Back in Highshool I wrote a web novel that gain a bit a traction. After a decent number of chapters I lost my passion for writing. but now I found it again and decide to remaster my story. here's the first chapter.

Chapter 1: A Death Well Earned

Do you ever have those moments in life where you ask yourself “What the fuck did I do to deserve this!?” And by this, I mean staring right down the barrel of a loaded shotgun, betrayed by one of my OWN gang members and left for dead surrounded by feds, local cops, and some private security...God damn! Life is just full of unfairness sometimes. Oh wait, I haven't introduced myself! People just call me ‘Rat’. “Why?” you ask? Well, you see... So, I already told you about the betrayal stuff. Let me tell you a little bit about my sad miserable life.

I’m what some people would call a ‘career criminal’. I do criminal acts for a living. I kill and steal and I’m damn good at it too. I was raised to do it since I was a kid, but it really kicked off when I did my first job during my high school freshmen year. A classic bank heist! I joined a gang called the ‘Wilders’, shit they practically raised me. The gang has this gimmick where everyone wears the mask of an animal. I of course chose a rat because of reasons… And we made bank, pun intended. We robbed multiple groups and people in the southern and western states.

But all golden ages come to an end… After a huge crackdown, everyone got arrested, killed, or went into hiding. I of course did neither of those things and started doing my own thing, mostly Gun-for-Hire work but I still hit the occasional jewelry store or armored truck. I kept the mask, so people started calling me ‘The Rat’ or just ‘Rat’, though they knew I was no snitch! Don't even think for a second that I would rat out my business partners! Yah got that buddy!?... eh hem, where were we? Oh, uh hmmm yada yada ‘good ole’ days Bla Bla Bla, I’m old now! like I passed my thirties and I’m still at this? Don't act or feel my age either. Yeah, well… I was supposed to retire after one last job.

Robbing the west coast federal reserves!

It's both crazy and downright stupid! But I Have…- Had friends in low places with crazy resources and even crazier ambitions. We were gonna pull it off!... But there was a classic case of a double-cross! One of our own sold us out! That FUCKING RAT sold us out. I could explain what I want to do to him, but that would probably make this book ‘adults only’. Anyhoo’ Events transpired which led to an unavoidable disaster. Did I also mention that we had mutant humans that wanted to steal my D.N.A. at one point…? Not in the way you're thinking.

Everything built up to a last stand versus God knows how many factions. I had my own brief moments of redemption but… I lost ‘good’ people. Well as good as a band of homicidal menaces to society can be. And now I have a shotgun aimed right at me. How far I fell huh? Well, I fell down about 4-ish flights of stairs and crawled my way to the nearest emergency exit where I was greeted by a group of cops, so you tell me!

Wow, I’m gonna die and I’m still joking around? Can’t even take my own fuckin’ death seriously?

I'm already riddled with bullet holes and covered in blood, most of it mine and not what i'm used to. It’s usually the other way around. Should I surrender and live? This state has no death penalty, so I’ll definitely get life in supermax with no parole. There's the ever-so-minuscule chance I’ll find a way to get out but, nowadays that's damn near impossible. Or I can fight till the end and keep my honor…

Honor? I model myself after a rat you think I give a shit about honor!? I'd rather live to fight another day!

“Drop the fucking weapon!” The cop ordered me to drop my gun, but I did so before he even finished his sentence. His buddies gave a sigh of relief at the fact that I was surrendering, except the guy holding the shotgun. His eyes had a pinch of emptiness with a gallon of hate. Luckily my lungs weren’t too badly damaged so I could wheeze out a sentence.

“Hey… I’m done. *cough* J-just read me my Miranda's and get it over with huh.” The cop looked at me and aimed his gun downwards a little. “What are you trying to be a tough guy or something? you fucking pig-”

He pulled the trigger.

There was a loud *BANG* followed by shearing ungodly pain. I fell to the ground hacking up mouthfuls of blood. He- he just shot out my stomach… I can’t…I can't feel m-my fucking legs…

The other cops were surprised to see this happen and tried holding him back. “YOU-You SICK SON OF A BITCH! you're the one who got my daughter KILLED!!” he shouted with fury and sadness. Huh, I always knew personal grudges would be the end of me. Be it mine or someone else’s. One of the cops threw up at the sight of me… Shit thoughts are getting fuzzy…

“Now lay there and DIE!!!” screamed the cop.

So now here I am on the ground, dying from getting my innards turned into outards by buckshot. My vision was starting to fade, and each breath was another second of pure agony. But I got my final wind, and I knew exactly what to do. “If she was such… a piss-*Wheeze~*-baby as you then… good… *Inhale* riddance.”

The cop pumped another shell into the chamber with a Shivering *Kah-Chik*.

I couldn’t help but let out a pathetic whimper and cough from all the pain. As I lay there trying to keep what was left of my entrails inside myself I thought. “What a fucked up day.” I sighed and rolled my eyes as the cop aimed his gun right at my head. I Didn’t blink. I stared right down the damn barrel. and then-

nothing.

. . .

. . .

. . .

Just nothing…. Not even the color black. Just an endless void of nothing.

. . .

. . .

. . .

But then there was something… A single thought. ‘NO, NOT LIKE THIS! I! CAN’T!! DIE!! YET!!!’

It can't end like this! I won't let it! I WON'T!!! I started to concentrate and little by little it felt like I was putting myself back together like a broken vase being glued back piece by piece. As I built myself up some more, I could start to feel like I was actually existing. I slowly started to regain some strength. My memories, my whole life, were coming back to me! For a second there I lost myself! My sight had not come back yet but I could at least tell that most of my body had come back! ‘What the HELL happened, What IS happening!?’ I thought to myself.

“Arise great Hero! Rise from death! Your journey is not yet over!” A young yet foreboding-sounding feminine voice boomed towards me. I was finally able to open my eyes. The first thing I saw was my hands… they were milky white and transparent plus extremely cold. ‘Yep, I'm dead… sheeeeit.’ I patted myself down and realized I was completely fixed up! I even had all my gear on and my mask, but it was ruined. There were multiple holes in it. Bullet holes…

I looked up at the voice that spoke earlier to me. I saw a blinding light and in front of it, there was a girl! She was blond with light red eyes that shun like rubies. A long white robe adorned her. Was this an angel perhaps…? I hope not or else that would mean heaven has extremely low standards. Hmm, nah, maybe she's here to judge me! Oh, if that's the case then I’m BEYOND FUCKED!

Wait. She called me a hero! I don't entirely agree with that but maybe this is something else and I'm just overthinking things! I’ll try getting some answers first. I licked my lips and cleared my throat. “I-uh, are you talking to me?” I asked her.

“No, I'm talking to the other dead human in this astral void. YES YOU!!” she yelled. Ah, so she’s a sarcastic bitch too? “SATO KAZUKO!!! You have died! After dying in your room from playing too many video games you have been chosen to, -”

I waved my hands and head frantically to let her know something was wrong. “Whoa whoa WHOA! I'm gonna stop you right there. That ain't my name, and I definitely didn't die like that!” That guy sounds like a pussy-bitch!

She continued “-defeat the great demon lord coming to the land and-... wait…say what now.” the high and mighty attitude drained from her face instantly! “Say what now? P-please tell me you're joking. You're joking right!?” she pleaded with immense worry.

I showed her my ruined rat mask. “Girl, I am a bank robber that died from a shotgun slug to the head! I think? Look, I even had this mask on When it happened!” she started hyperventilating. “No no no no!! They told me using space and time magic at the same time was extremely difficult and unstable! They said that messing it up could result in banishment along with being demoted all the way down to a spirit just like… HIM.” she shivered at the sight of me… or was it my mask?

“Anyways, what are you talking about? Heroes and demon lords? Is that like some fantasy shit? And why does being a Japanese virgin gamer have such a big part in it? Wouldn't it be better to have someone with actual real-life skills be the hero? This just sounds like an excuse to give some nerd a free power fantasy.” I ranted.

“SILENCE!! You know nothing about how the real-world works!” she boomed.

“Tsk, Asshole…” I whispered.

She started nervously fidgeting. “M-maybe it’s not too late! Maybe they haven't noticed! Maybe I can sweep this under the rug!” she muttered to herself. I was starting to get worried. “Uh. is everything cool?” I asked. She held out a hand towards me and it felt like I was getting force choked! She lifted me into the air. “On second thought I have a different plan,” she said with a demonic-looking smile.

I'm already dead! How the hell does this hurt!? I kicked and struggled while reaching for my neck. “Yo Darth Vader, *GASP* What are FUCK you talking about!?” I demanded. She rolled her eyes and sighed. “Ugh, such a foul mouth. And you wear the mask of such a disgusting creature! A stupid filthy Rat!”

“Yeah, that's the gimmick,” I said to her. “What an interesting gimmick indeed.” she agreed. “Let's make it even more literal!” she cheered. “What do you mean by that?” I asked. “I'm gonna reincarnate you as Rat! Don’t worry I’ll leave your memories and sentiance intact,” she revealed. I was taken aback. “WHAT!? NO! I’d rather be sent to hell! Shit, just erase me from existence at that point!” I yelled as I struggled.

“Fortunately, or unfortunately for you, Hell isn't originally meant for human souls, so it's ill-advised for gods to crowd it further. The punishment of Hell was just meant for Lucifer and his followers though it tends to be more crowded nowadays… And if it were that easy to erase you, I would have done it already.” she said bluntly. “Noted, but uh… I don't wanna be a damn rat!” I pleaded. “I didn't ask,” she smiled.

She dropped me and I hit the ground with a heavy *Thud*. All my Heist gear was starting to be quite an encumbrance. Wait, why do I have all my gear still? Just a theory but maybe this is the form I take as a ghost because it's how I see myself. “Ok, I'm going to be nice and let you choose what kind of rat you wanna be, and then I’ll send you to your new life!” she razzled. I looked up. “You can be a forest rat, a city rat, oh what about a dungeon rat?” she suggested. I sighed and chucked. “I mean this when I say this. I hope you choke on a dirty dick, yah fat bitch.” I dissed.

She looked at me with no expression. “Ok sewer rat it is~,” she said gleefully. With a snap of her fingers appeared a white hole in the ground. “Totally worth it!” I cheered. “Was it?” she asked. “Eh, probably not,” I said as I thought more about it. Without laying a finger on me she pushed backward, and I fell on my ass. “Whoa! Ok, hold on! Damn aren’t you going to take me out to dinner first before pinning me down!?” I joked. I could see the patience leaving her face.

She pushed me again and I fell into the hole. I managed to grab onto the ledge at the last second. “You’re so stubborn. Just fall already!” she said, looking at me like the scum of the earth. As I dangled over the edge, she walked closer. “Here let me help you.” She stepped down on my fingers holding me up. I looked up at her with annoyance. If only I could punch her stupid face, wait… my pocket! My gun! I pulled out my gun and shot at her but all that came out was a clicking noise and the slide locking. She looked amused. “Did you actually just try to kill a god? With a gun nonetheless!” I threw my empty pistol at her which she then caught and threw in the hole. I pointed at her.“Don’t think you’ve seen the last of me! One day, I don't know when and I don't know how but one day you WILL regret this!” I threatened.

She smirked. “You won't last a day.” and she kicked me off the ledge.

END CHAPTER