Return Of The Strongest Player

Second life.

It was reincarnation.

Not many believed in it, yet those who did know of its consequences and benefits. Reincarnation was a particularly fleshed-out concept, with many theories and opinions surrounding it.

Yet, was one certain of what it symbolized? Or what one could achieve using it?

Arthur was unbeknownst to it.

He walked forward endlessly. After passing away, he was reincarnated on the same path. Only, this time, heavy, golden blocks weighed down on his shoulders. Three of the blocks were distinct, with a size much vaster than the others.

Arthur continued forward, contesting with beasts and storms while chasing his goals. The golden blocks only grew heavier as time passed, forcing Arthur's knees to bend while walking, and slowing his pace.

The beasts and storms only grew more powerful, forcing blood to seep from his wounds.

He couldn't fight anymore, suffering due to the weight on his shoulders. Finally, he was forced to drop a few smaller gold blocks, relishing the sensation. However, once the beasts and storms grew more powerful yet again, he dropped more blocks.

It was a complicated situation.

With every block Arthur dropped, his anger and frustration increased, while the urge to isolate himself grew. Tears escaped his eyes, while an unknown feeling originating in his chest encompassed his entire existence.

Finally, with only the three gold blocks remaining on his shoulders, he came across two orbs, one forged using light, and the other forged using darkness. Arthur fought valiantly to the end, until the three gold blocks fell to the ground, disintegrating.

In desperation and in agony, Arthur swore to destroy the two orbs, continuing to fight with only a deranged smile visible on his face.

However, in the end, he lost.

He suffered death yet again.

That was his "fate."

*

Arthur relished the peaceful, serene sounds of the splashing water. He sat at the riverside, his eyes gazing upon the mesmerizing scenery of the snow-capped mountains in the distance. The rays of the Sun only seemed to increase their majesty.

His crimson eyes faded into a cool shade of blue, reflected by the clear water that seemed to glow rapidly.

Arthur savored the scenery, spending his days fishing and living a minimalistic life without children, a spouse, or parents. A life of isolation seemed to be the optimal choice, given his lack of principle.

A few years passed, then a few decades, and eventually, Arthur's life came to an end.

His body entered the river, disintegrating before long and entering the vast ocean, never to be found.

*

Arthur gazed upon the scenery with widened eyes. He sat atop a cliff, looking at the lush forest beneath with a certain, child-like innocence. Suddenly, a few years passed, and a peerless beauty sat at Arthur's side.

The peerless beauty had crimson hair that cascaded down to her waist. She had porcelain skin and wore a shawl that seemed to cover her entire body. With scarlet eyes that seemed to have bled into a dark, simple color, she seemed full of wisdom.

She hugged Arthur's arm, gazing down at the lush forest while revealing a gentle smile.

A few years passed yet again, and this time, a child dressed in loose robes sat between the couple. He giggled, huddling between the two adults in order to feel their warmth. However, such joy did not last long.

Winter arrived, and before long, Arthur and the peerless beauty passed away. The child honored them with a funeral, and left the cliff, shedding tears of sorrow. However, the river of time was unending.

He soon found himself a wife and had three children.

Arthur and the beauty's life were merely records of history, remembered by a single person, who soon passed away.

Before long, their lives had been forgotten.

*

Arthur's hands trembled. Clutched between his fingers was a dagger around nine inches in length. It seemed capable of slicing even metal if wielded properly. Its tip currently faced Arthur's sternum.

He stood in a dark alley, away from the vibrant colors of the modern city in which he resided, alongside his late family. His eyes displayed true fear… Fear that corroded his mind, instilling a certain sense of paranoia within it.

His sanity was deteriorating each day.

After the murder of his family, including family, spouse, and children, Arthur was unable to endure the sense of guilt that overtook him. Although he was not involved in the murder, he hated himself for not being there in their time of need.

Now, as he gazed upon their tombs, there was something he couldn't endure.

'Should I…'

As the tip neared his heart, Arthur shut his eyelids, a tear seeping from the corner of his eyes as he tightened his body.

Stab!

As the tip pierced his soft flesh, Arthur's eyes turned bloodshot. Searing pain assaulted his body, forcing him to the ground in mere seconds, a pool of blood forming around his convulsing body.

He opened his mouth several times, only to close it again.

'Fucking hell…'

He writhed in pain. A scene unbecoming of a man of his stature played out in the dark alleys, shadowed by the modernized city.

*

The scent of blood filled the air, tickling a certain crimson-eyed man's nose. He snorted, however, unperturbed by the smell he'd caused by slaughtering hundreds, perhaps thousands of men.

His eyes radiated an air of indifference, while his pose, which he performed atop a pile of corpses, seemed Kingly. The air of royalty was present. The modern world would label him a cold-blooded murderer, but he was merely a man protecting his Kingdom.

Suddenly, a wisp of darkness slithered its way above the pile of corpses, nestling in Arthur's embrace.

"Why do you continue?"

The darkness asked, confused.

At those words, Arthur revealed a cold smile, baring his fangs as he stared into the distance.

"If my life wasn't a flowing river, but instead was a tranquil lake, how would I dominate the ocean?"

"If the shackles of fate bound me, would there be a purpose to my life?"

"If I was merely a character in this book, would I be able to pursue my own path? A path devoid of treaders, one that holds incredible risk, yet an equally profound reward?"

Suddenly, Arthur exploded into molecules of both light and darkness.

What remained could only be described with a single word…

Chaos.