Fooling Fate: The Beginning (2)

Ryujin looked around but all he saw was vast emptiness. The gloominess in the atmosphere caused him to shudder.

Shaking himself out of it he started moving around. Similar to before all he needed was to think about moving and he would move.

After an hour he stopped moving. It was pointless to roam the underworld with no goal and direction.

His amulet was damaged while concealing him from fate, preventing him from forgetting everything and starting a new life.

The longer he stayed here the more dangerous it was. The amulet wasn't omnipotent. Since batches of souls would be transferred over periodically then the process of life and death would repeat again and again.

The amulet could protect him for at most 2-3 times more before breaking apart. If that happened then his fate wouldn't be much different from those people from before.

'No!'

He wouldn't allow that to happen, he had to find a way to escape. Whether there was hope to return to his family would only be obtainable if he survived here.

He vigorously searched for a few more hours when suddenly the sky darkened and souls started appearing one after another. Various emotions containing, despair, regret, happiness, peace, contentment, regret, rage, etc. piled up like before.

Seeing this scene Ryujin concluded that there was a 3-4 hour gap before a new batch of souls would appear.

'I can't just wait for it to end again. Once that ray of light appears I'll lose my emotions again. Maybe the answer to leave lies in these souls, can I use them somehow?' Working his brain more than he ever needed to he immediately tried to see if his theory would work.

He floated and approached a soul that was filled with despair. He cautiously circled it before deciding to come in contact with it. As soon as he thought of that he passed through the soul.

Waiting for a bit and seeing no change in him or the soul he felt a bit of despair well up again. Before it could grow Ryujin crushed that feeling forcefully. He could feel that something was amplifying the emotions present here.

'Why? What was the point of amplifying emotions here? Making despairing souls despair even more? Why would anyone be this cruel?' Floating aimlessly he thought a bit more, 'What if the ray light isn't erasing emotions but taking them away? Could it be someone is collecting these emotions?'

As soon as he thought of that a scene emerged in his mind. On a throne a mighty figure was seated, his figure was blurry and illusionary. Occasionally rays of lights would land on him causing his figure to turn more corporeal bit by bit.

Suddenly the figure's head moved in Ryujin's direction as if he could see him. As soon as that happened the greenish glow around him amplified immensely as if shielding him from something.

A burst of soul-crushing pain spread throughout Ryujin's Incorporeal body causing him to immediately faint.

As soon as he woke up he saw he was on the side of the portal and souls were passing through it one by one and as the last soul passed through his emotions returned.

He immediately looked at the amulet inside him and saw that it was barely hanging on. It seemed like it would break at any moment.

'Seems like I've seen something that I shouldn't be allowed to. Would my soul have vanished if not for the amulet?' Ryujin felt that he should stop trying to analyze things he shouldn't and just find a chance to escape.

Removing any further thoughts he started looking around.

After an hour of vigorously searching he arrived in front of a cave. The cave gave a creepy vibe but left with no other option he chose to enter.

The surroundings were dark and the sounds of dripping water echoed in his non-existent ears.

After floating a bit further he saw a pitch-black metallic door. It was covered in chains.

'Is there something locked inside? Or is it another exit?' After hesitating a bit he tried to cross the door. He was in soul form. He thought he wouldn't encounter any obstacles but just like the portal he was repelled but it was far more violent than the innocent portal.

As if sensing something the door started shaking and the chains on it crackled from the movement. After a few minutes, peace was restored and Ryujin heaved a sigh of relief.

But before he could relish in that relief, to his horror some words suddenly formed on the ground ahead of him.

[I know you want to leave.]

Ryujin stared at those words in silence for a minute.

After a minute of struggling he let out a self-deprecating laugh in his mind, 'And they said one shouldn't make a deal with the devil.'

He wanted to respond but he didn't know how to. As if understanding his problem another sentence was formed.

[Try saying your thoughts out loud.]

Hmm? Ryujin tried doing what the entity inside said.

"Who are you?"

[You don't need to know.]

As if expecting it Ryujin immediately switched his question no longer trying to probe it. He didn't want to anger whatever was inside.

"How can you help me leave?"

[The method for a soul like you to leave is simple while complicated as well. But it isn't too hard.]

Seeing those words slowly form Ryujin felt a surge of joy.

"What must I do then?"

[A Promise!]

Even though the words weren't written any different from before he still felt a bit apprehensive looking at it.

"What promise?"

[I'll give you the method to leave while you will at a later date when you're strong enough, break my seal.]

'Just as I thought.' Ryujin couldn't stop his mind from running wild. 'Why was 'It' sealed? Was 'It' some kind of evil being? Would releasing 'It' bring me harm? Could the method 'It' tells me allow 'It' to possess me and leave through me?'

He was an avid webnovel reader. What kind of possibility could he not imagine?

After considering his options he knew he had no other choice but to agree to the promise for now. He didn't know if the being inside could read his thoughts so he stopped thinking further.

"I agree." He didn't ask what would happen if he didn't agree.

[Good. You have a thousand years to release me and if you don't...]

Ryujin felt his nonexistent lips twitch as he said, "Okay."

[Now I will tell you the method to leave.]

Ryujin looked at the words in anticipation. This was his final hope.