On an endless green plain of grass and flowers stood a single, massive tree, and massive was an understatement. The tree was so colossal that its leaves were lost to sight, hidden somewhere in the distant sky.
Beneath it, two figures faced each other across a wide, spinning wheel. The wheel gradually slowed to a stop.
[Highschool DxD (Light Novel)]
"That will be your next destination," said a man in a full tuxedo, pointing with a pen at the wheel, which was covered in the names of fictional worlds.
"So… who do I become?" asked a soul in the shape of a twenty-year-old male, seated in a chair across from him.
"It's randomized. It's more fun that way," the man replied.
'Fun?' The young man kept the thought to himself. He wanted to retort, to protest being treated as entertainment but he held back, not wanting to anger the figure before him. 'He's offering me a second chance. I should be grateful.'
He scanned the list of worlds, spotting several he desperately wanted to avoid: the Stephen King universe, the Cult of Cthulhu, Doom, and many more.
"Is there anything you'd like to say or ask before I send you there?"
"Do I get anything else… Mr.…?"
"Mr. A," the man replied. "Hmm, I could grant you something extra. But you'd have to give me something precious in return."
"Like my soul?"
A laughed, covering his face with a hand. "I'm not a demon. I don't need your soul. Think, you already know the answer."
'I have it in my mind? My memories? My knowledge?'
"Ding, ding, ding. See, you knew it all along. Your knowledge is very precious," said A.
"My knowledge? I barely learned anything in my life. I'm not a doctor or anything."
"But you possess knowledge of the fictional worlds, don't you?" A leaned forward slightly. "You understand what that means, yes?"
"Y… yeah." The young man understood. He knew the future of those worlds, their inner workings, even their creators.
"You want me to sacrifice that knowledge?"
"Yes. Equivalent Exchange, remember? You've watched Fullmetal Alchemist, right?" A's tone was light, almost playful. "To gain something you want, you must sacrifice something of equal value. I can give you power to live safely in that world, though you'll still suffer a little. Otherwise, where's the fun? Are you willing?"
The young man studied A's face, weighing the possible outcomes. "What kind of power could you grant me?"
"Hmm… This could be amusing. I can grant you the power of Duel Monsters, in the form of a Sacred Gear."
"All of Duel Monsters?" The male couldn't hide his surprise.
"Of course, I won't just hand you the strongest cards outright. But you can reach that level yourself. And perhaps…" A paused meaningfully, "you might even recover the memories you lose."
'Recover my memories? What does that mean?' The young man felt a twist of confusion.
"Take your time. You have an endless amount of it here. You could even stay here forever, if you like," A said, smiling as he rose from his seat.
"Where are you going?" The question came out abruptly, pulling the young man from his thoughts.
"Just meeting a friend for a moment. Call my name when you've decided." And with that, A vanished from sight.
'I still don't understand why a being like him is giving me a second chance. I was just a college student waiting to enter university. I was about to start my life when I died.'
He sighed heavily.
"I still can't believe I died because a falcon kicked me in the face."
It felt surreal. A had shown him the moment of his death, the last thing he remembered was an impact so hard it knocked him unconscious. But to learn the truth was absurd.
He looked out across the endless plain, his mind drifting as he considered the deal.
'Is it worth it? Losing my knowledge of these worlds could hurt… but having the power of Duel Monsters might help me even more. And it's not like I'm likely to travel between worlds.'
He fell into deep thought. The decision would shape his entire existence.
'Should I avoid the risk? But the DxD world is dangerous no matter what, filled with gods, devils, angels, monsters…'
He clicked his tongue, carefully weighing his choices. His survival was on the line.
'Yes. This is the right move. Since I'm being transmigrated, not reborn, I could arrive in immediate danger. That power would be my only protection.'
His decision made, he opened his mouth to call for A, but A was already there, seated once more, waiting.
"Have you decided?"
"Yes. I'll sacrifice my knowledge of those worlds in exchange for the power of Duel Monsters."
A stood and extended his hand. "Deal?"
"Deal." The young man rose and shook it.
And with that, the deal was sealed.