Getting picked up by rough hands and thrown into a sack is not a pleasant feeling. I know I'm small, but it was so easy I didn't even see it coming. Wait! am I being kidnapped? This is not good what am I supposed to do? I could easily break out of this bag and defeat the kidnapper, but I don't want to bring any unnecessary attention to myself and for people to start asking questions, like how a three-year-old can use high-level magic. Maybe I should wait it out I'm sure there are guards around who can help. I'll just see what happens it's not like I'm in any real danger but still, I decide to activate my new force field magic just in case any overly friendly knives come along. We were walking quite a while before a door opened and I was dumped onto a hard flat surface, probably a table.

"You got the kid?" said one man in a husky voice

"Yep, piss easy, he was just walking all by himself," said the one who carried me

"Okay the job was to take the kid and sell him off to a slave merchant, we already have one lined up. Just have to wait until night then we can move"

Oh, they are on a job, wait was my kidnapping a job to them? Who paid them to kidnap me? I guess a noble son would go for a lot as a slave. No, a high noble like me it would be more if I was ransomed but they aren't even talking about money. It kind of sounds like they were hired by someone, anyway who could kidnap a child in the upper noble area there are guards and people everywhere someone can't just pick up a kid. Something is not adding up. My head is spinning and going a hundred miles an hour. Okay, this is troublesome now. Maybe I should do something, are there only two in the room? Are we alone? My demon eyes aren't working I really hope it's an achieved thing and under high-stress moments they will power up. Just then one of the men opened the bag, I was rolled out in a very un-noble-like way, with my legs landing on top of me.

"Wow," they said, "he really has green hair and different coloured eyes, but I didn't really believe a demon race would be the son of a noble family," one of them said

Wait so I was right they were hired, and they were hired to kidnap me. Who would do this Hitogami? Are they apostles of him? This is bad I have to fight I need to end this before things get out of hand. But just as I was about to shoot off an earth bullet. The wall exploded. The wall crumbled and a cloud of dust blocked the hole, there were bits of wall and roof falling around the now new door in the wall and, in the dust, there was a golden armour. I gave a yelp and almost fell off the table, then a hear a familiar voice. A laugh, full of joy.

"Well, what do we have in here, kidnapping a child in broad daylight how bold of you." it was Kalman II, former north god and guard to Asura kingdom named Alex C. Ryback. A former friend in my previous life. why is he here? With a flash, the two men fall to the ground. With his long spear in his hand, he looks down at me. The armour wasn't actually gold, just in the sunlight, it just looked like it. I'm so glad that it wasn't who I thought it was, for a second, I believed it was Badigadi the fighting god and an apostle of Hitogami. If he had shown up, I don't know what I would have done. Just then Alex came over with a big smile and picked me up.

"There, there, there is no need to be scared anymore" I must have looked terrible, I could feel snot running down my nose. I was thinking of all the worse possible things but there was no need to be concerned.

"now" putting his spear against one of the men's heads. The man looks very frightened and was trembling from head to toe.

"I'm sorry, please don't kill me" he started blabbering.

"Who do you think you are, this is the capital do you think we'll let you get away with something like this" Alex was saying

"I'm sorry, we were hired for a job. We didn't want to cause trouble we were told to grab the kid with green hair and different coloured eyes." The man was begging now. But my suspicions were correct they weren't slave traders they were on a specific job to capture me.

"Who sent you" Alex leaned over. Even I was terrified. Looking into the man's eyes. There was no hint of forgiveness.

"It was the Notos Greyrat family, Philemon." Wait, wasn't that my new father's name. Was my family trying to get rid of me?

Rudeus father told the kidnappers that there was a demon in the city, and it wouldn't be looked for if it was to go missing somehow. My father is a noble Milis believer, he would never sell his own child but letting kidnapers overhear him was another matter. I guess they really don't like my appearance.

Alex looked over at me "so your father tried to get rid of you, hmm so shameful"

I wanted to say. "So, you can take me instead", I would have preferred to have Alex as my new father than the one who tried to throw me away. But he might find out who I really am. I wasn't sure but I didn't want people to know who I was. Maybe I didn't want people to judge me or think of me as different. After 3 lifetimes I'm still scared of what people think, I really am pathetic.

But then Alex said "what am I going to do with you. I can't keep you, I'm not the best father and a life of a soldier is no way to raise a human child." I knew I couldn't live with him, but my heart sunk a little hearing those words. You are also a child of a high noble it won't do to let you disappear. That would send a bad image to other nobles. I have no choice but to take you back home.

My face sank, I was by no means treated badly at the house, well actually I was ignored completely. as a child, I guess that would be emotionally devastating. Looking at it now these past 3 years were like my life in Japan, in my room reading and only getting food when it was time. Of course, this was a little different because my family forced it upon me, instead of the other way round. I sometimes wonder what my sibling's life looks like now. How many years has it been? Does time work the same way? I know Nanahoshi thought that different worlds have different sets of time. How is she doing? I hope she is still okay. So many people I have met and lost in these last 3 lives, I felt lonely all of a sudden.

Alex then picked me up and started walking out leaving the kidnappers tied up. "I'll be back for you two later," he said over his shoulder and with a flash of his spear we were out of the door.

Back home my father looks very surprised to see Alex and even more to see me in his arms. Waving goodbye. Alex then took off, walking and laughing like he always did. He did give my father some words of advice before leaving about being more careful with strangers in the street and never letting this happen again. In a very menacing tone, I guess he couldn't tell off a high noble in his own house but there was no mistaking what he meant by those words and how he'll be keeping an eye on me from now on, and I should keep safe.

So now it's me, sitting at the window thinking what I should do now, I was going to look up reincarnation and see if I can get answers to whose body, I find myself in. But now my parents won't let me outside. Alex must have really frightened them. Is this what my Japanese parents thought. What a terrible son I can't let anyone see. Stay locked away. This is so annoying I wish I could fly out of here without anyone knowing.

I really don't know what to do, I feel lost. Not like my first life where I was so scared to go outside, hiding away. Not like my second life where I was so lost and just trying to survive and bring my family together. Like my life has no meaning, and I don't know how to keep going. Why did I come back? The last thing I remember before my birth was the void world with Hitogami, and how sad he was. Thinking back, what did he say?

The final chapter of Mushoku Tensei

"Yo."

"Hey."

The mosaic guy that lived here looked healthy as usual. Of course, he was neither sealed nor was he feeling down. It's the same-as-usual mosaic.

"Does that mean that what I saw 40 years ago was because of the power of foresight?"

"Yep."

Hitogami was the same as usual. Still, 40-50 years had passed since the last time I saw him. Therefore, my memory of his usual appearance was already distant. The only thing I did remember was his impudent attitude the first time I met him.

"I thought that if I showed you that, then you would become a little lax."

"Well, it missed the target by quite a bit," I replied.

"Not really, I was just trying something."

A dream like that wasn't going to stop me from doing what I'd been doing until now. I wasn't that weak-willed.

Well, if it didn't turn out like that dream, the possibility that I would stop wasn't completely non-existent.

"So anyway, you actually looked like that."

When told that, I looked at my own figure. Before I knew it, my figure had changed. The body with the blubber of mass...was no longer there. My body had changed into the one that I had become familiar with in this world. It was the body of Rudeus Greyrat. I couldn't see my own face so I couldn't tell exactly, but I felt that I wasn't that old right now.

"You didn't know?"

"Yeah. Cause my eyes can only see the soul directly. I knew that your body and your soul were different, but this is my first time seeing your actual form."

Well, that's a first. But now that I think very carefully, I don't know how Hitogami looks either.

We're in the same boat. But why, why did my body decide to take this shape now of all times? ...I assume there's no explanation for it.

"At any rate, with this, it's over for you."

"...Yeah."

I died. At the age of 74. I remember that my final moments were comfy. I think that it was a happy ending for me, surrounded by my children and grandchildren in my final moments. At the very least, there was a world of difference compared to my previous final moments. As compared to that lonely, powerless, miserable one, which would make you want to cry...

"Now that you're gone, I can move more freely."

"I see."

"As long as you lived, anything I did resulted in failure. That's why I've thought of something. Just like you, I was increasing my supporters little by little."

"So, you still haven't given up, huh."

When I said that, Hitogami's attitude changed. He seemed angry.

"Isn't that obvious? Would you give up knowing that your future is like that? Forever alone, not being able to do anything, not being able to see anything. On top of that, I have to live like that for 10,000 or 100,000 years or even more. Even though I know that I won't be able to bear it, why would I give up?"

Well, I guess. If it was that grand, then I couldn't even imagine it... But I could understand a little bit. What would happen to him if he didn't do anything. Just what kind of future awaited him. If he knew that he would regret it, then he couldn't just pass up his time without doing anything. "Well, I would probably not give up..."

"...What's with that carefree face of yours? Do you think you've won?"

"Do you have a plan?"

"Yeah, I now know about Orsted's 200 years time loop. You've finished producing your descendants as well, and I've thought of a way to manipulate them. I've prepared things during these last 50 years..."

"I see."

"Can you understand what I'm trying to say?

That foundation that you've established so far, I'm going to knock it over and turn the tables on you. In a world without you, by using the things you laid out, I will win. You cannot do anything now. Because you're already dead! You can no longer stop your own descendants from fighting among themselves. You can't stop them from killing each other. You can't even cry and beg me to stop.

On the contrary, the only thing you can do is watch!" As compared to Hitogami who was delightfully talking, I was just scratching my cheeks. Incidentally, I also scratched the back of my head. It's not really itchy though. I'm just perplexed as to what kind of answer I should give.

"Is that so..." Upon my reply, Hitogami stomped his feet on the ground with force.

"WHAT IS IT...!?" While restlessly stomping on the ground with his foot, he raised his voice with irritation in it.

"How are you SO RELAXED!?"

"That's because...I'm already dead."

As I answered with a pause, Hitogami became speechless. I closed my eyes. I started thinking about the things up until now. I was able to do what I wanted in this world. I married and had lots of friends. I had lots of children and grandchildren as well. I tried my best at work. Indeed, I was anxious about the things Hitogami would be doing from now on, and I also had the thought that I could've done something more. But for some reason...

I had no regrets or curiosity left. No, it should be better to say that there was nothing left to regret. Sure, I'm worried and anxious, but the thought of 'what to do' doesn't come to mind. After listening to Hitogami now, I didn't feel like I should somehow revive myself and go protect my children. The children or the grandchildren would probably be able to do something about it somehow. I slowly headed towards Hitogami. Hitogami had a surprisingly small stature. Since I never approached him more than necessary, I could never estimate his height.

"I'm satisfied already."

I'd lived my life plenty. I didn't think that everything was perfect. Maybe there were still some things left that needed to be done. It's not like when I closed my eyes, only good memories came to my mind. Memories of failures, memories of success, there were both. However, I didn't think that I needed to redo it. I died. My work was now over with this. I should just entrust the consequences to the people that were still alive. Even though the person in front of me was saying that he would harm the ones that were still alive, it was rather strange. But it couldn't be helped. Strangely enough, my mind was calm.

"Listen, Hitogami."

"..."

"I wanted to tell you something before."

"...What?"

"I think that I don't really hate you that much."

I felt like Hitogami had an unpleasant face. Of course, he might think that I was saying this because I was one step ahead of him for now. Sylphy and Roxy both lived, and the children were in good health as well. Eris died first but it was a matter of life span. It wasn't Hitogami's fault. Of course, if there was even a little bit of change, then I think that I would've hated Hitogami to the point of killing him. Just like my future self. Just like him, it's possible that I would've become a machine just to kill Hitogami. I wouldn't have been able to obtain such a calm demeanour. As a result, I became how I am, is what I'm trying to say.

"What are you trying to say...?"

"Even I don't really understand. I think that the way I'm this calm right now is thanks to you. I think if you, who was such a distinct enemy, weren't here then I wouldn't have been so satisfied up to this point."

Yep. That's right.

If not for Hitogami, I would've started to slack after I turned 20. I would've married Sylphy, then gotten a job and would've worked hard at it. I would've lived my life like that, been satisfied, and then died. I'm sure that would've happened. I would've been fine if things had turned out that way, but I have no doubt that I would never have been able to attain the same amount of satisfaction that I have now. Not to the point of having any regrets, but I would've probably thought once more, or I want to do it over or I need to return. It was only because there was a distinct enemy, a distinct objective, that I was able to give my best until my death. As a result, I was now this way.

"Even if you say that, I won't be letting my guard down."

"Ah...no, well...I didn't say this with that intention..."

I wonder why. It's not like Hitogami has a nice side to him. Even though I said that I didn't hate him, it didn't mean that I liked him either. Of course, I didn't want to give him my thanks.

"..."

"..."

That's why, on that note, the conversation came to a stop. An uncomfortable atmosphere grew between us. Within that moment, my mind was suddenly hit by a thought.

"...I wonder why I came to this world."

I tried muttering those words.

"I don't know." Hitogami answered while muttering as well.

"Do you really not know anything?"

"If I knew, I would've interfered beforehand. You really appeared out of thin air. I didn't realize until after that teleport incident happened. Just suddenly."

"Hmmmmm..." In the end, during my entire life, I never found out the truth behind the teleport incident. There was Nanahoshi's weird hypothesis, and something may happen from this point forward but..."If there ever comes a reincarnated guy similar to me, then please give him my regards."

"...Like hell I will."

"Thought so."

I was bluntly refused. Well, it wouldn't be strange if Hitogami was holding a grudge against me.

"Anyway, what's going to happen to me now? I do think that I've died."

"Well, let's see."

While irritated Hitogami looked at me.

"Ordinarily, the soul reduces itself into mana, then gets mixed with someone else's mana or recomposes itself into something else. However, you are a person from another world so I wouldn't know what may happen to you."

"I see."

I thought that after death I would get to meet Paul or Gisu but I guess that's not happening. Even though it was obvious, it's still a pity... But well, my body had been buried in the same place as them. Maybe I should be satisfied with just that.

"..." When I noticed, my body was gradually fading away. I wonder if this was the mana reduction that Hitogami was talking about. So, this was the definition of death in this world. Perhaps even for other inhabitants of this world, they came to this white room just before their deaths. Probably without ever meeting Hitogami, they just waited until they faded away from the white room. If you think that way, then Hitogami may be close to the Yama(the Judge of the Afterlife).

Scoffing on someone's entire life, grinning in front of them at the verge of their death…..That's a detestable Yama.

"Tch..."

However, Hitogami wasn't grinning like he usually did. On the contrary, he was unconsciously tapping his foot, unable to hide his irritation. He wanted to feel triumphant in front of me who was vexed and disappearing...but that ended in a failure so now he was feeling irritated. He really is a detestable guy.

"..."

I stood in front of that Hitogami.

"Well, perhaps it's not my position to say this but..." Someway or other, I put my hand on his shoulder.

"Do your best from now on."

I wonder if he'll get angry... Or so I thought, but Hitogami breathed out a sigh and dropped his shoulders. And then, sat down as if collapsing on his knees.

"..."

After that, he completely fell silent. While looking down on Hitogami, I surveyed my surroundings. It's the same as before, pure white. Empty. And then, my body was on the verge of disappearing too. My consciousness was gradually fading. Would I return back to my previous world? Or would I become someone else in this world? Would my memories remain intact? Or would they not? I didn't know, but no matter which forms it takes, I wouldn't care. Even if my consciousness or memories remained, even if I was born in a place much harsher than this one, or in my previous world, I would probably be able to get along somehow. "See ya." My final words.

As my consciousness was gradually fading away, I passed by Hitogami's side and started walking forward. Without turning back, I simply headed forward.

Looking back, I was truly happy. Maybe Hitogami saw that and out of spite sent me back to this world to live again, knowing I would have to go through this again. Living without my family and taking away my happiness. Seems like something he would do. So then if this is all Hitogami doing, nothing more than a wicked god's punishment could I just not end it? I stood up; I was happy, I didn't need to keep going. I had lived my life I had got my second chance did I really need to go around again? I step onto the ledge of the window and looked down. I felt nothing really, I have felt like I wanted to die before. In Japan, I wanted to die but I could never do it. But now I don't feel anything, a third chance is too much for anyone. I have done lots, I have left my mark and I had a family. This life I stole from someone should just come to an end. As I looked down at the road, as people passed below me. I remember back to Hitogami, his mosaic face and after that. What happened after I walked past him seeing the white void stretch out or was it really close. I could never tell with that place, looking into the far distance and looking at something really close up felt like the same thing, but I do remember seeing a beautiful scene. A peaceful scene, happy moments before this rude rebirth. Wait what was that beautiful scene before. I was walking away, and my consciousness was fading away I saw the white world, but it wasn't white it was beyond that. like looking through a fog or stained glass. A sphere of colours no that was worlds. Did I imagine that? It was only for a split second, but it was stunning. I wish I could see that again, would jumping off allow me to see that again?

No probably not, but it looked like 6 different colours or spaces, no they were so detailed were they the different worlds? Could one of those places be Japan? By going through the void world could I reach Japan again. I sat down at the window thinking. Jumping had completely left my mind, my hand on my chin looking out over the houses. A child pointed and yelled something at me. I didn't even notice; I was too busy thinking about what could this mean. The moment I saw was so fast I only saw colours and shapes, but I knew they were other worlds. They were spaced equally one above me one below, to the left and right. With the void world around me, no I was standing in the void world and the rest was around it. It looked like a cube to me. With Hitogami in the middle watching everything. But if I think of it as a cube with 6 worlds the world, I'm in, must have an end, it can't be a circle because what I saw was the different worlds touching lines that spilt each space into their separate colours and patterns. if I keep going, will I get to the end of the world? it would be cool to see. Maybe I won't kill myself just yet, maybe I'll see if I can get there. And send Nanahoshi home. yes, that's what I'll do. I start getting excited if the summoning magic doesn't work there must be another way. Because I somehow got to this world, without summoning magic. Maybe my soul travelled along the worlds until it found a body. There are ghosts in this world. And maybe there is an afterlife Hitogami said there was no afterlife but maybe the soul just goes to another world. no that doesn't make sense, or maybe there is another world that all souls go to, and I just got lost on the way. Then if I travel to different worlds, I could find this afterlife world. no no, that's just wishful thinking. I can't think of that now, I'm stuck in a room and I'm not even sure if what I saw was real.

Just then I felt a hand around my waist, and someone picked me up. I was so deep in thought I didn't even hear her. It was my maid.

"What are you doing by the window it's dangerous" Louise was always nice to me, even though no one treated me fairly in this house. I liked her but I don't think she liked me. But as she was walking me down the stairs, I couldn't help feeling like I had forgotten something, like I was missing something. That my idea was somehow missed placed.

Days later I sat under the bookshelf, alone as usual playing with magic. Testing out gravity magic, even though I can use it, it's only limited I could push stuff with gravity magic by adding mana to them and remembering how it felt back when I was fighting North God. It was only for a second, but it was definitely gravity magic. My idea is that if I change the density of an object, it will get a greater or lighter gravity force. But it doesn't seem to be working. So, I spend my days playing around when no one is watching, I did find the maid courters, and I managed to sneak in to see them changing, but as I walk in, I remember my wives back home. was this cheating? How can I think of looking at girls getting dressed when Roxy and Sylphy are still alive? I decide to leave the maid courters, I felt wrong to think about other women like that. So, my mind goes to what I saw and the hope of another world. so, I decided to have another walk, going outside to see the library, but just as I stepped over the door, Louise stopped me, and shake her finger at me. Saying "no-no, the master said that you could not go outside"

Trapped again, was he afraid I was going to get kidnapped? No, he was scared of Alex, so my path of exit was blocked. I could always force my way through with no problem, but I don't want to hurt the staff of the house. And drawing attention to myself wasn't a good idea either. Then I really would be called a demon and be sold off or worst. Not the way I wanted to die again. So back to my room to think. I was looking out the window, maybe I should get the Dragon King Sword that can manipulate gravity. With practice, I could see how it worked and do it myself. But that's a stupid idea I'm here and it's all the way at the bottom of dragon valley. Thinking back to it, how did Kalman III use gravity, he would almost bounce off thin air, would he change his foot's density. No that doesn't make sense, it was like a pad. And with the sword strike, it was like a force trying to flatten me. An invisible wall pushing me. How did he do it, I can feel my hand doing the motions, an instinctive action but I don't understand what's happening. I guess it's just more practice. So then on I would practice using gravity magic, pushing objects away from me because that was all I could do. With the wind magic and gravity magic that creates a force field, it is pretty easy. The gravity slows the object down and the wind reverses the direction. After a couple of days, I try something new, I remember how Orsted used gravity magic in our fight, I saw the ground give way and I almost died. I get shivers just thinking about it. But he raised his hand and a line appeared of gravity mana. I take a cup and try using magic to squish it using gravity magic. It shakes slightly, I put more magic into it, and it flew across the room. No that's not it. I keep practising.

After hours of the same thing happening, I decided to take a break and rest. I wonder how much mana it takes; it must be a lot right? Because my mana is so big, I have no idea how much a single spell takes. Resting my head against the wall I think what if it is not density that's making gravity. But something completely different, what if it's not even a force but more like another plane, an unseen plane that affects everything around us. So, the force that you feel from gravity is just a result of this plane, I reach my hand out trying to feel for something. Pulling mana into my hand, in the same way, I did gravity magic, I feel something. It is only small but it's like vibrations. What if each person each object has a string attached to it and the vibrations are what we feel is the force of gravity, so the closer something is to the object the greater the vibrations? I start getting excited, if I can only change the vibrations, I can use gravity magic. Okay, I point my hand at the cup and feel the string…. there's nothing there. All I feel is my hand, wait I'm missing something. How can my mana transfer to the cup? I need to cover the cup in mana, creating a bubble around the cup, like my force field shield I then add more vibrations. Pouring mana in, I don't know how much so I put in a fair amount. Then the cup explodes as if something slammed it onto the table, then a second later the table broke as well. Oh, too much, I stop. But I jump in the air with excitement I then pick a book on top of the shelf and lift it up using gravity.

I can use gravity magic, so this is how it works. All I have to do is create a bubble around an object of mana, and inside that bubble, I feel the gravity plane and flow mana into the plane increasing the vibrations. With some practice, I can change the direction of the vibration. Which is the force of gravity and if I want to decrease gravity all I have to do is decrease the vibrations. But if I apply gravity to an object it will want to push against anything touching it, so I have to be careful as it is very destructive magic.

I'm so happy for the next week I'm playing with the new magic, adjusting, and getting a feel for how it works. After I feel confident, I decide to try it out on myself, creating a bubble around me I start to lift off the ground, this feels amazing. I then use wind magic to push myself around. I remember trying something similar in my previous life. But I didn't have much control and broke my legs when I landed, this is way more effective. Hovering above the bookcases I can use gravity magic to make small changes to my orientation and then wind magic to push myself in the desired direction. Just then I hear footsteps on the stairs. I quickly drop to my feet. And the door swings open to see my mother, she sees me, and I smile as sweetly as possible. She just gives me a glance then turns around and leaves. They really dislike me, but it doesn't matter I've figured out how to fly, and how many kids can say they have flown.