The world shimmered like watercolor in motion—an unfamiliar, beautiful landscape stretched as far as the soul could float. Rolling meadows of glowing grass, crystal skies painted with hues unseen by mortal eyes, and an air that seemed to sing with every breeze.
Carter Brooks drifted through it—not walking, not flying. Just… floating.
A voice echoed through the vastness, ethereal and calm.
"Carter Brooks."
He blinked—or at least, he felt like he did.
"Who is there?!" he called, spinning around mid-air, soul-body floating like a lost balloon.
Before he could process the madness, reality warped again. Suddenly—pop!—eight figures appeared before him, seated casually around a long table set for tea. The cups steamed gently, pastries floated on silver trays, and the scent of lavender and lightning filled the air.
All of them were women—stunning, powerful, and unmistakably not normal.
One stood up, tall and radiant. Her earthy brown hair curled around a crown of vines and blossoms. Her green eyes sparkled like living emeralds.
"I am Gaia, Goddess of Creation," she said, voice like a lullaby wrapped in thunder. "You have been summoned to our personal divine realm—"
Then, suddenly, she gasped.
"I AM SO SORRY!!!!!!!"
Carter recoiled. "HUH!?"
One of the others, a serene woman with violet hair and glowing runes stitched into her elegant blue gown, adjusted her glasses.
"Gaia, he doesn't know what you're talking about. You have to explain it to him first," she said calmly.
"Oh. Right. Sorry. Again." Gaia took a deep breath and smiled nervously. "You see... I may have made a tiny mistake. I, um, accidentally dropped a bit of lightning into the world below and, well… you know the rest." She laughed awkwardly.
Carter blinked. "Huh...?"
Gaia bowed deeply. "I'm really sorry!!!!"
A gentle laugh echoed from the far side of the table. A glowing woman with emerald-gold eyes and leaf-green hair sat playing with a petal floating in her teacup.
"Sorry about our sister here," she giggled. "She's just a little excited. But come on, you've gotta admit—it was kinda funny. You got hit by lightning."
"Elaria!" snapped another voice—calm and timeless.
The silver-haired woman with mechanical clockwork eyes spoke next, her expression unreadable.
"It's not funny for him. He died."
"You're no fun sometimes, Chrona," Elaria pouted.
Carter, still hovering, threw up his ghostly arms. "EXCUSE ME?"
All eyes turned to him. Gaia, flustered, nodded. "Yes, Carter?"
"Three things," he said, holding up translucent fingers. "One: Who are you ladies? Two: Why am I here? Three: Can I go back to my world now, please?"
Gaia cleared her throat. "Well! I am Gaia, the Goddess of Creation, as I mentioned. And these are my sisters—goddesses all."
Chrona stepped forward next. "I am Chrona, Goddess of Time. We monitor the timeline, and… well, in this case, it glitched."
Elaria grinned. "I'm Elaria, Goddess of Nature. Sorry again—but I'm glad you're okay! Ish."
Sophia adjusted her glasses again. "Sophia, Goddess of Wisdom. For the record, I voted against summoning you mid-soul float."
Then, a booming laugh erupted from the far end of the table. A tall warrior woman with silver hair, golden armor, and a confidence that could split mountains leaned forward.
"I'm Athena, Goddess of Strength," she said proudly. "You've got guts, Carter. I like that."
A small figure next to her smiled shyly.
"Selene… Goddess of Magic," she said softly, not quite meeting Carter's eyes.
"I'm Fortuna!" said the blonde in a dazzling outfit that seemed to sparkle with luck itself. "Goddess of Luck, chaos, and random chance! Wheeee!"
The last one leaned back lazily, her rose-colored hair flowing around her as she gave Carter a smoldering smile.
"Venus, Goddess of Love," she purred. "Nice to meet you, Carter. Such a shame about that body of yours..."
Carter blinked. "Wait. What do you mean by that body—?"
Selene spoke up gently. "Second thing—you're here because we wanted to apologize and offer you a second chance at life."
His eyes lit up. "So I can go back to my world? To my family?"
Venus shook her head, still smiling.
"Third thing, sweetheart… When you died, your body was completely destroyed. There's nothing left to return to."
Carter looked down and noticed his form for the first time. He wasn't standing. He wasn't even human. He was a softly glowing orb, floating just a few feet off the ground.
"I DON'T HAVE A BODY?!"
Gaia bowed so low her forehead nearly hit the clouds.
"I'M SO SORRY AGAIN!!!"
Carter spun in the air. "Sorry? Sorry!? You turned me into a bouncy ghost light!"
"Please forgive me," Gaia said sincerely. "It truly was an accident."
"No!"
"Carter, come on. It wasn't on purpose."
"Still no!"
"You're being unreasonable!"
"You're being electrocutey!"
"That doesn't even make sense!"
"Neither does my current state of existence!"
As they argued, the other goddesses sipped their tea, watching like it was a midday drama.
"Aww," Elaria whispered, smiling. "They're kind of cute when they argue."
"Like an old married couple," Selene blushed.
"It's chaos, but it's entertaining chaos," Athena added, smirking.
Fortuna clapped her hands. "Okay, okay! Time to change the mood! Let's talk about the fun stuff!" She leaned toward Carter. "The world you're going to is amazing. Magic, swords, monsters, treasure, quests! The whole leveling thing is like a dream come true."
"So it's a fantasy game world?" Carter asked.
"Exactly! With guilds, dungeons, rare loot, and even talking animals. Think of it as a second chance to live a life full of adventure, purpose, and maybe some chaos~" she winked.
Carter sighed, then laughed quietly. "It's okay. I mean... apologizing won't fix this. I'm already dead. Might as well roll with it."
Venus giggled. "I like this one. He's got spirit."
Nyx, quiet until now, gave a slow nod. "And soon, he'll have power."
Selene stepped forward gently. "Just try it. Think the word: 'Stats'."
Carter furrowed his brow. "Stats."
DING!
Riley—or Carter Brooks, rather—floated in stunned silence, the shimmering blue screen still hovering in front of his glowing orb-form.
His soul wavered slightly as he stared at it, voice squeaking.
"What in the absolute anime logic... is this?!"
The text on the glowing panel was undeniable. A full-blown status screen straight out of an isekai.
Name: Carter Brooks
Age: 18
Race: Human
Level: 1 (Maxed Stats)
Class: Limitless Adventurer
Titles:
Chosen of the Eight Goddesses
The One with Maxed Stats
Stranger from the Sky
The Overpowered Beginner
Blessings:
Blessing of Creation (Gaia)
Blessing of Strength (Athena)
Blessing of Magic (Selene)
Blessing of Wisdom (Sophia)
Blessing of Time (Chrona)
Blessing of Nature (Elaria)
Blessing of Love (Venus)
Blessing of Luck (Fortuna)
Health Points (HP): 999,999 / 999,999
Magic Points (MP): 999,999 / 999,999
Strength: MAX
Agility: MAX
Endurance: MAX
Mana: MAX
Luck: MAX
Charm: MAX
Normal Skills:
Appraisal (God-Tier): Instantly analyze objects, creatures, skills, and even divine beings with perfect accuracy.
Multilingual: Automatically speak, read, and write any language known across dimensions.
Weapon Mastery: Proficient with all known weapons, with no need for training.
Enhanced Vision: See in darkness, through illusions, and even detect magical energy.
Unarmed Combat: Fight with martial precision and strength using only fists, feet, or improvised techniques.
Blacksmithing: Create, repair, and enhance weapons and armor using divine-grade techniques.
Supreme Cooking: Every meal cooked restores health, mana, and buffs allies. Can tame monsters via food.
Stealth Mastery: Move undetected by physical, magical, or divine senses.
Beast Whisperer: Communicate with all animal and magical beast species; may form contracts or tame them.
Adaptive Combat: Learn and counter enemy fighting styles in seconds, improving with each encounter.
Ability Skills:
Godspeed Step: Move faster than the eye can follow, creating afterimages and phasing through attacks.
Mental Resistance: Immunity to mind control, fear, illusions, and telepathy unless willingly accepted.
Titan Strength: Lift mountains, crush boulders, and deliver earth-shattering blows effortlessly.
Divine Regeneration: Recover health, mana, and stamina at an accelerated divine rate—even from fatal wounds.
Unbreakable Body: Immune to most forms of physical harm; bones, skin, and muscle reinforced by divine essence.
Aura Suppression: Conceal presence, power level, and emotions entirely; even gods may be fooled.
Magic Skills:
Elemental Mastery EX: Complete control over fire, water, wind, earth, lightning, and ice. Can mix and evolve elements.
Mass Telepathy: Communicate telepathically with large groups across vast distances.
Spatial Magic: Warp, teleport, and manipulate space for travel, storage, and combat tricks.
Advanced Healing Magic: Instantly mend wounds, cure diseases, and even regrow limbs. Can be cast on multiple targets.
Unique Blessing Skills:
Creation Surge (Gaia): Create anything from mana and will. No resources needed. Items can be permanent or temporary.
War God's Ascent (Athena): Boost all stats ×10 for 60 seconds. Cooldown: 1 hour.
Arcane Overflow (Selene): Cast spells without MP cost for 1 minute. Perfect for spell barrages.
Chrono Rewind (Chrona): Rewind time by 10 seconds (1/day). Useful for dodging fatal errors or correcting mistakes.
Infinite Insight (Sophia): Read enemy weaknesses, see through all illusions, and analyze magic instantly.
Nature's Embrace (Elaria): Control plant life, purify poisons, and speak to animals. Grants forest-born wisdom.
Fated Edge (Fortuna): One automatic success per day. A perfect dodge, crit, or gamble win—luck decides.
Lover's Grace (Venus): Immune to charm, seduction, and manipulations. Strengthens bonds and affection with allies.
Weapons:
Beginner's Sword (Mystic Grade): Evolves with Carter. Adapts to his needs, elements, and combat styles.
Hand-Carved Dagger: A personal gift from Gaia. Always returns when thrown and retains divine sharpness.
Items:
Dimensional Pouch: Auto-sorts anything stored inside. Infinite capacity. Linked to user's thoughts.
Eternal Map Scroll: Automatically updates to reflect surroundings, known locations, and hidden paths.
Goddess Token: Allows real-time communication with any of the Eight Goddesses. Works across worlds.
10 Billion Gold Coins: Starting wealth from the goddesses. Welcome to divine-level spending.
"I... I have HOW MANY gold coins?!" Carter cried.
He floated back in awe. "This is insane! And these skills? Chrono Rewind?Arcane Overflow?!Supreme Cooking?! I'm a walking anime protagonist cheat sheet!"
The goddesses chuckled from their tea table.
"You seem overwhelmed," Sophia observed, sipping delicately.
"Understandable," Chrona nodded. "You are, after all, somewhat of a newborn god now."
"God-adjacent," Gaia corrected with a slight flush. "He's still mortal. Just... upgraded."
"Upgraded? I feel like I just got patched into god-mode!" Carter said, spinning in midair.
Venus purred, "I do love how charming he is, even in orb form."
"He's like a glowing cinnamon roll," Elaria cooed.
Fortuna stood up, pointing her spoon like a baton. "Alright! Listen up! This new world? It's got everything. Magic, swords, quests, dragons, talking mushrooms—the works! You'll start in the Kingdom of Lysara. Humans, elves, dwarves, beastkin—it's a fantasy buffet of adventure!"
"And I get to explore all that? As an overpowered 18-year-old orb with arms?" Carter said, pausing. "Wait... I'm 18?"
Gaia nodded. "It's part of our Apology Startup Campaign! We wouldn't want you starting your new life as a 40-year-old man, would we?"
"Fair point," Carter muttered.
Gaia raised her hand and touched his orb lightly with glowing fingers. "And now, with your new body soon to form, I will etch this world's common language and knowledge directly into your soul."
The screen shimmered.
Updating memory... Installing language... Loading basic survival tutorial...
Carter exhaled a glowing breath. "Okay... Now we're getting somewhere."
Carter smiled softly, still glowing faintly in his orb-form. "So... a new body, huh? Honestly, not what I expected when I woke up this morning as a ghost. But this has been... weirdly exciting."
Gaia stepped forward with a warm smile. "Are you ready for your new body, Carter?"
"Absolutely. Hit me with the upgrade."
The Eight Goddesses looked at one another and nodded in unison. With serene expressions, they all extended their hands.
A radiant magic circle appeared both above and below Carter, pulsating with divine energy. As it began to spin, Carter's thoughts raced.
Is it going to hurt? Will I feel it happening? What if I come out with six arms or no eyebrows? I mean, they said divine realm stuff, so this has to be high-end quality. Right? Right?!
Suddenly, a brilliant light enveloped him. He felt himself pulled in all directions and centered all at once—energy, power, heat, sensation. The sensation was overwhelming and euphoric.
A new screen appeared in glowing gold text:
Rebirth System Activated.
Reconstructing Body... Please Wait...
Divine Template: Loaded.
Applying Blessings... Adapting Form... Complete.
As the light slowly faded, the eight goddesses stared with widened eyes, mouths slightly open.
Before them stood a new Carter Brooks—tall, powerful, and divine.
Height: 6'2"
Physique: Lean and muscular with well-defined abs and toned arms
Hair: Half jet-black, half white—slightly messy but effortlessly cool, with a natural shine
Eyes: Piercing golden irises with faint glowing patterns, enhanced by divine power
Skin: Smooth and lightly tanned, durable and radiant
Face: Sharp jawline, high cheekbones, and a straight nose; naturally handsome with a slightly roguish smirk
Expression: Calm and confident, yet intense when serious
Scar: A single faint scar across his left eyebrow, adding edge to his otherwise flawless appearance
Carter blinked, flexing his new fingers and taking a slow, deep breath.
He looked around, then down at his new body, a small grin forming. "Okay... wow. This is... wild."
He turned to face the goddesses. "So... how do I look?"
The goddesses reacted instantly:
"Incredible..." Gaia whispered.
"Like a hero from legend," said Sophia, adjusting her glasses.
"Very dashing," Venus cooed.
"I'd fight beside that any day," Athena added with a grin.
"Divinely delicious," Fortuna winked.
"He has forest prince energy," Elaria giggled.
"Stable, temporal symmetry," Chrona noted with rare approval.
"A proper vessel for divine power," Selene added, smiling shyly.
Carter laughed. "Thanks. I feel... strong. Alive. Like... more me than I've ever been."
Gaia stepped forward, holding out her hand. "It's time. You're ready to begin your new life."
Carter raised a brow. "Wait, hold up. One quick thing."
"What is it?" Gaia asked kindly.
With a completely straight face, Carter pointed downward. "I am naked."
The silence was immediate and painful.
Gaia blinked, looked down—and immediately turned bright red. Her hands flew to her mouth.
"OH! I—I forgot! I'm so sorry! I got caught up in the moment!"
Carter stared at her with the expression of someone watching a divine-level train wreck. "You forgot to give me clothes. You were about to send me to another world naked."
"I... I just got too excited! It was a very emotional moment!"
"Oh sure," Carter said dramatically, crossing his arms. "Emotional, huh? Not as emotional as the moment I got obliterated by lightning."
Gaia flinched. "That was an accident!"
"Uh-huh," Carter nodded with mock seriousness. "You know, some people give others gifts or maybe a nice letter when they like someone. You? You go for divine electrocution. Very on-brand."
"I SAID I WAS SORRY ABOUT THAT!"
"And now this! First, you kill me. Then you resurrect me. Then you almost send me streaking through the cosmos like some glowing nudist!"
"It slipped my mind!"
"Slipped your mind?! That's like forgetting the main quest in an RPG!"
"Do you want clothes or not?!"
"Of course I do! I want armor, boots, pants! The full set! I mean, I appreciate the body, really, but I wasn't planning on flashing an entire fantasy world!"
As the two continued their theatrical bickering, the other goddesses watched, visibly amused.
"They're like an old married couple," Elaria sighed dreamily.
"I should have taken bets on how long until this happened," Fortuna whispered to Selene.
"Honestly, it's kind of charming," Venus said, hand to her cheek.
Chrona cleared her throat. "They do realize the time for departure was three minutes ago, yes?"
Athena snorted. "Let them go. This is better than any arena match."
Back in the heat of the argument, Carter threw up his hands. "Can we just move past your divine forgetfulness and get me something to wear?!"
Gaia threw her hands up. "Fine! Fine! I get it! I'm sorry! Sheesh!"
She stuck out her tongue in an exaggerated pout, then snapped her fingers.
A soft golden glow surrounded Carter, and elegant clothes materialized around him:
Black combat-style pants with gold-threaded seams
A crisp white shirt with silver buttons
A black and gold fur-lined jacket that radiated noble, adventurous flair
Carter looked down, adjusting his collar, testing the fabric. "Okay... now this I can work with. I look like a protagonist again."
"You're welcome," Gaia said, still red-faced.
He gave her a cheeky grin. "You know... I'm never going to let you live down the lightning or the nudity."
"I'll live," Gaia said, exhaling. "But only because you're leaving."
"Oh, you'll miss me."
She didn't deny it.
Gaia raised her hand again, and a brilliant gold magic circle appeared beneath Carter's feet.
"Now... are you ready to go?"
Carter looked at all eight of them, golden eyes softening. "Yeah. I'm ready."
The goddesses raised their hands together, a soft glow binding them in harmony.
"Goodbye, Carter."
"May your new life be full of adventure."
"Come back to visit us sometime."
"Don't forget to write!"
"We believe in you."
"Slay a dragon for me!"
"Be safe... and be you."
"Make us proud."
Carter gave them a final wave as the magic circle activated, light enveloping him again.
And then, he was gone.
The goddesses stood in silence for a moment.
"He turned out well," Gaia said softly.
"Too well," Athena muttered. "Someone might fall in love with him."
"Someone already has," Venus whispered.
They all looked ahead, thoughtful.
Meanwhile, in a new world—
A shimmering magic circle flashed in the middle of a quiet forest. The light vanished, and Carter stood tall, whole, and clothed.
The scenery was breathtaking. Tall trees with crystalline leaves shimmered in the sunlight. The air sparkled faintly with mana. The wind whispered secrets in a language only his soul could understand.
Carter closed his eyes, inhaled deeply, and smiled.
"Beautiful... This world is alive. I can feel the magic in every breath. The power running through my veins... it's real."
He stepped forward with confidence, golden eyes scanning the vibrant horizon.
"Alright. Let's start off my new adventure right."
Carter had been walking for a few hours, letting the forest envelop him. A breeze brushed across his face, and he smiled at the feeling—something so simple, yet grounding. The trees whispered around him, vibrant with shimmering energy.
The world glowed with mana. It poured off the trees, seeped from the ground, even hung lightly in the air like golden dust.
"This world is... alive," Carter murmured, brushing his fingers against a glowing fern. "Every leaf, every breath, it's all steeped in mana. It's like the whole forest is breathing magic."
Then, suddenly—BOOM!
A massive explosion shook the forest, followed by a monstrous roar that sent birds scattering from the treetops. Carter blinked, his body tensing.
"Okay... that was not normal," he said, eyes narrowing. "What the hell was that?"
He looked in the direction of the blast. The roar echoed again.
"Big. Angry. And not friendly," he muttered. "But maybe someone's in trouble... or something's on fire... or maybe both."
He paused. Then an idea struck him.
"Wait, I have divine mana. I can probably use it to enhance my vision. Worth a shot."
He closed his eyes, centering his breath. He concentrated, channeling divine mana into his eyes. The world went dark, then—clearer. Sharper. Farther. Until suddenly, his vision extended across the forest.
Through a veil of leaves and miles of dense forest, Carter saw them: a group of twelve armored individuals—knights, by the look of it—bruised, exhausted, defending themselves against a towering, crystalline beast.
A massive crystal golem.
"What... is that thing?" Carter said, eyes wide. "It's like a walking gemstone tower with fists."
His gaze shifted behind the knights. Two women stood guarded yet worn. Twin sisters. Their resemblance was unmistakable.
The first had short silver-blonde hair tied in a high ponytail with a crimson ribbon, fiery blue eyes blazing with defiance. Her armor was royal yet combat-ready. In her hand, a custom rapier gleamed with her family's crest.
The second was more elegant, with long, flowing silver-blonde hair and deep violet eyes. She wore graceful robes of blue and white, a staff in her hand, a royal pendant at her chest.
"They... they look like royalty," Carter murmured. "And they look like they could really use help."
He glanced again at the group of knights struggling against the golem.
"Alright. Looks like it's hero time."
He grinned and whispered, "Godspeed Step."
A powerful wind burst behind him as he vanished, a blur of speed leaving only dust and swirling leaves.
Back near the battlefield, the air was tense.
The younger twin, gripping her rapier tightly, growled, "Liora, we can't keep this up. We need a plan."
"I know, Leina," the older sister replied calmly. "But we took this mission from the guild. That golem has already hurt too many. We can't let it go."
"Then let's take it down!" Leina snapped. "We don't retreat. Not when people are counting on us."
One of the knights staggered over, panting. "Your Highnesses, please. You should flee. We will hold it off. You must survive."
Liora hesitated. "He may be right, Leina. If we fall, who will defend the kingdom next time?"
"I'M NOT A COWARD!" Leina screamed, charging forward recklessly. "FOR ASTRAVALE!"
"Leina, NO!" Liora shouted.
Too late.
Leina engaged the golem with sword skills, slashing and dodging its heavy blows. She called out, "Flamecutter Blade!" as she soared into the air. But the golem anticipated her move and swatted her from the sky.
CRACK!
Her body smashed into a tree, collapsing to the ground. Bruised and battered, her arm bent unnaturally.
"LEINA!" Liora cried, rushing to her side.
Leina smiled faintly through pain. "Heh... I almost had him. Just got lucky."
Liora kneeled, eyes brimming. "You reckless idiot. Always charging in without thinking. You could've died!"
The golem lumbered toward them.
The knight captain turned to his men and drew his sword. "CHARGE! BUY TIME FOR THE PRINCESSES!"
The knights roared and rushed toward the monster. Swords clashed against crystal. Arrows bounced off its gem-like skin. Spells were cast, lighting up the battlefield.
One knight leapt onto its back, trying to strike at its glowing core. Another drove a spear into its knee joint. The golem roared, swinging its massive arms and scattering the knights like leaves.
One by one, they fell—injured, groaning, bloodied. Yet still they rose. Still they fought. They dodged its wild sweeps, counterattacked with desperation and fire.
But the golem was too powerful.
Finally, only one knight remained, kneeling with a shattered sword.
The golem's heavy steps shook the earth as it marched toward the twin princesses.
The knight turned, his body trembling, blood trailing down his forehead. He looked at the twins.
"Your Highnesses... run..." he whispered.
Then he collapsed.
The golem stopped for a brief moment—silent, looming, casting its shadow over the battlefield.
Then it resumed walking.
Each footstep was like a drumbeat of doom. The twins looked up to see its hulking frame closing the distance.
Its crystalline body gleamed in the sunlight, cracks glowing ominously with inner power. Its fists were clenched. Its faceless head locked onto them.
"No... it's coming," Liora said, terror blooming in her chest.
Leina gritted her teeth, trying to rise but unable to move. "I'm sorry, Liora. I can't..."
The golem raised its massive arm.
Liora shouted, "Solar Ward Barrier!"
A radiant golden dome formed just in time. The golem's fist slammed into it, shaking the air. The barrier held.
"The barrier won't last," Liora said, panting.
Leina's eyes brimmed with tears. "I'm sorry, Liora. I always mess up. I wanted to protect you... and now... I failed."
Liora grasped her sister's hand. "You didn't fail. We're sisters. I love you. That won't change."
BOOM. The barrier cracked.
They looked at each other, prepared to face the end.
"I wanted to see Mom and Dad again... maybe start a family of my own one day..." Leina whispered.
"I just wanted one more peaceful day with you..." Liora said, smiling sadly.
CRASH. The barrier shattered.
The golem roared and raised its arm for the final blow.
Liora shut her eyes.
Please... someone... anyone... save us...
Then—BOOOOOOM!
A blinding streak of Iridescent Black light shot between them and the golem. The wind erupted in a shockwave, sending debris flying.
The twins opened their eyes.
Standing between them and certain death was a figure—his hand held the golem's descending arm in place.
The light faded, revealing:
Half jet-black, half white hair tousled in the wind
A divine aura cloaking his muscular frame
A confident smile and glowing golden eyes
It was Carter.
He smirked at the golem. "Hey, Mr. Crystal Monster Thing," he said coolly, locking eyes with the beast. "Pick on someone your own size."
To be continued...