Note: This chapter is about 3,000 words long. The main theme is how they will obtain what they seek, their interaction with the one who will give them the opportunity to gain power, and, of course, the interaction between the protagonists. If you find it tedious, you can skip it. Of course, if you do, you probably won't understand some things later on, but that might make it more interesting.
/////
Zefir observed those present calmly, scanning each face.
The silence in the room persisted, and though no one voiced it, they could feel a heavy pressure in the air.
Everyone looked at him differently: with distrust, curiosity, or even a cold indifference.
Despite this, the atmosphere seemed motionless under his control, as if he were a king seated upon his throne.
Lelouch Lamperouge, who was seated to his left, was the first to break the silence. His violet eyes scrutinized him intently, evaluating Zefir's every word and gesture.
"You are not a god, yet you speak as if you were above everything," he commented in a calm tone, laden with defiance. "What made you think we would accept your offer without questioning you first?"
Light Yagami, to his right, offered a slight smile. "It's true." He looked directly at Zefir and continued, "While it is an intriguing offer, the terms are far from clear. For instance, what do you expect from us in return?"
L Lawliet, now seated next to Senku Ishigami, tilted his head slightly, like a curious raven constantly analyzing Zefir's every detail.
Seeing that Zefir preferred to enjoy his tea rather than answer, several in the group frowned.
Senku Ishigami, seated in his armchair with his arms crossed, added, "Cutting to the chase would be nice. If you have something to tell us or show us, do it already."
Keima Katsuragi, on the other hand, was watching Zefir with less interest than the others, hardly intrigued by the setting. He adjusted his glasses and sighed. 'A low-quality introduction. I hope he at least explains the rules of this "offer" decently.'
Yuuichi Katagiri, off to the side, smiled almost amusedly at the cheeky remark.
Shinichi Akiyama remained silent, observing Zefir with a thoughtful gaze.
Meanwhile, Kiyotaka Ayanokouji also remained quiet, observing the flow of the conversation.
Zefir let slip a slight smile, a gesture that seemed more like a formality than a genuine expression.
'One request after another,' he thought with unshakeable calm, mildly amused. 'Do they really expect me to answer in order?'
Finally, he spoke. "Very well, then I shall begin the briefing..." He paused, directing his gaze at each person present. "I would like sufficient time to explain. Therefore, until I finish speaking, do not interrupt me. Understood?"
Zefir took a brief moment of silence, as if awaiting implicit confirmation from those present before continuing.
His blue eyes radiated a commanding calm, and the room seemed to bear an even more tangible weight.
Lelouch Lamperouge narrowed his eyes but remained silent, leaning back slightly in his seat as he crossed his legs. He would say nothing further for the time being; Zefir had taken control of the conversation, and interrupting to cause an unnecessary issue would be dangerous.
Light Yagami, for his part, flashed a faint, almost imperceptible smile. Zefir's authoritative tone intrigued him, and since the prospect of gaining "the power necessary to achieve whatever he desired" had genuinely caught his interest, he decided to play the role of an attentive listener.
L Lawliet barely reacted, but he continued processing the environment and Zefir's words. He understood that hidden details were always found in the most insignificant moments, so he simply nodded slightly to indicate he was listening.
Senku Ishigami clicked his tongue softly, leaning back into the armchair with his arms still crossed. "Make it quick, then."
Yuuichi Katagiri adopted an expression of utter unconcern, though in his mind he was already experimenting with potential strategies. 'Do not interrupt... Does that mean he fears we might question or detect something he wants to hide...?'
Shinichi Akiyama nodded, wearing a slight expression of interest. He was not going to accept anything blindly, and he had no reason to provoke Zefir.
Keima Katsuragi appeared unimpressed. He adjusted his glasses once more, awaiting Zefir's words.
Kiyotaka Ayanokouji remained watching in silence.
Zefir, seeing that everyone was willing to listen, nodded in approval. "Good. There is no need for further preambles," he began, his voice echoing in the room with an almost hypnotic firmness.
"Each of you hails from a distinct world, with your own realities, histories, and physical laws. You may have heard of the alternate universe theory, so you can think of it as a metaphor... or a literal truth."
Zefir's eyes gleamed with a barely perceptible flash, and his tone became even more persuasive.
"Now let us speak of the opportunity to obtain power. The ability I have granted you is called Devour. Do not be misled by the crudeness of the name; it is not a literal act, but a manifestation of your capacity to absorb what others have left behind."
He raised a hand with an elegant gesture, and suddenly, several figures appeared in the room. The newcomers were in chains, their orange uniforms marking them as condemned prisoners.
A chill ran through those present.
And before they could express their emotions and doubts... they simply couldn't.
With an almost imperceptible flick of his fingers, Zefir decapitated the prisoners. They dropped like puppets whose strings had been cut, and the thud of bodies hitting the floor echoed through the room.
Thud... Thud... Thud...
Unfazed, Zefir articulated a single word.
"Devour."
In the blink of an eye, the corpses vanished. Not a drop of blood remained, nor any trace that they had ever been there. Only silence and Zefir's unflinching gaze remained.
Several of those present shifted their posture, some visibly more uneasy than others. The atmosphere had drastically shifted with the realization that Zefir posed a very real, instantaneous mortal threat.
"This..." he said, sitting calmly in his armchair. "...is merely a demonstration of what you can achieve. The word Devour is the key that activates this ability, but uttering it alone is not enough. You must also hold the intention to execute it."
He paused, taking a sip of tea with almost theatrical elegance before proceeding.
"Of course, this ability comes with restrictions. First: only targets who are technically dead can be devoured. This means they must meet the conditions of an irreversible loss of consciousness or the inability to breathe spontaneously. Without those conditions, the ability will not activate."
He let that revelation sink into the minds of those present before proceeding.
"The second restriction is slightly more complex. Every time you devour someone, a holographic window will appear asking if you wish to obtain the target's memories. While it might seem tempting to simply absorb everything, you should know that an overload of information can be dangerous. In the worst-case scenario, you could lose your identity. Therefore, I have included an option to automatically decline all notifications."
Zefir flashed a fleeting smile, but there was a hint of warning in his eyes.
"Now, the benefits. Every time you use this ability, your physical strength, spiritual power, and vitality will increase. The memories you obtain can be valuable, but I do not recommend abusing them. Maintaining good health—whether mental or physical—is never a bad idea. For example, I myself have just turned 312 years old, and as you can see, I am in enviable condition."
He permitted himself a smug smile before turning serious again.
"However, there is a condition. The ability is tied to a contract, meaning you will only receive 10% of the benefits. The remainder goes to me. Naturally, you can increase that percentage by fulfilling certain requirements."
Zefir pointed into the air, and several of those present noticed for the first time a counter in the upper right corner of their field of vision.
"As you can see, the counter begins at 1. That is the number of targets you must devour to increase your benefit percentage by 1%. Once completed, the counter will update to 10, and your benefit percentage will become 11%. Once you devour 10 targets, the counter will update to 100, and your benefit percentage will become 12%. In short, as you complete each tier of the counter, your benefit percentage increases by 1%, up to 100%."
He paused to take another sip of tea, allowing the concept of the scaling sacrifices and rewards to settle in.
"Once you reach 100%, the ability will belong entirely to you. In other words, you will cease to be simple part-time workers and become the true masters of your own destiny."
He leaned forward slightly, as if sharing a secret. "Of course, should you decide not to complete the contract or fail in the attempt, there will be no direct or indirect consequences. Nothing will change. Furthermore, the timeframe to fulfill it extends to the natural end of your lives, meaning destiny has already established that limit."
Zefir allowed the weight of that statement to sink in before continuing.
"Now, let us discuss the methods," he said, his voice taking on a graver tone. "I will provide you with a tool to travel between worlds. Places where targets are not only abundant, but waiting—in their ignorance—to be taken. Meticulously selected and organized worlds, each facing a different calamity. Zombies, demons, aliens, monsters... even human beings themselves."
The silence in the room grew dense, as though the air itself had gained weight.
"I will repeat it once more. The goal is simple: complete the counter. How you do so is your decision. However, each world will be more dangerous than the last, and your survival is far from guaranteed, even on the early levels. Therefore, my recommendation: complete the counter at least four times before exploring a world."
Zefir took a small snack and savored it slowly.
"Now then, I shall grant you a few more tools."
With a gesture of his hand, three elegantly designed black boxes appeared in front of each person present. Zefir watched their reactions with interest as they opened the boxes.
Inside lay three accessories: a necklace with a rectangular black pendant framed in blue crystal, a black beaded bracelet with silver accents, and a tungsten ring of deep black.
"These accessories will serve as your guide and support," Zefir explained, his tone authoritative. "The necklace and bracelet will allow you to travel between worlds. To be precise, the necklace will allow you to instantaneously return to any world you have previously visited, including this one. The bracelet will open a portal to the next world on the list. And the ring will allow you to communicate among yourselves."
He paused, evaluating their reactions before detailing the instructions.
"The necklace activates with a phrase: The World. To use it, you must also hold in mind the name of the world you wish to go to. The name of the world you are seeing now will appear engraved on the pendant in a few minutes. Until then, the name currently engraved is that of your respective home worlds. Memorize it, if you wish to return home..." He paused again before continuing, "The bracelet activates with the phrase: New World. And the ring with: Message. The latter also requires focused intent toward the recipient, and communication is only possible if the recipient is wearing a matching ring."
Zefir let out a small smile before adding, "Each accessory is designed to bind to you. Whenever used, it will temporarily merge with your body. If you wish to remove it or simply not use this feature, it will return to its original form. Furthermore, they will not break under normal circumstances, but if you lose them, there will be no replacements."
He raised a hand as if recalling a crucial detail. "Ah, and to keep you motivated: every time you complete the counter, you will receive an additional reward. You will be able to choose from a variety of options, many of them unique and tailored to your interests. I can guarantee you will find something worthwhile."
He leaned back in his chair, letting his words settle like seeds in fertile soil. Silence filled the room once more, but this time it was heavy with curiosity and a slight unease.
Zefir crossed his legs and looked at each person present, his gaze piercing yet serene. Finally, he broke the silence with a simple question, laden with implications.
"Before concluding the briefing... any questions?"
Kiyotaka Ayanokouji maintained his unreadable countenance, observing Zefir. He had remained on the sidelines the entire time, but he made a mental note of every detail. The rules, restrictions, and "incentives" described simply could not be ignored.
Light Yagami let out a faint smile, crossing his arms as he inspected the ring in the box before him. His gaze, shrewd and burning with ambition, turned toward Zefir. "You say the ability will be completely under our control once we reach 100%. But what happens to you? Will you simply let us go?"
Zefir observed him for a moment and responded simply, "Yes."
Lelouch Lamperouge, far from convinced, tilted his head slightly to one side. "These worlds you mention... who controls their flow? Do you choose the calamities and targets, or is everything governed by an external force? Furthermore, what guarantees that we aren't mere pawns in a larger game?"
Zefir tilted his head slightly and answered with a smile. "The problems in those worlds are not my doing. As for the other matter... I suppose I am your guarantee."
Senku Ishigami smirked at the answer while inspecting the accessories without hiding his skepticism. Twirling the ring between his fingers with a raised eyebrow, he voiced his doubts: "You spoke of pretty unnatural and fantastical things. But... how scientific is this ability? Does it function under established rules that can be studied and replicated, or is it pure magic?"
"..."
"Well... you could figure that out on your own." Zefir was getting bored.
L Lawliet toyed with the box between his fingers, recording every word of the conversation, his piercing eyes fixed on Zefir.
Shinichi Akiyama remained silent, paying close attention to the words of those present.
Keima Katsuragi barely looked up from his handheld console, which he had pulled out at some point while listening. 'No direct or indirect consequences if the contract is breached... That claim can't be that simple.'
Yuuichi Katagiri leaned back in his armchair, a calm yet dangerous smile resting on his lips. "Why us...? There are thousands of people in the world who would accept your offer without a second thought."
Zefir smiled, amused. "Who knows... laziness?"
Once again, his answers were vague.
Facing the somewhat dissatisfied looks of Light, Lelouch, and Senku, Zefir finally conceded to giving a more adequate response. His gaze shifted directly to Senku, his tone devoid of any emotion.
"Yes, there are scientific principles behind everything you see," he added, indicating their surroundings with a slight gesture. "But do not expect me to explain it in detail. There are energies and forces that transcend human knowledge, concepts beyond your current comprehension."
He paused deliberately, allowing the idea of the unknown and unattainable to sink deep into those present before continuing.
"As for your participation, that decision rests entirely with you. If you prefer to return to your worlds and continue your lives as they were destined, you are free to do so. I will not intervene in your fate, directly or indirectly."
His eyes rested upon each of them, conveying a blend of serenity and authority.
"This conversation is not an imposition, but an invitation. Should you decide to reject what I offer, I will accept it without resentment. That capacity to choose for yourselves, to exercise your free will, is precisely one of the reasons I admire you."
He leaned forward slightly, interlacing his hands over his knees. A faint smile formed on his lips—ambiguous and enigmatic, as difficult to decipher as his intentions.
"Regarding your doubts about my reliability," he continued, his tone slightly softer yet loaded with intent, "that is a question I cannot resolve with words. It is something only time can answer. My goal here is not to convince you, but to offer you possibilities."
He let silence fill the space once again, his words echoing in the minds of those present.
And then, without warning, Zefir vanished, as if he had never been there at all. In his place remained an unsettling void—an absence that weighed even heavier than his presence.
/////
Note: As a college student, I don't really have much time to write. The 10 chapters you read were the ones I wrote in 3 months. Although there is still one more chapter, and many other incomplete ones.
You can imagine that this fanfiction is very ambitious. It will take me a while to get another 10 chapters written.
Until then, you'll probably forget this story exists, but I thank you for reading it.
I wish you the best, dear reader.