2013 AD, Tōkyō.

1st POV.

I am aware of my deficiencies as a human, my personality is twisted in various way, and I have every complex imaginable, but... I'm superior in every way to the incompetent in front of me.

"Please sir, I'm begging you-give me a chance!", I forced down a disgust to keep my expression stoic and professional, tch, as an HR, how many times had I heard this line now? And yet, this incompetent man before me never learned, never even try to make the effort to clean up his performance, if I gave an ounce of sympathy to this man, it will only cause trouble for the company and the clients.

"P-Please! I have my daughter's college's tuition to consider and the loan on my house...", I'm done listening to this man's excuses, If he cared as much for his daughter and his life, he wouldn't miss out on work and disregard the attempts to make himself better. "You brought this on yourself."

"You've missed work without permission multiple times, and you've ignored the company orders to improve your work ethic- I myself had even offered to help you in many ways in many occasions, but you never even listen nor paid any attention to it. Now then, what reason does the company have to continue employing you?"

"W-wait a second... P-please, y-you can't fire me!", I handed this incompetent a career support book to at least help him find a work based on the order of the corporation, "Please leave and kindly clean out your desk.", The incompetent man before me slumped in his chair, but I do not gave him any sympathy nor care.

I sighed, it wasn't wise for me to lose a composure, I reported this to the senior manager above me and finish the work. As long as I'm being paid for my labour, I'll tell people that they're laid off, even if it's such a hassle.

Obeying the corporation rules are the easiest thing in the world. My hand suddenly felt the drop of rain, and I looked up, the rain started to trickle down, as was obvious as it is the autumn season. I hurried to a subway station to catch a train to go to my apartment in the Saitama area.

I brought up my favourite book, titled 'freedom of choice', As I kept reading into the book, I find my concentration slipping as I remembered the events this day has transpire, regardless of the man's performance, the company are now down an employee, and have to hire a new person again, the employees under me have to adjust to another new worker coming in, account for any mistakes in the said worker and the paperwork required for both.

Regardless, if the man truly care for his families and accommodation as the man has claimed, the man would have adhered to the rules and regulations that were in place to help make everything smoother. It is my duty as an HR to oversee the performance of the workers. This is a professional matter and must be handled professionally, there is nothing personal in it as they are all there to make the company run smoother and to fill their pocket.

Well, at least most of them were- my ambition isn't just filled with using the jobs to pay the rent for an apartment or a family, no, I was aiming to gain a corner office of my own and to eventually lead the leisurely and secure life of an executive, if I follow the rules as a proper worker and blackmail some of the higher ups, I could do that, the thought of that future brought a smile to my face, arrogant and hungry, but a smile nonetheless.

Well at least that was the plan before I was pushed into the rail when the train is going in full speed right in front of me, I suppose the kind of person who gets laid off, will prioritize an immediate, emotional impulse over logic and reason.

Time suddenly stops right before my eyes, people are unmoving, each drops of rain are visible to my eyes, Is this death? My eyes are flickering, I'm trying to get a clue of my situation. "I'm getting tired of this.", a man suddenly said this, "Humans these days, think they are all knowing, and have lost sight of what's right and what's wrong.", another joined in, but it's a woman this time. "They've strayed too far from the laws of the universe and think that the law don't apply to them."

What on earth are these people saying? "They do not have the ability to emphasize with others.", the school girl said suddenly. "And not a trace of faith in their creator.", a pigeon suddenly said.

Wait, The Creator? "Correct.", I think of the gravity of my situation, I was pushed by a vindictive former co-worker into a speeding train and then the being I assumed as 'God' stopped time seconds before my death to speak with me through some random bystanders, and one talking pigeon.

"Indeed.", my panic has begun to subside as my mind became calm, I was right to assume that this is a near death hallucination, I do not believe the existence of 'God' or any other divine beings, looking from both logical and rational perspective.

"WHAT?", several people cried out in a same time, incredulous I suppose.

Beside, how could I, for a certain believes that this is a 'God', thinking logically, only a God or a devil could exist beyond our knowledge of the world. But hypothetically, if God were to exist, he would never let something so absurd as trying to get a point across, and why would he chose a faithless heathen in his eyes like me?

In other words, he must be... "The Devil?", a bespectacled girl asked me, Or perhaps something of a similiar entity, which I would call 'Being X' for simplicity's sake. "Apparently, you truly do lack faith.", the same girl asked, with an irritation written on her face. And if this is 'God' It would be very much an exercise of futility to start lecturing me on faith. If a thing like this is to happen, they need to submit the details to me in advance and in a writing.

"I am that which returns people to the wheel of reincarnation and the tides of fates, initiating rebirth, and as that, there are firm rules I must abide by.", A college student said, gaze becoming cold as he stated "But I shall make an exception for you.", My mind raced as he said this, The wheel of reincarnation, so people did born after they die then? "That is no longer any of your concern.", a vest wearing man stated.

I forced down the panic- Are this being unfamiliar with the concept of 'duty of disclosure'?! And if he claimed to be 'God', surely he would follow the rules he puts into place and avoid heat-of-the-moment decision like this one?

"Administering seven billion people are already beyond my capacity, I'm overworked as it is", a man looking at his watch while clutching his briefcase. "Frankly, reincarnating faithless people are already a waste of my precious time.", a balding bespectacled middle aged man looking on his watch said, scorn audible.

Overwork is the first sign of a failed business model, I knew. Why would people need to cling to something they had no certainty existed if the tools to fill their core needs were widespread and common place? Therefore, people who would cling to 'God' or another would be the one that can't gain access to said tools and needy enough to believe in something to alleviate their suffering, rather than work to overcome it themselves, Only the weak, when they're in a dire straits, cling to someone, a salaryman like me would never do that.

"So, basically, your lack of faith is because of the world you are in", a baby mused.

"You live in a world where needs are met, science are advanced-"

"You have a strong position in society,"

"And you have never been in dire straits before."

And this conversation are not taking a good turn, my eyes are widening as I understood what they are insinuating, while they are technically right, they are also jumping to a conclusions about me too fast! My hand twitched as I try to move and reach the so called 'Being X'.

"If I put you,"

"Into the 'dire straits',"

"You speak of,"

"Your faith,"

"Will awaken?"

T-They must c-calm down! I never have any ounce of an intent to break any of this universal rules about reincarnation!

A city in a crater, with many houses with a crimson roof.

A palace with red banner imaging a fire and a Chinese character below it.

A temple with a cave below it, full of scrolls and histories.

A family in black-crimson robes, dressed in a way that signifies a royalty.

A temple very high up in the air burned as many tanks and soldiers seek to destroy it.

A boy encased in a blue iceberg, and a pair of siblings, brother and sisters freeing him from it.

Bright sapphire eyes that held a smoldering rage and hatred.

"TRY TO LIVE AS LONG AS YOU CAN- IF YOU DIE AGAIN, THERE WILL BE NO FURTHER REINCARNATION, NOW GO."

W-Wait—!

3rd POV.

W-wait what?! was his last coherent thought before every bone in salaryman Ikeda Mikami's body was crushed by a speeding commuter train, ending his life as a worker.

完结.

Author's Note

I was very much curious that what if a pragmatic, cold, and overly ambitious man was inserted into Prince Zuko, he was supposed to be reincarnated as Tanya von Degurechaff, the main character in Youjo Senki, I was struck with an inspiration when I was riding my motorcycle to go home, I welcome constructive criticism and reviews, Ja Ne.

Word Count : 1,714.