Chapter 11 (eleven). Agreement.
"Are you the goddess of Death?" John asked, his eyes staring at Emelia and speculated about how similar she was to certain grim reapers in some mangas he read during his stay in Japan.
Emelia answered, "You could think so. But is my identity really much of a concern?"
"In the apocalypse, I suppose it is." John retracted his gaze and smiled scornfully at himself. After a few seconds of silence, he looked at Emelia again and said. "Are you here to redeem me? If you are, could you at least fulfill one of my wishes..."
"Im not."Bluntly stated Emelia, "But, please say." Emelia leaned the umbrella in her shoulder and glanced at the bloodied youth with strange emotions flashing in her eyes.
"I want to leave my single status."
"Disapproved. I'm married." Emelia quickly knew his purpose and rejected him.
"Why?" John weakly questioned as his eyes unstable wandered around. Emelia saw him in his delirious state and couldn't help but snicker silently.
"Do you know where the cinema is?" Emelia dodged his question and asked.
"Why?" John subconsciously added again.
....
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"I'm sorry." Emelia smiled as she stood up and ignored the eyes of the dying boy who laid on the ground.
"What do you mean? Can't you at least grant my final wish as I am about to die?"
Emelia ignored his casted forlorn gaze at her as she directly said, "But I'm already married, and what do you have in exchange for your wishes? You are now on your death bed and such an easily shaken young man like you would have a hard time living in my apocalypse."
"Married? Such a beauty like you is taken as well?...Even the goddess of death does not pity me, tsk."
"It is your incompetency, and I do not pity you." Emelia frowned before smiling again. "How about this? If you could show me where the cinema is, I'll give you powers in return. You wouldn't be just laying here waiting for your death, and you would be able to become a ruler."
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John was astonished as he stared at Emelia. His heart wavered upon the thought of gaining strength and power. Although he was skeptical for the reason of why Emelia was searching for the theater, but nevertheless, he told Emelia the information she needed.
"That's so?" Emelia clapped her hands and nodded. The cinema was actually located in the mall, the thought never appeared in her mind because Reo had never mentioned it at all. She looked at the sky before looking at John's pale face.
"Then?" John was in misery after being forced to talk for a few minutes. He had now accumulated a lot of blood-loss and he feels like dying any moment.
Emelia of course remembered her deal with him. She was thankful for his thoughtful help. She stood up and it was in that perfect moment the red sun appeared behind her, veiling her in red sunlight.
John saw this final scene before he passed out again. And after he woke up, the beautiful woman he considers to be the goddess of Death was gone. Not even a speck of her raven black hair remained and neither the rose like scent she radiated.
Then, John realized another factor. He was now standing up in his two feet and was no longer dying and laying on the ground pathetically. Although his joints were stiff and he could barely move his head, he could not disagree that nothing more than finding himself still alive made him extremely happy.
However, it was in the next minute he noticed that he could not move normally like he used to. John panicked, and in his panicked state, a monotonous and familiar robotic voice appeared in his subconscious!
{Finished Binding with the Host...}
{ Good Afternoon Host (John). I am your system, Apollo. I'm designated to give you the chance to reverse your lowly fate. Evolution would surface in this apocalyptic world, humans fails and would become undead, and humans succeeded they'd become superhumans. But Host's situation is unique, you're half a successful awakener and a failure—You have died before you could achieve perfection, so the continuation would surface in your undead body.}
"W-What!?" John was shocked and excited.
{Host can pick any of the three and you will get their evolutionary path and evolve! You don't have to fear backlashes and even devolutions, the system has no possibility of it failing....}
... .
"You..."
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"I'm actually alive...again." John murmured. He sat up and inspected himself. The evolution had succeeded.
{Congrats host!}
Except his cold body which was slightly dull flesh in color and the marks of wounds between his neck and the other parts of his body where the zombies had bitten, everything around him was normal — that thought only lasted till he discovered certain issues within an aura inside of himself. It was sparkling lightning; no, to be more specific, it was a lightning purple flare of fire taking place in his chest.
{You need to work harder if you wanna have a fresh, new and perfect flesh again Host!}
John then realized he could conjure the exact same fire outside, mainly at his palm and the soft barrier surrounding his being. Moreover, after testing out the efficiency of the wisps, the fire was extremely hot, more hotter than a lava despite not touching a lava in reality.
Plus, with him being a half zombie, or should say, conscious one. He can also control a certain number of zombies by using the wisps of flames as a medium.
Surviving in the apocalypse can be deemed possible to him now. He had powers and can even integrate into waves of zombies making him omnipotent Ina the same race.
'I can finally become strong at once! Finally! Perhaps I can even have as much girls as I like!'
{Yes, you will have any girls you'll like!}
'Right! Like those certain protagonist from certain stories. I'll set up a harem and conquer every kinds of girls I have my eyes on—'
{Yes, Host. If you work harder, they'll probably flock towards you instead!}
'But, after seeing that goddess's first class beauty, I wonder if I'll find something similar to hers. And more importantly, I should seek them hurriedly in fear of them being taken as well!'
{...!) Apollo the system has chosen to be silent after hearing John's thoughts. John didn't notice its anomaly, his mind was filled with his plans for the future.
John happily celebrated as he hopped into the air. The surrounding zombies looked at him stupidly, wondering what's wrong with their fellow walking dead.
Suddenly, John froze as he dropped down his hands that was holding the handle through the store's door where everything began.
["...My apocalypse."]
The lovely voice was recalled, John only realized the fact that multiple mysteries were hiding within that person.
How could she casually walk around the bloodied streets? What does she mean by "my apocalypse"? Moreover, giving out powers to a stranger. He should also note that [Powers] never made an appearance yet and the system appeared... and someone was too calm and full of wisdom about it...
She looks ethereal, but not to mention that it was impossible for God to come to the mortal world.
Questions after questions appeared in his 'concious' brain. After being immobile for a few minutes, John's eyes lost it's rays as he entered a dull state.
"..What am I doing standing around here, I should pile reserves immediately!" John said as he returned to his lively usual self. When he finally placed the last of the food he found into his bag, John unexpectedly spoke aloud:
"Weird, I must have forgotten. I fathom that I can barely even remember what was I'm daydreaming about just a few minutes ago. Has my zombie brain lost it's braincells? How could that be!"
{Then Host must work harder to get a super fast and intellectual brain!} The system finally spoken again and joked.