One day, a young man decides to just do something stupid.

He was tired of all the status quo in his life.

Tired of having all his routines dictated by the experts and society, because that's the way it always worked.

The youth always dreamed about achieving the impossible and that the ordinary ways no longer interest him.

Even if everything he did never actually worked, he just did that since he could take the risk—and more because it's fun. He followed his whims and go wherever his heart takes him while minding his own well-being.

"Today, I decide that I'll become a steak," so the youth pretended to be a steak and laid in his piping hot bed, covered in sweat. Making muffled noises as if he's been cooked alive.

"Tomorrow, I'd become a deer," so he made a nuisance in his own backyard, while his family wasn't looking.

"In the future, I will do all the things I could and become whatever I want to be."

The more he tried, the more he loathed his mortal limits. How he couldn't become a dragon or an intergalactic space monkey.

...and he ended up dying as an old man, thinking he was a fool—all this time.

Although he found that there was no heaven or hell—there was nothing at all, besides the fact he now had the power to create things and make them a reality.

He created all kinds of worlds and lived countless lifetimes, though he never found fulfillment. In the end, he could only create things with his limited knowledge and wisdom.

No one could ever oppose him or say he was wrong. Even if it was scientifically inaccurate, he can just make it the new law.

Soon, all that was left was boredom and the only thing left was to wait for his next life.

He waited for a long time before someone finally came to him.

The glimmer of hope that's so infinitesimally small, stood smugly.

He wanted to know, what made this brat succeed while everyone else receiving his power failed?

...but that's probably because this person is a gamer at heart. Not just any gamer, but an absolutely shameless one.

"Old man, if you really wanted to die, why don't you just try dying? It's just like the latest Isekai novel out there but I grew tired of them."

"Don't sweat it--you know you can't really die, but isn't that makes it even less of a big deal?"

The Old Man wanted to scream and shout like usual, "You don't understand! A mere brat like you, I can erase with just my thought."

...but he couldn't. He felt himself losing his omnipotent powers, while he was calm, he couldn't help breaking into tears.

"I still remember my youth, filled with regrets, clear as day. Even if it's not really true, lad, I wish to relive my days once more, but this time, I want all my dreams to come true. I want to live a fulfilling life, instead of actually dying like a fool.

I want to believe my days of being successful in this life are the truth. I don't wish to be a failure."

==

"Gramps, why are you so black and white in your thoughts?"

"Eh?"

While Felix saw the flow of energy coming from the old man, he rejected it completely.

"Why is it wrong if you died like a fool? Did you hurt innocent people or even yourself in the end? Didn't you try your best to live happily within your constraints? I don't see why you should regret them—you should've been proud of yourself. You died like a King, man."

"...but after I got all these powers, life just doesn't feel the same again. I have grown so complacent about this omnipotence, I couldn't bear to separate from them anymore. While it torments me, I always feel..."

"How can you call yourself omnipotent if you don't even have powers to help yourself?"

"What can I do?"

"Just ask for help, see? Like everyone else in need would do. In fact, I'm willing to help you, if you wish to help yourself."

"...but how? I've been spending so many ages in an absolutely dull situation. I have already tried all the things I could until there's only emptiness in me that made me lose grasp in reality."

Felix shook his head, "Just because you're all-powerful, doesn't mean you stop being human. In fact, you sought strength due to your humanity, right? The need for love, acceptance, pleasure, and fulfillment.

I understand that you'd feel lost because you feel like you have too much power, and everything lost its meaning. You felt that you already reached the infinite and there are no more new things—but isn't it just you who decide there couldn't be any more new things? Is it also your mind, that decides on your power, that you couldn't experience something fresh and exciting?"

"Now that I think about it, that was true. Because I could easily create and destroy my friends, I often doubted whether their support is genuine. Because I could decide on everything, I felt sick of them, I actually abandoned the thought completely."

"...and you must have heard, of this saying: can God create a rock which he couldn't lift? I believe they can. Otherwise, God wouldn't exist at all, since he can just destroy himself with his own thought at any point in time since he's also that powerful. By that logic, if you wish to die, you can just will it, but you couldn't despite yearning for it so deeply.

Or perhaps because your process of creation was too easy, you undermined its process, just like how an artist was able to instantly create masterpieces, there must be something they lost, causing perpetual unfulfillment."

"...but how can I put more effort and love?"

"Just put them at your own pace? It's not like I can tell you how to do everything, gramps. Perhaps you can start by living like a human again since you're so out of touch. Though living just like your past life might be boring, so I'd spice things up a bit..."

"I...shall give it a try! Beats than doing nothing anyway."

The Old Man finally let go of his powers, and Felix felt an enormous surge of strength, that lets him able to have complete control of everything.

Be it space or time, or every matter—he can manipulate them at will.

"...but man, I'm too lazy. There are just so many things, and I feel overwhelmed already. I'd rather go home and play games. Oh right, time to attend the party in Leticia's world and welcome the Hero."

Perhaps, it's because he's a gamer, he understood the importance of not using cheats to enjoy the game. While you can enjoy them while cheating, doesn't mean he has to do it all the time.

Felix lived through countless years with different identities and only used his powers when necessary.

He found it strange why the Old Man felt the world was getting dull, while he's impressed by how humanity could come out with so many new things, he couldn't even enjoy most of them.

It might be millions or trillions of years, or even the entire universe had reset several times, but Felix still out there enjoying life like nobody's business. Old friends died, but he made new friends, with new personalities. While some repetitions over his lifetime made seem apparent, he still tried his best to appreciate the mundane more and still thought about how he could best work within the constraints, instead of going full omnipotent.

...and one day, he was back at his current mansion, with his maid, Leticia.

While their appearance changes, and his acquaintances even underwent several reincarnations, there was always a chance some of them would remember the old times.

...and the Old Man was there as well, now currently living the life of a high school girl.

Everyone decided not to dwell on the past.

"Daughter, how is school today/"

"Milady, your tea..."

"Father, I have a girlfriend. Well, I understand you might not approve since we're both girls..."

Felix was completely nonchalant, "Nonsense. As long you're happy and treat your girlfriend well, your mother and I will be happy. We're not even expecting a grandchild."

"T-thanks Father..."

"But if your grades keep falling, I'm going to limit your contact with your lover, understand. You're a good student and I wish for you to go to the best university and have a bright future."

"Yes, I understand. I will study hard for the entrance exams."

Leticia smiled while holding the plate in front of her chest.

"Milord, are you satisfied just playing roles like this?"

"Why not? As long I'm still alive, I refuse to make it a burden or torment. I wish to make it as enjoyable as I could, and if I couldn't, it makes things more fun and challenging."

"Haha..."

Reading the newspapers while sipping his cup of coffee, Felix thought about how to spend the rest of his day.

"Perhaps I should try to support indie publishers more often. I might go golfing with my neighbors in the morning, it's perfect for sunbathing as well..."

...and life goes on.

LazyCultivator

It's been a while since I made a satisfying end to my story--at least for myself. I hope I can write to accept all kinds of things I can discover from the process.

Well, see you at my next works.