Chapter 1: Chapter 1: The survey~.

Looking up from my phone while I was waiting for the page to load, I looked around me. Currently, I was on the train heading home from another boring day at my office job. Luckily for me, the train wasn’t overly crowded today.

 

‘It’s been two months, and my car is still in the shop. I’ll give them one more week, and then I am going to go all Karen on their ass’ I thought with a sigh.

 

Ignoring everyone once again, I looked back down at my phone. However, what I expected to be a new website that was released for manga was instead a notice.

 

~Congratulations! You are our 1,000,000 visitor!!!~

Would you like to take a survey about your ideal reincarnation/transmigration with a few twists?

[Yes] [No]

 

‘Eh? One millionth, hmm.’

 

Taking a peek at the time on my phone, I had another 30 minutes or so before I had to get off the train.

 

‘Why not. These little surveys can be just as entertaining as a manga.’

 

~Awesome! Now, to kick this off, how about you pick which world/universe you would like to go too!~

[Please select one]

 

‘Don’t even need to think about it. DC universe! I would love to hang out with the Justice League. Or, I could be a little naughty and be a villainess? Hehe…”

 

~DC, check! Now who would you like to reincarnate/transmigrate as?~

[Please select one]

 

The list of people I could select was massive. Truly massive.

 

‘I think nearly every person from every popular form of media is here! And more… Oh?’

 

As I was still scrolling down the A’s, I came across two names that I knew and honestly really liked. Artoria, and Artoria Alter.

 

Selecting Artoria Alter, it brought up a sub menu of how much of her I wanted to be.

 

~Artoria Alter~

[All skills, abilities, equipment, muscle memory, instincts, body, no personal memories, no personality traits.]

 

‘I think that’s best, yeah. Be as much as Artoria as possible, without actually being her.’

 

~Good choice! Next is the best part! Maybe. POWERS and WISHES!!! But, what are free powers without a little bit of a downside, right? Every power will have a negative! Please select responsibly. Normally, it’s just one! But since you’re our 1,000,000 visitor you get TWO!!~

[Please select two(2) powers/wishes]

 

If I thought the list was huge for the people I could have been, this list would make it look like a footnote. Luckily, there was a search bar so I put in something I’d like to have as Artoria Alter.

 

~Heaven's Feel: The third magic.~

Gives: Gain infinite mana. Loose your body, but become a solid soul. Limited immortality.

 

Negative: Only powerful souls may see you, and may never change this. Knowledge of this spell will be removed after reincarnation/transmigration to prevent you from casting it on anyone else. Aura will crush weaker souls if not contained.

 

‘Ahh, so this is what they mean by downsides huh? Being unable to be seen by like, 99% of the population of the universe is kind of harsh. Guess I’ll become something like a shinigami from Bleach? But anyway, I like being alone, so is this really a downside? If anything, this is like a discount invisibility!

 

Not being able to cast this on someone, just means I can’t make any friends who can see me immortal as well. Eh. I also assume the limited immortality is because shit can hurt souls in the DC universe quite easily.’

 

Confirming my selection, I started to look for other powers. Which didn’t take me long to come across another one.

 

~Infinite Potential~

Gives: Unlocks your body’s (Soul in your case!) potential for infinite growth and ability to handle any power you attain.

 

Negative: Seals you so you may only exert power slightly stronger than the original Artoria Alter. There are 10 seals, each seal broken will cause your power to increase by 10 times your new base from the previous seal. The final seal will fully unleash you. How to unlock these seals will be hidden for a minimum set time per seal.

 

‘Nice, this would make me a powerhouse eventually. Artoria Alter is already strong as shit, and with all seals removed I’d be able to fully exert my infinite mana to do crazy shit. The negative just limits how much power output I have at one time, so it’s not terrible to deal with.’

 

~All done with your powers?~

[Yes] [No]

 

Selecting yes, and peeking at the time I notice I’ll have to get off the train pretty soon. Focusing back at the screen I grinned a little.

 

~Awesome! Here is the modified status for you!~

 

Name: Artoria Alter

Sex: Female

Age: N/A (looks 18)

Race: Corrupted Heroic Spirit (Modified!)

Tier: 6-B Country level (High 6-B with Excalibur Morgan)

Powers/Wishes: Heaven’s Feel, Infinite Potential

 

Does this look good?

[Yes] [No]

 

I selected yes, as I stood up since I was at my stop. Walking to the train door, I heard a little ping from my phone. Looking down as I started to walk out of the train I read the notice.

 

~You’re all set! Enjoy your new life Casy! Or rather, I should say “Artoria Alter!”~

 

‘Wait, wh-’

 

Before I could finish my thought, my phone vanished from my hand. I was now looking at a hand that had a sword in it, and instead of the expected concrete below me I was standing on grass.

 

Artoria: “What the.. My voice?!”

 

Bringing up my other hand to touch my lips, I started to look around in a panic.

 

Artoria: “What is going on?! Where am I!? And why do I have Excalibur Morgan in my hand?!?!?!”

 

As I was starting to panic, red-black flames started to emerge from my body and sword. This only caused me to panic even more, which started a loop. More panic, more fire.

 

‘I need to calm down! Deep breaths. In, and out. Wait, I am not breathing... okay, deep forced breaths!’

 

As I tried to calm myself down, the flames started to wane and shrink. After several minutes I was calm again, and the flames had gone out.

 

‘Okay, that was admittedly a lot easier to do than I thought.’

 

Looking back down to the sword in my hand, I started to inspect it closely.

 

‘This is really Excalibur Morgan. And these mail gloves I have on… these look like Artoria Alter’s gear…? No way…’

 

Looking around me for the classic water source, I was disappointed.

 

Artoria: “I am in the middle of nowhere. Well, at least I can see a city or town in the distance. Wait, I have mana now. Infinite for that matter. I should know some spells right?”

 

Closing my eyes, I focused on what spells I knew. And surprisingly, there was quite a lot. Waving my hand, a mirror of ice formed in front of me and reflected my appearance.

 

Artoria: “I really am her… and chantless magic huh?”

 

 

What I saw was exactly Artoria Alter in all her glory. Fully armed and armoured. Waving my hand, the reflection did the same.

 

Artoria: “This…. Is… AWESOME! This means I am in DC then too, right?!”

 

Waving my hand, the mirror shattered into snow dust. Looking towards the city, I had a smile on my face.

 

‘I wonder what city this is? One of the main ones, or a normal one.’

 

Looking back down to my sword, I tried to see if I could put it in my soul. Closing my eyes, I focused on my intent to “sheath” my sword. In no time at all, I felt my hand no longer gripping my sword.

 

Smiling, I summoned and dismissed my sword in rapid succession several times.

 

‘Good. It would have been a total pain to have to carry that everywhere. Now, time to go to the city.’

 

Rapidly sinking into my shadow, I appeared instantly in a random alley in the city I had seen back in the field.

 

Artoria: “I really do have all her knowledge. I can use everything like I have done it billions of times. This is awesome!”

 

Nodding to myself, I started to head out of the alley, and onto the street. Leaving the alley, and looking around I was soon pulled from my sightseeing when someone smashed into me.

 

Artoria: “Hey, what the fuck, watch where… oh right.”

 

Looking down at the person who ran into me, I was going to get mad. But seeing them look around beyond confused as to why they hit something, I remembered one of the things about my wishes.

 

‘Right, I am a soul now. Mundane people can not see or hear me anymore. Ha, so much for asking where the hell I am then. Hmm, maybe that store over there has a newspaper.’

 

Walking to my right, and down the sidewalk a bit I turned to enter the store. Looking up at the sign, I let out a small huff.

 

‘Circle J. So close, yet so far. I wonder if all of the store and products will be lamely nam-’

 

Before I could finish that thought however, I had failed to realise that the automatic doors wouldn’t open for me. And I walked right through them, smashing the door to all hell easily as it couldn’t hope to prevent my movement. This caused everyone in the store to turn to the doors expecting some villain or disaster to come their way.

 

Artoria: “Well, this is going to get annoying. I can already tell…”

 

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Everyone in the store was confused though, as there was nothing there. The door seemingly blew out by itself. Their eyes however were suddenly drawn to the floor when I started to walk over the glass towards the newspaper display.

 

???: “What is going on?”

 

???: “The door just blew out by itself? But, why does it sound like someone is walking on the glass?”

 

Ignoring them all, I got to the newspaper stand, and picked one up and looked at the address and main page.

 

The city I was currently in was Jump City, and the main headline read, “The Teen Titans do it again!”

 

‘The Titans huh? Sure, why not. Let’s go pay them a visit.’

 

???: “What the heck!? That newspaper is floating!”

 

???: “Ghost?! AAAHHH!”

 

Sweat dropping as several people started to scream and rush out of the store, I just shrugged my shoulders and tossed the paper back onto the news stand. Turning around, and leaving the store I start to feel for the strongest souls around me.

 

Artoria: “Whelp, it seems there are 5 above average souls in that direction. Two of them are a lot stronger than the other three though. Let’s see if it's them.”

 

Sinking into my shadow, I appeared at a building at my destination. Stepping out of the shadow on the wall, I take a quick stock of the situation. It seems some random thug has a kid hostage with a knife to her neck and is screaming at the Titans.

 

???: “Get back! I’ll gut this kid if you do anything! I WILL!!!”

 

Raven: “What’s the plan, Robin. I don’t want to risk using my magic and startling him. That knife is too close.”

 

Robin: “I am thinking, Raven. I don’t like this any more than you do.”

 

???: “Stay back! Get me the money and car I asked for, or the kid gets it!!”

 

Looking at the man's soul, it was very weak. Like nearly every other soul I was able to sense. So, I re-entered the shadows and then started to rise out of his shadow, which happened to be right in front of him.

 

All of the Titans gasped at my appearance and started to panic, thinking I was going to get the girl hurt.

 

???: “I said stay back you damn kids! HURRY UP WITH MY DEMANDS!!!”

 

Fully out of the shadows, and standing in front of him, neither he nor the kid reacted to my presence.

 

‘Expected. Now, time to take care of this garbage.’

 

Robin: “Raven, I am not seeing things right? There is a transparent armoured woman in front of them?”

 

Raven: “Transparent? Robin what do you-”

 

Before she could finish her sentence, I grabbed the man's fist holding the knife, and pulled it away from the little girl's throat. I then proceeded to crush the man’s hand into fine dust. As I was crushing his hand, I felt a terrible rage start to bubble inside just below the surface.

 

???: “AAAAHHH!!! My hand?! What?! GeeeaaahhhHHHH!!!”

 

Screaming, and falling to his knees I let go of his hand, and the little girl made a break for it. As he was wailing, and cradling his arm I went to summon my sword.

 

Starfire: “Who might you be- Wait, stop!”

(A/N: Sorry, I can’t think of making Starfire talk with her broken English. I don’t think I can do it justice, so I won’t bother lol.)

 

My red-black flames lick off my sword lightly near his neck, causing him to shriek in pain and fall to the ground. I look up at the floating Starfire, and ask in a cold voice.

 

Artoria: “Why have you stopped me? This garbage’s soul is black enough that he would have really killed that kid. Tell me, why should I not end him here and now?”

 

Raven: “Because that is a slippery slope.”

 

Robin: “Raven, I can’t hear her very well. What did she say?”

 

Raven: “She’s asking why we are preventing her from killing the man.”

 

Robin: “I don’t know who you are, but it’s not right to kill him. He must serve his time in jail.”

 

Turning my head to look at the rest of the titans, they were all nodding their heads.

 

Artoria: “Fine. But he doesn’t get to be comfortable in life anymore.”

 

Beast Boy: “What?”

(A/M: Will be just BB from now on)

 

Before they could even react, I cut off the man's legs, and incinerated the bits that I cut off.

 

???: “AHH MY LEGS!!! What is going on?!?! AH–”

 

Having enough of his voice, I smash my fist in his face, knocking him unconscious.

 

‘Okay.. I need to calm down. I have never been this violent.’

 

Cyborg: “Dude, that was brutal…”

 

Artoria: “He’ll live. Now, while this was less than an ideal situation to introduce myself to you all, it is what it is.”

 

Dismissing my sword, I turned to Robin and Raven. Giving them a slight nod, I introduced myself as the other three joined them.

 

Artoria: “Greetings, Titans. My name is Artoria Alter. And I would like some… hmm. Help is too strong of a word. Advice? Yea, let’s go with Advice.”

 

Robin: “Advice? Ah, I am Robin. This is Raven, Beast Boy, Starfire, and Cyborg. Does this advice relate to why I can see through you?”

 

Artoria: “More or less, yes.”

 

Starfire: “What do you mean, Robin? I can see and hear her just fine?”

 

Raven: “She’s a spirit! I just realised it.”

 

Artoria: “Corrupted Heroic Spirit, thank you very much.”

 

Cyborg: “Corrupted what now? Well, you being supernatural would explain why my robotic eye can’t see you, but my organic one can, if barely.”

 

Artoria: “That is because your souls are weak. Well, weaker than the ladies' souls anyway. Ravens is by far the strongest soul out of all of you.”

 

BB: “So what do you need advice on, Artoria? Because I think only Raven will know how to help you move on to the afterlife?”

 

Artoria: “I am not that kind of spirit, BB. Normally, I am summoned to fight in a Holy Grail War. But there was no summoner, nor do I sense any of the mana signatures that indicate a Grail War is going on.”

 

Robin: “You’re like a warrior then?”

 

Giving him a nod I think to myself.

 

‘I think I’ll go with this background. I am Artoria Alter in all but memories after all.’

 

Starfire: “How do you, uhh. Normally go back to wherever you were summoned from?”

 

Artoria: “Whenever my summoner is killed, or the Grail War is won or lost.”

 

BB: “What if you die?”

 

Cyborg: “Dude…”

 

BB: “What? … what?”

 

I simply shrug my shoulders.

 

Artoria: “That would most likely work. But, I have never been killed in any of the wars I participated in. And, I’d honestly rather not go back. The Throne of Heroes is a very boring place.”

 

‘At least I assume it would be…’

 

Robin crosses his arms, tilts his head and hums while tapping his left foot.

 

Robin: “Well, I assume you want to- Ah. The medics and police are here for the bad guy. Let’s get out of their way. I still think cutting off his legs was way too much.”

 

I just shrug my shoulders, and shake my head.

 

Robin: “Right. Anyway, as I was saying. From what I gathered, you want to stay here right? Or rather, even if you didn't, you can’t exactly leave?”

 

Giving him a nod, he continued.

 

Robin: “Alright, then why don’t you come back to our tower. I’ll get in contact with the League and we can go from there. Sounds good?”

 

Giving him another nod, he said to follow them. As we started to head to their tower, I took one last look at the garbage being lifted into an ambulance.

 

‘The rage I felt was intense. I really would have killed him… Still think I should for some reason.’

 

Sighing I continue my thought, ‘Well whatever. Let’s see where this all goes. Worst comes to worst, I can be a solo anti-hero or something.’