Mushoku Tensei: A Journey

Three months ago, I was diagnosed with lung cancer.

The doctor was honest with me, I didn't have much left.

So like any sane person, I took a massive loan and moved to Japan to spend the last of my days there.

I chose Japan in particular because it's the farthest thing from my parents and ex-fiance.

My parents were young when they had me and wanted nothing to do with me, the moment they could leave the hospital they left me at my grandparent's house and ran away.

Living with my grandparents was difficult, they meant well but they were old, and they could barely take care of themselves let alone me.

After Grandma died, Grandpa lost it, he had no desire to do anything, not even to live, he didn't eat, or sleep, and stopped taking his medication.

You can say whatever you want about the man, but he loved that woman.

Sure enough, he also died, and since I was a minor the only thing he could leave for me was a note, while my parents inherited his house.

He still thought about me though so in the will he obliged them to take care of me if they wanted the house, but that didn't stop them from treating me like a nuisance.

My little brother being born later on didn't help at all, no matter what happened I was the one in the wrong.

It was hell.

When I reached 18 years of age, I was kicked out of the house, I expected it though so I had some savings.

For years I barely got by, doing odd jobs here and there to survive.

Slowly but surely, I bought my own apartment, something I am still proud of to this day.

There I met my now ex-fiancé who was my neighbor at the time.

We had our problems like any other couple, but I thought we could start a family together.

Turns out I was wrong, days after I proposed to her, she broke up with me, taking the ring and moving in with someone else.

I guess my life is pretty pathetic.

My smoking addiction didn't help of course, I was later diagnosed with lung cancer with four months to live at most.

So like any sane person, I sold everything I had including the apartment I valued so much, moving out to Japan to spend my last days there.

Why? I don't know, it just felt right, plus being as far away from my family mess is something I won't pass.

Now you could see me, walking alone in a foreign country, with nothing but regret.

…Hah

'If only I could start from the beginning' I thought to myself.

To be honest, I had many chances in life, I could have picked another hobby instead of smoking, another partner, or another job.

That's just a dead man's dream though.

My thoughts were then cut off by the smell of blood.

I looked up to see where it was coming from.

It was an overweight man, probably around 34 years old, who looked like he was beaten to a pulp.

He was looking at three high schoolers arguing and had a weird almost perverted smile on his face while looking at the scene.

'Well, not my problem. If I get involved, I'll be the one in trouble, since I'm a foreigner and all that.' I thought to myself, but he did remind me of a fictional character.

"Rudeus Greyrat.." he was the main character of a novel known as Mushoku Tensei or Jobless Reincarnation, he too was in the position this fat man was in one day, but after trying to save some high schoolers he was reincarnated in the body of an infant know as Rudeus Greyrat.

I liked that novel, sure the main character was a pedophile in every sense but seeing him redeem himself was a great read.

If only I could get another chance like he did.

When I started daydreaming about what would happen if I were in his place, the rain started pouring on me, dragging me back to the harsh reality.

But really? Is it raining when I don't have a coat on? I know I am unlucky but come on.

Thinking about luck reminded me of the note Grandpa left for me.

'Luck defies fate in its own way, yet it's simple to grasp: when your luck is good, be prepared for misfortune to follow; when your luck is bad, know that good fortune lies ahead. However, seizing that opportunity will always depend on your actions.'

Whatever that means.

Well, I have been unlucky my whole life, so I better be lucky and get transported to a better world, hahaha.

Of course, that's just fiction, when I am dead I am sure I will meet Gramps in hell.

Or so I thought.

Suddenly, a truck was charging towards the high schoolers at incredible speed. 

I didn't notice at first, but the fat man did.

He tried to alert them, but he was pathetic at it, barely forming his words. Despite that, the man ran to the teenagers, grabbed one of them by the collar and pulled him back, pushing him to the roadside where he was safe from the truck. 

He was going to do the same to the other two, but he had no way to do so, in fact, he looked like he was going to be hit too.

Time stopped for me at that moment, I wanted to help, but I couldn't.

Even though I once used to be the quickest guy in my school, I am no longer young, so my heroic act will only take me with them.

However, something wasn't right. 

No matter how much I tried to brush it off, I am certain that I saw the same thing happening somewhere else, no. I read about it, this is exactly what happened in the first chapter of Jobless Reincarnation!

Realizing that, I remembered what my grandfather said. 

"...Know that good fortune lies ahead. However, seizing that opportunity will always depend on your actions."

I ran to the truck, maybe, just maybe, saving these kids was that opportunity for me.

So, I decided to take the gamble.

I rushed over to the kids, who were already terrified.

Before I could react, the truck struck the fat man, launching his body straight at me. He collided with my head, knocking me off my feet.

The wheels of the truck crushed my torso under them. The pain was excruciating. I was sure to die here.

Fuck.

Maybe I shouldn't have taken that gamble after all. Why did I think the words of the old man had any substance?

The last thing I had in my mind was hope that I did the right thing for once.

'Hopefully, at least one of the kids was saved, I hope that they at least have a good life, unlike my pathetic self.'

With the last of my energy, I looked at the fat guy who collided with my body.

'Maybe I will be reincarnated with this man here too. If I'm not delusional and this man is the person who became Rudeus.'

…Hah. Who am I kidding? I'm just delusional. 

'Still… It would be nice if that did happen. Maybe I will get another chance, just like Rudeus…'

And that was my last thought before I fell unconscious from the extreme pain.