53 Hitogami

I woke up in a world of white. The surroundings felt hazy to me, and had an ephemeral quality that made me feel like I was in a dream.

I tried to take a step but my legs suddenly stopped working and I collapsed on what one might construe as the ground, even if it didn't look nor feel like I was on a hard surface.

Falling didn't hurt either, so it made me even more certain I was dreaming.

I looked down at my body, trying to see what was wrong with my legs only to realize this was not the body I had become used to the past 10 years. It was not the body of a child, rather, it was the body of a grown, adult man. And it was also a body that I was intimately familiar with.

It was my body – the one that belonged to me back when I was still on Earth. I could recognize the numerous scars that lined my legs, a constant reminder of the accident that took away my ability to walk.

It can't be… have I returned to Earth? Have I once against lost my ability to walk…? I sat up and grasped my knee. My fingers dug into the skin, but I could barely feel a thing. It was a sensation, or rather, lack of a sensation that I was so intimately familiar with.

A wave of disappointment crushed down on to me, similar to Atofe's mountainous killing intent. Instead this time, it was a mountainous depression.

Was it all just a dream? Perhaps the truck that hit me didn't kill me like I thought and I was only in a coma the entire time. The last 10 years, was it all just a coma-induced hallucination?

It couldn't be. The warmth of Zenith's hugs; the feeling of mana circulating through my body; sweating and bleeding from my calluses as I swung my sword thousands upon thousands of times; the familial relationships I felt with the Greyrats and the Boreas family; the love I received from my family, the adoration I felt from Eris, Ghislaine guiding my swordsmanship; how could all of these be false?

I do not accept it! It was all real! It was impossible for any of it to be an illusion. The pain of being stabbed by my enemies, the satisfaction of filling my belly with delicious food made with love; both the good and the bad – they were all real!

I reject this broken body of mine! You hear me you fucker!? I REJECT IT!

I used a hand and pushed against the floor, rousing the energy in me and willing my legs to move.

Stand! These fucking legs of mine… I TOLD YOU TO STAND!

Slowly, inch by inch, I started rising. My legs trembled wildly, struggling to support my weight, but it was working. I was standing! After a full minute of exerting every shred of willpower and strength I had, I managed to completely stand up on my own two feet.

I grinned. The smile morphed and I started giggling before turning into a full blown laugh.

I did it! I stood! This proves that the last 10 years was not just a dream! I could never have stood back on Earth. My legs are working, my body is not broken. It is only my mind that believes it is broken. So long as I will it, my body shall move!

Clap clap clap.

I heard a sudden sound of applause. Unknowingly, a person had appeared in front of me. They were completely white in colour, only the faint outline of shadows and shading set them apart from being fully camouflaged against the white void of this empty dream world.

They had no distinguishable features, and a body with no indication of gender. Their face was like an amalgamation of every human face meshed together into a single unidentifiable form that constantly blurred and morphed. It reminded me of a pixelated mosaic used to censor graphic images on the news.

"Wow, I am truly impressed. This is the first time I've seen someone transform their astral form through the sheer force of their will. You're amazing, Rudeus."

Their voice was similar to their amorphous, genderless body, with no way of identifying if it was masculine or feminine. They didn't sound androgynous. More like, it should have been physically or biologically impossible to produce a voice like this person's.

They were also speaking in the Human Language, which further cemented my belief that everything I had experienced was real.

Although, I was confused by the term he used. Astral form? What is he talking about?

"Oh, your astral form is your inherent understanding of what you look like. It doesn't represent what you look like physically, but what you believe you look like mentally."

I see… so I am still Rudeus Greyrat. My body can walk and run like normal. This body right now is only a mental image of how I should look like, rather than how I actually look like?

"That's right! You're still a perfect physical specimen in the real world."

Oh, okay. Thanks, I guess? But who are you? And where am I?

"How rude of me! I was so impressed by how you managed to transform your astral form that I had forgotten to introduce myself. I am a god. The Human God, to be precise. But you can just call me Hitogami. And this place is, well you could call it your dreamscape."

Dream…? Am I dreaming right now?

"Duh! Where else do you think you could be?"

I thought that maybe Atofe killed me, and I was in a limbo-like state of existence…

"Haha! You have a vivid imagination! Nah, she didn't kill you. But I saw your fight against her subordinate. Really impressive!"

Phew, at least I'm still alive. Wait, you saw my fight? Right, you said you were a god? Then… were you the one who reincarnated me into this world?

"Fufu, look at how grateful you appear. If I was a more dishonest god, I would have lied and said yes, and let you worship me. But since I am a truthful god, I will be honest and tell you the truth. No, reincarnation is not one of my powers. That's the specialty of a certain wicked Dragon God."

I see, thank you for telling the truth. Then how did I reincarnate? Do you know of another god that was responsible?

"Nah I have no clue."

Never mind then. There's no point trying obsessing over this. I should just be thankful for my new life and move on.

"You're surprisingly mature for someone that looks so young. Anyway, Rudeus, I've been keeping an eye on you for some time now. You have led quite an interesting life haven't you?"

You have been watching me? Then why is this the first time you have spoken to me?

"Ah, well, I never like to intervene too much. So even though you were interesting to watch, I didn't want to meddle in human affairs. I am a god after all."

Then why now? You weren't the one responsible for teleporting me to the Demon Continent were you!?

"Relax, friend. I also have no idea who caused that mana calamity. I only made contact with you because I felt you were quite pitiable. I tried to induce you to sleep when you were mid-way soaring through the air so I could warn you, but who would have known your will was so strong and you resisted my attempts at pulling you into a dream."

What, why would you try to make me fall asleep when I was falling through the air? You want me to become a red splatter on the Demon Continent?

"Don't jump to conclusions like that, sheesh. Time moves differently in your dream and in the physical world. We could talk for ten minutes here and only a few seconds would have passed in the real world."

Ah I see, I see. Then if you have been watching me then you should know, what happened to Roa? Are the Boreas family safe?

"Mm, unfortunately, I am not as omnipotent as I would like to be. I can only look at a few people, and certain special individuals like yourself. I don't have the answers to your question."

Tch, you call yourself a god?

"Hey! I'm trying my best here! By the way, Roa was not the only place that got caught up by the mana calamity."

Wait, do you mean…?

"That's right. The entire Fittoa Region was decimated. Including Buena Village."

Paul, Zenith, Lilia, Aisha, Norn and Sylphiette? They were all teleported as well?! Where are they!? Tell me, Human God!

"I'm sorry, but like I said, there are limits to my powers. But I can tell you the location of someone else who is unique like yourself and who I had been watching closely before the mana calamity."

Who?

"Sylphiette. The only other silent spell caster in Roa!"

Where is she? Is she safe?

"Fufu, she got transported to the capital of the Asura Kingdom. She is now getting chummy with the second princess of the Asura Royal Family, so she is in a considerably better position than you are now!"

Phew. Okay. At least I know one of them is safe… Sorry, I was too harsh, Hitogami.

"Haha, I respect a man who is big enough to apologize. Don't worry, Rudeus, I won't hold it against you. I understand you are frustrated too."

I appreciate that. If you ever find out the location of my family, pull me into a dream and tell me please.

"Mhm, it will be difficult but rest assured, I will do my best!"

Thanks, Hitogami. Then you said you were trying to warn me?

"Yep! If you had fallen asleep before landing in Atofe's castle, I would have warned you to fly in another direction! Avoid Atofe at all costs!"

Avoid Atofe, why? I mean, aside from the obvious – forcing me into indentured lifelong servitude.

"Do you really need another reason besides the obvious? Now that you have met Atofe, she has become interested in your strength and talent. Running away will now be incredibly difficult, and if you do nothing, you will be forced to serve her for 10 years before you can leave."

Tch. Saying this now is a little useless, don't you think? I've already been caught by her. I would rather you tell me something that can help me escape.

"Heheh, that's exactly why I am here! I am the Human God, so obviously I will help take care of humans. Escaping, for now, is going to be impossible."

…I thought you were going to say something helpful.

"Young people are so impatient nowadays. Just hear me out first. When you wake up, you will find out why escaping has become impossible. Of course, this is only temporary. In Atofe's castle, you have to find a secret room. This is a room that not even Atofe knows about. In this room, you will find the key to your escape."

Ohhh! What's in the room? And how will it help me escape!?

"Hehe, I wouldn't want to spoil the surprise. Just listen closely and remember this: in 332 days, on the right side of the staircase that leads to Atofe's throne, you will find the entrance to this room. Within, you will find the key to your escape."

Why 332 days, that's so specific…

"Haha, just trust me!"

And with that, the blurry mosaic covered Hitogami abruptly disappeared.

In the few seconds before my consciousness faded, I thought to myself, 'That guy… He is shady as fuck. Like a slimy salesman trying to scam my money. I don't trust him at all!'