《The Curse Prince Domination》


 Prologue

    In a dimly lit and untidy room, a twenty-one-years-old young man groaned from his bed as he rose sluggishly and walked towards his bathroom.


    Ivan lazily brushed his teeth, while glancing at his messy hair and dark circles under his eyes in the mirror on the wall.


    "Good morning self"He muttered before returning to his bedroom where used soda cans, pizza boxes, and cup noodles littered the space.


    His unwashed clothes were strewn around the floor, mirroring the room''s untidiness.


    On his desk, was his computer, a device that had become his habitual means of escape to reality.


    The only reason he clung to this monotous life was the countless light novels, manga, and anime stored on his computer.


    He came from an orphanage in the suburbs.


    He was left there by his parents when he was a baby, well that was the explanation the nuns gave him.


    No one adopted him for all those years, so he can only strive and study hard for the future.


    He became independent at the age of 18, at that time Ivan experience how harsh reality can be.


    Problems came one after another like tuition for school, bills for the electricity, water, rent for the apartment and many more .


    Daily expenses are also one of his problems especially with the daily price inflation, Ivan knew he had to fend for himself.


    Therefore, he worked as a part-time crew worker in fast food restaurant in weekdays.


    He had no friends and the concept of a ''girlfriend'' was something he could only dream of.


    Although he wasn''t good-looking, brown skin, and have an average height, he was optimistic that things would get better in the future.If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    Today was Sunday, and it was the only time he could freely indulge in what he truly loved.


    He managed to prepare a morning coffee for himself before taking a seat on his favourite chair and switching on the computer.


    "Time to watch," Ivan remarked. His eyes fixed on the computer screen as he began browsing the internet.


    Ivan''s fingers danced across the keyboard, typing in the familiar URL: ''www.crunchyroll.com.''


    "The new movie of One piece should be here"He muttered while waiting for the page to load.


    "It was One Piece Fan Letter if I remember correctly." Ivan said as he started scrolling through his premium account.


    ''Ding''


    Ivan squinted at his screen, slightly puzzled.


    "Hmm... Why is there an ad in here?"


    A bold text box flashed onto his screen.


    [Congratulations, you are chosen to be transported to another world.]


    [Please press YES to accept.]


    A single button below the message gleamed: [YES]


    Ivan snorted, rolling his eyes. "Hoh, if this is true, then that would be cool, but man, marketing ads nowadays are totally doing crazy things." He shook his head, but curiosity tugged at him. With a small grin, he decided to play along, clicking YES. Almost instantly, another prompt popped up.


    [Please select your character, artifacts, and powers you want to have. You have $350 to buy these things.]


    "Interesting... and cheap," Ivan muttered, leaning closer to his screen as three sections unfolded before him.


    ---


    [Character]


    ? The Cursed Prince - Beast: $30


    ? Spirit of Winter - Jack Frost: $50


    ? The Tamer of Dragons - Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III: $30


    ? Green Ogre - Shrek: $10


    ? Prince of the Southern Isles - Hans Westergaard: $15


    ? Hero of Man - Maui: $60


    [Powers]


    ? Devour: $100


    ? Nightmare Sand: $90


    ? Ginormica: $60


    ? Fire Breath: $50


    ? Flight: $30


    ? Lycanthropy: $25


    [Artifacts]


    ? Winter Staff: $25


    ? Magical Fish Hook: $70


    ? Magic Mirror: $20


    ? The Amulet of Daylight: $55


    ? The Croc''s Cape: $5


    ? The Book of Guidance: $10


    ---


    "This is... characters and items from animated movies." Ivan chuckled. "Can I pick two characters?" He experimentally selected two, and to his surprise, it worked.


    "Cool," he whispered, excitement bubbling up. He rubbed his hands together, contemplating his choices. "Hmm... For the character, I''ll choose Jack Frost and the Beast. That''d be $80... Maui''s tempting, but he''s kinda powerless without his fish hook. Shrek and Hans? Meh, not my style."


    He clicked on Jack Frost and the Beast and moved to the next section.


    "For powers, I''ll go with Devour ¡ª a very clich¨¦ but awesome skill ¡ª and Nightmare Sand. If I remember right, Pitch Black used it to make nightmare horses. And... Lycanthropy. It''ll be interesting if the Cursed Prince can transform with this skill." He smirked, a bit too excited about the idea.


    He glanced at the numbers. "Alright, that''s $295. I still have $55 for artifacts." Ivan browsed through the options, finally making his selections. "I''ll take the Winter Staff, the Magic Mirror, and the Book of Guidance. Total... $350. Perfect."


    With a satisfied sigh, he confirmed his choices and clicked DONE.


    A final message popped up.


    [Thank you for your cooperation. You''ll be experiencing death shortly. Your new world awaits.]


    His smirk vanished. "Wait... What?"


    After those final words were displayed, his computer blackened out suddenly.


    "W-What happening... " Ivan stuttered and stand abruptly while wondering what happened to the computer.


    Ivan was not prepared at all for what happened next. The moment he stand in his seat, his computer began to shake.


    He only had time to furrow his brows and wonder what the hell was wrong before his computer screen exploded in a blinding white light leading to his death.


    In that terrifying moment, a haunting realization crept into his thoughts: "I still haven''t watch the new movie of One piece."

 Land of the Dead

    I have a lot to say, but I''ll start with the most important point.


    I fucking died


    I had no idea where am I right now, but the memory of my death was clear.


    My computer explode after I finish answering a fucking ad and then bam I''m in this shithole were darkness is the only thing I can see. Since I lived on my own and was independent, no one could help me.


    Well, it wasn''t a shame or anything.


    In the first place, I''m an orphan with no friends and girlfriend, leaving me alone. In a way, it was a lonely death.


    What bothered me was the fact that I don''t know where am I


    I had been walking for what felt like an eternity in this dark, aimless space.


    "So... what now?" I muttered to myself.


    ~Whoosh


    Then, finally, something changed. Grey shadows began to form all around me, their shapes solidifying into people. These were... souls, their expressions blank and hollow as they marched forward.


    "Souls huh... well, that totally confirms my death," I thought, observing their ethereal forms as they moved in a single direction, all seemingly drawn to the same destination. I didn''t see anyone behaving differently. Just a sea of grey faces.


    After what felt like an eternity, a light appeared in the distance.


    "That should be the exit... right?" I muttered, squinting at the glow. It was the first sign of anything other than this dismal darkness.


    When I opened my eyes, I wasn''t in darkness anymore. I stood at the entrance of a sprawling city that stretched as far as I could see. The air smelled faintly of marigolds, and towering bridges covered in vibrant petals connected the city to the land I stood on.


    The city was alive with light and color¡ªso vivid, it was almost too much. The houses rose in every direction, stacked and curving like coral reaching up into the sky. This place defied logic, bending reality in every direction.


    It was beautiful. And terrifying.


    "Where¡­ am I?" I whispered, taking in the spectacle before me. This wasn''t what I expected death to look like. I noticed the path I was on. It was made of marigold petals.


    I knelt down and gently touched them their velvety softness surprising me.Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.


    As I touched the petals, I heard something¡ªan excited bark, followed by a distant shout.


    "Dante, wait up!" A boy''s voice boom, young and energetic.


    A dog ran past me, wagging its tail and scattering the marigold petals as it dashed across the bridge. A moment later, the boy ran after it¡ªa human boy, not a skeleton like the others. He caught up to the dog and knelt beside it, ruffling its fur.


    "You gotta stay with me, boy," the kid said, laughing as the dog¡ªDante, apparently¡ªhappily rolled in the petals.


    I watched them for a moment, something nagging at me.


    "He feels familiar," I muttered to myself, narrowing my eyes as I tried to make sense of it. The boy felt¡­familiar. I couldn''t place it, but there was something about him. Something I should recognize.


    The boy stood, looking around at the city. His expression shifted from wonder to something more serious, like he was trying to process everything. "This isn''t a dream, huh? This is... real," he muttered.


    A family of skeletons approached him¡ªa group of five, clearly together. The tallest one, a woman, chuckled softly. "You thought we weren''t?" she asked, teasing him.


    The boy, scratched the back of his head awkwardly. "Well, I don''t know. I thought it might have been one of those made-up things adults tell kids. You know, like vitamins."


    The woman laughed, her bony fingers resting on her hips. "Miguel, we ''are'' a real thing."


    Miguel shrugged. "Well, maybe vitamins ''could'' be real too."


    I couldn''t help but smirk at their conversation.


    I decided to follow them, staying a bit behind so as not to intrude. As I did, a booming voice filled the air, echoing throughout the place.


    [ Welcome back to the Land of the Dead! Please have all offerings ready for re-entry. ]


    I stopped and watched as the skeleton family walked toward what looked like a large reception area. Families lined up at desks, chatting and preparing for something, I wasn''t sure what was happening, but it felt significant.


    As I hesitated, unsure of what to do, I noticed another line. Above it, a sign read *DEPARTURE.* People, or rather skeletons, were lining up, posing in front of machines. They moved toward various desks where skeletons in uniforms greeted them, processing each family. I watched as one family approached a receptionist, the skeleton behind the desk smiling warmly.


    "Next family, please!" the receptionist called out.


    A couple stepped forward and stood before a large machine. The receptionist pressed a button, and a scanner projected over their faces. Moments later, a photo of them in their human forms appeared on a screen above.


    "Oh, your photos are on your son''s ofrenda. Have a great visit! And remember to return before sunrise!" the receptionist said cheerfully.


    The couple smiled and waved as they walked off toward the bridge made of marigold petals, which glowed faintly in the twilight.


    "Next!" the receptionist called again.


    This time, a skeleton dressed extravagantly in bright, colorful clothes strode up to the scanner.


    "Yes, it is I, Frida Kahlo," the skeleton declared dramatically. "Shall we skip the scanner? I have so many ofrendas, it''ll just overwhelm your little blinky thingy."


    The receptionist, unimpressed, pressed the button anyway. A large red X appeared on the screen above.


    "Well, shoot," the receptionist said, dripping with sarcasm. "Looks like no one put up your photo, Friii-da."


    The skeleton, who was clearly not Frida, fidgeted awkwardly, pulling off a wig and revealing himself to be a man in a dress.


    "Okay, when I said I was Frida¡­ that was a lie, and I apologize for that," he said sheepishly.


    The receptionist shook her head. "No photo on an ofrenda, no crossing the bridge," she said firmly.


    But the man wasn''t giving up. "You know what? I''m just gonna zip right over, and you won''t even know I''m gone!" He bolted for the bridge, sprinting as fast as his skeletal legs could carry him.


    A security guard dashed after him, shouting, "Stop! Hey! You can''t do that!"


    The man weaved around the officer, managing to evade him and making it halfway onto the marigold bridge. But just as he tried to run across, his feet sank into the flowers. His legs began to wobble as he struggled to move forward.


    "Almost¡­ there¡­ just a little further¡­" he grunted, trying to drag himself across the bridge. But it was no use. He sank deeper into the marigolds, finally giving up with a groan.


    "Fine. Okay. Fine. Who cares? Dumb flower bridge," he muttered, collapsing in defeat as two officers hauled him off the bridge, each grabbing one of his arms.


    Watching all of this unfold, I muttered to myself, "This all seems very familiar¡­ like I''ve seen it before. How strange."


    Shaking my head, I walked up to one of the receptionists, unsure of what to do. "Uh, hello?" I said awkwardly, waving a hand.


    Her head popped up, her cheerful voice ringing out. "Welcome, sir! How can I¡ª" She stopped mid-sentence, her voice dropping into disbelief as she stared at me. "¡ªhelp you?"


    I stammered, unsure of how to explain myself. "I... uh..."


    The receptionist raised a brow, tapping her fingers on the desk. "Sir, by any chance¡­ do you live on Earth?"


    I blinked. "Uh, yes?"


    Her face lit up with realization. "Oh, then sir, you should head over there." She pointed toward a different bridge¡ªone made of black vines, glowing with tiny lights in the distance.


    I gulped. That didn''t look like the cheerful marigold bridge. But I nodded, muttering a quick "thank you" as I turned toward it.


    ''That bridge is creepy''

 Death for the 2nd time

    I walked across the vine bridge, the eerie black vines twisting under my feet, leading me toward the tiny lights ahead. As I got closer, I realized the light wasn''t coming from stars or anything ethereal, but from a small lamp perched on a large wooden desk. The desk was cluttered with papers, all scattered in disarray. Behind it, a skeleton draped in a dark hood sat scribbling furiously with a feather pen. His bony hands moved quickly, almost mechanical in nature, and his hollow eye sockets were like black voids.


    My heart¡ªor whatever I had now¡ªskipped a beat. It hit me instantly¡ªthis was the Grim Reaper. Not the kind you''d expect from the cheerful skeletons on the other side, but the kind from horror movies I''d watched as a kid. The ones that always gave me nightmares. And now, there was one sitting right in front of me.


    Before I could say anything, the skeleton''s croaky, old voice cut through the silence.


    "Name?" The Reaper''s hollow eye sockets turned toward me, his stare piercing through whatever fear I had left.


    "I-Ivab... Ivan Villar," I answered, my voice shaking. I didn''t know why I blurted it out so quickly¡ªmaybe fear, maybe habit.


    "Former occupation?" the Reaper asked, his voice cold and indifferent.


    "I... I was a part-timer," I stammered.


    The Reaper paused for a moment, then muttered under his breath, "Sure, sure... a part timer." He scribbled something down on one of the papers. For some reason, the sound of his pen scratching the paper made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up, like this piece of paper could seal my fate.


    "Name: Ivan Villar. Former occupation: Part timer. Special Admission: ??? Karma acquired: 10,000 (High)... qualified to enter the Reincarnation cycle," he droned, still looking at the paper as if it held the secrets to my future.


    "Reinca¡ª"


    "Take this and pass through the door," he cut me off, flicking a blank paper toward me. It floated through the air like a leaf before landing in my hand.This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    I looked down at the paper¡ªcompletely blank. "This guy has got to be messing with me," I thought. But before I could say anything, I noticed there was no door.


    "Uh... sir, there''s no door here," I said, glancing around. The Grim Reaper seemed as detached from reality as I felt.


    The Reaper didn''t respond. He just lifted a bony finger and pointed to his right. Suddenly, an arched white door, covered in dark vines, appeared out of nowhere, glowing as if it led straight to Heaven... or Hell.


    "Now scram. I''m busy," the Reaper growled, waving me off.


    I didn''t need to be told twice. Clutching the blank paper, I made my way to the door, not looking back.


    ***


    The door opened, and I found myself standing on the edge of an enormous, flowing river. It wasn''t just any river; it was alive, filled with countless shifting images that changed constantly¡ªpeople, places, entire worlds flashing before my eyes. It was hypnotic, drawing me closer like a siren''s song. The landscape was flat, endless, and gray. No trees, no mountains, just this massive river winding through the desolate land.


    "Line up!" a booming voice rang out behind me, startling me.


    "I said¡­ LINE UP!" Suddenly, I felt a massive force slam into me. A punch to the back of my head sent me flying, tumbling through the dirt for what felt like a dozen meters.


    I staggered to my feet, my head spinning. The blow should''ve hurt more, but somehow it didn''t. Was that part of being dead? I shook off the dizziness and turned to see who had hit me.


    It was a giant¡ªalmost sixteen feet tall¡ªdressed in black plate armor with a conical helm. Two twisted horns jutted out from his helmet, and a white whirlwind symbol was etched into his chest plate. He looked like something out of a nightmare¡ªa demon.


    "Stand up and wait in line," the demon growled, glaring at me with eyes that promised pain if I disobeyed.


    I quickly scanned the area and spotted an endless line of gray, faceless figures stretching toward the river. Resigned, I jogged over and took my place, muttering under my breath, "Great, a line. Just what I needed in the afterlife."


    The demon gave me a final nod before turning and walking away, his heavy footsteps shaking the ground.


    I couldn''t help but overhear him muttering, "Last year, a powerful soul jumped into the Reincarnation River¡­ extinguished in minutes."


    Fantastic. So much for a peaceful afterlife.


    Time passed¡ªor at least I think it did. I had no idea anymore. I started losing track of everything¡ªmy name, my age. It all felt like a distant memory, slipping away as I inched closer to the river.


    But then everything changed.


    *BOOM!*


    An explosion rocked the ground beneath me, snapping me out of my daze. The earth trembled violently, like it was about to crack open.


    *BOOM!*


    Another explosion, closer this time. Panic surged through me as the silhouettes around me started to fade, like smoke in the wind.


    "Odin! I demand you give her back to me!" A voice thundered from all around, vibrating in the very air.


    "Hades, go back! This is not Valhalla!" Another voice, just as powerful, responded. "I won''t repeat myself."


    Odin¡­ Hades¡­? The names swirled in my head, but I couldn''t focus. The earth beneath me was quaking, and my instincts screamed at me to run. I had to get out.


    Without thinking, I bolted toward the Reincarnation River. No one was guarding it.


    *BOOM*


    The last explosion shook me to my core, but it was the push I needed. With one final burst of energy, I leaped into the river.


    The last thing I heard was a desperate shout before my consciousness faded away