The last thing I remembered was going on a night ride with my lovely Royal Enfield Bullet 350, enjoying the cool wind of the rainy season. The road was mostly empty, and despite the season, the sky was surprisingly clear. I could see it filled with stars in the distance, feeling so free—like I was the only one alive on this massive rock floating through space.
.
.
.
And in the very next moment, I was on the ground—lying in a pool of my own blood.
It took me some time to get my bearings, to process what had happened. I had collided with a truck. Or rather, the truck had collided with me. It came out of nowhere—from a small side road hidden behind tall trees, right in my blind spot. I only managed to process that much before the pain hit me.
And that fucking bastard had already run from the scene—not even stopping to check if I was alive, let alone calling an ambulance.
The pain was... indescribable. Like someone had taken a sledgehammer to every bone in my body, then set the pieces on fire. My left leg was bent at an angle it definitely wasn't supposed to bend, and something warm and metallic was filling my mouth.
Blood. Obviously.
My vision kept swimming in and out of focus, and I could hear a weird whistling sound with every breath I took.
This is it, I thought, staring up at the same stars that had looked so beautiful just moments before. This is how I die. Alone on an empty road because some coward couldn't check his blind spot.
I tried to move—tried to reach for my phone—but my right arm wouldn't respond. Every movement sent fresh waves of agony through me, and I could feel my consciousness slipping away like water through my fingers.
The irony wasn't lost on me. I'd always imagined going out in some dramatic way—maybe saving someone, or doing something meaningful. Instead, I was just another statistic. Another name in tomorrow's accident report that people would forget by the time they finished their morning coffee.
The stars were getting dimmer now—or maybe that was just my eyes giving up. Either way, the darkness was creeping in from the edges of my vision.
And honestly?
I was almost grateful for it.
.
.
.
Grateful, my ass.
Ugh, just remembering it makes my blood boil. How could that bastard just run like that? Fuck. I really hope his dick falls off.
Sigh. I do feel a little sad, though. Not because I died—okay, that's a lie. I wanted to live a bit longer. There was so much I still wanted to do. But there's nothing I can do now, except float here in this vast expanse of space.
Surprisingly, it didn't make me feel nervous. Back when I was alive, the idea of being in space used to make me uneasy. Don't get me wrong—I was always curious about space. Stargazing was one of my few favorite things. My top favorite was reading fiction—escaping reality for a while. It always made me feel free.
But being in space itself? That used to sound terrifying.
Now? It just feels... warm. Like being wrapped in a blanket on a cold winter night. Maybe it's because I'm a spirit now.
No—it's more like... I am part of this space. Or maybe this space is part of me.
I don't know how long I was floating there, lost in thought. Wondering what really happens after death. Maybe it's a weird thing to think about after dying, but I was starting to accept it. Truth is, other than wanting to experience new things, I didn't leave much behind. No family. No partner. No one waiting for me.
It's not like I was bad at socializing or anything. I was a working member of society. But when it came to romance, I wanted something serious. A real connection. Most people my age were just dating casually—because everyone else around them was. I wasn't bad-looking. I knew that. I even got a few confessions in my 21 years of life. But I turned them down. I wanted something real.
Sigh. I wish I could go to those fictional worlds.
I didn't even get to see the ending of DanMachi. It was one of my favorite works. I really wanted to see more of Ryuu, Riveria, Ais, and Asfi. They were such interesting characters. I wanted to know their stories.
Man, I probably sound like a weeb simping for fictional characters. But I don't care. I do find them attractive, and that's that.
That's absolutely right. I knew it—you/I have the same thoughts."
I froze mid-thought.
What…?
I blinked and looked ahead. The voice had come from directly in front of me—and what I saw only made things more confusing.
Standing there, or rather floating like I was, was someone who looked exactly like me.
Well, maybe a little better looking. His face was smoother, cleaner. No scars from puberty, no small marks left by years of stress or acne. But the bone structure? Identical.
"…What the hell?" I muttered under my breath, blinking again, as if that would clear things up.
He smiled. "Hmm hmm, you can praise me a little more, you know."
I narrowed my eyes. "You're reading my mind?" I asked more as a rethrotically.
The guy—me-but-not-me—chuckled, a little sheepishly this time. "Ah, my bad. I wanted to make a strong impression, but in my excitement I forgot that you—I mean we—aren't exactly fans of people poking around in our heads. I remember that used to irk me as well."
He raised his hand, like taking an oath. "No more mind-reading. I promise."
"…Thanks. I appreciate that," I said, crossing my arms more as a defensive instinct than out of arrogance. "But I gotta ask—why are you talking like we're the same person?"
"Because we are," he replied casually, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.
I frowned. "Wait… What do you mean? Like one of those hive mind things?"
He shook his head. "No, not quite. Hive minds are different. They're multiple individuals sharing one mind. We… we are the same. Fundamentally."
"That still sounds pretty hive mind-y to me," I muttered. "Though, not like I know that much about them anyway."
"You don't need to overthink it," he said gently. "In time, you'll understand. For now, just know this—I'm a part of you, and you are a part of me. I mean you no harm, just like you mean no harm to me."
His voice was calm, almost soothing. Like someone talking to a version of themselves(which he was) that's having a breakdown. And somehow… I felt myself relaxing a little.
I exhaled. "Okay… So, uh… what now? Do I get absorbed into you or something?" I asked, mostly joking. Mostly.
He laughed at that, not mockingly, but genuinely amused. "No, no. Like I said, I mean you no harm. You're not getting absorbed or erased or anything."
I raised an eyebrow. "Then?"
"I actually have a plan for you," he said, grinning a little like a mischievous child.
Yeah just like I used to before I lost my family. "I'm going to send you to the DanMachi universe."
My brain short-circuited for a second. "Wait. Wait wait wait—Really?"
I could feel my heart rate rise—or at least, I imagined I could. I wasn't even sure I had a heart anymore, but excitement was definitely building in my chest. My mind started racing.
Does this mean I'll get to meet Ryuu? Riveria? Ais? Asfi?
"Hold on," I said suddenly, lifting a finger. "Is DanMachi even a real universe?"
He looked thoughtful for a second. "Well, the multiverse—or the omniverse—is literally infinite. So yes, in some reality, it does exist."
I blinked. "That… actually makes sense. Kind of."
"But," he added, "don't misunderstand. Just because those universes are real doesn't mean everything is set in stone. The people there make their own choices. Those stories we see? They're just possibilities. Future paths they might take."
He paused, his eyes sparkling a bit. "And who knows? Maybe even now, someone is writing these very words I'm saying to you."
I stared at him. "What…?"
"But," he continued with a shrug, "they're still my words. I say them because I choose to—not because someone compels me."
I was silent for a moment, processing all that. My head felt a little foggy from the implications, but honestly? It didn't matter.
"So… you're sending me to DanMachi?" I asked again, just to be sure.
He nodded. "Yes. We could talk for years if we wanted to—literally—but we've got more important things to do, right?"
I nodded back, feeling a strange mixture of nervousness and anticipation. "Right."
"So…" I hesitated, rubbing the back of my neck. "Am I getting some cheats or a system or something? You know, like the usual stuff?"
I looked at him
.
.
hopefully.
.
.
And he
.
.
.
Just smiled.