Can I be a tree!?
I heard that as I was processing how I am suddenly sitting cross-legged on a mat, with a cool-looking man across an enormous round table that has a gavel on top.
Oh… I'm dead.
What? I'm dead?
Where am I? Is this Heaven? It's so bright, I can't open my eyes properly.
At this moment, thousands of thoughts ran across my mind, such as:
How did I die?
What time did I die?
Was I killed?
Who would kill me?
I haven't traveled the world yet!
Did I waste my life?
What is happening?!
"Calm down." The old-looking, sage-like guy wearing floating robes, has squinted eyes, and floating hair told nonchalantly.
"Alright, cool. Cool, cool, cool, cool, cool, cool, coo—"
"Stop talking."
He seems angry. Oh, he is angry.
"You're dead, my apprentice accidentally killed you." He said to me with a straight face, maintaining eye contact as if this type of thing happens on a daily basis.
Upon hearing that, my heart skipped 5 beats before beating again, and now I don't even know what to think. I'm lost.
I started sweating profusely, I stood up and backed away from him only to be pulled back to where I was sitting by a single wave from the old man's rough hands.
"I.said.calm.down!" He shouted with an unsavory tone.
"How am I supposed to calm down? I have a nice life, I live a peaceful lif—"
"STOP TALKING!" He shouted again as he slammed the table.
Then he waved his hand again as a soft streak of light covered my mouth, rendering me speechless.
"You were not the one who was supposed to die, it was the one living next door to you." He said in a calm tone, then he waved his hand one more time. When the old man waved his hand, soft streaks of light slowly formed an image above the table.
'It's my house' I thought with great shock and disbelief on what is happening
"You died of an unintended heart attack, as the God of Justice, I apologize on behalf of my apprentice." He said, raising his chin.
Wow, what a proud apology.
"As compensation, I will transmigrate you to the body of a demon lord in another world, do you agree?" He asked as he raised the gavel midway of his speech and looked at me.
The soft streaks of light covering my mouth disappeared after the old guy asked his question and I immediately asked,
"Do I have any other choice? Being a demon lord sounds so edgy and cumbersome."
"Alright, you won't be a demon lord."
Phew, I would hate that
"Instead, you could be a nameless civilian, living a boring life, a soldier who serves as a cannon fodder, an animal, a hero, an adventurer, a plant, or mayb-"
"I can be a plant?!"
As soon as the God of Justice heard what Satoshi said, a quick and menacing gleam flashed in his eyes.
"Well sure you can, why not? I am a God, nothing's impossible."
Calming myself down, I contemplated this choice I'm about to make. If I became a normal human, I would live a simple but boring life again. If I choose to be a demon lord, I could probably live very freely, and I will be powerful. But if I were to become a plant, it would answer the questions I've been seeking an answer to.
'How does it feel like to be a plant?'
Sounds dumb but this has been the question that became my driving force to pursue botany and become a leading scientist in that field.
I've decided.
"I'll become a tree." I said to the old guy with sheer determination emitting from the crevices of my face as I looked straight at him.
After I said that, I could solemnly swear that the old guy smiled for a bit.
"It is decided then." He replied as he started to float and the gavel became a huge hammer, streaks of light formed a huge hand which followed the hand movements of the old man as he held the huge hammer with his huge light hand and smashed it onto the round table which, and I am not lying, sounded like trampling animals, but every footstep is like a big gong being smacked.
After he smacked the round table, I disappeared into a flash of light and beamed up the room until I can't be seen from the room anymore.
------------
The God of Justice floated down after he sent Satoshi away and the huge hammer also eventually turned back into a small gavel and the old-man closed his eyes.
A few moments later, the God of Justice opened his eyes and saw a beautiful woman sitting on the round table with her back behind him.
After a minute of silence, the woman said, "This is the first time you've lied in 8121 years" with a seductive yet soft voice, as if mocking the God.
To which the God slowly closed his eyes and replied, "I had to. His soul had a jarring gold hue, and it's too soon for another problem."
"Why was that damned fruit on that realm anyways?" The woman asked as she turned to the God and looked down with a rather unpleasant look on her face
"I do not know either, but it means Yggdrasil has attracted some eyes again."
"Hm, that's bad."
"I know, I hope he dies faster in his new life."
Hearing that, the woman raised her eyebrow slowly and smiled, "Is that why you lied for the second time and still made him Demon Lord?"
"It's the fastest way for him to die and also the fastest way I can get answers to this phenomenon." The God replied with an irritated face.
"Alright then." The woman replied as she left the room in a blink.
After the woman left, the God stood up, waved his hand, then a book appeared in his hand. While weaving through the book, he was whispering "world fruit" under his breath, as if trying to search for it.
Eventually, the God stopped weaving through his book and a few moments later, the God's eyes were wide open, he stumbled a few steps back as if in deep shock before regaining his balance.
"So it will happen again." He mumbled to himself in disbelief.