The goddess of reincarnation sat in silence, playing on her Hello Kitty phone while she waited for his decision.
(Using italics for thoughts)
The boy hovered in the air and began to think to himself.
I have three wishes, and I'll be damned if I don't make them count. Let's think about what I want from my new life. First, I want to be a musician—not just any musician, but the greatest of all time. I want to use my music to share my feelings and create miracles.
"Goddess, I want a system dedicated to making me the greatest musician in the multiverse," the boy said.
The goddess looked up from her phone with a deadpan expression.
"You want a system?" She arched an eyebrow, tapped her phone a few times, and picked up a pair of oversized glasses before reading aloud dramatically:
"I hate systems; they just make the MC overpowered. Why can't they just work hard without shortcuts? That would make the story so much more meaningful."
"Systems are so cliché. Can't you be more creative? I mean, the novel's great and all, but the system ruins the whole concept."
"Another system... lazy, uncreative author. Sigh. I guess I'll just put up with it."
"Sound familiar?" the goddess asked, a wide grin spreading across her face.
"...I may or may not have commented something like that on certain novels," the boy muttered. "And I may or may not have indirectly called systems trash. HOWEVER, who can argue with the classic formula? MC plus system equals OP!"
As the great mage Merlin once said: If you're shameless and thick-skinned, you're invincible.
"Granted. You have two wishes left. Think wisely," the goddess said before turning her attention back to her game, sighing as she opened Honor of Kings and headed to the jungle with Zhang Fei to the delight (and horror) of her teammates.
Okay, the system is granted. Now for the other two wishes. Let's not be as unoriginal as a system this time.
What have I always wanted?
After a moment of reflection, a single word echoed in his mind.
Friend. I want a friend who likes me for me and will stay by my side forever, so I won't be lonely anymore.
A certain blue slime came to mind. I was always jealous of him.
"Goddess, I want the ultimate skill, Raphael, like the one Rimuru Tempest has."
The goddess blinked at him, visibly concerned. "I said no omnipotence. Raphael basically makes you omnipotent—it knows everything and understands the laws of the universe."
"Worth a shot, I guess. Then can I have Great Sage instead? It's OP, but not too OP."
"Granted," she said, still focused on her game. If the boy had looked over, he'd have seen the horror show: 7 minutes into the game, 0–19, and a chat flooded with curse words from her teammates.
"For my final wish, I want to travel between worlds—the kind of places I've seen in anime and novels."
"You already can. Your musician system is multiversal. Once your fame in one world reaches a certain level, you'll unlock the ability to travel to others."
The boy paused, thinking deeply. He already had a system and a reliable companion. What else did he need?
After ten minutes of silent contemplation, the boy finally spoke.
"Immortality. I want a body that never ages, is immune to disease, and is incredibly hard to kill."
"Granted," the goddess said, her tone turning serious for the first time. "But I hope you don't regret that wish. Some say immortality is a curse."
"That's just jealous nonsense. Who wouldn't want to stay young forever?"
They locked eyes—and then both burst into laughter.
"You're right," she giggled. "Still, some reincarnators give up immortality because of that warning."
The goddess put her phone down and crossed her legs, her tone finally turning professional.
"So, to sum up: you want Great Sage, a system that helps you become the greatest musician in the multiverse, and an immortal body."
"Exactly," the floating orb nodded sagely. I've made the best use of my wishes I can think of.
Suddenly, the goddess burst into tears.
"FINALLY, SOMEONE NORMAL TO REINCARNATE!" she cried to the heavens.
The orb stared, stunned, as she hugged him tight, whispering her thanks again and again.
The boy awkwardly floated backward. "Uh... are you okay?"
"Do you know what I've been through? Isekaing used to be simple. Just give someone an OP power and toss them into a fantasy world. Then we introduced the wish system to fulfill regrets. But do you know what the last guy wished for? HE WANTED TO BE A VENDING MACHINE. DO YOU KNOW HOW HARD IT IS TO TURN A HUMAN INTO A VENDING MACHINE?!"
The orb blinked in realization. Ah. Divine intervention. That explains it. I knew there was no way a human came up with that on their own.
"There, there," he said awkwardly. "At least I'm normal. Maybe this means you won't have to deal with weirdos anymore."
The goddess sniffled and smiled, her childish eyes sparkling with hope.
"Alright. With your wishes set, it's time to design your new body. Then you'll spin the wheel to determine your race and the first world you'll reincarnate into. Don't worry—you'll be transported at the age you choose, so no diapers this time. That would be gross."