I was brought to this world by the God of Reincarnation.
He gave me a system, stats, and everything a novel protagonist would dream of. With divine power flowing through me, I conquered demon lords, slain armies of elves, monsters, and beasts all in the name of peace for humanity.
In return, I believed I would be sent back to Earth. That was the deal. Or so I thought.
But the God and the Kingdom of Mokonewasa had other plans. Branded a criminal, they sentenced me to die the very people I saved turning on me like I was just a weapon past its use.
And when they succeeded in killing me, I wasn't greeted by peace.
Instead, I opened my eyes to another goddess.
She looked down at me, her gaze soft, almost pitiful. For a moment, I thought maybe she'd heal me. Maybe she'd return me home, to Earth, where I belonged.
But no.
She offered me something else to live like a king in her world. All I had to do was defeat the evil threatening her lands. Another contract. Another world. Another mission.
I did everything she asked. I bled. I killed. I led armies. And when the war was over, when peace returned to her world
I was discarded.
Like trash.
Alone, I retreated to the mountains. I spent sixty years there in isolation, forgotten by the very world I saved. I died of old age in a damp, cold cave with nothing but silence and my regrets.
What did I do wrong?
Was it my fault for trusting gods and goddesses?
If I ever get another chance I swear, I'll live for myself. I'll do what I never dared to do in my first two lives. I'll stop being a hero. I'll be selfish. I'll live like a normal man no matter the cost.
Because the truth is
Gods don't care if you win or die. To them, you're just a tool. A disposable pawn on a divine chessboard.
And then..
Light.
A familiar white room.
A presence stood before me divine, radiant, yet somehow pathetic.
"I see your soul carries many regrets," said the goddess. "I can offer you another chance. A new world. Power. Glory. Save my nation, defeat the evil, and I shall reward you with anything you desire."
I looked at her.
She didn't even look like someone who could afford a meal, let alone reward me. Financially unstable. Probably hadn't slept in days. She looked like a broke streamer begging for donations.
And flat-chested, too.
Yet she was talking like she could grant me whatever I desired.
I squinted at her. "Do I look like I'm that dumb?"
She blinked, confused. "Excuse me?"
"You're offering me the same old lie I've heard twice now," I said, arms crossed. "Let me guess save your world, kill some evil, and you'll reward me after?"
"I'm giving you a chance!" she snapped. "A new life!"
"Then let me make a request."
She leaned forward. "Anything."
"I want you," I said, "to have a big chest and follow me through my entire journey. Experience every night in a dirt cave. Every day starving. Every fake quest and empty promise."
Silence.
Her eyes widened, stunned.
"I want you," I continued, "to sleep in the same cursed places I did. To eat grass after six days of starvation. To walk in the mud. To bleed beside me."
But of course, I didn't say any of that out loud.
Instead, I just smiled.
A practiced, empty, gentle smile I'd used a thousand times before.
The goddess stared at me. Then, to my surprise, she smiled back not the kind of smile you expect from a goddess. It was suspiciously genuine.
"Very well," she said. "I shall bind myself to you. I will enter the world with you and serve as your guide. It's been a long time since I stepped foot in my world."
She offered her hand. I took it.
Divine light swirled around us as the contract was made. I felt her blessing flow into me warm, powerful, terrifying.
As the ritual finished, she leaned close. "You are now my vessel, my sword, and my transport."
Her smile was serene.
Mine was unhinged.
I looked at her like a maniac.
Perfect.
The world changed.
I awoke to the sound of birds.
Fresh air. Gentle wind. Sunlight filtered through the leaves above.
I sat up, breathing slowly.
This body it wasn't a baby's body this time.
I was in my prime.
No more starting from scratch.
No more diapers and weak fists.
I looked at my hands.
They were strong.
Capable.
This was a new beginning.
And this time, I wasn't saving anyone but myself.