Year 0, Month 0

I, Lucien, perished. That was an undeniable fact, and truth be told, I found solace in it. To be perfectly honest, my existence had been wretched. 

Comparatively, the life of a destitute wanderer, a beggar in simple words, held more promise than mine ever did. I lacked any semblance of a social life, familial responsibilities, or companionship. What kind of existence was that? It would have been preferable for me to pass away.

However, just as I contemplated committing one of the most abominable acts in human history, fate obliged my desires by sending a colossal 22-wheeler truck hurtling towards me as I traversed the pedestrian path.

How remarkably dependable. If only Amazon operated with such swiftness, the world would undoubtedly be a more desirable place to inhabit. Take my word for it.

In any case, before the agony could even permeate my body, my soul had already relinquished its earthly vessel.

Year 0 Month 2

In a somber and tranquil realm, I found myself alone once more. Amidst this boundless expanse of darkness and serenity, my only companions were the echoes of my own ruminations.

"This is insane. Even in this place, I am left to be alone? Am I plagued by some cursed fate?" 

I pondered. I had anticipated that after my demise, I would finally behold Jesus and the blissful realms of heaven, or perhaps be cast into the depths of Hell and encounter Satan. However, none of these scenarios unfolded before me.

In some respects, my current predicament seemed bleaker than eternal damnation in the fiery depths. At least there, I would have known my destiny: an eternity of punishment for my sins or a joyous existence alongside celestial beings. Here, uncertainty prevailed. I couldn't fathom how long I would linger in this desolate place. Who knows, by the time a “door” opens, I might have succumbed to madness through relentless isolation.

I fervently prayed for divine intervention, desperately yearning for someone to converse with. I no longer cared if it were Nyarlathotep who joined me for tea; any company would suffice. Even an Outer God was okay.

It had been nearly three months since the tragic accident that brought me here, and I had resorted to engaging in these soliloquies to maintain my sanity. Yet, I doubted my endurance could endure this ordeal any longer. I needed to find an alternative, some means to preserve my sanity.

Thus, I devoted every passing moment to discovering a method to enter a state resembling eternal slumber, effectively silencing the incessant chatter within my mind, akin to selecting the "hibernate" option on a laptop. Stripped of all other faculties save for thought, I swiftly grasped the technique. 

Finally, I managed to temporarily escape the abyss of solitude and silence as I succumbed to the embrace of my slumber.

Year 0 Month 5

That slumber I experienced was truly the epitome of bliss. If I had the opportunity, I would gladly shower it with an abundance of five-star reviews. On a positive note, even during my state of repose, I retained the ability to measure the passage of time. 

It seemed that having control solely over my thoughts, without the burden of activating other bodily functions, had its advantages. I focused my mind solely on what I desired, unhindered by the need to allocate mental resources to peripheral tasks. Like breathing and blood allocation.

Consequently, I managed to keep track of time by mentally counting seconds, much like Senku's ingenious method. Admittedly, I didn't bother converting seconds to days, as mathematics was not my strong suit.

Maintaining a sense of time proved to be crucial, particularly in this place where the distinction between day and night was nonexistent. If I were unable to keep track, I feared that my descent into madness would occur far more swiftly than anticipated.

"However, even after awakening from my slumber, nothing substantial occurred," I mused. The darkness remained as impenetrable as ever, devoid of any noteworthy changes that might have captured my attention.

So, what was my course of action? The only answer that presented itself was to retreat back into the realm of sleep. Not that I possessed any alternative choices, to begin with.

However, just as I prepared to once again silence my thoughts and surrender to slumber, I sensed a tremor coursing through the boundless darkness, akin to an earthquake. Although I couldn't visually perceive the darkness, I could feel its subtle contraction, a minuscule reduction that would have gone unnoticed had it not been for the seismic disturbance.

[0.00001% of your soul has been redistributed.] 

A peculiar message whispered into my consciousness. Confusion enveloped me, as my human-like curiosity and insatiable hunger for knowledge surged from the depths of my non-existent abdomen. I yearned to unearth the cause behind the tremor, to delve into its origins. However, in the end, I restrained myself.

Why, you ask? Simply put, I had no idea where to even begin my investigation.

Ultimately, I resigned myself to retreat back into slumber, hoping that future revelations might shed light on these mysterious occurrences.

Year 0 Month 6

As I roused from a brief slumber, I found that the trembling had returned, persistent and unyielding. The shrinking of the darkness also intensified, becoming more perceptible with each passing moment.

Driven by a thirst for understanding, I attempted to unravel the enigma by formulating baseless hypotheses, hoping to stumble upon a significant revelation. Yet, my efforts proved fruitless, as no notable explanation presented itself as a viable candidate for the true cause.

[0.00001% of your soul has been redistributed.] 

[0.00001% of your soul has been redistributed.] 

[0.00001% of your soul has been redistributed.] 

[0.00001% of your soul has been redistributed.] 

The message echoed repeatedly, emphasizing the minuscule portion of my soul that was inexplicably being dispersed. 

Do I now embody the spirit of a benevolent Samaritan, willingly relinquishing fragments of my soul in such a manner? Thankfully, the amount that was taken was negligible. Otherwise, panic would have undoubtedly seized me in this very moment.

And again, the tremors persisted, disrupting the stillness and tranquility that once enveloped the darkness. The shrinking phenomenon intensified, leaving me increasingly agitated. These disturbances compelled me to seek refuge in slumber, yearning to escape the vexing and perplexing experiences that had taken hold.

Year 0 Month 7

Quake!

By the holy grace of Jesus!

The tremors had escalated into an incessant onslaught, ceaselessly shaking my surroundings 24 hours a day, 7 days a week! It felt akin to residing in a neighborhood where a bustling supermarket was under construction just across the street.

Surely, this must be a form of punishment. Not only was I condemned to endure eternal solitude, but now I found myself tormented by the incessant disturbances akin to the clamor of construction workers, even in the realm beyond life itself.

Oh, give me a break!

Year 0 Month 12

The past months had been plagued by incessant tremors, compelling me to retreat into slumber each time I awoke to assess the situation. The ceaseless harassment from the tremors prevented me from remaining awake for even an hour. Thus, I surrendered to an extended period of slumber, spanning a solid five months. 

Remarkably, it was only a matter of days before the first anniversary of my initial demise.

Yet, despite the passage of time, the tremors showed no signs of abating. On the contrary, they grew more intense with each passing moment. As I woke up and concluded my customary examination of the space for any anomalies, preparing to once again seek refuge in slumber, I sensed something... different.

A tremor, while not the novelty I referred to, reverberated through the darkness. However, this time, instead of the darkness shrinking, it expanded in size. Furthermore, I felt an intrusion into my thoughts, as a deluge of data infiltrated my precious mind. Astonishingly, I did not reject it. Rather, I allowed it to permeate my consciousness at a deliberate pace.

[?? has died.]

[0.00001% of your soul has been returned.] 

[Aspect of 'Hearing' has been acquired.]

In that very moment, an event transpired that would forever etch itself into the recesses of my memory. It was the instant when I grasped the true nature of my current circumstances.

"Yhwach! Yhwach! Yhwach!"

For the first time since my posthumous existence began, I heard sound—human-generated noises that I recognized all too well, having once been among their ranks.

Impossible...

Had I just been reborn?