Keito Tanaka died at the age of seventeen.
The cause of death?
Noodles.
It wasn't some dramatic, high-stakes scenario like a car crash or saving a child from an oncoming truck. No, his life ended in the least dignified way imaginable—choking on a mouthful of instant ramen while laughing at a cat video.
He didn't even get to finish the episode.
One moment he was in his dingy apartment, shirtless, hair a mess, surrounded by empty cups and manga volumes. The next, he was floating in a vast, star-studded void with a thin trail of noodle broth still dripping from his chin.
"…Huh?" Keito blinked, then checked if he still had his chopsticks. "Did I die slurping noodles?"
"U-Um… yes."
A nervous, almost squeaky voice answered him. From the shimmering cosmos, a young woman emerged. She had soft blue hair that sparkled like moonlight on water, and a halo that kept glitching—like a bad Wi-Fi signal.
"I'm so, so sorry! I didn't mean to pull your soul—there was a… um… divine traffic jam and a typo on my quota sheet and I—!"
Keito blinked again. "Did you say divine traffic jam?"
"Yes! I-I was trying to summon a hero from another world and accidentally entered the wrong coordinates."
"You summoned me while I was eating noodles."
"Yes."
He stared at her. "That's… honestly kinda impressive."
She introduced herself as Lunaria, a low-ranking goddess in charge of "Interdimensional Soul Management." Apparently, pulling the wrong soul during lunch hour was grounds for a disciplinary review in the divine realm.
And Keito? He wasn't even supposed to die until age eighty-three.
"So," Lunaria fidgeted, "as compensation for, uh, prematurely ending your mortal experience, I'm authorized to grant you one wish. Within reason!"
Keito crossed his arms. "Anything?"
"Within the bounds of logic and narrative structure, yes."
He didn't hesitate. Not even for a second.
"Then I wish… to reincarnate infinitely. As many times as I want. And I want to keep all my memories from every life I live—including this one and any skills or knowledge I gain. Oh, and Earth stuff too."
Lunaria's mouth fell open.
"Wh… What?"
"That way, I can live every life better than the last. It'll be like leveling up a character in New Game Plus, over and over again."
"B-But… that's… that's…" She suddenly paused. Her eyes glazed over as if peering into a file. "…oh."
The void around them dimmed.
She was reading his records.
All of them.
Every year. Every moment. Every mistake, loss, failure. The bullying. The loneliness. The nights with no food. The endless days in school where no one looked at him like he was real. The betrayal. The heartbreak. The pain he never showed.
Her expression shifted. From surprise to horror. From guilt to sorrow.
"…You suffered."
"Eh," Keito shrugged. "Life's RNG was against me."
"…You were supposed to be a chosen one," she whispered. "But even the world turned away."
He gave her a tired smile. "Then give me a world that won't."
Something changed in Lunaria's gaze then. A determination.
"Keito Tanaka… No. From now on, your soul will be known as Alex ."
She raised her hands, weaving threads of divine light. A glowing symbol—something ancient and complex—floated in the air between them.
"Your wish shall be granted. Infinite reincarnation, with total memory retention. Skills, experiences, emotions—nothing will be lost between lives."
"And," she added, smiling gently, "I'll give you a System. One no one else has. A divine interface made just for you."
A transparent screen appeared before him:
[SYSTEM INITIATED]
Welcome, [Soul ID: Keito / Alex Ashton]
Please select your System Personality:
Stoic Guardian (male)
Cheerful Guide (female)
Tsundere Assistant (??? gender)
Elder Sister Type (Recommended)
Void Option (???)
Keito didn't even hesitate.
"Elder Sister. Definitely."
"…That was fast," Lunaria said, eyebrows raised.
"You have no idea how lonely it gets being the only one who remembers everything."
She didn't argue. Instead, she smiled again—and opened another screen.
Starter Skills:
[Appraisal] – Instantly view the status of any object, creature, or person.
[Absorption] – Take in energy, skills, or traits from defeated enemies or items.
[Skill Creation] – Design and manifest new abilities based on imagination and knowledge.
"…These are kind of busted," Keito muttered.
"Shh. Just take them before the Upper Gods notice."
The System interface folded into his soul, like light being absorbed into a gem. A warmth spread through him—not just power, but clarity. For the first time, it felt like his story wasn't being written for him.
He was holding the pen now.
"One last thing," Lunaria said as the space around him began to shift, "your first reincarnation will be in a distant noble family. Not too important. Not too poor. Let's just call it… a typical reincarnation start."
A grin tugged at her lips.
"Try not to choke on anything this time, okay?"
The void shattered.
Light.
Pain.
Name: Alex Ashton
Age: 0
Race: Human
Status: Initialized
Title: [Infinity Soul], [System Holder]
HP: ∞
Strength: ∞
Defense: ∞
Agility: ∞
Stamina: ∞
Mana: ∞
Intelligence: ∞
Charm: ∞ (Exclusive Attribute)
Skills: Appraisal (MAX), Absorption (MAX), Skill Creation (MAX)
System AI: Aria – Personality: Elder Sister
The journey had begun.
And this time, he wouldn't live to survive.
He would live to live .