Chapter 770: Paradise of Infinity: 1 (1/2)
Title: Nik Faran (1)
[Do you remember how you got here?]
A translucent red screen with golden words inquiring the circumstances of a young man could be seen in a space of absolute white. Even the youth himself felt that he stood on an invisible platform yet there was nothing aside from the white his dark pupils could see.
Long and dark, even lush. That's how the youth's hair looked like. From behind, one may even say that this man took care of his hair better than many women couldn't possibly imagine. His skin a bit toasty. Not fair, but warmer and wheaty in color. A small scar could be seen on the corner of his right brow. His naked body happened to be a frail one as if he was specifically made to look like a delicate yet exotic-looking female than a man. After all, the natural glossy feel of his skin that could be sensed from the pure white world indicated to youth's lifestyle, or so, one would misjudge.
”I... was executed. For trying to escape my home,” the youth mumbled. His eyes dazed and his left hand still traced his neck, ”There was a guillotine and... a bucket filled with heads right below me. Why am I not dead?” He inquired. Despite his situation, the youth was soft-spoken. It wasn't that raging waves didn't threaten to tear apart his calm facade but this is how he was trained. To remain soft. To evoke the natural feeling of protectiveness from his 'customers.' Why else? For a great tip, of course.
However, the entity that represented this translucent crimson screen, the gender of whom remained fully unknown, happened to be impervious to the charms of the youth.
[Death is a relative term. Your process of cleansing and reincarnation has not been fully executed and you retain a chance to 'live.' From now on, please keep your answers in two short terms: Yes or no. You will get a chance to question me about your situation as you see fit after this small, voluntary procedure.
Note that any answer aside from the stated terms will be regarded as a non-compliance to the policies and your process of 'death' will be continued shortly after.]
[Do you understand this well?]
The youth stared at the screen silently. Instead of replying, he looked around. Although his body could move, his feet seemed to be stuck in place and couldn't budge no matter what he did.
”Yes.”
He nodded.
[At a chance for a new life, would you complete a single task?]
He frowned. If he didn't want a better life, he wouldn't have tried to escape that rather beautiful hell manned by one rather gruesome trainer.
”Yes.”
[At a chance for a new life for one task that may continue for a foreseeable future, will you accomplish everything asked of you?]
His furrow deepened.
”... No.”
The youth replied while closing his eyes, expecting everything to end now. Wasn't this the same thing as his previous job? If so, what's the point.
But the expected oblivion he felt when his head was separated from his body didn't occur. Slowly, he opened his eyes and found the words on the screen shifted.
[Voluntary contract applicable. Do you wish to understand your circumstances?]
”Yes.”
The crimson screen flashed and the youth felt his surroundings turn into a blur, which was strange because all he could see was endless white. The only thing that actually blurred was the crimson screen. A strange expression filled his gaze as he felt a new form of understanding. This transfer of information transcended the method of reading and learning and then acquiring already learned knowledge for future use. This was fixed. What he was forced to understand was the general knowledge of causality. Why he didn't die? Only this remained a mystery.
[Do you accept these conditions?]
'It is... too good to be true, actually. No, it only looks good until I'm forced into these conditions...' The youth traced his chin thoughtfully. Right now, it is true that he had nothing to lose. He was... no, is dead. His body probably handed off to the darker section of his 'home', the necrophilia section where his body might be hardened and stuffed using chemical substances.
'Dang, I forgot about that. Not even a proper cremation.'
He scowled. His previous job was... in a word: All-encompassing.
Yet, being disappointed about his death wasn't his highest priority. It is to make use of this new opportunity.
”Yes...” the youth finally sighed.
His vision instantly darkened and the words on the screen began to change.
[Nik Faran, coded: GC—EHG—98034, added to Infinity. Authority Rank: 0 (0/100). Scanning compatible bloodline...
Scan complete. Reconstructing the body.
Bloodline Selected: Adonis' Ember (Common).
Mark of Infinity constructed.
Selecting Paradise.]
Meanwhile, even if Nik's eyes were now closed as he stood in the same spot, another screen popped in his 'gaze' as if inside his head.
[Do you have any additional inquiries?]
Until now, everything felt like a dream. His caretaker's death, then his own, and now this. A sense of numbness was already present inside of him and he couldn't help but question. His voice didn't echo but the mysterious entity was well aware of the question and replied through the screen.
[I am a formless entity. Refer to me as Infinity, if you must.]
Another question followed up.
[I have not selected you for your profession. Such motives are meaningless to me and as already described, I only wish... things.]
The youth felt his head buzz and he sighed.
[It is not a matter of your will. Your plane considers you 'removed' and even if you wish, you may not return to that plane until you hold sufficient strength. However, since you don't wish to return, it works out just fine.]
Soon, his consciousness faded as he truly had nothing to ask. If given proper time to process his situation then countless inquiries would follow surely but the mysterious entity wasn't bent on it. However, the youth already knew what needed to be done. To survive, at least.
He simply switched jobs. That's all. From one overbearing cunt to another mysterious one. Still, he felt lucky that he won't be forced to work on some wrinkled and rich screw-up always asking for him in his previous world even if his corpse might still be used.
'Oh, shit, I forgot to ask if I'll still be naked—'
---
A sweet and rare warm autumn evening of October.
From a bird's point of view, neat structures built on either side of a paved street with colorful banners and loud calling of many sellers setting their stalls indicated the small street to be a market, a rather frequented one since the evening sun basked plenty of men and women in its hazy orange glow. Couples walked hand-in-hand and this market seemed to be more friendly and warm in its presentation. After all, most of the stores were the front of the houses of the owners. This gave a pleasant and comforting feeling to customers.
Behind one such store, a bookstore, to be precise, a young woman could be seen practicing with a bamboo sword. The sword taped in the tip, center, and the attachment of the hilt with her tight grip handling the sword with expertise.
”Hup!”
She swung the bokken and it let out a sharp whistle as if cutting through the air. The area which she practiced in seemed to be a small backyard. Walls surrounding the small garden with a single tree growing from the corner and shrubbery lined against the perimeter. The grass and leaves quite a bit dry and a large patch of ground already devoid of its greenery.
Despite it being strangely warm, the girl wore a thin jacket and a pair of warm training trousers. After all, she didn't wish to catch a cold by giving into the temperature and wearing slightly short and thin clothes.
”Hup!”
Sucking in a mouthful of air, the woman moved quickly. Her shoulder-length coffee-brown hair tied into a tight pony yet her bangs, especially two unruly ones couldn't be managed easily that gave her a refreshing and untamable impression.
*Krshh*
Her boots skid across the ground with a coarse sound and she struck her bokken vertically fiercely once again.
But as she struck, her hair bangs began to whip without any control. A gale seemed to be blowing right over her head and unknown to her, a meter right above her head, a pitch-black hope spread out in from the void as if it could slice the empty space itself.
”Hmm?” The woman looked up, and her eyes widened before she hurriedly rolled stepped forward.
”Mom—”
She shouted instinctively when a body fell right in front of her.
The black mouth closed instantly and the gale disappeared as if it wasn't present in the first place.
The woman fell silent. After all, the body fell on the ground face first and all that was right in front of her widened eyes were a pair of tight buttocks. An unconscious man with his cheeks presented while a sweating woman clenching a thick wooden stick taped from the tip as if to purposely make it blunt and smoother. Just this sight was enough to fill the spectators with strange, bubbling emotions and this was true for an older, middle-aged woman who finally slid open the dark-tinted glass door to the backyard and snapped, ”Call the ambulance! He's bleeding!”
Yet, for a moment, both of them couldn't help but glance at the long mark, almost a tattoo but it seemed like a deformity instead. From the left elbow stretched out, a single spiral of a red mark could be seen imprinted on the body of this strange visitor.
---
”Hmm?”
He woke up. Blinking, the first sight happened to be his twitching toes under the cover of a comforting white sheet. Four walls around him but no handcuff, or wooden saltire cross to spread him over.
'Looks like a hospital...' He looked around and his body ached simultaneously. Not only that...
He could see the blur of the patch over the bridge of his nose and poking it slightly made him twitch.
'Broken? Did I land bad?'
Only if he knew.
*Click*
A youth with soft features walked in and seeing the patient already sitting up, looking around curiously, he couldn't help but scowl momentarily. There were internal reasons for such a reaction. Yet, wearing the white uniform of a nurse and the identification card pinned to its fabric meant showing a smile and treating every patient without any stereotype commanding their actions.