{Greetings, wanderers of the web. Today, I share with you another tale of mine.
If you've enjoyed my previous stories, then I hope this one finds a place in your heart too.
Sit back, relax, and enjoy the ride.}
What is death?
A question that lingers at the edge of every life.
Some say it's the final page of our story. The peak of the mountain. The deepest point in the ocean.
An inevitable visitor that comes for all, young or old, cruel or kind.
And no matter how hard we fight, how tightly we cling to life, death always wins.
But why do we fear it?
Perhaps because it's the one thing we cannot understand. A destination no traveler can return from—at least not with their memories intact. And so, we invent stories to soothe our dread.
We imagine ghosts, judgment, rebirth, divine courts, or endless warzones.
Or… we imagine a second chance.
Another life. A clean slate. Born anew, with no memories of the last.
But what if someone died... and remembered?
What if someone got another chance—and kept everything?
Well… that someone is me.
I don't remember my name.
Just fragments, like scattered photos from a life long passed.
I was a college student.
I'd been sitting at a café, reading—nothing dramatic. Just another quiet afternoon.
Then… the sound of a horn.
A flash of light.
And then: nothing.
No pain. No panic. Just… black.
An endless void. No sense of time or body. I could think. I could look. But I could not feel.
Was I dead?
I should have been terrified. But… I wasn't.
Death came quickly. Too quickly to process.
No fanfare, no dramatic music—just done.
Was I angry? Maybe a little. But mostly... I felt empty.
Regrets? Sure.
I didn't finish college. I left behind family, friends, all my books and favorite games.
But those are standard regrets. Everyone's got a few of those.
I sighed—well, mentally—and waited. If the stories were true, someone would show up soon. A guide, a reaper, a talking animal... anything.
And then—he spoke.
"I believe there is no need for that."
The void shifted. Darkness gave way to light, clouds swirling into view.
An old man stood there. Wrinkled. Bearded. The kind of guy you'd expect to see dispensing ancient wisdom from a rocking chair.
He smiled.
"Hoo boy, don't judge by appearances! I'm far livelier than I look."
He read my mind. Great.
"That's right. Now, shall we begin?"
Somehow, I was in a chair. So was he. When did those get here?
"I assume you know what happened?" he asked, stroking his beard.
"I died," I said flatly.
"Correct. You are in the space between life and death. Ordinarily, you'd go through the process: hell, judgment, cleansing, and then rebirth with no memory. But…"
He leaned forward, his eyes serious.
"Your death wasn't supposed to happen. A mistake. And a costly one—your death would have triggered a chain reaction that wiped your Earth clean."
What.
I was expecting reincarnation—not apocalyptic consequences.
"Calm down," he said. "It's fixed now. But I can't send you back. Nor can I send you through the normal cycle. So... we're going to do something else."
He smiled again.
"You're getting isekai'd."
I blinked.
Seriously?
"Seriously. And to make up for the error, I've given you three gifts to help you survive. You won't see your loved ones again… but you'll live a new life. A different one."
I hesitated. A small ache bloomed in my chest. I missed them already.
But…
"I see. You're ready."
Light engulfed him as he vanished.
And then—
[Congratulations! You are now the proud owner of the Gamer System!]
YES.
I had read enough to know what this meant: power, growth, godhood, infinite potential.
The screen kept scrolling:
[Registering User…]
[Initiating download…]
[Download complete.]
[Gamer System operational.]
[Would you like to begin?]
[Y/N]
Hell. Yes.
[Please enter your name.]
My mind blanked. I've always sucked at names. Something with meaning? Something cool?
The system offered options:
Adina – Delicate
Constance – Unchanging
Bea – Joy
Hazel – Victory
Esther – Star
Feminine?
Wait—wasn't I male?
I paused. Then thought deeply.
Why should I stay male?
This was my chance to be different. I always admired strong female leads—characters like Aloy from Horizon Zero Dawn. Strong. Smart. Fierce.
Why not become one myself?
I grinned.
[Name selected: Esther Marie]
Gender: Female – Confirmed
Do you accept these conditions?]
[Y/N]
Yes.
[Welcome, Esther Marie.]
[Displaying Status…]
{Status}
Name: Esther Marie
Level: 1 (Exp: 0.00%)
HP: 100/100 (Regen: 10/min)
MP: 100/100 (Regen: 5/min)
Strength: 10 | Intelligence: 10 | Agility: 10 | Sense: 10 | Luck: 10
Titles: None
Inventory: Empty
Skill Points: 0
I did it. I chose a new life, a new self.
I didn't feel different—not yet. But that was fine. The change was deeper than flesh.
Still, I noticed the system seemed updated—some familiar stats were missing. No Constitution? No Wisdom? No Charisma?
Maybe it was just a different build. Every Gamer System was unique.
Then came the next prompt:
[User has 3 Gifts in Inventory. Open now?]
Let's go!
[Opening 1st Gift: Haki (One Piece)]
You have unlocked: Haki
Yes!
With enough training, I could split the sky. Conquer kings. Sense threats. Strike intangible foes.
[Opening 2nd Gift: Omega-1 Nanite (Generator Rex)]
You have obtained: Omega-1 Nanite
Holy crap, it remembered Generator Rex?! That show slapped.
Now I can build weapons on the fly—blades, cannons, machines. Maybe my MP bar substitutes nanite count?
[Opening 3rd Gift: Blueprints (NieR: Automata)]
You have obtained: Blueprints – Tactical Support Pod
Okay, maybe not as flashy. But Pods are awesome. Infinite bullets. Special skills. Plug-in chips.
Combined with the other two gifts… I'm basically unstoppable.
[System ready for soul transfer…]
[Preparing host body…]
[World confirmed…]
[Initiating transfer in 5… 4… 3… 2… 1…]
[Enjoy your journey, Gamer.]
Warmth.
A strange warmth spread through me. For the first time in… forever… I felt alive.
I opened my eyes to a crumbling wooden ceiling. Vines crept through the cracks in the walls. A forest loomed beyond the door.
I stood, still adjusting to my new form. New senses. New world.
And smiled.
"My first day in a new world has begun."