The first time lightning struck me, I thought it was an accident.
The second time, I realized the sky was trying to erase me on purpose.
Honestly, who would've thought you could actually die naked, on a rooftop, singing My Heart Will Go On during an impromptu thunderstorm shower? Not me. And yet.
Clack. Once.
Clack. Twice.
For me, it wasn't Titanic. It was lightning rod.
And that's how I woke up… in a white void. Smooth. Pure. No texture. No shadow.
And in front of me, a floating light. Neither male nor female. Just… divine.
— "At last, Max."
— "I'm... dead?"
— "Oh, very much so. But you died in such a spectacular fashion that the celestial committee voted for compensation. We haven't seen a case like this since the guy who choked on a Yu-Gi-Oh card."
— "That's... an honor, I guess?"
— "Call it what you like. You've earned an Isekai Ticket. Reincarnation in the world of your choice, with a special skill."
I didn't even think twice.
— "Send me to the world of Danmachi."
The light flickered slightly, like it was laughing.
— "The world with gambling gods, union-less dungeons, and adventurers with laughable survival rates?"
— "That one."
— "And your special skill?"
I smiled.
— "I want a clone. Not a fake, not an illusion — a real double. One that thinks for himself. Acts independently. He only disappears if he dies a real death. Not from a scratch or a puff of magic wind. And when he dies, I want to recover everything he saw, felt, lived."
A pause.
Then divine laughter.
— "A conscious extension of your soul, persistent and memory-sharing… A brilliant, unstable madness. Fine. It shall be called…"
— "Apomnémisis Tis Psychis," I said, savoring every Greek syllable like a kid naming his first special attack.
— "You take this seriously — I like that. Then go. And next time, bring an umbrella."
A light wrapped around me.
And I fell… into my dream.
---
I opened my eyes in a sunlit, lively, noisy, and… stunning cobbled alleyway.
Passersby were all kinds of strange: a noble-looking elf, a dwarf grumbling about bread prices, a catgirl licking her fingers, and an Amazon armed to the teeth.
And a Pallum skipped past me cheerfully. (We're not dwelling on that.)
I sat up slowly, back sore, clothes damp. The smell of warm bread, leather, dust, and metal hit me like a scent of a new life.
— "...Is this real?"
No need for a mirror: I looked lost but photogenic. Perfect for an Isekai protagonist. I took a deep breath and made a quick plan.
Goal #1: Join a Familia.
No god, no Falna. No Falna, no progress. No progress, guaranteed death. So, divine family or coffin.
I wandered the streets, playing the wide-eyed newcomer, glancing around in wonder — not too much, though. I couldn't look like a spy, a fool, or — worse — a fanboy.
That's when a calm, deep voice pulled me out of my thoughts:
— "Hey, kid. You look lost."
I turned around. A tall man in pale blue robes, long blue hair tied back, eyes gentle but tired. He gave off the calm strength of a monk who'd had one too many coffees.
I recognized him immediately. Miach.
But I played it cool.
— "Hello… You're… a deity, right?"
He raised an eyebrow, intrigued.
— "You don't recognize me?"
— "Sorry, I'm from... very far away. I read a few god names before arriving, but I haven't matched them to faces yet."
A half-lie. Perfectly calculated.
He nodded, understanding.
— "I'm Miach. God of medicine. You're in luck — I like helping newcomers."
— "Nice to meet you. I'm Max. And I'm... very new."
I extended a hand. He shook it. First contact: successful.
— "I'm looking for a Familia," I said naturally. "Let's just say I'd like to survive my first week in Orario."
He smiled, amused.
— "My Familia is pretty modest — and full at the moment. But I've got a friend, a very… motivated goddess. Her name's Hestia. You might be her type."
I pretended to think it over, weighing pros and cons — though I'd already decided before he finished his sentence.
— "Hestia? I think I saw her name on a sign in town... She's still recruiting?"
— "Let's just say she never says no. She's full of hope. A bit… intense, but genuine."
— "Perfect. Can you take me to her?"
He nodded.
— "Come. She's probably out chasing after desperate adventurers."
I followed him, hands in my pockets, looking relaxed.
But in my head, everything was firing.
I had just entered Danmachi.
I had just placed my first pieces.
And my cheat was still dormant, buried deep within my soul, ready to be called upon:
> Apomnémisis Tis Psychis
Soul Clone. A living double. Autonomous. Persistent. Linked by memory and will.
He only dies when truly killed.
The clone can vanish by choice or under the original's influence.
The game had only just begun.
And this time, I'd read the rules.