Player One.

...Whoops.

I told you she was going to do something crazy, but did you listen?

Yeah, yeah...

As Lucille attempted to freeze me with her icy magic, I return the favour. Time Magic beats Ice Magic, and she halts all movements. Using the Time-Stone attached to my ring, I turn her back a few thousand years, picking up the crying baby and tossing her through a portal.

That'll be fun to explain to Weiss, but clearly something went wrong when we were raising her. But with the power of time, any mistakes can be erased.

Grabbing Kuro's soul, I pause looking it over in curiosity. I grabbed it just as the Phylactery was destroyed, so it's still intact and undamaged.

Or it would be if it wasn't for one thing...

Don't blame me, disconnecting him from the Game was the logical decision, it's a headache when Gamers die while connected to me.

Fair enough... but all Gamers get their skills from the Game, even me. When you disconnected him he was reset back to how he was before he started his Game...

I have to admit, I feel slightly bad about this... but I can make it up to him.

I can already see what you're planning, and it's the maddest thing I've ever heard.

It'll be fine... besides, I've never tried to do anything like this before... could be fun.

Or you could blow us both to pieces.

Just leave him dead, I'll find a replacement.

Nah, it wouldn't be the same. Besides, you can't say you didn't like him, at least a little bit.

He was adequate.

Which is more than you've ever said for any of his predecessors.

Besides, It'll be fine...

I've heard that before.

How many of your 'projects' started with those word?

Whatever, I'm doing it. How many people can say they made a new Multiverse after all? I've made worlds before, even made Universes... but an entire Multiverse? That's new... it's a challenge, something I've never done before.

Clearly the Multiverse isn't big enough for two Gamers, and I don't trust my daughters not to interfere with Kuro even if we bring him back, so I'll just make him his own Multiverse, where they won't be able to reach him.

That doesn't fix the fact that he's no longer attached to the Game.. and I deleted his progress since I thought he would be staying dead.

Even you can't restore the data.

...Besides, I've spent millions of years rooting myself in the Multiverse, even if you make a new one, I won't be able to connect to him while he's out of our Multiverse.

I know... which is why I'm going to make a new Game as well, Kuro's been running the limited version of the Game, and I'd say he deserves to be updated to the full version.

That is the dumbest thing I've ever heard you-

...I can feel you copying my data and I really don't like it.

Oh stop being a baby, it'll be done soon. It'll be fun to make a new Game, maybe this one can be less of a dick.

To match the Gamer that's less of a dick than the original?

...that's fair.

E-even still, building a Multiverse could take thousands of years.

That really feels weird...

It'll be over in a moment. And sure it will, but do you have anywhere you need to be anytime soon?

...Good point.

Besides, I just have to build the framework first, then one world to put Kuro and the new Game on, then I can take my time rebuilding all the other worlds.

Fine, if you're determined to go through with this I may as well help, it's better than just leaving you to your own devices.

It's not like you ever listen to anyone when you get a stupid idea.

I knew you liked him.

Eat a dick.

Maybe later, so... which world should we build first?

I neither know, nor care.

Well aren't you just helpful.

- Kuro – A Few Hundred Years Later -

Sitting up with a gasp, I look around the unfamiliar room in confusion.

What the hell happened? I should be dead... right? Lucille definitely destroyed my Phylactery...

Welcome! You have been chosen as the Host of the Gamer System!

...Seriously?