Just Another Reincarnation

IMPORTANT!!! This was NOT written by Einlion. Enjoy. MC POV:
When I opened my eyes, I was in a strange square room. It had no doors or windows, and it was impossible to see the ceiling. On every wall, many paintings in beautiful frames depicted people of different ages in all sorts of situations with matching attires. Some seemed ancient, some seemed brand new with cars and modern technologies, but others seemed like scenes from science-fiction movies. After a closer inspection, I realized that these pictures other than humans also depicted other creatures ranging from elves, aliens, and fairies to even dragons and giants. All of them had a certain quality. They seemed alive to the point that I started to think about them as screens playing videos rather than simple pictures. The floor, at first glance, seemed to be made from a highly reflective black stone. What proved that assumption wrong was the fact that all the reflected paintings turned into death scenes.
After having enough of admiring the artwork, I realized that a few meters further from me, behind a massive and finely decorated desk, on a very comfortable-looking leathery armchair, a person was seated. It was hard to discern their gender because their silhouette constantly changed. The changes ranged from the length of their hair, eye color, and height to age and race, leaving me with a feeling of incongruity.
The strange person looked at me and said, "I think you had enough time to gawk at my office". The person behind the desk smiled. "Come and sit here," they added.
Suddenly a chair similar to the one the strange person was sitting on appeared, which startled me a little bit. I had no idea what was happening, so I decided to be obedient, and while still a little astonished, I nodded my head and sat down.
The strange person looked at me curiously, which made me feel a little uncomfortable. "How is it?" they appended.
Not sure what they meant, I nervously looked at them and replied with a slight stutter, "W-What do you mean?"
I am so nervous...
"I am asking what do you think about my office?" they clarified. "You have been scrutinizing it for at least an hour. Did you fall in love with it~?" they asked teasingly. "I am sorry, but I don't plan to hand it over~."
What did he say? One hour?! I felt like it was at most five minutes...
I tried to appear calm, but my face probably showed how anxious and disoriented I felt, and after a while, a gentle light enveloped me. It felt like bathing in the rays of the morning sun, a comfortable experience.
Too bad my wild and perverted imagination interpreted it as a little strange. It felt as if something permeated my body...
Oy, oy! Did I lose some kind of spiritual virginity or something?! The next moment this strange feeling disappeared, but I was calm. Calmer than I could remember ever being.
"Since you have calmed down, let us continue." they nodded in satisfaction. "I will explain everything and reply to your questions, but first you have to answer my previous question. There is a right order for everything. Is it not right~?"
After taking a moment to sort my thoughts, I decided to say, "Your office is breathtakingly beautiful. I have never seen such life-like paintings. Even more amazing is what they depict. As an artist, I can't wrap my head around how a dragon, a creature from legends, can be painted with so much detail. The same applies to the paintings depicting what appears to be science-fiction, but there is something more important that I have to ask." I smiled awkwardly. "What is wrong with your appearance? I am sorry, but it makes me unable to concentrate." I asked.
After pondering for a moment, he turned into a man of Caucasian descent. He had silver hair, seemingly made out of precious metal, black eyes as dark as the abyss, and pale skin. His similarly ever-changing clothes turned into a black suit accompanied by a black shirt and golden colored tie, with some mystical symbols on it.
His features become so perfectly sculpted that he could give any actor or model a run for their money. He was handsome to the point that he seemed ethereal. I felt a little ashamed of myself. Any attempt at describing how good-looking he seemed was an insult. On one hand, I felt stunned, but on the other, I felt envious.
Ignoring my internal turmoil discernable from my expression, the silver-haired man smirked, "Now I hope you feel more comfortable with how I look. So can we continue, or do you have a problem with something else~?"
Is he teasing me? Great, of all the types of people, I had to get a clown!! Not to mention that with how good-looking he is, my orientation is in danger&hellip;
While feeling a little irritated, I decided to answer him calmly, albeit a bit coldly, "Yes. Thank you. Please go on."
Without minding my reaction, he continued, "I think I should start with my name. I have many names, but the one that you can address me with is Matrucksa. To simplify things, I am something similar to a god but at the same time something much greater."
I was a little startled.
God? To meet him means I am dead! Does this mean that he is omnipotent? Can he read my mind? What is he going to do with me?!
Such questions, and more, flooded my mind, once again making me lose my calm.
At that moment, the light from before enveloped me again, and I calmed down.
I should be more respectful. I hate to admit it, but he can do anything to me...
Seeing my actions, he nodded lightly.
"It's good you are aware of your current position. I know what you think and what you want to ask, but the answer is no, I am not omnipotent. I am a god of the endless cycle of life, death, and reincarnation. While I am one of the beings with the most power in existence, I am far from omnipotent." He explained in a calm and reassuring tone. "Also, yes, you died, and we will discuss the terms of your reincarnation. Since you don't possess enough karma to receive a cheat, and you are not lucky enough to get it for free, we will have to make a deal. Also, I promise I won't do anything that will endanger you, so unless you have any other questions, we should get to the main problem."
I felt relieved that he meant no harm and disappointed because of my situation. So many of these perverts and good-for-nothings get cheats and wishes, but I get nothing!!
While reading novels, I always dreamt that maybe one day, I would have a chance to reincarnate, get a powerful cheat and live a happy and fulfilling life. I am aware that many people call it trash, but 'Isekai' is my favorite genre. Unfortunately, I was wrong...
"Now, now, why are you so low-spirited?" Matrucksa asked with a placating smile. "Don't you think that since you are still here talking with me, there is still something good waiting for you?" he asked with a smile. "Since you didn't cause me any problems nor started throwing a tantrum, I have a word of advice for you before I tell you what kind of deal I have for you." He said, and his face gained a sagely expression. "Remember, the only power you can rely on is the one earned through hard work. Most abilities you call 'cheats', can be taken away as easily as given. They may appear without limit, but this is an illusion, and it's only possible thanks to our vast knowledge. If we give someone too much power, he will break like a twig stomped on by an elephant."
What he said made me feel a little better, but also curious about the deal he mentioned.
"Thank you for the advice." I smiled. "So, what is the deal that you have for me?" I asked.
He smiled softly, "I will give you a karmic loan. Normally I would need to use your karma to fulfill your wish and preserve your memories, but I am willing to give you a loan. Remember that depending on what kind of wish you make, the amount of karma will differ. Also, since the deal can't be too good, I will be the one to choose what kind of record you will reincarnate. I will give you a moment, so think about it."
I see. So, I can get a cheat-like power and have a comfortable life. Even if I have a debt to pay, with a strong enough ability, it won't be a big problem. I simply need to help a lot of people.
But... That's not what I want. I enjoyed the stories where the main character was strong and could do anything he wanted. However, I enjoyed more the ones where he was getting stronger and stronger. There is something special about reaching new levels. I love when the ability evolves or a new one appears. If I am the strongest in the world, I will either become a villain or get Saitama syndrome. Not to mention that if what he said is true, I can lose that power and become my old powerless self. The hard-earned meal tastes better than a free one. And he can screw all my plans...
"What happens if I am unwilling or unable to give back the karma I will owe you?" I asked in an attempt to make up my mind.
His face becomes a cold mask at that moment, "I will make sure that you will give it back. I will set it so that your karma can't exceed a certain threshold until we are even. If you deliberately don't pay it back, I will take double the amount, and you can be sure that I have a way to make you accumulate it in less than a pleasing way. However, this is the only restriction I am putting on you, and I am sure it won't take long if you try hard enough."
Hearing that, I swallowed audibly, but he only smiled mischievously at my reaction and added, "Though I hope we won't have to resort to such methods~. I am not a cruel person, but we have to set certain boundaries. Maybe in the future, we can talk on more equal terms."
I nodded. "Can you at least tell me something about the place that I will reincarnate in?" I inquired.
"Hmm... The price of your choice will affect how ordinary your life will be. If you decide on something worth more than 100,000 Karma then you will become part of the 'plot' like it or not. Once you become 15, you will need quite a lot of power. Unless you want to be the one rescued, I suggest you start your training as fast as possible. There may be some minor events until then, but nothing dangerous for your life, so no worries. I am not going to reincarnate you only to have you die again soon after." Matrucksa said to reassure me.
I looked at him with a resolute expression. "I accept your offer. I wish for something that will aid me in becoming stronger, will make me free, and will evolve in response to my desires. Is that possible?"
"But of course~. I am truly happy to hear that. You see, I have a very troublesome matter that I need to be taken care of. Every being will, or already went through the reincarnation cycle at some point." Matrucks said.
"Even beings like you?" I asked, prompted by my curiosity.
"Yes. Eternity will wear down anyone, even us Concepts. Once in a while, we need a reset, but we are fated to reach the same position again. You could say we are the ultimate forms of cheats." he laughed.
"I see," I said in understanding.
"As I was saying, everyone goes through the cycle. However, not everyone is lucky enough to talk with me. You either need to believe in reincarnation, be familiar with the concept and have no other faith, or gather a great amount of karma. Then, you can divide these people into three more categories. First are the ones willing to listen and know their place like you. The second group is the people full of arrogance and entitlement, who outright demand an ability without paying the price. The third and the last group consists of people that go through a mental breakdown upon realizing their situation. Even the light that helped you calm down can't help them. As a result, I have to wipe out their memories and reincarnate them at random. This means that the number of people I can entrust with this matter is even lower." Matrucksa explained.
"Does it mean you can trust me with an important mission? Sorry to disappoint you, but I am not as good as you think." I said with a sad smile. "Excluding my ability to draw I was always average in everything. Even then, I knew people much better than me." I added.
"There is nothing wrong with that. I will provide you with what you need to become exceptional. I gave the same advice to everyone patient enough to listen. I have already talked with thousands. Sadly, they preferred a quick power-up. Do you still think you are average?" Matrucksa asked.
I smiled lightly. "No. I no longer think so. Please tell me more about that mission." I replied with a resolute expression.
"Great. Your karma was nothing exceptional, but I can say you lived without causing harm to others. I don't hope for much more excluding the mission. You see, some reincarnators receive VERY special items, provided by other concepts. I am obligated to give them out due to my role, whether I agree with that concepts choice or not. These reincarnators created a community outside the worlds. A city housing millions of them and people they brought from other worlds, willing or otherwise. They are attempting to create a new reincarnation cycle outside my jurisdiction to prevent me from stripping them of their power and memories once they die. I want you to stop them. I will leave the method up to you." Matrucks explained.
"How much time do I have?" I inquired.
"Time isn't an issue. You will understand it once you become stronger, but time is simply an illusion. What you need to do is becoming a level 6 existence." replied Matrucksa.
"What is a level 6 existence?" I asked, puzzled hearing the term for the first time.
"Beings below only us, the concepts, and the cumulative will of all existence. It's too early for you to worry about it. You are only level 1 at the moment. Here, take this." he said extending his hand.
At that moment, something similar to a black ball appeared. The sphere in his hands wasn't that big, and the whole surface of the ball was covered in mysterious runes that gave off a rainbow hue.
Seeing the curiosity on my face, he proceeded to explain, "The thing in my hands is The Orb of Desires. It will help you in reaching whatever you desire but only if you put in enough effort. I made sure that the 'starter pack' will please you. It will also effectively turn you into a singularity. That means you are the worst enemy of people with time-traveling abilities. The only ones that would even work need to reverse the entropy. Any questions?"
"Actually? Yes, how can I locate that city once I am ready?" I asked.
"The Orb will take you there at that time. I can't go into detail about how I acquired it, but the energy it releases is even purer than mine. If I could, I would use it myself."
"I think I understand," I said while extending my hand towards the black ball. The moment I touched the orb, it disappeared, and my body started dissipating into light particles. Startled by this sudden development, I looked at Matrucksa and exclaimed, "What is happening?!"
"Your time here is over, and you are going to reincarnate. Farewell, boy," he replied.
At that moment, I disappeared from his office.
"I wonder if he will like the surprise I prepared~." Matrucksa mused to himself, now alone. Then he took a sip of coffee that magically appeared in his hand, awaiting the next soul.

IMPORTANT!!! This was NOT written by Einlion. Enjoy. MC POV:
After disappearing from the office, I appeared literally in the middle of nowhere. Despite the dark endless void around me, I was calm.
In front of me, I saw something similar to a holographic screen.
How original...
[Chose your name] was what the screen said.
Name&hellip; What was my name again? Now that I think about it, I can't remember certain aspects of my past life. It may be temporary, caused by my recent death. Better not to worry about it right now. What name would be best? It's a symbol of a fresh start, and I want it to be something cool.
After pondering for a while I have decided on Arthur. Sharing a name with a legendary king sounds awesome, and as far as I am concerned, that's a good enough reason.
"Arthur," I said and the screen vanished, but another one took its place. This one displayed a human figure, and many options allowing me to tamper with its features like gender and height.
I guess this is what I will look like. *Sigh* How the hell did my life turn into The Sims?
After approximately 6 hours of setting all details, I was finished.
Better to be handsome than ugly, and thanks to Matrucksa showing off his ability to transform, I had ample source material.
Still, recreating his features one-to-one seems to be outside my capabilities, but there is probably more to this. I can't compete with him, but becoming a model will be as easy as lying to politicians.
The human on the screen was a 190 cm tall man in his twenties with dark brown middle-length hair but on the shorter side of the spectrum, emerald green eyes, lightly tanned skin, and a lean yet muscular figure, that wouldn't hinder his movements.
After saving the changes, I pressed [Continue], but this time instead of seeing another screen my location changed again.
Everything became black for a few seconds. Then, I found myself looking at a big door.
The first thing I heard was the ringing of the doorbell and the footsteps of someone approaching to open it.
Why can't I move properly!? Why am I so small?!
As soon as I realized that, from behind the door, a man appeared. He had brown hair and thick eyebrows. His eyes were a mix of brown and gold, while his age was around 20 based on his looks.
"A child in a basket?" he said, surprise visible on his face.
No shit&hellip; And I am not a child!?! I wanted to rebuke him but what came out of my mouth was, "Guga!?"
What the actual fuck!?! Don't tell me. What was the point of setting up an adult avatar if I am starting as a child?! Ugh! as if being a teen once wasn't annoying enough.
"Hmm. I don't see anyone near, and it's already dark."(???) he stated as if wondering what to do.
Soon after, the man picked me up and brought me inside his house. Then he took me to what looked like a living room.
I will stay quiet and try to get as much information as possible.
This is better than appearing in the middle of nowhere in a world with middle age setting, but I still can't be sure how safe I am.
"Honey, I think we have an unexpected guest. Come over here for a second," he said in a troubled tone.
"What do you mean?" asked a young woman. Based on her appearance she was a little younger than the man. She had orange hair and yellow eyes. Her face showed surprise and curiosity.
So that's his wife? I don't mind calling her mommy.
"Eh? A child? Where did you find it?" she inquired, visibly confused.
"It was left in front of our doors. Since the doorbell rang I tried to look for the person that left it there, but there was no one around. It's already late, so I think we should take care of the baby for now. Tomorrow we will inform the authorities about the situation." the man suggested, sending me a helpless smile.
"Did you check if there is something in that basket?" the woman asked.
"Not yet. Give me a second. Here." he replied and took me out of the basket, shortly after handing me over to the wife.
"Oh, you were right. There is a message and... money?" he muttered in surprise.
"What does it say?" the wife inquired.
"'Please take care of my son, Arthur. I left you some money and a check.' is all it says." he answered.
"Hmm, what should we do? We already wanted a child. There can't be much difference between having one and two, right? Besides, look how cute he is!" she said and started tickling me.
S-stop it! I-I can't stop laughing. Damn, it's so humiliating!
*Giggle giggle* was what came out of me despite my true feelings.
"Yeah, and the money will be helpful as well." the man said and started laughing, prompting his wife to sigh.
*Sigh* Man always thinks only about money first." she commented.
"Hahaha. It was a joke. Tomorrow we will go and complete the formalities." he said.
I have no fucking idea what is going on anymore... Who left me and the money in front of someone else's door? I need answers!!!
I shouted in my head, my desire to find out what was going on reaching its limit, and as soon as it did, something happened.
&lt;I will gladly provide them.&gt; resounded a soft voice in my head. It lacked any emotions, but it was easy to tell that it belonged to a young girl.
Who are you? Matrucksa never said I will have company.
&lt;I am akin to a guide, an intermediary between you and the orb itself. My main objective is to teach you about The Orb and answer your questions, as long as you are allowed to know.&gt;
I see... What can I do with The Orb right now?
&lt;Right now, The Orb possesses five functions. There are Storage, Shop, Item Gacha, Training Room, and Living Quarters. The names should be self-explanatory. To learn more details, you will need to enter The Orb. Do you have more questions?&gt; she explained, ending with a question.
Why did I turn into a child, and where am I. These are my main questions at the moment.
&lt;The Orb determined that you needed an identity. It would be a lot harder if you appeared here as an adult since you would have no identity at all. it would be too suspicious if a man without any history suddenly appeared. Governments know more than you think. As for where we are? Currently, you are in this world's version of Japan.&gt;
Hmm, that's understandable, but don't you think my situation is suspicious anyway? Also, if this is Japan, why can I understand the people around me. Also, why do their eyes and hair have such a strange color?
&lt;You can understand the Japanese because of The Orb. In truth, you can understand and use any language you want. Also, for the time being, The Orb is influencing people around you to help hide any suspicious behavior you are bound to show. As for the eyes and hair color, it is a result of this world being based on many anime, manga, and novels.&gt;
Can you tell me the names of the people that found me? They will become my new family. I want to know that much.
&lt;The man is called Saibai Yūki and his wife is called Ringo Yūki.&gt;
These sound familiar. Wait a minute!?! Aren't these the names of the parents of the main character of To Love-ru? I am already getting a headache. Not to mention that Arthur Yuki sounds like shit. Well, what is done is done.
Is there anything special about my body? I remember Matrucksa mentioning energy even purer than his own.
&lt;That energy is called Origin. It can be used instead of any other energy and gives your body a special constitution. You are effectively immune to curses, diseases, and illusions that tamper directly with your perception. It also dissolves anything you don't wish to keep in your body, including food, and gives you infinite potential.&gt;
What are the minuses? It can't be without any drawbacks.
&lt;Yes. Due to its purity, it's hard to control and quickly disperses outside of your body. Its power output is also greatly affected by your mind. If you believe you can't do something, the energy will follow.&gt;
Can I access any functions of The Orb right now?
&lt;You can use the Storage, Shop, and Item Gacha.&gt;
I assume that the Shop requires some currency? Do I at least get some free draws?
&lt;Yes. The Shop requires Shop Points, SP for short. You can get these by exchanging items in Shop, after putting them inside the Storage.&gt;
How creative...
&lt;As for Item Gacha, you receive one ticket every 24 hours. You can get rare ores, weapons, Shop Points, equipment, and all kinds of staff. The tickets have different rarities, and to gain higher rarity tickets, you need to use ten lower rarity tickets.&gt;
That's pretty nice. Is there a pity system? Do the uses add up or do I need to use ten tickets at once?
&lt;Every thousand rolls, you receive an item that would be useful to you. The uses add up. You can keep rolling every day, and after ten days, you will gain one rare ticket.&gt;
Good. I have one more question then. How to enter The Orb?
&lt;You will enter it if you fall asleep with such intent.&gt;
Does this mean that once someone wakes me up, I will leave The Orb?
&lt;Yes.&gt;
While I was talking with the voice in my mind, I was taken to the room that, based on its furnishing, was prepared for a child.
They must have been already planning a child for a while.
Soon after they left me in the crib, I fell asleep, despite how excited I felt about entering The Orb for the first time.

Chapter 1: How it always begins