Location:???
Time:???
There was no sky.
No ground.
No sense of distance.
The void stretched endlessly in every direction, thick and suffocating — not empty, but dense, as if reality itself had been scraped away.
Yet in the center of that nothingness floated a perfect circle of light.
No source. No shadow.
Just illumination.
There stood four individuals within the light, seemingly placed there deliberately.
Beyond the edge of the circle, the darkness seemed to move, harboring something unknown. It seemed to be watching, analyzing.
Suddenly the darkness started moving, a humanoid figure separating from the rest of the darkness as it began walking. It stopped a few meters in front of the four individuals. It's presence demanding all who were there's attention.
Then, a throne started manifesting behind the figure.
Not made from stone or gold but from something dark. Smooth. Featureless. It seemed to absorb whatever light that dared to graze it.
The dark figure sat down on the throne, giving each of the four individuals a small reassuring smile.
"Welcome to the waiting room!" The mysterious figure's voice echoed through the dark void that surrounded them outside of the lit circle. The figure laid lazily on his throne while giving his new guests a small smirk, as his facial features were the only things visible.
"The what?" asked a man who seemed to be in his early 20s. His ash brown hair and eyes were among some of his noteworthy attributes. His white shirt clung to his round frame tightly, stretched thin at the stomach. His face was puffy, jawline barely defined.
The figure raised an eyebrow. "Did you not hear what I said? This is the waiting room! A space in between the living world and the afterlife, both heaven and hell."
"… So why are we here? I know for a fact we didn't make no doctor's appointment gang." the young man replied, gesturing to himself and the three other individuals who were also there with him.
The figure gave him a deadpan stare. "It's because you're dead… That's why you're here. Try to keep up."
Two of the four newly dead clenched their fists tightly at the information they just received. The first one had black spiky hair and looked to be in his mid 20s.
He wore a brown jacket with a white bloody shirt underneath and some black pants. Stab wounds were littered all over his mid section and he had hollow eyes - almost gone. As he clenched his fist, sorrow filled his heart and an empty expression formed on his face.
His expression seemed like it was forged by years of experiencing all manner of trauma. Things no person should ever experience.
The second one of the two clenched his fist as well, his face began showing more emotion than the former. Tears were streaming down his face as he started shaking slightly, letting himself get taken over by his emotions but not fully.
Mumbles could be heard coming from him, though not all could be heard. The only audible words that could be distinguished were, "Why?" and "I couldn't stop it…" He looked to be in his mid 30s, has long white hair that reached down to his neck and a giant hole where his heart should be… literally.
He had a white lab coat on and a blue shirt underneath with brown pants that seemed to come from a suit.
The fourth of the newly dead, a blonde man with a buzz cut and who looked to be in his late 20s spoke up. He was feeling uncomfortable with the heavy atmosphere the other two created. "Since we're dead, why are we here? Aren't we supposed to go to the afterlife to be judged or whatever?"
"Exactly! I wanna figure out if I'll get to crack thick thigh having Angels in heaven or Succubus fine shit in hell!" The ash brown haired young man exclaimed, a glint of hope appeared in his eyes that his desires might come to fruition.
The figure rolled his eyes. "Please keep your fantasies to yourself."
The figure leaned forward, resting his chin on his palm.
"You're here because you qualify."
"Qualify for what?" The blonde man asked.
"For judgment? No." The figure chuckled. "Judgment is easy."
He raised one finger.
"Some people live almost sinless lives. They go to heaven."
A second finger.
"Some live in balance. Good. Bad. Equal. They get another try."
A third finger.
"Some lived miserable, hollow lives. Wasted potential. They also get another try."
His smile widened.
"And some?"
He let the word linger.
"They go straight down."
The void beyond the circle pulsed faintly.
Silence fell over the four men.
"It just so happens," the figure continued, "two of you fall firmly into the fourth category."
"Who?" Savien asked quietly. A single strand of his white hair protruding over his face as he flicks it way.
The figure pointed lazily.
"Damian. Jackson."
Damian didn't look up. His spiky black hair creating a silhouette on his face.
Jackson swallowed. His hand now scratching his scalp under his blonde hair.
"And before you panic," the figure added, "certain… circumstances have made an exception. You'll all be offered reincarnation."
Damian's head slowly lifted.
"So we aren't going to hell?"
The figure grinned.
"Unless you refuse."
"…Refuse?"
"Then you burn."
He turned sharply toward Omari.
"And no, there are no succubi."
"BRO WHAT—" Omari blinked. There was no way. No succubi? This had to be discrimination.
"So what's the catch… this seems to good to be true." Jackson stated.
The figure smirked. "Well obviously I can't just go around giving everyone free tickets for reincarnation, that's why I brought you here. You qualify."
The figure continued. "Since you all now qualify for the third category, I'm here to give you a mission."
"Huh? Just let me die already. I already lived my life bro, just let me rest." Omari pleaded. His expression was of someone who was just told that they had to work another four hours of overtime.
"Don't worry Omari, I know for sure you'll like what I'm about to propose. You can always refuse and get reincarnated as an animal and lose all your memories, I'm just saying." The figure said while shrugging, a smirk forming on his face.
Omari's expression changed, his face filled with fear. The slight possibility of reincarnating as a sun fish or something way worse making him shiver slightly.
Omari clapped his hands together. "Ok guys, time to do this mission! So what's it gonna be, maybe you want us to defeat a Demon Lord!"
"I knew you'd get into it eventually." The figure said with a smile.
"What's the mission even about actually?" Savien asked.
"Oh, well I want you guys to stop a terrorist group from starting a world war… if you can even call them that." The figure said, frustration could be heard in his voice. "Those guys are a real problem."
Jackson spoke up. Disappointment visible on his face. "That's it? No way! What a waste of time!"
The figure points a finger at Jackson. "Don't go underestimating them. They are a really powerful treat." He continued. "If you don't want to do it I can always make you be reborn as a fly."
Jackson fell silent.
"Well how are we supposed to do that? I ain't built like that bro!" Omari exclaimed,pointing at himself, showing of his near circular build.
"Well, of course you'll get something to help you with the mission."
" Which is?"
"Powers."
"Huh?!" All the newly dead had surprised looks on their faces. Omari's expression though, quickly changed from shock to excitement.
"WAIT, YOU'RE TELLING ME I GET POWERS!!!"
"No, he has to be pulling a prank on us." Jackson said, suspicion showing on his face.
The figure spoke. "Well the world you guys will reincarnate in is very dangerous. You'll need powers to even survive past childhood." He continued. "So I'll give you all free roam on choosing what power you want to have… with limitations of course."
"Which are?" Savien asked.
"Well the most obvious one is that you can't choose a universe ending power or anything of the sort outright… OMARI!"
"BRO?!" Omari exclaimed.
He was really hoping to become an OP isekai protagonist.
"You also can't choose a specific power or weapon from any of the media from your old worlds. You're gonna have to get creative with what you want your power to be."
"Why do you keep limiting my options bro? Do you hate me or something?" Omari complained.
"My advice to you is to choose something that you're basically an expert at and turn it into a power or something. It's really up to you." The figure stated.
Those words instantly helped something click inside all four of their heads as they came up with their powers.
The figure noticed this and a thought popped up in his head. "I hope I don't end up regretting giving them that piece of advice."
Jackson raised his hand. "So do we have to write down our powers or will you read our minds or something like that."
"The second option."
"Huh?"
Suddenly, all four of their heads started to glow green. They could feel their thoughts being analyzed.
It was a very unusual feeling indeed.
"Now that I got all the information about your powers, I'll make sure to give you what you want… with the proper limitations in place of course." The figure said, a small smile appearing on his face in hopes to offer some sort of reassurance to the four in front of him.
It wasn't working.
Savien pinched his brows. "We're definitely getting played."
As everyone else was speaking, Damian, who hadn't said much finally decided to speak up.
"So why are we being reincarnated together?" The question caused everyone to pause.
Why were they getting reincarnated together?
They don't know actually each other at all.
So why?
The figure let out a soft sigh. "The world you'll be reborn in is a very cruel place. It doesn't favor anyone but the strong." he continued. "That's why it's better to stay together as a group, so that you can look out for each other and help each other grow stronger together."
Omari's brows furrowed, he wasn't going to risk his life for other people if it meant basically reincarnating into a second rendition of hell.
"I don't think I want to do this anymore."
"Then I'll reincarnate you into a tripod fish."
"Never mind."
Maybe helping people isn't so bad after all.
Suddenly, Damian spoke up again. "… Who even are you? Are you God?"
The figure grinned.
"No, I just like to observe the things that happen in different universes."
The figure added "I also just so happen to be in charge of the judgment of the dead."
"So what should we call you?" Savien inquired.
A smirk appeared on his face. "My name is The Observer. You can just call me Observer."
Omari gave Observer a deadpanned stare. "What a creative name bro."
Observer gave a deadpan stare back at Omari. Omari's sarcastic tone causing him to feel a bit of frustration.
He wasn't particularly unhappy with how casual Omari was around him but he wasn't particularly happy with it either.
He was technical a god after all.
"So… when do we get reincarnated?" Jackson inquired.
"Well it depends on whether you guys have any other questions or want to back out of this."
Silence.
"Are you sure you don't have any questions to ask me?"
Silence again.
"Ok. I'll transfer all the important information about the world you'll be reincarnating into inside all of your minds."
The weird feeling of having your brain slowly caressed was felt simultaneously between all four men.
Yep, definitely a weird feeling indeed.
"Please never do that shit ever again. It feels like I'm getting molested via Bluetooth. " Omari exclaimed.
Observer smiled at his complaint.
Observer spoke up. His voice echoed inside the seemingly endless void. "The reincarnation can now commence!"
Suddenly a bright blue circle appears on the floor as it surrounds all four men. It's light increasing the illumination in the already illuminated circle.
The increase in light wasn't effecting the void that surrounded the area in the slightest.
"Hopefully I'll see you guys again after a very very long time, right guys?" Observer exclaimed with a huge grin on his face.
Savien and Jackson just gave him a nod.
Omari lifted his arm and gave him a thumbs up
Damian just stood there and looked at The Observer with his hollow lifeless eyes.
"I'll make sure to give you guys a reward if you end up succeeding!" Observer exclaimed.
Observer started waving his hand. "Bye now!"
The blue circle started glowing brighter as it engulfed the four men. It's light pulsating rapidly as it started to transport all four men to their new lives.
After a while the light bright blue light died down and all four men were no longer there.
The void became quiet again. No one but The Observer left in it.
"I guess it's time to get back to observing other worlds and wait until someone else quilfies for judgement. I might even check up on those four whenever I get the chance."
A smile appears on his face as he said that.
---
Location: kell Village.
Time: 1 year after reincarnation.
In a small far-off village, inside a small house, a group of 4 women were sitting together at a table.
An assortment of foods to choose from laid out in front of them.
Yet their gazes were set elsewhere.
Four babies were sat in a circle on the floor nearby. From an outsiders point of view it seemed like they were having a business meeting, but they would be wrong.
Even if it wasn't a business meeting, there definitely was some business being discussed.
The babies seemed to be communicating with each other through words, though non of their words could be interpreted by anyone of the women as the babies weren't even saying any coherent words to begin with.
A woman with long ash brown hair placed her elbow on the table and her chin on her palm. "It's been two months since they first met each other and they are already friends, how cute~."
Another woman with long white hair tied up in a bun studied the four babies on the floor. She was desperately trying to decipher what the four babies were talking about.
" I still don't know what they are saying."
"I'm trying to figure out what they could even be talking about at such a young age to be sitting in a circle like that." A woman with blonde hair and a wolf cut spoke up.
Another woman with short black hair was taking a sip of water. Her gaze also fixed onto the weird sight.
"Maybe they're talking about training?"
"Oh shut up you tomboy." The woman with brown hair exclaimed.
"Can't I add my own theory into the conversation?" The black haired woman complained.
"Not one that ridiculous."
"Then what could they possibly be talking about, hmm?"
The brown haired woman shrugged.
"Beats me."
While the woman continued to speculate on what the babies could be conversating about, the conversation between said babies continued.
"Our moms are arguing about us again." Savien said.
"Just leave them be. We have more important matters to attend to." Jackson replied.
"Damn Savien, you already have white hair on your head and you're fresh out the womb! I'd be livid if I were you." Omari exclaimed.
"Come on, you know I get it from my mom… I think?"
"Didn't you have white hair when I first saw you in the Waiting room? Where you that old when you died?"
"No… I was 35 before I died."
"DAMN UNC!!"
"I got my white hair from my mom in my previous life too you know!" Savien roared.
"Yeah yeah I totally believe you unc."
"I'm not old!"
"Can you guys stop, we have much more important things to talk about." Jackson interjected.
"Come on bro, we all agreed that we'd worry about the mission once we all turn twelve years old. Just relax and enjoy your childhood." Omari said.
"I'm just saying we at least need to plan for the future."
"We'll worry about it later. We're too young to fight anyways, so calm down." Savien said, a pacifier in hand.
"Come on Damian, you have to back me up here." Jackson pleaded.
They all turned their attention to Damian, who was crawling towards a chair.
He then grabbed the chair and lifted it over his head.
"Our powers don't manifest until we're 5 years old, so relax." he replied, his voice having a lazy tone to it.
He continued. "This is our chance to gather more information about this new world we've been born into while creating a game plan, so to a certain degree I can understand where Jackson's coming from."
"See!" Jackson screamed.
He slowly turned his head towards Jackson. "But we also all agreed to use this time to get to know each other better and build a bond, so calm down." Damian said, his hollow eyes fixed onto Jackson.
"Yeah, calm your ass down brotato. I'm still trying to enjoy my time as a baby! This is the perfect excuse for me to become a fat chud while getting my basic necessities taken care of!" Omari exclaimed, his tone filled with glee and hope.
"Well for now we're going to focus on becoming physically stronger and creating a bond between us until our powers manifest." Savien stated.
"I'm just saying it's better to get this over with now than later." Jackson argued.
"Shut up!" Omari exclaimed