Hello, my name is Renji Nazokara. I'm a senior high school student in Japan.
My life is ordinary, but so boring that I could call myself the unluckiest person in the world.
Today is no different — everything is dull and routine.
I live with my little sister; it's not like I don't have parents, but I barely see them during the day because I almost never leave my room except to go to school. That's basically my life: alone in my room, and alone even at school.
I'm tired of this life, but there's nothing I can do; it's become my normal.
I don't have friends who truly like me, or a girl who loves me.
I don't look bad, but for some reason, I can't really talk to girls.
"Renji! Renji!"
"Huh?!" — startled, I turned.
"What are you daydreaming about again?"
"No, no, nothing. Just thinking... about classes, I guess."
"Hmm, I see."
Meet Kiroya, the guy who always annoys me. We're not exactly friends, but we talk like we are.
Unlike me, he has lots of friends, especially among girls. He doesn't look bad either, but I don't like him.
No matter how much I try to push him away, he keeps coming back like an idiot. Yeah... a real idiot.
"Alright then, I'll head back now," he said, grabbing his bag and heading out.
"Where are you going, Renji? Weren't we supposed to hang out with the guys at the club today?"
"Sorry, but not today. I've got something to do at home."
So, I went home quickly.
I don't have real friends. I don't have a girlfriend. And I barely talk to my family.
But there's one thing that's kept me from ending it all: my World of Illusions.
When I get home from school, I go to my room, lie down, and close my eyes. That's all I need to dive into my world of illusions.
I create countless worlds with all kinds of troubles. I consider myself cold and merciless, so my imagined worlds are completely different: the hero never wins; evil triumphs; people die in vain; everyone carries a dark past; goodness is the last thing that matters.
In these worlds, the good can't survive — it's impossible.
From invincible villains to people struggling just to stay alive, everything is exactly how I want it.
And I'm happy. Really happy.
But in this world, unlike anime or manga, people don't do good deeds for nothing. They always expect something in return, or if someone betrays them, they don't just forgive — they take revenge.
That's how my world is built: everything is under my control.
I only write these worlds in my mind, but the cool part is that I can see them clearly and vividly.
What I imagine exists here, as long as I fall asleep and dream.
---
The next day
"Ah, I fell asleep in my illusion world again. Anyway, I still have to go to school."
I left home. As usual, I walk to school alone.
I got to class; at first, everything was normal and quiet.
The lesson began. I put my head down on the desk and closed my eyes.
But the silence got deeper and deeper.
Even though class had started, I couldn't hear the teacher's voice. The whole room was strangely still.
When did it get this quiet?
I lifted my head and looked around.
Strangely, everything had frozen.
Yes — time had really stopped.
"What… guys?" I said, standing up.
It felt just like my illusion world.
No movement, no breathing, not even a heartbeat from anyone around me.
It was terrifying.
I tried to convince myself I was just daydreaming in class.
But even when I pinched myself, jumped around, or banged my head against the wall — nothing.
It wasn't a dream because I couldn't feel any pain.
Then, behind me, there appeared something glowing white — a figure with no body, only light.
It looked just like the Overseer from my illusion worlds.
No… not just similar. It was exactly the same.
---
"Finally, you noticed me," it spoke.
"Waaaah!" I fell backward in shock.
Now I was sure: this wasn't a dream.
But part of me wished it was.
Everything was still frozen. I was too scared to even stand up.
It had no body, and yet it could speak.
My heart was pounding so hard I thought it would stop.
I couldn't process the situation. I stared at it, and it stared back.
Then it spoke again, its voice deep but somehow calming:
"Calm yourself."
For some reason, its voice really did calm me.
Then it said:
"Fix your thoughts."
"What? My thoughts? Did I hear that right?"
"Yes. Your thoughts. I'm talking about your illusion world.
Tell me, kid, why do you always imagine such dark, useless, and catastrophic things?
What's the reason? Why all this cruelty?
Control yourself. Focus your mind. If you keep going like this, everything will spiral out of control."
I still didn't understand.
But today, the world really seemed different.
I wondered: Who is this? Why did it appear?
Yet deep down, I realized something:
If I ignored it, it would disappear.
And if it disappeared, I'd go back to my boring life.
For some reason, I didn't want that to happen.
So, I kept listening.
---
At first, it spoke calmly, but then its tone got harsher:
"Hey, kid! Do you understand now? Let's get to know each other. My name is Inventor.
I've been watching you for a long time. Now, listen carefully: you're coming with me.
No more questions for now — you'll see when we get there."
It grabbed my clothes and opened a kind of portal with its right hand.
Then it threw me in.
---
I was stunned.
In my mind, I felt like my boring life had finally ended.
It felt like a poor man winning $10 billion in the lottery.
After a moment of darkness, the void faded away.
I found myself somewhere indescribable: like being at the highest point of space.
I couldn't breathe, yet somehow, I didn't need to.
Around me floated enormous planets.
They weren't normal-sized — they were much bigger than Earth.
One planet was entirely green; another looked like Earth; one was covered in diamonds; and another seemed high-tech and futuristic.
---
"What… are these?" I asked, amazed.
"Don't you see? Planets, of course," Inventor replied.
"I told you — I'm the Inventor.
These 300 planets make up one universe, and I oversee them.
Mainly, I control 16 universes, but I can influence others too."
I still didn't understand.
If you're that powerful, why do you need me? And why do you care about my thoughts?
But then I blushed, thinking: If he can read my mind, I'm so embarrassed... because my thoughts aren't exactly pure.
---
"Listen carefully," Inventor said.
**"I'm not the only one who controls universes.
There's another — but he's evil.
His goal is to take full control and torment humanity.
That's why I called you.
From your thoughts, I can tell no other human thinks quite like you.
And his thoughts are similar to yours, so you two will find each other easily."**
---
"So," he continued,
"I'm going to send you to a planet where one of his four commanders is.
You need to get his attention — become strong, gain influence, do whatever you must.
Just catch his eye and draw him to you."
Why can't you do it yourself? I wondered.
"Because I'm the Inventor," he said,
"which means I can only improve what's been created.
I can hurt him, but I can't kill him.
If I were the Creator, I could."
---
"Alright, but what do I get in return?
I'm not working for free," I told him, a little arrogantly.
He seemed pleased by my answer:
**"Good. I expected you'd say that.
In return, I'll grant you powers you can even use back in your world.
If you finish the mission, you can return home — and you'll keep the abilities you gain in this world.
And as a bonus, I'll help you from time to time.
Whenever you need me, just call me in your mind."**
---
Compared to my boring life, this sounded like heaven.
"I accept."
"Good!" he said, and snapped his fingers.
"Before you go, you may choose seven abilities — but no more, because your body can't handle too much at first."
---
I thought carefully:
1. Regeneration — in manga, heroes often get mind-controlled;
2. Manipulation — to protect myself;
3. Resistance to poison and curses;
4. Offensive magic: light and all elements;
5. Defense magic;
6. A power to improve myself;
7. A spatial ability.
---
"You chose wisely," he said.
"Then go — a new world, a new planet, a new life awaits."
He snapped his fingers again, light flashed — and I wondered:
Will I appear there in my own body, or will I be reborn?
---
In the new world
When I opened my eyes, I realized I had been reborn.
The place looked luxurious, but strangely, instead of parents, there were women dressed as maids.
After some time, I learned the truth:
My father had been killed by an assassin two months earlier.
My mother had died giving birth to me.
So now, as a noble, I must rise — completely on my own.