The night atmosphere was thick with excitement at a place known as Walking Street—a paradise for wealthy men looking to drown their fortunes in a river of carnal desires.

  “See ya later, girls!” Tris, a handsome 30-year-old Thai man, now casually adjusting a high-end, tailored charcoal-gray bomber jacket and pulling his dark designer jeans into place, turned back to wave goodbye to a group of beautiful Russian women who had come out to see him off. His mischievous dark eyes sparkled with post-orgasmic bliss after having just "released his pure white essence" three times over. He ran a hand through his short black hair, fixing his style before strolling toward the coastline of Jomtien Beach.

  Upon arriving at the beach, he bought some grilled squid to munch on, whistling a tune as he walked along the footpath in high spirits. He remained blissfully unaware that something was watching him from a short distance away.

  ‘There he is. The one the crystal ball spoke of,’ a grey container truck thought as it calmly observed its target. Once it was certain...

  CRASH! The reinforced steel front of the truck slammed Tris’s distracted body into a coconut tree with the full force of its engine!

  ‘Forgive me, young man, but the Goddess requires you,’ the truck thought with a hint of pity while backing away. Even though it knew this was wrong, it had a duty to fulfill.

  “You hit me that hard and you’re saying sorry?!” Tris roared, standing back up and glaring at the truck with utter annoyance.

  ‘What?! How... he’s completely unharmed? And he can read my mind!’ The truck thought in disbelief. ‘Then I’ll have to do it again!’

  VROOOOM! The truck revved its engine to the limit and charged at the young man once more.

  SCREECH—! The massive rubber tires spun fruitlessly against the pavement, kicking up a thick cloud of smoke as the young man braced both hands against the front of the vehicle. And then...

  FLIP! The gargantuan truck was hoisted off the ground by the sheer lifting power of the man before it. WHOOSH! It sailed through the air and plunged into the sea, sent flying by a massive heave.

  ‘Impossible! He flipped my massive body with his bare hands? Is this... sorcery?’ The truck thought in a panic. ‘Then it’s time to get serious!’

  “Hey! Why the hell are you trying to run me over? If you don’t answer—” Tris’s words caught in his throat. The truck began emitting a cloud of grey mist before transforming into a giant robot, standing as tall as a four-story building. “What the fuck is this?!”

  A colossal fist rose, eclipsing the full moon and casting a massive shadow over the spot where Tris stood. Then... BAM! It slammed down with the intent to crush the target into a pulp.

  FSSHHH... Fine sand trickled from the giant fist as it lifted, but underneath, there was no sign of a mangled body. ‘Where did he go?!’ The truck-turned-robot scanned left and right for its target.

  “I’m right here.” Tris was hovering right next to the robot’s right ear.

  ‘Too fast!’

  THWACK! Before the robot could even finish its thought, a heavy kick slammed into its right temple, sending the massive frame skidding across the sand.

  ‘So strong! But this is exactly why he’s the only one who can help the Goddess,’ the giant machine thought, struggling to stand despite its dented head. Its red eyes glowed with a fierce light as it charged at the floating man with all its might. ‘For the Goddess!’

  WHIFF! A giant right hook swung wide. SWISH! But the smaller, faster target drifted inward, closing the distance instantly.

  CRACK! A small foot snapped upward into the giant robot's chin, sending its head flying off. The massive body slowly toppled over, landing flat on its back in the sand.

  “What the hell is this ‘For the Goddess’ crap? Charging at people out of nowhere without a word, just thinking a bunch of nonsense!” Tris looked at the giant heap of scrap with irritation. He activated his Divine Eye when he saw the opponent still trying to move. “So, you won't die unless I destroy the core, huh?”

  Tris locked his gaze onto the glowing point in the center of the robot’s chest and flew toward it.

  “Please, stop!” A woman with flowing silver hair and a beauty that could only be described as celestial appeared, floating before him in a silver evening gown. Her blue eyes gazed at the man pleadingly. “Don't hurt him. He was only following my orders.”

  Tris halted, staring at her. Her pitiful appearance made his heart soften momentarily.

  ‘Get back, Goddess!’ SWIPE! The giant robot’s left hand brushed the Goddess aside. ‘There is only one way to kill a man like this!’

  GRAB! Taking advantage of the distraction, the giant arms wrapped around the young man, pulling him into a crushing embrace against its chest. It squeezed with every ounce of its strength to ensure he couldn't move.

  VROOM! High-speed thrusters ignited on its back. WHOOSH! The massive frame shot straight up into the sky, heading toward outer space at a staggering speed.

  “Hey! What the hell are you doing now?!” Tris struggled with all his might, trying to push himself free. CLANG! Seizing a small opening, he braced his left arm against the frame and began hammering his right fist into the center of the chest.

  CRUNCH! The reinforced metal guarding the core began to shatter rapidly. Yet, the giant robot didn't let go, squeezing the man even tighter.

  “I see your core now, you bastard!” Tris cursed loudly as a red glowing sphere revealed itself, visible even without the Divine Eye.

  ‘Lady Luna, it was an honor to serve you.’

  “DIEEE!” Tris screamed at the top of his lungs, delivering a full-power punch into the core.

  BOOOOM!!! The giant robot exploded violently, the force of the blast hurling Tris deep into the vacuum of space.

  ‘Shit... No air!’ Tris panicked, his body flailing. He tried to propel himself back toward Earth with everything he had, but... ‘Dammit...’ His consciousness began to fade as his brain was starved of oxygen. Then, everything went pitch black.

  ***

  A bright, refreshing morning atmosphere filled a realm of white Greco-Roman structures. These buildings sat atop islands floating high above a sea of pure white clouds. Inside a grand, spacious, and pristine hall...

  “GASP!” Tris’s eyes snapped open as he took a deep, desperate breath. He scanned his surroundings before his gaze landed on a delicate figure standing before him.

  “Welcome, O Hero...” The sweet, gentle voice hadn't even finished her sentence when...

  WHAM! A savage uppercut caught her right under the chin, sending the small, fragile body spiraling into the air in a perfect arc.

  “URGH!” The girl hit the floor with a loud THUD!

  “You’ve got a lot of nerve, you bitch!” Tris stomped toward the Goddess, cracking his knuckles. His dark eyes glared at the woman with murderous intent.

  The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

  “W-Wait... Wait a minute!” The Goddess scrambled backward until she hit a raised step, waving her hands frantically to stop him. But...

  3 Minutes Later

  “Sniff... Hic...” The Goddess sat there sobbing, her eyes swollen and bruised after being given a "full course" of knees, punches, and elbows. “I just wanted you to help me... I never meant to actually hurt you, really!” She wiped her tears, still trembling.

  “Help you? You wanted my help, so you had to kill me?! Huh?!” Tris stood over her, tapping his foot. His body was now slightly translucent, a clear sign that he was dead—a soul without a vessel.

  “Hic... To bring a human across dimensions from that side, you must be brought in the form of a soul only. You cannot bring a physical body with you,” the Goddess explained.

  SIGH... Tris let out a long breath, closing his eyes to suppress his rage. He opened them again, looking at her—despite the bruises, her beauty was truly beyond description—trying to calm his nerves.

  “So, this is another world, right?” Tris looked around. He had watched enough anime to know exactly what kind of situation he was in.

  “Y-Yes, that’s right,” the Goddess replied, looking up at him with a lingering sense of fear.

  “Why me?” Tris looked back at her, his eyes still showing he hadn't forgiven her, but he was at least ready to talk.

  “The crystal ball said you have a strange power that could help me.” The Goddess slowly stood up.

  “A crystal ball? Like a prophecy thing?”

  “Something like that.”

  “And did you know that with this ‘strange power’ I have... if I die, I lose all of it?!”

  FREEZE! The Goddess stunned for a moment, her eyes darting left and right.

  “You didn’t know, did you?” Tris narrowed his eyes. One look at her face was all the confirmation he needed. Being stared down like that, the Goddess could only look away, guilt written all over her face as she stared at the floor.

  “I-I’m so sorry,” she whispered, her eyes filled with guilt.

  “Fine. Do you have a Skill System or a Job System like in the anime?”

  “Yes! I do!” The Goddess’s face lit up again as she remembered her last hope: the Skill Infusion Stones. “Shall we go and get you reincarnated then?” As she finished, she turned around to lead the way.

  GRAB! Tris reached out and snatched the back of her head.

  “You haven’t even introduced yourself, you haven't told me what I'm supposed to help with, and you're already trying to ship me off to be reborn?!”

  “Eep!” The Goddess flinched, finally realizing her blunder. “Um...”

  10 Minutes Later

  At a reception table filled with fruit.

  Tris sat there eating grapes, finally feeling a bit relaxed. He had learned that her name was ‘Luna’, a Goddess responsible for granting classes to heroes. In the world below—the "Other World"—the summoned heroes had conspired with the Empire to create an unjust regime. Many races and kingdoms had been forced into slavery. Luna wanted him to overthrow these corrupt heroes.

  “So, the heroes are evil, and you want me to take them out,” Tris summarized. “Man... that’s a hell of a job. By the way, how many of them are there?”

  “Hmm... there should be nearly ten thousand of them by now,” Luna answered innocently.

  SPIT! COUGH! COUGH! Tris, who was mid-sip of fruit juice, choked violently. He turned to glare at the Goddess sitting to his left. “How many did you just say?!”

  “N-Nearly ten thousand... sir,” Luna answered with a trembling voice, slowly backing away as she felt another beating coming. But it was too late.

  “ARE YOU INSANE?!” Tris lunged forward and grabbed her by the throat. “One man against ten thousand?! What part of your brain thought that was a good idea?!”

  “Gag... C-Cough! I’m... cough... sorry!” Luna struggled, pleading for her life in a pitiful state.

  10 Minutes Later Tris had regained his composure. He sat eating fruit in silence, deep in thought, while Goddess Luna sat next to him, her face stoic despite the red marks on her neck.

  “If I want to know about the world you're sending me to, is there a place to find information?” Tris asked.

  “Yes! Of course!” Luna beamed again, happy that the man she chose still had the will to help, even though the mission seemed impossible... no, it was impossible!

  Inside a massive library.

  “Please have a seat here. I’ll go find the books you should read.” A cheerful Luna pulled out a chair, wiped the table, and gave Tris top-tier service before heading to the shelves to search for the materials.

  REACH... On Tris’s side, he pulled a book that had been left on the table to kill some time. The title was: ‘A Goddess’s Handbook’.

  FLIP, FLIP, FLIP! Tris flipped through the pages until a certain heading caught his eye.

  “Summoning Heroes from Other Worlds... The souls brought forth should be those who died unwillingly, to give them a second chance at a new beginning. Method: Use a Fluctuation Crystal to open the dimensional gate. This crystal can only transport souls; it cannot bring a living physical body, as doing so will cause both the body and soul to disintegrate simultaneously. However, if a living person must be brought, seven Guardian Crystals must be mixed into the ritual to protect the physical body and soul for a safe crossing.”

  STIFFEN! Luna, who was still searching for books, froze as she suddenly remembered something. She turned to look at the opposite shelf, where dozens of brown, ping-pong-sized crystals were piled up. Her face went pale instantly.

  “Guardian Crystals, huh?” Tris stared at the illustration of the brown crystals, remembering he had seen them somewhere before. He looked up at the opposite shelf, where a pile of those exact brown crystals sat. And from the size of the pile, there were definitely more than seven!

  TIP-TOE... TIP-TOE... Behind Tris, Luna was slowly creeping toward the exit. When Tris turned his head...

  BOLT! Luna hit max speed and dashed out of the room, slamming the door shut with a thunderous BANG just as Tris lunged for the latch—too late.

  “Open this door right now, Idiot goddess!” Tris bellowed in a rage. He had died and lost all the power he had worked so hard for because of someone's sheer incompetence!

  “I’m sorry!” Luna leaned her back against the door with all her might, refusing to let him in easily.

  “Open the door now! You have a handbook and you didn't even read it?! My hard-earned powers are gone because of a stupid, careless Goddess like you! Open this door so I can kill you! OPEN IT!!!” Tris screamed, slamming his body against the door repeatedly.

  “I’m sorry! I’m so, so sorry! Please forgive me!” Luna apologized frantically, her face drenched in sweat. As guilty as she felt, for her own safety, she absolutely could not open that door!

  The next morning.

  GASP! Luna woke up with a start on a sofa in the library. She sat up and looked around for Tris. Yesterday, she had blocked the door until she fell asleep, but somehow she had woken up inside the room.

  “Where are the books about the lost kingdoms? Go find them for me,” Tris said in a flat tone, sitting nearby and reading. There was no trace of the rage from the day before.

  Luna bowed, peeking at his face. Seeing him calm made her heart skip with joy.

  “The books!” Tris looked up with annoyance, speaking with a stern voice that served as a warning: If you don't behave, we're going to have a problem again.

  “Yes! Right away! Books!” Luna bolted to find them.

  After calming himself down, Tris realized he didn't have much of a choice. He had to accept this clumsy Goddess’s request: be reborn and find a way to deal with those heroes. He spent his time reading to gain as much knowledge as possible. Even without his old powers, at least he would have knowledge as his weapon.

  ***

  5 Days Later

  A bright morning at the hallway leading to the Soul Dispatch Plaza—a serene garden area lush with large trees.

  Today, having studied everything to his satisfaction, Tris was ready to depart.

  “The family I’ve chosen for you is that of a kind Lord. You will surely receive plenty of love from them,” Luna chattered brightly, leading Tris through the garden toward a ritual platform that looked like a small white stone bridge extending out from the island.

  At the end of the path stood a pillar shaped like two hands holding a white, tennis-ball-sized crystal.

  “Even though this is the very last one, this crystal will surely grant you a powerful class!” Luna said proudly, gesturing toward the crystal.

  TAP!

  But as she swept her hand out, her fingers accidentally clipped the crystal, sending it tumbling off the edge into the sea of clouds below.

  Tris and Luna both leaned over the edge to watch. Below them, there was no sign of any other island—just a vast, endless expanse of white clouds.

  “You just said... that was the last one...” Tris muttered, his voice beginning to seethe with anger. He looked up and turned toward the Goddess who was supposed to be standing on his right. But...

  PATTER-PATTER-PATTER! Luna hitched up her skirt and sprinted for her life toward the nearest room.

  And of course, at the door...

  “Open this door right now!” Tris, who had chased her down, tried to break the door in, but her small frame was already braced against it from the other side, her face pale with terror. “Idiot goddess! How can anyone be this careless?! Are you actually this stupid?! I don’t even have any new powers like the others now! How the hell am I supposed to fight anyone?! Open this door so I can kill you right now! OPEN IT! OPEN IT, DAMMIT!!!”