Abseloth here, this book might not go anywhere. I'm trying out writing for the first time. Criticism and critique is welcome.
It was a day like any other, the air was warm, the birds were singing a cool wind tousling tree leaves outside.
The kitchen was warm, light peeking through the windows, painting the wooden floors golden. The sound of a coffee machine gurgling as it pumped hot liquid into the carafe, filling the air with a rich aroma. The sound of shuffling along something being placed into a microwave, in the otherwise silent room.
''Another day, another dollar...''
I sighed, despite not being employed currently. It was Saturday, a pleasant time to be alive and alone at home making breakfast with a whole day ahead of me. Although I suppose I'll be on the computer all day reading novels or watching some anime. Rather wise things to spend my morning on...Doesn't matter, I wouldn't have it any other way.
But suddenly...A pain surged through my chest.
''Damn! Is this one of those uh; ''You might be having a heart attack but it fades in 30 seconds as long as you don't breathe'' type of shit? It's painful and squeezing..? I'm getting cold sweats here... I suppose drinking coffee every morning for 20 years is finally catching up to me...''
I double over and collapse onto the ground. The pain, intense as if someone was squeezing my heart. It is spreading over to my arms, back, neck and jaw.
''Damn it...Why not when I'm 'bout to head off to work? But on a day off? FUCK!''
I feel hot tears welling up in my eyes as I try to stand up...But it seems pointless. Nausea, light headedness and an impending sense of doom fills me, welcoming darkness as my vision blacks out.
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Warmth and music? I open my eyes slowly as I see what seems to be a...Jazz lounge?
''Where the hell am I... Did I go back in time to the 90s?''
I try to make heads or tails of the situation patting myself down, as I listen to the melody coming from everywhere, and both nowhere all at once.
''Okay...I'm still inside my body it seems.''
I briefly glance around seeing no one else and sit down at one of the multiple chairs adorned by tables near a stage.
The air is warm and smells of a rich, layered mix of stale cigarette smoke, old leather, spilled alcohol alongside a hint of cheap air freshener, perhaps, citrus..?
''Is this the afterlife?''
I sigh rubbing my forehead thinking about the implications...Was the religion I believed in the right one? No, matter of fact I didn't strictly believe in anything or anyone. However I did think of a higher power, someone or something... managing everything.
"Ter good fey."
I flinch hearing the sound of a piano, and the sound of a voice. A gruff, male voice.
''My apologies... I suppose you wouldn't understand that, And to answer your earlier inquiry; yes this is the ''afterlife''... or at least part of it.''
I looked towards the stage, where I started noticing a man in a fancy black suit, sitting atop the piano bench with his legs crossed. His skin was pale white, his jet black hair slicked back with gel, his black unnerving eyes staring along a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes.
''Uh.. Are you God? A Reaper? Or perchance...The Devil? I suppose that I'm dead, huh?''
The man stared back at me, his eyes, mirroring black like a swirling abyss.
''I'm terribly sorry to be the one to inform you that you have perished...And what am I? You don't need to know that.''
He chuckled. Leaning back on the bench, his void-like eyes unnervingly gazed at my every movement as I spoke, wanting to know why I was here.
''Why am I here? Is there something you want from me?''
The man responded, his voice filled with an air of authority as he started playing the piano. A melody sounding eerily similar to the legendary Beethoven's Für Elise, making the jazz music from earlier disappear completely.
''I have brought you here since I am partly-bored and rather magnanimous, therefore, I've decided to grant you another chance at life...Within one of those 'isekai' you loved so much.''
Ronan's eyes widened as he stared at the man sitting atop the piano bench, the piano keys being pressed as they spoke, filling the empty Jazz lounge with a rather pleasant melody.
''Count me in.''
The man paused his performance as the room grew completely silent. He seemed bewildered, his eyes, mirroring the darkness of the room, opened widely to his uncommon reaction.
''Wha-what are you...I haven't even given my sales speech yet.''
Ronan folded his arms across his lap.
''No need...Do I get a uh, watchumacallit, 'special ability'? A golden spoon perchance? Where will I be going? I have read a lot of these and I have waited fucking long enough.''
The man sighed, rubbing the ridge of his brow, His feeling of authority dissolving as he snapped his fingers, letting a comically large slot machine appear out of thin air in front of Ronan.
''Yes...I'm not cruel enough to send you towards your…Inevitable second demise without something to spice things up.''
Ronan glanced at the slot machine as he stood up and took a few steps forward being face to face with it, his finger tracing the cold steel as he spoke.
''What's this machine about? I don't have my wallet with me so inserting a coin wont work''
The man on the stage stood up grinning, his teeth were visible and pitch black.
''I will grant you three spins. One will be your body to house your soul, the second a random ability or trait, a uniqueness so-to-say and the third; the world you go to.''
The man snapped his fingers with three different coins appearing in Ronan's hand with different words engraved on each as Ronan looked at them, feeling the texture on his fingertips.
''Body, 'Ability' and world?''
He looked up at the man as all of a sudden, he was very close, their breaths mingling, except, the 'man', didn't breathe at all.
''I'll get to spinning. Some space please? I'm not into dudes, but I am flattered...Really.''
Ronan coughed into his fist nervously seeing the unnerving 'thing' take a few steps back and sit down on one of the chairs nearby, lounging on it in a relaxed manner.
''Go on...Spin the wheel.''
Ronan nodded, swallowing his saliva as he placed the first coin inside the ''Body'' slot. The metal coin clattering as it fell inside.
''Lets see how it goes... please give me Goku? I dunno... Yhwach Bach? Alucard? Maybe even Kars from JoJo? Gojo...Please give me Satoru Gojo.''
His eyes were filled with determination as he pulled the lever, seeing multiple characters go past.
''Man…I'm not unemployed enough to recognize half of these...was that a girl?''
His head snapped to the thing wearing human skin lounging on a chair.
''You wouldn't...''
The 'thing' wearing human skin smirked.
''Oh I would...But not like that...''
It frowned and then looked at the slot machine, its frown melting away into a curious look. Its eyes glistened within the embrace of the vantablack color, purging the darkness around it .
''Oh... Interesting, I suppose I'll have to make the world a bit different''
Ronan's head snapped back to the wheel as he saw...Lei Heng?
''Ain't that a real motherfucker...''
Ronan sat down on the chair, his thoughts running rampant.
''Okay...It's not a girl, and Lei Heng is built like a brick shithouse...Meaning; I will be built like a brick shithouse!''
The thing wearing human skin in the other chair chuckled.
''Lei Heng…a Capo of The Thumb, as well as being one of the Ten Blades of the East, nicknamed the Winged Tiger. A member of the mysterious Pinky elite group...From Limbus Company, how annoying.''
The 'thing' grinned, its black teeth gleaming the dim light of the Jazz lounge.
''Well? Go on...Spin the other two.''
Ronan nodded nervously as he placed the coin dubbed 'Ability' inside.
''Lei Heng isn't bad..by any means, but I need something a bit more…Powerful, some oomph.''
He paused glancing towards the thing wearing human skin.
''Do I get...Lei Heng's gunblade, or perhaps, the Tiger rounds he uses?''
The 'thing' simply nodded, letting out an exasperated sigh.
''Fine... Fine you'll get the cool weapon and...''
He paused, appearing deep in thought.
''A blueprint for the Tiger rounds, a large shipment of expensive cigars as well as a shipment of Tiger Rounds... I am rather ''magnanimous'', as I said''
Ronan nodded his hand on his chin as he pulled the wheel.
''Thanks...man..?''
He looked towards the slot machine, his eyes locked onto the singular large slot spinning.
''C'mon...Something good!''
The machine whirred and stopped the singular slot clicking into place.
[Winner Takes All]
When you win against someone, you can extract a reward from them forcefully. The reward you extract must be proportional to the victory you have achieved. Minor victories equal minor rewards while winning a fight to the death would be a reward equal in value to their life. The reward must be something they are capable of granting you.
Ronan looked at the text reading it, a smile finding itself on his face as he started laughing.
''Oh.. That's... Wow, so hypothetically if I won a battle, I could make them bounce on it?''
The quote on quote 'overseer' froze completely staring at Ronan, their face deadpan.
''Well... Yes, but it would need to be a life or death battle...Depending on the thing you defeat''
The thing wearing human skin sighs again, leaning back in its chair.
''Go on...Use the last coin...''
Ronan nodded with a grin plastered on their face, slotting in the coin with the word ''World'' engraved on it.
''C'mon... Something easy, maybe My Hero Academia? Actually…Fuck no, I would get curb-stomped by All Might or...All For One''
He pulls the lever, the slots spinning and then with a click it stops, landing on ''Chainsaw Man''
Ronan's face grew pale, his eyes widening.
''No…No no no no no…Wait, wait wait wait wait!''
Ronan stared at the 'thing'.
''Is it too late to ask for a reroll!? It's rigged...It has to be!''
The thing wearing human skin simply smiled and snapped their fingers.
''Truth is, the game was rigged from the start...Although if it makes you feel better, your body will have some 'Light' within it...Allowing the manifestation of E.G.O,, as well as Shin & Mang.''
After those words, the Jazz lounge dissolved into nothingness.