CHAPTER 1: PROLOGUE

A manhole? The feeling of sinking underwater was so sudden I did not have time to brace myself.

　Tonight, I was dragging my exhausted body along the sidewalk when I suddenly lost my footing. I was free falling.

　I began to wonder if my legs had stopped working from over-fatigue. Wondering why there is no ground when I try to stretch my feet.

“Huh? Hmm!?”

　My legs are stretched out but the feeling of falling does not stop and the wind rushing towards me is pressing hard against my body.

　A few seconds after the alarming feeling of suddenly free falling intensifies. I am no longer “just free-falling”,

　Even though my eyes were wide-open, it was pitch black. Now I am “free-falling in the pitch-black darkness”.

　Finally, I fell.

　Almost as soon as I realized this, a pure white light filled my vision.

　With a funny “pop” sound, I hit the ground.

　For the time it took me to fall, there was no pain of impact at all.

“Eh, what…?”

　I could not understand what is happening to myself so I started to look around.

　There is nothing around here, just vast emptiness.

　There are no buildings, no houses, no roads, nothing at all.

　The space was pure white.

“What the hell is this place …?”

“Hmmm… Why is another human here?” (Stranger)

　Suddenly I heard a voice from behind. My shoulders stiffened when I heard a voice behind me.

　As I turn around, there, a lone figure was standing alone in this vast white emptiness.

　The figure was wearing a simple white dress.

　Her hair is long and golden like it is made of rays of golden sunlight, though her hair may look otherworldly her features are strangely Japanese-like.

　However, deep purple eyes are a color that cannot be found on any Japanese.

“Who are you?” (Stranger)

“Oh, you look like a girl.”

“What?” (Stranger)

　I was shocked at the person’s reaction. I thought that the beautiful person in front of me was a girl. While I was panicking, the person smiled,

“I can be either. My looks depend on the person seeing me. The person before you thought I was a man.” (Stranger)

“I can’t see you being a man at all…”

“When you are done pondering. I am going to introduce myself. I am a deity. Well, you humans call me one anyway.” (Stranger)

　Then suddenly the girl started eating potato chips. She’s eating and munching quite loud.

(…Where did that potato chip bag come from?)

　She did not look like she’s holding anything before. It seems like a magic trick.

“So once again, I am God.” (Stranger => God?)

“Eh, what?”

　As soon as I heard her words, I lost interest in listening to her.

　I come from a country that barely has any religious people, however, this person is claiming to be one.

“You people from earth, especially Japanese share similar reactions, Don’t you believe I’m God?” (God?)

“Are you some sort of scammer?”

“…I have to re-educate the Japanese once and for all.” (God?)

　Suddenly her eyes are showing an unnerving glint in them.

“By the way, where is this place? While I was walking, the road suddenly vanished and I fell.”

“Ding! Ding! Ding! That’s right. You fell. You fell because you walked towards a dimensional rift.” (God?)

“A dimensional rift?”

“Yes. The rift is an extremely rare phenomenon that randomly appears anywhere on earth. No matter how much we try to fix the laws of the universe, it does not completely disappear. You fell from the rift and now you are here. You are okay being here right?” (God?)

“…Uh, yeah. Well, yes.”

　I was under a state of disbelief.

　However, whether I believe it or not, it does not matter. I found myself in a place beyond my ability to comprehend.

　It might be a dream, I thought. Therefore, I pinched my cheeks but I only felt pain. I did not even feel like I am waking up.

　In addition, I fell but felt no pain. My landing felt quite soft considering the length and the speed I experienced while falling.

　There is no other answer. Nevertheless, I still cannot believe it.

“Well it has been nice meeting you but I have a job tomorrow. I need to get going.”

“I can’t do that.” (God?)

“Why?”

“If you want to go back, it’s up there…” (God?)

　The girl pointed up. There was a faint but extremely small black spot in the white ceiling.

　I cannot quite grasp the distance, but if I go towards that black hole, I can probably get back to where I was.

　However, I do not know how to get there.

“–Can you fly in the air?” (God?)

“I can’t…”

“Then give up!” (God?)

　Flying is the only solution.

　What a uselessly simple solution.

“No, no! I still have work. If I do not get to work tomorrow, I will never finish my work before the deadline. Do you claim you are God? If so, please return me to the original world with your godly powers.”

“I cannot bring you back…” (God?)

　The woman said as she scrutinizes me from head to toe while munching on potato chips.

“I can’t do it because you are in that state.” (God?)

“…What do you mean?”

“You’re just a soul.” (God?)

“Huh?”

“Do you believe that if a human body suddenly falls through a dimensional rift he will be alive once he comes out of it? The human body is a three-dimensional object. It would have been fine if it were two or four-dimensional, but three… uh-uh.” (God?)

“Such…”

“Well, don’t look like that. Anyway, the job that you have is a job that anyone else can do. If people can’t find you, it doesn’t matter; someone will surely take over your job without any problem.” (God?)

“Ugh…”

　This self-proclaimed god says things that hit where it hurts the most.

　I, myself, am very aware of that. However, when I was told face-to-face. It made me more aware of the insignificance of my existence.

“So… what do I do now?”

“Well now that you’re done whining, let’s move on.” (God)

　As she claps her hands, the chip bag vanishes and the emptiness suddenly changed.

　The once white floor immediately started changing.

　White, green, and blue patterns were slowly flowing on the floor as if the entire floor became a huge monitor.

“You have two options. One is to die. You can go back to earth without any pain and no pain at all.” (God)

“Oh, so I can go back.”

“No.” (God)

“Why did you even said that?!”

“The second is…” she continued, ignoring my question. “Migrate to this planet”

　A planet with splashed with white, green, and blue hue was in the image.

　Realizing that, I looked down at the planet.

“It’s difficult to bring a soul that has fallen from Earth, but it’s easy to bring it down on another planet. You don’t have a body right now, but I can put it in a good body.” (God)

“Is the body okay?”

“Yes. It’s a body without a soul.” (God)

“Is it a corpse?”

“You might call it as such.” (God)

“Ehhh…”

“Hey don’t look at me like that okay! It is hard to suddenly make a body out of nowhere. I can do it but it needs other resources, which can lead to bugs appearing in places unknown.” (God)

“Isn’t it possible to have a baby that isn’t born yet?”

“To do that, you have to kick-off the baby’s soul. Even a baby has a soul you know. Do you want to transfer to steal the body of the baby and erase the baby’s soul?” (God)

“No, that is…”

“And when you transfer to a baby, your mental age remains the same. Do you have a hobby of sucking a woman’s breast milk? If so, I can probably lend a hand— “(God)

“No, thanks!”

　If it is the only way, the answer is a clear “NO”.

　Some may have such a “special hobby”, but I am different.

“That’s okay. You’re dead Now-I’ll just send you a good body!” (God)

　This “god” is sending me to a fresh corpse.

　I stared at the woman.

“By the way, I don’t know anything about the other world, how can I survive there?”

　Language changes when the country changes.

　Some rare people communicate with body language without even using words. However, I am not that kind of person I need to use language to communicate.

　Besides, it is easy to imagine that lifestyle changes are vast.

　With me, a person who grew up comfortably in Japan, a country that has one of the best lifestyles on the planet, is thrown into other regions without prior knowledge. I do not have the confidence to be able to survive when it occurs.

“That planet is one of my domains. The people who have fallen into the rift of have all transferred to that planet with my help.” (God)

“You sent other people there too.”

“Yes. If done right you can live a fulfilling second life. However…” (God)

“However?”

“…Yeah. If you’re careful, you’ll be able to have a fulfilling second life.” (God)

　The woman suddenly changed the subject.

(What was she about to say…)

　I am feeling anxious, even if she said I would be safe.

“–About what you were about to say.”

“You ready?” (God)

“I wonder how many people in that world die every day.”

“…well.” (God)

　It is said that 1-8 people die every second on the earth.

　While we were talking like this, many people have already died.

　The body that is most suitable for me to claim will be “made soon”.

“Then I’ll give you this before I send you over there.” (God)

　Saying that the woman presented me with an A4 size transparent board. The moment I touched the plate that looked like an acrylic plate a flash of light appeared and the plate disappeared.

“Eh, what happened? Where did it disappear to?

“I’ve just handed you a skill board. I mean, you know, what a skill board is, right?” (God)

“A little”

　I nodded.

　I like games as much as any person, knows and has knowledge about what a skill board was.

　Is a device or system that improves on a character’s/person’s potential?

“Why did it disappear?”

“It’s tied to your soul. You can use it when you go to the other world. If you lived back on Earth, it would be useless.” (God)

“Eh? Is this something you can’t usually use?”

“Yeah, you look like a serious person and you think before you act, right?” (God)

　(Is it all right because I’m a serious person?)

　I tilt my head sideways in confusion.

　If I am not serious, will there be terrible consequences?

　I put my hands behind my head and tried to remember what God said. Did the people who have been revived have some serious personalities? Suddenly I felt cold sweat run down my back.

“Use it well and live long. I’ll send you there now.” (God)

“Wait a minute! I still have somethings to ask–”

“It’s okay. This is not a farewell. If you meet the conditions, you can always see me. Well then, do your best.” (God)

　The girl smiled and held her hand towards me.

　White light seems to be concentrated on the palm.

　Then it covered the my sight in an instant.

“Do your– “(God)

　Before the end of her speech, my consciousness was cut off.

○

~”God’s” Perspective~

　After sending the human to the other world, I exhaled slowly, “Fuuu.”

　Although it is only a soul, it is difficult to intervene in that world. Still, it was my duty to send the souls that fell through the rift to a new path.

　Duty… No, I’m looking forward to it.

“I don’t know how this human being will live his life.” (God)

　This time, I was secretly working on Toru’s skill board.

　The skill board is an auxiliary system used by living creatures on the planet called “Eargard”, if used correctly; one can obtain cheat-like powers.

　However, no one has been able to fully use it so far.

　First, half of the people sent there cannot use skill boards.

　The skill board cannot be used because using it requires experience from their previous world.

　Equal trade.

　I do not give power to indolent people.

　Next, even if the skill board can be used, most of them have not cleared the “requirement” for unlocking a skill.

　There are both kinds of people. Those who did not have a desire but have the ability and those who have the drive but do not have the ability.

　How about the soul I just sent?

“Well, it’s okay for that child to use the skill board. After that, he will pick only the necessary skills after careful deliberation.” (God)

　If he becomes aware of the essential skills, he will attain unprecedented power.

　How will that person change when he has that amount of power?

　Will he walk a proper life or walk towards madness?

　I am now looking forward to that human’s choices.

　However, more things interest her.

　It is something that I sent along with him on his skill board.

“Do your best okay.” (God)

　I took something out—it looked like a bag of potato chips—then I started eating again.