*Have I finally died? I can't believe it... But where am I? I hoped that at least after death, there would be nothing, and I could rest, but it seems that fate is mocking me... Although, I must admit, this place is very beautiful...* - Thought Aizen bitterly as he floated through the endless void as a ball of energy.
The place where Aizen was now is called the soul realm, the place where all people go after death to determine their future fate. It is a kind of outer space, an endless void with stars flashing everywhere. But what Aizen mistook for stars were not stars at all. These are the souls of dead people like him.
- You should put such negative thoughts aside in this place, child. - A voice sounded next to Aizen, and a figure appeared in front of him, very similar to a human, but with some differences. Behind this creature were two large white wings, emitting a pure and noble aura, indicating that this creature was not human, but rather an angel. He, or rather she, had an androgynous appearance, making it difficult for Aizen to determine whether he was a man or a woman, but he did notice that the creature was incredibly beautiful. Its well-proportioned features gave it a noble appearance, and its wavy golden hair, which reached halfway down its back, added to its angelic appearance. The creature was dressed in a white tunic with silver-threaded patterns embroidered on it, and a golden toga was draped over it.
*An angel...* - Thought Aizen involuntarily when he saw him.
- Ha-ha-ha... Well, in human terms, I am indeed an angel, although that wouldn't be entirely accurate. - The stranger responded to Aizen's thoughts with a laugh, startling the man.
*Can you read my mind?* - The guy asked in surprise.
- That's right, otherwise I wouldn't be able to do my job, as souls can only communicate through thoughts. Don't worry, I can only hear what you're thinking at the moment, without delving into the depths of your mind. - The angel reassured Aizen.
*I see... By the way, since you're an angel, it's going to be decided whether I go to heaven or hell, right? Can I ask you for something?* - The guy got straight to the point.
- You're a little wrong. Yes, your fate will be decided now, but you won't go to heaven or hell. As for your request, I'm sorry to disappoint you. I can't destroy your soul and send you into oblivion. - The angel explained calmly.
*But why? Is it that difficult?* - Aizen wondered.
- That's simply not possible in your situation. - The angel said.
*What was so special about my situation? I was just an ordinary person...* - Aizen couldn't understand.
- Are you sure you were an ordinary person? Did nothing unusual happen in your life? - The angel asked, making Aizen think.
***
The guy's life was really ordinary, except for one thing: he was constantly plagued by various misfortunes. These misfortunes began from the moment of his birth. And these were not just small, everyday setbacks that could only be mildly annoying; they were something else entirely. Every incident involving the guy could be considered a tragedy, and although these setbacks were rare, they could cause irreparable mental and physical damage. The very first misfortune occurred at the moment of his birth, as he was an orphan. Aizen's father was unknown, and his mother died from excessive bleeding during childbirth, after which the boy was placed in an orphanage, where he spent his entire childhood.
The orphanage wasn't bad, with its fresh renovations and diligent staff, it had a certain level of quality, and Aizen even enjoyed it, as he had everything he needed for a decent life, but it wasn't all rosy. Due to Aizen's introverted nature, he didn't have any friends. Aizen enjoyed his solitude, as it allowed him to daydream and be alone with his thoughts. Most children found him strange, as Aizen was always a loner and kept to himself. In turn, Aizen did not like the company of noisy children who constantly violated his personal boundaries.
All in all, Aizen lived in some harmony with the residents of the orphanage. Until one day.
One of the teachers at the orphanage was a man named John Robinson. He was a very kind and gentle person, and everyone liked him: both the children and the other staff members. Aizen was no exception. He and John met when the boy was walking alone through the corridors of the orphanage, looking for something interesting. As he passed by the library, Aizen saw a person inside, which was a rare sight, as few people visited the library. Interested, the boy entered the room and realized that the man was John. At that time, he had no opinion about the man, except that he was very kind. Aizen wanted to leave, as he had lost interest, but his footsteps had already caught John's attention.
- Who's there? - John turned around, taking his eyes off the fairy tale book, but when he saw Aizen, he relaxed: - Oh, it's you, Aizen. You scared me a lot.
- Hello. - The boy said briefly.
- You're wandering around alone again, aren't you? - John continued after a short pause.
- Is that a bad thing? - Asked Aizen, surprising the teacher.
- No, it's up to you who you choose to associate with. But don't you want to make friends?
- I don't want to. All the kids think I'm weird, and they're too loud. - Aizen's response made John look at him from a different perspective. He had always thought Aizen's solitary behavior was strange, but he hadn't bothered to find out why. However, now he saw a lonely child who couldn't find his place in the world.
- By the way, Mr. Robinson, do you like fairy tales? - The boy suddenly asked.
- Oh, this? - John asked, pointing to the book in his hands.
- This is my son's favorite book. He used to ask me to read to him... - The man said with a sad smile on his face, his voice tinged with sadness.
- Can I read it? - Asked Aizen, slightly interested in the book that had evoked the teacher's sad emotions.
- Yes, of course, it's a book from the library.
After this meeting, Aizen began to meet John often in the library, and the man became his first friend. During their meetings, they became so close that they could talk about various topics. Meeting someone he could trust for the first time, Aizen calmly told John many of his innermost secrets, but also learned some of his mentor's secrets. For example, the reason why John worked at the orphanage. A few years ago, he, his wife and two children were involved in an accident in which only John survived. He was mentally broken after that, and sought solace in the children of the orphanage. John became not only a friend, but also a teacher to the boy, recognizing Aizen as a precocious child. Unfortunately, these beautiful days were not meant to last long.
The orphanage where the boy lived had a special education system. In order to prepare the children for independent living, the staff taught them household skills such as cleaning, cooking, and similar activities. On this particular day, Aizen was helping with the cooking in the kitchen when two mischievous children burst in, causing chaos. Unaware of John's presence as he carried a pot of hot soup, the children accidentally pushed him, causing him to lose his balance and spill the soup onto Aizen. The soup splattered on the boy's right side of his face, leaving a large, ugly burn. As a result, Aizen was permanently disfigured at the age of nine. Although it was not his fault, John was fired because the orphanage needed someone to blame. Later, Aizen learned that John could not find employment and committed suicide out of guilt and loneliness.
Since then, Aizen's peaceful days have come to an end. It's not uncommon for children, out of their own foolishness and inexperience, to reject those who differ from them in some way. Unfortunately, this fate has not spared Aizen. The large, disfiguring scar that covers half of the boy's face has made him even more of an outcast. The children at the orphanage have come to fear him, and their reactions vary. Some simply ignore him, avoiding him, while others resort to bullying. They were mostly boys who were inspired by fairy tales about heroes who defeated various monsters. They found their own monster in the form of Aizen, and they constantly hunted him under the guise of playing games. Sometimes, their actions went so far that the boy ended up in the hospital.
A vivid example of such incidents is the case that occurred during a walk in the park when Aizen was ten years old. Once again succumbing to the game, the boys decided to defeat the monster forever by "sealing" it in this park. Waiting for the caretakers to be distracted, the guys tricked Aizen into a small shed used for storing various tools, promising to show something interesting. Being a lover of finding something new, the boy did not notice the trick and, unaware of the danger, followed his tormentors. However, when Aizen entered the barn, he found only old tools and trash stored in bags in the corner. As he prepared to leave the dilapidated building, Aizen turned around and headed for the exit, but the door slammed shut right in front of him. Aizen knocked on the door and pleaded with the other children to let him out, but they left without saying a word.
Aizen thought that it was just another prank, and he would be released soon, but as the night passed and no one came, the boy lost hope of being saved. As time went on, Aizen began to feel hungry and weak, and to make matters worse, it started to rain heavily that night, accompanied by thunder and lightning. The sound of thunder and the flashes of lightning were terrifying to the child's fragile mind. The only thing he could do was sit on the cold floor, leaning against the wall, and cover his ears, hoping that it would soon be over. He stayed there until morning, when a janitor came to work. Since then, Aizen had become afraid of thunderstorms.
The exhausted child was taken to the hospital. Due to hypothermia and exhaustion, Aizen developed a severe fever and was unable to get out of bed for a week. This incident, of course, attracted the attention of the police, who initiated an investigation into the matter. During the investigation, it was revealed that when the caregivers noticed Aizen's disappearance, the children, fearing the consequences, claimed that Aizen had left on his own, making it difficult for the staff to locate him immediately. The children who had locked Aizen away were only reprimanded, as they were too young for a more severe punishment. When Aizen found out about it, he didn't feel anything special, but he became permanently disillusioned with people and decided that he would never get close to anyone.
After that incident, life at the orphanage became much calmer. However, Aizen's loneliness persisted, as his unattractive appearance repelled others, and his heart remained closed to social interactions. As Aizen reached adulthood, he entered the world of adulthood. Despite his high academic achievements, Aizen's disillusionment prevented him from pursuing college or university. As an orphan, Aizen received a small apartment from the government, where he spent the rest of his short life. He earned money by working remotely from home, as he found it unbearable to work in a public setting.
Aizen made up for his lack of social interaction by reading books and watching movies and animated series. Each new story helped him escape from the harsh reality and gave him a slowly fading desire to continue living, but at the same time, Aizen also felt an incredible envy of the happiness of the main characters, becoming increasingly disillusioned with his own life. Several times, he attempted suicide out of frustration, but each time, an unknown force stopped him at the last moment, as if fate had other plans for him. Aizen wondered every time why his life was so hard, but he never got an answer. Thus, Aizen's years passed uneventfully, until the very last day of his life.
One day, on his way home from the store, Aizen saw a man trying to jump off a bridge, but he hesitated for a long time before taking action. Aizen stopped and decided to observe the man's actions to see if he would commit suicide or not. However, Aizen soon grew tired of the man's indecisiveness and approached him.
- If you're going to jump, just jump already, or by the time you make up your mind, there'll be a line of suicides waiting. - The man jumped in surprise and almost fell off the bridge, but he managed to regain his balance at the last moment.
- It's none of your business whether I jump or not, it's none of your business! Do you think it's so easy to commit such a thing? - The man replied, his voice rising to a shout.
- Yes, you're right, it's none of my business. I just want to know whether I should stay for the performance or not. - Aizen's manner of speaking made the man feel uncomfortable. He couldn't understand how a young man could speak so calmly about committing suicide.
- Hey, man, are you sure you're okay? People usually don't act like this when they see suicides. - The stranger was perplexed.
- Hmm... I don't know... In fact, would you believe me if I said I'm normal? - Aizen evaded the question, but despite that, the man relaxed a bit. Although the guy in front of him was strange, he seemed to be sane.
-You're a weirdo! - The stranger grinned, stepping back from the edge of the bridge, having changed his mind about jumping.
- I am a bit. - Aizen replied dryly: - So will you jump? - The guy did not calm down, driving the man into a stupor.
- No, you've ruined my mood. - The man accused Aizen, sitting on the ground.
- Well, I'm going then. Bye.
Aizen wanted to leave already, as he was called by a man: - Wait, you really just leave?
- And what? Do you want me to push you? Sorry, I don't need extra problems. - The guy turned around.
- Yes, that's not what I'm talking about. Don't you want to hear the reason why I'm going to jump?
- I think you misunderstood. I wasn't trying to save you, I was just tired of your indecisiveness. Admit it, you just wanted to get attention. - Said Aizen, hinting that he had no intention of continuing the conversation. An awkward silence fell between the two people.
After waiting for a while, Aizen continued: - I'm annoyed by people like you, who are willing to commit suicide over minor difficulties in life. Based on your appearance, I can tell that you're leading a relatively comfortable life. Let me guess, did your girlfriend or wife leave you? Did your boss reprimand you? Such actions only bring shame to your name. - After delivering this short monologue, the young man continued on his way, leaving the would-be suicidal individual alone in deep contemplation.
*How I hate people like that.* - Thought Aizen.
He really felt irritated and incomprehensible when someone tried to attract attention in such a way. These people had everything they needed for a full life, but it was not enough for them. They always tried to press on pity and compassion, although to find happiness, they only had to stop feeling sorry for themselves and start doing something, which was fundamentally different from the situation of Aizen. He lost the opportunity to take his place in this world since childhood, having received a burn that simply crossed out the boy's life. He lost the opportunity for a full life in society. Some people might say that looks don't matter and that all you need to do is love yourself to live a happy life, but unfortunately, in this cruel world where many people judge others based on their looks, status, and money, this is not enough.
As he was thinking about these things, Aizen slowly walked towards his home, not noticing what was happening around him. He was just about to cross the road, and he would have been home, enjoying a movie or a book, but then he noticed a truck speeding towards him. Aizen had the opportunity to jump out of the way and avoid death, but after the thoughts that filled his mind, he decided to just stand there, staring at the approaching truck. The guy's gaze was lifeless, but there was a sense of relief in it, as if he had finally gotten what he had been wanting for so long. A few seconds later, there was a collision that ended Aizen's life, and he entered the realm of souls.
***
After a short period of reminiscing, Aizen finally gave an answer to the angel: *Yes, I'm sure there was nothing special about my life. In fact, my life was even worse than normal.*
- Have you ever wondered about the reason behind all your misfortunes? Have you ever wondered why it happened to you? - The angel asked.
*I've wondered about it many times, but what's the point? No one has answered my questions.* - The guy replied disappointedly, and there was a brief silence.
- Then allow me to provide you with the answers you seek. - The angel continued after a brief pause.
- You see, all the troubles you've had were because the world rejected you, trying to get rid of you in every possible way.
What the angel said didn't really affect Aizen, because at a certain point, he did start to think that the world didn't accept him, but he was curious about why: *But why, what's wrong with me?*
Seeing the guy's interest, the angel replied, "That's the most interesting part. You see, there are creatures called witches. They possess a strange and frightening power to interfere with and reshape the destinies of others, causing damage in the process. Most of them are unaware of their abilities and do it unconsciously, causing irreparable damage to the lives of others. Unfortunately, we cannot do anything about it, as witches are outside our system."
*But how does this relate to me? Really...* - Aizen seems to have begun to guess.
- Yes, a witch has interfered with your fate. But you're lucky. - The angel threw an intrigue.
*And with what?* - Aizen chuckled. In his opinion, he and luck could not even be in the same sentence.
After waiting for Aizen to express his opinion, the angel continued: - The fact that your fate did not collapse, but became intertwined with the witch's fate. Otherwise, you would not be here right now. Your soul would simply disappear, fading into oblivion. Cases like yours are extremely rare.
*I would rather have disappeared like everyone else...* Aizen said sadly.
From the guy's negative thoughts, the angel gradually began to lose patience: - I told you, you better put away your pessimistic thoughts. If I said you were lucky, then you were lucky. Don't you want to hear the rest?
*Just tell me, I don't think I have a choice.*
- You have a chance for a second life in the world where the witch lives. - Although the angel's words did not inspire much enthusiasm in the young man, they piqued his interest.
*So I can meet her, right?* - Aizen clarified, causing the angel to become suspicious.
- That's right, so you agree to a second life? - The angel asked.
*Yes, I agree.* - For some reason, Aizen became impatient.
- Can I know the reason for such enthusiasm?
*I want to kill her!* - The guy said abruptly, he finally had someone to take out all the pent-up anger from his past life and get revenge.
- That's up to you, but I don't recommend it, as you will also die because your fates are intertwined. Additionally, not all witches intentionally interfere with people's destinies. Some do so unconsciously. - The angel warned.
*I don't care, I've already died once, and I don't think I can go on with my normal life pretending nothing happened. So when are you going to take me to that world?* - The angel just smiled at Aizen's reasoning. He had met people like Aizen before, but none of them had been able to fulfill their promises.
- Soon, but first I need to give you some bonuses.
At the mention of bonuses, Aizen felt confused: *What are you talking about?*
- The world you're about to enter is a bit different from your old one. It's filled with supernatural creatures, and you'll need some protection to survive." the angel explained.
*And that protection will be provided by the so-called bonuses, right?*
- Yes, that's true, but you'll be the one to choose what you use.
*So I can ask for anything I want?*
- Within reason.
*By the way, can you tell me anything about that world?* - This information could be vital.
- Unfortunately, due to certain rules, I cannot disclose information about other worlds to you. - The angel simply shook his head in response.
Aizen thought, now not only his life, but also his revenge would depend on his choice. The most important problem was that Aizen did not know the level of power in that world and could not choose mindlessly what to ask. The guy spent a long time going through various options in his head, trying to find something that would be useful to him. And finally, after about half an hour, Aizen was ready to voice his desires.
- Have you already decided? - Asked the angel.
*Yes, I want three abilities in total.*
- That's right, I'm listening. - The angel nodded.
*First, I want increased physical strength. I want my physical strength to be equal to or close to that of the physically strongest beings in that world.* - In his previous life, Aizen had to practice martial arts to avoid being bullied, so having high physical strength would be a great help.
After hearing Aizen's wish, the angel praised him a bit: - Well, it's clever that you decided to base your wish on the strongest beings in that world without knowing their power level. What is your next wish?
*Secondly, since this is a supernatural world, I want an ability that will block any effects that resemble magic. Such as pyrokinesis, mind reading, seeing the future, and the like.* - this was what Aizen wanted to add to his increased physical strength, making him more invulnerable.
- I don't quite understand how it's supposed to work. Do you mind if I make the principle of this ability based on my own vision? - The angel asked Aizen, who didn't object.
*And finally, I want an immortal body, similar to the one Ban had from the seven deadly sins. He was a character from a manga I read not long ago, if you don't know who I'm talking about.* - Aizen's last wish came as a surprise to the angel.
- Didn't you want to die? Why are you asking me for immortality? - The angel wondered.
*Because I don't want to die until I've destroyed that witch.*
- I understand, in that case, if you have no more desires, I will proceed with your rebirth. Oh, I almost forgot to mention. According to the rules, I must follow you until you restore your destiny, so I look forward to our fruitful collaboration.
After the angel's words, a glowing circle appeared beneath them, with various patterns within it. The circle began to slowly engulf the two beings within its boundaries. As this happened, Aizen began to feel that he was no longer a shapeless ball of energy, but rather had a physical form. The sensation of being human again was incredibly pleasant for Aizen. As he reveled in his new body, the angel completed the rebirth by transporting them to a different location.