Warning: No, not OOC, but gradual character development. (Edit: 20/09/22 (yeah America's date system is ass) What sort of nonsense was I spouting? It's quite OOC, and drastic character development. So yeah, sorry early readers.)
That's it, elaborating too much isn't fun for the readers. Talking from experience.
The Sin of Greed
I opened my eyes.
The first thing that I am conscious of, is the fact that memories keep flashing through my mind. My sight caught a single dot of light in the darkness surrounding me. My mind overloaded me with its signals to recall its remembrances and it forced me to undergo an annoying headache.
Rather than focusing on the current spectacle, my mind forced me to recall.
...My name is Satou Kazuma. 16 years old male Japanese who was struck by a car. I was trying to get a hold of my allowance, but it stole my attention, and without my realization, a fast-paced car tumbled down the humid road. It hits me, who was peacefully walking on the sideroad.
"What a sh*tty fate."
Is the first thing I say after I die.
...It's odd, that instead of regret, anger and resentment, I only felt that it was unfortunate. As if there was a distant relative who got sick, and I merely sent a brief prayer with a slightly bad feeling before continuing.
I sighed.
It doesn't matter, because it already happened. Instead of rejecting it, I should accept the current fact that I am dead, and handle it the way I see fit.
I snickered, yeah, that was a principle of an old man I met when I was young. But it still sticks with me to this day. Quite off but nonetheless, it is a good way to handle a sh*tty thing I called life.
...Silence.
Placing my hands on my thighs, I realize I was wearing the tracksuit I wore. I looked around, and witness nothing but darkness. So this is it, huh? The truth of the Aftermath. An occurrence people have to undergo after their death.
Eternal boredom slowly drives me to insanity. I chuckled, too many light novels are what caused this impression.
And with that, a light manifested from the dot of light. Blinding me with its presence. Finally, I don't have to be concerned about the fact that I was turning insane, by talking to myself this whole time.
"Welcome, mortal!"
The light illuminates the dark room, relieving Kazuma's gaze from the darkness. He forced his eyes to look forth and saw something... odd. Odd it's a way to put it but other than that, it's magical.
Illogical.
"I am Aqua, the Goddess of Water, the most beautiful, elegant, loved, adored, admired, preached, worshipped Goddess! You're lucky to be the one I was in charge of, remember that!"
Several adjectives were there. An excessive amount at that. Kazuma blankly looked at the Goddess before him. Her exaggerated introduction apart, he won't deny that a part of him believes her.
She looks perfect.
Too perfect, in fact.
Fair skin, big blue eyes, long light-blue hair, pink lips, a perfect pointed nose, a perfect ratio on each part of her body, a heart-shaped face... Kazuma could point to each of her physical features and he would regard them as perfect.
"...Are you real?"
"W-What?! You dare question my existence?!"
The Goddess, Aqua, screeched out, making an immediate downgrade to her demeanour. Kazuma nodded internally. A perfect existence wouldn't be doing that. Although the strange introduction was enough to convince him, this further confirms that this person is real.
Still, she's physically perfect.
"I apologize, Goddess."
"Consider this forgiveness as a miracle, Mortal. I won't take more disrespect, tsk!"
Kazuma has many opinions and speculations, based on the subconscious works of his brain. Although not real, the content of the light novels he read was a good reference to make them based on this occasion. But expectations are often disappointing, so he merely keeps silent.
"Alright, so, Mortal. You're dead."
'Yeah, I am really surprised.'
He has the urge to say it out loud but considering her threat, he converts it to thought. Still, why the rhetorical statements?
Aqua went silent. Waiting for something. But to her annoyance, Kazuma remained silent. Staring at her with a peaceful look. She took it as something negative and stomped the ground in annoyance. He was a mere mortal, yet he dared to show such a demeanour? But alas, she decided to continue, maybe this time it would work.
"A drunken driver was steering his car and he tumbled down by the road, hitting you, an innocent passerby."
Again, an urge to respond with a sarcastic remark spiked out. Still, he holds it in. He understands his role in the current situation. He's a newcomer if it was put into an analogy. And this Goddess is a Senior. The one who knows many things, including the current situation.
He needs information. To know more about his circumstance.
Seeing that Kazuma remains stoic, Aqua took in a heavy breath. As a Goddess, in her point of view, Kazuma, a mortal, should've reacted. Shock, surprise, amazed, stunned, those kinds of reactions. Those are what she always witnessed after giving off a majestic explanation to mortals. And it gives her a satisfaction feeling, seeing their mortal mind comprehend her divine preach, being amazed by it, looking at her with astonishment and worship.
The silence provoked his impatience.
'What the hell are you disdaining for?! Just give me the damn explanation I am very much craved!'
"Tell me your name, Mortal."
With a gracious demeanour, Aqua demanded contemptuously. Kazuma, seeing there was no other choice than that, simply replied.
"My name is Satou Kazuma."
"Ah yes, Satou Kazuma."
'Just please, start your explanation, Goddess!'
Isn't that what Goddesses always did when the main characters were in this situation?!
"Satou Kazuma, you have died. And by certain circumstances, you were transmitted here. The Divine Council has given you a couple of choices, would you like to know?"
In a heavy, gracious voice, Aqua pompously explained, with a lifted head, to show off her divine aura. Seeing no point in being irked anymore, Kazuma resigned and just respond correspondingly.
"Yes, Goddess-sama. I would like to know."
"Great! Alright, as you know, because you're dead, you were transmitted here. So, I will mention the choices."
A somewhat dramatic interval was intentionally created by the Goddess. Kazuma could only stare blankly, finding it unbelievable that a Goddess is acting like this.
"First, go to heaven."
...
"Second, be reborn in your previous life as an infant."
"...And finally, transmigrate to a world your era called "A fantasy world" and be given a task to defeat the Demon King."
Kazuma snapped his head up, showing a reactive response, based on his widened eyes. Aqua, behind her contemptuous façade, laugh gleefully. That's what she likes to see, a shocked reaction of a mortal to the knowledge she, a Goddess, possessed!
'A fantasy world?'
As a light novel reader, Kazuma is no stranger to this statement.
"Please elaborate, Goddess-sama."
"...Huh? Elaborate? What's there to elaborate?"
Different from her previous grandeur aura, she stared at him dumbly. Kazuma replied her stare with a blank gaze of his own.
"...What do you mean "What's there to elaborate?"."
"I-I mean, what's there that could not be understood? There's the first choice. The second choice. And the third choice. Go to heaven, be reborn as an infant in your world and be transmigrated to a fantasy world where you have to defeat the Demon King! So what's there to be elaborate?"
"Amazing repetition, I am immensely impressed."
"H-Hey! I-I- wait, you complimented me, right?"
Kazuma went silent.
He now knew.
This ambiguous intuition... this is the reason it was there.
Yes, The Goddess in front of him...
She's an idiot.
"Yeah, I complimented you, 100%."
"H-Hmph! Make it clear next time, fool!"
Unbelievable it might sound, but this Goddess, a supposedly amazing existence out of Kazuma's reach, is quite an idiot. He found it unbelievable too, but it was not so hard to accept the fact when this Goddess, Aqua, cluelessly stared at him.
Silence, as if physical, descends upon the measureless room. Aqua looked around while occasionally glancing at the mortal while the said mortal merely looked down. Kazuma feels conflicted at the current moment. To go with the flow or to defy it? To follow the current path, or to create new ones?
Likewise, he made his choice.
"Then! What do you want me to elaborate on, Mortal?"
As if synchronised with his intention, Aqua raised a question, looking down upon him. But different from before, where he felt disdained, he could only lament the fact that the Goddess was such a dumba-
"Can you go into detail about each option? For example, for what can I choose heaven as an option?"
"What do you mean for what? Everyone would go to heaven eventually, as it was a place for souls to reflect upon themselves and be purified by the holy light. They will undergo a solitary experience, until the end of time."
Once again, he snapped his head up and showed a surprised look.
"Isn't heaven supposed to be like... a good place?"
"It's for purifying souls for their sins, you think it's not good?"
He went silent.
Logically, she's right. It is a good place, cleansing souls from sins. But it wasn't what he expected from the term heaven. He thought it was a place similar to paradise, where negative aspects of life were nonexistent and what existed was merely happiness and wholesomeness.
Kazuma had a hunch. He had done nothing particularly good, yet he has heaven as an option? Now he knew.
"Can you tell me more about the second option?"
"You will be reborn as an infant into the world you were previously lived in. You will not remember your current identity as you live it."
Nothing changes, just more detailed. Kazuma nodded. Both changes, if compared, well, the choice would be obvious. But Kazuma, as a teenager, found no interest in both of them. As a light novel reader particularly, he too, wanted an exciting life.
Before, he did not have a chance to do so. But seeing the choices that lay before him. Kazuma grinned.
"Please explain the third one."
Aqua, noticing the mortal's grin for the first time feels odd. She feels like this mortal is too... carefree. In the past, the very least a mortal would show was anxiety, accompanied by their cold sweats. Composed, like him, but not relaxed.
Looking at the mortal named Kazuma Satou in front of her, Aqua has a hunch that her grandeur façade has zero effect on him. But she would show it nonetheless, as it was one of the trademarks she possessed. It already become a part of her by this duty she upholds for many years.
"You will be given one thing. Provided by the Divine Council as a blessing, simultaneously to distinguish you, a Trasmigrator, amongst other occupants of the fantasy world. Your goal is to overthrow the Demon King of the East, who marches his army through the borders of the Belverg Kingdom and overcome it. So, Mortal, what is your choice?"
Not an ounce of doubt arises within him. And Kazuma replied.
"The third one, Goddess-sama."
"Very well!"
Aqua's smile alone was an indication that her expectancy toward this exchange has been fulfilled. But Kazuma doesn't mind, the temptation as a light novel reader to be transmigrated into a fantasy world is too heavy. His desire, to experience this fantastical world has been there for many years. Since the first time he laid his eyes on such fiction, filled with magic, swords and some sort of crafts, he has been fascinated and charmed.
A medieval-themed world! Filled with monsters for adventurers to overcome and Demon King as the ultimate impediment! Meeting companions and fighting with them! Shed tears, blood and sweat, to withstand anything in the way of their chosen path!
It's hard not to be immersed in such a thing, for Kazuma himself. So, now that the opportunity lies before him, his heart was immediately drawn to it. Not even taking a second of consideration before choosing this choice.
His green eyes shined.
"Alright Mortal. Choose your blessings!"
With a flick of her fingers, several dozens of aged sheets of paper lay before him. They are neatly lined up, forming several rows. Between those rows, there is a perfect gap for him to inspect them.
Aqua sits on her throne, having multiple thoughts in her mind. Kazuma's impression of her as an idiot is not wrong, to put it bluntly. But she's not a complete idiot, looking at her perceiving ability to explain the "preach" to Kazuma. Besides, it would be impossible for her to obtain her current duty if she was. Now, looking at the mortal who inspects the blessings in form of aged papers in utmost solemnity, she puts thought into his recent attitudes.
'Is he actually 16 years old?'
A weird assumption, but as a person of her calibre, it's not impossible to come up with such a thing. After all, soul conversion is not a strange thing as a Goddess. But that aside, Aqua was quite perplexed by this mortal's attitude since she descended here, a Limbo, is what mortals usually called it.
He's too... quiet.
Because she was in charge of teens, she often saw their frantic behaviour, because of the darkness surrounding them. But this mortal merely looked around while mumbling about something, and when he saw her, he merely asked her a question, which infuriated her.
Amazement! Admiration! Awe! Shock, or surprise, at the very least! But no, what she received, is an offensive question, coming from her perspective.
Are you real?
What sort of Goddess wouldn't be offended by such a question?!
Unconsciously fuming to herself, Aqua reverted her gaze to the mortal again, who has that blank gaze she mostly saw from him. A pair of dark, green eyes, staring at her blankly, as if disdaining her!
'Tsk! What a bastard-'
"Aqua, the Goddess of Water, you have broken a rule by the Divine Council! 8:12, mentioning an improper, false affront to a mortal a Messenger was in charge of!"
"Ah, I found it- Huh?"
As soon as Aqua thought of that, a booming, menacing voice was heard, at the same time, Kazuma found a decent blessing, which allowed the victim to accelerate their growth in all aspects, and even surpassed their limits! Unfortunately, by the blowing wind generated by the voice, it escaped his hand, and merged with the dozens and dozens of aged papers that were getting thrown off by the howling wind. Kazuma, looking at the drifting papers from afar screamed out in anger and irritation.
"God damn it!"
Aqua, after a few seconds, came to a realization and screeched out in fear and despair. Unfortunately, she did not have the time to recollect herself.
"W-What?! P-Punisher-?!"
"You! Mortal! You have broken a rule by the Divine Council! 8:1! Defamation of the Gods and the Goddesses by disrespecting them in form of anything in the face of Divinities!"
"Huh?"
Hearing the booming, menacing announcement, Kazuma dumbfoundedly looked up mid-way while trying to catch the drifting blessings, being lost and confused as to why he was aforementioned. Meanwhile, Aqua, who was already terrified by the Punisher became more terrified when Kazuma shouted out the 'taboo' set of words.
"M-Mortal-!"
"You? Mortal? Dared to spout such taboo?! Aqua, the Goddess of Water, you are not a good Messanger, huh?! Look at that uncultured mortal you're in charge of!"
Hearing that, Aqua could only look up in fear while hugging her knees, curling up on her throne, trembling like a leaf in the wind. But Kazuma is different, the obnoxious, all-knowing statement in this booming, menacing voice spiked his rage. An intense flux of rage he had been numbed to for a long time ago.
A part of him said that this is reckless. But he's already dead. While alive, he has done nothing more than do what he was told, as a part of a crippling society. But now, it's different. In this situation, he has nothing to lose!
With unripe thoughts, Kazuma shouted back.
"What uncultured, you obnoxious blockhead! Don't you know inferring and determining things merely based on your shallow, frivolous opinions and knowledge and with a glance nonetheless aren't cultured?! Dig deeper you-!"
"By the Divine Council, Aqua, the Goddess of Water, shall descend to the Mortal World until your subject finished "its" task! And you! Disrespectful, uncultured Mortal! Suffer by the Sin of Greed, by the fate that will befall upon you and by the disdain the Gods bestowed on you! Afterwards, return to damnation, as you should be!"
The light shoots a black beam with a tint of red at him, and as a normal human, Kazuma cannot compare the sheer speed it moved in. In no time, it hits his chest, throwing him far into the room of darkness.
An unimaginable amount of pain arose from his chest, and he felt like he was being chewed on. He tried to scream, but it feels like there was something that blocked his lungs, preventing him from venting his grief. Coincidentally, his eyes caught the blessing he previously coveted, and with ignorance of his current condition, he snatched the paper tightly.
Then, an invisible force threw his body back to his previous location, inflicting even more pain on his body.
'You sh*tty Punisher!!!'
As if disdaining being in the presence of Kazuma, the light did not respond, merely giving its attention to Aqua, who was crying and trembling on her throne.
"Aqua, do you want to rebel, like that uncultured, sinful Mortal? Or do you want to accept your punishment with grandeur?"
'Grandeur?! You f*cking forced her to do some sh*t for an even sh*ttier reason you f*ckhead!'
"Y-Yes, I-I... I accept."
"Good. Now, go. I'm feeling sinful merely by the animal's presence."
Today, Kazuma learned.
Divinities, as what that f*ckhead likes to call it, are moronic, self-righteous block-heads. A narrow-minded and ridiculous bunch who have some superiority complex towards 'Mortals'.
Unfortunately, he did not realize it beforehand.
Is his expectation towards 'Higher Beings' too high?
An inward sigh was released. Kazuma lamented, isn't this just the same as reality?
As he lay before Aqua's throne, a transparent, grey pillar covered their surroundings, and gradually, gravity ceased to exist, drifting their bodies slowly to the ceiling.
Grasping the paper with his hand, he stared at Aqua, who cried her tears out.
Kazuma pities her. Aqua, the Goddess, from his observation, is somewhat naive. He, as a former part of a society, knew the existence of pieces of sh*t, using that presumptuous divinity as an example. But Aqua, by her reactions, seemed oblivious to it. Conceivably because she was living in a palace and celestial environment, witnessing nothing but the beauty of life as a Goddess. Nevertheless, Kazuma knew.
Aqua is innocent. Clueless. Indicating she never faced a piece of sh*t Kazuma called reality.
When they reached the ceiling, the paper in Kazuma's hand slowly turned into glowing dust. They flew to his forehead, submerging themselves into it in a foreign, magical way. Kazuma blinked at the occurrence.
Before he reached the layer of light at the top of the ceiling, he, who was still in pain, but not as bad as previously, reached out to Aqua. Grasping her arm, making her widen her moist eyes in surprise. She looked at the mortal that she wanted to blame, but he merely showed a slightly troubled look in his green eyes.
"Aqua, right?"
"...Y-Yeah."
"Let me re-introduce myself, my name's Satou Kazuma."
Alas, as a human with a conscience, he knew that it was his fault. Partly. The realization came early, fortunately. Kazuma is no longer delusional about the fictional fantasy world. Because when the divinities were like that, then he doubts this world wouldn't be the same.
Perhaps, it would be worse.
This so-called 'fantasy world'...
Aqua showed a dumbfounded look.
"Let's explore this 'fantasy world', shall we?"
"You're the cause of this! Mortal! Stupid! Idiot! Waaah!"
She was silently crying before. But now, she openly burst out in tears, screaming and pounding his arm that was grasping hers. Kazuma could only sigh.
In the end, he brought this upon himself. But at least, he didn't have to listen to anyone.
As for the current condition? Rather than rejecting it, he would accept it.
And handle it, the way he sees fit.
"Moron Kazuma! Mortal stupid idiot! WaaH-!"
Of course, a part of him finds it unbearable. He just died, yet he was already facing such an awful predicament. To be condemned by a divinity and be punished right after he faced his death.
If a crippling society hadn't taught him lessons it imposed on him, maybe he would already break down.
Kazuma helplessly closed his eyes, letting the lack of gravity drifted him to the ceiling.
'Ah, reality is truly a piece of sh*t...'
And they disappeared. Leaving Limbo to its original solitude state.