Afterlife. What awaits you after death? A god waiting for you? A room with a grand dining table? Or reincarnation.

I don't know your guess, but I know it's the third option. At least for me...

I died, as a sinner, died as the rabid dog of a great mafia in the underworld. People trembled in fear at the mention of my name. But all that's in the past. Right now, as far as I can see, I'm drifting in a dark river that seems to stretch into eternity.

Actually, I've been drifting in this river exactly for a month. Well, that's just a guess, but I'm pretty sure I'm close to it. If I haven't gone mad and lost my sense of time by now.

Here, all alone, drifting in the endless river, I've had plenty of time to think about my past life and regrets, and I must say I have no regrets. I've killed many bad people, and I've caused the deaths of many good people... But if given the chance, I'd do it all over again. Somehow, I immensely enjoyed killing people and maintaining order. I even got so serious about it that I changed the mafia that used to do only bad things. The mafia I belonged to changed and took on the role of judge in the underworld. Thus, the mafia grew rapidly and gained respect. All because of me. I alone might have saved hundreds of lives. Maybe...

As I contemplate these thoughts, I finally see the end of the river on the horizon. The river turns into a waterfall and spills into the depths of infinite darkness.

Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

As I gaze at the great waterfall, I murmur, "I will be reborn in the end." Somehow, I knew that I would be reborn the moment I opened my eyes in this river. It was as if this was a firmly implanted certainty in my mind.

Finally, I reached the waterfall and, with the push of the vast river, I fell down from the endless waterfall.

As I fell from the waterfall, experiences and memories flooded into my mind, experiences and memories that I was unfamiliar with. The owner of these memories was named Zephyr Stacy. After what seemed like years to me, I integrated with these memories and experiences.

I was no longer just James Darkwood. I was also Zephyr Stacy.

[System integration successful]

[Transition to the Marvel universe will be completed in ten seconds]

[System user assigned a mission...]

[Mission successfully assigned]

[Your mission is to maintain order. The prophetic gods predicted that if the war between the gods and dark entities continues, the universe will perish]

[You! Zephyr Stacy, James Darkwood, Hybrid God, Bringer of Dawn and Bringer of Night. Save the universe from ultimate doom by maintaining order!]

[The system will assist you in this mission]

[Good luck]

That was the last system notification. After this notification, I opened my eyes in a hospital room. My body was connected to a machine, and weakness had stuck my skin to my bones. Opening my eyes felt very heavy.

But despite my helpless condition, I managed to form a smile on my face.

"So, it's the Marvel universe, huh..." I said.

"This mission is tailor-made for me," I added.

"Hahahahahahahah" after a long time, finally, there was only darkness. Now I was someone else entirely. I had a beloved father and a younger sister three years younger than me. And I had a mission that I would enjoy doing immensely.

When my laughter finally stopped, with an excited expression on my face, I murmured, "system."