Chapter 2: It's Good to be Back
As I slowly opened my eyes, I found myself back in a place that was both comforting and unnerving — my living room. The walls were lined with pictures, some of my family, some of my friends, and a few of people I didn't even recognize. But somehow… they all felt familiar. As I scanned the room, I noticed the TV playing an old game show I used to love watching. The colors were a little off, like watching a dream recorded on VHS.
That's when I saw him.
A man — standing casually, leaning against the TV cabinet. He had a slim build, like someone who worked out not for show but just to stay sharp. His black suit was immaculate, lined with golden accents that shimmered in the screen's flicker. But it was his smile that unnerved me. It was warm, like a friend I hadn't seen in ages — yet something about it felt… off. As I tried to form the question in my throat, everything around me seemed to still.
"Hello there, Hundredth," he said, his voice melodic — a devil's lullaby, charming yet dangerous.
"You must be confused. Where you are… and who I am. Well, let me tell you." He spread his arms slightly, his grin widening. "I… am YOU."
"W-What?"
That was all I could manage to say. He was me, but… I'm me.
"I'm guessing Jackson didn't fill you in. He's the guy you met inside that giant glowing sphere. Anyway, back to the point — we got the chance to reincarnate, and I… well, I'm one of your past lives. To be precise, I'm your first life."
He said it so casually, like it was no big deal. Just another Tuesday.
"W-Wait… so… why am I here?"
I asked, trying to wrap my head around everything. Why would my first life want to meet me now?
"Well, to help you understand, I could tell you my whole life story before the other 99 came along but…" He scratched the back of his head with a lazy smirk. "Screw it. Too lazy to monologue. Long story short: I bought a deal that let me talk to my future reincarnations. I came up with this very meticulous plan — save a crap-ton of SP."
He started pacing, hands behind his back, almost like a general explaining strategy.
"Most lives blow their SP every round. No savings. Nothing left for the next life. I thought — what if we all saved up together? From Life One to Life One Hundred. No egos. No memories. Just clean slates building up something big. But I made sure everything was recorded — every moment, every memory — stored in here so nothing would be forgotten."
He tapped the side of his head with a proud smile, like a father watching his child take their first steps.
"And now… congratulations. You've finally arrived. You've got over a million SP points."
"T-Thank you…"
I muttered, eyes lowering. I didn't know what to feel. All of them — 99 lives — gave up their memories, their experiences, their identities… just to give me this chance. They didn't have to. They could've used those points, kept their joy, their families, their pain… yet they chose to hand it all to me.
I felt honored — but more than anything, I felt guilt crushing my chest like a boulder.
"Don't feel guilty, kid. It was our choice. And if I know myself — which I do — we're always curious idiots who don't regret much."
He opened his arms, like a friend greeting an old companion. Without hesitation, I stepped forward and hugged him. Tears poured freely from my eyes. As I looked around at the photographs — flickering scenes from lives I didn't live but somehow remembered — I saw families, friends, laughter, and pain. The warmth of memories never lived washed over me like a tidal wave. My voice cracked, but I still managed to say two words:
"Thank you."
But when I tried to pull away… I couldn't. My tears cleared just in time to see his face twist.
The warm smile was gone.
In its place was a twisted grin — wide, predatory, stretching from ear to ear. Not metaphorically — literally. It was a grin that would haunt dreams for centuries.
Then came the pain. Sudden. Blinding.
I staggered back, gasping. I looked down to see a gaping hole in my chest. Blood poured from it, staining the carpet beneath me. My breath caught. As I looked up — I saw myself. Not a past life. Not the first life.
Me.
But not me.
He wore my face. My body. But it wasn't me anymore.
That thing grinned, voice dripping with mockery. "You must be confused. Why would I do this? Simple. I don't trust you idiots to follow the plan."
His voice sharpened like a knife. "It started with the second life. He didn't want to cooperate — too selfish. Wanted to spend all the SP. So… I absorbed him. His ego became part of this place."
He walked slowly toward me, pacing like a predator.
"And it didn't stop there. Others rebelled. Refused the plan. So I absorbed them too. And you know what I realized? Absorbing them made me stronger — with no drawbacks. So I kept going."
He leaned in closer, his voice now venom.
"You? You're pathetic. A 14-time cuckolded bastard. Cheated on five times. You disgust me. That I was ever you makes my skin crawl. So yeah. I did this. It's not personal. It's just… efficiency."
I paused, blinking. "Oh. You're already dead? Damn. Did I really take that long to explain?"
I shrugged and casually summoned a Glock 22. Without another word, l emptied three clips into my dying body. Casings hit the floor with cold, metallic clinks. Then, as my past current life faded, l stepped forward and absorbed him — like he had the others.
I turned and opened a nearby door. Light flooded the room.
Then—
I opened my eyes.
A familiar hallway stretched out before me — the SP store. Bright. Endless. Clean.
I smiled.
And then I heard a voice.
"Welcome back, Set," Jackson said, waiting just ahead.
"Yeah," I replied, stretching with a grin. "It's good to be back."
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A/N: Sup guys I like to thank to you're support to my work I hope you like this chapter pls comment what you guys think cause I need some criticism to this work but not to much flames In it pls.
As always give some PS to get me motivated thanks.