The White Expanse
When I opened my eyes, the world was white. Not just white—but empty.
There was no ground beneath me and no ceiling above me, and yet I stood. It wasn't like floating or standing on air. It was more like existing in a dream where the concept of "place" didn't apply. The only thing that felt real… was me.
Or at least, what was left of me.
I looked down at my hands. They were faint outlines, transparent and ghostly, like smoke that refused to disperse. My body felt weightless—untethered. My last memory flickered at the edge of my mind: the sound of screeching tires, a blinding light, and then… nothing.
So this was it. Death.
"I guess this is how it ends," I murmured, my voice echoing softly into the endless white.
But before the silence could swallow me whole, something shifted. A ripple passed through the air—as if the void itself had taken a breath. And then, a voice spoke.
"You're rather calm for someone who just died."
The sound came from everywhere and nowhere, deep yet melodic—neither male nor female, but something in between. My instincts screamed to turn around, but there was no direction to turn to. The space simply stretched infinitely in all directions.
"Am I… dead?" I asked hesitantly.
"Yes. Thoroughly so. Your body is broken beyond repair. Heart stopped. Brain ceased function. You're quite finished."
The words were stated plainly, like someone reading off a checklist.
A humorless laugh escaped my lips. "So this is the afterlife, huh? I always figured I'd end up somewhere darker."
"Oh, don't flatter yourself," the voice said with mild amusement. "This isn't Heaven or Hell. This is simply… the space between."
As the words echoed, a figure began to take shape before me—light gathering, folding, solidifying. Soon, I was staring at what could only be described as a presence made manifest.
The entity was humanoid in shape, cloaked in flowing white and gold robes that shimmered with shifting constellations. Its face was obscured by a mask that seemed carved from pure light, yet I could feel its gaze pierce through me.
"Who are you?" I managed to ask.
"Names are irrelevant to beings like me," it replied. "But for the sake of conversation… you may call me 'The Arbiter.'"
"The Arbiter… of what?"
"Of Balance. Of Flow. Of the cycles that govern existence. I decide where a soul goes when its thread of fate is cut."
I raised an eyebrow. "So you're like a cosmic judge?"
"If it helps you comprehend, yes."
I crossed my arms—or at least, the illusion of doing so. "And what are you here for? Gonna tell me I'm being recycled into a frog next time?"
That earned a chuckle, low and echoing.
"Not quite. Your case is… unique. You have strong karma, but it is neither good nor evil. Your soul carries something interesting—fragments of desire, knowledge, and defiance. Qualities that resonate with creation itself."
I frowned. "You're talking in riddles. What are you getting at?"
"Simply put, you've been chosen for a different path. A chance to live again—not as you were, but as something more."
My heart—or whatever passed for it now—skipped. "Reincarnation?"
"Precisely."
A surge of disbelief ran through me. "That's… possible?"
"For most, no. But I have an interest in testing something—a system that merges spiritual evolution and world laws. You would be its first bearer."
I blinked. "You mean… like a system? Those RPG-like menus and skills people talk about in stories?"
"You grasp quickly," the Arbiter said, its tone almost approving. "Yes. You would receive a 'system'—a framework that allows your soul to grow, adapt, and transcend natural limitations."
I exhaled, trying to wrap my mind around it. "And in exchange?"
"You will be sent to a new world—one of your choosing. Your actions, choices, and strength will determine the outcome of your existence. Succeed, and you will evolve beyond mortality. Fail… and oblivion will finally claim you."
The words hung in the air like a sentence and a promise combined.
I stared at the Arbiter's glowing mask. "So I get a second chance… but only if I prove myself worthy."
"Exactly."
I thought about it. My life—what little there had been I remember—flashed before me. I feel like I was in a war or something. I remember blood, bodies, and the corpse of a woman, whom I can't remember.
Maybe… this was my chance.
My chance to do something different.
I lifted my head. "I accept."
The Arbiter's radiance brightened slightly, like a smile hidden beneath the mask.
"Good. Then let us begin your selection."
The space around us rippled again, and suddenly, endless threads of light appeared—like a web stretching across infinity. Each thread pulsed with faint imagery: worlds teeming with life, power, and chaos.
"You may choose your destination. Name it, and I shall open the path."
My mind raced through the possibilities. There were countless fictional worlds I'd read about—but one in particular stood out above all others. A world of magic, of gods, of systems and digital divinity.
I clenched my ghostly fists. "I want to go… to the Overlord world before the canon."
The Arbiter tilted its head slightly.
"Overlord? "Huh," it murmured. "YGGDRASIL, a game world turned into reality. A place where power defines existence. Interesting choice. And a good start to becoming strong without going through bloodshed."
*Murmur* "Very different from your past."
"Not just anywhere," I added. "Send me to the start of the Yggdrasil era—when the game first launches. I want time. I want to build myself up before the end."
There was a long pause. Then, slowly, the Arbiter nodded.
"Ambitious. Very well. You shall be sent to the birth of that digital world—a realm where data and divinity intertwine. Your system will synchronize with its structure. Grow strong there, mortal, for the tides that follow will test you beyond imagination."
The ground—or what passed for it—cracked with light beneath me. The white expanse shattered like glass, revealing a swirling void of colors—blue, violet, crimson, and gold.
"Before you go," the Arbiter's voice echoed, "a word of advice. Gods were once players… and monsters once men. Do not forget what you are—nor what you could become. Don't make the same mistake."
The light enveloped me completely.
My body began to dissolve, particles of my soul drawn into the vortex. My vision blurred, my thoughts fragmented—yet I could feel something new forming inside me.
A voice echoed in my mind.
[SYSTEM INITIALIZING...]
[WELCOME, NEW USER.]
[WORLD: EARTH 2138—PHASE ZERO]
[BEGINNING TRANSFER...]
I took one last breath—or maybe just the memory of one—and whispered into the light.
"Then let's begin my second life."
And with that, I fell into the new world.
~~~
This is my second fanfiction. Hope you guys will like this. Please give me a Powerstone and comment. it will keep me motivated.