As a Second Reincarnation Bonus, I Kept Rerolling and Ended Up Reincarnating as the Character Who Should’ve Had the Easiest Life... or So I Thought - Episode 1: Reincarnation Gacha

Episode 1: Reincarnation Gacha

He was swimming through darkness.

He understood that this was the afterlife.

He felt no physical body. It was as if he were floating in the ocean.

Beyond the pitch-black void, a floor glittering white came into view. And ahead of it stood a throne adorned with gold. The surroundings seemed to be wrapped in a starry sky.

“Welcome, to the Chamber of Reincarnation.”

Seated on the throne was a woman with long black hair and golden eyes. She had pure white wings growing from her back like snow.

She was clearly no mere human—likely a higher being, an angel. His assumption was correct.

“My name is Ariana. I am the Archangel who governs death and reincarnation of all things. Ten years ago, you ended your harsh life and fell into a peaceful sleep. Do you remember?”

Her voice, that of one calling herself Ariana, sounded like the soft chime of a bell.

“I remember. It was a hell of a life.”

Despite being only a soul now, the man could still speak.

“Oh my, is that humility? There was nothing more captivating and intense than your life. I, who have watched billions of lives, can vouch for that.”

“You watched my life?”

“Yes. Though it did end in sadness… Now, I must decide what to do with you. Should I guide you to a new world, or cast you into the flames of hell…? I have been granted the authority to choose either.”

“I see. I don’t really care either way.”

At those words, the angel widened her eyes.

Usually, just that line would cause even the noblest men and women to grovel.

But this man showed no fear. More than that, he even said he didn’t mind being thrown into hell.

“I’m surprised. Given your accomplishments, you’re eligible for a far better life. Don’t tell me you’re underestimating the world of hellfire?”

“That place probably suits me better.”

“Because you killed many—humans and monsters alike?”

“I went too far. Even though it was my second life.”

In fact, he had already experienced reincarnation once.

The angel gazed into the pale purple flame. And she smiled with a beauty beyond human.

“Ufufu. You are just as I expected. Truly, as I hoped. Yes, depending on perspective, you’re a terrible sinner. But from another angle, you’re a savior. After all, you sacrificed your own life to save the world in your last life. That’s more than enough to count as a great achievement, don’t you think?”

The soul only flickered silently in response.

“You were originally just an ordinary Japanese man on Earth. Your second life was in a fantasy world, like a game you’d never heard of. You survived hellish days, fought for the weak, defeated armies, hordes of monsters, and even demons. And in the end…”

The angel rose from her throne and approached the soul floating at the center of the floor.

“Even adding both lives together, your soul has only lived a bit over forty years. A death far too soon. You gave your all—fought, protected, and still got no reward. Isn’t that just too cruel?”

“I’m tired of it all.”

His cold response made Ariana grumble inwardly. But she kept smiling at the soul before her.

To her, this soul was essential. If she truly lost his favor here, all the effort she had gone through to get him—against other angels no less—would be wasted.

“I’m sorry. I guess I talk too much. Let me get straight to the point. If I told you that this time, you’d finally get the life you wished for, would you try a third time?”

“No thanks.”

“Why not?”

“I tried that in my previous life too, and still ended up failing.”

At this, Ariana showed a genuine smile—not a forced one.

“I know what you really want. You just wanted to live a peaceful life, didn’t you? Free of burdens, without having to worry about anything, spending time with the people you truly believed in. You just wanted to live an easy, quiet life. That was your dream.”

“Angels can understand that kind of thing?”

He was honestly impressed. It was strange how perfectly she could see what he’d been thinking.

“Yes. After you died, I observed your entire life. I’ve watched the beginning and end of all life—humans, animals, everything. For me, understanding human desires isn’t difficult. And that’s why I can say this: this time, you’ve hit the jackpot.”

This time, things would work out.

The soul hoped so. Yet he found it hard to believe.

In his second life, filled with nonstop battles, he’d developed a habit of doubt.

“I don’t believe it. You’re not trying to trick me?”

“My, what would an angel gain by deceiving a soul?”

“I don’t know. But in a world I can’t understand, maybe something. First of all, what kind of world are you trying to send me to?”

“The only thing I can say for sure is—it’s a world you don’t know.”

A world he had no knowledge of. She gave a brief explanation.

It was a world still in development. And her evaluation would change depending on how it turned out.

“So basically, you want to use me to improve your performance.”

“Exactly.”

“You’re surprisingly blunt about it.”

“I have no need to lie to you. By the way, it’s a world that just so happens to be identical to a game from your previous life.”

“…I’ve got a bad feeling about this.”

“It’s just your imagination. It’s actually a very exciting world!”

What followed was Ariana weaving sweet words with flashes of hellish imagery. She was trying to persuade him indirectly.

But the more they talked, the more she felt like he was the one reading her.

Her tactics weren’t working—if anything, she was the one being thrown off.

About an hour had passed, at least from the man’s perspective.

He had nothing more to say.

“Alright, just decide for me already. Maybe I really should go to hell. I’m—”

“That’s fine. But how about trying a gacha first?”

“…What?”

“I just think it’d be a waste for you to disappear. So how about this: we let you roll a gacha to choose the life you’ll reincarnate into. And if you pull one you like, you reincarnate. How about that?”

At that moment, the pale purple flame flared bright. It was writhing with powerful energy like fire.

“That wasn’t an option in my last reincarnation.”

“The merit is different this time. So? Isn’t it fun?”

“But there’s a chance I’ll draw a terrible role.”

“You can try as many times as you like. I’ll let you reincarnate into whichever one you like best.”

The soul flickered violently. It showed its internal stirrings.

“This sounds too good to be true. What happens if I don’t find one I like?”

“Then just go to hell or whatever.”

“…That’s fair enough.”

He had nothing to lose to begin with.

So he figured he might as well try.

He was a rare soul, unafraid of hell.

With his consent, the angel gracefully raised her left hand and whispered words no human could comprehend.

The stars shimmered mysteriously, a magic circle rose from the floor, and a lightning-like radiance rained down upon the white surface—

The first reincarnation gacha had begun.