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《Change of POV》
"I gave her all of your remaining lifespan and erased all of their memories about you. And now, after all these past few days of preparation for your mission, you're ready for the basics of that world at the very least. Once you succeed, we won't have anything to do with each other, fair enough?" Deloure said while floating in thin air.
He is a death god with the appearance of a chibi-looking boy wearing a black coat, but despite what he looks like, he is a man in his late twenties and a vicious being without mercy. His appearance is nothing but an illusion.
"You did exactly what I wanted and the precious life of my sister is back to what it used to be. So I'm satisfied with this outcome." I answered back at him while still looking at the scene unfolding in front of us. They're now a happy family without me.
What happened that day was dreadfully graphic. My body was in an unbearably excruciating pain but what was most painful was my sister's condition hanging at death's door upon arriving at the hospital.
■Flashback■
In that nick of time, between life and death. I somehow heard my sister.
I heard her cursing at the delinquents but her voice was hoarse and she was coughing every second she would speak a word, as if her vocal chords were damaged.
Of a sudden, something pulled me out, or more like my soul got pulled out from my body, and found myself standing right in front of her.
Her condition is way worse than mine compared to when she found me. Despite her body's condition, she's still trying to crawl and fight. Blood was dripping on her face, her neck was stabbed by a pen and her nails were pulled out, some of her fingers were broken and her clothes were torn.
I had all these mixed emotions and it blew up. I wanted to jump at those who were laughing looking at my sister's demise but the worst part is that I couldn't do anything and it's all my fault.
"She is dying." An unfamiliar voice suddenly emerged in my head and the time stopped. As if lightning struck me, my soul got strongly pulled back into my body. But I had no time to pay attention to whatever voice I heard. All I want is to get to where my sister is fast.
While I was trying to stand using the wall as a support, I saw a man in a cape with a crow on his shoulder approaching. His footsteps were the only sound I could hear in this alleyway and for some unknown reason, every step that he takes gives me the chills as if I am being buried under the snow.
"Who, w..ho are you?" I asked stuttering while trying to get to my best posture regardless of the pain I felt.
"Do you wish to save her?" He asked in return for my question. As he began to get closer, I got to see his eyes that were glowing like a sun on its peak at noon but I could not feel any heat or warmth from him but a menacing and deathly presence. My guts are telling me that the consequences of provoking him would be worse than death itself.
His eyes although they're colorful, I can only see rage and emptiness. I know, because that's the eyes I see in the mirror.
"A contract, I fulfill your wish and you fulfill mine. You just have to choose." He said while petting the crow on his shoulder. This strange time-stopping ability or whatever you call it and this strange man's behavior. The chance to save my sister seems to be like a dream but this is a dream that I wanted to believe.
"I agree."
There's no need to think at all of whatever the contract will be as long as it will save my sister, I'm fine even if my soul will get eaten or destroyed in return. I'm desperate enough to do whatever it takes just to save her.
■End of Flashback■
Along with my wish, I also had my existence completely erased, as if I never existed. I have lived this life in the worst possible way. I never once fought for myself because I was afraid that I would only suffer in the end. I'm scared of every little change in other people's emotions because I know I will be at the receiving end of everything they have to feel just so they can feel much better about themselves.
The parents I call mother and father never looked at me as their son. I was never part of the family, to begin with. I was more like dust just lying there waiting to get scrubbed off; I was an eyesore. Even so, my sister is the only light I had in that family. She would always find the chance to comfort me and give me the support I needed, but I never paid any attention to her because I hated her existence. I'd always avoid her and sometimes even secretly scold her, but she never once got disheartened by my words of discouragement and insults. I guess I was not that different from how my parents treated me, as I was treating my sister.
This is the first decision that I've made by myself and I will never regret it.
"You need to fulfill one thing for me to attain your freedom from this contract. And if you don't, you will die and your soul will shatter unable to enter the cycle of reincarnation." He warned while giving death stares.
"I am well aware and informed, thank you. Now that everything has been settled, I am ready."
The surroundings changed into a seemingly traditional room which is his house in this place they call purgatory.
We sat on the table and some of his attendants prepared us tea.
The atmosphere began to get quite heavy as he started to discuss the remaining details of the contract and even much so as we moved on about the mission.
"So what you need to do is to eliminate a rank SSS goddess." He said looking straight into my eyes as if he would kill me as soon as I voiced something wrong.
I knew that it would be dangerous, but I never expected this extent of difficulty.
"Ah, about this mission. Would it be more favorable if you were to fight her yourself?" I spoke politely as much as I could.
"Exactly, I'm a god after all but that's also the reason why I cannot eliminate her. So I need someone to do it for me." He said knitting his brows, this is when I realized. 'Ah, he's also desperate to do this'.
"This doesn't happen often so this is not entirely taboo. Interfering with a soul that died is what's taboo but you were alive and all this happened with your full consent." As if reading my mind, he explained the nature of interfering with the deaths of the mortal world.
Regardless, this is a scheme happening behind those who hold the higher authorities and if I were to get mixed up, things would get out of hand, that at least is what I know.
"You signed the contract, that's all that matters. The other candidates backed out, and luckily you agreed with my proposal." He nonchalantly added.
But based on what he said, the others backed out? So I guess, I wasn't the only one he offered a contract with.
"Don't worry. I will do my part as per the agreement of our contract." I said with a solid resolution. It is dangerous, yes, but I have my values, I don't simply go back on my word.
Deloure paused for a moment and smiled.
"Great, I knew you would, I've been waiting for you to say that. So let's start then." With an excited voice, he snapped his little fingers.
All of a sudden, I feel a surge of energy entering my soul. For the first time in my life, I felt like my mind had never been this clear and my senses were never this sharp. It is as if I'm being embraced by soft cotton balls caressing my skin, giving warmth and comfort.
■One hour later■
Although I am still in my spiritual form, I can feel something different.
"I've given you the power to control every type of magic and an ability to adapt and understand anything easily. Above all, I bestowed you my blessings. For that, you will acquire some of my skills as you get stronger." He explained while sipping his tea.
"This power you gave me. Aren't you going too far? Are you not afraid that if I became way too powerful, I might put the world in jeopardy? You know that several possibilities might happen in the future, and what if I turn into a demon lord?" I enquired with worries visibly in my voice. The law of nature, magic, and the world itself will be imbalanced and could lead to a great catastrophe of who knows what other prospects could occur.
He's been educating me on the basics but turns out, he'll be the first one to break it.
"Unfortunately, only one can exist at a time and it is a predestined resurrection every after 500 years, now is not the time yet. Besides, you need to fight a goddess. This power I bestowed upon you is far from enough." He said while openly examining my stats.
"As of now, your power is on a par with lower gods. So you should be fine." He said while elegantly pouring the tea into his seemingly lavish tea cup. By the way, that is his fifth cup already.
"Lower gods?" I curiously asked with anticipation.
"Yes a lower god. They are also gods but different in some ways. Their power is equivalent to a great saint only, and most of them lived on land together with all the other races. On the other hand, we the higher gods lived inside this purgatory. In terms of status and power; we outweigh them, due to that some of the lower gods are rebels. They are often the reason behind the mischiefs." He explained with his knitting brows. Seems like, a past wound opened up.
"As for your mission. You need to eliminate the goddess of Evlivion, a.k.a World Conqueror, a threat to many worlds. She is one of the top five reigning gods. There are worldly laws that are ineffective to her. And with your current power, you don't stand even a tiny bit of chance and would die with just her presence alone." He immediately added when realizing the awkward silence.
According to his words, she is really powerful. Am I even worthy to eliminate her?
Me?
"Apart from what I've bestowed you, I created a skill for you. This specific passive skill will hide your presence from the gods including me. So even I cannot interfere with your life there." I was a bit worried that he would pry into my daily life. It's breathing to know that I still have my privacy.
"Everything will be up to you but there are things that you can't do otherwise they will slowly notice your presence and be hostile towards you. We don't want unwanted visitors during your preparation, nevertheless, it's gonna be a long and steep journey."
He warned me, that although he gave me the ability to hide my presence from the gods including him, it was inevitable if I did something that could garner their attention.
"Now then, I will begin the process of
Transmigrating your soul. Although you are in your spiritual form, this will still hurt a bit."
Light engulfed my soul as if a vacuum pulling me inside. Unlike earlier, which feels like embracing something soft, this one feels like I am being pricked by sharpened nails. I felt like something had pierced through my chest and my body was burning as if I was walking barefoot on embers. There was a sudden vibration, and I lost consciousness.
■Purgatory■
《Deloure's POV》
"You are sending him to a war that he cannot win, Deloure," Xylanixs said as he appeared beside me.
"I do not choose just any random soul Xylanixs. That mortal, his soul is exceptional."
With that kind of soul, he must have gone through several hardships that refined and made it strong.
"So you gave him half of your soul? In your state, you won't last long." By the tone of his voice, he's annoyed by what had transpired these past few days without him knowing.
A hundred years is merely a small time for us gods, but that's more than enough for humans.
"I don't need that much time to live. Living is painful for me, you know that." I said while examining the recent activities that involve the goddess.
"Even though I am living, I'm no more than just a shell of the past," I added forcing a smile. I have many times tried to forget everything and just leave it all behind, but she's part of me that is no longer present and someone that I can never let go of no matter what.
"I hope this time, you will be able to save her." His voice echoed as he vanished in thin air.
"Asteria, the goddess of love."
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A/N:
Just wanna let you know that the time inside the purgatory is different from the time on Earth. Years may have passed on Earth but only a few hours had passed in purgatory :)
If you like this chapter, I'd appreciate a comment/vote ;)
Thank you for reading!