Hey, have you heard of the Urban Legend about the ritual where you can summon the God of Destruction during the devil's hour?

Oh? Is there such an urban legend?

Yeah, I read it on the internet. It was one of those 'chillypastas' going around.

Sounds interesting! So what's this legend about?

It goes like this: They say that you can summon the God of Destruction through a prayer and once he hears yours, you can make a wish to destroy someone you hate the most. He will come and destroy that someone from their existence.

Woah, that's... creepy.

You can only do this through a ritual during the devil's hour. The instructions are quite simple. Just sacrifice a drop of your blood and think of the destruction of the one you hated as you pray. Then if the God of Destruction accepts your prayers, he will come and appear before you for confirmation.

Hahaha. That's all? Maybe I should try and do this ritual and tell the God of Destruction to destroy my husband and his mistress from existence.

...Uh... Well, okay... Go ahead at your own risk. But you must know that the legend says that the God of Destruction will ask for a price for his services.

Eh, I thought it was for free!

Of course not! Who do you think you are requesting to? He's a freaking God of Destruction for crying out loud! It's only obvious that he will ask us, mortals, for a price.

Then, what is it? Money? Food? Praises?

I don't know. It wasn't specified in detail but they say it's your soul. It's like, selling your soul to the devil.

Woah! Isn't that too much?

Hahaha! Look at you! Come on! Don't take it seriously. It's just an urban legend after all. Hahaha. Although... There is a rumor that the suspect in that Mass Shooting in the Pepper Village three years ago had entered a contract with the God of Destruction.

Do you mean that incident where the President of the once world-famous Capsule Corporation was killed?

Yes! Yes, that's the one I'm talking about! I'm glad you still remember!

Of course, it was world-breaking news back then! Those who didn't know about it must be living under a rock or were too young to remember it!

So anyway, there is this video going around on the dark web showing how frightened Saike- the suspect, was when he pointed his sniper on his chin. He looked like he didn't want to do it. It's like someone else is controlling his actions! Plus, his head exploded as if the gun he was holding was a shotgun instead of a sniper!

Hm? Really? Where can I find that video?

I'll send you the link... Check it out yourself at your own risk. You must know that it's terrifying to watch!

Okay.

...

...

...

Woah... I can't believe this.

So, what do you think? Do you think that the God of Destruction truly exists? Is the Urban Legend true after all?

Hm... I don't know. There's only one way to confirm. What time is it?

It's five minutes to three.

So, should we try summoning him? I told you I wanted to get my husband and his stupid mistress out of my hair!

Heh! You must be joking.

Then you shouldn't have told me that story in the first place! Plus, you're also curious if he does exist, aren't you?

Well, yeah... But...

What? Are you scared? And here I thought you love exploring scary things!

I do, but I do not wish to sell my soul for trivial things such as that!

Haha... You are just a coward! Don't worry. We will not make a contract with him if he indeed appears right before our eyes. Does that make you feel better?

Mmmph! Fine! Whatever! Let's just do this once, okay?

Great!

Chapter 2: Nightmares

When you pray and a deity hears your prayers, anything you wish for shall be granted.

Humans who believed that a deity exists usually say this, but for Bulma Briefs, it was simply nothing but a foolish belief. She and her family used to be believers of the existence of Kami despite their scientific genius. Her mother used to tell her that they must thank Kami-sama for they were blessed with high intelligence and wealth and that they must use their God-given gifts to reach out and help those in need. While Bulma was raised to become generous and humble, there are times when she would selfishly think that not everybody's problems should be their problem. People are abusive by nature. You share with them once, and they will expect that you will share with them again without doing anything to thrive themselves away from their miserable situations. Those kinds of people are what she hated the most. Lazy bastards who always depend on other people, expecting others to give them whatever they need, without them doing anything at all.

So whenever they would go back to give charity to those people for... How many times had it been again? Bulma lost count. It felt as if she and her family were already feeding these people the entirety of their lives. It became worse when this global pandemic began. She felt like everybody depended on them with being given all of their needs.

Bulma's family was the richest in the world. She didn't have a problem with sharing and giving to the poor. Her problem with them was the fact that they get too dependent on her family's charity works that it almost feel like these people were already abusing their kindness.

One day, while on their way to a small village downtown, where many indigent people were expecting to receive their donations, she went to her parents to tell them what's on her mind. This was the sixth time they were going to that village these past three months and they will give it to the same people again.

Her mother said that Kami will take care of it and that she must always remember that whatever you give to others, the deity will surely give it back to you severalfold. So if they share their blessings with the unfortunate, Kami will bless their lives even more.

If only her mother knew what would happen that day, she would have greatly changed her mind.

As Bulma walked towards the program, she bumped into someone's shoulder and felt a sudden, odd jolt within the center of her chest. Confused by that strange sensation, she decided to ignore it and turned to apologize to the person but her words were caught breathlessly when she found the gorgeous look of the man right before her eyes. She stared in awe, her jaw dropped in astonishment as she took in his appearance. The first she noticed were his beady black eyes, darker than midnight, colder than ice, and with a fearsome gaze sharper than any blade on Earth. They were small, narrowed, and slanted, adored by long, thick eyelashes. His eyebrows were thick and arching downwards, making his already fierce-looking eyes even more intimidating. He had a wide forehead, with a receding hairline and a pronounced widow's peak. Up his head flared a thick, jet black, flame-shaped spiky hair that she imagined could burn her. His nose was sharp and high bridged. Her eyes wandered to his thick lips, her girlish mind wondering how would it feel like to be kissed by them. Then, her eyes fell to his perfectly angular jawline. She noticed him wearing a thick gold choker around his muscular neck.

She had never seen a man as good-looking as he is. Heck, he's even better looking than her boyfriend! She wondered if this man is human at all because he looked godly to her, especially with that kind of physique. Gosh! His muscles underneath that gleaming, smooth olive skin looked like they were perfectly sculpted by a Greek artist who make those hot statues of mythological gods. Her eyes paused between his bared chiseled pectorals under that striped black and blue wesekh with an orange diamond shape on the center, and his hard, well-defined abdominal muscles above the navy blue sash belt around his slim waist that fits his sky blue baggy pants. Attached to the front of his sash was a long black-colored drape with golden rims and designed with two white and one orange diamond shapes lining up vertically on its center. Her eyes then roamed the curves of his huge muscular arms, from his huge fists to the broad, golden cuff bracelets that wrapped the lower half of his forearms, upwards to the thick ancient-looking golden ring bracelets around his biceps and his bulging deltoid muscles. Suddenly feeling thirsty, she licked her drying lips and swallowed nervously, feeling her face flush hot and red. She could also hear her heart pounding in her chest so erratically.

The man cleared his throat and her eyes were pulled back to his face. The god-like being let out a devilish smirk at her that made her heart flutter even more and told her with a voice that sounded like the wind during a snowstorm. "I know I'm good-looking but don't stare too much, woman. You could die, you know."

Bulma blinked her wide eyes in disbelief, and her blue eyebrows creased in her confusion, looking as if she just woke up from a spell. "Wha... What?"

The smirk on his lips faded into a deep scowl and he walked away with a roll of his eyes. Bulma stared at his broad back before eyeing him from head to toe with a disgusted look. She saw that he was wearing a pair of brown leather boots with golden rings around the ankles and... Is that a monkey's tail attached on his lower back?

"Well, he is indeed good-looking, but he has an attitude. What a turn-off! Plus, who puts on a stupid tail? What is he? A child or a cosplayer for this event?" she thought, shaking her head at his vanity before she turned around to continue her way back to where the event is.

The charity works went smooth at first. People have prepared a small show to welcome their arrival. The village leader thanked them for coming. It was the usual activity. Bulma didn't see the man from earlier participating with them at all. She tried to search for him amongst the crowd and she found him simply watching in the corner in silence.

And while they were reaching out their gifts to the village residents, they heard a gunshot out of nowhere. And then, Bulma saw how her father fell backward. For her, that sight happened in slow motion. Her mind shut off but her body felt like it was being pulled forward, her arms reaching out to her father.

Suddenly, the venue was filled with panic and screaming as everybody ran for their lives, completely forgetting what they were initially there for. Bulma caught her father in her arms and she fell backward to her behind. Her older sister and her mother ran towards them. There was another sound of a gunshot, then Bulma saw her mother fall sidewards towards her older sister's right shoulder. And then another gunshot, her older sister fell.

As more bodies fall one after another, Bulma turned her blurry eyes to search for whoever was firing at them. But the world felt like it was spinning. While doing so, she saw the man from earlier standing so calmly amid the chaotic people. He was looking up towards the trees a few feet away. She followed his sights and found the dark figure of a man several feet away. He was dressed in black clothing and a black, full-face ski mask over his face. By how he was crouching down and holding what it seemed was a sniper, Bulma already knew he was the suspect. But before she could move or speak, there was another gunshot, and then everything went black for her.

Bulma cried out on her bed, screaming and shaking. Someone's arms held her, and then the soothing voice of her beloved boyfriend called out to her, "Bulma! Bulma! Wake up!"

Hearing Yamcha's voice had somehow helped Bulma pull herself back to reality and she slowly calmed down. She leaned over Yamcha's muscular arms as he ran his hands up and down her back and she wept on his shoulder.

"Another nightmare, huh," Yamcha sighed.

"Mmh..." Bulma muttered, sniffing.

"It's okay now. It's all over," he assured her.

She nodded, "Sorry about that. I must have woken you up."

Every night since she recovered in the hospital from that horrible incident three years ago, Bulma would occasionally get that kind of nightmare that reminds her of what happened that terrible day. She will never forget that day that caused her to lose everything she held dear.

Why her of all people? Being raised in a religious family, she was told that Kami-sama favored those who are faithful and loyal to him but why did he allow this to happen? She cannot understand. If Kami-sama truly existed, then why did he allow this to happen to her? Did he just simply watch in his heavenly throne in his kingdom as her faithful parents die? Why did he not take her and her sister away too? Why did he leave them to suffer in this cruel world? Does he find any joy in seeing them live like this? Is Kami-sama that cruel to those who served him faithfully?

All these questions made her stop believing in the existence of a deity. Perhaps, deities are just godly creatures humans created in their desperate imaginations. Maybe the holy scripture is just a collection of fairy tales written to make humans believe the words written there were real, but in reality, only limits their actions and makes them judgmental towards others, with the concept of what is good and evil, and creating heaven and hell as rewards or punishment for doing all these things.

Maybe heaven and hell don't exist. Hell could be this life on Earth. While heaven is nothing but a make-believe fantasy world too perfect to be true.

"Bulma," she heard her boyfriend call her name.

"Yes?"

"Your birthday is coming this weekend. Do you want to spend your birthday with me? I would like to treat you on a date."

"Yamcha, I'm still worried about that... You know."

A recorded video of what happened during the incident on the Charity Event her family organized on Pepper Village three years ago was found and became viral on the internet. The video of Saike taking his own life after he murdered all of the attendees and guests in a mass shooting. Many people speculated that because he looked so afraid while doing so only meant that he didn't wish to kill himself. There were many theories about it. Some say he was possessed by the devil or that he was suffering from depression after his business failed. Some say that his true target in the massacre was her father, Dr. Briefs, and his entire family because it was later suspected that Dr. Briefs stole his patents for the Hoi-Poi Capsules, which Bulma knew wasn't true at all. These continued to become viral news and people started to boycott Capsule Corporation and their products. Just almost a year later after the mass shooting, the company declared bankruptcy due to the lack of support from the public, and the business was forced to sell its properties, leaving her and her older sister whose still in a coma, the only remaining survivors of the Briefs family to fend off for themselves.

For Bulma, it was terrible. She just lost both of her parents and her older sister lay comatose in the hospital. She badly needed money to sustain her hospital bills and her medications. She tried applying for a decent job in companies where she could use her genius but nobody wished to hire her despite her bright credentials due to the scandal that happened. Plus, due to the ongoing pandemic, many businesses shut down or remove employees as well due to lack of revenue...

Luckily, after several months of job hunting, she found a small sushi stand in downtown West City where she was finally employed as a waitress. The job was low for someone with her skills and standards but she had no other choice. Beggars can't be choosers after all.

Even though there were a few people who would eat in that sushi stand, and some closed-minded people boycotting it due to her presence, the owner didn't mind employing her. Perhaps, her elderly boss named Taki, and her co-workers, Chichi and Krilin, and Baba who is the landlady of her apartment, were the only people who felt bad for her and accepted her like she's a simple person they had no idea about. The four of them, along with her boyfriend Yamcha, were the only people who stayed by her side despite everything that happened to her. She never felt so grateful for their trust and their support, and she swore to herself that she would pay them with kindness and gratitude in the future no matter what.

"You are worried about what?" Yamcha asked.

"That people would stare at you because of me," Bulma said.

Yamcha snorted, "Then let them stare. They're just jealous I have a perfect girlfriend!"

"I'm not kidding!"

"Who cares about what other people say? Would their opinion matter?"

"No," Bulma said, turning around to face her boyfriend. She stared at his eyes as she told him, "But... I prefer celebrating my birthday here at the apartment, with you. Just the two of us, together."

Yamcha sighed and raised a hand to gently touch her face with his fingers, pulling a strand of hair off her angelic face.

"Alright. If that's what you want, then let's do that."

Bulma smiled sweetly at him, as she touched his hand on her face, "Thank you for understanding, Yamcha."

"Hn..." Yamcha said, embracing her and planting a kiss on her forehead. "Now, let's go back to sleep. You have work tomorrow and I have a training to attend to."

Her boyfriend is a popular baseball player of the famous team called the 'Taitans'. They will have an important game next month that would make them qualified for the Ralympics.

"Okay," Bulma murmured as she snuggled against Yamcha's chiseled chest.

As she found comfort and warmth against Yamcha's chest and with his muscular arms protectively wrapped around her, Bulma suddenly recalled the man she saw that day. That godly-looking man with a vain attitude who she thought looked better than her boyfriend. She wondered who that man was. And why did she dream about him?

Her eyebrows furrowed in confusion. Come to think of it, that man wasn't included in the list of victims. That was the first time she had seen him in that village. She could just wave him off as a visitor of one of the residents or someone just passing by, but he was there in the charity event when the shooting happened. She knew because she saw him watching in a corner. She just didn't have any idea where he went or what happened to him after she fell unconscious. Maybe he ran off somewhere to save his life. If he wasn't on the list of those who died that day, and the only survivors considered were her and her older sister... Then, where was he?

"There's another survivor," Bulma murmured.

"Hm? You were saying something?" Yamcha mumbled, opening his eyes.

She raised her head to look into his eyes, "Aside from me and Taitsu-nechan, there's another survivor."

"Really? Who?"

"When we arrived in the Pepper village that day, I bumped into a man. He doesn't look like he was a resident there because I haven't seen him around when we first came there."

"Maybe he is a visitor or something."

Bulma frowned, "I don't think so. Because he stayed to watch the event on the sidelines. When the shooting happened, he was the only one standing calmly among the panicking people."

"Oh... But Bulma, everybody knows that the suspect in that mass shooting is Saike. The video that went viral was enough evidence. Perhaps, that man you are talking about was paralyzed with fear, that's why he didn't move at all."

She realized he could be right and she nodded reluctantly. "Ah... That could be."

"Now, enough thinking about it and go back to sleep, okay?"

Bulma nodded as she snuggled back to Yamcha's chest, wondering what happened to that man and where he is now.

"Irasshaimase~! Oh!" Bulma greeted the customer that just walked into their humble sushi stand. It means 'Welcome! Please come in!' but her words were cut off when she recognized that customer.

He was especially tall, thin, and had odd pale blue-colored skin. His soft-looking white hair swirled upwards like that of a sundae. He had kind-looking violet eyes, and his face was rather effeminate. He held a long scepter with a black crystal floating above it on his right hand. There's a round, blue ring around his neck that looked like a floating necklace. He donned a long maroon-colored robe, a black cuirass with the same white and orange diamond shapes, and a blue sash around his thin waist. He also wears black high-heeled shoes with long toes resembling winklepickers with white spats.

This odd person was their regular customer, and because he was a regular, he was served with utmost excitement.

Bulma led the tall, effeminate man to an empty seat, where he gracefully sat down to wait. She smiled at him, "Let me guess, fifty jumbo boxes of Maguro Nigiri and two regular boxes of mixed sushi?"

The man laughed, "Ohohoho! You guessed it!"

"Coming right up!" she winked cheerfully as she rushed to the kitchen to prepare the food he ordered.

Sometime later, as Bulma put the boxes of Maguro Nigiri he ordered for take out down the table where the strange customer ate his food with a joyful look as if he had never eaten sushi before, she suddenly asked him, "You know, I'm kind of curious. I hope you don't mind me asking but why are you always looking like that? Do you do cosplays?"

"Hm? Cosplay?"

"You know, a get up of Anime or gaming fans where they dress up as their favorite character. Which character are you? You look amazing in your costume."

"Oh," The customer smiled. "I'm not cosplaying anyone. I just look naturally like this."

"Really? And here I thought you were wearing make-up. So why is your skin a pale blue color then? Are you sick or something?" Bulma suddenly asked in concern.

The customer laughed, the sound was like bells to her ears. "Ohohoho! I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Oh... Okay. Sorry if I ask too much." Bulma muttered. She watched in silence as the strange guy continue with his meal. "So... You love eating mixed sushi, huh?"

"Yes! It is my favorite food on your menu here!"

"Thank you for the compliment. So I suppose the Maguro Nigiri here isn't yours since you ordered them for take-out."

"Yes, they're for my master. Maguro Nigiri is his favorite food."

"Master? Really? All these are for him only?"

"Yes. In fact, he can finish all of these in one sitting. And these are just appetizers for him."

Bulma's jaw dropped at that. Unbelievable! Is there a person who could eat that much? She could imagine how obese this customer's master could be.

"Uhm... Okay," she uttered awkwardly, shrugging. Then her voice turned curious again. "So, are you a butler or something?"

"Close enough."

"Woah. Now that explains why you are so well-mannered." Bulma said with a look of awe. "I guess your master is lucky to be taken care of by someone as gentle as you."

"I guess so."

Bulma sat down in front of the man, getting more interested in knowing more about him.

"What's he like? Your master, I mean," she asked curiously.

"Hmm... He's a little bit troublesome to take care of. Prideful, stubborn, and could be frightening at times to other people besides me..."

"He must be a scary person, but I think he likes you that much that's why he isn't that frightening to you."

"I wonder about that..."

The customer finished his food and he took his takeouts in his hand, easily carrying all fifty boxes like they were nothing. Bulma couldn't get used to it up until now and she sometimes wondered if this man was human at all.

-Well, he doesn't look human to her. Could he be... an alien? He looked like an alien considering that floating ring around his neck. Does that also explain why his master could eat that much in one sitting? Is his master an alien too?

Bulma was about to open her mouth to ask him about her thoughts but the customer was already at the exit. He stopped by the door, turned around to face her, and told her with a gentle smile, "Don't worry, Miss Bulma. You will find out when you meet him again."

"Eh?"

How did he know her name? What does he mean by those words?

There were several unanswered questions on Bulma's head right now, and it kept on popping up on her mind the more she became curious about that odd encounter with the strange customer.