Chapter 0: Prologue

'Ahh, this is so frustrating…'

Few moment earlier…

I was in my room doing nothing but playing video game on my computer however I felt like going out as to catch some fresh air.

"I just began playing this game and now I've to fight this monster looking boss just to progress the story."

"This game just launched, why the heck is there a tough boss like this?"

"You kidding me!"

I died however I came back to beat the boss.

"Look at the damage done to him by my sword, it is not even double number. Are you kidding me?"

I died again.

"Am I that weak? I mean the character I'm using."

"This boss health bar is like, ten times to my health bar."

"And it heals two times."

"How am I going to eliminate this thing?"

"Ahhh, I'm dead again."

"Stupid game."

"I think first I've to get myself a good weapon that deals three number damage if not three then at least two."

I thought the first boss would be easy to defeat but I was wrong. If it hits me two time I'm dead.

"Let's start again from the last save point."

First earn money by eliminating small monsters, then buy the sword that can do three or two number damage, next buy healing stuff, next buy armor or clothes that absorbs damage, after that buy some kind of ornaments that can help you while battling, and finally establish a strategy to eliminate that boss by observing it with carefully consideration.

"I spend almost three hours by making my character stronger now it's time to eliminate this thing."

I died total of one hundred times while fighting the same thing over and over again and got really frustrated.

"If I didn't beat this thing this time I'm gonna get out."

I died again.

"Hahaha… this stupid… stupid game, I'm gonna get you after coming back… just you wait… dumb game…"

I calmed myself down by laughing.

I always laugh or smile when I get angry or frustrated and think about the reason for getting angry.

"It's just a game, why I am getting angry for such stupid thing. I should go outside and walk around, eat something delicious and come back with great mood."

"Stupid game."

I chuckled on myself getting frustrated for such stupid game as I was turning of the computer.

I put the headphones back to its place.

As it turned off completely I saw my own image on the black screen.

"Oh, I guess I do look good. I wonder when I'll find someone to be a part of me."

"Stupid game."

I picked my phone and earphone which were on the table, as I proceeded outside of my apartment I plugged 3.5mm audio jack then wore the two earbuds in order to listen music and with fifty percent volume I played music.

I was wearing ordinary clothes.

As I hold my phone in my hand I walked through the passage, approached the elevator. I pushed the button, I waited for it to open then moved inside and pressed the 'one' button. It started to move downward after closing its door.

The elevator was empty.

It stopped afterwards and I got out of the tall building.

As I looked at it I went deep in thought.

'I'm a person who grew up and got educated in an orphanage. I left the orphanage at the age of fifteen. I searched and worked on many part time jobs until I found a good one and stick only with it. I worked for one year and bought smartphone for the purpose of many things. Later I joined high school. I continued working on my part time job and afterwards, as I graduated from high school I turned eighteen years old. I skipped to join any university since I needed funds for it. I learnt various skills and experienced many things from the internet. I kept working on my part time job and about a half and a year passed by doing so. Later I bought a good laptop and started to learn to code and other things from the internet for free.

The place I was staying was nice place and the people staying there too.

Later when I was about to turn twenty I started working as a freelancer in the internet. At start I earned some but not much money however after some time I started making decent amount of it.

As time passed I kept working, studying, learning, experiencing…

I tuned twenty-five years old.

I didn't have to join university in order to learn things I wanted to since I learnt everything either from the internet or by reading books.

I bought an apartment here when I was twenty-seven years old and it's been three years since I started living here.'

I'm already thirty, I better find someone to date or to go out and have a life.

I began to walk as I listen to beautiful melodies.

As I was walking on the roadside someone suddenly grabbed my phone from my hand and as he made a haste the earphone I was wearing came off from my ears however I managed to grabbed its wire but unfortunately it got unplugged from my phone due to that I was left with nothing but my earphones.

I got really furious and started chasing him without being cautious about my surroundings. All my attention got focused only on him.

I ran as if my life depended on it.

I was getting closer to him slowly from behind.

As I reach out to grab his cloth, in blink of an eye I found myself flying with sudden intense pain and the person I was about to catch disappeared right before my eyes.

'Huh, what's up with this sudden pain?' Damn, it's hurting so badly. that truck…oh, I'm dead!'

I realized I was chasing the guy in busy traffic and got hit by truck.

I was sent flying, rolled few times after landing and was on my back.

'Ahh…, It's hurting, it's hurting so badly.'

'I can't, I can't endure this pain.'

It was hurting so badly that it made to wish for my own death.

Looking at the sky while sensing the touch of hard hot asphalted road on my back I coughed blood.

It happened because I was carelessly pursuing the guy who stole my phone. If I have gotten a bit cautious while chasing him I could have avoided getting into accident.

Damn it,stupid me.

I regretted about not being careful.

I don't even have the courage to move any of my body parts.

I'm afraid if I moved anything the pain gonna reach its peak which could lead to loss of consciousness.

'That stupid thief… why did he have to steal my phone?'

'Well, you're stupid… it's your carelessness that got you into this mess. Hope the truck driver is all right.'

My vision got blurry and the noises slowly started to fade away.

I had heard people's life flashes before their eyes when they are about to die but I realized about it being untrue.

I couldn't be able to speak or move.

'Ahh, it's getting hard to breathe…'

I was about to loose my consciousness.

Someone just showed up blocking view of the sky.

'I'm about to die and you're asking me if I'm okay, are you blind?'

I tried to speak but I couldn't.

'Of course he's not blind you dumb otherwise he wouldn't be here helping you.'

'And you're blocking the soothing view of the sky. At least don't block it and stop making noises. Let me just die peacefully, damn it.'

He continued to help.

'Ahh…, this is so frustrating.'

"Well, it can't be help. Maybe his little help can save you." I thought and calmed myself down.

My vision got blurrier and blurrier. I could hear nothing but only my thoughts. All the noises got neutralized and I completely lost my consciousness.

…

My life was going smoothly but I got careless and now I'm dead.

Damn it!

I never thought I would die at the age of thirty. Stupid me getting careless while chasing that thief, that dumb thief.

I was still a virgin and there're lot of things left unchecked on my to do list.

I can't believe I'm dead.

Wait…, wait a minute, I did loose my consciousnesses back then but now it's back.

My consciousness is back.

That's why I'm hearing my own thoughts right?

So does it mean I'm still alive?

I am not feeling any pain at all plus I'm breathing fine.

And what's up with this warm sensation all over my body?

"Hooray…"

I excitedly opened my eyes just to conform myself if I was still alive.

"Huh! Where am I?"

I observed myself and started to wander around after getting on my feet.

"Am I not supposed to be in hospital, huh?"

"This place doesn't look like any hospital at all or does it?"

"No it doesn't."

"And what's with that big tree? Light is beaming from it and it looks beautiful too."

"The air I'm breathing and smell I'm perceiving is like as if I'm in heaven."

"Talking of which am I really in heaven? No it can't be. If this place supposed to be heaven, why I am not seeing any other person or things or objects besides the tree I'm approaching and infinite view of emptiness with clouds covering the ground and the surrounding areas."

"Where really am I?"

I started to get anxious.

"It seems someone just awakened."

I was reassured when I heard the voice.

The voice was changing its characteristic randomly.

"Hey, who's talking? Show yourself!"

I looked around but saw no one.

"No I will not."

The voice was coming from every possible direction.

"Why not? Who are you? By the way where am I?"

"I'm 'GOD' and you're at my place known as gate."

What God is he talking about am I not alive?

"Gate? What gate? Am not supposed to be in hospital?"

"You died."

"Yeah, I died…, huh?"

"You died and arrived here."

I was joyed at first but after finding out about my death my happiness got vanished.

"So is this place supposed to be gate to hell and heaven? And what about my sins?"

"People create hell and heaven in their world as to atone their sins. This is the place where soul gets a new life."

"You mean gate to new life. So am I going to start a new life?"

"Correct."

"What about my memories or experiences?"

"They'll get erased as you get a new body however if you're willing to accept my request then I'll not do anything to it."

"Huh? Request? What kind of request is it?"

"It's a request of assisting me."

"Huh, you need my help?"

What kind of help do God needs from a mere human like me. He has all the powers to help himself, you know.

People who believe in god worship God hoping to getting some help from God. Even atheist sometimes remember God in their mind. But he's asking me for my help.

"What kind of help do God himself needs from a mere human? Aren't you supposed to be helping people or any living beings instead of asking their help? Don't you have powers? Like supernatural powers? You know, people worship you hoping you to solve their problems. By the way do you really answer their prayers and help them?"

I questioned.

"No. I don't help them."

"What?"

Is he serious?

"They have the power to help themselves an yes I'm serious."

"Power? What kind of power?"

Is he reading my mind?

"Power to help themselves and no I'm not reading you mind."

"Eh…"

That's not the answer I'm looking for and of course he's reading my mind.

"Are you willing to help me? If so your past life's memories won't be erased."

He continued.

"Of course, I want to retain those memories that way my new life will progress smoothly. No need to go to school-"

"You're not going back to the same world you came from."

"Huh?"

"Yes,you'll get a new life in new world."

"Can I not-"

"No you can't get a new life in the same world you died without me erasing your memories and experiences."

Is he reading my mind?

Of course he is. He's God.

"No, I'm not and yes I'm God."

See. He's reading my mind.

"No, I'm not reading your mind."

"Then how did you know I was thinking about you reading my mind?"

"I'm reading your thoughts that are coming out of you."

That's same as reading my mind.

"No it's not."

"Okay, okay, so… what can I do to help you? How can I be your assistant?"

"You'll provide me your aid to balance energies in the world you're getting a new life into."

"What do you mean? Balancing energies? What is that?"

"You'll know more about it eventually. So are you wiling to accept my request?"

"What choice do I have. Of course I'm going to accept your request."

"So your answer is yes?"

"Yeah."

"Then why don't you say it for me?"

"Why do you need to hear me say the word 'yes', huh?"

"To activate the contract."

"Oh you mean assisting you."

"So say it."

"Okay… yes… is that enough or should I say 'yes I'm going accept your request my dear God.' huh?"

"Good."

"Good… yeah good. By the way why don't you show yourself?"

"I already showed to yourself the moment I spoke to you and I'm still showing myself to you."

"Then why am I not seeing you?"

"I made myself invisible."

"Oh I see… invisible huh… are you kidding me! How am I going to see you if you made yourself invisible and showed yourself?"

"If you can't see me invisible then you can't see visible me too."

"Hahaha… good one. So you will not show yourself then-"

"I'm already showing myself, you're just not seeing me."

He interrupted.

"I got it."

Calm down… calm down.

"Why do you need to calm down for?"

"You're reading my mind don't you?"

"No, I'm reading your thoughts."

"What's the difference between reading my mind and reading my thoughts?"

"There's no any difference."

"Then why don't you admit that you're reading my mind?"

"No I am not reading your mind but your thoughts."

"Okay, okay… by the way will you be so kind to answer some questions of mine?"

"I can't be kind however I can answer your questions."

"Okay, so tell me why does people believe in you and worship you?"

"They believe in me that's why they worship me."

Is he stupid or something?

"No I'm not stupid. I'm answering your question."

Of course he's reading my mind.

"No I'm not."

"Yeah, so how do humans know about God?"

"They believe that's why they know about God."

"Okay, you're not going to answer any of my questions correctly ever."

"I'm answering it correctly."

"Okay so when am I going to disappear from your sight?"

"Once you blink."

"Okay."

I blinked my eyes.

Everything went pitch black and only thing that I could see was tree and it was glowing.

"Wow… the tree is beaming beautifully."

By the way where's God?

"Hey God, can you hear me? Where are you? Is my voice reaching you? Hey… God… stupid God, where are you?"

"I thought I was going to disappear but he did."

"Now how am I going get a new life?"

"Stupid god."

You dumb stop saying other stupid, stupid. Think about what to do next.

He did say if I blink I'm going to disappear from his sights. So if I blink again he's going to appear, right?

No I don't think so.

Only way to find it out to blink.

I blinked.

I did blink but it is same as before. Nothing changed, there's still that tree beaming light and it's pitch black everywhere like earlier.

By the way where did the illumination went?

Did the light also disappear with him?

Only thing left is the glowing tree that I'm perceiving and me in this indefinite darkness.

I guess I'll blink again.