CHAPTER 3: ROULETTE
Gabriel's smile deepened slightly, but there was something unusual about it—something that made Arthur uneasy. It wasn't mocking, nor was it overly kind. It was the kind of smile that suggested something important was about to be revealed.
Arthur felt his thoughts spiral again.
For a brief moment, the overwhelming amount of information he had received began to cloud his judgment. His breathing grew uneven, and his mind threatened to slip into chaos once more. But this time, he reacted differently.
He closed his eyes.
"Hoooh…"
A slow breath entered his lungs.
"…and out."
He repeated it again, just like the psychiatrist had taught him during his recovery.
Control your breathing. Control your mind.
After a few seconds, Arthur opened his eyes again. The confusion had not disappeared completely, but it was contained. His gaze sharpened as he locked eyes with Gabriel.
"I'm ready," he said quietly.
Gabriel observed him for a moment, clearly noting the change.
Then he nodded.
"Mr. Arthur Jonas Maxine," Gabriel began, his voice calm yet firm, "you possess a kind and pure soul across the lives you have lived so far."
Arthur blinked in surprise.
He hadn't expected praise.
For a brief moment, a warmth spread through his chest. After everything he had been through—after all the accusations, failures, and pain—hearing those words felt… relieving.
But Gabriel continued.
"However, based on the current evaluation alone, you are not yet eligible for ascension."
Arthur's shoulders dropped slightly.
The disappointment was small—but noticeable.
Still, he didn't argue.
Deep down, he understood.
Gabriel spoke again.
"Therefore, you will be reincarnated once more and continue the cycle. However…" He paused, his expression softening. "I hold high expectations that you may reach the final destination in the future."
Arthur stood silent for a moment.
Then—
A small smile appeared.
"…Another chance, huh…"
The disappointment quickly faded.
Instead, something else replaced it.
Excitement.
Determination.
"If that's the case… then this time, I'll do it properly."
He clenched his fist.
"I'm not going to waste this life."
Arthur wasn't naïve anymore.
He didn't dream of saving the entire world.
He knew his limits.
"I don't need to be a savior of millions," he muttered. "But I'll at least protect the people who trust me."
That was enough.
More than enough.
Gabriel observed him quietly.
The faint spark in Arthur's eyes did not go unnoticed.
It wasn't arrogance.
It wasn't desperation.
It was resolve.
"Interesting…" Gabriel thought.
Then he spoke again.
"Although I am meant to assign your next life based on standard procedures, there is… an exception in your case."
Arthur raised his head.
"…An exception?"
"Yes."
Gabriel straightened slightly.
"As one of the seven superior overseers, I have been granted authority to deliver a reward to you personally."
Arthur's eyes widened.
"A reward?"
Curiosity and excitement surged instantly.
Gabriel nodded.
"Mr. Arthur Jonas Maxine, due to your final action—which altered the fate of your world—you have been granted the right to choose your next destination."
Arthur froze.
"…Choose…?"
"Yes."
Gabriel's gaze became slightly more intense.
"You will not be assigned randomly."
"You will decide."
Arthur's heart began to race.
This wasn't just a second chance.
This was control.
"This is insane…" he whispered.
Gabriel continued.
"You will be given access to a specialized selection system—a roulette containing various universes familiar to you."
Arthur's breath hitched.
"Familiar… universes?"
"Yes."
"But be warned," Gabriel added, his tone turning serious. "Once you make your choice, there is no turning back."
The weight of those words settled heavily.
"This is not a game."
Arthur took a deep breath.
He understood.
This decision would define everything.
"…I'm ready," he said after a pause.
Gabriel smiled faintly.
"Very well."
CHAPTER 4: SPINNING THE ROULETTE
(Arthur's POV)
When I said I was ready, Gabriel immediately opened his briefcase.
What I saw next completely shattered my expectations.
The inside of the briefcase looked nothing like… well, a briefcase.
It resembled a futuristic interface—like a highly advanced laptop, but far beyond anything I had seen before. The surface glowed faintly, and a holographic screen projected itself into the air.
"…What is this…?" I muttered.
Before I could even process it—
A table and chair appeared beside me.
Out of thin air.
I stared at it for a second.
"…Right. Of course. Why not."
At this point, I wasn't even surprised anymore.
After everything I had seen, this kind of thing felt… normal.
"Please, have a seat," Gabriel said.
I sat down slowly, my eyes still fixed on the holographic display as Gabriel interacted with it. His fingers moved smoothly across the glowing interface, as if he had done this countless times before.
After a few moments, he turned the screen toward me.
"Your options."
I leaned forward.
And then—
My eyes widened.
MULTIVERSE CATALOGUE
AVAILABLE OPTIONS:
SUPERNATURAL WORLD
ANIME / MANGA WORLD
SCI-FI WORLD
MARTIAL ARTS / CULTIVATION WORLD
"…This is unreal."
My mind immediately started racing.
These weren't just categories.
These were entire realities.
Entire possibilities.
Entire lives.
I swallowed.
"Can I choose the timeline too?" I asked quickly. "Like… could I go into a specific era?"
Gabriel shook his head.
"This is a roulette system. You may choose a category, but the specific world and timeline will be randomized."
"…Of course it is," I muttered.
"And be cautious," he added. "Do not choose something beyond your capacity."
That warning stuck with me.
I leaned back in my chair and closed my eyes.
Think.
Don't rush.
First—Cultivation World.
That was an easy one.
"Yeah… no."
I shook my head immediately.
Cultivation worlds were brutal.
Sect betrayals, endless killing, power struggles… it was basically survival of the fittest on steroids.
"Kill or be killed."
I wasn't built for that kind of life.
Rejected.
Next—Sci-Fi World.
I hesitated.
This one was tricky.
Sci-fi worlds included everything from space exploration to superhero universes.
"Marvel… DC… Star Wars…"
All insanely tempting.
But also insanely dangerous.
"Invasion threats, alien wars, cosmic-level destruction…"
I exhaled slowly.
"I don't want to spend my life fighting world-ending disasters every week."
Even if I became powerful, I would constantly be in danger.
And worse—
"I don't want to live behind a mask."
I wanted a real life.
Not one hidden behind an alias.
Rejected.
Now—
Supernatural vs Anime/Manga.
This was the real decision.
Supernatural worlds…
Vampires. Werewolves. Wizards.
"Harry Potter…"
My favorite.
The idea of becoming a wizard was incredibly tempting.
Magic. Spells. A hidden world.
"But…"
I frowned.
"Everything is hidden."
You live in secrecy.
You follow strict rules.
You hide from normal society.
It felt restrictive.
"…I've had enough of that."
After spending years feeling trapped in my previous life—and even worse, in an asylum—
I wanted freedom.
Real freedom.
Which left—
Anime / Manga World.
My heart beat faster.
This was it.
The ultimate category.
Unlimited possibilities.
Adventure.
Freedom.
Dreams.
But also—
Danger.
A lot of danger.
I leaned forward again, thinking deeply.
"Let's analyze this properly."
One Piece.
Pirates. Adventure. Freedom.
"Honestly… this is peak life."
Sailing the seas, forming a crew, chasing dreams.
But—
"Devil fruits… and drowning?"
Also, constant battles with insanely powerful enemies.
Still… worth it?
Maybe.
Naruto.
Ninja world.
Techniques, chakra, hidden villages.
"Sounds cool…"
But the mortality rate?
High.
War?
Constant.
Also—
"Child soldiers… yeah, no thanks."
Dragon Ball Z.
I paused.
"…This is insane."
The power levels alone were ridiculous.
Planet-destroying beings.
Aliens.
Gods.
"Either I become strong… or I die instantly."
Too risky.
Attack on Titan.
"…Absolutely not."
I didn't even need to think.
Rejected instantly.
Tokyo Ghoul.
"…Nope."
Even worse in some ways.
Constant suffering.
Identity crisis.
Death.
Rejected.
Pokémon.
Now this—
This was interesting.
"Traveling the world, catching Pokémon…"
A relatively peaceful life.
Adventure without constant life-threatening danger.
"This is actually ideal…"
Demon Slayer.
I frowned.
"Beautiful world… deadly life."
Demons everywhere.
Constant battles.
Pain.
"…Hard pass."
My Hero Academia.
"Superpowers… but society is structured."
Hero system.
Villains.
Still dangerous—but manageable.
"Not bad…"
Jujutsu Kaisen.
"…Nope."
Curses?
Instant death.
Rejected.
Sword Art Online.
"Virtual worlds… or death games."
Risky.
Fairy Tail.
Magic.
Guild life.
Friendship.
"Actually… this sounds fun."
Dangerous, but not overly dark.
Hunter x Hunter.
"Very unpredictable."
Could be amazing…
Or horrifying.
I exhaled deeply.
"…This is harder than I thought."
Both categories had pros and cons.
But in the end—
One thing mattered most.
Freedom.
Choice.
Life.
"I don't want to just survive."
"I want to live."
Slowly, I reached forward.
My finger hovered over the screen.
Then—
I tapped:
ANIME / MANGA WORLD
Gabriel seemed slightly surprised.
But then he smiled.
"…A wise decision."
I didn't reply.
I was too focused.
A glowing roulette appeared in front of me.
It spun slowly, displaying countless worlds.
Dragon Ball.
Naruto.
One Piece.
Pokémon.
Attack on Titan.
Tokyo Ghoul.
Demon Slayer.
My Hero Academia.
Jujutsu Kaisen.
Fairy Tail.
Sword Art Online.
Hunter x Hunter.
And many more.
Some I recognized.
Many I didn't.
My throat went dry.
"…This is insane…"
Gabriel stepped aside.
"Pull the lever."
A 3D lever materialized beside me.
I stared at it.
This was it.
No going back.
No second chances.
I closed my eyes.
"…Whatever happens… happens."
Then—
I pulled it.
The roulette began to spin violently.
Faster.
Faster.
Faster.
My fate…
was decided.