A soul was drifting in the void. Around it, there was neither light nor sound; only endless emptiness and silence.
"Hmmm… where am I?" it murmured to itself. "The last thing I remember, I was leaving home to go to work… On the way, two children suddenly ran in front of me. As I tried to push them aside, a car hit me. I guess… I'm dead."
For a moment, its mind went blank. "Now I'll either go to heaven, or hell… or somehow be revived." Thoughts jumbled together, mixing logic and fear.
At that moment, it felt a change around it. The void suddenly brightened, and the darkness gave way to a soft yet dazzling light. It blinked; the figure that appeared before it possessed a splendor beyond human comprehension—a wise man who looked about a hundred years old, with deep, knowing eyes. His face bore the marks of both age and experience. But his eyes… they seemed to carry the secrets of the entire universe.
"Hello, young soul," said the old man, his voice echoing through the silence of the void. "I see that you are lost and drifting into nothingness. But here, in this state, I cannot send you to either heaven or hell. Billions of years have passed since your death, and all the sins and virtues you accumulated have vanished. I will grant you a place in a world of your choosing."
I paused for a moment. "This… sounds cliché," I thought. Yet, at the same time, I felt excited; this was something I had never encountered in my life.
"Will my wish really come true?" I asked, my voice trembling with both fear and curiosity.
The old man's lips curved slightly. "Yes. But I will give you five wishes. You must consider them carefully, for once you make your choices, there is no turning back."
I paused. These five wishes… perhaps for the first time in my life, I truly had control. "Alright… my first wish is to go to the world of The Author's POV."
The man nodded. "That I can do. And your second wish?"
"I want no limits whatsoever. I want my power to have no boundaries; everything should be under my control."
"That is possible as well. Your wish will come true."
I thought for a moment and continued: "My third wish… is to enter that world as Ren's brother. I want to be in the same generation as Donna and Monica. So in that world, I will be 28 years old."
The old man looked at me in silence for a long moment. "I will count this as a single wish. Now, tell me your next one."
"To give me a five-star art of my own design and make it possible in that world," I said, holding my breath.
The man bowed his head slightly. "Alright. This wish will also come true. But beware, power brings great responsibility. You must know all six stages of your art, as each stage will later become a trial."
Shinkai no Yari – Six-Stage Divine Depth Spear
Stage 1 – Hōkō no Sen (Buzzing Tip)
A simple lightning essence is infused into the spear.Strikes leave the opponent stunned with electric shock.No area-of-effect yet; only speed and penetration increase.
(Similar to Ren's starting "draw sword/strike" technique, simple yet deadly.)
Stage 2 – Kyōmei (Resonance)
Swinging the spear creates electrical resonance in the air.When the opponent tries to block, the spear appears to "extend" → creating a distance error.Early signs of space distortion appear at this stage.
Stage 3 – Raijin no Hashira (Pillar of the Thunder God)
When the spear is driven into the ground or thrown forward, a giant column of electricity rises around it.Can incapacitate multiple enemies at once.User gains small-scale area control at this stage.
Stage 4 – Kūkan no Yari (Spear of the Void)
Space distortion fully activates.Spear strikes reach 2–3 times their actual range.Opponents may think they blocked the attack, but the true strike cuts through space and reaches internal organs.At this stage, the style becomes lethal even in one-on-one duels.
Stage 5 – Shūen no Rakurai (Apocalypse Lightning)
The user concentrates all essence at the spear's tip.In a single strike, a lightning storm descends from the sky, destroying enemy armies.A very wide-area attack.The user loses a large portion of their essence and must retreat.
Stage 6 – Shinsei no Kekkai (Divine Absolute Realm)
The ultimate form of the style.The user creates a triple divine pressure field around them:Infinite barrier (attacks are nullified)Lightning energy (body is shredded)Spiritual pressure (opponent's soul is crushed)Anyone entering this area briefly feels as if facing the "god of the battlefield."
The old man took a deep breath. "I will give you this spear art. Now, tell me your final wish."
"I want to descend into the world at SS+ rank," I said.
The man frowned. "That will be difficult to grant. But… you will awaken at 28 in that world, and ranking up will already be a challenging process. I need not worry about balance."
There was a moment of silence. I took a deep breath and spoke my last wish:
"Give me 200 billion U on a hidden card. That way, I won't have to worry about money."
The old man smiled faintly. "I expected a stranger wish, but I accept. This wish will also come true. Your power in that world will be hidden until you awaken, and then it will fully manifest. When Ren enters the academy, it will replace your memory, and your power will be completely revealed. Now, go."
I bowed deeply. "Thank you for everything, Almighty God."
The moment I closed my eyes, I found myself in the world of The Author's POV. The air was different, the sensations intense, and my destiny had begun. The void had given way to reality.