system, or whatever it was, would grant it.
[Affirmative]
[Your friends will be revived]
Masaru let out a sigh of relief and amazement, unable to believe that his friends would return to life. That filled his heart with immense joy.
"With this, I can die in peace," the black-haired boy said, closing his eyes. But another screen unfolded before him, leaving him confused once again.
[Congratulations! You have completed the secret quest!]
[Secret Quest: A Heart for Everyone]
"A quest? What is this about now?" Masaru wondered again, and then another screen appeared, sparking great excitement in him.
[God has decided to reward your selfless heart with the opportunity to be reborn in another world with your memories and your name]
[Do you wish to be reborn, Masaru Kamada?]
"The chance to be reborn in another world... I'd never thought of something like that," Masaru thought, contemplating the option analytically.
Earlier, he had accepted his death not because he wanted to, but out of resignation. But now that he had the opportunity to return to life...
'I'm sorry, Grandpa... but I really can't pass this up just like that,' Masaru thought. He knew that if he accepted, he wouldn't be able to reunite with his grandfather. That was his only regret.
Masaru accepted rebirth, and then the system screen flickered before displaying another message that surprised him even more.
[You have chosen to be reborn]
[You must now choose your race]
Race:
[God]
[Demon]
[Hero]
[Vampire]
"If I understand correctly, I have to choose what race I will be reborn as, right?" the black-haired boy inquired, bringing a hand to his chin thoughtfully.
The first: to be reborn as a god. He didn't really like the idea of sitting on a throne, though having that power would be tempting. But no.
The second: to be reborn as a demon. That would mean being an enemy of gods and heroes, so he could never sleep peacefully.
The third: to be reborn as a hero. Without a doubt, this was the most sensible option. Even though he would be an enemy of demons, he would have the gods on his side and have enough power to defend himself against any threat.
The fourth... was unthinkable.
'No way, not even as a joke. I would never consider drinking blood or hiding from the sunlight,' the black-haired boy thought, shaking his head at that option.
With that, he had made up his mind.
"Alright, I choose to be reborn as a hero, even though justice stuff isn't really my thing," Masaru reasoned, rubbing his temples.
[You have chosen to be a hero. Congratulations]
[Processing transmigration to another world...]
[1%... 5%... 10%... 15%... 20%... 25%... 30%... 35%]
Masaru sighed again, getting up from the floor, waiting to be sent to this other world. He would be a hero, like in the shows and movies.
'Well, I'll have to become more powerful. My grandfather's training will be a big help,' Masaru thought, smiling gratefully.
That would be his goal in that world: to become stronger so he wouldn't die again. There was nothing else he could do but thank God for giving him a new opportunity.
And if he made friends in this new world, he would protect them above all else. Those would be his ideals.
[Transmigration successfully completed]
[You will be reborn in approximately 3, 2 seconds]
[Good luck. We will be watching you, Masaru]
Masaru gasped as his body began to glow, and before he could realize it, he disappeared without a trace.
A woman appeared in the midst of the infinite void. She smiled with great satisfaction, seeing that her plan had worked quite successfully.
"We will meet soon... Masaru-kun," the woman said before disappearing from the place once more.
And so, his new life began.