20 advance chapters on [email protected]/Saintbarbido.
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The space was dark—an infinite abyss stretching as far as the eye could see. There was no sound, no movement, only silence and shadow.
Then, without warning, a voice echoed through the void. A glowing blue holographic icon flickered into existence, piercing the endless black.
"The Absolute King System has been activated."
The robotic voice reverberated in the stillness, and Mark's eyes snapped open.
Blinding sunlight hit his face, forcing him to blink and look away. He instinctively raised a hand to shield himself, turning his head to escape the rays streaming through the window.
Before he could even adjust, another voice followed.
"The player has been awarded 10,000 points."
The words pulled his attention into sharp focus. Confused, Mark sat up slowly and began to feel his face with both hands.
"Oh damn, no… this can't be tr—" he murmured. He was stunned, the possibility dawning on him with terrifying clarity. Reincarnation. It had actually happened. A part of him had wished for it, fantasized about it… but he never truly expected it to come true.
His eyes fell on the small white tag stitched into the collar of his T-shirt.
Mark Flinch.
"Mark Flinch? What a simple name…"
he muttered, frowning slightly.
He got to his feet and stumbled to a mirror on the wall.
For a long moment, he just stared.
The face that looked back at him wasn't the one he remembered. He was now a young teen—maybe sixteen. His blue eyes were cold, almost icy in color, and his black hair was neatly braided to fall over his forehead. His features were sharp—a chiseled jaw, a straight, slender nose. He was… handsome.
Far more than in his past life, where his face had been round with chubby cheeks and soft lines. Back then, he'd been overweight, shy, and largely invisible. A secluded kind of guy, someone who spent more time on forums than with real people.
He had always believed in reincarnation, always hoped that maybe, just maybe, he'd wake up in a better world. A cooler world.
And now… the universe had answered.
"The player has been selected as the group leader."
The system voice returned, this time echoing inside his mind. An interface appeared suddenly in front of his eyes—a transparent screen, almost like a game overlay.
A blinking button hovered in the center. Without thinking too much, Mark tapped "Yes."
The chat system came to life. A rush of light swept across the interface, and words appeared in the middle of the screen.
"The souls of the legendary kings are yours to command."
Below it, instructions began to scroll down, line by line:
The user will have access to five souls only.
The user can use the skills, abilities, and experience of the Kings.
The user has access to the Holy Grail.
The user has 10,000 points at his disposal, which can be awarded to the King he deems worthy.
Mark blinked. His brain struggled to process the weight of it all. But the words were clear. The system was real. The chat was real. And he… was no longer who he once was.
After a moment of thought, he began to select the five kings who would guide his journey.
"Gilgamesh—King of Heroes."
Prideful. Arrogant. Powerful. One of his favorites. With his treasury and countless noble phantasms, Gilgamesh alone could turn the tides of battle.
"Iskandar—King of Conquerors."
Bold. Charismatic. A king who led with passion and inspired loyalty. His presence would elevate any cause.
"Artoria Pendragon—King of Knights."
Righteous and unwavering in her ideals. Her blade was justice itself, and her will unbreakable.
"King Solomon—King of Mages."
A man of immeasurable wisdom. If Mark was to master this new world, he would need a teacher. A guide. Solomon would be that for him.
"Ozymandias—King of Kings."
This choice was more instinct than strategy. Mark didn't know much about him, but his flair, pride, and ideals would bring fire to the group—and challenge the others.
As he confirmed his choices, somewhere deep in the black sea of souls, five figures stirred. Eyes opened.
Their ancient awareness returned. One by one, they were drawn toward the chat.
A message appeared:
[Mark: Welcome everyone! I am the group lea—]
[Gilgamesh: What the heck is this? Who would dare interrupt me in my slumber? I thought the next Holy Grail War was still ten years away.]
Gilgamesh's voice cut across the interface like a dagger. Mark paused, annoyance flickering in his eyes.
Before he could respond, another message popped up.
[Ozymandias: "Group chat," hmm? What a strange name. Curious…]
[Solomon: It appears this interface allows us to communicate directly. Remarkable. I've never seen magic quite like this.]
They were talking over him—each king asserting their presence, barely acknowledging Mark.
He had had enough.
With a swipe, he locked the chat, restricting messages from anyone but himself.
[Mark: Can all be silent! Now, let's try this again. Welcome, everyone. I'm Mark—and I'm going to be your leader in this group chat.]
He re-enabled their access, watching carefully.
[Gilgamesh: Who is this commoner who dares command a king to remain silent? Does he not know who I am?]
[Iskandar: A commoner with such a tone? Hah! Either brave… or foolish.]
[Ozymandias: I, exalted across all the world, would not take such disrespect lightly. I'll crush him beneath the Ramesseum Tentyris.]
[Artoria: …]
Mark's patience had run out. It was time to show them who held the reins.
He activated a system override and issued a command:
[Ozymandias, Gilgamesh, and Iskandar have been banned from the group chat.]
[Their souls will reside in the Black Sea for five minutes.]
The screen dimmed slightly. Silence returned.
Then one final message appeared.
[Solomon: That's bad for them.]
Mark could almost hear the dry amusement in Solomon's voice. The quiet chuckle that followed sent a chill up his spine.
Few had ever dared defy kings. Fewer still had silenced them.
And yet, Mark had done it without hesitation.