1 In the next life

"God damnit Johnson! I cannot go on any longer. Go! Leave me, hopefully you can escape these back stabbing Russian fuckers." Said Faizes with a pale face as he coughed a mouthful of blood from the gunshot wound he sustained.

"No! I will not leave you behind, we are brothers, we will make it through, we lost everything except each other, I will be damned if I lose you too!"

Johnson looked at his friend Faizes who he had been with for almost 10 years. They experienced boot camp together, and rose through the ranks with their military merits. Meanwhile, behind the scenes they were doing special ops missions together for the Russian Ruler. They did unspeakable things for the Russians. Many innocent women and children killed, they massacred thousands, for their hearts had became steel, as they are doing it for their families back home in North America, which was now ruled by Russia. {(NR) in America, we have these theories of how Donald Trump might be a spy so I used that notion and fabricated a story to elaborated o that speculation into reality in the novel. NTs anything below this please spell edit and edit until chapter 3 "Marching Army"} The Russians took over the American Government when Donald Trump relinquished his presidency for a dictatorship rule to the Russian Government. With the help of Russian operatives who infiltrated government posts, eliminated and replaced key government officials, which turned America upside down. The Russians declared martial law and mercilessly put down the pro American resistance with the excuse of putting down rogue resistance. Years later after Russia had fully taken over, the Americans were under constant oppression, which was not yet overbearing. Stripped of their free speech and their democratic lifestyle, the Americans stayed low and endured. Johnson and Faizes both joined the Russian Army for the same reason. They wanted to keep their family safe. Since those in the military and their family received better treatment than those who were not. They did the Russians' bidding like dogs, but they persevered for their family. Johnson and Faizes bonded as they shared each others' hardships and swore to be brothers in arms. However they were backstabbed by the country they worked for while doing a secret operation to sabotage and disrupt Chinese defense and communication for the Russian to take over China. Little did they know that they were going to be used and labeled as rebels by their own Country. An excuse made by their own country who ordered them to send their troops into China without raising too much suspicion from the Chinese with the notion of helping the Chinese resist these growing militants which they helped raise from the shadows. Johnson and Faize found that the New Russian Rule of America needed Troops to cross the Chinese border with a reasonable excuse from the West as the Chinese border was heavily guarded, therefore making it very hard to infiltrate. Later, the Russians would establish and uproot Chinese relations after the coalition so they can have their extra troops waiting on Russian main land, which is already above China, so they can invade and take over their neighbors by force in a West and North Pincer attack. With these Russian acted would force the Chinese to fight on two fronts.

The Russians and the Chinese grouped up and killed many key strong holds of the militant that the Russian secretly help funded from the shadows. Faizes and Johnson were the last survivors of the undercover militant group created by the Russian. Chasing them deep into Chinese territory, the Russians were hell bent on killing them to keep any leakage of Russian involvement.

Johnson and Faizes found an abandoned cottage deep in the Chinese mountains. Johnson kicked the door open with his HK VP9 drawn, surveying the interior of the cottage with Faizes' wounded body holding onto his shoulders. The cottage appeared to have not been used in a while, as dust and mildew still root the interior and furniture of the house. Once Johnson made sure the building was clear he took Faizes still pale and barely breathing, and carefully laid him down on the rugged mat placed in the living room of the abandoned abide. Johnson looked around the cottage in hopes to find something to cover up his friend's wounds. He found a box of silk left by the previous residents. He applied first aid to Faizes to suppress the wound in his chest. Due to the severity of the shot that went through his lungs, blood was clogging up inside causing him to cough more blood. Johnson grew frustrated and tried to find a why to help his only brother in arms survive. As Johnson tried to stand back up after the failed attempt to heal Faizes' wound, he figured he could find some supplies around the cottage that he possibly might have missed due to the urgent rushed treatment. Just as he was about to get up, Faizes grabbed Johnson's shoulder, which startled him.

"Stop Johnson, it's no use, the gunman got me good, just... go," said Faize as he coughed another mouthful of blood this time it was a lot. As he clutched his wounded chest hoping to suppress it for just a little more time he had remaining but it was for nought. Johnson was not thinking straight, as he was a soldier who killed many innocent and slaughtered thousand enemies or civilians, he would have thought he would stay calm after he steeled his emotions for his many sins he committed. However all that collapse, even steel can rust, with the constant overflow of water and air steel and corrode and break apart. Like ever flowing water current, all this sins and guilt during his mission, the killing of the defenseless all because of a military order. Finally, Johnson cracked, his steel emotion corroded steeled facade as he watched his dying brother in arms in front of him.

"Faizes we can make it, we can make those fucking backstabbers pay, we can escape and expose them- Wabam!!!" As he was about to finished his crazed sentence, drunk on the idea of hope, he was punched by Faizes in the face.

"Don't you get it?! We were fucked! I am fucked! Fucked I say!! Do you think they have not planned for this?! We were set up by the people who we swore our service to, do you think by exposing them it will keep your family safe?! Leave me! At least you have a chance, change your name live a new life, leave, go far away so they won't find you. By doing that maybe you can protect your family and not drag them down with the sins we committed- blaaah!" As Faizes cough up another mouth full of blood, looking more paler than before. He looked at Johnson once more with a smile using his remaining energy to speak more.

"I am glad to have you as a brother, through all the shit we been through, cheer up. This is not the Soulless Purple Eye Demon I remember that walked the carnage of the battlefield striking fear with those fearful eyes. Ha ha, honestly.. You look like a bitch," said Faizes smiled as he chuckled. He was still in the mood to crack jokes even as he was about to die. He looked at the ceiling as if admiring the beautiful sunny skies through the ceiling even though it was raining and thundering it was really depressing. As he uses his dying breath he looked at Johnson.

"I am glad to have you as a brother, to have you as my battle buddy, my comrade. If you make it through this, I hope we can meet again in the after life and be battle buddy's and not work for a shitty fuckin backstabbing leader like Vlad. Johnson I will see you later." As the light of life left his eye he still smiled remembering his family he left back at home but more importantly him and Johnson fun time together minus the sins they committed. It was nice to have at lead a friend though these shitty times.

"Yes, Faizes Rabani, I will hope to see you in the next life and be your battle buddy once more." Johnson said as he closed Faizes eyes still bright even though signs of life left them but left his mouth still smiling. As Johnson stood up to leave and fulfill Faizes plead to escape he heard many footsteps rushing towards his location. He knew they were his pursuers and he knew he was surrounded. He looked at Faizes body with a comical smile as his dying plead to flee was now impossible. He was glad his family did not know about his operation so the Russian did not need to silence them. He sighed.

"Faizes, look like we will be brothers in the afterlife sooner than we thought," Johnson said to Faizes dead body as if wanting him to laugh too from the afterlife from their misfortune. Johnson took out his HK-VP9 getting ready to take as many of them with him before he died. He was not Soulless Purple Eye Demon for no reason as unique eye from a birth defect have his enemies fear on the battlefield as if glowing and looking though their soul to devour it. He would not go down without a fight.

"Kabooom!!"

The blockade of furniture was blasted away from the main door of cottage with explosive charges. As the smoke and debris covered the entrance, soldiers in fully tact gear of the Russian and Chinese military rushed in a orderly and tactical fashion with rifle drawn.

"BAM! BAM! BAM! BAM!"

Johnson shot every soldier in the face accurately as the rest of their body was possibly covered in bullet resistant armor. He fired until he ran out of ammo. The next couple of soldier rushed in and openEd fire on Johnson and that was the last thing he saw.

Everything was black then suddenly light blinded Johnson, Johnson thought he had just died as he blinked repeatedly trying to adjust his eye, as he remembered dying in a dark depressing cottage during a dark rainy thundery day. Johnson finally adjusted his eye as he found himself on a big table surrounded by many giant people who glowed with almost blind light and wore lavished clothing of different kind.

Yes!!! Yess!! Finally I have a candidate after so many centuries of neglect. People have started to forget the once powerful god Kanni Tokai but not today!" A female voice said energetically, sobbing happily as if she won a cash lottery of a billion dollars after using her last pay check from unemployment having lost for the 40th time. Finally gaining something out of all the distress, he could hear the cry of ever longing joy.

Johnson looked around to find the voice of this female, he found that many of these beings all pouted and looked away from one particular being who was bouncing up and down with glee and sobbing with annoyance. Johnson payed attention to this being as all the others did not talk or look him in the eye except her as if she finally found her lost teddy bear after ten years. A female Asian looking being with long black hair glowing with golden radiance, fair skin white as snow and a beautiful well balanced body. Her eyes were black but they were mystifying, as if the stars in space were all in her eye, they sparkled with brilliance. Her clothing however, different from all of the other beings who wore lavish clothing, she wore a tattered Ukata. Johnson could tell it was once a beautiful traditional Japanese Ukata as he had known of the Japanese and seen many on his mission overseas in different parts of the world. He could see that it used to be sparkling white with red flowers but now it looked ripped along the hims of the clothes and the color of the fabric now lost it once beautiful white color. It was now a faded darker shade of what it once was.

"Quiet with your sobbing, no wonder your believer lost their faith in their goddess. They would not follow a goddess who behavior is that of a 10 year old child," Johnson found a giant old man who seemed to be in his 60s in Earth years however his skin had no signs of wrinkles. He had a long white beard like snow and well kept too. He wore a lavish white robe with golden writing that seemed to sprawl and rotate around the surface of his clothing. Johnson could not understand the writing, but he somehow knew that they were ancient and powerful as it gave him a heavy oppressive aura of mightiness.

"Shut up god of Christianity!! You had Earth realm for many centuries with all the other gods. While I, Kanni Tokai, God of Perseverance and enlightenment was left in the ruins of Japan to be forgotten as my power grown weak! Do you think being broke on faith is the path that a goddess, such as I, wish to be? You had your candidate name Jesus go out and spread your religion using the faith that you accumulated to purchase lavish clothing and perks of godhood as I sit and rot and soon diminished and fade?! Just like all those other forgotten gods who vanished from this realm's existence, I refused to fade, now I have won my candidate from this dice role I will reclaim my former glory. An all powerful goddess. I will establish my presence in another realm as I do not want to share faith with you selfish old geezers and hags!!!" Kanni said to the other gods as she yelled with annoyance and sorrow having remembered her downfall as Japan soon forgot their god that they worshiped during ancient feudal Japan. But now she has a candidate to spread her teachings and bring back the former power she had once lost. Kanni looked at Johnson with crazed eyes, like looking at a high end steak from a reputable five star restaurant, not wanting to wait to dig in. She looked at the other gods with the look of disdain.

"Leave! I wish talk to my mortal candidate of his task," she said as she stared at Johnson not even sparing another glace at all of the other gods and goddess for she had finally found hope for her religion and does not have time to bother with these old hags and geezers. The other gods huff in annoyance and disappeared to their respective holly abide in the Earth realm to watch over their believers in their faith. Kanni now felt relieved when the gods left, their presence reminded her of her past glory and her downfall. She just wanted to start anew. She looked at Johnson who was silent during the whole ordeal. Waiting patiently for an explanation for him being here.

"Mortal Warrior, speak your name," Kanni looked at Johnson with her mystifying eyes captivating him in her beauty. Johnson has done missions all around the world in the shadows and seem many astonishing women, but he had never seen a beauty at the level of the goddess before him. Captivated for a split second he snapped out of it and realized what situation he was in. He was in front of a mighty being who from what he gathered was the weakness, but still held his life in her hand, as she could kill him as simple as the snap of a finger.

"My name is Johnson Cline, Captain of the Russian Special Ops force," he said as he kneeled on one knee before this mighty goddess. Showing his utmost respect. He was not stupid, after listening to these gods speak he knew the situation he was in. He was dead, he knew that for sure, he knew he was being used for some religious war of some kind from what he gathered, he just accepted his fate and was just happy for another chance at life, to start anew. If he had to do this goddess' bidding then so be it. He just hoped she would not betray him like his country did.

"Fear not, I am not like those greedy mortals, of whom your country leaders who betrayed you in your past life. I assure you, if you gather be faithful followers who believed my teaching and spread my religion in the next realm that I am going to send you, I will in turn, protect you and help you achieve and attain anything you desire. For you have the honor of being my holy messenger in my holy name," as if reading Johnson thoughts to reassure his doubt to gain a trust worthy follower. She ignored his thoughts of thinking of her as weak, he will soon understand, if he achieves her goals of establishing her presence in the other realm, she would not be the only one who will gain great power through these endeavors in the gathering of faith, but he too will gain the benefits of her power.

"I will send you to a world made up of particle energy which you mortals of the Earth Realm call magic. I will not send you alone in this world, for I have selected the greatest general who is known to walk on the lands of past glorious Japans who knows history of Japan, a warrior who is strong willed and will be by your side on the battlefield for your quest to regain my former glory! Go now and do not fail me!" Kanni said with a majestic and mighty voice, even though the facade of acting was all to to put on a majestic show for him.To make him understand that the likeness of him and her was like Heaven and Earth. However through all this she still looked at him expecting and longing as she smile inside, he was her only hope and she would do anything to achieve her goals.

"It shall be done," Johnson said as he was still kneeling. Still feeling the oppressive holy aura of Kanni bearing down on him.

"Good, now go, what you need to start your journey will be there with you in the next life of the other realm, go my messenger," satisfied with his answer she waved her hand and he vanished as she sent him to the other realm. She sighed and flopped down on her bottom, tired of all the majestic acting. Her majestic aura she used to show Johnson uses a good bit of faith to attain it for the small moment of his presence. To gods and goddesses like her, faith was like money, a currency that mortals use for trade for thing they desire. Gods are no different, not only does faith help them buy clothes made for those who are in godhood, but they can aldo purchase perks that god's use to show off their holy power. Faith is also used to keep their existence from disappearing. She and other gods purchase things from the godhood store which was created by the THE GOD who was the first god, who started it all. We do not know why he created it. We just know that from ancient time all the next gods use the godhood store to purchase and gather more power and maintain their existence.. Kanni looked at her interface and found that she did not have much faith left. After spending faith to help Johnson start his conquest for her glory and using the godhood aura she did not have much faith currency left. She WAS BROKE! Beside her nice well balanced body that no mortal female could achieve, she had nothing left. She sighed and placed all her bets on Johnson. Her prestige and existence was on the line and in his hands.

"Do not fail me mortal warrior of Earth Johnson Cline." She said as she sighed again.

Johnson woke up to find himself on the wet muddy ground facing down, he could feel his body aching as he struggled to stand up. He was a little dazed. His head finally started to clear from the dizziness, his body stopped aching so he started to look around his surroundings. He saw that it was raining heavily and his clothes and hair were extremely soaked and there were mud stains on his shirt from when he was laying down on the ground in it. He was on some sort of dirt road, with deep lush dense forest on both sides of the dirt road. Looking down at his hands he found that they were not his usual dark tanned skin he used to have in his past life. Johnson looked around and found a ditch filled puddle and walked over to it. Johnson tilted his body over the puddle and looked at himself in the reflection. He saw that he looked very western, not American western from his past life of those southern rednecks but of the European western. He had blond hair fair hair but now was damped and muddy but he was sure if we took sometime to wash he would look pretty handsome that was pared with his angular face. He had bright blue eyes, as bight as the sky on a sunny day. He had a well toned muscular body. He praised himself and thanked the goddess for giving him a descent body not for its good looks but for its athletic capabilities. Johnson always cared about his health and his body, as a fit body helped him with all his high taxing endurance during his mission. He made sure his body was well kept because it could mean life or death on a mission, if his body could not keep up, it would be his fault for not exercising and dying on an operation with his team. His wife always told him he was very handsome and attractive for his looks. Johnson was humble and took the compliment but did not take it to heart, He loved his wife but he did not care fore his looks. He always cared for his health and body, for good looks alone would not bring him victory or bring him back to see her.

Johnson looked away from the puddle and decided to search his surroundings. He saw a broken medieval carriage tipped over its side. He saw a few dead body surrounding it who wore from what it looks like, medieval knight armor. The knights had some insignia on their breast plates which looked like a sword stabbed though a rose with thorny vines wrapping around the sword blade. He saw there were not just these bodies of these deceases knights laying around but found that their horses were dead too. There were more carriages marked with the rose sword insignia too, of course all were damaged, showing some evidence of recent battle as arrows and scorch burnt black marks were all over the exterior of these medieval transportation. Some were burning as flames reached upwards wanting to lick the dark sky with its high temperature wavy flames.

"Looked like this convoy had some pretty good loot boys. We are gonna be rich. I am glad we took this job," said Man A with a crazed laugh. Happy that he had gotten some good stuff from these dirty jobs that they were hired to do.

"Thats right boss, we made a big score," man B said agreeing with man A.

Johnson looked around and found a group of men wearing mix-match armor digging out gold out of one of the carriages, some were looting weapons off the dead knight guard and taking off the undamaged armor trying them on to see if it fit them. What Johnson could analyze from this situation is that the original owner of Johnson's new body had died as a result of the attack of these bandit looking men. Johnson was defenseless, he looked around to find an escape but he was pretty much surrounded by hostiles that he was sure would kill him if they saw him. The reason they had not seen him yet was because he was between two broken carriages. The bandits were walking leisurely around the outside of the two carriages and Johnson was under, behind the cover of these two broken down transports. Thinking on how to survive this dire situation he ran his hands though his blond hair trying to rack his main for some answers. He just died in his past life, and did not want to die this early when he had not completed his goddess task and it was just the first day of his arrival in this world with his new body.

"Ding!!! Kanni interface system starting up!!"

"New user registered! Johnson Cline!"

"System has detected new user is in dire state, analyzing available system assets to assist new user."

"Ding! Asset found!"

"Kanni present armor found!"

"Kanni weapon found!"

"Kanni skill set found!"

"Kanni blessing found!"

"Oda Nobunaga summon stone found"

"Tomoe Gozen summon stone has been found"

"Do you wish to receive assets?"

Johnson was startled by the female mechanical voice in his head list all these assets. Johnson paused for a while then realized that it was the goddess' doing. He felt grateful and relieved for her assistance in his time of need which assured him of his survival. It was not that he did not have the skills to fight, he was outnumbered 10 to 1 and had no weapons. No one in their right mind would go out to fight a fully armed group of bandits unarmed and alone.

"Yes, I wish to receive assets," Johnson said to the system trusting that the goddess would take care of him. As soon as he accepted he felt armor wrapped over his entire body he glowed brightly. After the light dimmed back down he found he was wearing a silver samurai armor made of titanium with green steel lacing holding the individual slates. He looked at the puddle again and found that his overall appearance was that of steel demon. His helmet was the most striking piece of the armor. With a pointed top head cover with two large black horns made from the same material as his armor slate. The menpo mask was the most terrifying part of the helmet. Its crazed smile gave Johnson the feeling of blood lust and insanity of slaughter, as if looking at you with murderous glee. Johnson thought the armor would be heavy but it felt as if it had no weight at all. It did not hinder his movement at all but he knew it was titanium. He found that he had two Japanese swords on his hips. He unsheathed the sword, the katana, and felt as if he knew how to use it as thousands of sword skill techniques just appeared in his brain. Then he summoned the two summoning stones from the system. With a quick flash two black stones appear in his hands with white carving on it. The stones were the size of a double A battery. They were small and shiny but the most notable thing that caught his eye was the Japanese character carved into the surface of the stones. Oda Nobunaga and Tomoe Gozen, their names were carved onto the stone. Johnson looked at the stone with confusion on how to use it. As if responding to Johnson the stones immediately started to shine brightly illuminating the area and alerting the nearby bandits. Once the light died downit was not long before he found that there were two samurais kneeling in front of him. One was wearing a black samurai armor decorated with black colored metal slates, and golden lacing. His helmet was black too but it was adorned with an eclipsed moon as well as a flower on his chest plate. He had two katanas same as Johnson. The other samurai was clad in a golden armor which was slimmed made to fit the female samurai feminine figure but steel stroke fear in the deign of her armor. Her masked was the same as the black samurai, depicting an old man lower half face which gave off a wise and battle hardened look. However the golden samurai eye was female as Johnson could see the elegance, beauty and wisdom in those dark eyes. Instead of a katana, the golden samurai was armed with a long round bladed spear, a Naginata.

"I am the former leader of the Oda Clan in my past life, Oda Nobunaga, I swear to serve my master," the black samurai said as he kneeled, Johnson felt no lie in his words as he could hear the reference and respect and loyalty in his voice. After many years of doing missions for his country in his past life he could tell if someone was lying.

"I am Tomoe Gozen, former female Samurai of the Minamoto Clan, I swear to serve my master," with the same tone as the former, Johnson deemed them both as loyal.

"Who goes there!" said the Bandit nearby who was alerted by the blinding light, he heard noises of people speaking and approached the area between the two carriages with his sword drawn on alert.

Johnson looked towards the direction of the voice and readied his katana. He looked at the two samurais who were still kneeling in front of him.

"Let go," Johnson said to his newly companions.

"Ding! Crazed slaughter mode skill activated!"

The system alert Johnson, as his eye glowed purple with a misty glow and his breath turned a cloudy purple as if his breath was steam itself. The two samurais finally looked up and readied their weapons for battle. They looked at Johnson, both of their eyes glowed purple with a misty light ready for slaughter.

"Yes, master!" they both said. {NE}