In a world not her own, a girl stirred, her consciousness slowly awakening to unfamiliar surroundings while held in the warm embrace of a mother.
Yet, amidst the strangeness, memories of a past life began to surface, like ripples in a pond.
She recalled with fondness her love for manga, those vibrant pages that had transported her to countless adventures.
And among the myriad characters she had encountered, one stood out: the Comedic Mask.
Oh, how she adored them!
Those heroes who labored in the shadows, their true strength concealed behind a facade of humor and self-deprecation.
They were the unsung champions, the ones who ensured their comrades shone brighter while they themselves remained in the background.
Their antics among friends had brought her so much joy the way they'd crack jokes to lighten the mood, their laughter echoing through tense moments.
And yet, beneath that carefree exterior lay a heart that cared deeply for others.
The girl blinked, her vision adjusting to the soft light filtering through a window.
She found herself cradled in the gentle embrace of a woman, her mother in this new life.
The warmth was comforting, a stark contrast to the suddenness of her reincarnation.
As the fog of confusion lifted, memories of her previous life came rushing back the selfless act that had cost her dearly, but she didn't regret saving the old lady from getting hit by the speeding truck.
The words of a goddess who orchestrated her reincarnation echoing in her mind.
"It was the old lady's time to die and you interfered.That's why you're here, facing it's consequences."
The goddess said, voice calming and mellow.
A cautious smirk tugged at the corners of her mouth as she recalled the goddess's casual tone about death.
"Must be nice to be a god,"
she thought to herself, amused by the deity's nonchalance.
"Well, since your last deed before your death was a good one, you'll be granted reincarnation. Choose what you want to be reborn as. Anything you can imagine, the demon lord or the next heir to a throne-..."
The girl's voice cuts through the goddess' talk
"A Comedic Mask!"
The girl yelled out. There was an urgence in her voice, as if she didn't want to waste another second thinking of something else.
"Is that so?"
the goddess sighed with a calm smile.
"Well then, you'll be born with charms and wield divine and otherworldly power. But, you must know that you can't reveal your power to the world or make yourself greater than the hero. If you do, you'll cough up blood and die."
The goddess revealed.
The girl stares at the deity in fear and confusion.
"Why should it be that way?!"
The girl asked, voice trembling with fear.
"To maintain the power balance in the world"
The goddess replies calmly.
"Mankind and Beastkind have always been equals in strengths and numbers. Imagine how the world would flip if a being with divinity itself was added to the forces of one side."
She added.
Before the girl could speak a single word, the rays of light brightened, blinding her.
The girl was no longer the adult she once was, but a tiny infant, helpless and dependent.
The girl snuggled closer to her mother's chest, finding solace in the gentle swaying motion and soothing heartbeat.
Despite her new circumstances, there was a sense of peace in this moment.
"OP side character,"
she mused internally, excitement bubbling within her.
The goddess's blessing meant she had control over her destiny in this world.
The soft humming of the mother putting her at ease as she slowly falls asleep.
Far away in the darkness of the wood, beasts roared rhythmically, as if preparing the arrival of a divine instruction.
Deep in the forest, under the rays of the Sturgeon moon, a child was born.
His hair as white as the moon itself and his pupils glowing a bright red. His skin as pale as milk.
It wasn't just Mankind that gained a significant power enhancement.
The only explanation was the New King Of Beasts had been born.