Chapter 145 - Changing

"Then what am I supposed to do?" Elder Drey asked but then shook his head as he continued, "Never mind. Today is the day I died. There is no need to think about it."

Elder Drey retracted his gaze to Narukami as he asked, "What's your name, boy?"

"Narukami Shinra." Narukami introduced himself with his real name.

"Narukami… you tell me your name, why?" Elder Drey asked as he was baffled. He did not expect an answer at all.

"Why are you so surprised? You miss the part where that name could also be fake," said Narukami as he tricked him.

"That's true… Nevertheless, that's a good name. Is your goal to become a deity?" Elder Drey casually asked. It was as though he had forgotten what had happened.

"No, it's a drag. Enough chit-chat, time for you to go," said Narukami as he ended the conversation. After that, he raised his arm to his shoulder and aimed it at Elder Drey.

"I see, this is it then," said Elder Drey. His tone was low and weak, extremely tired as well.

His deity betrayed him. All the hard work he put into Armageddon was all for naught. It was painful. Elder Drey's heart felt like it was torn to pieces.

Being alive was painful. Death felt like a reliever from all sorts of pain and sadness in life. Though, if the concept of the afterlife exists.

He would be at the deepest level of Jahannam.

Shadow enlarged with Narukami as the center. Swallowing Elder Drey from top to bottom.

"You're not going to fight back?" Narukami pondered. He thought that with Elder Drey's personality. He would do anything to survive yet he resigned to his fate as Narukami's shadow began to devour him.

"Is that necessary?" Elder Drey returned the question as he continued without waiting for Narukami's response.

"My Lord betrayed me but I can't blame Him. He's a deity and I'm anything but a human.

"He can crush me as he wished."

Simply put, there was nothing Elder Drey could do about it.

Taking an example: a commoner was wronged by a king despite the commoner not doing anything wrong. The commoner could refute and deny anything the king's accusation but his punishment still came. The commoner was futile against what's coming.

Unless…

"...Hey, I know we just met and I'm your enemy but seeing your pathetic side disgusts me," said Narukami rather coldly with a calm expression.

"Sorry," responded Elder Drey as he could not make eye contact with Narukami.

The shadow devouring Elder Drey stopped right at his neck. Elder Drey was perplexed.

"Why did you stop?" He pondered.

"No need to be in a hurry," said Narukami as he walked to Elder Drey's side and sat on the ground.

"What do you think about humans?" Narukami asked a rather strange question. Elder Drey replied nevertheless:

"They are weak creatures yet always cause much misery and suffering in the world. Blood was shed for territories and selfish reasons."

"Yup, they are vicious, ruthless, and know no mercy. I'm not talking about physically but also in other aspects.

"They are vicious when it comes to love. They will do anything for it. They are ruthless in fighting for what they believe in. They know no mercy when something they care and protect is harmed," explained Narukami. Elder Drey listened attentively.

Without waiting for Elder Drey to utter a sound, Narukami continued, "However, humans are vulnerable. A single bad thing happened and they thought the world hated them.

"But in my opinion, that's just the world. It is designed to break your heart, spirit, and mind."

"If that's the case, then why do we live? Does our purpose is to feel pain?" Elder Drey asked.

Narukami shifted his line of sight to Elder Drey.

"If a person makes one mistake in his job. That's the only thing people remember despite the fact that he did his job without a mistake for the past few months.

"Humans love to make themselves feel better than the others."

"What is your point?" Elder Drey asked.

"I'm not done yet. Let me continue. Humans also like to dismiss the good things they did or had. One bad thing and they will focus on that one thing."

Narukami stopped talking as he ended his explanation. Elder Drey knew this, as well as the meaning behind his uttering.

"I don't have anything else on me. I have no family, friends, or even a god," spoke Elder Drey.

"You have your life. As long as you have that, you can get them," said Narukami.

"But, aren't you going to kill me?"

"Have I ever said that? I was planning to get you tortured according to the horrible things you've done in the past and after that, you're free."

"You have no intention of killing us in the first place?" Elder Drey was quite surprised yet simultaneously disappointed.

Getting killed was better than being tortured. The latter was worse than death!

Since the torture was in accordance with the horrible things he had done in the past. How painful it was going to be.

Elder Drey's complexion turned pale as paper as he was scared.

That point aside (temporarily), there was one question that lingered in Elder Drey's mind. He could not help but ask: "Why did you tell me all of this?"

"You reminded me of my best friend. I feel like it's not going to taste right in my mouth should I not tell you," replied Narukami the truth.

"Me?" Elder Drey asked skeptically. The kid before him was a good guy. He reminded the Elder Drey hero of justice he always watched when he was a kid yet his best friend was someone as evil as him.

Make him wonder what kind of person Narukami's best friend was.

"Yeah, he always suffers every time we meet and I feel like I have no right to tell him what's on my mind," said Narukami with a tint of regret.

"It is one big regret I have for not telling him what's on my mind. I should've…"

After Narukami said that, the place fell silent. The atmosphere turned strange and awkward.

Anyway, the best friend Narukami had was someone from his very first world Narukami reincarnated into. After that world, Narukami met him again but memories of the past life were deleted. That person did not recognize Narukami yet the latter was.

Therefore, every time they meet. It would be meeting a stranger for the first time, or enemies.

His best friend was always on the opposite side of him. Never the same side.

It was all clear that He, the god reincarnate Narukami, was behind it. No way it was a coincidence his best friend always became his enemy.

Should it not but only be a coincidence. The world, no, fate truly hated them for becoming best of friends.

In this life, it was unknown where he was as Narukami had not detected his soul.

He would know by a glance it was him.

"Nice having a chat with you," said Narukami as he smiled. For some reason, he felt relieved for saying those words to Elder Drey.

He was glad for not making the wrong decision.

The shadow moved as it slowly went upward, gradually covering Elder Drey's head.

Knowing his outcome and instead of struggling to escape. Elder Drey accepted it.

"Me too," Elder Drey nodded. He felt like he looked at the world from a different window after this conversation.

He abruptly realized many different things and knew his mistakes. He was truly repentant for his wrongdoings.

Elder Drey did not expect something like this to happen from a short conversation. It was unbelievable and perplexing.

After his head was swallowed by Narukami's shadow. His figure sunk into the black ground, his shadow.

Shortly thereafter, he retracted his shadow and the meeting room went back to normal.

Narukami then shifted his line of sight to the corner of the room. There was a faint silhouette of a woman with a great figure.

The outline of her silhouette exuded faint, golden light.

"Hikari, since when you're here?" Narukami pondered.

"A few minutes ago. When I noticed that person's belief and mindset were shaken. I use certain magic to make him realize what he has done is wrong. Steeled himself to take responsibility by accepting his outcome," said Hikari as she showed herself.

"No wonder."

"But Master, are you sure it's okay not to kill them?" Hikari asked worriedly as she came to Narukami's side.

"It's fine, let's do what we just did. I'll try to shake their mindset and belief, you with your magic change their mind so they take responsibility," Narukami suggested.

"Very well, Master." Hikari nodded.

Next, Hikari hurriedly said, "but Master, not all of them are going to be the same as Elder Drey. For example, Fesya.

"That's right, you did not kill her despite the fact she's one of Armageddon's fallen angels." Hikari looked at Narukami suspiciously.

"That's…" Narukami's mind raced as he sorted his words. He had to answer it carefully.

"Is it because she's pretty?" Hikari replied with her eyes squinted.

"Of course not!" Narukami quickly replied. So as to prevent Hikari from making wild guesses, Narukami added, "I need her for something."

"To sate your lust, yes?"

"Nope, if I want to. I can just eat you," said Narukami as he touched Hikari's cheek and looked at her eyes.

They could feel each other's breath.

"Just joking," Narukami distanced his head away from Hikari. In the next moment, Narukami flicked his finger at Hikari's forehead.

Hikari reflexively groaned in pain. Her white as milk forehead now had a small red bruise.

Hikari rubbed her forehead so as to ease the pain.

"That's a punishment for doubting me."