Chapter 2

Chapter 2. 

The awakening was unusual. Instead of the expected hospital bed and the smell of chemicals that I'd grown accustomed to during my long time in the hospital, I was greeted by a strange rough stone slab and the scent of herbs and sulfur. 

- Oh, for crying out loud. - muttering and grunting, I got up from the stone slab and took a quick look around. - Where am I? This is a weird morgue. 

There wasn't much doubt that I was dead. A piano dropped on your head is like dropping an anvil. But I was alive and could sense, see, hear and so on. 

- Strange. No devils, no angels. Feeling odd, too. I haven't felt this light in a long time, like I'm back to the beginning of my career without any injuries or exhaustion. - then a small box appeared and fell right next to me out of thin air. 

- Normally, I'd refrain from opening it, but I'm dead. So whatever. - thinking out loud, I reached for the box and opened it. 

Inside was a folded piece of paper with text, a card, sunglasses, and two dices. Taking out the piece of paper, I began to read what was written on it. 

With each line I read, goosebumps ran down my body. 

I died because of some glitch in the universe. For living a decent life I was given a second chance and sent to the world that suited my requirements the best. There were sunglasses and dices for saving Sasha and Pyotr as a bonus. At the very bottom summarized everything I got. 

Transfer to the world of Blood Bowl. Creation and adaptation of the body to the parameters in the character card, which I filled out myself. The glasses to read the character's attributes. Dice giving a chance to get a kind of level-up due to sports successes and achievements. 

- Fuck! - I cursed loudly and leaned back, forgetting that I had a stone slab instead of a mattress. 

The hit to my head didn't feel good, but it did add adrenaline and energy. Instead of going into depression and nagging "why" and "what for" I began to look for the pluses in my current state. 

First. I'm alive. Secondly. I'm completely healthy. Thirdly. I'm in a world where I can play sport, which is even bloodier and more violent than rugby and American footbal. And lastly, I've been given some very nice perks. 

The first thing I did was look at my card. So what is there in my characteristics and skills, I hope there is nothing changed, and if they have changed, then not too dramatically. 

Characteristics 

Movement 6. 

* In full armor 5. 

Strength 5 

Agility 4+ 

Pass 5+

Armor value 9* 

*♪ In full armor 10 ♪ 

Skills 

Block, Strip Ball and Break Tackle. 

What can I say. That's me in a previous life. Although with agility and movement I had to make sacrifices, or I would be, as Peter and Sasha put it, a filthy imba that should be drowned in the toilet. But as it is, I'm the perfect forward. At least I will be in the future. But for now, I'm just a strong but clumsy concrete block. I hit hard, but I don't run very well, and I can only rebound the ball, but not catch it. 

Then I put on my glasses, for lack of other living beings except myself I looked at my hand. Glasses, as it was written showed characteristics and skills and everything as it was in my card. 

All that remained was to check the dice. Having thrown them a couple times near the nearest wall, different numbers flashed on them for a short moment. And then in my head appeared a window similar to what I saw in the computer version of BB. But there were a little more skills, although special conditions were required to open them. The funniest part was that mutation required the approval of the Chaos Gods. 

- Nah. I don't want to mess with those four. It's either going crazy or getting the evil herpes and syphilis. - I snicker and keep reading about skills. 

That's how I met my future trainer. Almost naked, throwing dice and peering into the invisible for everyone else window with skills. 

- Damn it! Not only he's a retard, but he's also into gambling. - Grim raised his eyes upward and cursed. - Eh, well, at least he looks strong, but the apothecary said that he is as healthy as a couple of ogres. 

I quickly put my things in the box and turned to the stranger, tightly clutching it. The amazing thing was that I could understand him. It gave me peace of mind since I have no desire spend to learn a new language. 

- Uh, hello? - I tried to say hello to him with a smile. - I am Bahadur, though everyone calls me Baha. And you are? 

- Hmm? You're not a complete moron. Although you're a luddomaniac... whatever, kid. My name is Grim, and I'm the head coach of the Carroburg Jackasses. You were sold to me as a player with potential. I bought you, and I'm not gonna play noble. So tomorrow you're going to go out there and try not only not to die, but to help our team win the game. - with a steely tone, Grim summarized my future briefly and clearly. 

- ? What about training? Preparations? Tactics? Equipment? - I was shocked to hear that. 

- Wow, you know a lot of words. But the hell with it. We'll deal with this later. You look like a tough, strong fella, so all you have to do is beat up anyone wearing a uniform that doesn't have "Carroburg Jackasses" written on it. And the equipment and the training. - Grim stopped talking and started pulling something out of a small bag on the side. 

- If you sign a one-year contract, you'll be given the minimum equipment right away. And training will be next time. There's no time to warm up. So put your fingerprint on it. Although you can probably write if you know words like tactics and strategy. - he handed me a scroll and pulled out some kind of quill and a vial. 

- Go ahead and sign it. I don't have much time for this. 

- No. I'll read it first. Maybe you'll be renting me out to a brothel after every game for extra income. I'll read it and sign it then. 

- Heh. Well, read it. Except if you don't, you'll owe the club a lot of money. - Grim hinted with a clear threat that in my current situation, there was only one way out of this.

Grim walked away and left me alone with the contract, which I began to read looking for any tricks or unpleasant surprises. 

I found no particular disadvantages of signing the contract. Well, except that the salary seems to be very small, as well as the bonuses. If I win, the bonus and salary will be just enough to pay off my debt. Hell, I don't know how they deal with debt repayment here, most likely they can either beat me up and force me to toil in some mine or sell me as a slave. I could tell him and his team to go to hell and try to find a better place. But I don't have much of a choice. Okay, I'll play in this hobo team for a year and find a better place. 

It took me the next few minutes to sign my name. Not having any skills with a quill, I had to struggle, but nevertheless I signed contract although signature looked barely readable. I left my fingerprint just in case. 

- The contract. I signed it. - I shouted loudly toward the door. 

After a while, Grim entered the room and snatched the contract from my hand with a wide smile. Quickly checking the scroll and seeing everything he needed a wolfish grin appeared on his face. 

- Huh. You still managed to sign it instead of just leaving an imprint. You're a real genius in comparison to the rest of the team. All right, let's get you equipped with Blitzer gear and then I'll take you straight to the pickup. We still have to get to the field for the match. - Grim abruptly turned toward the exit and beckoned me to follow him. 

Sighing, I followed him. 

This was how my new career began. With a contract stained in ink and signed in the infirmary of a shitty club. What a start to an epic story.