“DEFINE… STUCK.”

 

 

The look on Toshi’s face was very disturbing for Sato, but not unexpected. Sato recoiled slightly at the intense reaction and cleared his throat before he continued, “When you let him in, he took over, but it was very difficult for him to maintain control. He said it was like trying to direct a fire hose that was hooked up to the emergency overflow value on a hydroelectric dam. He managed to buy enough time for his supervisor to show up and then... he blacked out. He couldn't hold on any more, so he just… let go. He got... lost inside you."

 

Toshi squinted, "Lost? I... suppose that makes sense, in a way."

 

Sato quirked an eyebrow, "I hope so. He sort of knew what was going on, but not really. He doesn't know what happened to the other two, but he thinks his superior did something shady. He also believes that his supervisor assumes he died inside you. Apparently, he shouldn't be able to survive being inside you."

 

Toshi looked surprised, "Really?"

 

Sato shrugged, "That's what he said. Apparently someone with as strong a soul as you should have lived thousands of reincarnated lives, so the sheer amount of life experience should have ground the angel into dust." He shrugged, "Apparently, you only have one life."

 

Toshi blinked, "Huh?"

 

"Don't ask me to explain. That's what the angel said. He was trying to get out of you, but he was lost in all the static. That's when he.... broke you."

 

"I don't like the sound of that."

 

"Apparently, most people on this world have a... and I'm just relaying the information here... soul strength of less than one. That makes them what the angels call an NPC. They don't have free will. The original Toshi in that body, The angel said to call him Oh Toshi to make things clear, Oh apparently was just an NPC."

 

"I find it strange they are using gaming terms."

 

"The angel said the terminology is miss leading, but the truth is, we don't have the right words, so he's using the words that will make us misunderstand in a useful way."

 

"Heh. God said something like that once."

 

Sato narrowed his eyes at Toshi, then shook his head, "Anyways. Apparently, when God put you in that body, there were chunks of Oh still in there. When the angel was trying to get your attention he... dislodged them."

 

"Excuse me?"

 

"That's how he put it. You had chunks of an incomplete soul inside you and now they are, floating around inside you and it's... pulling itself back together.."

 

"That doesn't sound good."

 

"He tried to explain souls to me. He said souls have a soul force, but that's just its initial strength when it is born. Apparently the strength of the parents as well as how many past lives a reincarnated soul has is what determines the soul's initial strength. However, souls can..." He paused.

 

"Can What?"

 

"He made it sound like a video game. You can gain experience from encountering other people. As you gain experience, you level up."

 

"People have levels?"

 

"He said no, but as far as we understand it, yes." He rolled his eyes, "Apparently, you are low level, but have a really high soul strength so..." He rubbed his forehead, "He made it sound like just talking to you earns people massive role-playing bonuses and so people can slowly level up around you."

 

Toshi's eyes darted from side to side, "So... I'm like a level inappropriate encounter?"

 

Sato shrugged, "Something like that. Apparently the angel overheard part of a conversation about you while you were out cold. His superior is worried about you leveling up the wrong people."

 

Toshi blinked, "Are you shitting me?"

 

Sato shrugged, "I dunno. That's what he said. You apparently helped someone named Naora unlock a class feature or something."

 

Toshi's jaw dropped open.

 

Sato continued, "They know you did it, because they tested it with someone named Meiko who apparently managed to defeat you. Defeat is a rather nebulous term here. Apparently she jumped up several levels." Sato paused, "How... exactly were you defeated?"

 

Toshi opened his mouth, then shut it and looked away, "Uh... let... us not talk about that right now."

 

Sato squinted, then his eyes opened wide, "OH." He looked away, "Uh... right. Okay." He ran his fingers through his hair.

 

Toshi did the exact same gesture, "So... you are telling me I have been leveling up the people around me just by talking to them, but the ones who I have been... in conflict... the most have been gaining more then everyone else and..." He turned back to Sato, "Naora leveled up. Holy crap, now I get it."

 

Sato blinked, "Uh... care to explain?"

 

"Why the angels are so obsessed with my love life. Meiko's mom runs a shrine. That makes Meiko the number one pick for my... mate." He blushed for a moment, "However, I've been dating Naora who..." He froze.

 

"Who... what?"

 

"Is the... heiress to a criminal empire."

 

Sato gave Toshi a flat look and said nothing.

 

"What?"

 

"Are you shitting me? You... Wait. Are you serious? You are dating a girl who is in the yakuza?"

 

Toshi held up a finger to his lips, "Ixnay on the Yak-nay. We don't use that word. It's rude."

 

Sato gaped at Toshi, "Holy shit, no wonder the Angels are messing with you!"

 

"HEY! Naora doesn't WANT to run a drug empire! She's really nice and..." He paused, "I'm in-"

 

As he tried to say the word he suddenly had a flash of pain. Two completely different emotions flashed through his head. One where he found Naora very attractive and was in love with her, and then another emotion where he found her weakness and submissive side to be down right repulsive. Toshi held his head and swayed about as if he was going to pass out.

 

Sato grabbed Toshi's Shoulder, "Hey, you okay?"

 

The sensation passed, "Fuck. That was... odd. It... felt like there was two of me for a second there." He reached up to push the hand away, "I'm fine. I was going to say I love her, but-" he straightened up and tried to clear his mind. The reaction wasn't as bad at it was before. As he relaxed , he felt a tingling sensation in his skin. He touched the sensation which was centered in his chest.

Right about where the majority of that crazy enochian chicken scratching was written on his flesh.

"Huh. I wonder if that crap he wrote on me is helping keep things stable."

Sato nodded slowly as he had a look of dawning realization come over him, "I think that was the other thing the Angel wanted me to explain."

 

Toshi looked up slowly, "Explain... WHAT?"

 

Sato took a deep breath, "The other Toshi, the fragments inside you?"

 

Sato winced and scrunched up his nose as he continued.

 

 

 

"He might be trying to take over."