LIGHTNOVELONLINE Chapter 1: Reincarnation (1)
Chapter 1: Reincarnation (1)
'What the fuck is going on...?'
It felt like my mind had stopped after looking at my body, which was, for some reason, almost transparent.
No idea how, but I found myself sitting on a chair. In front of me was a man in his early twenties sitting across the table while reading a book that appeared to be a light novel, although what surprised me was the title of that book.
[High School DxD]
It was a title that I, someone who had read many light novels in his youth, was unfamiliar with.
At the corner of the table, there was a nameplate that most likely referred to the person in front of me, and accompanying that were several dozen manga volumes and light novels.
[Assistant Manager Kim.]
[Reincarnation Administrator.]
If this was a dream, it was strangely detailed.
For a good few seconds, Manager Kim didn't even notice my existence, focusing solely on the light novel in his hands.
"... This is annoying."
Out of nowhere, Manager Kim growled in annoyance, and his hands started clenching a little harder around the book.
After looking at the book in his hands, I decided to check if I could physically interact with things other than the chair, but unsurprisingly, my hand went right through the table in front of me.
'So physical contact is a no, huh? What about my ability to speak?'
"Ahem!"
The light cough confirmed that my ability to speak was still intact despite the lack of a physical body, which was weird, but so was this whole situation, and there was nothing to do about it.
"Hm?" Manager Kim turned toward me, surprise evident in his eyes as he examined me. "A new soul? It's been 400 years since someone with enough Positive or Negative Karma showed up for reincarnation."
Soon, a crystal ball appeared on the table, resting above the pile of light novels, and he continued.
"Place your hand on this crystal ball."
I had my doubts but still complied with Manager Kim's words, placing my hand above the crystal ball, and after a few seconds, a mechanical voice came from it.
{Calculating Karma, please wait.}
Manager Kim nodded before handing over a file to me. The file wasn't thick, only containing a single page inside.
"It'll answer the common questions most people ask after coming here; as for the Karma Calculator, it'll take around 45 minutes, so don't disturb me until then."
"Okay."
With those words, he went back to reading High School DxD, and my attention drifted towards the file in my hands, reading through the contents written on it.
[Welcome to the Reincarnation Centre, a place everyone who reincarnates must go through, including all the reincarnated protagonists you've heard about. In case someone unaffiliated decides to reincarnate another person, they are required to ask the Reincarnation Centre for permission.]
I'd feel disappointed if this wasn't a dream, but alas, throwing a tantrum wouldn't help the situation.
[To make it simple, it was the reincarnation centre that merged Leylin Farlier's A.I. Chip with his soul as a bonus, but similar to everyone else, he lost his memories of this place, a mandatory procedure for every reincarnation, with his soul transcending to his new world.]
[In most cases, people won't get any wishes or bonuses like that, being reincarnated based on their Karma Points. But in some cases, Managers can grant some wishes depending on the soul they're reincarnating.]
In all honesty, that was for the best.
It would've been suspicious if the reincarnation centre was donating wishes without asking for anything in return
For now, it'd be best to just roll with it unless the opposing party willingly grants me a wish or something; bargaining for wishes and stuff might as well get me killed, even though I was already dead.
YOHOHOHO.
[The only two ways to enter the reincarnation centre are either destiny, like most protagonists, or having too many Karma points for your world to manage your soul, with it rejecting your very existence.]
Even the world rejected my existence.
[Karma Points are points you gain depending on the 'impact' you make on the world around you. They are divided into two categories: Positive and Negative. When Karma Points are calculated, your intentions for doing something won't matter, and all that matters is the result. A half-assed system, isn't it?]
[Depending on your overall Karma Points, you can be reincarnated anywhere. For example, as a trap in Boku No Pico if your Negative Karma is too much, or as the most powerful being in a fantasy world with an infinite number of possibilities. Both cases are for the extremists, so don't worry about them.]
'... I'm fucked.'
[But remembering all that information about Karma points is useless. In most cases, once you pass through the reincarnation centre, the logic of Universal Karma will no longer apply to you. So even if you reincarnate again using some other method, you won't see this place ever again.]
[Additional Note: While reincarnating, some people will receive passive skills such as Denseness (Ex), Braindead (Ex), Plot Armour (Ex), No Common Sense (Ex), Edgy Teen (Ex), Impotence (Ex), Hypocrisy (Ex), and so on.]
Whoever wrote this chose pure violence against the isekai protagonists.
By the time I finished reading the rundown of my situation, Manager Kim also finished the light novel in his hands.
His reading speed was commendable, even by my standards.
"Who created this world, damn it! I should've killed that Creation bitch before coming to this place. If travelling to mortal worlds was an option, I would've destroyed this world along with the Creation's domain."
Manager Kim growled again, throwing the book towards me, but my body didn't even flinch, and just as anyone would expect, the book passed right through my face.
"Was it that bad?" As someone who was once a fan of light novels and manga, my question was out of pure curiosity.
Although I hadn't read that book, the redhead on the cover page was pretty hot, but judging a book by its cover was never a good idea.
"You never read that? It's pretty popular."
"No. I've read a fair share of light novels and manga, but it was my first time seeing that title."
"Hm. It probably didn't exist in your world." Manager Kim nodded, unsurprised. "What kind of fiction have you read or watched? Tell me, and I'll rate it according to your standards."
"Hmm, alright. I didn't have much time to read after my condition was discovered, along with my job and research, but I've read some good stuff before that."
Skimming through my memories like a recorded journal for a few seconds made me remember that it had been over a decade since I last read anything like that.
Time did pass in the blink of an eye, huh?
"What's up?" Manager Kim urged me to continue.
"The ones I can think of are Berserk, Jojo, Pluto, Reverend Insanity, Neon Genesis Evangelion, Homunculus, Vinland Saga, One Piece, Vagabond, Monster, Gintama, Death Note, 20th Century Boys, Climber, Lord of the Rings, Code Geass, Warlock of the Magus World, Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint, Tokyo Ghoul, Bleach, Suicide Hunter, Naruto, Lord of Mysteries, Alice in Borderland, Pumpkin Night, Steins Gate, Serial Experiment Lain, Eden, Slam Dunk, Oyasumi Punpun, Sun-Ken Rock, Innocent, Cowboy Bebop, Liar Game, Pandora Hearts, Aku No Hana, Attack on Titan, Made in Abyss, Uzumaki, Another, Eden—It's an endless world, PigPen, Your Lie in April, Kingdom, Blame, Black Torch, Dead Dead Demons, Holyland, 3 Gatsu no Lion, Jagaaaaaan, Black Butler, 91 Days, Baki, Parasyte, Ajin, Gant'z, Kokou no hitou—"
My intentions to continue were as clear as my lab coat, but Manager Kim's action stopped me mid-sentence.
"Manager Kim, why are you taking notes? And what's with the glasses?"
"Eh? Ah, I thought you were giving peak recommendations, so it'd be better to write them down before I forget the names. Please continue."
'It's safe to let him reincarnate me, right?'
Our conversation continued until Manager Kim was satisfied with the number of recommendations.
"Anyway, what about the DxD novel you were reading?"
"I'll make it simple 'cause I can't find better words to describe it; it was the most generic forced plot harem bullshit. Who even created that world, for fucks sake?"
"Since you're mad at the author, does that mean the author creates worlds through stories?"
"I'm not mad at the author, dude; I'm mad at the one who created it. As for it being a story, that's how 'this' omniverse binds itself together, through fiction and stories, sometimes legends and myths, or even dreams and imagination. The worlds spread themselves throughout other worlds like that in the form of stories, legends, and so on. The line between reality, fiction, and imagination is very fragile, but it is also strong enough to hold everything in place."
'It wasn't as complicated as I expected, but okay.'
Manager Kim growled again, searching through the pile of books on his table, and my eyes fell on a familiar yet unfamiliar cover.
[Berserk Volume 44]
"Wait, the cover isn't the same as the one from my world."
My index finger pointed towards the book.
As someone who had read the series twice, there was no way my eyes wouldn't notice the difference.
"Hm? Oh, right." Manager Kim picked up Berserk's 44th volume, holding it towards me. "If this is different from the one you remember, then in your world, the original author of Berserk must've died, so the story was continued by his friend. This book is from a world where the author lived and completed the story. Well, there are other worlds where the story went differently, too, but there's no point talking about that."
"Can I read it, like, from volume 41, when the original author in my world died?"
"If you're lucky enough, you can read it in your next world; souls can't interact with most stuff here, and I can't change that. As you can see…" Manager Kim pointed towards the nameplate on his table. "I am just an Assistant. And look, the Karma Calculator is almost done."
After a few seconds, a hologram appeared between me and Manager Kim.
[Karma calculation completed.]
[Positive Karma: 110,500,769]
[Negative Karma: 70,175,001]
[Remaining Positive Karma: 40,325,768]
'Damn. I did a number while trying to cure myself, huh?'
Manager Kim's shocked expression was enough for me to understand that those numbers were anything but ordinary, and I felt a strong urge to facepalm.
"What the heck did you do to gain so much Positive Karma? Are you a veteran Saint? And that Negative Karma, a veteran Saint that became a newly appointed Demon Lord?" For the first time, Manager Kim looked at me seriously. "Those clothes—aren't you from a version of modern Earth, or maybe a transmigrator who switched worlds? What the hell was your occupation?"
"I was a doctor, a really good doctor. And no, I was a normal human."
A light chuckle came out of my mouth after looking at Manager Kim's dropped jaw.
No, I wasn't Doctor Strange, who dream-walked through worlds and destroyed universes.
"Can't you just look into my past life?"
"I ain't no God, man. Although I'm stronger than most of them, even the Primordials, I don't wanna cheat during a job I signed up for, not unless I have a good reason to." Manager Kim smiled, looking at me with interest. "But what did you do to get so much Positive Karma?"
"Well, thanks to me, millions of people received medical treatments for negligible prices in only my country, as I don't even remember the numbers that received help outside of it. I also started a worldwide campaign that provided medicines, daily checkups, and surgeries, at an affordable price, even free in some cases, as long as people were ready to sign some documents."
Talking about all that, a nostalgic smile appeared on my face, causing me to continue without stopping.
"Starting something on such a large scale was only possible thanks to my family's influence and financial support, although I was the only member of my family alive. After some time, even Governments from various countries started supporting it, making the campaign rise even more as it started spreading throughout the world, and my fame kept rising."
"Of course, most of those transactions were just public covers; the Governments are hella corrupt these days, but I guess it still counts. Even before I became a doctor, I donated a lot of money to orphanages and old-age homes, even participating in taking care of children sometimes. Is that enough?"
Realising that my rambling had been going on for quite a while, I stopped, but contrary to my expectations, Manager Kim didn't seem bored.
"Nope, that will, at best, make up for thirty-five to fifty million Positive Karma points." Manager Kim smiled, leaning forward. He placed his head on his hands, still looking at me with interest. "Don't worry, I won't judge you or anything, nor is it my job to do so. No matter what you've done, as far as I am concerned, it's only a story to pass some time."
"I created the vaccine for a worldwide pandemic, effectively saving a lot of people; it was the reason I was honoured with a Nobel Prize, along with the one I got after publicising the cure for Cancer. Apart from those two, I can't even remember how many awards I've received for my contributions to humanity; some people even referred to me as an angel, going as far as saying I was the second coming of Jesus."
"What do you mean publicise it? Didn't you create the cure yourself?"
"Well, I did create it, but the cure has been around for many years, with it simply being hidden. After all, cancer is like a treasure trove for the government, and I just publicised it on a whim, along with a permanent cure that can be given to newborn children, effectively eradicating the problem of cancer after a generation or two."
After all, some humans were capable of flying through space in rockets we built from scrap metal, taking pictures of other galaxies, and theorising things way beyond our comprehension, so how difficult would it be to cure an illness like cancer?
That was my honest view of humanity.
"But even then, the cure I came up with was better than anyone else could ever hope to accomplish."
My arrogance regarding my work was coming out, which was weird since bragging about it in front of Manager Kim wouldn't do much good.
"Man, you sure did a number." Manager Kim exclaimed. "If you were born before the 'Age of Mortals,' you would've ascended as a Saint by now. A shame."
"I don't follow."
"Forget it; it's not like it matters. What I'm curious about are the negative karma points. With over forty million of them, I wouldn't doubt if you said you failed at an art school."
As someone who failed at an art school because he was too lazy to do anything, it was indeed relatable.
"Actually." I gave Manager Kim a knowing smile. "The campaign I started was to check some new medicines on various people. It was my luck that it all worked out; otherwise, I had prepared all the necessary funds to leave the country and change my identity, starting over again."
"That won't count as Negative Karma because the results were good. But if that were the case, what about the pandemic you cured?"
Seeing the smile on Manager Kim's face, it was easy to tell that he had a pretty good idea.
"About the pandemic, it was created by me using my blood. Although I could temporarily sustain my life with heavy dosages of medicines, I wanted to cure myself permanently, and for that, I needed test subjects with similar symptoms. But the test subjects must be of various age groups and medical conditions, and to fulfil that condition, what's a better way than to create a lot of them?"
"After the pandemic spread throughout the country, collecting test subjects became pretty easy, and human experiments became a day-to-day occurrence. Well, it didn't take long until I finally found a cure for myself, the progenitor of the virus, and slowly started recovering while moving forward with my other projects, but since I'm seeing you right now, I can only guess that it was too late. At least my twelve years of hard work didn't go to waste."
"Didn't many people die because of that virus?"
"Not exactly; although the virus would've killed anyone infected within four years, the main issues were the unbearable pain and weak body, and for me, it was so weak that even breathing felt like being stabbed continuously. And I was able to find a cure for myself within two and a half years of the pandemic. To answer your question, no, many people weren't killed, but almost half of the people infected never returned to their normal lives, and for those who did, they still have panic attacks and psychopathic tendencies—mostly masochistic, but you get the gist of it."
Honestly, it was weird for my Negative Karma to be so low.
"Talking about people as if they're maggots, having all the emotions humanly possible but still lacking empathy towards those not important to you—it's been a while since I came across someone as crazy as you."
Hearing Manager Kim's claim, I couldn't help but chuckle. Indeed, except for a handful, all people were nothing but maggots, as far as I was concerned.
"I do have a small Superiority complex, yes, but crazy?" I shook my head a little. "I am, or was, just a human trying his best to survive. My death was predetermined to be around before my 19th birthday, but thanks to my efforts, I lived a little longer than 29, and I even cured myself. For me, that was an absolute win."
Although I could barely call that a life, considering how my body needed severe dosages of medicines to just function as a below-average human, along with the pain it went through for the last decade, it was surprising that I could think straight, unlike people who almost went insane after some two years.
"Isn't that just running away from death? Weren't you trying to defy your fate, clinging to your life like that?"
Manager Kim's words gained a light laugh out of me.
"Don't get me wrong, Manager Kim. But do you see even a slight regret or sadness in my eyes about my death? My purpose was accomplished when I cured myself, and I couldn't care less about being dead now… And as far as fate goes, I wasn't trying to defy it, but I refused to accept death in front of a mere illness."
"If that's the case, how did you get away with all that?"
"As long as a human has enough dedication, nothing is impossible; that's what my brother used to say, and I proved it in what he would consider the worst way."
"Then, don't you feel remorse for what you've done?"
"Remorse?" I smiled at Manager Kim. "I'm someone with clear priorities. For me, there are only two types of people. The ones who are precious to me, and the ones who can be disposed of for my good. Even if I didn't do anything, they would've died eventually without accomplishing much, so they might as well 'help' me with my goal."
"I've seen it all. How a man would react in the face of death, how they would react when their loved ones are getting dissected right in front of them, how a parent reacts to seeing their newborn child die, and where a human feels the most pain, both mentally and physically. And honestly, it was interesting. I've pushed many people into insanity and destroyed so many families that I can't even keep a count of them, but when it comes down to it, I can only regard that experience as fun. The more I learned, the harder it became to stop."
"If I were to relive my life, I'd be the same no matter what, without a single shred of remorse."
"You know, you remind me of an old friend." Manager Kim smirked, and I smiled back at him.
"It's been a while since I talked this much with someone after my assistant died, and I won't lie, it's a nice change of pace. Not to mention, I couldn't talk about 'this' side of me with people back on Earth, or I'd be regarded as crazy."
"If not crazy, what'd you like to call yourself?"
"Hmm. Let's see." I pondered for a few seconds. "People simply refuse to believe that the things I did can be done by someone with a sane mind, capable of intellectual thoughts. So, to them, someone who doesn't meet their criteria of normal is crazy, but I'd say I'm someone with different values, that's all."
"Like how you have no idea why I'm behaving like someone from your world despite the kind of being I am?" Manager Kim's question was exactly how I felt.
"Kind of, yeah. What I see as the optimal course of action, people will regard as morally wrong. Killing a thousand incompetent people to save one useful person is something that can be done without any thought, at least in my books. So in the end, when I judge someone's worth, everything comes down to what a person can contribute. It's a fairly simple worldview, and I try to keep my personal feelings on hold when doing that."
"Crazy fucker, I can already guess what your 'Alignment' would be." Manager Kim chuckled.
"Alignment?"
Manager Kim smiled at my words, picked up the crystal ball, and placed it back on the centre of the table.
Soon, a hologram appeared in front of us.
[1/2]
[Reincarnator Number: 2144]
[Threat Level: Unidentified (An unpredictable Essence?)]
[Alignment: Neutral Evil]
[Essence: A Curious Knowledge Seeker(?)]
Apart from these four categories, there was a bunch of stuff that was blurred out for me, but from how it looked, Manager Kim was able to read it without much problem.
'Maybe they are the details of my reincarnation?'
"I can understand what 'Alignment' is, but what does Neutral Evil mean? Shouldn't it be just Evil, considering my nature and actions?"
I had done some serious things in my life, and I'd do them again.
"Neutral Evil is a person who has no compunctions about harming others to get what they want, no matter how small the thing is or how gruesome their actions are, but neither will they go out of their way to cause carnage or mayhem when they see no benefit for themselves; they will not commit a crime they're not sure about getting away with unless the risk is worth it. In a sense, that's the worst kind of Evil that has no regard for anything beyond themselves."
At Manager Kim's explanation, I pondered for a few seconds.
"But I'd do that just to see how things will play out at the end, even if it's just to kill my curiosity. That's not some grand goal or a reason, so I don't think it'll fall under that category. It'll be like a madman killing people for the fun of it, no?"
Manager Kim shook his head. "Curiosity is reason enough to do it, especially considering your essence. Will you snap a kid's neck while walking down the streets?"
"No."
I shook my head. Why would I do that?
Not to mention, I couldn't even walk on my own.
"Then, will you inject a deadly poison in a kid's body while walking down the streets to check if it really works, even if it's just out of curiosity and you have no real reason to use the poison? Or will you push a person to the brink of despair to see how he'll react?"
"Weird scenario, but yes, I would. As for the second one, I've done that already; it was a random guy, too."
So that's how it was.
"Then, what's this weird 'Essence'?"
'A Curious Knowledge Seeker? Although it sounds accurate, it's kinda weird. And what's with the question mark?'
"Essence is, in a sense, a person's soul formation at an existential level. People can decide not to act upon it, but it's who they are at their core. It can be related to their personalities, abilities, and so on." Manager Kim explained, and it wasn't difficult to tell from his expression that he wouldn't go into any other details.
"So basically, a person's default setting."
That was my conclusion.
"Exactly."
With a nod of appreciation, Manager Kim waved his hand, and the hologram in front of me changed.
[2/2]
[World: High School DxD]
[Reincarnation Status: Approved]
[Gender: Male]
[Race: Undecided]
[Potential: Undecided]
"Hm?"
"The hell?"
Both of us were surprised after seeing the hologram. Wasn't DxD the world that Manager Kim had been reading about?
"No, wait, that's a good thing." Manager Kim muttered, a smile appearing on his face. "Can you do me a favour? In return, I'll grant you a wish."
"And what's the favour?"
"Although I know it's petty for someone of my status, I want you to do one thing: kill Issei Hyoudou, the protagonist of High School DxD. With this many Karma points, you'd no doubt be born into a good family or a powerful race, and it won't be difficult. You can find him in Kuoh town, Japan. Right, kill him before you turn 18. In return, I'll grant you a small wish."
'Kuoh? I've never heard of a town like that in Japan.'
"There are other races in DxD?"
"Sure are. Gods, Devils, Angels, Vampires, Dragons, Youkai, Humans, and a few more. Although I have no idea which one you'll be in, or how much potential you'll have, the thing I'm sure about is that your luck and background will be very good."
'Well, I don't care about my race as long as there is room for growth.'
'But with so many different races, there are bound to be new things I can learn from them, right? I can't wait to dissect every one of them.'
Just thinking about it made my fingers tingle.
"Hey." Manager Kim snapped me back to reality. "Stop making the expression of a child that just found a new toy; it's gross."
Oops. Realising that my excitement was all over the place, I was a bit embarrassed and quickly changed my expression back to normal, coughing lightly.
"Moving on. Are the Gods you talked about the same as the ones I know about from different mythologies?"
"Should be." Manager Kim nodded.
"Then, did Gods exist even in my original world?"
"Does it really matter?"
"I'm just curious as to who made the universe—was it God, as some believers claim, or something entirely different?"
"You don't believe in that?"
"Not really." I shook my head. "I'd rather admit that I know nothing about the creation of something that's beyond myself than have a debate about how my supposed 'faith' can prove anything. There are many theories, yes, but I can't just say one is true, and that's why I'm asking you—someone far beyond myself with the capabilities to answer my doubts."
I had seen many debates over such topics, but they'd always end up in a loop, never concluding.
And at the end of the day, it looked like nothing more than a few children arguing over who was right.
Not to mention, I'd much rather prefer asking a person who could answer my doubts, like Manager Kim, rather than believe something because someone said so.
"So you're one of those who think being a non-believer is cool?" Manager Kim asked, slightly tilting his head.
"I wouldn't say that. When my life was…well, it kind of fucked me over hard when I was 17, so the only thing I could turn towards was God. In a sense, I needed an imaginary pillar to mentally support myself when life was hard, so I just assumed that's what people do. But that only lasted a few days before I realised that I'm not the type to trust people, not to mention figures I consider unimportant in my life."
People said to believe in God or you'd go to hell.
I was getting reincarnated, so how was that supposed to work?
"Hmm. I see. So you think you're above whatever created you?"
"Not really, but a blacksmith creates swords sharper than his fingers, a child can surpass the parent, and a hammer will always hit harder than its creator's fists, so I can't see a reason for me to think I can't surpass my 'Creator,' whether it's a God or a Universe."
"You are a funny one—I won't lie."
Manager Kim chuckled lightly.
Well, to him, it might look idiotic considering the being he was, but to me, the things I said were what I meant.
"So, what about the question I asked?"
"I don't know, man." Manager Kim shrugged, leaning back on his chair. "Every world has its own story of how it was created and how it'll be destroyed. I can create thousands of multiverses full of life with a snap of my fingers, so does it really matter? To me, discussing creation and destruction is like children playing with blocks to create figures."
'Hmm. I'll have to figure it out myself.'
It didn't matter, but as long as the DxD world had Gods in it, they could be killed, dissected, and examined, so there was no reason for me to be hasty.
After all, everything had an explanation.
All I needed to do was research.
"Moving on, many races you mentioned in DxD are well known, but the angels—are they Biblically accurate, by appearance, I mean?"
That was a question out of pure curiosity.
"Not really; they look like humans, just a bit glorified with white wings." Manager Kim replied.
Hmmm.
"What about my potential, though? It says undecided."
"Your potential will be decided by the world itself, as it takes many things into account, and with your threat level undecided, I can't make any guesses. If that wasn't enough, that world's intelligence falls on the lower ends, so I can't do anything about it."
"Why is my threat level undecided, then?"
"No idea. Souls within the Reincarnation Centre are managed by the System, and the way it reincarnates people is different from the ones I use. Honestly, I don't even know what half of this crap is."
'I am having doubts about Manager Kim reincarnating me, but I can't do anything about it.'
Since that was the case, I decided to change the topic.
"About the wish, it can be anything, right?"
"Sure."
"Can I read the High School DxD light novel, like all volumes? Or, you can tell me the story and main plot points."
"Ain't happening; I can't make it so that you can interact with stuff here, and I don't want to talk about that world much. Not to mention, the world you're going to is different from the ones that get shared as stories."
Figured.
"Then, Manager Kim, before I make a wish, can you tell me how strong the DxD world is?"
"Not that strong; even counting ExE, it's pretty weak. Let's say that the one who embodies the concept of infinity lost her powers because she gave a portion of it to others; that's how shit the power scaling is. I can snap that world out of existence, though."
That was certainly weird. After all, even the tiniest part of infinity is infinite.
"Then why didn't you do it?"
"You know, even I can't go around destroying worlds as I please. Well, technically, I can, but travelling to mortal worlds isn't an option for a being like me. And even if I wanted to be sneaky, I'd need to prepare a weaker version of myself. If I visited any world as I am now, it'd be destroyed by my presence, along with the surrounding worlds. It doesn't matter how much I suppress my power since that world doesn't have my concept, or any concept beyond their dimensionality, to be precise, and will be eradicated from existence upon coming into contact with it. It's troublesome, you know, not being able to do things because of being too powerful."
"Basically, you're suffering from success."
At my words, Manager Kim laughed.
"By the time I leave the Reincarnation Centre, I'm pretty sure all worlds related to that will have long been eradicated. Mortal worlds have a very limited lifespan, you know?"
"What kind of concept do-"
Manager Kim interrupted me and continued, not letting me finish my words.
"Before we move on, don't ask me to explain my concept because even if I did, with your limited comprehension, all you'll hear are some high-pitched, unrecognisable voices. And if you understood even a part of it, your soul would disintegrate."
Totally not scary at all.
"But I can't judge the world I'm reincarnating into based on your standards, right? In all my life, the heaviest thing I lifted weighed ten pounds, and after one point, I couldn't even hold a backpack, much less walk."
It was a pity, but not every cripple had Jesus backing him up, nor could they spin their balls.
"The power scaling in that world is weird, to be honest, but I'm sure you'd do fine."
"Why are you so confident, Manager Kim?"
"Believe me—there are things only I can see." Manager Kim pointed at the Karma Calculator with a smile. "And from what I saw, you'd find a way to survive in most worlds, so a world like DxD wouldn't be too hard, as long as you don't get too comfortable. After all, you're the type who feels insecure unless you're at the top of the food chain or when your safety isn't guaranteed."
"I'm flattered that you think so highly of me, but can you not talk about my secrets with a smile on your face?"
"No one is watching us... What's the big deal?"
Manager Kim shrugged his shoulders, and I gave up.
"Moving on, what's the ExE thing you mentioned?"
"A failed attempt to extend the already dead world of DxD. It's an absurd addition to the world that, in my opinion, makes absolutely no sense. Although I don't know if the world you're going to have it or not, it doesn't matter. The world is still weak."
'Manager Kim really hates DxD, huh? Why did he even read it in the first place?'
At this point, it'd be better for his mental health to write a fanfic about it and bash the characters with his own headcanon.
"But I only know of cheats that can rip DxD apart or those that can't even destroy a city, so I don't know what will fit the wish's criteria."
"Just try your luck; who knows?"
Since that was the case, I decided to do exactly that.
"Then, how about 'God of Void—Azathoth' from Tensura? Or any Lovecraft skill in general?"
"Never; it's overkill."
"The Demonic Sword Venuzdonoa?"
"No."
"Gate of Babylon?"
"Man, I asked you to kill Issei before the plot started; it's not a big deal. Stop asking for ridiculous stuff."
'So the canon will start around the time I turn eighteen, huh…?'
"How about Gold Experience Requiem or Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap?"
Hearing my words, Manager Kim almost face-palmed himself.
"You want one of the strongest stands in existence just to do a small job—wait, no, that's not even a job; all you have to do is kill a below-average, pathetically weak high schooler. You're even more demanding than my gold digger of an ex."
I didn't really mean any of that, touche.
"I was kidding. Just give me whatever you can, and since I have so much Positive Karma, I doubt I'd need anything more. As long as I'm not in some immediate death situation upon birth, I'll get by just fine."
'Wait... did I just jinx myself?'
Manager Kim pondered for a few seconds.
"Hmm. Let's see, that world has a way to travel to different worlds, and with your Positive Karma, you will most likely stumble upon it. So world travel would most likely be useless for you."
"Then..."
"How about this—I'll give you Great Sage, the unique skill from Tensura, although it'd be adjusted to DxD's level, and you can't evolve it unless you go to Tensura. I'm sure it'll be a good tool in that world full of different powers, and coupled with your personality and occupation, I can't think of anything better... Along with how many Karma points you have, as long as you don't get a bit 'too' relaxed, your life will be a very good one."
"Before that, can I ask something?"
I leaned forward with a serious expression, making Manager Kim do so as well.
"In that world..."
The tension rose as Manager Kim's eyebrows furrowed.
"... are there any cat girls?"
Hearing my words, Manager Kim looked at me for a good few seconds without blinking.
Yeah, I have a fetish for cat girls. Sue me.
"I see, so you're one of my people." Manager Kim nodded, appreciation apparent in his eyes. "And yes, there are cat girls in that world; two of them are even from the main cast, and they're sisters, too, along with a nine-tailed fox milf and her daughter."
All the more reason for me to reincarnate.
"Where can I find them?"
"I'll make it so that you can have the memories of your time in the Reincarnation Centre, and I'll tell you about their location as well. Coupled with the unique skill Great Sage, that should be way more than enough for killing Issei, no?"
"I would've just agreed with the cat girls' location, but since I'm getting a free skill, I won't refuse."
"Well, if it's a give-and-take, I must be the one who gives more; it's my way of doing things." Unlike our previous conversation, Manager Kim's tone was rather serious.
I won't lie; that was admirable. It was something that I, as a person, would never do. I always looked for a way to gain an advantage, regardless of the situation.
"Since you're being so generous, I don't mind killing his family and friends, too; just say the word."
"I don't care about that, so it's up to you, and if you're lucky enough, you can even keep Issei's Boosted Gear after killing him."
'Boosted Gear? Like a magic weapon or perhaps a cheat item? Sounds playable enough, so I'll look into it…'
I'd never let my strength rely on magic weapons or external power-ups, but experimenting and learning about those items was something that I found fascinating.
"Before you ask, if you wish to, you can experiment on Issei, or maybe even play with his life as you see fit. As for the cat girls, I can't tell you any more details about your reincarnation. But when you're around the age of 12, look for the House of Naberius; after that, you can take care of the rest."
Hearing Manager Kim's words, I nodded.
If it was something worthy of my interest, I decided to play around with the so-called protagonist a bit.
"Ah, right. I wanted to ask you something. By any chance, are you Korean?"
"Huh? Do you mean the 'Manager Kim' thing? That's not my name; it's the name of a comic I like, so I just rolled with it."
"I see, but I've never heard about it."
"Wait, if you don't know about the comic, then you must know the language, so you've been to Korea?"
"I've travelled to many places and know a lot about different languages; after all, you can't find the right specimen while staying in your lab forever."
Manager Kim scoffed, looking at the nostalgic smile on my face.
"What can I say...? You had a pretty busy life."
I just smiled at him, not replying.
"By the way, have you ever heard of the Light Novel called Trinity Seven?"
"Trinity Seven?" I thought about it for a second, going through my memories like a video. "Nope. Why do you ask?"
Manager Kim pondered for a few seconds, and soon, he shrugged his shoulders. "Well, not like it matters. Anyway, it's about time for you to go."
He pointed at my body, which had already started to disappear.
"Well, until next time, Manager Kim."
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