[CONGRATS!]
[You've just unlocked the Infinite Midas System!]
[Jackpot! You've scored a whopping 1,000,000,000 Gold Coins!]
[And that's not all—you've also snagged 100,000,000 Platinum Coins!]
[Plus, you've got a library's worth of knowledge with 100,000 Skill Books!]
[Last but not least, you've bagged 1,000 Divine Crystals!]
What the actual hell?!
As if waking up half-naked, hands and feet tied, in a carriage full of people wearing slave collars wasn't bad enough, now I was seeing things. Some kind of screen was floating in front of me, flashing messages like I was in a video game.
Wait a sec, this has to be a dream, right?!
I tried to remember what happened yesterday…
Yeah, yesterday was hands-down the worst day of my life.
My girlfriend dumped me. Why? Because I sold the engagement ring she bought for our wedding to bet on a horse race. And guess what? I lost every penny.
To make matters worse, I couldn't pay back the loan sharks I borrowed money from. They beat me to a pulp and left me on the street. I wandered around like an idiot and then… I got hit by a truck.
Ah, that explains it.
I must be in a hospital, dreaming all this up. Yeah, that's gotta be it. I smiled to myself, relieved.
[You aren't dreaming.]
"Shit!"
I jumped, startled by the voice in my head.
[You've died and now you've been reincarnated.]
A creepy laugh echoed in my ears.
I died?
My face went pale as I looked around, then down at my body. I wasn't dumb; deep down, I knew it was true. There was no way I survived that truck. It flattened me like a pancake.
I fought back the urge to vomit and looked up again. If I really had been reincarnated, what was up with that screen showing me coins and all that stuff?
[This is my gift. You died pathetically, drowning in debt in your past life. I watched you, and now I'm giving you enough wealth to enjoy your new life to the fullest.]
Wait, are you kidding me?
Why did you give me all this stuff?
"You're telling me you just handed me all this for free?" I asked, clearly skeptic.
[Obviously not!]
I knew it! There had to be a catch.
[I've given you wealth and resources that people in this world would kill for, but it doesn't come without a price. I want you to kill three people.]
"Who am I?! John Wick?!"
[No, of course not! You couldn't even keep your girlfriend!]
His words stung, but he wasn't wrong.
"Then why me?" I asked, genuinely confused. "You could have chosen someone better, like reincarnating Mike Tyson or something."
[No, you are the best for this. I'm not stupid, don't worry.]
What the hell?
"I don't know how to fight…and I don't kill," I said awkwardly.
[Really?]
I stayed silent.
Fuck him.
[You have all the time in the world to learn. I've given you enough Skill Books, and you might get more in the future. I hope you can get strong without needing a babysitter.]
I clenched my fists, trying to process everything.
What the hell is happening exactly?
I was just having the worst day of my life, and now…
I looked at the insane numbers of coins. I didn't know what they meant in this world, but it was clear they were abnormal.
But…
I thought about Emma. If I had that much money, I could see her again. Apologize and maybe get back together. There was also my family to think about.
"Can I go back to—"
[No. Not before you kill my targets.]
"Why don't you kill them yourself?! You're a God, right?!" I snapped, annoyed.
[I am a God, but these three people aren't ordinary. None of the Gods have managed to kill them, and they pose a clear threat to both this world and your precious Earth. Just imagine if they reached Earth, that peaceful blue planet. Think about your girlfriend and your family…]
"You're a trash bag."
[Thank you!]
I winced in annoyance, realizing I was stuck in this bizarre situation whether I liked it or not.
But now, at least I had a new life.
If I could pull off killing those guys, I might have a shot at getting back to Emma. The memory of her tear-streaked face flashed in my mind, and I clenched my fists.
"I'm sorry, Emma. I'm such a fucker."
After a moment of thought, I asked, "Who are the three people I need to kill?"
I could almost see that divine being grinning from ear to ear at my acceptance.
[I'll start by telling you about your first target. I'm still tracking down the other two. Your first target is a certain Aamon, known as the Great Demon Emperor in this world.]
Demon Emperor?
"Did you reincarnate me into some kind of Japanese fantasy novel or something?" I asked, half-joking.
[Hehehe, funny, but no. I advise you to be very careful. Aamon is practically a god himself. To kill him, you need to destroy his seven hearts, which are scattered across different places in the world.]
This damn God!
He tricked me! I had to complete side quests just to fulfill the main one?!
[I've uploaded all the information to the beautiful system I made for you. Luckily, one of these hearts is right here in this kingdom. Be careful and please don't die! If you want to see cute Emma again, that is! Ghahaha!]
He laughed his ass off and vanished.
I lost all respect for gods because of him.
Whatever.
I had done a lot of shady stuff back in my world, but I never really felt guilty since it was always against scumbags. If it meant seeing Emma and the others again…
I'll do it.
I glanced up, and a new message caught my eye.
SHOP AVAILABLE.