Boosted Restart – A new chance in a different world

A lone girl was walking through the bustling streets of a city during the evening hours while letting out a sigh every now and then. "Come on, get a grip already, Sophia…" She was muttering to herself in a low voice. "All on my own even though I'm still more than young enough… 23 isn't old at all, and I should have no problems whatsoever with finding a partner… I take good care of myself, as well, and love doing sport. It's a weird thing to say to yourself, but I do think my looks are pretty good."

While talking to herself, the girl stopped in front of a shop and glanced at her reflection in its big window that faced the street to lure in customers. Sophia was just shy of being 165cm tall, had a sporty bodyline with long legs and the tiniest bit of tan. Even so, she still had decent curves in the area that were important for her, namely a more than sizeable enough chest for her body type and a slim waistline.

Her honey-colored, blonde hair went well past her shoulder blades and had a natural wavy look to them. The girl's eyes had a greenish turquoise hue, and together with her long lashes, they were a real eye-catcher. The rest of her face, including the spotless skin and the light-red lips, helped with that, too. Besides that, Sophia was wearing a short-sleeved white t-shirt together with a pair of denim jeans and black sneakers.

"Haa…" Another sigh escaped her lips as she continued to walk. "Well, I am into girls… and if you're one yourself, that doesn't boost your chances to find a partner. Okay, no, that's more of an excuse… Others can overcome this hurdle just fine, but… They can interact with girls in the first place… Me being a shy introvert that can't speak with them, yeah, that's a problem."

"Talking to men is easier, at least if it's not too long of a conversation, but that doesn't help me… Wouldn't it be nice if I were into boys instead? Well, I doubt I would be able to ask one out, either, but… I noticed every now and then that some of them seemed to be interested in me in the past, so… Maybe it could have actually worked out? Okay, I really don't want to, actually, but still." Looking around, Sophia laid her eyes on a random boy in the crowd around her and checked him out.

"He is kinda good-looking, isn't he…? Probably? I think so…? Aesthetically speaking, sure… I guess? Maybe? Yeah… yeah?" She actually had no idea what she was talking about, and it was apparent that there were no feelings involved in her assessment. "Well, one is way too less of a sample size, isn't it?" Saying so, she checked out a couple of more guys, but the result was, at best, the exact same.

"Well, that worked out as expected…" While rolling her eyes, she continued to scan her surroundings, and Sophia's eyes eventually fell on an exceptionally attractive girl. She was a bit taller than Sophia and had long, platinum-blonde hair that almost seemed to be white. The girl was also wearing a pure-white summer dress that worked weirdly well with her similarly colored hair and perfectly accentuated her figure. The dress went together with a dark-red handbag that added a bit of contrast and a splash of color to the girl.

Sophia couldn't bring herself to look away. She immediately felt her pulse increasing ever so slightly, coupled with a somewhat warm and fuzzy feeling in her chest. "Of course, someone totally my type shows up now… Yeah, it's definitely never happening. Girls are the only option for me."

"Great, now I hate myself for even thinking about trying to be with a man…" Slapping her cheeks once, she continued to walk around without a goal, only trying to clear her head. This, unfortunately, only made it worse, though. Sophia soon became aware that she had left the bustling shopping street and ended up in a park. A park that was mainly filled with couples taking an evening walk together while demonstratively holding hands with each other.

"Perfect…" Sighing yet again, her mood just kept worsening. "How much I would give to get over my shyness… I really hate being alone but at this point… I don't think I'm able to change myself anymore. It's too deeply rooted in my brain by now. After all, I've been like that ever since, well… puberty hit. Once I noticed that my interest in some of my female friends and classmates in school was… was similar to, or the same as their growing interest in boys… It made me distance myself from them because I thought I was weird, and that's something wrong with me…It all only went further downhill from there on… to the point of not even being able to talk to girls at all. I've really made such a stupid mistake!"

"I want to travel back in time and slap my old self! There was absolutely no need to distance myself from my female friends! They didn't distance themselves from the boys, either! If anything, they tried to get even closer to the ones they were attracted to, instead! That's basically the same for me, save for some minor details. It's not like I'm automatically into every girl I meet or get close with! I could've had friends normally, just like everyone else had! Even the female friends I had back then. Only one or two of them seemed to be getting interesting… Now, though… Yeah, the damage's already done, and I have no idea how I would be able to get out of the pit I threw myself into!"

"Grahh!" Out of the blue, Sophia started yelling loud enough for everyone around her to hear. "I want a restart and get rid of the mistakes that scarred me!" She didn't care about the onlookers. "I want to go to a place where no one knows about me and have a fresh do-over without any baggage! Well, it's not like anyone of interest knows me here…" The girl mixed in some self-loathing. "A fresh restart with a non-corrupted mindset to get rid of my inability to talk to others would be the best thing ever!" While still not caring or even noticing the people around her, Sophia stopped paying attention to her surroundings altogether. She continued to complain about her situation for a good while longer until something finally managed to get her full and undivided attention.

"H-Huh…?" Suddenly, everything in the girl's vision had turned pure white. "W-What's happening?!" Naturally, being beyond surprised, Sophia was confused and began to panic.

Do you really want a restart? An unknown male voice echoed through the place.

"Eh… W-What is going on here?!" Her bewilderment grew even more because she was unable to locate the voice that seemingly came from nowhere.

Do you truly desire to go to a place where no one knows you?

"…" Sophia's face paled. She was clearly getting scared.

To a place DEFINITELY no one knows you. One that's perfect for a fresh start.

"I-I did say something along those lines, but… ehh…?" She couldn't keep up.

I will grant you your do-over if you wish so.

"P-Please wait a minute… What's going on here? Where am I…? Who are you…? What… are you?"

Ah, it seems that some more explanation would be appropriate. A blinding light appeared in front of Sophia. Once it died down, a person appeared. The guy looked like he was in his early twenties, a similar age to her. He had longer, darkish-brown hair and seemed rather casual and unreliable looking. "For what I am… I'm the overseer of this and many other worlds."

"You…?" For her, the title 'overseer of worlds' sounded important, almost god-like.

"Indeed."

"You certainly don't look the part." The shock was so big for Sophia that she entirely forgot about the situation she was in.

"How rude! Though, I can see your point." He looked down at himself. The blinding light from earlier appeared again, and his entire appearance changed. He looked a bit older and more refined, wearing a fancy suit, his hair was perfectly made, and his expression turned firm and serious. "How is this instead?"

"Sorry, your image's already ruined."

"Ahaha, you certainly don't hold back, do you?"

"Weird…" She mumbled to herself after noticing it. "S-Sorry, but well… you do seem like you're someone important. With the whole blinding light and changing trick…"

"I'm glad I got the point across, then." He changed back to his younger self. "Ahh, so much more comfortable."

"Yes, that form certainly is easier to talk to as well."

"Indeed. It's quite fascinating, though. According to my records, you're supposed to have a shy personality. I can't say I see much of this characteristic. What's this about~?"

"Ah!" Sophia just fully realized it. "Y-You're right! Why? How? Eh? D-Did you do something to me…? Being a god and all?!"

"I never said I'm a god. But I get where you're coming from. Being from Earth, this might not be an entirely unfitting description of my position."

"Uhm…" Sophia was still waiting for an answer.

"Your talkativeness is a result of your own doing." His answer was slightly cryptic.

"H-Huh? That's weird… Sure, I'm better at talking to guys compared to girls, but never to such an extent… not even close."

"Maybe we're just super compatible?" He flashed her a cheeky wink with a smile.

"Sorry, not interested." There was not the slightest bit of hesitation in her answer.

"Ah, I got shot down~." He didn't seem sad, though.

"It's not like you… aren't… interesting? It's just… physically impossible for me."

"I'm aware of that. I was just messing around~."

"Eh, you know…?"

"Yes, to be more exact, I know basically everything about you."

"That's… seriously creepy."

"It is, isn't it? Anyway-" He has a very easygoing personality.

"He's actually trying to just ditch the subject."

"Want me to change it for you?"

"Change what now exactly…?" She felt like she missed something along the way.

"You being unable to be with a man."

"W-Wha-" Sophia was too shocked for proper words.

"I'm able to grant you a new body, together with new DNA, hormones, and all that. Well, it's no guarantee, but there's a chance you'll be able to fall in love with a man that way."

"…" Silence filled the area.

"How about it? Before I summoned you, you seemed to be unhappy about your current situation."

"Y-You saw that too, huh…?" She remembered her depressed grumblings from earlier. "… Thanks, but no thank you…"

"Oh?"

"Liking girls isn't the problem…" She paused for a moment. "I actually do like… liking girls, no matter what kind of stupid nonsense I said earlier. I, myself, am the problem in the equation. I couldn't properly deal with being… different, to the point of not even being able to talk to girls anymore. It's all my own personal fault, and I know that, but… I can't change myself so easily now. I have no plans to change my sexuality instead. I hate myself for what I said, even just as a joke in the spur of the moment. I really like girls, and I'm more than good with that. Though I had no luck with them regardless, but like I said… that's my fault entirely. I want to change who I have become and not what I am. If that makes any sense whatsoever to you… Or wait, is it the other way around? A-Anyway, I hope you get what I mean." She confused herself towards the end.

"I see. Yes, I understand. That's fine, then." He seemed satisfied with her answer. "So, instead of a proper start from zero, you would prefer a stat boost, I take it?"

"Stat boost?" Sophia tilted her head, wondering whether the two were using the same language.

"Instead of starting over in a new body from scratch, you want to keep being your current self in your given body, but with better specs. For example, having the powers to overcome your current flaws in your personality, getting a good Boost in every aspect."

"Well, I wouldn't mind being a couple of years younger again, but-"

"Noted."

"Eh? A-Anyway, by boost, you mean… like improving my self-confidence, making me able to talk to girls and something like that?"

"Sure, that too will get boosted."

"Too…? W-Wait, what are you even talking about?!" Sophia wasn't able to make sense out of their conversation.

"I'll get to that eventually."

"No, wait…" She suddenly remembered something. "W-Why am I here in the first place?"

"You only start questioning that now?"

"There was a lot to keep up with… Wait, being in an all-white space, talking with someone equaling god or whatever… D-Don't tell me!" The girl realized something horrible. "A-Am I dead…?"

"Technically not, I suppose?"

"H-Huh…?"

"Well, I summoned you about a second before your certain death."

"Thank you very much! Wait! What's that supposed to mean?! I was just walking around in the city… How can that kill me all of a sudden?!"

"Walking around, lost in thoughts and not minding their surroundings, failing to notice the red light when crossing a street and-"

"Stop right there! I can piece together the rest myself…"

"It won't be something nice to look at. It sure was a big bus."

"I said stop!" She didn't want to imagine her own death, especially when it's such a gruesome image.

"Unfortunately, I was too late, though."

"W-What does that mean…?"

"You see, while I can stop time and summon people to this place, I can only send them back to the same place at the exact same time, meaning-"

"I'll die the moment I go back…" Sophia had become as white as the room she was in.

"Well, a second after that, but yes, that's how it is. I'm sorry for not summoning you earlier."

"No… Thank you… for having a final conversation then… It was… something else, but… nice…" Her voice sounded really heavy.

"Not so hasty, lady!"

"…Huh?

"While it's true that your future on Earth will only last another second, there are other options."

"O-Options...?"

"As I said, I'm the overseer of many worlds, not just yours. If you want to, I can send you to a different world. A world where you'll be able to continue your life for a long time. That's the reason why I asked you if you want a retry in a place where truly nobody knows you when I called you over to this place."

"…S-So it's either that or sure death, is it?"

"Pretty much."

"Ahahaha…" She snapped. "D-Don't tell me all those books I read to kill time were actually legit…"

"Oh, right, Earth does have a significant amount of literature around reincarnation and transmigration, does it not? I should've started with that to make things easier… So, how about it, want to give it a try?"

"G-Give me a moment here… This is too much to take in at once." Sophia naturally was having a hard time with the situation. "W-What kind of world do you intend to send me…? If it's a ruthless and brutal one, the powerless me will end up in this white place soon again anyway, won't I?"

"Don't worry, few of them are any more vicious than Earth."

"That doesn't mean much!" Depending on the area, it can also mean certain death, after all, and those places weren't few on her planet.

"…" The overseer stopped for a second. "You got me there… Well, worry not. I'll make sure you won't get harmed."

"O-Okay…" Sophia only weakly nodded.

"Can I take that as a yes?"

"What is the world you want to send me like? Ah, don't tell me there's magic and all that?!"

"Do you want to go to a place where the usage of magic is possible? Sure, there are a few of them under my supervision."

"Of course… But there are surely monsters all over the place as well, right? Going by the template and all…"

"You can't have the one without the other. After all, that would be too boring to oversee."

"Is that really something you should admit…?" She began to doubt the intentions of this so-called overseer.

"Again, worry not. Even if there are monsters, they won't pose a threat to you, girl." He decided not to answer Sophia's question.

"Are they all like super weak?"

"Sure, let's go with that."

"Hmm…?" She was getting more dubious.

"Anyway, with that being decided, are there any other wishes for your new world?"

"So it's decided, huh?" Sophia lost the will to argue. "Okay, sure… might there be a world where… my preferences are not discriminated against? Or at least… not to a worrying degree…?" She wanted at least a little reassuring about the state of her new world.

"A world where homosexuality is widely accepted, huh? Hmm… Ah, there actually is a world that fits perfectly!"

"Really? I-I want to go there then!"

"As long as that's okay, the rest doesn't matter?"

"Well, I don't want to be too greedy… You're doing me a favor after all… to grant me a new chance…" Sophia remembered that she's basically dead in her old world already.

"What a nice girl you are. Okay, I'll decide the rest, including the fine details on my own then."

"N-Nothing too crazy, okay?"

"Where's the fun in that? I want to enjoy watching your new life, too, after all."

"Ever the creep, huh?"

"What a nice girl." His voice sounded completely different compared to earlier.

"Ehehe~." For the first time in a good while, Sophia was genuinely smiling in front of someone.

"You… You have quite a charming smile." He had to pause for a moment.

"T-Thank you very much… That's the first time someone ever told me that…"

"Isn't that just because you haven't shown it to anyone before?"

"T-That... That might not be entirely unrelated…" Sophia shrunk down a little. "Ah, but don't you fall for me now, okay? I already told you, but there will only be heartbreak for you there."

"You cheeky little… You being shy was a total lie, wasn't it?!"

"If only… I don't know what's going on with me. I hope I can find a GIRL I can talk with in a similar manner in the new world…" She emphasized a crucial word in her sentence.

"Maybe I did mess too much with the personality stats…?" His mumble was barely audible to the girl.

"Did you say something?"

"Ah, no… you'll find out about it sooner rather than later."

"Hmm…" Being suspicious about the guy had already become normal to her.

Well then, have fun in your new world. With a voice much more powerful and dignified, he ended their conversation.

"H-Huh?! Ah, uh… Again, thank you very mu-…" Before being able to finish her sentence, the girl's vision turned dark.

"Sorry, Sophia… I could've summoned you a couple of seconds earlier, but where's the fun in that. Well, I can guarantee that you're going to enjoy your new life much more than the previous one, though.