Hi, everyone. I apologize. It's been a while. I was really busy.
Here it is. This is not just a simple story of Hei's adventure in an unfamiliar world, and this story will probably go into non-linear plots sooner or later. As you can see, more characters will come into their roles, and the contents will become rather complex.
However, I do promise that everything will come together eventually.
And about romance… I am really not good at writing romance scenes, and I do not plan for a quick development of romance for Hei. Sure, there will be relationship development, and things will get interesting, but it will be slow.
Chapter 39 Yet Here We Are
Light.
It is the source of everything humans desire. The sun enables the basic living environments for all living organisms. It is the representation of good, of warmth, of contentment, of happiness, and of hope. When the sun sets, everything returns to darkness, which brings tremendous insecure feelings for every living being.
Until there is light again.
Usually, the first glimpse of light when the sun sets does not come from the silver moon. It is born within the single ray of that one brightest star in the distance. For many, this star is the metaphysical guide for their emotional foundation in the darkness.
This is the star for which Hei is searching.
"Mental focus intensified. BK-201 molecular manipulation upsurge in pre-matured state. Energy direction affirmance required. Counterbalanced evaluation processing."
Standing in the middle of his laboratory, the Black Reaper fiercely controls his inner contractor power, attempting to redirect all of his energy by some uncustomary way into somewhere.
"Full module control, twenty-one point five percent. Increasing."
Perhaps knowing that Akame has seen Yin in her dreams created suspicions in Hei's mind, and the imperfect clone is currently determined to find out something with his own power.
"Forty-six point two percent."
The sky is calm. As the sun finally rests itself under the distant mountains, the forests fall into the state of composure inch by inch.
"Sixty-eight point seven percent."
In the distance, one can slowly make out the shape of the palace of the corrupted empire and the lights that come out from the guarding soldiers. Who would know that there will be so much darkness underneath that shade of luster?
"Eight-five point six percent."
If one is observing Hei throughout his stance, one would notice many minute details about the Black Reaper. Sweat is gradually forming on his forehead, and his muscles are tightening at every small second. Blood pressure is rising up as the heart rate increases.
"Ninety-nine point nine percent."
Suddenly, the world begins to collapse in front of the masked man. A blinding white light bursts out from that chosen bright star in the night sky, and everything around Hei disappears into miles after miles of plain grass.
Noticing this sudden change of environment, the Black Reaper slowly turns his head around to observe his surroundings.
It is clearly nighttime, as the dark sky covered with many stars soon confirms his first instinctive guess. The field of grassland appears to extend itself into the realm of infinity, showing no limit at where the sky and the ground crosses paths.
Deciding to carry out his first step, Hei carefully paces forward.
"Soil composition unrecorded. Plantation type unrecorded. Astronomical arrangement unrecorded."
Analyzing his current environment, Hei quickly comes to his conclusion about this alien place.
"Current realm exists only above physical world, perhaps not by physical measurements, perhaps by other manipulation of dimensions."
"Yes, indeed."
A voice suddenly appears behind the Black Reaper.
Turning around, the view of a young boy comes into Hei's eyes.
His reddish orange hair loosely dangles around, covering the white medical tape on his right eye. Standing from a distance, the boy rests both of his hands in his pockets, showing the Black Reaper a similar emotionless look.
"Izanagi."
The word escapes Hei's lunges without a single hint of confusion, but rather a large portion of confidence.
"Oh, that is unnecessary. Even though I do not mind this actual term, I would still prefer the name of which I am known."
The boy starts to walk toward the Black Reaper, seemingly indifferent to the strange surroundings around the two.
"Shion Pavlichenko."
"Shion would be enough, BK-201."
"…"
Looking at the boy in front of him, any regular person would have many questions; however, it appears as if the size of Hei's confusion is actually currently going down.
"You have noticed, haven't you?"
"The composition of this world is your work."
"Yes."
"My reason of existence is also your work."
"Indirectly."
"The many translocations of other contractor spirits are also your work."
"Well, about that… That is a little bit more complicated."
Shaking his head, Shion slowly walks pass the Black Reaper, and gestures Hei to follow him.
"Tell me, BK-201, how much do you believe about souls?"
"Abstract, hypothetical, indefinite, hard to explain."
Walking steadily behind the young boy, Hei does not hesitate to answer Shion's question.
"That means you still believe in their existence, which is good. What about the saying of ultimate creation and destruction?"
"Transcendent, nonconcrete, yet the Izanagi and the Izanami did exist."
"No, BK-201, not 'did exist', they still 'do' exist. And I am the living example of this."
"You are merely a spirit, perhaps formed by waves of energy, such incompetent status of animation cannot be classified as 'existence'."
"Perhaps you are right, BK-201, then what makes you believe that you, yourself, exist? You are merely an imperfect clone of the real BK-201, which makes my naming convention of you inaccurate from the very beginning."
"If we are arguing about human existence, then I cannot qualify as such; however, I think, therefore I am."
"Interesting. Interesting."
The young boy blinks a few times at Hei's unorthodox response, but proceeds to brush it off as he finally stops walking.
"You did say that you doubt my existence, or even my ability to interfere with your current world."
Waving his hand slowly, the boy points at the ground in front of Hei, and the grassland suddenly breaks off from where the Black Reaper is standing. A giant structure advances to erupt from the giant crack on the ground. The structure looks like a door, to be exact, and there are five different spheres engraved in front of the opening. Each one of them contains an assorted color – Black, gold, silver, crimson, and coral.
Stepping back from the outburst, Hei still manages to hold himself calmly upon the great structure in front of him.
"Words do not convey my message to you, perhaps you should feel it yourself."
Standing in front of the giant structure, Hei intuitively stretches out his right arm toward the black sphere.
Upon touching it, a small yet clear voice comes into the Black Reaper's mind. For once, the many clarity of ideas seems to be thrown away. Nothing is certain anymore, and confusion rises again from the deepest of his memories, because –
"Hello, big brother."