"So—you're genuinely fine with your current situation? You understand what's happening?"
The woman asking was beautiful on a level that felt illegal. She raised a perfect eyebrow, then flicked her gaze toward the small crowd of gods and goddesses behind her as though silently polling them about my sanity.
"Uh… yeah? I mean—yes, ma'am. Yes, goddess? Actually… how do I address you?"
I did a slow 360, taking in the endless white… room? Field? Cosmic dentist's office? Figures drifted in and out of existence like curious spectators—apparently gods, lesser spirits, and whatever the multiverse equivalent of interns were.
And me? Yeah, apparently I had been officially isekai'd.
Or reincarnated. Or transported. Or whatever word you use when you go from "trying to cook dinner" to "meeting deities" in under five minutes.
One moment I was in my apartment thinking my entire complex smelled weird. Turned on the stove. Pilot light flicked. Boom. Flash of light. A single, blistering second of pain.
Then darkness.
Then… this.
How long passed in between, I had zero clue. But after some panicked questions, a few demonstrations, and a vibe check from a god, I'd managed to piece together the situation.
The goddess cleared her throat pointedly. My head snapped back to her.
"Never mind titles, dear. Your name was David, correct? Listen, David—it's perfectly acceptable for you to panic right now. Mortals do not usually take this well. So if you're trying to impress us… that's very sweet, but unnecessary."
I shrugged. "Honestly? It's not that hard to understand. Back on Earth we have whole genres—TV, movies, books—dedicated to this exact scenario. I was basically an expert by accident. So yeah, I'm freaking out, but mostly because it's real, not because it's confusing."
One of the gods—a razor-sharp-looking guy in a business suit—looked up from a floating ledger.
"Castor, if you would."
Another man appeared with a soft pop, scanned me, and nodded.
"He's telling the truth, my grace."
Castor vanished again.
I threw my hands up. "See? Totally fine."
The goddess stared at me like I was a puzzle piece from the wrong box.
---
She studied me for a long moment. I could practically feel her trying to diagnose my mental stability.
"Well… since we've confirmed you're not in shock and you're not begging to return to your old life, I suppose we can proceed. Let's begin with the introduction."
She snapped her fingers.
Suddenly, we were standing in space.
Not floating—standing on something invisible, utterly unsupported. A comet drifted lazily past us like this was all perfectly normal. Beneath us, an enormous planet rotated, blue and green and impossibly alive.
"Whoa. That's… mine?"
The goddess smiled. "Your new home, yes. Corev."
Corev was Earth's bigger, wilder cousin—same vibe, completely rearranged continents, and a glow that felt… magical.
"Your new world," she continued, "is built on a foundation of mystical energy—mana, essence, dao, whatever name mortals give it. Everything is woven from it. Life, matter, even the laws that shape reality. When you arrive, you will awaken your Aspect, receive a guide, and undergo your Integration. Levels, skills, titles, achievements—your path is entirely your own. Saint or sinner, hero or hermit. Corev holds possibilities without end."
Something she said snagged my attention.
"Right—two questions. One: what exactly is an Aspect? Two: I thought this was my integration?"
She chuckled softly. "No, child. Your Integration is a three-month training period in a pocket realm. You will be guided, you will level, and you will learn to wield your Aspect. And your Aspect… is the fundamental expression of how you interact with the world's energies. A concept tied to your nature. Your magic and mana will shape themselves around it."
"Got it," I lied politely. "Kind of."
Because whether or not I actually understood it, I didn't have much choice.
"So… when do we awaken it?"
"Now."
With a flick of her wrist, we were back in the white expanse. The gods lounged around like VIP guests waiting for a show. A massive, flame-bearded man rumbled:
"Come on, lad! It's been 1,237 years since we've had an Aspect of the Forge. Don't disappoint me!"
Several gods rolled their eyes.
The goddess I'd been speaking to stepped forward and placed her palm gently on my head.
"It's time, David. Let us see the truth of your soul."
She stepped back.
At first… nothing.
Then warmth bloomed low in my gut. Faint, then growing, then spreading like liquid fire through my veins. My breath hitched.
My first Aspect was waking up.
And the entire pantheon leaned in to watch.