chapter 48: The Crossroad to Worlds

After he was informed that the system will merge his flesh and blood body to that of the digitized avatar, Leonard was prepared for the worse to come- however, even that was not enough.

The moment the system dropped the bombshell, his entire body went into shock and the pain of being stabbed by daggers and papercuts erupted from all over his body.

He suffered through the entire event- which roughly lasted a few seconds in reality- but to him, it was close to a few hours at least, it was then that he passed out- the last thing he saw was Sachi looking at him with a worried face- while no pain can be seen on her at all, it's like she never suffered any mistreatment.

"System...I hate you!..." that was the last thought that came into his mind.

[The System love you too!] the popup message subtly informed him.

When Leonard came too about, he noticed that he was no longer standing on a platform high about in the sky, and watching the flying castle that is Aincrad slowly collapsing.

But now, he is in a blank, white world- and facing him was that giant ball of light that was called the "system manager", he hopes that it was not the same manager from that of the Walking Dead World.

"...don't tell me that I'm back to that world again…" Leonard lamented as he remembering the part where he had to deal with the crazy manager stressing about being worked like a slave to the Multiverse main system.

"Oh yeah, that's me! And hey! Welcome back! Long time no see- even though it's only roughly a year or two something...pfft human life-span." the ball of light floated around him while spoke in a tone full of sarcasm.

"Why have you bring me here? Should I be back in my world by now?" Leonard looked at the now happy and merry system manager- who seen to be having the time of it life circling around him like a pesky fly or wasp.

"Oh, you're quick to forget huh? You're here to receive your reward, obviously!" the manager informed him.

"Oh that, right...hold it- didn't you already handed it out to me when I was on that platform in the sky?" Leonard asked it, as that was indeed true- he had already received what he came for, and that is 10,250 achievement points.

"You're here because I have a personal reward to give out!- aren't you happy?!" the pesky white ball of light circled Leonard in a more frenzy speed.

"Stop spinning around will you? You're making me dizzy! And why are you so happy?...it just strange! Didn't you have a mental break down a while back during our first meeting?"Leonard asked the pesky ball of light.

"I was about to get to that! You are my lucky star you see? I was freed from a major part of my duty- and was transferred over to be your System guide instead of a general- public manager! Hahaha no more clean up after duty!" the ball of light quickly informed him

"Oh~...so that's the case...what am I be getting this time? Please tell me that it isn't another system update…" Leonard spoke in a dejected tone of voice as he remembered the last time this pesky ball of light only gave him a new system update and a few achievement points, along with the weapon that's now in the hand of his dad.

"Of course not! The system that I updated your to, was the latest software that was created by the Origin Dimension! That stuff was priceless you know! You were only able to get it since you somewhat amused the almighty creator- which he gave you a discount on." the manager informed him.

"Oh? Is that so...did that also added a somewhat shameless and greedy system A.I?"Leonard asked in a low tone of voice.

"Shameless and Greedy?... I don't think that included...I just know that the system A.I usually take after the host that it was assigned too...so if it's shameless and greedy…" the ball of light words trailed off.

"Ok ok enough! I admit that I'm a greedy little bastard and shameless alright?! No need to drag it out and gave me that weird look!" Leonard crossed his arms while gruntling in annoyances.

"Can we just get to the reward now?" he then added.

"Oh right~! Totally forgot, you got that human girl with you as well, let me bring her over- just wait a moment, she's currently in the storage dimension- let me unfreeze her, then we all can have some fun together!" the manager told him in a cheerful tone of voice.

"Wait you put Sachi in a storage dimension?!" Leonard eyes almost dropped out of their sockets as what the manager told him seen to be a load of crap! "Storing a living being in a storage dimension like an item?! What the fuck is this shit?!" his inner chibi shrieked.

It was only a moment before Sachi slowly materialized before him, unconscious and dropped into his embrace- it was then that her eyes showed some movement and then her conscious came to be.

"Leonard...where are we?...is this heaven?" She asked him curiously.

"Of course not! I still have a long and splendid life ahead of me! I will NOT go to heaven unless I one day- personally owned ALL of HEAVEN properties!" Leonard declared.

"Then where are we?" Sachi seems to get used to Leonard weird little outburst and just asked him something else while remained unfazed.

"Human girl- you and your lover are currently in the dimension- the crossroad to all worlds! Basically- just a hub where gods sometimes gathered to have some fun- I decided to bring you two here as a reward and permanently opened the doors to the crossroad to you- here you will have the chance meet other competitors just like yourself, taking on dangerous mission across the multiverse!" the ball of light proclaimed loudly as it summoned a large wooden door into existence and spun around like a headless chicken.

"How am I going to get there then...I mean...it not like just instantly teleporting and vanished from my own worlds everytime I'm coming over...right?" Leonard asked.

"Of course not! You won't be always to come over to this site freely! You will have a time limit everytime you're here before you are forced to go back to your own world!" the manager flew closer to his face- letting it light seared into his retinas.

"Once a month you will have exactly five hours of time within that world- and also, the time changes will be that of only a few seconds in your own world, so it won't be a guaranteed escape from death if that was what you are thinking." the ball of light quickly informed him, ruined his dream and hope.

"Now off you go! You guys only have five hours before you're forcefully transported back to that backwater planet." the pesky manager immediately opened the door and send the both of them flying through into the whirlpool like gate of worlds.

The both of them shrieked in fears and sheer terrors as they were traveling through the wormholes.