Chapter 2 — Yurei will always be Yurei

 

    After many difficulties, Yurei entered his mansion on [Earth] through the tear leading back to his Domain. Phasing out of his abode to the seemingly flimsy wooden fence encircling his entire estate, he was met with a vast forest of trees on the other side.

Walking on the rough pathway that would lead him out of the forest, he materialized The Compass to search for three specific individuals. 

He could feel a few Mental Probes as he left the barrier fabricated by the fence but paid no heed as he rushed towards his first two targets located in an old-age home.

 

    Lightning.

    Turning into a streak of Black lightning, he streaked across the country of Japan at around 6000km/s (3700mi/s), literally the speed of electrons within a lightning bolt.

    Feeling a Mental Probe from the woman that meddles with fates, he responded in kind, establishing an Open Thought Channel with her.

 

    <Yahallo Yurei! Let’s put the greetings aside for a moment okaay~
    For now can you please tell me why you are rushing like that?> a woman’s voice entered his mind, bright and cheery at the beginning but slowly turning into veiled anger at the end.

    <Tying loose ends> he replied curtly. Rather too curtly because he was now subject to her questioning.

    <…What happened?> she asked, her voice now serious. The others that were listening in on their conversation also kept quiet lest they miss his quiet excuse explanation.

    <…>

    <Keeping shut huh. Fiine~ Just… tell us when you’re ready okay?> she heaved a sigh and acquiesced.

<mmn. For now, I want to finish these three.> He replied, sending the images and coordinates of his targets mentally.

 

    <The heck!>

    <They’re just humans right?>

    <How did they even piss you off?>
    .
    .

    Innumerable voices rudely intruded, asking all kinds of questions to Yurei.

    <<…How bad?>> Fate quietly asked, encrypting their Thought Channel to remove any and every prying ear.

 

    <<Kill. Finish>> he replied mentally pointing to the three humans. 

    <<These two would have eventually died in a few years but the her… she’ll be most of the bill, total coming to 99000 Origin Crystals.>>

<<100k then. Bye.>> Saying so he cut off their Thought Transmission, though not before he heard her final words.

 

    <<Don’t do anything reckless okay!?>>
    .
    .
    .

    Sorry Fate.

    ++Sorry that we’re not sorry++

    —What we are about to do transcends recklessness—

    —++After all, I don’t care anymore.++—

    —++Nii-san… Sky’s death made me realise all over again.++—

    —++I’m better off alone.++—

 

* * * * *

 

    <What happened Fate?> a man questioned, sitting next to her on a sofa-construct, typing away on his laptop-construct that seemed too advanced for the current level of technology on [Earth]. 

<I-I don't know Fortune… It was only for a moment but, before he obscured his Self, I saw Sky’s mask on his face> she said in a quiet voice, still looking down on [Earth], her gaze following the black streak as she stored away the Origin Crystals Yurei sent.

    <Ha!?>

    <Not possible!>

    <He always went awol when forced to...>

    <What if?>

    <Baka!>

    <But...>
    .
    .

    Since she said it on an Open Channel, it was clear to anyone close by in the [Divine World] what had happened; and with word spreading in an instant, gradually every Deity came to know of it.

 

    <So? Where is he headed for?> Fortune took his eyes off of his laptop to look at Fate, his gaze calm and composed, helping Fate regain some of her calm as well.

<That’s the problem. He’s headed for his parents>

<So he’s a Returnee instead of a Transmigrator. What of it?>

<…>
<…>
<…>
.
.

    <His past li-> <What do you mean by that?>

    Fate couldn’t even finish her sentence as young bishounen Teleported into their abode, floating above the modern-looking table that complimented the sofa, with a scowl on his face.

    Looking back at him with a firm glare, Fate replied, <I mean exactly what I was about to say, Reincarnation>

    <Bullshit. My system would’ve informed me. There’s no way-> <Variables exist>

    This time it was Reincarnation who was interrupted by Fortune as he calmly took a sip of his coffee before placing it down on the table.

 

    Seeing as he had no intention of elaborating, Reincarnation belatedly asked <What do you mean Fortune?>

<The timelines don't match. Clearly someone meddled with the soul of a Human while avoiding all of our senses> Fate replied in his stead.

    <Really? Avoiding Us?> Reincarnation scoffed at that idea. He thought it to be an impossibility.

    <Rather than that-> he was about to say that it must have been an insider but couldn’t. 

 

    <We have rules Reincarnation.> Fortune replied in a stern voice. By now, even the eavesdroppers were directing their Killing Intent to Reincarnation.

<You may have resentment towards ‘a certain individual’ but, We have rules. Such direct manipulation places a tremendous burden on even Aspects like us.>

    For a while, Reincarnation stared at the couple in silence, both of them returning his gaze before he slumped down on a bean bag opposite to the sofa, placed in a corner as he took a swig of brandy, the glass materializing out of nowhere alongside a tablet as he heaved a despondent sigh.

Since Fate had mentioned the timelines not matching, it clearly meant that an altered soul passed through his System and was reborn on [Earth]. Given his area of expertise, Reincarnation could in no way alter the logs and neither would he deliberately downgrade the System given the strain he would face. So, either the soul itself evaded his System’s scans or downright caused a bug which he had to deal with immediately.

 

* * *

 

    <Run Backup System Diagnostics> Reincarnation thought out loud, for all to hear, multiple pop ups opening and closing on his tablet.

 

 

    <Restart Backup System. Divert all Mains to Backup.>

 

 

    <Run Main System Diagnostics. Full Diagnostics. Delegate all real-time information to Master Admin>
    <Don’t look down on me> he said as he faced the two seriously, <I’ve long since forgiven him. Plus, this guy, Yuuki or whatever died almost a decade before Yurei ‘returned’>

At his explanation, Fate and Fortune could only sheepishly avert their gazes, silently checking their own Systems.

    <Although, I must add that my suspicions were momentarily directed towards a notorious prankster, it is as you say Fortune, the price for doing so is too much for it to be one of Loki’s pranks.> 

<!? The heck fucktard! Why’re ya dragging me inta this?!>

Although everyone heard a certain prankster’s retort to what he said to the two, they had a more important matter to mull over, looking at the System Logs through the Channel.

 

 

    <Haah> <Phew> <That’s a relief>

    They all heaved a sigh of relief. After all, even a single Reincarnated Human can pose a threat to general Human society with their past life’s knowledge; back when magic could be wielded by all.

Multiple Humans, or worse, Humans reincarnated multiple times would no doubt cause The 2nd Pandemonium should The Novii not act quick enough.

 

    <Redirect Backup to Mains.> he muttered, gulping down all the alcohol in his glass with a giant swig.

 

 

* * * * *

 

    <Well Fate?> Fortune directed his gaze to Fate in askance but got only a shake of her head in return.

    <I’ve checked the last 50 years. To be doubly sure, even a 100 years, thoroughly even, yet no logs of anybody, Novii nor Human tampering with a Human soul>

<Then it’s obvious.>

<Fortune?>

<An outsider. Be it Concept Wielder, Aspect Wielder or their higher selves, whoever it was has a debt to pay> Fortune proclaimed as he searched through his records on his laptop.

 

    ‘Hmm?’

    <Loki?> He muttered displaying the log for all to see, his eyebrow visibly twitching.

    <OOOIIIII! Ya really think I’m gonna do that!? I ain’t going to Azkaban cuz of a prank I didn't even do!!! Plus what’s with those stupid quotes?! It's like saying I ain't a Goddess, fuck!>

<Will you shut up for a moment!> Fate fumed at Loki while Reincarnation and Fortune decoded the constructs for the log, noticing it a beat later as they grumbled at the same time.

 

 

    <Sky>  <Sky>

    <Ah. So it was him> <Makes sense.> <Yup. He a bigger Prankster than Loki>

    <Oh great~ Today is All-you-can Rile up Loki day isn’t it you fucks!?>

    <Hahahaha> Chorus laughter flooded the channel at Loki’s childish outburst.

    <So that was what those miscellaneous charges were for. Even Novii would try to haggle like Humans for their hospital bills for this amount and yet... Haah. With this much, we cannot charge him even if we want to.> Fortune muttered despondently.

<You mean you cannot charge him, right Fortune~> Fate said with a cheer, though her smile didn’t reach her eyes. ‘Don’t you dare drag me into this.’

<Yes of course I mean me. More importantly, Reincarnation, what are your thoughts about this?> 

    <On Sky or Yurei? Be specific>

    <…Sorry for doubting your integrity, that was my mistake. I meant to ask what do you think of Yurei’s Soul given Sky must have modified it>

At that question, even Reincarnation fell silent in thought, staring into his glass that who knows when was refilled. 

<Honestly, before he Transmigrated, or rather Returned two years ago, I didn’t even know of his existence. He was most likely just another normal Human soul, a plain old rough geometric shape with multiple colours within if I had to explain to the newbies.
But now… heh, you’re lucky you look only at their Divinities, Fate, he’s literally a monster> he said with a mirthful smile taking another large swig.

 

    <What do you mean to say?> Fate quietly asked, taking a sip of wine like the two with their beverages. She needed the alcohol to deal with all these happenings. That was just how much she, and the other two were fatigued.

<I can’t see his soul anymore. Two years ago when he returned, he was a perfect sphere that resembled a distorted mirror. Seeing my reflection, even all the shit I did to improve the system all at once did a nice number on me, remember?>

<Yeah. Your Faction really freaked out when you collapsed. But what are you trying to imply?>

 

    <I couldn't see his soul, but I could damn well sense it before he used whatever to conceal himself... And well, put simply, [Earth] can’t handle his Soul anymore>

<!?!?>

<Mmhmm. Even I’m shocked. A month ago, our world had more than enough resources to accept his soul, but now, the damn bastard is using a proxy he created to come here.>

 

    <D-did he?> Fate asked in a trembling voice assuming the worst possibility.

    <No> Reincarnation replied quietly looking at her straight in the eye waiting for her to calm down before he continued <I couldn’t feel Sky’s energy in that soul, only his, so I’m sure he most likely tried to enter a few times before creating a smaller pseudo-soul and pouring his Will, establishing a hive-mind…>

<I just don’t know what happened to him in a single month for him to progress so rapidly. As he is now, the only world that can handle his descent is the [Spirit World].>

 

    <But how? Time Dilation places a massive burden on the caster. Can a former mortal even...> Fate whispered, her question earning an awkward silence in the channel when…

    <So we can assume Fate’s an idiot huh>

    <Loki…>

    <Honestly y’all a bunch of nincompoops that even Jesus would smite with a post-it note sayin’ ‘try me bitch’>

    <Get to the point Loki>

    <Misfortunate aren’t cha Fortune. My fucking point is that->

    <No matter whether he was mortal or not, his past does not matter. He is currently Yurei. Our Yurei. A part of our family. Our Pantheon. Isn’t that what you were trying to say Loki?> A loli’s soft voice interrupted Loki.

<Geh. Way to take wind out of the sails Jesus>

<Ara. For that you must forgive me, but it was you who mentioned my name in the first place was it not?>

<Fiine. Anyways, Yurei’s our Yurei. He’s part of our family. Blah blah irrelevant motivational speech. Not even he can deny it. Y’all got that?>

    <True>

    <Certainly>

    <Of course>
    .
    .

    <Thank you Loki.>

    <Keep your thanks to yourself lady. That polite attitude on a fickly like you freaks me out.>

    <Loki~> 

    <You’re right Loki. Unlike many, he’s punctual, always paying his dues on time.> Fortune interrupted before Fate’s smile could become any more colder.

<That’s right Fortune. Even though he’s precocious, he has the decency to purify spirits and all stuck down there from time to time-ah… Well, he did right by sending these two directly to me.>

    Reincarnation also helped Fortune to calm her down before suddenly, two souls appeared in front of him.

The souls were those of Yurei’s parents. Seeing as he had already finished halfway, everyone proceeded to look down on [Earth] and observe him.

 

    <He said he was tying loose ends, was he not Fate?> Jesus asked.

    <yes> Fate replied absentminded as she focused on Yurei.

    <And he didn’t offer any explanation whatsoever?>

    <no>

    <Then I’m sure everyone knows what he intends to do. I believe that he will tell us when the time comes like you said Fate> Jesus said as she sat down beside Loki.

 

* * * * *

 

 

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