Delta was looking at a white, ethereal being that seemed to move with far more control than he did as if it was a native to the space. It was sitting on what appeared to be a couch facing another couch while speaking in a feminine, almost motherly tone. 

The being placed a hand up to her lips to shush him, before pointing towards the couch opposite her and saying, “Take a seat”.

 

Delta went to speak, but he was quickly cut off.

 

“You can drop the act. We’re alone, and nobody is going to know you were faking your behaviour, your popularity will remain unaffected.”

 

Delta chuckled, before dropping down onto the sofa, sitting with his elbows resting on his thighs and his jaws nesting right under his knuckles. 

 

“If you know about me, then cut the bullshit. What do you want?”

 

He sounded nothing like the more joking, prideful and popular student Delta from before, but rather seemed to take on the poise of a cold-blooded killer who was prepared to begin a massacre to get what he wants. Indeed that was the case, his entire prideful, yet occasionally friendly genius persona was something Delta had created for one purpose. 

 

To become popular.

 

Delta had experienced it in his past life, the effects of fame. While it would draw unnecessary attention towards you, it would also protect you to some extent, and grant you some other benefits. He had experienced it himself, as an unpopular mercenary who was despised by many people. There were a few targets who even he didn’t want to kill, simply because they were too famous, and the backlash wasn’t something he would be able to handle. One mercenary he personally knew killed a famous politician and was hunted down and killed brutally for doing so.

 

A cold wave of killing intent seemed to rush towards the woman, however, she shrugged it off like it was nothing.

 

“You don’t have to be so cold with me, child. I only want the best for you. I promise.” She sounded like she was trying to coax a child, but Delta seemed unimpressed. 

 

“I’ve learned something about promises recently. They mean nothing. Nothing at all… so if you don’t start talking on the count of three, I’ll make you regret it.”

 

“Oh? And what would you do?” she mused.

 

“I’m not stupid enough to believe that I could outpower you, but what I do know is that you need something from me. Something important that nobody else can do in my place.”

 

“You have good judgement… how did you know?”

 

“Tch. Why persuade the cautious one when the naive ones make up this cursed world. I may not know what it is, but I sure as hell know that I can keep it from you.”

 

“Then why don’t I kill you now?”

 

Delta got up and paced behind the couch, before saying,

 

“Death? You think I’m afraid of death? I’ve died once already, and I’m not scared of doing it again.”

 

“You’re an interesting boy, you know that?”

 

Delta stayed silent this time, so the woman took the initiative again.

 

“Well, it appears little Nozumu has some backbone after all.”

 

Delta’s face darkened for a second time.

 

“If you call me that again, I’ll make sure you never get what you want.”

 

This time, it was her turn to say nothing.

 

She waved her hand, and a small porcelain cup appeared before Delta. It was decorated with ornate arts of flowers and vines decorating the sides. Where the vines met to make an arch, there was a crude small drawing of a young boy on the swings, surrounded by an old woman and an old man with a cane in hand. It was filled with coffee that had a sweet aroma, and although it seemed like a harmless cup of coffee, it set something off in Delta. 

 

“How… how did you get this?” he asked softly.

 

“I have no obligation to tell you if you’re going to leave.”

 

“Damn it, answer the question! How did you get it?”

 

“It isn’t really there, Nozumu. I am merely a fragment of my true self. I can’t even manifest a true form, let alone create things from the past.”

 

“What the hell do you want? Why must you delve into my life and bring these things back to me? I buried these on Earth!”

 

“I want you to help me. And in return, I’ll give you power. Power you’ve never even dreamed of. I will give you the power you need to talk to them again… but all I need is one small thing.”

 

“What?”

 

“I want you to save this galaxy.”

 

Delta burst out into laughter, but it wasn’t a happy one. No, it was cold and merciless. It was a cry of pain. The laughter of a man who had seen death and lived to tell the tale. A man who had murdered others for his own livelihood, and now a man who had been brought to the brink of his sanity. 

Even the stars would burn out eventually.

 

“You’re crazy… you know that?” Delta muttered

 

“I’ve heard worse.”

 

“You really mean it? I can talk to them again?”

 

“Why would I lie to you?”

Delta threw himself back into the couch, before slumping his head into his arms and shutting his eyes. He remained there for a few minutes, before saying,

 

“Fine. I’ll do it. But I want this power now.”

 

“Done.”

 

“I’m not done. If at any point I decide to leave, I will.”

 

“As expected. Besides, I need you as much as you need me.”

 

Delta took in a deep breath before saying words he hadn’t said in a while. 

 

“Who, or what is it that you want me to kill?”

 

“You’ll find out in due time.”

 

She waved her hands, and suddenly the galaxies he had seen at the beginning seemed to collapse as if being destroyed by a black hole. 

 

A large tear in the space appeared, and the smaller galaxies he had seen before seemed to get sucked towards it, getting torn apart to shreds before all disappearing.

 

As if ignited like a nuclear bomb, the galaxies seemed to explode outwards, forming to create a new, massive galaxy that seemed to encompass everything in Delta’s sight. 

 

It was a mix of all the colours he had seen before, along with strange and unpredicted mixtures of different colours as they mixed before being thrown around yet again.

 

The galaxy seemed to be ever-expanding, changing in and around itself as it created new parts of itself, like a living creature yearning for knowledge.

 

For a moment, Delta stood there watching. He seemed to resonate on a personal level with this galaxy, as if his soul seemed to sing out to him, begging him to unite with this strange power. 

 

Delta felt a massive wave of tiredness fall upon him, and although he tried to fight it, he felt his eyes close slowly before he lost control of his body and fell into a deep state of sleep. 

 

The last thing he heard was, “By the way, the Lord sends his regards.”

 

His body fell towards the new galaxy, before being consumed by it entirely. 

A large tear in the space appeared, and the smaller galaxies he had seen before seemed to get sucked towards it, getting torn apart to shreds before all disappearing.

 

As if ignited like a nuclear bomb, the galaxies seemed to explode outwards, forming to create a new, massive galaxy that seemed to encompass everything in Delta’s sight. 

 

It was a mix of all the colours he had seen before, along with strange and unpredicted mixtures of different colours as they mixed before being thrown around yet again.

 

The galaxy seemed to be ever-expanding, changing in and around itself as it created new parts of itself, like a living creature yearning for knowledge.

 

For a moment, Delta stood there watching. He seemed to resonate on a personal level with this galaxy, as if his soul seemed to sing out to him, begging him to unite with this strange power. 

 

Delta felt a massive wave of tiredness fall upon him, and although he tried to fight it, he felt his eyes close slowly before he lost control of his body and fell into a deep state of sleep. 

 

The last thing he heard was, “By the way, the Lord sends his regards.”

 

His body fell towards the new galaxy, before being consumed by it entirely.