New Purpose

The following day ushered in a return to the mundane routine of my office life. Immersed in the quiet hum of the workplace, I toiled tirelessly, driven by the need to earn enough to sustain my modest existence—rent, necessities, and the unceasing demands of life.

As I silently faced my computer, navigating the intricacies of my tasks, the boisterous chatter of my colleagues broke through the office's ambient noise. Their excited voices carried the tidings of the latest news.

"Hey, did you hear what happened? Joseph Trilan, the one who went live on his social last night to broadcast what he did to his girlfriend, he was found dead this morning inside his red car."

With that proclamation, the news of Joseph's demise swiftly spread through the office and beyond. His friends were not spared from the announcement, and reporters from various media outlets swiftly mobilized to cover the unfolding story. The air hummed with a mixture of shock, intrigue, and a sense of the inexplicable.

A lot of police and important people got involved in investigating Joseph's death. It's interesting, right? When someone rich and powerful dies, the law quickly takes action. But when his girlfriend was in trouble, I didn't see any important people doing anything. This shows how messed up the system is in today's world. It highlights the unfairness where powerful people can use the system to their advantage, leaving those without influence at the mercy of a system that doesn't care. It's a clear example of the inequalities in the world today.

I couldn't help but burst into laughter when I witnessed Joseph's father, a police officer, making bold statements. He vowed to bring the perpetrator of this dreadful crime against his son to justice, claiming that his boy was nothing short of a virtuous and kind soul, with no enemies to speak of.

"Stupid," I mumbled, a snicker escaping my lips unintentionally. My coworkers, catching wind of my reaction, exchanged curious glances, wondering about the reason behind my peculiar outburst. Without uttering a word, I swiftly returned to my tasks, attempting to bury any suspicion that might have arisen.

However, my attempt at discretion was short-lived as Lara, one of my coworkers, called out to me. "Hey, Daniel! Hmm, I saw you last night when you checked into that motel." Oh, darn. I felt a jolt of shock and embarrassment; Lara must have formed some odd ideas about my motel visit.

"Oh, no, it was just for some rest," I quickly replied, struggling to come up with a plausible explanation. Lara simply flashed a knowing smile and commented, "Gosh, you're keeping secrets, aren't you?" It seemed like Lara might have assumed I was with someone during my motel visit. I figured it might be better to let people think that way; perhaps having more of an alibi would lower any suspicions, especially if I went there alone.

As Lara left, I overheard the TV broadcast once more. A reporter mentioned that the police attempted to review the CCTV footage to gather evidence about Joseph's case. All they could find on the footage was the moment he and his friends were making a ruckus while drinking. After that, a figure in a black hood, its face obscured, approached Joseph. Unfortunately, that was the extent of the visible evidence. In subsequent scenes, all they could hear were screams, with what seemed like a crow-shaped image obstructing the CCTV cameras.

Nearly every angle captured by the CCTV had a crow-shaped obstruction, preventing investigators from discerning the actual events. The sole lead for the investigators was the person in the black jacket captured on the video.

After wrapping up my workday, I packed up my belongings and hastened home to my apartment for some much-needed rest. Upon reaching the street near my apartment, I noticed a swarm of people and numerous reporters still broadcasting details about the scattered corpses. The bodies were covered, with policemen standing guard. They initially blocked my path, but I explained that I lived in the apartment and gestured towards my floor. After verifying my ID, they allowed me to pass.

As I ascended to my room, I could observe the activity outside through my window. Even Joseph's father was present, displaying a great deal of arrogance while threatening to apprehend whoever was responsible for his son's death.

Feeling irritated by Joseph's father's arrogant demeanor, I decided to test the new effect on my card.

Count: 5 Effect: You can take over someone's body for a limit of 1 minute, but you must always carry this card.

With a sly smile, I thought, "Alright, you want attention? I'll give it to you." I took the card, focused on Joseph's father, and after a while, my body slumped, losing consciousness. I closed my eyes, and upon opening them, I found myself inside Joseph's father's body.

I was taken aback by the bright camera lights and the multitude of people facing me. A reporter inquired, "So, who do you suspect killed your son?" A smirk played on my lips as I controlled Joseph's father's body, responding, "Hmm, my son is an ignorant, arrogant, and useless person. He deserves to die. And he's not the only one who should die. All criminals entangled with the law; you'll die one by one. The person coming after you is right here. He's coming and he's going to hunt you down" I punctuated my statement with an evil and wild laugh, surprising everyone who heard what I said through Joseph's father's body.

After a minute, I returned to my own body, feeling a bit dizzy. As I slowly regained consciousness, I told myself that I might get used to using this ability in the future.

With my eyes still closed due to the transition, I forced myself to peek out the window to see the reactions of the people below. It was clear that they were surprised by the statement I made earlier using Joseph's father's body. The moment had been captured on camera and broadcasted on all TV stations. People couldn't believe what they heard and were unable to explain the inexplicable. Joseph's father, now back to his own consciousness, tried to make a joke, saying, "Why? Why do you look at me like that? It's like you saw a ghost." However, nobody laughed, and everyone around had serious faces.

A policeman approached him, saying, "Chief, you shouldn't have said that. Come and rest first," as the police accompanying him slowly supported him. Completely unaware of what he had said, Joseph's father was taken aback by the incident. Meanwhile, I was laughing hysterically inside my room, eagerly anticipating the reactions of the people who witnessed the live broadcast.

The video of what I said using Joseph's father's body quickly spread throughout the country. Despite efforts by those in authority to delete other related articles, it was too late. News travels rapidly in the age of social media. While engrossed in my newsfeed, the tarot card suddenly lit up, and a shadow emerged from it, taking the form of a crow.

"You seem to be getting the hang of using the ability I gave you," the crow remarked.

Surprised but growing accustomed to the extraordinary events since receiving the tarot card, I questioned the crow, "Who are you?" The crow responded, "Who am I? Is that truly the first question that came to your mind? Perhaps you should first ask yourself first who you are," it added, fixing its gaze upon me.

The crow's voice sounded familiar, triggering a vague recollection. Although I couldn't place it precisely, the voice had left an impression, suggesting I had heard it before.

"Your progress is swift. In just two days, you've already amassed five crows. Impressive. Perhaps you harbor a profound disdain for the world's system," the crow remarked.

Suddenly, the memory hit me. "I remember you!" I exclaimed, realizing where I had heard that voice before. "It was you—the last voice I heard before I died on the night I was stabbed."

"Why? Why did you bring me back to life? Is there a price for this ability you gave me?" I asked, bombarding the crow with questions that I seek for an answer. It simply stared back at me.

"You have too many questions," it replied. "But I'll answer you. The truth is, there was no specific reason why I brought you back to life. Perhaps I was merely bored with my existence and wanted something different. When I saw you struggling for breath that night, I asked if you wanted to change your fate. I saw determination in your eyes.

Now, I see that you want to fight against the system of your world. I realized that I might find joy in watching you live and observing the actions you take. As for a price in exchange for this ability, hmmm there is none. I just wanted to be entertained, and so far, you haven't disappointed me yet. So, yeah, I think I'll just let you keep this ability and unlock more effects while pursuing your fight against your unfair law of society"