Reborn as God: The strongest system

Darkness…

All he could see was darkness for a long time

Or was it a short amount of time?

Maybe it was always like this, and maybe it just lasted for a brief moment.

In that darkness, he saw several visions, brief flashes, and then something else would appear.

He saw a man wearing a dark cloak of fur and a crow was on his shoulder, only the crow had a skull for a head.

He saw a hand cover the sky and hold the moon.

He saw himself looking slightly older in a lone black tower that was feared and whispered about by commoners in hushed tones.

He saw something buried beneath the ground so deep that it was long forgotten.

He saw himself again, this time he was floating in the air with some other people whom he couldn't make out their faces. They were looking at a gash in the sky, and then a hand emerged.

He heard a loud thud and woke up gasping. He clutched his chest in panic, he was fine. No better than fine there was not even a mark left to indicate that he was almost dead.

No, not almost he was dead, right? He should have died…

He looked around and found himself in what could only be an infirmary. There was no one else around but he could hear a mighty commotion from outside.

His head was throbbing like a bitch but he was otherwise fine and alive.

Suddenly a thought occurred to him He rushed to one of the mirrors and took a look at his face. Thick blonde hair and sky-blue eyes. He was still in Arandos.

For a moment there, he thought that he might have transmigrated to another world after dying in Arandos.

He was slightly out of balance, as he first started walking, but otherwise remain fine outside of the infirmary he realize that he was inside the fortress.

Now he was sure of the source of the commotion he heard, it was chaos outside with a bloody battle raging on. Screams, shouts, and orders are being barked, left, and right.

One of the broken walls was being protected by a giant chameleon spewing poison missed outside. But it was already badly injured and on the verge of death, as a huge bone spear, impaled it in place.

Esdras only now remember to check on his magic items fortunately his storage ring and weapon ring were still on him.

"Hey! What are you doing standing around?! Get out of the way!"

He heard someone shouting at him and moved out of the way. There were several people in white sheets, moving some injured people, soldiers, and apprentices alike.

Suddenly he saw someone he knew at the end of the line, it was David, who was dragging another apprentice. David didn't look all that good either he had a bandage wrapped around his head.

"You!" David pointed at him when he saw him too. " you shouldn't be here you should be resting."

Esdras helped him take the apprentice and he realized was dead after holding him.

"I… " Esdras didn't know what to say, "I heard the noise, and I guess I just came out."

They drug the body to a pile of bodies on the side of the fortress and dumped it there.

"He was my friend, his name was… Well, I suppose it doesn't matter anymore now, does it? Or don't you think it's ridiculous?! This whole thing? Why do we have to suffer like this?"

" I don't know, I don't know." Esdras could only shake his head in vain. He didn't know what to make of all this is only now, that he realized just how brutal the battle was.

" listen can you tell me what happened? I mean I'm a life but I shouldn't be I was dead, right? I didn't imagine that did I?"

David looked conflicted but then he just looked away, " you're alive now that's all that matters. Don't think about it too much. I don't know how you're alive… I went to chase that bastard but he either drowned or get away when I came back you were fine."

Esdras didn't understand, could it be the divine shard? Did it save his life after all? Honestly, he truly believe that he died back then. But it seems that he worried for nothing.

Well, he did almost die this time, admittedly it was a close call. This world had many people who are stronger, smarter, and craftier than him.

It was a place where talents were everywhere. He may have the divine shard but that was all. He was not a god, not by a long shot. All it gave him was potential.

If that potential is not unearthed then that was all it was, just a joke. It was real power in the present that counted not.

There were many methods and spells that he couldn't underestimate. Not to mention magic items that could render him helpless.

If he wasn't cautious enough he could end up dead all of a sudden. He survived this time miraculously but who to say about the next time?

Either way, this was a good lesson for him. That guy was at the peak of rank 2 and just was enough to completely overwhelm him.

The difference in each level in rank 2 was greater than rank 1 and that was probably the case for higher ranks, perhaps even more so.

It was a mystery how that guy knew he killed other warlocks, he clearly came seeking revenge.

But Esdras was not even sure how he knew, after all, as far as he was aware there shouldn't have been any evidence.

Although he was certain they were going to meet another time Esdras just wanted to kill him now. It was not very nice knowing there was a powerful and vengeful enemy hunting him out there.

That guy even had a title, he was the first person besides himself that had one. Well, he didn't spend much time in this world so it couldn't be helped.

"Oh, where's Celine by the way?" Esdras asked.

David's face turned ashen.

Esdras felt his smile fading.