The Grimoire floated serenely under the blue sky, its pages fluttering like in an invisible breeze. Although it was engraved with strange symbols in indecipherable alphabets that hurt to look at, it seemed almost peaceful at that moment.
[The Laws of the World have been modified for the proper growth of Touya Kobu]
The illusion was shattered as black letters emerged from the worn pages, turning twisted shadows to claw at the air. The book shuddered a tremor that passing birds perceived, swerving in alarm.
The shadows whirled and twisted as if fighting against the forces forming them. Their struggle was in vain. Relentlessly they were torn from the pages and scattered into the sky like tendrils of magic.
Where the shadows passed, the sky shook as reality itself was overwritten. The secrets of long-lost power were revealed all over the planet.
And from this change, a shockwave.
[Transferring Touya Kobu's Soul to a new world]
In the depths of the calm sky, space suddenly swelled. A bubble of distorted space emerged from its crest, with a pale orb within.
The drifting soul drifted silently across the roof of a mansion where slept a man whose arms embraced an anime pillow.
In his hollow mind, he nestled the orb and, in doing so, remade it.
"Ouch, shit, it hurts like hell!"
One random day in Tokonosu City, Touya Kobu woke up to a scream.
Touya groaned, holding his head with a pain that split his brain. His mind seemed to split, memories and thoughts fighting furiously for control.
As the agony subsided, shapes emerged from the mental chaos: two lives intertwined in a slight mess. Touya gasped, and the images crystallized with alarming clarity.
Apparently, nothing had changed. He was Touya Kobu, a neet with no future from his past life. He was also that mysterious boy taken in by a compassionate milf on a rainy night.
Two paths had suddenly merged, leaving him stunned by the revelation.
Before he could process it, a light blinded him. Blinking, he saw a book floating and opening with a rustle. Pages fluttered in an indefinable breeze as words were etched on the page in elegant handwriting.
[Touya, as the God's Successor and bearer of the God's Grimoire, countless powers and responsibilities fall upon you. Fear not; I will guide you on the path ahead. Prepare yourself and turn to the next page for your reward and the beginning of your journey]
"Huh? What the fuck is this about?"
Touya looked at the message with a racing heart: confusion, apprehension, and even excitement. Him, God's Successor? This was fiction... no, the madness his life had become.
But no matter how much he rejected the absurd claim, he could not refute the floating book and contradictory memories.
A monotonous ticking resounded as the old clock turned its dial. Touya sat on the bed, head in his hands, struggling to come to terms with the dramatic turn in his life.
He was living a mundane life when suddenly he found himself reincarnated in a strange place.
The book God's Grimoire was his only explanation. For a young man who used to accept whatever came to him, it was hard to swallow this.
Two lives in one had changed the course of things in a somewhat surreal way. Touya could only stare dumbfounded at his new destiny, still skeptical but with something inside burning to know where it would lead him.
"What am I thinking? An exciting life is what I've always longed for. I've always loved fantasy history; I hope this can fulfill my wish."
He reached out and reached for the book.
As it was when his mother gave it to him, it was old, with black leather denoting countless years. Touya sensed mold on the old pages, and the text was magically written in elegant script.
"Wow."
On the fourth page, an ornate frame contained an illustration of a dark blue jar. He read the description, somewhere between incredulous and intrigued.
[Fourth page: Rewards]
[Strength Ambrosia (Human Rank): A mystical concoction that transforms the body. Transmutes flesh and bones into a superior form free of mortal limitations. Permanently doubles strength and endurance. The miracle of rebirth it provides can only be savored once per Rank attained, whether human or divine. Drinking again at the same Rank does not benefit]
Touya's eyes ran over the description, and as he finished, the page rippled, and the vial appeared.
This 'Strength Ambrosia' would increase his strength beyond humans. But should he trust the dubious bounty of a mysterious book? It was folly to drink something unknown without question.
Yet, with everything uncertain, the promise of power tempted. Nothing was lost, whether it was a trick or poison.
Touya uncapped the flask and swallowed the bitter concoction in one gulp.
"I don't know what I expected... Ugh!"
Nothing happened for an instant, then the fire ignited his veins, burning muscle and bone as his body shrieked in torturous agony. He barely stifled a scream, clinging to a fading consciousness in the darkness.