Author's Reincarnation in a Fantasy Setting

"And then the calamity arrived," Akumi said. "I don't know the reason but it arrived sooner than it did in the novel and I was obviously not prepared for it. I somehow survived with the help of Excalibur and all the reincarnation privileges I'd got but now I don't know what I'm going to do.

"Though since you had not come back and Anya was in a depressed state, I decided to help her out of it. I'd admit that since I didn't think of anything except me as real, the partial reason I did it was so that I could get close to her—which I eventually did. Then you arrived and here we are now," he stopped, finishing with his explanation. 

"I see," I mumbled. "And what do you plan to do from now on?" I asked. 

"Honestly," he said. "I don't know."

"I was not able to read much in the novel after the calamity arrived so I don't know what's going to happen in the future—and that kind of makes me feel insecure," he admitted. 

"I more or less expected that," I stated. "And thus I'd like to propose an offer."

It was something I had in mind for quite a long time and it was also the main reason I came here to confront Akumi. 

"What is it?"

"How about you join me? We are both fellow reincarnates, I think it'd be wiser if rather than fighting each other we joined forces in order to survive in this world. I have read the novel quite ahead after the calamity arrived so I know more than you about the future, and if we combined our strengths I think it'll be a better choice," I suggested. 

"What?! Really?! Can we really do that?" he asked in excitement, his eyes shining with hope. 

"Well, I certainly didn't expect you to react this way," I added. 

"I mean, of course. I was also thinking of suggesting the idea that we should join sides, it will be more profitable that way. You know the future which I was lacking and now I know that both of us are more powerful than the average person here, hence we will be able to do better if we work together," he replied. 

'Hmmm, that worked out better than I expected,' I thought to myself. 

After that conversation with Req, I realized that working alone might be the easiest way for me but it was not the most efficient way. Hence I was going to change the way I do things a bit and see the difference in the outcome. 

With that reasoning, I decided to team up with Akumi to speed up some of my plans a bit. Also, if he worked with me or under me then I'd be able to easily keep him in check and make sure that he doesn't do anything to Anya. 

Other than that, he was a valuable asset. To put it simply, he was crazy strong. The only reason I'd been able to win was because he's an idiot, if not for that lucky buff I would've been dead by now. 

And I know I can use his strength to my advantage and make enormous gains with that. Hence, I considered teaming up with him a fairly good choice. 

Obviously, I won't be TEAMING UP with him. It'll seem like that but in reality, it'd be him working under me. 

"So what do you say?" I asked. 

"Of course, I'd gladly team up with you!" he exclaimed. 

"Even though I sliced your body apart a few moments ago?" I added. 

"Ah…well, you were trying to make me realize something. And I was also attacking you at that time. But it's all behind us now, so there's no problem now," he said, smiling. 

'Am I dreaming or is this guy really that optimistic?' I said inwardly. 

"That is certainly a remarkable way of looking at things," I commented. 

I raised my right hand toward him, offering a handshake. He raised his own and then shook hands with me while continuously smiling. 

"Deal," I said. 

"A deal it is," he replied. 

I disabled Eclipse after that and we were back and out of the pocket dimension. 

"Though yeah!" Akumi said, clapping his hands as if he suddenly remembered something. 

"Yes?" I asked. 

"I'm in love with your sister. Can I marry her?" 

A second later the Requiem sword that I'd thrown drilled itself inside the wall right next to his face. 

"Don't even think about it, there's no way I'm giving my sister to you," I stated, making it completely clear that the deal I had with him was purely related to business. Though I somewhat doubted if he had the brains to read between the lines. 

***

Location: The Gannett Town. 

The landscape bore witness to the remnants of devastation, with the ruins of crushed and demolished houses stretching as far as the eye could discern. What was once a flourishing town now lay in utter disarray, reduced to mere rubble and silent echoes of its former vitality.

This of course was the result of the calamity. Along with everywhere else in the world the demon beasts had also run over this town, killing each and every person and destroying everything in their way. 

However, today a little bit was activity was noticeable in this dead town. 

At a distance from the town near the mountain, the ground began to shake—as if an earthquake had occurred. 

The rumbling of the earth increased with each second, the trees that were somehow standing fell and rocks began to fall from the mountains. 

Then an explosion occurred. It was so big that it could be seen from miles away. When the smoke and fire from the blast settled down, the view came into sight. 

There was a hole in the ground and the earth around it had melted and turned into lava. And in the midst of all that was what looked like the figure of a girl. 

She was carrying a staff and her long hair fluttered in the air as she stood between the hungry flames that continued to devour the plants and forestation near them. 

"Ichigo!" the girl said, her voice intense enough to give people chills.