New Life, New Gender (Chapter 1)

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...I died saving three kids from a collapsing building....

...Now, I’m a woman....

...And not just any woman. No. I’m the kind of woman who wakes up in a forest with long black hair, light blue eyes, and a body that looks like it was sculpted by some very horny artist with way too much time on his hands. I stared at my reflection in a puddle for a good twenty minutes, screaming internally....

...“WHAT. THE. HELL.”...

...The last thing I remember is concrete crushing my leg. My body pinned beneath a pillar. Kids screaming. Smoke. Fire. And then— nothing....

...And now… I’m in the middle of a forest. Barefoot. Wearing a white silk dress that definitely wasn’t in my police uniform....

...And a voice... A booming, thunderous, "Konua Jung. You have sacrificed your life saving others. You have lived a life of service, but never to yourself. So i give you a second life."...

...“What in the absolute hell?” I whispered. The voice was melodic, feminine, and utterly terrifying....

...“Not hell, Konua. Quite the opposite.”...

...I spun around, wobbling on unfamiliar center of gravity. A figure stood there, shimmering like a heat haze, formless yet exuding an aura of immense, placid power. It wasn’t a man or a woman. It was just… a presence....

...“Who are you? What is this? Is this some kind of coma dream?”...

...The presence seemed to radiate amusement. “You could call it that. I am the curator of souls. The balancer of scales. You can call me… God, for simplicity’s sake. Your scale was heavily tipped, Konua Jung. A life spent in service, a death spent in sacrifice. You never took a moment for yourself. You never lived. You only saved others who were living.”...

...“It was my job,” I said, the new voice grating on my ears with its lack of authority....

...“It was your nature,” the God corrected. “And such a nature deserves a reward. A second chance. A life to experience, not just to preserve. A chance to… enjoy.”...

...I gestured wildly at my new body. “This is enjoyment? I’m a… a girl!”...

...“A woman,” God said patiently. “And a rather beautifully crafted one, if I do say so myself. Consider it part of the experience. A new perspective. Now, there is one rule. The most important rule. You must not, under any circumstances, reveal the nature of the power I have given you. To anyone. You must remain stoic. Impassive. Let them wonder, but never let them know.”...

...“Power? What power? I feel… weird. Light. Floaty.”...

...“Precisely. A body this form would normally be weak. Yours is not. It is a vessel for strength beyond your wildest dreams. Go on. Punch that tree.”...

...I blinked. “Punch a tree? Why?”...

...“Humor me. It’s a classic first step.”...

...Shaking my head, feeling like a complete lunatic, I walked over to a nearby oak. It was a giant, its trunk wider than my new torso. I made a fist. It looked so small, so delicate. I threw a light, experimental jab, pulling the punch at the last second....

...The impact didn’t feel like impact. It felt like pushing through dry sand....

...A web of cracks exploded from the point of contact. With a deafening crack that sent birds screeching into the canopy, the mighty oak splintered, toppled, and crashed down, taking three smaller trees with it in a domino effect of destruction....

...I stared at my hand. It wasn’t even red....

...“You now possess the power of a Goddess.”...

...“What does that mean?”...

...“It means you have a power as same as mine. But! You must never reveal the power you have. You must remain stoic. You must act... normal.”...

...I blinked. “So… I have to pretend to be weak?”...

...“Yes, if necessary. Otherwise, it'll ruin this realm."...

...“That’s insane... aint it?”...

...“I am the god of the universe. I can turn a planet into a jello pudding if i want. Dont question me. Now, this serves it right, remember dear Konua... Act. NORMAL."...

...And with that… poof. He was gone....

...Silence....

...The wind rustled the trees....

...I looked down at my hands....

...Soft. Pale. Perfectly manicured like I’d never done a day of real work in my life....

...And then it hit me....

...“I don’t even know how to be a woman!”...

...I flexed my fingers....

...I had power. Infinite power....

...And I wasn’t allowed to show it....

...Great....

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