The Beyond, the beginning after the end, Valhalla, Heaven, Hell... It didn't matter what name it was given; the concept was omniversal across all cultures. This was the fate that awaited the souls of living beings upon death.
The Beyond was divided into two parts. The first was the Karmic Tower, where upon entering, you would be assigned a floor based on your life. If you led a wicked life—stealing, killing, committing adultery, or similar acts—you would suffer for all eternity. The opposite was true for those who led a full and virtuous life; they would receive a tranquil place where they could enjoy anything they desired until they chose to reincarnate without their memories.
Aside from the Karmic Tower, there was another place: the Path to a New Life. This path was the most difficult but promised the greatest rewards. If you crossed it and overcame all its trials and tribulations, you would receive a promise of unimaginable power. You could then either reincarnate with all your memories in the same world, becoming one of the most influential men or women—practically a god on Earth—or choose the other option: go to another world with supernatural powers and ascend to divinity.
Many chose this option, but few truly managed to overcome the trials.
I was one of those challengers. After dying at twenty-five in a car accident caused by a drunk idiot, I decided to take the second path, confident I could conquer any test.
Looking back, I suppose I was a fool. This was Hell. There were psychological trials where you had to overcome your greatest fears, failures, and regrets. You had to fight terrifying creatures, absorbing their essence to grow stronger. Above all, you had to fight other challengers. It was a brutal competition where only the strongest could reach the end.
It had taken me two hundred years, but I had finally done it. I had reached the end of the Path to a New Life. Before me stood an enormous, imposing purple tower with vast windows. On either side of a great automatic door were two creatures whose very existence felt like it was crushing my body.
For a moment, I prepared to fight, but they didn't move, remaining as still as statues. Letting out a sigh, I began to advance cautiously, passing between the guards. The door opened, allowing me to enter the huge precinct.
As I stepped inside, a cold air hit my body, making me relax slightly. The Path to a New Life had been hot, like an incandescent sun continuously beating down on you, and the nights were cold, nearly reaching zero degrees. I had died many times because of it.
Pushing those thoughts aside, I continued forward until I reached a reception hall. There, I saw a beautiful woman with short purple hair and a dazzling figure—a perfect body in every dimension. Her shirt was missing the top buttons, revealing a great deal of her ample breasts. A seductive smile rested on her lips.
"Congratulations on arriving alive, Challenger 10777," the woman said in a melodic voice. "I am Trixy, your guide. Welcome to the Tower of Beginnings."
Hearing her introduction, I opened my mouth to speak but then closed it and furrowed my brow.
"Oh, right. It must have been a long time since you've used your voice," Trixy said, snapping her fingers. A moment later, I felt something repair itself within me.
"Ah... Ah... Th-thank you," I said in my own voice. It felt good to speak again.
Trixy nodded. "Well, Mr. Neithan, please follow me."
Trixy turned, and I decided to follow her to an elevator. Once inside, she pressed the top button. As the doors closed, the elevator began to rise rapidly.
"So, what happens now?" I asked, looking at Trixy.
"Well, you will meet Lord Void. He is, after all, the ruler of this tower. He created all of this."
"Including the trials?"
"Yes. The trials as well."
My face tightened, but I said nothing more.
"When we arrive, Lord Void will explain everything to you and grant you your new life."
I gave a nod.
A few minutes passed before the elevator stopped. The doors opened, and Trixy stepped out, with me following a few steps behind. We were crossing a long hallway with light purple walls and a large red carpet. Ancient chandeliers on the ceiling filled the space with a warm light.
At the end of the hallway were large double doors, which Trixy opened, allowing me to enter.
Inside the spacious office was a set of comfortable-looking black leather sofas. On the walls were strange paintings, as well as a large shelf with various objects of unknown nature. Finally, I observed the black wooden desk, carved so perfectly it was simply exquisite. Seated in an exquisite black chair was a tall man, at least 1.90 meters tall. His hair was pure white, and his eyes were a bright purple. He wore a formal black suit with a great coat draped over his shoulders, black with purple details.
"Thank you for bringing our guest, Trixy. You may leave now," Void said, looking at his assistant, who nodded and withdrew from the office.
"Come, young man. Sit. Let's talk a bit," Void said, pointing to a chair in front of him.
Looking at the chair, I took a few calm steps, grabbed it, and sat down. I felt somewhat uncomfortable because I couldn't sense Void's power. On the Path to a New Life, things whose power you couldn't sense meant two things: either they weren't truly alive, or their power was terrifyingly vast, unimaginably surpassing your own.
For someone like me, who had started as the weakest and grown in strength and power to reach the end, this made me feel small. I was sure I hadn't been the most powerful challenger of all, or even one of the strongest, but I was strong.
Void smiled as if he had read my train of thought.
"You are correct, young Neithan. It is undoubtedly a welcome surprise. Although you were not the most powerful challenger, or even one of the strongest, you are one of the few who have reached this place. You can be proud of that," Void said.
"Who was the most powerful to reach here?"
"Hmm. It was Challenger 10075. He had no name, but he was an existence that broke logical order and everything you thought you knew about strength. He was faintly able to sense my power, which was quite the feat and surprised me for a long time."
I nodded. I didn't know who this Challenger 10075 was, and I didn't care. I was simply curious.
"Well, in the end, I sent him to another world. And boy, did he choose a strange one. Anyway... Congratulations on making it to the end, overcoming every trial and challenge along the way. The rewards are for the tenacious, and as one of the most tenacious, it is my duty to give you your reward," Void said animatedly.
"Do you have any questions?"
"Yes. What is the purpose of the Path to a New Life? What is the ultimate goal?"
"Wow, those are many questions, but very well. The function of the Path to a New Life is exactly what its name says. The successful are given the opportunity to have a new life while retaining the power they accumulated throughout their journey," Void explained.
"As for the ultimate goal... well, it is to create new gods."
"New gods?" I asked, confused.
"Yes, new gods. Thousands of years ago, there was a war across all existence, where countless gods from all generations fought against each other in a war between two factions. First, there were the Gods of Chaos—gods corrupted by power and the desire to consume all that was created—and the Gods of Order," Void said.
"This war, as you can imagine, was the most terrifying and unimaginable thing your mind could comprehend. It was truly astounding to observe."
"From what you're saying, you didn't participate in it."
"And you are correct. I am the Void, and I mean that literally. I have always been and always will be. I am the end of all existing things. I was, am, and will be eternal. But anyway, at the end of the war, there were no winners or losers. The gods are dead, and none survived. After the war, existence was left in a dire state. Without new gods, it would only be a matter of time before everything was destroyed. So, I decided to do something about it."
"You decided to create the Path to a New Life and cultivate it through trials to prepare them to become deities?"
"Exactly. I see you understood quickly. But as you experienced yourself, it is not an easy path. Many challengers enter, but few reach here. Those who break become mindless beasts. The winners are given a new life in any world they choose while they begin preparing to become a deity."
"I see," I murmured quietly upon hearing this revelation.
"I thought you'd be like the others who simply hoard information to play at being mysterious."
"You underestimate me. I am old. I know all the mysteries, all the secrets, and all things in existence. Besides, what would I gain by not explaining the objectives I have for creating this second path?"
"Well, you have a point there."
"Anyway, Neithan, let me explain a few things. You can choose any world you desire. However, you will not be able to use your power immediately. Currently, you are a soul—a very strong one, in fact. If you were born as you are, you would explode like a poorly inflated balloon. So, I will make your power lie dormant and awaken little by little so your body can adapt to it."
"I understand."
"Another thing is that you will begin adapting to your sensations as a new God. Once you adapt, I will explain the rest and what you can do with your new powers. Understand?"
"Yes."
"Good. Those are the two important things. Now, which world do you want to go to?"
"Hmm... I'll go to High School DxD—the dream of every hormonal young anime fan who loves ecchi themes."
"Well, that's a good choice, unlike your little brother's choice," Void said.
"My brother? Did my brother reach this tower?" I asked with hope. My brother had died a year before me in a shooting at a nightclub.
"Yes. He was Challenger 10075. I must say, you resemble each other quite a bit. Although, it goes without saying, your older brother was, at best, an irregular monster who shattered all notions of strength."
"What does that mean?"
"It doesn't matter. Well, so... DxD?" Void asked.
"Yes."
"Good. Have a happy new life. Oh, and you can do whatever you want. That is a weak world, and I doubt anything could pose a real threat to you," Void said.
I felt my body begin to rise. A few moments later, my vision was flooded with a white so bright it momentarily blinded me. The last thing I heard was the cry of a baby and a nurse's voice saying, "It's a boy."