Chapter 10 — Mutual agreements

The lingering echo of His laughter hung suspended in the air, refusing to fade entirely.

I stood frozen, watching Ren bleed out uncontrollably upon the stark white surface—an expanse so absolute I couldn’t even tell if it was a floor or merely an endless void. God had casually picked him up with a single hand and slammed him against the ground, leaving him on the verge of death, reduced to nothing more than a broken toy.

His laughter finally subsided. God straightened His posture, and in the blink of an eye—though calling it "speed" felt like an understatement, as I hadn’t even perceived the movement—He was already standing right beside me, looking down at me with a serene tranquility that felt utterly repulsive given the horror I had just witnessed.

—Calm down —He said, His voice carrying an almost gentle warmth—. To be quite frank, if I wanted you dead right now, you already would be.

It was only then, without fully realizing it, that I noticed my own body sprawled out on the ground right in front of me. Decapitated. Blood was spraying violently in every direction.

I hadn’t even felt the exact moment it happened.

—But I won't —He added, His calm unshaken.

I blinked. In that split second, my head was back on my shoulders. Desperate and hyperventilating, I pressed both hands against my neck, trying to confirm if the nightmare had been real, if I was still whole, if I was still breathing. In my panic, the action figure I had bought earlier that day slipped from my fingers, plunging silently into the white abyss.

God stepped forward, standing before me once again.

—You still have a role to play for me —He said.

I couldn't find the words to respond. Completely speechless, I could only wait for Him to continue.

—Listen, Satoru. I want you to do something for me in the world beyond. Something that I know that brat over there —He pointed toward Ren’s motionless body— would never have fulfilled the way I desire.

—What... What do you mean? —I managed to squeeze out, my voice still trembling violently.

—I must admit, that boy truly was strong —He continued, ignoring my question entirely—. To think that what lies ruined over there is the true form of his soul. Just imagine if he had been in his original body, with all of his potential intact. Even I, with all my power, couldn't fully comprehend why he chose to appear before you as an adult. His true form is that of a child. Though I suppose none of that matters much now.

He snapped His fingers. In an instant, a table and two chairs materialized out of thin air. We sat down—me obeying blindly without knowing why, Him with the effortless grace of someone repeating a daily routine—and He picked up a teacup I hadn't even noticed appearing.

—What I want from you is simple —He said, taking a measured sip—. I want you to stay out of trouble in that world.

—What?

—Exactly what you heard, brat. I want you to avoid getting involved in any of the conflicts present in that place.

—I don't understand —I admitted, my mind desperately trying to process the demand—. Why are you asking me to do that?

—Look. Even though I am God, the one who truly governs that world is Earth —He explained, His tone shifting into something resembling a weary confession—. Our relationship—Earth's and mine—is complicated. Think of it like a husband and a mistress, if you want a simple comparison. And even though I created her to follow my instructions, I cannot manipulate her completely. I cannot directly interfere with her timeline.

—Then... you can't just fix things over there?

—If I could, believe me, that world would be perfect —He replied, a hint of resignation bleeding into His voice—. But I can't. That boy, Ren, had a tragic future waiting for him. If I hadn't intervened today, he would have ended up taking over that body entirely. And he would have been a hero. One of the finest, truthfully. But even so, he would have died at the tender age of fifteen.

He let out a short, bitter chuckle.

—A youth with his entire life ahead of him, throwing it away just because he thought he was doing the right thing. Only for evil to inevitably resurface in that world anyway. A wasted life, if you ask me.

—And you think I can change that? —I asked, feeling the sheer weight of the question settling on my chest.

—I believe you can alter the destiny already engraved into that vessel, yes. For now, I cannot clearly foresee the future that awaits you there. So, I will trust your own judgment to steer it toward a different outcome.

—Why exactly do you want me to do this? —I pressed, narrowing my eyes at Him—. Are you planning to let evil take over that world or something?

God burst into a genuine, almost offended laugh.

—Do you honestly think I'm a bad guy? No, boy. Would a father not protect his own children? Evil has always existed in that world, and it will continue to exist for a while longer. That won't change regardless of what you do or don't do.

—Then why do you care so much about me living a peaceful life?

—Isn't it obvious? —He replied, setting the teacup back onto the table—. Because I am sick and tired of it. Tired of managing everything, tired of trying to make everything turn out right. I have spent entire millennia observing every single world I've created. Every last one of them, without exception, ends up destroying itself. And frankly, they all deserved the punishment they received. I reset many of those worlds, searching for one that would finally achieve lasting peace. And yet, I failed time and time again.

He paused, His gaze drifting toward a distant, empty spot within the white void.

—In my ambition, I wanted to keep resetting them. But my own children told me I had to stop. They told me I would never understand peace if I had never truly experienced it myself. For the first time in my entire existence, I chose to believe them. And here I am. I handed all administrative power over to them. I simply decided to listen.

He looked directly into my eyes.

—And now here I am, Satoru. I want to witness the very peace I have yearned for so deeply. So, what do you say, boy? Do you accept my terms?

My mind was a complete blur. I could only cling to a single, desperate question.

—And what will you do with me, then? Will you stay here, in this place, with Ren's body?

God merely looked at me and let out another laughter, this one lighter than before. Without warning, He materialized next to Ren’s body. Grabbing him by the hair, He lifted him up, and with a casual flick of His hands, compressed him into a small marble.

A second later, the marble was resting in the palm of my own hand.

He sat back down across from me, returning to His tea as if nothing out of the ordinary had occurred.

—Eat it —He said, His voice suddenly dropping into a coldness that contrasted sharply with everything else.

—What?

—Did you stutter? Eat it. Just like that. There's no grand science behind it.

—Wait, hold on! What does that even mean?!

—Listen, Satoru. He wanted to return to his body. So, this way, he will see everything from within you. Everything you decide to do, everything you choose to become. I know he might not agree with what I'm asking of you, but even so, I wish for him to live out the remainder of that body's lifespan alongside you, in some shape or form.

—And what about you? What will you do? —I asked, my voice remaining tense.

—Me? Well, I will simply be with you. Just like him. I will feel everything you experience. Your emotions, your actions, your wounds, your choices.

—How can I be sure of that? Is there anything guaranteeing your word?

—Rest easy, Satoru. I promise not to interfere in anything you do. In fact, you'll even be able to tap into my power however you see fit—though, of course, with certain limitations. But for the most part, you can use it at your own discretion.

—What's the catch? —I asked, highly suspicious that things could ever be this simple.

—No catch, just basic physics —He countered with a faint smirk—. If you want to wield my power, you must first strengthen your own vessel. Think of it as attempting to contain the capacity of a hydrogen bomb within a simple glass marble. It would shatter instantly, wouldn't it?

He suddenly appeared right beside me, holding the action figure I had dropped moments ago. He turned it over in His fingers with casual curiosity.

—Just focus on living the peaceful life I so desperately wish to see —He said, handing it back to me—. I believe it is time for you to fulfill your end of the bargain. Simply consume the marble, and everything will return to normal.

He stood up. Holding the marble in His hands once more, He raised it before my eyes one last time.

—I believe in you, boy —He said, offering a smile that I couldn't discern as genuine or merely another mask—. I expect you to give me what I've been waiting for.

—From this moment on, we are trusting you.

And without another word, He sank into the marble, vanishing within seconds. Only a faint, lingering smile hung in the air before the sphere dropped into my waiting hands.

I held it between my fingers. For a fleeting moment, I thought about refusing. About turning away from it all.

But I had to do it. Ren had wanted this life. It would be profoundly unfair not to show him, even through this bizarre, forced arrangement, what could have been.

Damn you, God. I'm certain you'll make me pay for this sooner or later.

I finally understood it. In the end, I had been nothing more than a puppet dancing in that man's palms from the very beginning.

But whatever. It didn't matter anymore.

I gripped the marble, and without giving myself another second to hesitate, I tossed it into my mouth.

Deep down, I held onto a silent, desperate hope that, just this once, everything He had said was the truth.