Chapter 1: Chapter 1: Death and Rebirth
The sun was setting, casting a warm glow over a campus as students meandered out of their classes. Alex Harper was just an ordinary American guy, a college freshman with dreams and aspirations like any other. With his backpack slung over one shoulder, made his way towards the parking lot, his thoughts on the upcoming weekend.
As he walked, he noticed a young girl, no older than ten, standing at the edge of the street, oblivious to the truck barreling towards her. His heart pounded in his chest as he saw the impending disaster.
"Watch out!" he yelled but to no avail as the girl didn't seem to hear him.
Without a second thought, Alex dropped his backpack and sprinted towards the girl.
Pushing her out of the way just in time. The girl tumbled to the ground, safe but shocked. Alex, however, wasn't so lucky. The truck struck him with full force, the world blurring and fading around him as pain exploded in his body. His vision dimmed, and the sounds of the street grew distant.
A man grabbed his hand and tried to hold Alex while asking others to Call an ambulance.
Through his dimmed vison Alex saw the face of the man and it kind of resembled that of Robert Downey Jr.
The pain in his body was gone as if his whole body went numb.
Alex chuckled a bit and said " Mr. Stark, I don't feel so good..." imitating the line of one of his favorite characters, trying to not feel the despair of the situation.
In his final moments, he felt a strange sense of peace, knowing he had saved the girl. Darkness consumed him, and he felt himself slipping away.
.....
Alex found himself suspended in an infinite expanse of white. There were no discernible features, no ground or sky—just an endless void. He felt weightless, floating aimlessly in the pure, stark nothingness.
"Huh? Am I dreaming? Don't tell me I survived after speaking that line!. But damn, that was kind of funny."
Just as he started to look around, a bright light flashed before him, forming a rectangular screen that hovered at eye level. The screen was sleek and blue, its glossy surface contrasting sharply against the white void.
At the top of the screen, bold letters read "Power Selection." Below this title, the wheel was displayed prominently. In the center of the screen, there was a large, colorful roulette wheel, each segment labeled with different powers and abilities from various realms and legends.
Among the labels, Alex could make out titles like "Dragon God's Might," "Phoenix Flames," "Titan's Strength," "Arcane Sage," and many others. His heart raced as his eyes darted over the possibilities, wondering what fate had in store for him.
"Is this the reincarnation trope? Is this real or am I dreaming?"
At the bottom of the screen was a single, inviting button labeled "Spin." Alex hesitated for a moment, his mind racing with possibilities and what this could mean for his future.
"Well Whatever, I got nothing to lose anyways since I am probably dead."
Taking a deep breath, he reached out and pressed the button.
The roulette wheel began to spin, the segments blurring into a whirlwind of colors. Alex watched intently, his excitement and anxiety growing with each passing second. The wheel started to slow, and the titles became distinguishable once again. It ticked past "Dragon God's Might," slowed past "Titan's Strength," and finally, it inched towards "Shadow Monarch's Powers", but ticked past it and landed on the next one.
The wheel came to a halt with a satisfying click, landing precisely on "Shadow God's Powers" A surge of energy coursed through Alex's body, and he felt an immediate connection to something ancient and powerful.
The screen flashed again, and text appeared:
Congratulations! You have obtained the Shadow God's Powers. This is a higher version of Shadow Monarch's Abilities.
Embrace the shadows and master the art of commanding darkness.
Alex stared at the screen, "Shadow God's Powers? This is incredible," he murmured to himself. "I am gonna be damn overpowered if this is real."
The screen flashed again, and the roulette wheel vanished, replaced by a new title: "Item Selection." Below it, a new wheel appeared, displaying an array of items, each one shimmering with latent power. Among the items, Alex could see things like "Celestial Sword," "Phoenix Feather," "Dragon Scale Armor," and many other mythical artifacts.
At the bottom of the screen, the familiar "Spin" button appeared once more. With newfound determination, Alex pressed the button, watching the wheel spin rapidly. The items blurred together, creating a mesmerizing display of colors and shapes. As the wheel began to slow, the items became distinguishable once again. It ticked past the "Celestial Sword," slowed past the "Phoenix Feather," and finally, it inched towards the "Book of Cultivation."
The wheel came to a halt with a satisfying click, landing precisely on the "Book of Cultivation." A small, golden card materialized in front of Alex, floating gently in the air. On the card a book shaped symbol was made. He reached out and grasped it, feeling a surge of potential and possibility emanating from it.
The screen flashed one last time, and text appeared:
Congratulations! You have obtained the Book of Cultivation. This book contains knowledge related to various concepts of cultivation. Use it wisely.
Alex looked at the card, feeling its immense power in his hand. "A book contains knowledge related to cultivation... This is beyond valuable. I already can see multiple uses for it." he said, his voice filled with awe.
The screen flashed again, and the roulette wheel vanished, replaced by a new title: "World Selection." Below this title, the wheel displayed various cultivation universes, each offering unique and powerful experiences. Among the options, Alex saw titles like "Martial World," "Immortal Realm," "Against the Gods," and many others.
At the bottom of the screen, the familiar "Spin" button appeared once more. With anticipation, Alex pressed the button, watching the wheel spin. The options blurred together in a whirl of colors. As the wheel began to slow, the titles became distinguishable once again. It ticked past "Martial World," slowed past "Immortal Realm," and finally, it inched towards "Against the Gods."
The wheel came to a halt with a satisfying click, landing precisely on "Against the Gods" A surge of energy coursed through Alex's body once more, and he felt a connection forming with the new world.
The screen flashed one last time, and text appeared:
Congratulations! You will be reborn in Against the Gods universe.
The Shadow God's Ability and the Book of Cultivation will be stored in the form of cards in inventory of the system.
The said system will only consist of a Status page, an Infinite Storage Inventory and can appraise other beings.
Good luck. Embrace your new destiny and rise to power.
Alex felt the changes coursing through him, his body adapting and preparing for his new life. "Against the Gods.. This is my chance to start anew. Even though this world is fucked up as are the other cultivation worlds, it's great to have another chance at life." he said, his voice filled with determination.
The white void around him started to shimmer, signaling the transition to his new reality. Alex, the new Shadow God, equipped with unparalleled powers and an item of unimaginable value going for a fresh start in the new world.
Within a matter of seconds, Alex disappeared from the white void.