Call me Akuma

Akuma wanted to walk away and take the safer path—it was the logical choice. Yet, the idea of wasting a precious request for nothing gnawed at him. His rational mind urged caution, but greed whispered seductively in his ear. The allure of unimaginable power was too tempting to resist. In the end, greed overpowered reason, and he made his choice. 

With hesitant hands, Akuma stepped toward the massive wheel and gave it a spin. The wheel spun with a loud crackling sound, and Akuma's eyes locked onto it, his heart racing. He watched intently, hoping it wouldn't land on one of the death slots. Slowly, the wheel began to slow, and to his relief, it stopped on a World Item slot: "Absolute Dimension Lock Ring." 

Akuma's face lit up with joy. He held the World Item, its power practically radiating in his hands. His excitement surged as he looked back at the wheel. The possibility of acquiring even more power beckoned him. Against his better judgment, he spun the wheel again. 

The wheel spun, crackling like before. Akuma's entire body tensed as he watched it with bated breath. Once more, luck was on his side—it landed on another World Item: "Clothes of Perfection." 

His excitement skyrocketed. Two World Items in a row! It felt like fortune was smiling upon him, and his rational thoughts had all but disappeared, consumed by greed. He stepped forward again, his hand itching to spin the wheel once more. 

But just as he was about to spin, Akuma caught a glimpse of the old man's face. The frown etched there pierced through the fog of his greed, and for a moment, he hesitated. Taking a deep breath, he managed to regain his composure. He stopped himself just in time, realizing the odds were no longer in his favor. 

Akuma turned to the being and said firmly, "I don't want to play anymore." 

The being's smile faltered slightly, replaced by a frown. "It was just getting interesting. Why stop now? Look at your luck! You've already won two World Items. Just one more spin—you'll definitely get another one. Take my word for it; it'll be fun!" The being's voice was warm and persuasive, almost hypnotic. 

For a moment, Akuma wavered, but he shook his head resolutely. "No. I don't want to play anymore." 

The being stared at Akuma intensely, his frown deepening before he suddenly burst into laughter. "Well, well. You've learned a lesson most fail to grasp—control your emotions before they control you." 

His grin widened, an unsettling mix of amusement and mystery. "I'll give you an opportunity to become strong. From your memory, I noticed that many novels have protagonists blessed with cheat systems. So, I'll grant you one too—but with a twist." 

The being raised a hand, and glowing symbols materialized in the air, forming a strange interface. "This system will issue you only three missions every five years. You can only pick one out of the three. If you complete it, you'll be rewarded based on the difficulty of the task. The choice to accept or reject them is entirely yours." 

Akuma looked at the being in front of him and said, "I don't want the system. Give me something else." 

The being's smile widened as he replied, "Something else? OK, do you want your soul ripped apart or erased from existence? Pick one." 

Seeing the expression on the being's face, Akuma felt a wave of panic rise within him. Behind that smile was a gaze so menacing it seemed poised to tear his very soul apart. He quickly stammered, "Sorry, I misspoke. I humbly accept your system as a gift. Thank you!" 

With a satisfied grin, the being handed the system over to Akuma. Then, the being looked at him, laughed once more, and said, "Well then, it's time for you to go." 

Akuma glanced at the being; his brow furrowed in confusion. "I'm going to the Overlord world, right?" he asked, a hint of excitement in his voice. 

The being's expression shifted into one of frustration as he sighed and rubbed his temples. "Did you forget, you shithead, that you destroyed the entire universe of Overlord, not just the world?" 

Hearing this, Akuma froze, his excitement fading. "Then… do you know where I'm going?" he asked. 

The being shrugged nonchalantly. "I don't know. Don't ask me." 

Hearing such a dismissive reply, Akuma felt his frustration rising again, especially at the sight of the being's ever-present, mocking smile. However, he chose to stay silent, instead turning his attention to the two World Items in his possession. Internally, a wave of happiness washed over him. These two items were powerful, but one stood out in particular—the Clothes of Perfection. 

In the game, this World Item possessed unique abilities. It granted the wearer perfect immunity to all mental attacks, but its most powerful feature was the ability to grant 50% more experience points from killing monsters or completing quests. Additionally, it significantly accelerated the recovery of health, stamina, and mana—by an astonishing 90%. For example, if it typically took ten minutes to fully regenerate health and stamina, wearing the Clothes of Perfection reduced that time to just one minute. 

However, the item came with significant drawbacks. Upon death, the item would drop, making it a risky choice in combat. Furthermore, it prevented the wearer from accessing their inventory while equipped. Even after unequipping it, the player had to wait three minutes before regaining access to their inventory—a delay that could be a death sentence in a high-stakes battle. Additionally, the Clothes of Perfection offered no physical protection, leaving the wearer vulnerable to direct attacks. 

Despite its flaws, the item was invaluable in the hands of the right player. For species like Cocytus's insect species, which had natural armor, the rapid regeneration made them nearly unkillable. For healers, magic casters, priests, or any support class, this World Item provided a tremendous advantage in battle, allowing for unparalleled efficiency in recovery and support roles. Additionally, the 50% experience boost made it an excellent tool for leveling up quickly. 

In the right hands, this World Item could render its wearer virtually invincible within their level range. It was particularly effective in team battles or dungeon raids, where its abilities could turn the tide of battle. However, against an opponent wielding a different World Item, the Clothes of Perfection became virtually useless. 

In the game, when two players equipped with World Items faced each other, the abilities of both items would cancel out. This was especially detrimental for a player wearing the Clothes of Perfection. Since the item provided no protection and prevented inventory access, the wearer was left extremely vulnerable. If they died, the item would drop and fall into the enemy's hands. 

This made Clothes of Perfection a high-risk, high-reward item. Any player who chose to equip it had to exercise extreme caution when facing another World Item user. A direct confrontation was almost certain to result in death, turning the item's advantages into a liability. 

The Absolute Dimension Lock Ring was an exceptional World Item, particularly effective for defending territory, defeating dungeon bosses, raiding, exploring uncharted areas, or countering players and monsters that relied heavily on spatial powers. Its primary ability allowed it to lock dimensions. When activated, a maximum 25-feet spherical radius would manifest around the wielder, creating a zone where all spatial abilities were entirely nullified. Abilities such as spatial manipulation, space-time manipulation, appearance manipulation, warping, spatial telekinesis, and similar powers became completely useless within the sphere's area of effect. 

Additionally, one of its most critical effects was the ability to prevent players from accessing their inventory or any item that relied on dimensional storage. Such functions were entirely disabled, further crippling opponents who depended on these abilities for survival or strategic advantage. This feature made the Absolute Dimension Lock Ring a powerful countermeasure against foes reliant on spatial tactics or resources. 

Additionally, the Absolute Dimension Lock Ring possessed a secondary power: it could detect any moving objects, life forms, or even sound within its radius. This made it a vital tool for tracking and defending against threats, rendering any form of camouflage or hiding completely useless within its effective range. However, one significant downside of this item was that it couldn't distinguish between allies and enemies. If you were fighting alongside teammates, they too would be unable to use spatial abilities while within the item's effective zone. This could easily backfire in team-based scenarios. Additionally, like the Clothes of Perfection, if the wearer dies, the Absolute Dimension Lock Ring would be guaranteed to drop, potentially falling into the hands of an enemy. 

The Being in front of him said, "You've had your three requests. Now it's time for you to go. No need for farewells. Eventually, you'll die, and when that happens, you'll meet the old man again. But at that time, the old man will personally cast you into hell for all eternity because of the countless lives that have perished at your hand." 

Akuma said nothing, his gaze fixed on both The Being and the Angel of Afterlife before nodding in acknowledgment. But just before he left, curiosity overwhelmed him, and he glanced at the system interface the being had gifted him. 

What he saw left him both stunned and furious at the same time. Written plainly across the interface were the words: System is booting... Below that, a progress bar slowly filled, and beneath it, an even more infuriating message: Estimated time until system is operable: 1,000 years. 

Akuma's face twisted in disbelief and fury as he yelled, "WHAT THE FU—" 

Before he could finish his sentence, the being smirked and, with a flick of his hand, sent Akuma hurtling into his next life. 

After sending Akuma away, The Being turned to the Angel of Afterlife and asked, "Why did you go to such lengths for this boy, old man?" 

The Angel of Afterlife looked at his master with calm detachment, his expression devoid of emotion. "Master, why do you ask me something you already know the answer to?" 

The being chuckled lightly, his gaze lingering on the angel. "Well, I still want to hear it from your mouth." 

The Angel of the Afterlife sighed softly before responding, "The reason is simple, all of his family, as well as his friends, shared a single wish—to grant him a better life, to provide him with an opportunity for a fresh start. You are already aware that, during a time of great need, his family extended their help to me. This is my way of repaying the debt I owe to them... and to you, Master." 

The being's amused expression softened as he listened. After a moment of reflection, he said with a wry smile, "You destroy lives, yet you understand them better than I do. Isn't that ironic?" 

 ----

Absolute Dimension Lock Ring "Image" 

Also, Beggar King has left a few pop culture references and memes. If you find them, comment, and Beggar King will give you a like. 

If we reach 100 stones, I'll reward you all with a bonus chapter!