Cole sat at the top of the building, speculating.
His brain stormed with thoughts of the future and how he'd lead his life from then on. Possibly, with the help of the deity he contracted, Cole had a more likely chance of survival.
A mere 50% chance to be exact.
But even a mere 50% chance was still worth taking.
'Everything hereafter is 50-50,' he stared blankly at the next building.
'Hey! Hey!'
The deity's voice echoed in his skull, 'Yes? How may I help you?'
'I don't want to delay any further; we must meet in person,' she commanded in a cocky manner.
'And how am I going to accomplish that? I thought it was impossible,' Cole replied, respectfully.
'Not impossible, but incredibly difficult. However, your master is me, so don't get worked up on that.'
'Master? I'm not your slave,' Cole scowled like an enraged old man.
'Sure, sure, if you want to believe so.'
She continued, 'Still, there's a way for us to interact with each other despite the difference in our dimensionalities.'
'Which is?'
She uttered briefly, 'Death.'
Cole widened his eyes in shock with parted lips, 'You expect me to get killed!'
'Not a normal death, you'll have to die temporarily using a venerable.'
'What's that?' Cole inquired.
'You really are clueless, aren't you?' she sighed, 'No matter, 'tis a burden I must bear, but I will guide you through the world of factions and indulgers; just try and keep up.'
Cole's eyes narrowed as he stretched a large, confident grin, 'I'll keep up as best as I can.'
'Glad to hear it! Now listen closely, this is what you have to do...'
The deity explained as detailed as she could. Cole, who listened, couldn't help but feel an infant of intrigue birth within him.
Each and every piece of info he heard further sparked his curiosity; gradually, he became tempted to dive deeper into the hazards just to experience her statements himself.
'So do you agree?' She asked casually.
Cole replied with a shaky, hitched voice, 'I don't have a choice but to accept.' His face, however, gleamed with an odd excitement.
Wasting no time, Cole got up from where he sat and inhaled a large breath of air, then exhaled sharply. Slowly, he shut his eyes, hummed softly, flapped his hands, and sighed.
Upon opening his eyes, Cole threw himself down the roof without a hint of fear marked on his face. Rather, he displayed a mad smile with ambition glittering in his eyes.
As he fell, his body hung like a cloud soaring downwards, where he was seen by few.
CRASH!
Cole landed on a dumpster; the force not only shattered the object but its waste contents as well. With that, Cole sprung out and pumped out his chest.
'Everything is 50-50 from here. Whether I live or die is on a scale; let's just hope things tip to my favor.'
Cole dusted his clothes and walked away from the scene. Many contradicting thoughts flashed his mind, yet for some unknown reason, Cole's urge to indulge was far greater.
He passed by a crowd of people who were left speechless. Some bandits who planned on robbing Cole stepped back as they felt their bodies getting heavier.
The air around Cole was much different than it was previously; it could only be described as murky with a touch of red? Or more accurately, it was similar to a soft drink heavily diluted with water.
Either way, Cole wasn't the same as how he was previously. Whether or not he was aware of this fact could only be regarded as a mystery.
On the other hand, this change was noticeable to a select few amongst the crowd and the flock of eyes monitoring him from the cracks and gaps in the streets. Each step he took resembled a countdown of sorts.
Eventually, Cole went back through the gate and left the central district with only a few mental scars.
'No time to waste, if Atasa discovers I'm alive, he'll come after me.'
Cole sprinted like an athlete through the streets. His destination wasn't within the city, but since he ran out of cash, he had to make do with nature's transport. Fortunately, he was used to running tirelessly in his field of work.
Cole had one single goal at that moment: to die by a venerable. But if everything the deity spoke was true, then the task would be near incomprehensible to complete.
While Cole darted through the busy roads of the city, he felt a strong pause in the air as he passed by someone. Immediately, he stopped and turned to catch a glimpse of the person.
Of course, they had long vanished.
It was then Cole remembered one of the deity's warnings.
'Be careful with this task and everything you do from now on; you're not like the other indulgers...' Cole reminisced, 'Your a target; almost every faction, supernatural entities, and fellow humans will be after your head.'
'I still don't understand why, though,' Cole spoke with a grumbling voice.
'I'll explain everything when we meet,' she spoke sweetly, 'so you best not die permanently, ok?'
Upon recalling the exchange, Hyosung's face flickered between intrigue and uncertainty as a drop of sweat hung at the side of his cheek.
'If indulgers...are like Atasa and that woman Snider brought...' Cole clenched his fists, 'I can't afford to remain as I am now. My future is at stake.'
'No matter the cost, I must improve,' he resolved with a firm gaze and furrowed brows.
Cole shrugged off the feeling and continued running.
After his departure, a figure came out of the small gap at the middle of a bakery and shopping mall. The figure was unnoticed by the people around, and its shape became more discernible as human.
A man wearing a brown cloak and hat that covered his face observed Cole where he stood. The afternoon rays were warmly accepted on his clothes as the swaying breeze made his demeanor threatening.
"So that's the target...there doesn't seem anything too bad about him," he muttered out loud, his voice unevenly thick.
He continued, "On top of that, he seems interesting; it would be quite a shame to just waste the poor guy."
"I've made my decision; our faction will not be participating in the purge. Instead, we'll be more of spectators, un-interrupting as we watch the unthinkable unfold before us," he chuckled.
"To what extent will he last, though? If things end too quickly, there'll be no fun. He doesn't seem to have developed any abilities yet, it's best to assign him a bodyguard to keep him alive slightly longer," he concluded.
Cole took a few shortcuts and shady routes, but he finally arrived at his first checkpoint. The closest set to the central district and the fastest way to leave the prefecture as a whole.
Before leaving, Cole tried his luck and looked around for his colleague, as usual, no yield, but not all was in vain. As he walked, Cole turned towards the sky as a parting gesture.
When he would return or whether he would return at all was unknown to him. Thus, it was best to savor everything before going. Cole was not a huge fan of the city or the people's self-delusions, but a Deadman bears no resentment; wouldn't it be better to leave all negativity at the exit?
That was Cole's thought process, after all, he had already adopted the equality mindset.
Everything from then on, his life, future, and all his goals either yield or die. The mindset that every event to occur then on was on a 50-50 scale, regardless of any circumstance.
'This city isn't my home, but I have a lot of fond memories here.'
'I don't know if I'll ever come back, but...I'll miss that park I always rested in, and the homes I always lived in.'
'I hate to say it...but this is goodbye.'
Cole turned with large tears welled up in his eyes. The decision left a bitter taste in his mouth and a dreadful air that choked his throat. As he set foot out the set...
...The reality he had long averted slapped him across his face.