Reincarnated With The Strongest System Chapter 2: Temple Of Ten Thousand Gods

When William flicked his eyes open, he realized he was propped up on a shimmering golden cloud drifting through the heavens.

Initial thoughts suggested a lingering dream, but memories of Belle collapsing right before him poured in like a tidal wave. With that deluge of recollection came a sudden, stark realization.

“Right. I’ve perished,” William murmured. Instinctively, he pressed a hand to his chest to locate a pulse, but felt and heard nothing at all.

After exhaling a breath he no longer needed, the boy crossed his legs atop the cloud, finding the posture surprisingly natural. His life’s memories began to flicker past his vision like a reel of film.

William revisited happy moments, sorrowful ones, and events he long wished to bury. At the conclusion of his reflections, the visage of a stunning girl with cascading black hair caused him to bite his lip in anguish. Truth be told, his heart was heavy with worry for her safety.

Did the surgery go as planned? Did the surgeons succeed in time? Would the Hospital Director honor his word?

A flurry of questions raced through his mind. Yet, he understood perfectly that he could no longer alter the events that had unfolded. The cause was simple: he was already dead. Dwelling on matters beyond his reach was entirely useless.

“I pray you are safe, Belle,” William stated, lifting his gaze.

A golden gateway shimmered ahead, signaling the conclusion of his current journey. Having never placed faith in a deity during his mortal days—for God had provided him no solace in life—he held no stock in the concepts of Heaven or Hell.

Reincarnation was the singular truth in which he believed.

Perhaps his outlook was molded by the myriad tales he consumed while bedridden. His only distractions were books centered on cultivation, the building of kingdoms, slice-of-life accounts, transmigration, historical romance, and countless other genres.

“If a God truly exists, they had better brace for a blow from my fist,” William narrowed his eyes as the golden portal expanded before him. “Should I discover that He claimed Belle as well, I shall pummel Him until even His Mother would fail to recognize Him.”

These were the final words William uttered before his cloud drifted into the golden archway.

The sights waiting on the other side rendered him speechless, reminiscent of the planetarium visited during a middle-school science trip.

“What kind of place is this?” William asked distractedly, peering into the cosmic abyss. Far off, an endless array of stars, planets, and galaxies stretched across the void.

Before the teenager could grasp the sheer scale of the panorama, his cloud accelerated, hurtling toward a massive sphere that bore a striking resemblance to Earth.

To his surprise, a multitude of golden clouds emerged alongside William as they surged toward the world.

A grand procession, easily numbering in the millions, manifested within seconds. Each cloud bore a soul of varying age. Some passengers were elderly, others were youths, and a few were mere toddlers. Children barely three years old stared back at William with curious eyes, sucking their thumbs.

A sharp pang struck William’s chest as he observed the youngsters with a somber expression; they reminded him of his brothers and sisters left behind at the orphanage.

As they drew near the planet, the massive formation of golden clouds underwent a curious transformation.

Clouds carrying the aged broke off from the procession, veering toward the Eastern Hemisphere. Those bearing children under five diverged toward the South.

William soon deduced that some unseen force was segregating them, manipulating the flow of the clouds with deliberate intent.

His own cloud, however, maintained its trajectory toward the planet’s center. He was joined by fewer than a hundred others in this specific group.

As they touched down from the sky, a magnificent temple loomed ahead. An elderly man with flowing white hair and a matching beard stood by the portal, greeting them with a pleasant smile.

“Welcome, each and every one of you,” the old man said in a soothing, gentle tone. “I am aware that you are all filled with questions. Though I lack the answers to everything, I am happy to address what I can. Does anyone wish to inquire?”

“I do!” a lithe young man in his early twenties called out, hand waving.

“Speak,” the elder replied.

“Are you God?” the youth asked.

“No,” the man answered. “I am merely one of Their many servants.”

“Their servants? So, there is more than one deity?” a beautiful woman chimed in.

“Indeed,” the old man chuckled. “Some are ancient, others are newly ascended. For your information, this is the Temple of Ten Thousand Gods. While the name suggests a specific count, the actual number of Gods dwelling here remains a mystery.”

The old man paused to gather his thoughts. “Eons have passed since this temple was christened, and many Gods have emerged over time. Naturally, it is also true that many others have perished into obscurity.”

William and his peers fell into a stunned silence while they processed this revelation. Ultimately, the irrepressible nature of human curiosity took hold.

“Why so many?” inquired a handsome youth with blonde hair and cerulean eyes. “Isn't there only one True God?”

“An excellent question,” the elder nodded in approval. “You hail from Earth, don’t you?”

“Yes,” the blonde boy concurred.

“Let us assume that on Earth, one True God reigns,” the elder smiled. “But consider the other worlds. If every world possessed a single True God, would that not imply a vast, uncountable collection of True Gods across the universe?”

The handsome boy’s eyes widened in enlightenment. Understanding washed over him, and he withdrew from further questioning.

The elder gestured toward the vast Temple of Ten Thousand Gods and continued.

“Understand that a God is brought into existence by the beliefs of mortals. By that logic, new deities are born constantly. The deeper the faith, the mightier the God becomes.”

“Over time, countless Gods have been birthed, and just as many have faded. The moment a God is forgotten is the moment that deity ceases to exist.”

“In short, rather than simply tumbling into the Cycle of Reincarnation, all of you are to be granted the chance to choose a patron God before you begin your next life,” the elder added.

“Wait! I follow!” The bespectacled nerd adjusted his frames, eager to display his knowledge. “Judging by the light novels I’ve read, these Gods provide cheat powers, legendary artifacts, divine weapons, and other boons that grant us an advantage in our next lives, right?”

“Something like that,” the elder replied, stroking his long beard. “Each deity possesses a unique specialty, and most bequeath gifts or abilities unique to their domain.”

“I knew it!” The nerdy boy clenched his fist in triumph, his eyes gleaming with excitement as he looked at the temple gates ahead.

“We have little time, so I shall be brief,” the elder declared. “You are all gathered here because the Gods view you with favor. Perhaps your lives contained deeds worthy of their recognition.”

The old man held his peace for a moment, letting the weight of his words settle.

“If there are no further inquiries, let us proceed.” With a wave of his hand, the temple gates swung open. “Allow me to formally welcome you again to the Temple of Ten Thousand Gods!”