The Reincarnated Transcendent Wants to Fill the Hole in Their Chest - Episode 1: Reincarnation in Another World

Chapter 1

Episode 1: Reincarnation in Another World

This first episode is a bit longer.

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It happened on a spring day—

Konoe was summoned to another world.

He died in Japan. And before he knew it, he was in a great hall.

His consciousness had faded, his eyes closed—and when they opened again, he was in a completely different place.

“—?”

He couldn’t make sense of it. He was stunned.

After all, Konoe had died of illness.

He was diagnosed on his last birthday in his twenties, and died three months later.

By the time the illness was discovered, it was already too late. He suffered, suffered, and eventually died alone.

And yet, when he opened his eyes, he was in a place he didn’t recognize.

“—???”

There was no sense of continuity. In confusion, he looked around.

There were many others like him—also bewildered and dazed.

He couldn’t understand what was happening. He clutched his head, trying to make sense of it.

He pinched his cheek, opened and closed his eyes. He was wondering if it was a dream…

That state continued for a while—until suddenly, a wall of the great hall opened. And a man walked in. He spoke:

“—We want the technology from your world.”

◆

Thirty days passed.

In that time, Konoe learned that the world he was summoned to was in stagnation.

To overcome it, they were summoning engineers and scientists from Earth.

Konoe had been summoned as part of that plan—

But there was a problem.

The summoning magic in this world didn’t allow the selection of specific individuals.

Instead, it roughly scooped up the souls of the dead using a magical net.

As a result, many unrelated people were summoned—and Konoe was one of them.

Unfortunately, Konoe had none of the knowledge or skills they were looking for.

In short, he was just a background character dragged in by accident.

A person who didn’t matter whether they were there or not—

“Alright, I’ll collect the tests now.”

And so, even now, some time after arriving in this world, Konoe—who had no role—was taking a test.

This world, despite treating him like a background character, didn’t abandon him. It was a kind world that took care of him.

He was currently in a classroom of an educational facility in the country that had summoned him—sitting among many other reincarnated individuals.

The test content was about this world’s geography—

Its size, the names of countries, and information about the underground.

“……”

…Though rumor had it that this knowledge wouldn’t be very useful once they left the facility.

Because of that, many of the other reincarnators were taking the test half-heartedly—

But Konoe was studying seriously.

Why? Because he had nothing else to do.

“……”

Konoe let out a small sigh as he recalled the contents of the test.

The geography of this country and world. The underground.

The country he was in was roughly the size of Eurasia.

And the planet itself was many times larger than Earth.

Beneath the planet were fantasy-like dungeons, from which monsters and diseases spilled forth.

The dungeons were said to be part of a sinister plot by evil gods.

Destroying these dungeons was supposedly the mission of those born in this world—

And gods even lent power to humans to that end.

—Unfortunately, this mission was currently at a dead end.

◆

To put it simply, the dungeon was too vast.

The underground stretched deeper than anyone could explore—

Even the visible portion of the dungeon covered several times the surface area of the already enormous planet.

No one knew how far one had to travel to reach the deepest point.

No matter how far people explored, they felt like they weren’t making progress.

It wasn’t about the enemies being strong—

It was physically impossible to conquer.

Teleportation magic existed. But it was a personal skill, not a mass-usable technology—

There simply weren’t enough users.

It was as if the evil gods never intended to let humanity succeed.

It might seem cowardly, but in terms of survival strategy, it was quite rational.

As a result, for centuries, no progress had been made.

Meanwhile, monsters continued to spill forth. And diseases continued to spread.

The enemy was out there. But nothing could be done.

That’s why a breakthrough was needed.

Perhaps in the form of otherworldly technology—cars, trains, airplanes.

But not as one-offs—fully industrialized and mass-producible.

That was why Earthlings were being summoned.

◆

“It’s over, it’s over.”

“Wanna grab something to eat?”

The test ended.

The other reincarnators stood up and left the classroom immediately.

Some time had passed since their arrival—

Everyone, Konoe included, had started getting used to this world.

They weren’t confined. So they could go out once their tasks were done—

To town, to play with their allowances, and so on.

“……”

Konoe didn’t do any of that.

He studied alone. He had no friends.

He kept his eyes down. He was avoiding contact with anyone.

That was Konoe.

A complete social misfit.

◆

“……”

A few minutes later, Konoe lifted his face.

Once most of the others had left, he exited the classroom as well.

From afar, he watched them with a vague thought—They all look like they’re having fun.

“……”

He looked out the window. Outside, the reincarnators were walking with cheerful expressions.

None looked pessimistic—as far as he could see.

…In a way, Konoe thought that was abnormal.

They had been summoned to a completely different world from Earth.

With no possessions, no knowledge, no common sense, no understanding of local prices.

Thrown into such a place, with no family, no one to rely on.

Wasn’t it natural to feel despair?

Sure, one might say that having a second life is already a luxury—

But pain is pain. Fear is fear.

It wouldn’t be strange to lie awake at night in anxiety.

And yet, everyone was living so optimistically—

(—Because of the gods, huh.)

That was the only explanation.

Reincarnators apparently received a lot of blessings from the gods.

Not overpowered abilities like in stories, but still—

Enough to live comfortably.

A reincarnator summoned a year ago had said so with a smile.

That’s why everyone could live so freely—

They had assurance.

(…I’m thankful for that.)

Konoe, too, was grateful.

He knew he was just an average guy.

The type who’d die offscreen first in a horror movie.

At first, his suspicious nature made him doubt it all—

But after thirty days of studying, he was starting to believe it was real.

(I really should thank the gods…)

With that thought, he offered a prayer in the way he was taught.

If not for them, he wouldn’t be walking around like this.

“……”

And while thinking that—

Konoe arrived at his destination.

The library at the end of the hall—

His usual study spot.

◆

Konoe entered and went straight to the shelves of reference materials.

He pulled out the material related to today’s lesson and sat down.

He opened the book and began reviewing—

“—Oh? You’re… Konoe-kun, right?”

“……!”

—But then.

A voice came from beside him. Startled, Konoe’s shoulder twitched.

“…………Instructor.”

Trying to stay calm, he turned his head toward the voice.

It was an instructor who had taught several of his classes—

A young woman who looked to be in her early twenties.

Her long, fluffy silver hair and pure white coat were striking.

She walked toward the seated Konoe with a light step.

“—I hear you’ve been working really hard. Great grades, right?”

She suddenly praised him.

Said he had good attendance, exemplary behavior in the dorms, and was very diligent.

Konoe…

“……Thank you. Diligence is all I have going for me.”

He replied, careful not to let his voice waver.

He could just barely handle formal conversation.

Small talk was a different matter—he couldn’t manage it.

That was Konoe.

Barely functioning, always struggling.

And this instructor was beautiful. Which only made things worse.

Konoe was the type who wanted to run away when talking to a beautiful woman.

“Hmmm, I see. So diligence is your strong point.”

She smiled. She was stepping even closer to the flustered Konoe.

Too close.

Konoe could see her face clearly—a level of beauty rarely seen on Earth.

…But he didn’t see that as a privilege.

He turned his face away, trying to distance himself.

“By the way, Konoe-kun…”

“…Y-Yes?”

“Have you decided on your blessing yet?”

The instructor asked.

◆

—What is a blessing?

That is a power everyone in this world possesses.

Something that gods give to the people of this world. It’s said that, while there aren’t eight million gods here, there are still many. And each one of them gives a different blessing.

Like increasing magical power, or learning techniques faster — those kinds of powers.

It’s the means to survive in this world, and something essential. However, it depends on one’s bloodline or where they were raised. So apparently, one cannot choose which blessing they receive.

It’s also a somewhat inconvenient power. And it seems there are many cases where people give up on their dreams because they got a different blessing.

—However, reincarnators can choose theirs.

And that is the biggest privilege given to reincarnators.

Since reincarnators have no bloodline or background to consider, they can choose freely. Apparently, they even get some bonuses.

The blessing you choose can be anything. Something useful for dungeon diving, or a power for production-type work.

The freedom is so great that it actually becomes a problem — such a luxurious worry.

◆

“—I haven’t decided on my blessing yet.”

Konoe was still struggling with the decision. There were too many options to narrow down.

Alchemical arts and spatial magic seem kind of nice, but there’s no clear reason to pick one. Other people seem to be discussing it with each other. But Konoe doesn’t have anyone like that.

Still, so what—

“—Oh, I see, I see!”

“—!?”

Just then, the instructor suddenly patted Konoe’s shoulder.

Startled by the sudden contact, Konoe flinched.

“Then, how about this — I have a blessing to recommend.”

“………………Eh?”

“Choose life magic. That one’s good.”

“It suits someone serious like you,” 

The instructor said.

…Life magic?

“You can’t become top-tier unless the blessing is strong. And it does require a lot of effort. But for a reincarnator, the blessing’s strength is guaranteed. It’s perfect.”

“……”

“What do you think? It’s not as strict with master-apprentice relationships as the crafting types. And you can earn way more than with average magic… it’s ridiculously profitable, you know?”

Konoe had heard of life magic, too.

In simple terms, it’s healing magic — a type of magic that can cure injuries and diseases.

Other magic can apparently also heal. But when it comes to actually curing things, life magic is said to be the most powerful.

In short, it’s the magic of doctors specialized in healing. Well, yeah, it probably makes money.

Actually, Konoe had considered it as a candidate at first… but when compared, spatial magic seemed more fun since you could do more things. So it was forgotten.

Besides, any magic user can apparently use the most basic, non-elemental healing spell to fix small injuries.

…Still, the instructor gripped Konoe’s shoulder a little tighter—

“—Look at that building. Yes, that big one. That’s not a noble’s mansion. It’s a life magician’s house. That shows how easily one can make enough money to maintain a place like that.”

“…I-I see.”

“Also, life magic isn’t just for healing. Body enhancement is strong, too. You can be active as an adventurer. Did you know? This country has a martial arts tournament once a year. And for the past few decades, the winner has always been a life magic user.”

“…I see.”

“Many have even gained noble titles. Life magic users can easily build connections with the upper class and show results. It’s far easier than trying to make it as an adventurer.”

“…Is that so?”

—A confused Konoe was overwhelmed by the instructor’s flood of recommendations.

Konoe was surprised by it. But he listened seriously. Konoe took pride in always being serious — it was the only strength he believed he had.

“And your lifespan increases, too. Well, anyone’s lifespan increases if their magical or life power grows. But with life magic, you can stay young and beautiful for a very long time.”

“…I see?”

The instructor kept pitching life magic to Konoe.

This is good, that is good — Konoe listened with a serious face, but—

(—Still, how should I put it,)

—to Konoe, this instructor seemed like someone who only said good things.

The fact that no downsides were mentioned made it feel suspicious.

Konoe was extremely skeptical. Just as much as he was serious, he was also skeptical.

Being a loner, an introvert, and a skeptic — none of that changed, even after dying once. Konoe’s nature was to always begin by doubting everything.

“……”

…Well, the other party is an instructor. So he wanted to trust her.

But the story was too good. Suspicious swindlers only say convenient things. Also, the fact that she’s beautiful is actually a negative point here. A honey trap.

“…Understood, I’ll consider it as one of my options.”

So, Konoe gave a vague refusal and tried to walk away—

“Wait a sec. Don’t you have a goal? With effort, you can make anything happen, you know?”

—But the instructor stopped Konoe.

Konoe thought, “That’s exactly the kind of thing that makes you suspicious.”

“You’re doubting me? There’s no lie in what I said. No malice, either. It’s just that not many people become top-tier life mages. I’m simply recommending it because I hope more people give it a try. 

—If needed, I’ll even swear to the gods. Everything I’ve said to you about life magic has no lies.”

“…Swear to the gods?”

Konoe was shocked. He knew that swearing to the gods in this world carried weight.

Swearing to the gods is said to be absolute. If you break the vow, your blessing weakens and all your efforts vanish.

All the instructors had said never to do it lightly.

Konoe had also heard stories of reincarnators who said careless things and lost their blessings. The same story was even written in a book in this library.

—So, it certainly added credibility.

“Yes. If you believe me, then think it over once more.”

Looking Konoe directly in the eyes, the instructor spoke slowly.

“For money, fame — and even women, you can have anything. A harem is easy. You can even buy a hundred peerless beauty slaves and have them serve you.”

…………Slaves, harem?

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Character Introduction

Konoe: Reincarnator. Socially awkward. Protagonist.

Instructor: A bit suspicious, but a righteous person. Beautiful. Very strong. Talks as if it’s someone else’s problem, but has been the undefeated martial arts champion for decades.

By the way, it’s true that swearing to the gods is absolute.