Chapter Text
Noah awoke to find a strange sight. An endless void of near nothingness, as far as his eyes could see. Near nothingness, as in front of him was something he couldn’t quite describe.
“So. I have good news and bad news for you.” the practically incomprehensible being said in a feminine voice. “You are dead. BUT you will be being, as you humans put it, isekaied.”
“So just… that’s it? I’m dead?” the now deceased Noah said. “How’d I even die? Can’t seem to remember it…”
“The human mind tends to do that. You were hit by a car going 35mph while driving an electric cart back into the store you worked at.”
“Well shit. Did karma at least pay the jackass a visit?”
“I did pay him a visit. The man driving was not wearing his seatbelt, and was launched out the windshield of his car, breaking his neck on the pavement.”
“Nice. Wait… ‘I paid him a visit’? So, you’re the embodiment of karma? Hold on, can we get introductions out of the way? I’m Noah.”
“Ah yes, how rude of me. As you have surmised well enough, I am [Karmic Retribution]. Or simply [Karma]”
“Nice to meet you. So, I'm being isekaied? Am I allowed to ask where?”
“You are, and due to your actions while alive, I’m allowed to tell you! You are being sent to the Inpherno of the game you know as Phighting.”
“My actions? But I don’t think I was a particularly good person? Unless this works off of inverse rules, but given you’re [Karma], I doubt it.”
“Except you were a good person! Your actions saved the life of your friend, who then went on to become an accomplished therapist, saving even more humans. Because of that, you also get to choose a major boon to help you in the Inpherno!”
“Huh. Neat.” the young man blanked. He had a good idea as to what he would ask for, but the reality of the situation was catching up. He had died. He would never get to beat Palworld with his buddies. He would never see his family again. He is now confused that “family” came after “Palworld with friends” in importance.
He was also able to somewhat understand the form of [Karma]. She(?) was a large noodly draconic being with a white and black color scheme.
“Uhhh… can my gear be the Mirror of Possibilities? Like the thing that the sinners use for identities in Limbus Company. And if possible I’d like to be ME me when I use it.”
“I believe I can arrange for that… but something that powerful goes a bit above what the boon would grant you. There is a workaround we could use though.”
“Let’s hear it.”
“Firstly, you would need to do various things for me whilst in the Inpherno. As that world is two tiers below mine, and one below your’s, I struggle to get down there to deliver retribution. So you would need to do it in my place.” the karmic dragon stated.
“That’s fair. So basically I’d be there to be a Karmic Intermediary?”
“Yes. Next is that you won’t be able to use the full potential of the Mirror immediately. You’d need to build it up by unlocking the Identities for you to use. I believe the currency used to do that in Limbus Company was called Lunacy? I’d be able to give some for doing what I require of you, but you could also use Bux to buy it. The absolute lowest conversion rate I can give is 10:1 Bux:Lunacy.”
“Fair enough, I can work with that.”
“I would also be able to give you enough Lunacy to pull for 10 Identities once you awaken. Now, lastly is that you would be ‘cursed’ by the Inpherno’s standards.”
“So like, I’d have a limb replaced by something?” Noah questioned. He truly was fine with everything thus far for him to have something so immensely versatile.
“You would have a large portion of your torso replaced by a fragile crystalline substance. It could be restored by certain inorganic healing gears and would regenerate on its own, but your chest will be immensely frail.” [Karma] sounded apologetic for how harsh she thought the curse was.
However.
“Sounds good to me.” Noah seemed undisturbed by the “curse” that was to be imposed.
“You are… truly okay with this? Most in your situation would ask for a different boon.”
“Well, clearly, I’m not most.” Noah said.
“You are quite the unusual human. But that will make this all the more interesting.” [Karma] said, somewhat stunned. “Very well, if you are sure, you will enter the Inpherno with all that was stipulated.”
“Quick question before you send me down, how would you reach out to me to tell me who to target for some good ol’ Karmic Retribution?”
“You shall see once you descend. Until then, little human.”
“See y-” Noah attempted to say...
But he couldn’t get it out before he knew no more.