Death.

  Nobody really knows what happens after.

  The end of… everything. A wall. A void. The next step.

  Infinite possibilities shrouded behind a door that everyone must one day pass through.

  The chance to write a new story.

  And this is mine.

  ?

  The stench of blood clings to me, even as the warmth and light fade from my world.

  I remember the cold bite of the alley floor against my back. Somehow, I can still feel it, pressing closer as the stars above blur and vanish from view. The uncaring grip of the reaper tightens, robbing me of shallow, desperate breaths.

  Then—

  PING

  Life Data has been acquired. You’ve earned the right to endure.

  “Huh?”

  A screen of soft, digital light flickers into existence before me. The glow is comforting, almost soothing, but my heart and mind freeze completely. What the hell is happening?

  I know I’m dead. I can still feel the kiss of the knife and the hole it left upon my chest, even if I no longer have a body.

  Do you wish to perish?

  The words send a chill down my spine, and before I can even process, I scream into the void, “No!”

  Choose where your journey will continue:

  Marvel

  DC

  Harry Potter

  Mass Effect

  Star WarsPokémon

  Digimon

  Dragon Age

  Halo

  A Song Of Ice And Fire

  A ugh bubbles up, sharp and bitter. This has to be some kind of twisted joke. Who offers such a ridiculous choice to a dying—or perhaps already dead—soul? It feels like someone’s trying to fish one st reaction from me, a cosmic punchline for their amusement.

  But the system insists.

  You’ve earned the right to endure. Please, choose a new universe to inhabit.

  “Why these?” I manage, my voice weak but steadying against the ck of air. “How am I supposed to believe I’m just going to step into some cartoon and move on with my life?”

  These are the universes in which your knowledge makes you a desirable soul.

  In them, you shall find a pce and a mission. Your life will be given meaning.

  Meaning.

  The word hits like a stone in my chest, sending ripples through the murky waters of my thoughts.

  Did my previous life have meaning?

  I search the recesses of memory, but all I find are shadows—misery etched in muted tones, years spent wandering without direction, without purpose. Fragments of failure. The ache of a life spent waiting for something that never came.

  Meaning. Isn’t that what everyone wantss, maybe even more than life itself? A reason to exist. A reason to try.

  “Fine,” I growl, feeling a spark of resolve. The choice is already clear in my mind.

  Marvel or DC. Worlds full of rger-than-life heroes and the kind of stories I’ve always loved. I could spend decades just meeting my favorite characters. Even if I’m not the star of the show, there’s enough excitement—and let’s be honest, enough mutant and metahuman eye candy—to make it worthwhile.

  As long as I don’t end up as a noname office worker, who knows? Maybe I can find myself some Squirrel Girl who’s thicker than oatmeal. It’s a fifty-fifty.

  But then there’s Digimon and A Song of Ice and Fire.

  No chance. Not even with a ten-foot stick.

  As much as I’ve loved Digimon, the digital world loses its shine when you stop looking through the rose-tinted lens of childhood. Teen-me figured out pretty quickly that the stakes are life-and-death there, and those adorable monsters? Yeah, they don’t all make it back. Hell, you’re lucky if only one or two Digimon bite the dust before your team cws its way home. And that’s assuming no humans die, which is already a little optimistic.

  There’s no way me and my friends would really survive together.

  And A Song of Ice and Fire? A world that somehow manages to suck even more, despite its ck of giant, murderous monsters. The monsters there wear human faces, and they wield cruelty like a weapon. No thanks.

  Mass Effect, Star Wars, Dragon Age, Halo. Tempting, sure, but those universes are just variations on the same brutal theme: survival of the fittest. In those worlds, the strong rise on the broken backs of the weak, and everyone else prays to the gods—or the Force—that they’re not crushed in the chaos of some random war.

  My life was already shit. I’m not fixing the gaxy, not even for some shy, nerdy, cute Quarian.

  And Harry Potter? Please. Even if I somehow avoided the deadly plotlines, the best-case scenario involves enduring Dumbledore’s shameless house favoritism. Can you imagine?

  Sorry, Ravencw, better luck next year. Again.

  I’d have to apologize to my cssmates after dinner for pretending there was ever a contest in the first pce.

  And don’t get me started on the school’s hiring practices. They’ve got a track record of staffing the Defense Against the Dark Arts position with full-blown maniacs. Each year, it’s like the job posting comes with a “Must Be A Dark Lord” discimer.

  No.

  What I want is a world that doesn’t feel like it’s out to crush me the moment I set foot in it. A world that doesn’t punish me for daring to dream.

  I want a pce where people live in peace and harmony, where they’re united by that quiet, tickling feeling in your heart when you look out at the horizon and know—just know—that something amazing is waiting for you out there.

  I want a good life, a life worth living.

  You have chosen the Pokémon world.

  Moving on to phase two: Character creation.

  Step 1: Select your name.

  Current name: Edward.

  Would you like to change your name?

  “I’ll…”

  Do I want to change my name? A fresh start feels like it deserves a fresh identity.

  “Zeke.”

  Step 2: Select your appearance.

  There’s no time to answer. Just a fsh of light, and suddenly, I’m aware of a million fleeting choices surging through me. My body begins to form, reshaping around the essence of who I am. It materializes seamlessly, like silk woven directly over my soul.

  It’s… young.

  The face staring back at me is mine, but not the one I st saw. The scars that once marked my features have vanished. In their pce is smooth skin, a gentle smile—my smile. For a moment, I’m lost in it. How long has it been since I’ve seen myself like this? So… alive.

  I didn’t think I hated my old self, not consciously, but the sense of relief that floods me now is undeniable. I run my fingers through dark, smooth hair, free of grime, sweat, and dried blood. It feels like breathing clean air after nearly drowning.

  And it’s not just my face.

  I look down at my hands—once burned, cut, and calloused from years of rough living. They’re healthy now, the skin soft and warm, no longer the hands of someone struggling to survive. They feel like they belong to someone who can grow, who can thrive.

  For the first time in longer than I can remember, I feel… whole.

  You’ve selected sixteen sor years of age.

  I’m not sure how I feel about being sixteen again. There’s power in youth, sure, but there’s also the uncertainty, the ck of wisdom I earned the hard way. Yet, as I flex my fingers and take a deep breath, there’s a freedom in this form that I didn’t have before.

  Step 3: Perks.

  You’ve gained a number of abilities and proficiencies from your past life:

  Lockpicking

  Gunslinging

  Pain Tolerance

  Persuasion

  Deception

  Keen Instincts

  …

  The list scrolls on, an endless catalog of survival and suffering. But then, as if sensing my disinterest, the system pauses.

  Analyzing…

  Code: Scorched Earth.

  Your past shall be burned away.

  Your skills will be converted into points for you to specialize anew.

  Is this what your heart desires?

  “Yes!” I scream, the words ripping out of me before I can think. “Burn it all… Let it go.”

  You have 27 Skill Points avaible.

  A new list flickers into view, offering an endless array of choices, each one a path to something greater. My fingers hover over the options, heart racing with the possibilities before me.

  I can build something new… something better.

  Pokémon Whisperer (15): Understand Pokémon speech.

  Capture Specialist (8): Double success rate for catching rare or legendary Pokémon.

  Starter Boost (8): Your starting Pokémon will possess enhanced stats and abilities.

  Perfect Pitcher (5): Increase Poké Ball throw accuracy and catch rate by 50%

  Aura Sensitivity (5): Sense creature’s emotions and locations through their aura.

  +Great Aura Mastery (10): Manipute aura to influence Pokémon battles or interactions significantly.

  Night Vision (4): See clearly in the dark.

  Beginner’s Luck (1): A one-time critical success when it matters most.

  It seems like I can buy a Perk for a basic cost. Then, I can pay that same cost a second time to upgrade that Perk into a greater version of itself.

  “Will I be able to keep obtaining Perks after I’ve finished creating my character?”

  You might earn Skill Points in the future through merits or deeds, but some of these Perks might never be avaible again.

  Selected Perks may be improved in the future with the use of additional Skill Points.

  There’s no rush, I tell myself. I have to think. Who do I want to be?

  I want to explore every corner of this world. I want to meet people—good people—who will stand by my side. I want to ugh with them, fight with them, cry with them. I want to win, and lose. I want to be the best there ever was, and I want to earn it. I want to create things with my own two hands and share them with those I love.

  I scroll through the perks, piecing together a version of myself that feels… right.

  Aura Sensitivity (5): Sense creature’s emotions and locations through their aura.

  Perfect Pitcher (5): Increase Poké Ball throw accuracy and catch rate by 50%

  Quick Learner (3): Your growth will by accelerated by 25%

  +Great Ingenuity (6): You have an impressive knack for machines and electronic devices.

  Charismatic (3): People will regard you positively. Improves persuasion and deception.

  Hero’s Journey (4): Increases the odds of encountering dangerous or important events.

  Beginner’s Luck (1): A one-time critical success when it matters most.

  Is this your final selection?

  I take a moment, letting the weight of my choices sink in.

  “Yes.”

  Step 4: Origin.

  Where do you wish to go?

  Your destination must be anchored by your knowledge of space and time.

  “Choose when and where, then…” I murmur, excited.

  I only really know two time periods—modern and the time of Legends. And let’s be honest, I’m not about to get stuck in the past without proper plumbing. My ideal world? One where I never have to shit in a bucket.

  As for regions… two stand out to me: Sinnoh and Unova.

  You must select a singur city for your reincarnation. However, if these are your preferences, content regarding these regions can be given priority.

  “So… I’ll get to know Pokémon and trainers from both regions, no matter where I choose?! That’s awesome!”

  That is correct. However, remember that, ultimately, your destiny will rest in the hands of the deity that has summoned you.

  “The deity that summoned me… So, this really is like Legends: Arceus, then.”

  There’s no time to hesitate. With the best of both worlds on the table, the choice becomes obvious.

  I think about Sinnoh, the nd rich with history, the ancient myths, the legendary Pokémon. I love it with all my heart, but in the present? It feels a little… still. Quiet. Almost too quiet. As much as the history fascinates me, I want to be in the heart of things, where the action is, where life pulses through the streets.

  The center of a region, oozing with life, adventures on every direction…

  Nimbasa City/Present time.

  Is this your final choice?

  “It is.”

  Step 4: Bloodline.

  If you wish, you may choose to be reborn into a prominent family or legacy. Some of those include…

  “No,” I cut in quickly. “I want this to be my life, my adventure, my destiny. I’m not tching onto anyone’s legacy.”

  Please, set your own surname.

  Please set your own surname.

  I want a name that reflects what I’m hoping to be in this new world.

  “Lionheart. Zeke Lionheart.”

  Zeke Lionheart…

  You have chosen to leave your past behind and come into this world on your own.

  Accept your title as [The Aimless One], and drift into the winds of destiny.

  Character creation complete.

  There’s a pause—a moment of stillness in this empty abyss, one that doesn’t quite feel like life or death. It’s as if the universe is offering me one st chance. A chance to reconsider, to go back and change something… but I’m ready.

  I can feel my memories being burned away, the st embers of my old soul finally dying. And a happy thought overtakes my mind.

  God, I’m going to bully so many kids.