In a random apartment tucked between two half-broken elevators and a neighbor who microwaved fish way too often, someone was wrapping up an anime binge that had consumed his entire week.
"It's really over…" Daniel muttered, slumping back into the couch with a defeated sigh.
He had finally finished Hunter x Hunter. Every last episode. Every arc. Every tear-inducing cliffhanger. And now he was left with… emptiness. The final episode's credits faded to black on his screen, the haunting music still lingering in the air like a ghost that refused to leave.
He had only started watching the series last week, but the obsession had sunk its claws deep. Daniel had devoured it with the kind of intensity normally reserved for finals week—or leg day.
He was a real fan now. Fully converted. But he also knew the sad truth: he'd probably never see the ending. And if he did… it'd likely be a rushed mess with major arcs skipped or chopped into oblivion. It was the tragic fate of many anime fans, and Daniel was now among them. Another warrior fallen to hiatus hell.
Daniel had pretty much been a nerd his whole life—comics, TV shows, video games, anime, manga—you name it, he loved it. But he wasn't your stereotypical shut-in either. No, no. Daniel was also a gym bro. Yeah. Don't ask how those two parts of his identity coexisted, but they did. And proudly.
He had muscles and opinions on One Piece filler episodes. Most of his friends were gym bros too, though most of them didn't know what a Zoldyck was unless it was a new protein brand.
Daniel hit the gym religiously. He claimed it was for health, but if you pressed him hard enough, he'd probably admit—only in a whisper—that Goku and maybe even Asta were the real reason he ever picked up a dumbbell in the first place.
After shutting off the TV, he stretched, cracking his neck with a satisfying pop. He was about to head to the kitchen when he noticed the apartment was unusually dark.
"Guess my roommate dipped early," he muttered.
There was a weird smell in the air though. Something sharp and chemical. Almost like—
"Ugh. Did he leave his nasty gym clothes out again?"
Grumbling, Daniel stepped toward the light switch, ready to scold his roommate for biological warfare.
Click.
BOOM.
The explosion hit with no warning.
For a moment, Daniel didn't even process it. It was like his brain had taken a smoke break. One second he was flipping the switch, the next—everything went white. Then black. Then red.
His body hit the ground hard, and everything stung. His skin burned in patches, and the air reeked of fire and scorched plastic.
He blinked slowly, eyes struggling to stay open. His vision was blurry, unfocused. All he could register was fire. Everywhere. Some of it was even on him. He was literally on fire.
And somehow… it only itched?
That didn't make sense. He should be screaming in agony, but instead it felt like ants were crawling over his skin. Annoying, not lethal. He closed his eyes again.
And he never opened them.
⸻
"AHHHHH!"
Daniel screamed, lurching awake with a jolt.
But something was… off.
He wasn't in his apartment. He wasn't even on solid ground.
He was floating in what looked like space—but not quite. Around him were gigantic, translucent purple orbs that shimmered like stardust. Some hovered close, others far away, and distant lights twinkled like stars caught in mid-breath.
It was… stunning.
"Beautiful, isn't it?"
The voice came from everywhere and nowhere all at once. Smooth, calm, but with an echo that made Daniel's stomach drop.
He flinched and instinctively spun around, even though there was no real direction to spin in.
"W-who's there?" he asked, his voice tight.
"I am a cosmic being," the voice said matter-of-factly. "And I am here to reincarnate you."
Daniel blinked.
"What?"
"I am reincarnating you," the voice repeated. "Into a new life."
Daniel narrowed his eyes. "Okay, hold on. There's no way this is just random. You didn't just roll a galactic dice and land on me, right?"
The cosmic being chuckled.
"You're right. I didn't."
Daniel's eyebrows raised. "So… what's the reason then?"
Well… there's this whole backstory involving your great-great-great-grandfather making some deal with a cosmic entity, blah blah blah," the voice said casually, as if it were discussing the weather. "But honestly? It's not really relevant to you."
Daniel blinked.
"What?"
"Do you want to hear the story or not?" the cosmic being asked. "I mean, I can tell you, but again—it's not important. Just some generational karma nonsense. Bit of drama. Bit of celestial paperwork."
Daniel hesitated, staring blankly into the star-filled void. "If it's really that irrelevant… then skip it. What I care about is what happens now. Like, what's the process? What are the rules? How does this work?"
The voice hummed. "Simple enough. You'll get to choose the world you reincarnate into. I'll grant you two wishes related to power, and you can freely pick your appearance."
"Alright, sounds fair." Daniel crossed his arms… or at least mimed the motion, floating midair with no physical body to work with. "Let me guess, there's a catch?"
"Of course," the being replied smoothly. "You can't choose anything overpowered. Nothing reality-breaking, no omnipotence, no immortality. The wishes must be reasonable. You're not getting Ultra Instinct fused with the Rinnegan and a pet Time Dragon."
Daniel smirked. "Damn. That was gonna be my third wish."
"I'm not kidding," the being added. "Balance matters."
"Got it, got it," Daniel said, waving off the warning. "Alright then, for appearance… I want to look like Killua from Hunter Hunter."
"You mean 'Killua Zoldyck'—Z-O-L-D-Y-C-K," the cosmic being corrected with an audible sigh, like a disappointed spelling bee judge. "Pronunciation matters when you're shaping reality."
"Whatever. You know who I meant."
"Of course I do," the being said. "But you're asking for more than just appearance, aren't you? When you say 'the perfect Killua,' I assume you mean the Zoldyck bloodline—the instincts, physical potential, talents. You'll need to wish for that separately."
Daniel paused, then shrugged. "Fair point. Okay then, that's my first wish. I want the full Zoldyck bloodline—appearance, traits, talents—everything."
There was a pause. Then Daniel, half-grinning, pointed downward.
"And while we're at it, can I upgrade the snake? You know… trade it in for a dragon?"
"Only you," the being said, audibly amused. "Only you would ask for that during reincarnation."
"Hey," Daniel said with a smirk. "If I'm gonna start a new life, I might as well start it with confidence."
"Fine, fine. Dragon it is," the being chuckled. "Alright, what's your second wish?"
"I want the Goro Goro no Mi—the Lightning-Lightning Fruit from One Piece."
The being was quiet for a moment. "That's… actually pretty reasonable. Strong, but not game-breaking—if you use it well. You've got taste."
"Damn right I do," Daniel said.
"Alright then. Now, for the final question… What world do you want to live in?"
Daniel hesitated.
So many options.
He thought about One Piece—a world full of adventure, freedom, and insane powers. But then he remembered the rampant corruption, child soldiers, death traps, and the small fact that people regularly explode. Fun to watch. Terrifying to live in.
He considered others. Naruto? Too much war. Bleach? Ghost stuff sounded exhausting. Dragon Ball? He'd be a background character vaporized by the time Goku sneezed.
Then he thought of My Hero Academia. Dangerous, yes, but survivable. Most of the population had quirks, society was relatively modern, and unless you picked a fight with a major villain, you could probably live a decent life. And if things got too crazy, he could just move out of Japan and let the plot sort itself out.
"I choose My Hero Academia," Daniel declared.
"Ah, that actually reminds me," the cosmic being said with interest. "There's a unique version of the MHA world you might like. One where MHA is the core where the main story will take place naturally if you don't interrupt it but outside of the story everything is different where you could be beyond your belief it's More chaotic. More fun."
Daniel squinted. "Wait. Are you recommending a custom world? Or did you just predict I'd pick MHA and prep a bonus offer?"
"I'm not manipulating you, if that's what you're asking," the voice replied, almost offended. "I don't want anything from you. I'm not some puppet master watching your life like a drama series. I oversee thousands of universes. You think I've got time to micromanage one reincarnated gym nerd?"
"…fair."
"I'm just offering something I think you'll enjoy. You refused to hear the backstory earlier, but let's just say it connects. This world fits you. So what's your answer?"
Daniel tilted his head. A custom, chaos-fueled world where quirks and Haki coexisted? Where the universe was built to be unpredictable?
He grinned.
"Send me there," he said. "No more details. Just drop me in."
"Done," the being replied.
And just like that, the light swallowed him whole.
He didn't regret it.
In fact, he'd eventually be thankful for it.