Why...
Why am I dead?
Another hopeless soul wandered through the infinite dark. It was the place between life and death where an eternity of one's suffering replayed over and over, like a tape recorder.
I–I didn't do anything. So why...
Another lonely trek began. The many gods and goddesses watched the souls with complete boredom.
Nobody cared about the treachery he had faced.
I never wanted to be Emperor. If you had just asked, I would've gladly lost my inheritance...
Mom...
WHY DID I HAVE TO DIE!! I THOUGHT YOU LOVED ME, SO WHY DID YOU DO IT?!
The sudden outburst shook the entire realm. Every soul and divine being in attendance stood still, as if they didn't dare to move in its presence. Their indifference had completely subsided as this new fear gripped their existence.
The soul—once a boy known as Drakis—had somehow taken on a more real, physical form.
Never mind. What was I even saying.
Drakis tightened his fists as he recalled his past life.
The answer was so obvious. They simply never loved him.
The Emperor, his real father, had died when Drakis was five. He remembered his new parents swooping in, acting like they were his protectors.
Like the rest of the empire, he believed them. His 'Father' became a sort of interim emperor, promising to step down when Drakis was of age.
But they didn't want that. All they ever wanted was the throne. They didn't care about me. Never.
Drakis' fists began bleeding as he squeezed them far too tightly. If Gwen were here, she would definitely tell him to calm down.
But there was nobody here. No one but himself.
He was all alone against this betrayal.
His murderers were going to steal the throne.
Those fucking bastards...
Even though he remained silent, Drakis' fury reverberated across the entire infinite dark. Endless souls from every realm and dimension heard this determined mix of pain and hatred and braced against it.
Some feared it and tried to flee to the furthest corners of this endless place.
Others found it enticing. They wondered if that rage would lead to strength, a leader they could follow.
Above it all, there was a goddess who became completely enamored with this man.
The Goddess of Sport, Area.
As she watched this soul break free from the endless shackles of the infinite dark and even achieve a physical form, she couldn't help but wonder how strong he could become.
Smiling to herself, she thought, 'I'll give you this one gift, human. Entertain me. Topple the empire that betrayed you. Dominate every realm and dimension in every corner of existence. It'll be so fun!'
Drakis couldn't hear any of her demands, but he still saw her gift. It was a shimmering screen in front of him that called itself the [Interdimensional Arena].
'What's this?' Drakis wondered, as he had never seen it once in his life.
As if answering his question, the screen suddenly flooded with information.
□●●●□
•– General –•
Name: Drakis Veryan
Age: 20
Lifespan: 80 years
Realm: 9th Star Mortal
Bloodline: Veryan;
Perks: N/A
Skills: N/A
Mana: 0/0
Mental Stability: 100%
Arena Points: 0
Strength: 8
Agility: 8
Perception: 8
Vitality: 8
Intelligence: 8
•– Arena –•
Rank: 9th Star Bronze
Main Team: N/A [0/5]
Fans: 0
Gold: 0
Challenges: N/A
■○○○■
Drakis looked at the information with awe, doing his best to compile all of it.
His starting realm was the lowest possible, which he already knew. He had no Mana, which he already knew.
Yet there was still this arena thing, which had Challenges. Drakis nodded his head as he realized the truth: the system gave him a chance to fight back, to reclaim what was rightfully his.
A moment after this realization, a blinding light encompassed his vision. It was as if a million torches were lit at once.
[Welcome to the Interdimensional Arena. Here, you will battle all kinds of heroes and beasts. Should you win, they will help you create your own empire and new life. Should you lose, this second chance will be little more than a waste.]
The next instant, he was teleported to some faraway realm beyond all dimensions—including the infinite dark.