Bog Standard Isekai

Box Stander Isekai - Chapter 1

Gray Grayson stared into the little sideview mirror on his forklift and remembered that you should never, ever start a story this way. Sure, it was a great way to plausibly let him notice his own features: his steel gray eyes and his strong jawline from all the mewing he did. But if any of the web novels he read ever started that way, he would put it down because frankly, that was amateur writing.

He turned his attention back to work, and then realized that there wasn't anything at all in his warehouse job to keep his attention. He was mostly running out the clock until he could go home and watch his favorite anime, or maybe spend some time scrolling endlessly on reddit and discord (he's just like you!).

He'd already put the new inventory away, and the rows and rows of cardboard boxes were stacked fifty feet in the air, high above what the shelves could realistically keep stable. For the heavy engine parts they carried, that was a bit of a risk, but they were expecting a lot of big orders in the morning so it would just be one night. And if Gray was confident in anything, it was in his forklift skills.

No, the only way that those shelves would collapse would be if a truck ran into them. Or if one of the junkies he worked with drove the forklift into them. There were only two types of people that worked underpaid warehouse jobs: junkies and Mexicans. That wasn't racist to say right? He thought it was probably ok since he was pointing out how they were better, but just in case this is something he would never say aloud and never ever put in writing.

And it wasn't true, since Gray was the mystical third-type: The type that needed to pass random drug tests in order to stay forklift certified and keep that extra four dollars an hour.

He glanced at the clock again. It had barely moved. He glanced back at his reflection. Man, he looked good. He was wasted on this job! The only people to impress here were the dudes who worked with him and the ladies in the office, and ok maybe it wasn't a complete waste, because one of those was actually pretty cute.

There was a crash.

Time seemed to stop as an unmarked white truck blew through the thin sheet metal wall of the warehouse, heading straight for Gray.

He was only stunned in shock for an instant. With reflexes he didn't know he possessed, Gray jumped from his forklift and rolled across the ground, barely avoiding the tires of the truck. It smashed into his forklift and drove it into the shelves. They shook, creaked, and then the three dozen layers of engine parts all came down.

Realizing there was no room to run, Gray couldn't help but think of all the safety regulations this warehouse ignored, and how much he could sue for if he survived this.

If he survived.

He didn't.

Before he knew it, Gray was in a plain white infinity. A beautiful female figure stood before him. She wore white robe-like garments that covered almost nothing, like they'd been drawn in place. Actually, all of her looked like she'd been drawn; she was almost a living picture but somehow more real than him.

"Welcome, Brin," she said. "I mean Gray. Well, I'm off to a great start. Sorry, it's been a long day."

"For me, too. Am I dead?"

"Well, yes."

"Who are you?" Gray asked.

"I'm your guide to your next life. You can call me Goddess-kun. I'm different for everyone, and appear to you in a form suited to your life and expectations. An anime girl, in this case."

"That must be why you have such big," Gray flicked his vision upwards, "eyes." He felt his face go hot.

"Oh, don't be embarrassed. This isn't the weirdest or the most perverted form I've worn today," said Goddess-kun.

Surprisingly, that did make Gray feel better. He had such a hard time with girls, though at the same time every girl he met seemed to instantly fall in love with him. (He’s just like you!)

"Now, we have one detail to decide, and then we can shoo you off to your next life. Do you have any regrets? Anything you wish had gone differently?"

"I wish that I had been on top of those boxes, instead of the boxes being on top of me," said Brin. I mean Gray. Damn it!

"I can work with that. Being on top of boxes. Yes, that will work. Here, I've granted you a Class."

Ding! You have a new Class!

You are a Level 1 Box Stander!

Strength: 10

Dexterity: 14

Endurance: 25

Magic: 7

Intelligence: 6

Wisdom: 15

You cannot be immobilized, crippled, pushed, or pulled while standing on a box! Your boxes gain durability relative to your Endurance!

You have the Skill: Soapbox! You have +100 Charisma while standing on a box!

Charisma isn't even an attribute in this setting. That's just for you!

"Wait," said Gray. "My biggest regret was that I was poor!"

"Too late!" said Goddess-kun. "Ta-ta!"

A moment later, Gray opened his eyes. He was alone in a forest with nothing but an old carboard box.