THE BLACK CULTIVATOR

The last thing Chris remembered was arguing with a danfo driver over incomplete change. "Oga, why my change no complete?!" Chris gripped the driver's collar tightly. [“Boss, why isn’t my change complete?!”] “No be me tell you say transport na two thousand naira? Now you dey argue with me!” The driver fired back, his own hand locked on Chris’s trouser. [“Didn’t I tell you the fare is two thousand naira? Now you’re arguing with me!”] The Lagos sun beat down mercilessly. "This man, you sabi lie o! You talk say na one thousand five hundred…" [“This man, you know how to lie! You said it was one thousand five hundred…”] "Pum-pum-pumm!" A trailer lost control while reversing and slammed into both of them. Chris groaned. His eyes opened. Where am I? He pushed himself up to sit. Why everywhere fine? I been dey trailer park — bus stop, minutes ago, right? Why green grass come cover everywhere? Welcome to the land of the dead, Chris. A lady in a short, figure-hugging red gown casually manifested. The fabric clung to her curves like it was painted on. "You died a few minutes ago," she said, standing a few feet away from him. "Ehn — you say wetin?!" Chris sprang to his feet, heart hammering. "You dey joke, abi?" [“What — what did you say?!” … “You’re joking, right?”] To put it plainly, Chris. Your foolish argument over a little money brought you here. "Snap." She snapped her fingers. An office desk with a computer system materialized. The lady walked over and took a seat. "No be lie! My mama been warn me oh, she talk am say one day — change go kill me." E don finally happen. Chris shook his head, eyes pinned to the ground. [“It’s not a lie! My mother warned me, she said one day — change will kill me.” It has finally happened.] Don’t feel sad, Chris. She said, pulling out a long dusty book from the drawer. "According to God’s plan, it wasn’t yet your time." Chris laughed softly. "Naija dey follow God’s plan?" [“Nigeria follows God’s plan?”] Yes, Chris. It was pride and greed that caused you your life. She opened the book, dust escaping into the air. "So I make heaven or after all the suffer for Naija, na hellfire I dey go?" Chris approached the desk. [“So will I make heaven or, after all the suffering in Nigeria, is it hellfire I’m going to?”] What you have heard about heaven and hell — some of it is wrong. You’re not facing judgement. Rather, you’re going to be reborn in another world. "Wait. You mean am fine woman?" A smile lit up Chris’s face. [“Wait. You mean I’m a fine woman?”] She nodded. "In a few minutes you are going to wake up in a world totally different from your old one. It’s a world of cultivation." Her eyes finally met Chris’s. "Cultivation? Na farming I dey do for another world?" Chris sighed. "So I go reborn again to still begin my suffer from beginning. Chaii." Nothing balance anywhere. [“Cultivation? So I’m going to be farming in another world?” … “So I’ll be reborn just to start suffering all over again. Chaii.”] It’s not farming, i***t. It’s almost the same as those Chinese anime you enjoy watching — *Swallowed Star*, *A Will Eternal*. She answered, tearing out a piece of paper. "SHARP!" Everywhere good! Chris chuckled. "E go hard oh, but I go become god for that world so that anything I want, I fit do am." [“SHARP!” That’s perfect! … “It will be tough, but I’ll become a god in that world so I can do whatever I want.”] Well, I don’t doubt that. "Nigerians are hard workers," and over time have proven to be smart in many ways. Still, this is no longer your world. To help you survive your arrival, a system will be granted to you until you reach the Half-Body Immortal Realm. She stood up and closed the distance between them. *Omo, jokes aside. This lady get yansh oh. See beauty. See breast. Chaii.* [“Omo, jokes aside. This lady has a nice ass. See beauty. See breasts. Chaii.”] Chris, a smile lit up her face. Yeah, what’s up? He returned the smile. I can hear your thoughts, her smile disappeared. "Na bad thing I talk? You no get yansh? You no get breast? You no fine?" Chris met her gaze head-on. [“Did I say anything bad? You don’t have an ass? You don’t have breasts? You’re not fine?”] This is the first and last time we meet. Thank you for the compliment. Her expression remained normal. "Okay, so how am I going to get to this new world? Where will I follow?" Chris glanced around. You’re funny, Chris. "Snap." Chris’s body shattered instantly like raindrops. Everywhere is getting dark again. My new world. I vow to become a god. "I don too suffer." [I have suffered too much.] Chris reincarnated into the body of Li Yan — an outer sect disciple of the Lion Clan who had just died from exhaustion after being framed and chased into Void Mountain by his seniors. Chris gasped violently. Sweat formed on his face. His eyes opened. Sand covered his body. He pushed himself up and shook the sand off his face. The sky was bluer than Earth’s. Two suns shone brightly. "Finally, naija boy don land for cultivation world oh!" [“Finally, a Naija boy has landed in a cultivation world!”] Chris stood to his feet and took his first step in his new body. "Ahhh!" Chris screamed, both hands clutching his head. Li Yan’s memories crashed into his own like a danfo in Lagos traffic — pain, betrayal, hunger, fear. He dropped to one knee, sweat cutting lines through the red sand on his face. The pain lasted for a few minutes. "Person just arrived, una wan use headache kill am." Chris returned to his feet. [“I just arrived and you people want to kill me with a headache.”] This body belonged to an orphan. "Li Yan." This boy suffered a lot, but no worries guy — I will one day punish those who did this to you. Just then, a dark system interface appeared. [Supreme Hustle African System Activated!] [Reincarnation Successful!] [Host: Chris — Special Talent Detected] [Special Talent: Nigerian Heritage Activated!] [Special Traits: Undying Courage (Extreme), 5x Recovery & Breakthrough Speed, Rhythmic Combat Intuition] [Main Quest: Become a god over this world. No time limit. Failure: None (You will never give up no matter what)] This is clean s**t! Listen well system, I just don’t want to survive — Chris clenched his fists. I want to become a god above all gods and nothing go stop me. [nothing will stop me.] [Quest Accepted] [Reward: Undying Courage boosted. All future breakthroughs will be faster and more powerful when driven by willpower.]