Chapter 2: Three Wishes

A dark nothingness surrounded and enveloped me for a seemingly long time before I felt the pitch-black darkness tremble but I didn't respond.

Rather, I couldn't.

After all, I was supposed to be dead and maybe go through the cycle of rebirth.

Or maybe some god would weigh my actions and deeds, Karma, was it? Then, they would decide what shall I be reborn as.

Or maybe go to Heaven or Hell?

I don't know.

It was just a concept of different religions yet no one knew what was true and what wasn't as no believer would ever believe their religion to lie and be inferior.

Setting those complicated thoughts aside, I wondered in bewilderment.

'Wait a minute? How am I thinking? Ain't I dead?'

Confused by my current state, I couldn't help but panic slightly, thinking the worst.

'What if someone trapped my soul or something? Is it even real? Am I not dead? Maybe, I am in a coma...'

...

However, as if to put every single one of my theories and crazy thoughts to waste, a sudden white expanse greeted me.

It was akin to a small room yet I didn't know its size as I was locked in place, like usual.

"The System Space," I said as recognition dawned on me.

Seeing the familiar scene, my thoughts calmed down too.

Unaware of the being keeping an eye on me, I continued to wait for the system to show up.

***

[??? POV]

Looking at the silhouette in white, resembling a man, in the center of System Space, was a man with regality and dignity oozing out of his stout form.

"The System Space," muttered the silhouette.

To the man, however, the voice couldn't be any more clear.

After all, he could even read the silhouette's thoughts. This much was nothing.

But it begged the question how could a blurry silhouette speak?

"Let's see what you choose..." The man mumbled to nobody in particular as he waved his hand and the system blared in front of the silhouette once again.

***

If I had my body, I was sure I would be furrowing my brows as the system was taking longer than usual.

'Whatever. Not like I can do anything.'

The System Space was an isolated space, or maybe dimension, of sorts. It was the place where the System usually gave me quests and rewards.

Waking up here instead of meeting some mythical being, I knew for sure, it was for my feat of killing the Demon King despite my death.

That was the end goal, anyways.

Or so I believed at the time.

—Ring!

[Calculating Rewards...]

Suddenly, the system blared into existence out of nowhere but I was used to it.

Not like I could react even if I wasn't.

It had a simple light blue background with words popping up with white like the typical system in most games, novels, animes, manhwas etcetera.

Though its buzzing sound was surely annoying...

—Ring!

[Rewards Calculated!]

[Dear Host,

Thanks for killing the Demon King and saving your world!]

With that message, confetti popped up and music started ringing all around me as if celebrating the death of the Demon King.

[Reward:...]

—Ring!

[Reward has been upgraded]

[With the system creator's permission, 3 wishes are granted to the system bearer!]

Unknown to me, my form of a hazy silhouette wavered for a second, indicating my inner happiness yet also my turmoil.

"How ironic."

I couldn't help but say, knowing full well that it was either me or the Demon King.

Yet knowing and accepting it were different things.

The feeling of disgust flowed through me for being stripped of the chance to go to the afterlife, or whatever else it may be.

In the end, what other choice did I have than to accept my ridiculous situation?

So, I thought carefully and asked for one of the most common cliche beginning in webnovels.

'System, Regression?'

—Ring!

[Denied.]

As if to pour cold water over my expectations, it boldly denied my question much faster than other times.

Well, what did I even expect?

If that was possible, what was the meaning of going through everything?

One can just keep exploiting the loophole and might even regress 1683 times and fail to keep their memories, believing it to be their 3rd round, like that one famous novel.

Stopping myself from going into bragging about that novel, I decided to make the best decision with the limited information.

'I need to narrow down what I can and can't do...'

In an attempt to draw more information from the system regarding the capabilities of the wishes, I asked it several questions and it fired rapid replies.

The conclusion I reached after the short question and answer session was simple:

'It is pretty useless.'

Not that it ever helped me to increase my stats by drinking water or basic tasks or something.

It has always been an equivalent exchange except for probably protection from soul and mental attacks, maybe.

'I guess, this is the best bet...'

It just had way too many limitations. For example: no regression, no resurrection,no afterlife, no power ups, no information about the creator, and no revival.

Oh yeah? Did I forget to mention that I am deader than dead and it won't change.

At least in this world.

'System, you said only Reincarnation is allowed, right?'

—Ring!

[Yes, Host! If you wish to use your other wishes then you must reincarnate and use one of the wishes for it!]

"What a scam!"

I couldn't help but curse at the absurdity of the situation.

I was stuck here, in the system space.

Dead.

What's worse?

1 out of 3 wishes will definitely be used and from what I know of this shitty system, it will definitely play some tricks.

Driving my mind to overload, I decided to come up with the best decision possible.

'Orphan or family? Obviously, a family! A loving one at that! But I don't want to change my gender or become a first son...'

'Who wants to become the heir and deal with clutter all day long? Definitely not me!'

'She is dead and nothing's gonna change that. It's already been a decade since then...'

'Two decades for my parents...'

...

"Curse you system! I am too old for this shit! I just want to live a lazy life."

"It would be a blessing if I could live a normal life with my parents before getting married and dying of old age!"

"Who wants to be the strongest or the ruler of the world? Be that if you want! I will just be stronger and live like I want!"

Finally, I decided to lay down my wishes not knowing it wasn't easy to fulfill them, given my life was filled with fighting and blood all throughout.

Not that I had any other option to waste time.

Something told me in my guts that I didn't have the luxury to stay here in the system space indefinitely.

If that wasn't enough, the System's rapid replies raised some concern within my being.

'I should just go with it…'

I looked, if that was even possible in my current form, at the fluttering blue system window in the System Space and directly stated my wish.

"Firstly, reincarnation without you, the system, and soul protection to never get enslaved, controlled, manipulated or connected to any other system. I am tired of this…"

Before I could complete my entire wish, the system windows shifted and many appeared and disappeared instantaneously.

—Ring!

[Worlds host can be reincarnated into: 178956…

 Removing System or potential system worlds…

 Adding Soul Protection…]

"Oi!" I interrupted the system and cursed it, "You shitty system, at least listen to my complete wish!"

Yet it didn't stop calculating so I just continued with my wish.

"Fine! Do it your way, then!"

"Listen here, I don't wish to save the world again, just a peaceful slow life with a loving family and then marry a loyal wife to spend my life with. Ah! Of course, I don't want to destroy any worlds either."

"Secondly, make sure I am born as a second son to a monogamous couple. Seal my memories till I am 10 or 15 unless it endangers my life or of those close to me."

"And third…"

—Ring!

[Request Denied!]

[Administrator Overwrites!]

[Overwrite Failed!]

[Error!]

[Error…Error…Error…!]

[Creator…!]

[Request Acquiesced]

[Good luck, hero]

"Wait–"

I tried to stop the system but it didn't respond and suddenly I lost all sensation and my thought processes but not before cursing this system one last time before going into reincarnation.

'You shitty system! I only got granted two wishes, not three! I will definitely not miss you, regardless!'

***

[??? POV]

Hearing the ridiculous thoughts of the system's host, or better known as the Humanity's last hope, the man's lips couldn't help but curl up despite the precarious situation around him.

"That is going to take some time…" muttered the man as his expression transformed to a cold one and he immediately cut off the system and sent the still speaking man to his next life.

"I do hope you achieve what you must.

For it affects not just you but a lot."

"What should I call you?"

"The Undeserved Hero or the Accidental Hero?"

"Haha"

"Who am I kidding, there are no accidents or coincidences. Only Actions."

"Should I bid you goodbye and luck for your next life with the titles you gained or the name your mother gave you?"

Despite the man's ramblings, his hands never stopped as he destroyed the system, once and for all. However, that wasn't the end of it and he knew it all too well.

"If fate wills it, we shall meet again, Bhairav."