Chapter 3: The Start of a "Wonderful" Journey

Dark…

Warm…

Fuzzy…

The next I knew it, I was awake, alone in empty solitude, my mind wandering aimlessly in an ethereal expanse of nothingness. Falling into a trance, I felt sedated, open, and free, roaming clumsily as I stumbled upon various past memories, each one increasingly less accurate than how I remembered.

I was unconscious yet somehow aware, unemotional yet upset, impassionate yet still longing. Trapped in this semi-flux state I could do little but simply wait, taking in the mystical otherworldly experience with grace.

And so time continued on its dreary path, trodding incrementally in its drunken stupor. Slowly but surely, my mental focus began to return incrementally, feelings of resentment once again coming to surface.

By now, I was focused enough to actually ponder and contemplate my previous life choices. While the task wasn't particularly fun or enjoyable for that matter, there was not much else to do. Asking myself questions like 'Was Nagata really a whore? (Yes)' or 'Did I deserve to be punished for my behavior? (absolutely not)' was a sure way to pass time.

The whole process went on, each passing day(?) my senses are becoming more and more sharpened and alert. Where once my confinement felt empty and dark now was more lively than ever. A multitude of buzzing noises could be heard clearly throughout the entire enclosement and I could even move some body parts.

Ecstatic with this revelation, I did what any person bored to death would do and went exploring. Punching, kicking, and grabbing anything which fell in my path I was pleasantly surprised to feel a texture of fleshy walls and lumps. Emboldened, I went further, for days kicking at the meaty membrane stopping only when the creature who it belonged to would shriek in muffled cries, a barrage of pounding hits against my confined space soon following.

Only then did I come to the realization that I was not in purgatory but rather the womb of my new … mother? Sadly I had the feeling our relationship was already off to a rocky start, my earlier actions probably costing me a lot in the future.

Still the idea of me being reincarnated and stuck in the womb of some unknown creature was hard to believe. Freaking over this discovery I tried my best to confirm the situation, my mind getting weary from all the thinking involved.

It was only after recalling Nagata's parting words of 'New life', 'New World' and some other stupid chuunibyou shit that I finally was able to fully get the whole picture.

I, Higashi Yoshiro, had been sent to another world, or Isekai'd, as those otakus called it.

Being Japanese, the idea of getting reincarnated, specifically into a different world thankfully didn't slap too hard. Considering the entire contrived, shitty, and dry trope appeared literally everywhere like some sort of tumorous cancer, I was familiar enough with the concept. I had even regrettably watched a few isekai animes in the past, the programming often being played in the background on TV Tokyo whenever I went to some social outing or hangout.

Aside from that, the general idea of an isekai was almost comically simple with a few main principles.

1:Insert loser/protagonist (probably an Otaku) dies from a truck/any other vehicle running his dumbass over

2: Said loser gets reincarnated into some faraway trans dimensional fantasy realm

3: Apparently a social reject and loser back on Earth, the protag somehow learns social skills, becoming a cassanova who, while wasn't able to talk to girls before, now can seduce them with ease, giving himself a shitty harem.

4:Lastly was the existence of a overpowered RPG game system for the protagonist. Unlike other principles this was more of an optional one added for flavor. Afterall the protagonist's new existence would be a power fantasy regardless of any game system.

Of course there were other recurring tropes like a retardedly nice main character, a thousand year old female who looked like ten, and the appearance of demi-humans or what I liked to call literal human-mutts. The previously highlighted 4 were just the most common and pervasive.

In case it wasn't obvious, I wasn't the biggest Isekai fan.

Thankfully as much as I hated the very fabric of the genre, the previously revolting conditions now seemed quite amicable given my situation.

Perhaps once I was finally born, I would be a newly instated noble scion or young master who had untold riches and an army of servants. Perhaps I would be some prince or the son of a wandering knight who secretly was a disgraced member of the hero's party to kill the Demon lord. Maybe I could even be born as a Demon lord just like a lot of the newer Isekais?

Regardless of my initial set up, I would be a literal god, equipped with the most overpowered skills and magic, amassing a fortune for myself. Then using my newly acquired wealth, I would expend all of it on finding a way back home.

Besides all the effort I had put into cultivating a perfect life back home, the idea of letting Nagata go scot-free didn't sit too well with me. Even if time distortion existed and Nagata had already died, I would find her descendents and screw with them for the great sins of their bitch ancestor.

Yeah- I was really that petty.

All in all, it seemed like things were finally looking up for me. Content to lay back and bide my time, I peacefully close my eyes, falling into what I could only assume was a deep primordial slumber.

…

"Arrgh- Argh, ARRRGHHHHHHH"

Waking up to the sounds of feminine shrieks, my long hiatus abruptly ends. Although annoyed that my beauty sleep was disturbed by an animalistic howl, a feeling of eager excitement invigorates my body. The road for vengeance could finally begin!

Unfortunately for you Nagata, time does not heal all wounds.

Feeling the inner walls of my host tighten and contract rhythmically, I slowly make my way, entirely grossed out by the whole experience of coming out of a well uh ... you know.

Surging forward with a singular last push, out pops my head soon followed by the rest of my body. I was finally free at least. Taking a symbolic first look of my new world with fresh eyes, I come to a painful and startling realization.

My eyes! My eyes! It hurts so much!

Opening just the tiniest crack, my retinas are immediately seared, blinded by a burning pain.

Bawling loudly, a large commotion breaks out between my caretakers, their frantic tones and shouting, making the situation worse. Along with an unknown putrid scent of musk, the whole scene, quite frankly, seemed like a nightmare. I was half expecting to just peacefully open my eyes, see my attractive new parents and get pampered, all while resting on a plush cushy made of silk or feathers.

Instead all I got was a blinding light and the overly pungent smell of something funky. Things were off to a great start … really!

Before I can try another shot of opening my eyes again, a pair of meaty hands grab my body, bumpy calluses rubbing uncomfortably all over my skin. To make matters worse, getting a sniff in, it appears that I had found the mysterious culprit responsible for stinking up the entire room.

Trying to hold my bile, I weather the brutal onslaught, promising myself to have this offender executed or at least sent to quarantine.

Finally sneaking a peek, my heart drops seeing a dirty young man dressed in simple rags, caked in manure, reeking of alcohol, his matte black hair speckled with white patches of what seemed to be … fungus? Watching him smile at me with his tar black and rotten yellow teeth, a feeling of terror pervades throughout my body, the warm heat of onion breath caressing my skin causing me to tingle with fear.

Helpless, I stay still, entirely bewildered at the situation. Where were the servants? My personal knights? My noble tutors? The neoclassical marble decor and golden walls? And most importantly, why was some dirty vagrant here touching me?

Glaring venomously at the ill-kempt bum who is still creepily smirking, I take notice of the surrounding background behind him. In front of me lies the faint outline of a medieval-esque hamlet, little straw shacks and various run down buildings littering an emerald green countryside filled to the brim with amber waves of wheat. Across the very contradictory scenery, are a range of jagged black mountains and a single Ebony painted castle, which stands grimly on top of a hill. The land looked rich but certainly not the inhabitants.

I was beginning to feel slightly uneasy …

Before I can reassure myself with a few quick self-pandering statements, my body is swung up high into the air as my head lowers facing towards the scary man.

Clumsily holding me high, I feel the terrifying experience of almost being dropped to my death several times. By now crying loudly, as any baby should when their life is in danger, I desperately swing my head around, looking for anyone nearby to help free me.

Seeing only a single midwife dressed in shoddy clothes, I at last, lay eyes on my mother. Rose red and gleaming with a sweaty lustor, a passed out young woman lies on top of a stone obelisk, whether she was dead or alive, concerningly ambiguous.

All while this is happening, the dirty homeless man continues to examine every nook and cranny of my body, callously unfazed by the situation. There weren't many people who were able to just ignore a possibly dead body like that. Props to him, even if the reason probably had something to do with alcohol.

It feels like the whole world is against me.

By any means, I wasn't oblivious or dense. I had already realized the harsh reality at this point. The dirty appearance of the man carrying me, the pitiful background, my poorly dressed mother who was at death's doorstep, and the fact I was currently in a cave not some grand ornate nursery; the details spoke volumes. Instead of being born into some wealthy noble family or royalty, it seemed like I was a peasant; the lowest of the low.

Thank you Nagata. You really do look out for me… you dirty fucking asshole whore face slut bitch!

Later that night as I laid tucked in thin straw casing, I cried loudly to the heavens, my wailing carrying loudly through the cool crisp air.

Misery loves miserable company after all.