New Beginnings
In the dim glow of his apartment, Aiden slumped on his couch, staring at the flickering TV screen. The muted news anchor's lips moved soundlessly, and the captions scrolled by unnoticed. Another day wasted. Another night of regret. Life had become a monotonous blur—a hollow existence where hope was a stranger. Bills piled on the counter, messages from friends went unanswered, and the once-vibrant Aiden was now a shadow of himself.
Feeling suffocated, he grabbed his coat and stepped outside for a walk. The cold night air stung his skin, but he welcomed it. As he crossed the intersection, the faint rumble of an engine reached his ears. He turned—too late. Headlights blinded him, and with a sickening crunch, everything turned black.
---
[Initializing Reincarnation System...]
Aiden's eyes shot open. He was floating in a formless void—a sea of stars with no sky. In front of him, a holographic screen flickered into view.
> "Cause of Death: Truck-Kun Incident."
"Eligible for Rebirth into Alternate Reality."
"Calculating Karma... Please Wait..."
He blinked. Karma? That was rich. In his dull, unremarkable life, he doubted he had earned much. The screen shimmered as numbers appeared.
> "Accumulated Karma: 100."
Aiden frowned. He stared at the number. It had to be a mistake. The screen flickered again, showing a brief explanation.
> "Karma Accumulated from All Past Lives."
Confused, Aiden scrolled through the log. Images of his previous lives flashed by. In one, he was a scholar who laid the foundation for modern medicine. In another, he was a warrior who ended a century-long war. In one life, he saved countless people from a plague; in another, he was an inventor who shaped the future. Each life had been extraordinary, yet he had no memory of them.
A typical soul had 20 karma for living a decent life. Those who made scientific contributions earned 30–40. World-changers maxed out at 60. Yet somehow, he had 100. The system had tallied every life he had ever lived.
> "As a reward for your unparalleled karma, you may select:
Race
Special Abilities
Skills
Unique Traits"
Aiden hesitated. The cursor hovered over the first option.
---
[Race Selection]
The screen displayed a variety of races, each with its own perks.
Human: Balanced stats, adaptability.
Elf: Enhanced magic and agility.
Dragonkin: Superior strength, flight, and fire control.
Celestial: Immense magical affinity and divine abilities.
Voidborn: Mastery over darkness, dimensional manipulation.
With 100 karma, he could unlock mythical-tier races that were normally off-limits. The system highlighted one labeled "Primordial Ascendant", marked in gold—a race that surpassed mortal limitations, granting both divine and draconic powers. With a smirk, he selected it.
---
[Abilities Selection]
A new screen popped up, offering absurdly overpowered abilities he wouldn't have qualified for with normal karma.
Time Reversal – Rewind up to 10 minutes.
Absolute Regeneration – Instantly recover from any wound.
Elemental Dominion – Control fire, water, wind, earth, and lightning at will.
Creation Authority – The power to manifest objects from imagination.
Soul Forge – Manipulate souls, resurrect, or shatter them.
Grinning, he selected Time Reversal and Elemental Dominion. Why choose one when he could have both?
---
[Skills Selection]
Next came his skills—everything from swordsmanship to alchemy and spellcraft. With 100 karma, he could max out dozens. The list included:
Master Swordsman – Flawless swordplay and reaction speed.
Grand Arcanist – Expertise in all forms of magic.
Dimensional Mage – Teleportation and portal creation.
Runesmith – Ability to craft powerful enchanted items.
Tactician – Supreme strategic and analytical skills.
He casually selected them all, knowing he could afford it.
---
[Unique Traits]
This final section offered rare and legendary passive traits.
Infinite Growth: No limit to power progression.
Immortal Soul: Cannot be permanently killed.
Divine Charisma: Naturally attracts powerful allies.
Karmic Override: Rewrite causality through karma expenditure.
Without hesitation, he claimed Infinite Growth and Immortal Soul. Let the system keep its balance—he was done playing fair.
---
[Reincarnation Commencing...]
The screen faded as his surroundings transformed. He felt a rush of energy flood his new body. Scales of divine gold shimmered against his skin, and his eyes gleamed with celestial light. He extended his hand, and a small flame ignited, instantly shifting into a raging storm as he willed it. With a flick of his wrist, he reversed the flame's path, watching it return to a harmless spark.
He stood on a cliff overlooking a vast fantasy world—dragons soaring in the distance, kingdoms spanning across the horizon, and untamed magic surging through the land. He smirked.
This time, he wasn't just going to live—he was going to rule.