The sun was beginning to set over the quiet countryside of the Philippines. Orange light bathed the rice fields, and birds chirped gently from the trees. An 18-year-old boy named Johnrhey walked alone along the narrow street, his earphones in, lost in the opening song of his favorite anime. His classmates had gone ahead, laughing and joking, but he had fallen behind, like always.
At school, Johnrhey was quiet. Kind, respectful, but distant. He had a loving family—parents, cousins, even grandparents who tried their best—but deep down, Johnrhey always felt... invisible. Their love never seemed to reach him. He never knew if it was him pushing them away, or if he just didn't know how to receive it.
"Maybe I'm just a background character," he thought. The intro song swelled in his ears. He smiled faintly. "But if this were an anime, maybe I'd get a second chance."
A sudden scream shattered the peace.
> "Bata, umilag ka!"(Kid , dodge it!)
"Takbo, bata! May paparating na sasakyan!"(Run, kid! , there a car heading towards you!)
"Diyos ko!" (Oh Lord!)
He blinked, confused, only for blinding headlights to consume his vision. The roaring sound of a truck was the last thing he heard before the impact hurled his body into the air. His back hit the pavement hard. The world slowed.
Pain.
Then silence.
His limbs wouldn't move. He stared up at the sky, breath catching. "I guess… this is it. I'm going to die…" he thought weakly. "Man… I wish I could've said goodbye. Just once. Thank them... for everything…"
A single tear slid down the side of his face.
Darkness fell.
A breeze brushed his skin.
But… he was sure he died.
When he opened his eyes, he wasn't on the street. He was floating in a sky full of stars, on a sea of clouds. It was warm. Peaceful.
Then a voice, powerful and calm, echoed from above.
> "Your life has ended… but your story is not over."
Johnrhey turned to see two figures descending from the heavens. Radiant and majestic, cloaked in gold and silver, they looked like ancient gods. One held a scroll, the other a staff glowing with divine energy.
"W-what… is this?" he asked, bewildered.
> "You are Johnrhey, 18, a kind soul lost too early," one god said.
"But you are also a believer… in second chances. A fan of Isekai, are you not?" the other added with a soft smile.
Johnrhey blinked, still confused, but nodded slowly. "Y-yeah… I mean… I guess that's true."
> "Then we shall give you that chance," the god declared.
"You may be reborn in a world of monsters, swords, and magic. A place where power defines your fate."
Johnrhey swallowed. It felt unreal—but it also felt right.
> "Before we send you off," the god holding the staff added, "you must choose one ability. Just one. What will it be?"
He thought hard. Strength? Magic? Speed?
Then he remembered something from an anime. An ability that devoured everything to become stronger.
"…I choose Gluttony," he said.
The gods smiled knowingly.
> "A dangerous path… but one that matches your hunger to be seen."
They raised their staff. A brilliant light wrapped around him, lifting his soul into a new body.
> "Farewell, Johnrhey. Live again… as Raizo Hayagashi."