I was back in my physical body, but something was off. I looked at my surroundings and started to notice something above people's heads. It was hard to make out with my vision still blurred from my out of body experience, but when I came to, I let a question slip out of my mouth.

"Wait, why the hell are their numbers on top of his head"

"So, those old men up there actually accepted you as a death watcher"

Bree was solemn as she said that and her confident demeanor was torn away. I almost didn't want to know what was going to happen next. Looking at her like that, I knew that being a "Death Watcher" wasn't a good thing.

A death watcher was a human who gained the powers of an angel, and the powers to see and save the life span of any creature they desire

The definition somehow just appeared in my mind and armed with this new found knowledge I was lead to two scenarios. The first was that Bree was a "Death Watcher" as well, and the second was that Bree was an Angel, a visitor from another realm.

"I was hoping that you wouldn't be the one, but it looks like we don't really have a choice now. Oh well, it's not like you could be entirely useless."

That was a large shift in mood, one second she was serious, the next she was playing the situation as a joke. I couldn't understand this girl. This was too much to take in all at once. 

My mind was filled with questions about what a "Death Watcher" was, but without much effort, the answers just naturally appeared in my head. I didn't know what was causing this, but as long I got some answers, I was satisfied.

The duties of a death watcher are as, described here

1. You must save your target at all cost

2. You and your guardian angel, share the same life

3. Failure to execute these orders will result in death

What the hell is with these regulations. As a death watcher, I had to save people and if I failed I died. I mean what kind of bullshit is this?! This job doesn't even pay and it's asking you to put your life on the line. If I'm going to die for a career, I might as well have joined the Army. I turned back my focus towards Bree because she was the only one that could make some sense out of the situation.

"Now would be a great time, to fill me in on what you are and why you're here."

"Oh you want to know about little old me, well I'm proud to say that from now on I'm your very own 'buddy'."

A "buddy?" What the heck is a "buddy?" I barely just found out what a Death Watcher was. Then a voice in my mind started to echo and ring out

Buddy is the partnering of a human and  Angel who had descended down to Earth and the partners operate as a duo to save lives.

Hold up, With all the information being thrown at me, I needed a quick mental recap. 

1. Death Watchers were Angels who saved lives

2. Angels came here from another world

3. Angels and Humans form a relationship with each other called a 'Buddy'

4. I die if I fail to save a life?

She seemed to have a few screws loose, so I stared at her and wondered how helpful she would prove to be. As I was lost in my thoughts again, Bree decided to break me out of my trance and pointed her index finger right between my eyeballs.

"I'm assuming you also received the divine oracle ability. That's the most important ability of a Death Watcher"

Without me wishing for it, the definition of the divine oracle ability just sorted drifted into my mind as well.

The divine oracle ability is the ability to receive knowledge on anything desired, as long it pertained to the duties of a death watcher.

To me, it seemed that it was more or less a guide book that instructed you on how to perform your job as a "Death Watcher."
 

That was probably how Bree got my information earlier, but she took it a step further and manifested my information into a physical form. I wonder if I could do that too. I looked my fingers, resisting the urge to snap them.

Wait, I'm being distracted again. I'm almost forgetting the biggest elephant in the room

"Don't you see I'm going to die, why the hell did you give me that bracelet, you stupid angel?"

"I had no choice Neil, I was summoned here to try to make you a better person"

"What kind of asshole sent you?, What kind of person would motivate people to change by giving them an ultimatum?"

"Well you see, that's kind of confidential at the moment. Anyways don't sweat it, at least I can teach you how to be a successful death watcher hehe"

"Don't you get it, I'm going to D-I-E, die, I'm only 18. What the hell Bree"

At this point, there was nothing I could do besides freak out. The numbers above people's heads I saw earlier were apparently their life spans, I've confirmed that much. It appeared that the numbers fluctuated from person to person and was almost never constant. According to the divine oracle, it was due to external factors, such as health, emotional mindset, and even financial ability.

I bet that idiot over there was enjoying my uneasiness. She gazed at me with those eyes that screamed mischief. She then gave me a smug smile, almost implying that she was up to something. 

Without warning, Bree grabbed my hand and rubbed my palms with her fingers. I immediately broke apart my hands from hers. My face turned beet red and my heart pounded right out of my chest.

"Don't you dare start being so intimate with me, I can't be seen associating with riff-raff like you"

"Ah, sorry, I couldn't help it. I have a hand fetish you see"

What the hell was she saying? Hand fetish? This angel looked innocent enough, but she was pretty weird. More importantly though, what the hell was I saying to her? I sounded almost like a tsundere character for a moment. I wasn't some stereotypical inexperienced virgin, but for some reason, the girl standing in front of me knows how to make my heart feel restless. 

I then heard tiny feet inch closer and closer towards us as the seconds flew by. The little boy from before was walking towards us and I couldn't tell what number it was from the distance, but the numbers on top of his head were off. Normally, you'd see fluctuating double digits, but I could only see a stagnant red number on top of his head.

"No way, it can't be. Is that what I think it is?"

Bree stood there with her index finger on her chin, her eyes unphased, by the current situation. Was she really indifferent to this situation? I mean she's my 'buddy', she had to give me advice. As the boy got nearer, Bree's lips started to form words, and I knew that I was saved.

"Oh, looks like you're in your first real pickle"

She then snapped her fingers and a bag of potato chips appeared. She then opened it and nibbled on the chips, as she just stood there and enjoyed watching me suffer. She then gave me thumbs up and flashed a grin.

I take it back. I'm screwed. It was too much of me to ask for help from that stupid angel. If she weren't a girl, I would have smacked her by now.

Now that the kid was closer, I couldn't believe what I was seeing. I didn't want to believe it, but my worst nightmare came true. The number on top wasn't just any single digit number, but it was a zero, a big fat red zero. This person was the first person I needed to save and its conditions were set to maximum difficulty. It's way too early for a round of sudden death, what kind of level scaling is this? If this situation were a video game, no one would even to buy it. I mean who would buy a game where you die on the first level.

After everything, I've been through today, and the impossible odds I was just dealt with, I couldn't help but mutter under my breath,

"Damn this shitty world"