A cloudy sky.
I woke up on the ground of lush, green grass under a cloudy, yet bright blue sky.
"I guess we're dead" I chuckle to myself. standing and looking around at my surroundings, I stared at a mesmerizing space with floating islands that had seemingly never ending waterfalls that flowed into the bottom of nothingness.
"Where's Dom though? We died in the same place so shouldn't we be next to each other?" I jump towards other floating islands with ease, and start to look for Dom. But along the way, I see a, large, singular cage hanging off of the largest tree I've seen so far.
???:"Come"
It had come from the cage, and before I could fully react to the voice the islands closest to me moved towards the cage
???:"Finally a suitable vessel for my power"
Paku:"H-huh?"
???:"For centuries I've waited for someone like you, although i'd thought that youd be a bit bulkier."
Ah, I'm dreaming.
As the creature got closer, I started to see it's white fur, thin but abundant, its ape-like body, and a golden headband hovering on its forehead.
Looking at me with its deep crimson eyes, it spoke
Sarukami:I am the Monkey God, Sarukami. And I choose you, to absorb my core and obtain incredible power far beyond your imagination. And the knowledge of memories from my life, unreachable by any human means!"
Paku:"I refuse"
Sarukami:"Good, i'm glad That this was a quick-"
The god stopped talking instantly as he realized my response, he sat dumbfounded, then his expression turned to an explosion of rage he stuck his arm through the cage and grabbed me.
Sarukami:"Let's try this again, do you want to save your friend? Do you want to help your mother? Do you want to become strong? Or would you rather die while twiddling your thumbs?"
The gods eyes had filled every nerve in my body with fear, This time, I had to think about my response before he crushed me in his palms. I started to think about Dom, my mother, and others I cared about. This was no longer about the power, this was about me gaining the ability to protect those around me; it might be a little bit about the power though.
Paku:"Fine then, I accept. Grant me your powers."
Sarukami grinned a sinister smile
"Very well then. Feel the power of the Monkey God!"
Suddenly, I felt unimaginable searing pain through to my very core, it was as if every bone in my body had broken all at once, I felt my throat start to rasp due to how much I was screaming, but I couldn't hear it. My brain was being flooded with memories of Sarukami's life. After what felt like centuries, but lasted 30 seconds, it was over. The pain stopped, my brain calmed, and the same golden headband was on me, but it felt incomplete, like It was mocking me because hadn't gained enough strength to fully use my new powers.
Sarukami: "Now go, live a life of immense power"
Suddenly I get warped back to the real world.
I opened my eyes to be met with nothing but darkness. A space devoid of any light or color.
Dom:"Wh..where…am I?"
My voice not echoing, and met with seemingly no response.
"So, this is what its like to die"
I close my eyes, embracing my death. I hadn't lived the life I wished for, but it was a life nonetheless.
???:"So, you've chosen to give up?"
Immediately, a chill runs down my spine and open my eyes. A large silhouette of a person outlined in purple was the main focus of my vision, his eyes filled with a hazy purple coldly staring back at me.
Dom: "Who…who are you? What are you doing here?" Trying to sound tough, but the fear was written all over my face; I couldn't move a single muscle. The figure in front of me shrunk into the form of a normal sized person. It's tall, slim yet strong figure intimidated me more than his shadow like essence. His hair flowing like ribbons in ballet and his pale skin clearly visible in the lightless void.
Kurokage: I am the god known as Kurokage, God of Shadows, and i have chosen you to be the one to inherit my powers. Rejoice in your second chance at life."
I was shocked, for someone like me to receive the power of one of the gods? It was a dream come true!
Dom:"I gracefully ac-"
Then I thought for a moment;
Is this being truly a god?
I'd never heard of him, not in any story, nor in any scripture.
Dom:"…Are you…really one of the gods? Ive never heard of you before, so for all i know you could be tricking me and you're a demon or something, it would make sense considering the darkn-"
Kurokage sighed a sigh of disappointment "So the darkness makes you uneasy? Fine lets change the scenery."
And with a swish of his fingers, the once dark and empty void turned into the living room of my home crevice of the space was exact to the real thing, to the uneven carpet to the smallest scrape on the table
Dom:"h-how did you-"
Kurokage:"only gods can access the human memory without forming a contract, and now the darkness is gone and you can see where you are. Does this prove my credibility?"
I couldn't deny it now, this is a god.
Dom:"but why did you-"
Kurokage:"thats not what you should be asking right now, what you should be asking is, 'where's my body?' 'Is my friend okay?' 'What's happening on the outside?' Unless you're still content with giving up?"
I realized that I forgot that just moments before, I was nearly killed in a dungeon, and Paku was out there too.
Dom:"Let me outta here! I gotta go save Paku!"
Kurokage:"You? In that sorry state?"
All of a sudden I felt all the pain and injuries that I had gotten in the dungeon. I lose my strength to stand and slump against the wall.
Kurokage:" For you to go out there without any code abilities and those injuries, you'd only kill yourself faster. It would be like throwing a wooden stick at a steel rod."
I look down in disappointment and anger. I knew what he was saying was right, but I didn't want to tell him that
"Then" I say shakily, but as loud as I could "Let me have your code"
Kurokage grinned at me, as if he had won the argument of a lifetime.
Kurokage:" its settled then, now, this may hurt a little bit-"
Dom:"Wait what?"
My words of concern fell on deaf ears
Kurokage:"But in return i can give you 30 minutes of a boost in power and ill give you permanent access to my abilities. you'll even see some of my memories."
Dom:"But-"
Kurokage:"Now, awaken your true strength."
In that moment, all the pain in my body multiplied by several amounts. It was as if all of the bones in my body had broken all at once, my mind was overloaded with memories from Kurokage's life. I couldn't even hear my own screams.
Then it stopped.
All my wounds were healed, the pain was gone and my mind was calm
Kurokage:"you'll react a lot quicker and your strength will improve, but only for 30 minutes. So go kill some spiders, I'll guide you from there."
Dom:"Wait! Was everything i just saw-"
And before I could finish that thought, I was flung violently through my roof and back to the outside world.