Honestly, it hurt to die. I had so much left to do, I never knew death felt so cold, painful and... bright?

Wait that can't be right, was I in heaven? There's not much possibility of that happening but what was happening then? A bright light shone which almost blinded me.

CONTENDER DEATH CONFIRMED, the annoying computer voice chirped.

CONNECTING TO UNDERWORLD

PLEASE STANDBY

ERROR IN PROCEDURE...

RETRY PROCEDURE IN 3,2,1

PROCEDURE FAILED

FOREIGN INTEFERENCE DETECTED

PATCHING THROUGH...

The task window and computer voice shut down, there was complete silence all around and I realized in horror my heart was no longer beating.

" You are an interesting one ", a voice echoed around me. I sat up in horror and looked around but saw no one.

" Who is it? ", I asked.

" That doesn't matter, but I do hope you understand the situation you are in right now don't you? " The voice chuckled

" Wait, am I in heaven? " I asked a bit hopeful about my future.

To my dismay however the voice erupted in tremendous guffaws, " You truly are stupid and funny aren't you? " The voice jeered.

" What do you mean? " I asked my pride hurt.

"This", he said, " is the crossroad of life, you should have reached Underworld by now if I hadn't interfered". A menace was creeping into his voice and I was starting to feel uneasy.

" And why did you interfere? " I enquired.

" A bit curious aren't you ", he jested, " Simply speaking I am here to forge a contract with you". I must have been really dumb because I had no clue what he was talking about.

" What do you mean a contract? " I asked.

" In easier terms you will be able to return to the world but under a completely different appearance, you will also have additional benefits if you forge a contract with me including special skills which are exclusively restricted to my followers and you are the first one I ever took an interest in, so consider yourself lucky." The voice echoed but I was a bit skeptical, it sounded too good to be true.

" And what is the catch? " I asked. The voice again started laughing.

" You truly are a rare one, I am glad I chose you. To answer your question you will have to agree to some of my terms", He then proceeded to state his terms. The first two were not that bad but the third one caught by surprise.

Stolen story; please report.

" No, that is unacceptable I will never be able to do that ", I protested.

" It is non - negotiable, either you accept my terms or you die forever". The voice replied. I looked around at the darkness in disgust.

" But that is inhumane, I could never bring myself to do that, I would go insane.", I said.

" Face it boy, the very laws of world have been overwritten, everything you know is completely destroyed, you are now living in a reality which is designed by him. " The voice countered.

" Whom?" I asked

" The Game Master ", The answer came. I remembered the hooded figure which called himself the Game Master and anger surged through me.

I clenched my fists and spoke, " If I forge a contract with you would I be able to defeat the Game Master? ", I asked.

" It's going to be difficult but your chances would increase by a 1000 times ", the voice replied.

" Then I am going to do it", I said.

" Very good ", the voice smiled and said, " Now you will be bound by The Oath Of The Heart which would bind me to you forever until we mutually break off our contract ", he said, " Good luck boy, I will be looking forward to your brave exploits and as a symbol of our contract I will provide you with one of my most powerful skills and also a legendary weapon ". His voice started to grow fainter like he was being pulled away from me.

" Wait, at least tell me who you are? " I shouted at him.

He smirked, " You will soon find out ", and his voice completely disappeared.

I felt like I was being sucked into a vacuum.

TASK COMPLETED

CONGRATULATIONS CONTENDER 2314 : AXEL CARLSEN.

YOU HAVE OBTAINED SPECIAL SKILL: STEEL HEART.

ADDITIONAL REWARDS HAVE BEEN PROVIDED. The task window was updated in front of me.

CONGRATULATIONS YOU HAVE FORGED A CONTRACT WITH A HIGHER DEITY.

YOU HAVE OBTAINED THE ADDITIONAL SKILL: TIME REVERSAL.

YOU HAVE BEEN CLEARED FOR CHARACTER SELECTION.

TAKING TO SELECTION WINDOW.

I fell with a thud onto the floor.

" Ouch that hurt! " I yelped.

CHARACTER SELECTION WINDOW OPEN

I looked around me and got the shock of my life (my death?).

I was looking into a mirror but it was not my earlier body, I was always on the skinnier side but now my entire body was bulging with a solid layer of muscle and I also looked a bit taller and had acquired a sharper jawline. My black hair had grown longer and fell gracefully onto my forehead, my brown eyes were radiating a kind of ferocious glow that I had never seen in them. I looked... handsome.

CHARACTER OPTIMIZED TO MAXIMUM

PROVIDING ADDITIONAL REWARDS

REWARD SELECTION WINDOW OPEN

PLEASE CHOOSE YOUR REWARD

I looked at the window that had just opened before me. It showed a list of extra rare and legendary weapons, this must have been what the Higher Deity meant by additional benefits. As I glanced through the list I saw a name which made me stop in my tracks.

EXCALIBUR - THE HOLY SWORD [ CHOOSE ]

" Holy shit - ", I muttered, can this become any easier.

" I choose Excalibur - The Holy Sword ", I said.

CONFIRMING CHOICE... PLEASE WAIT

CHOICE CONFIRMED

OBTAINED (EXCALIBUR - THE HOLY SWORD)

CONGRATULATIONS YOU HAVE OBTAINED AN SS TIER ARTIFACT. The sword magically appeared in my hand, it radiated power and authority.

" So this is a legendary artifact ", I was now able to more or less understand the rules of this world, it was probably because of the manual the Higher Deity left me. I was stuck in a sort of game world which was designed by the Game Master, it was broadcasted through various servers called ' systems ' to various deities. These deities were omnipotent beings who were earlier praised by various races of our world. These beings never directly interfered in the activities of contenders unless somebody caught their attention. I was one of them, but I don't know what I did to catch the attention of such a Higher Deity, who obviously was really powerful.

PROCESS COMPLETE

CONNECTING TO MAIN SERVER

TRANSPORTING TO MAIN SERVER

I was again blinded by the flash of light. The system transported me and threw me out somewhere. I fell with a thud.

" Fuck, that hurts ", I cursed as I stood up and shook the dust off me. I took in my familiar surroundings.

I was back to my world.

" Here we go again ", I murmured as I held my sword close to me and walked off to face the horrors that awaited me.