Chapter 0: Prologue

"" = Normal talk

'' = talk in mind

[]= System notification or skill ,etc

How does it feel to wake up in the middle of a warzone?

Well, I got a first hand experience of that at this very moment. But let's rewind the timeline a little and see how I ended up here.

So, 26 of November and the year 2022. I just finished my shift and was dead tired because I was dragged along to accompany my superior to check machines in my workplace. I returned home and whipped up some french toast and a double pack of coffee on ice for dinner.

Then to my usual routine, playing games simply took too much time and I have little to spare ever since having university classes and then job. That's why I dropped pretty much all the games I had except Azur Lane, a very low maintenance idle game that I can get done in under half an hour. After that, back to writing more novels.

Just fanfiction that I do for fun out of habit and soon turn into obsession. I have 4 published and 3 more drafts that I play around and adjust whenever I run out of ideas to write the current novel. Which is what I am doing right now. After pumping out chapters after chapters, I experienced burnt out again which is quite normal.

So, without any idea to write more chapters. I turn to reading novels or mangas to seek new ideas for a new chapter. I chose the latter one after almost 3 months of not reading any manga. I read and read those piled up new chapters.

Around 9 pm, I suddenly remembered a manga that was recommended to me but suddenly I ran out of internet quota again. With a reluctant sigh, I cursed the greedy internet provider for making mobile internet very fucking expensive.

The backwater town I lived in is within a third world country. Tech stuff is very expensive to afford and 1 GB Internet that is valid for only a day costs a meal worth of money which I force to pay and skip meals many times in order to get entertainment. A price I am willing to afford rather than spending the rest of my free time in boredom.

Without any internet to use, I reluctantly open Google Doc, an app that I always use to write my novels. Easy and reliable to use. I click on the fine named 'Book 4 CH 119' and scroll down to the bottom to continue where I left off.

"Fuck… what should Ray do next? Kill Gil or make a deal with Rin and Shirou?" Minutes have passed and still no idea pops up in my head as I stare blankly at the screen.

I sighed and opened the music app and played the 'Souls Borne' playlist at random before dropping my phone outside the bathroom and grabbing my towel for a quick shower to clear my mind. The first song that played surprisingly was 'Ludwig the Accursed'. I hum along to the tune while taking a shower which lasts for 8 minutes. By the time I'm done, the next song 'Ludwig the Holy Blade' is playing.

I dry my body and put on a boxer before making a big batch of iced instant coffee. Then I pour myself a cup before keeping the rest in the fridge. Taking a seat on the outdoor kitchen counter with an ashtray and my phone, I light up a cigarette and take a deep puff before the addicting sense of lightheadedness hits my head and clears all the unnecessary thoughts in my mind.

"Hmn, why not progress on one of the unfinished drafts? Not like I have any inspiration to continue writing the next chapter anyway." I muttered before taking another puff and taking a gulp of ice cold coffee down my throat.

"So… who is the next victim?" I said before thinking about the background for my main character.

"The name will be Ray again as usual. But the full name… Ray… Ray… Rayark? Is that even a name? Hmn… How about just Ray. Haah, I'm suck at making up cool names."

"Now his power. I kinda like system more than just power. Easier to manage, though it always gets out of hand real quick."

"Well, system it is. A heavily nerfed [The Gamer] system should do the trick. OP mc is always my Achilles Heel when it comes to writing. Next would be the world…"

Taking a long time thinking, yet none come to mind. I'm not very well versed on most anime since I stopped watching them in 2018. The ones I am most comfortable with are High School DxD or other overused anime. But they were overused. I want something fresh.

Sighing again, I take another puff and look up at the night sky thinking of an idea.

"Tensura? Nah, I don't know how the power works there. No to mention the countries, demon lords, heroes and reincarnators too."

"Hmm… Oh! How about Warhammer? I can just bullshit a lot of stuff by making OC worlds, people and stuff." Nodding to my brilliant idea while trying to reign in my sadistic smile.

"Though, it's too early to throw him there. I need a world that is easy and good as a starter for him to start off."

"Ah, writing novels is such a fun hobby. Best way to get rid of all my negative emotions and feelings. Well, they are just fictional characters. A creation of my own imagination for my own enjoyment." I said while laughing sinisterly like an evil mastermind, monologuing his wicked intentions.

"Well then, name would be Ray, Rayark. Age 18.. no, 8 would be better. Already had an old Ray in the current novel. Then, a heavily nerfed [The Gamer] system and starting world would be Youjo Senki, the manga that I wanted to read but my internet died on me." I furiously typed down the finalized idea for the new novel.

After typing, I put down my phone and quickly took a few more puffs from the almost finished cigarette before gazing at the moon above while taking a sip of the iced coffee.

"What time is it now… 10:27!" I exclaimed after taking a look at the clock on my phone.

"Crap, I still have to wake up early and wash my shoes and other shit. Haah, so little time." I said before quickly finishing up the coffee and went to bed.

As for the effect of the coffee, I don't know if I should be wary of this but coffee barely did anything to me anymore. Even drinking ten more cups wouldn't be able to keep me awake for more than half an hour due to caffeine overdose.

I went to lock all the doors before ending up in my room with my phone and folded the thick blanket into my makeshift bed and pillow. I prefer using this than an actual mattress and pillow for the reason that I rarely live in a place more than six months and the blanket can be washed. For the reason of not having a permanent home, I like to keep my belongings in an amount easy for me to relocate on my own.

With the help of music, I easily fell asleep considering I was also tired from work. Though the weird thing is, I find myself in an empty void. The same void I gaze everytime I close my eyes and try to get asleep, strapped to a chair. As if a criminal going through an interrogation in the movies.

"Well, well, well. Who did we get here today, gentleman."

I heard a voice which made me immediately lift my head and look around to find 4 men surrounding me while I am helplessly tied to a chair. Logically, I screamed for help thinking I was kidnapped by an organ harvester that had been occurring many times in my area. I remember hearing one of the victims was kept alive throughout the entire process to preserve the freshness of the organs while being watched by her old aged parents that are helpless to stop the organ harvesters armed with machetes.

I screamed and screamed like my life depending on it for a few minutes before I became exhausted and my vocal cord hurts.

"Are you done screaming, #####." One of them said with venom in his voice before he spat on the ground and stared at me with hate.

"Let's just kill him and get done with it already. Why even waste time on this useless trash?" Another spoked and caused the leader of the group to smile and break out laughing.

"Ah, Ray-who-got-murked-and-body-stolen." The leader called the man named Ray that had a very dissatisfied glare at me and chuckled a few more times.

"While you are content with a swift death to #####, I don't think the others do. Right, gentlemen?" The other two nodded in reply to the leader.

"The fuck you are discontent with, huh? At least you get to live a long life, getting pussies to fuck and not murdered and has his body taken over, bitch!" The previous one growling in anger and ready to pounce on the one he claimed stole his body. But dozens of golden chains shoot out of golden gates and restrain the growling one like he is restraining a rabid dog.

With the mad dog restrained, Ray sighed and with a tired gaze, looked at the source of not just his. But other RAY's grief and suffering. All the suffering they went through is for the entertainment and relief of this sick bastard who is also responsible for their creations.

"To prevent any future RAY's from becoming a puppet of entertainment for a sick bastard like you! We decided to take the matter into our own hands."

"Indeed, so. A quick death is too lenient for your crime. Thus we decided to give you the taste of your own medicine." Ray Elliot, the leader of the group, said and smirked in amusement.

"Well, ignoring the mad dog. Do everyone else agree with this verdict?" Elliot asked and the other two nodded while the restrained one still bark out his dissatisfaction.

Ray Elliot conjured my phone and took a look at it while rubbing his chin, in deep thoughts before smiling.

"Hmn, a new RAY is about to be created huh. I think I have an idea where to send you to, as your punishment." He said and summoned a spear that was unmistakable to be Zenith, the spear which is the divine regalia of Elliot after he became the supreme god of the omniverse he conquered.

"Ah, indeed as you thought. You created me as the strongest of all and become the Supreme God of the Omniverse. But you forget that also means you give me the power to affect you, my creator."

"Still, I am not that evil to throw you into your reincarnation without something to fend yourself. Even when we all hated you to the bone, we are also grateful because without you, none of us would exist after all. It's just that my peers are less fortunate than me."

I look at Ray Elliot who is always smiling and turns to the other three to look at their faces. None of them are willing to look me in the face and turn away in disgust. After all, I am the one responsible for their misfortune.

The spear in Elliot's hand starts to glow and starts the reincarnation process.

"So, any last words?" Elliot asked while the other three gave their attention to me as I hung my head low.

Reincarnation? My punishment? It's more like a dream came true for me. How long have I been waiting for this moment? How much had I suffered this trash of a world where peasants like me are meant to never achieve everything with how the current world and society are engineered.

What do I have to lose? Family? I care little about them other than what little filial piety I had toward my parents that raised me. Siblings? We don't even talk to each other in public because they see me as nothing but a failure working 8 to 5 in a factory while they become teachers or office workers. Friend? I only have two real true friends in my entire life. My bros will cry tears of joy if they know I am finally able to realize my dream of reincarnation and leave behind this shitty world.

Just hope they will read my last will that we all prepared in advance and agreed to. That is to destroy all my harddrive and factory reset my phone. Then bury me along with my Little Cheshire's body pillow cover.

I laughed at their stupidity. Punishment?

"It feel more like Christmas than punishment for me, fuckers. You think sending me off to my reincarnation will make me suffer and reflect on my action? Think again bit- kah! -ches. Hehehehahaha!" A golden chain stabs itself into my abdomen and lifting my head I can see the terrified gaze from the Ray that owns the Enkidu.

"See you all again next time, fuckers. And next time I'll be coming for your heads." I said while the adrenaline rush caused by the sudden injury, numbed the pain.

Before anyone could finish me off, Zenith glowed brightly and I felt myself turn light as if gravity disappeared and my body propelled at the speed of light across the universe.

———

Back in the void-like space.

"You did this on purpose didn't you, Elliot!" The other Ray shouted while tightening his grip on Elliot's collar and summoned his golden armor, ready to fight.

The other two, one binded by chain and another didn't have interest to fight as he is the weakest of the four, being a character of the story that never intended to be completed but was the prototype for Elliot's story.

"Know your place, insect." A normal flick of his finger on the golden armor instantly caused it to cave in and be thrown back quite a bit.

Ray unsummoned the dented golden armor that pressed on his chest and made him unable to breathe.

Another flick of his fingers, two girls. One red and another silvery white. Both have draconic features like wings, horn, tails and etcetera. Both bowed to Elliot and made a curtsey by lifting slightly the edge of their skirts.

"We-"

"Ddraig-"

"-and Albion."

"Arrived to heed your summon, master."

Both were the Heavenly Dragons, reduced to mere eye candies for Ray and something he throws on a weakling that doesn't interest him for a battle.

"Hn. Go and fight that insect. He should be strong enough to match you two in battle." Elliot ordered the two loli Heavenly Dragons.

"Albion can have it. I am still tired from the recent campaign. Besides, Albion has been slacking on his job a lot. Forcing me to take care of them all alone." The red haired loli made a pitiful voice while talking and hugging her master's thigh.

"Tch, shameless dragon. Heavenly Dragon of Domination my ass. More like a domesticated dragon in heat." Albion scowls as Ddraig who embraced her role of the lesser one between her and Ray Elliot. Unlike herself that refuses to submit to that despicable man that humiliated her, the White Dragon Emperor of Supremacy with this shameful form.

Looking back at Ddraig, she is already purring under the affectionate touch of their master. "Shameless dragon indeed." Albion muttered while her cheek started to turn red. She is the Dragon of Supremacy, she will never acknowledge anyone as her master. Definitely not because she was jealous of Ddraig hogging all their master's attention to herself.

With a perpetual scowl on her face that marred the exemplary epitome of beauty that is her face, sculpted by their own master's hands. Albion throws herself against the weird guy holding a weird sword thing that has three rotating segments. Honestly, it reminds her of the cone thing outside a Barber's shop.

"I hope you will last more than a minute, insect." She smirked and threw herself against the enemy of her master's to vent her frustration of that shameless Ddraig. She definitely is not doing it for her master's praise!

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