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.
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Zefir observed those present with calm composure, his gaze traveling from face to face.
The silence in the room was almost tangible, and though no one voiced it aloud, the tension in the air was unmistakable.
Each of them looked at him differently—some with distrust, others with curiosity, and a few with cold indifference.
Despite this, the atmosphere seemed frozen under his control, as though he were a king seated upon his throne.
Lelouch Lamperouge, seated to his left, was the first to break the silence. His violet eyes scrutinized Zefir intensely, his mind already dissecting every word and gesture."You're not a god, yet you speak as if you stand above everything," he remarked in a calm voice laden with challenge. "What made you think we would accept your offer without questioning you first?"
Light Yagami, to Zefir's right, smiled faintly. "That's true," he said, looking directly at Zefir before continuing. "Even if the offer is intriguing, the terms are unclear. For example—what do you expect from us in return?"
L Lawliet, who had been sitting on the floor until recently and had now taken a seat near Senku Ishigami, tilted his head slightly, like a curious crow. His large, dark eyes, however, never stopped analyzing every detail of Zefir.
Senku Ishigami, ever straightforward, leaned back in his armchair with his arms crossed. "Cutting the theatrics would be nice. If you've got something to say or show us, do it already. I'm not a fan of word games or subtlety."
Keima Katsuragi, on the other hand, regarded Zefir with noticeably less interest than the others, clearly not very intrigued by the offer. He adjusted his glasses and sighed. 'A poor-quality introduction. I hope he at least explains the rules of this 'offer' properly.'
Yuuichi Katagiri, seated to one side, smiled almost casually."Excuse me, but I'd like to ask something. Why us? There are thousands of people in the world who would accept your offer without a second thought."
Shinichi Akiyama remained silent, watching Zefir with a thoughtful gaze.
Meanwhile, Kiyotaka Ayanokoji also stayed quiet, simply observing how the conversation unfolded.
Zefir let out a faint smile, a gesture that felt more like formality than genuine amusement.
One question after another, he thought calmly, mildly entertained. 'Do they really expect me to answer them in order?'
At last, he spoke. "Very well, then I'll begin with the briefing…" He paused, directing his gaze at each of them in turn. "I would like enough time to explain everything properly. So until I finish speaking, do not interrupt me. Do you understand?"
Zefir allowed a brief silence to pass, as if awaiting their implicit acknowledgment before continuing.
His blue eyes radiated an imposing calm, and the room itself seemed to grow heavier under its weight.
Lelouch Lamperouge narrowed his eyes but remained silent, leaning back slightly in his seat as he crossed his legs. He would say nothing more for now; Zefir had seized control of the conversation, and Lelouch was far too shrewd to interrupt and expose an unnecessary weakness.
Light Yagami, for his part, showed a faint, nearly imperceptible smile. Zefir's authoritative tone intrigued him, and the prospect of gaining "the power necessary to do whatever he wished" had truly captured his interest. He chose to play the role of the attentive listener.
L Lawliet did not react physically, but his mind continued to process the environment and Zefir's words at supercomputer speed. He knew that hidden details were often found in the most insignificant moments, so he merely nodded slightly to indicate that he would listen.
Senku Ishigami clicked his tongue softly, reclining further into his chair with his arms still crossed. "Then make it quick. I'd rather you got straight to the point."
Yuuichi Katagiri adopted a perfectly neutral expression, though his mind was already spinning through possible strategies. 'No interruptions… Does that mean he's afraid we might question or detect something he wants to hide?'
Shinichi Akiyama inclined his head slightly, his expression showing mild interest. He had no intention of accepting anything blindly, nor any reason to provoke Zefir.
Keima Katsuragi remained unimpressed, adjusting his glasses once again as he waited for Zefir to speak.
Kiyotaka Ayanokoji continued to observe in silence.
Seeing that everyone was prepared to listen, Zefir nodded in approval."Good. There's no need for further preambles," he began, his voice resonating through the room with an almost hypnotic firmness.
"Each of you comes from a different world, each with its own realities, histories, and physical laws. You may have heard of the theory of alternate universes, so you can think of it as a metaphor… or as a literal truth."
A nearly imperceptible glint flashed in Zefir's eyes, and his tone grew 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 bound in chains, their orange uniforms marking them unmistakably as condemned prisoners.
A chill ran through those present.
With an almost imperceptible movement of his fingers, Zefir decapitated the prisoners.
They collapsed like puppets with their strings cut, the impact of their bodies striking the floor echoing through the room.
Thud… Thud… Thud…
Without the slightest change in expression, Zefir uttered a single word.
"Devour."
In the blink of an eye, the corpses vanished.
There was no trace of blood, no sign that they had ever been there at all. Only silence remained—along with Zefir's unshaken gaze.
"This," he said calmly from his seat, "is merely a demonstration of what you can achieve. The word 'Devour' is the key that activates this ability, but simply speaking it is not enough. You must also possess the intent to carry it out."
He paused, taking a sip of tea with almost theatrical elegance before continuing.
"Of course, this ability has restrictions. The first: only targets that are technically dead can be devoured. This means they must meet the conditions of irreversible loss of consciousness or the inability to breathe spontaneously. Without these conditions, the ability will not activate."
He allowed that revelation to settle into their minds before proceeding.
"The second restriction is more complex. Each time you devour someone, a holographic window will appear, asking whether you wish to obtain the target's memories. While it may be tempting to absorb everything at once, you should know that an excess of information can be dangerous. In the worst-case scenario, you could lose your identity. For this reason, I have included an option to automatically reject all such notifications."
Zefir offered a fleeting smile, though there was a clear note of warning in his eyes.
"Now, the benefits. Each time you use this ability, your physical strength, spiritual power, and vitality will increase. The memories you acquire may be valuable, but I do not recommend abusing them. Maintaining good health 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 allowed himself a smug smile before his expression grew serious once more.
"However, there is a condition. This ability is bound by a contract, which means you will initially receive only 10% of the benefits. The remainder will go to me. Naturally, you may increase that percentage by fulfilling certain requirements."
Zefir gestured toward 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 starts at 1. That is the number of targets you must devour to increase your benefit percentage by 1%. Once you complete it, the counter will update to 10, and your benefit percentage will become 11%. After devouring 10 targets, the counter will update to 100, and the benefit percentage will rise to 12%. In short, as you continue to complete the counter, your benefit percentage will increase by 1%—until it reaches 100%."
He paused to take another sip of tea, allowing the implications of the escalating scale of sacrifice and reward to sink in.
"Once you reach 100%, the ability will be entirely yours. In other words, you will cease to be mere 'part-time workers' and become the true masters of your own destiny."
He leaned forward slightly, as though sharing a secret. "Of course, if you choose not to complete the contract—or fail in the attempt—there will be no direct or indirect consequences. Nothing will change. Furthermore, the time limit for fulfilling it extends until the natural end of your lives, which means that fate itself has already set that boundary."
Zefir allowed the weight of that statement to settle before continuing.
"Now, let us speak of the methods," he said, his voice taking on a more serious edge. "I will provide you with a means to travel between worlds—places where targets not only abound, but wait, in their ignorance, to be claimed. Worlds carefully selected and meticulously organized, each one facing a unique calamity: zombies, demons, extraterrestrials, monsters… even other human beings."
The silence in the room thickened, as though the air itself had gained mass.
"I will repeat myself. The objective is simple: complete the counter. How you do so is your decision. That said, each world will be more dangerous than the last, and your survival is not guaranteed—even in the earliest stages. Therefore, my recommendation is this: complete the counter at least four times before venturing into another world."
Zefir picked up a small snack and savored it unhurriedly.
"Now then, I will grant you some tools."
With a flick of his hand, three elegant black boxes appeared before each of those present. Zefir watched with interest as they opened them.
Inside were three accessories: a necklace with a rectangular black pendant framed in blue crystal, a bracelet of black beads accented with silver, and a tungsten ring of a deep, matte black.
"These accessories will serve as your guide and your support," Zefir explained, his tone imbued with authority. "The necklace and the bracelet will allow you to travel between worlds. To be more precise: the necklace will enable you to instantly 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 with one another."
He paused, gauging their reactions before continuing with the instructions.
"The necklace is activated with the command 'The World.' To use it, you must have the name of the destination world clearly in mind. The name of the world you are currently in will appear engraved on the pendant within a few minutes. Until then, the name currently engraved is that of your respective home worlds. Memorize it."
He paused again, then went on. "The bracelet uses the command 'New World.' The ring requires the command 'Message,' along with directed intent toward the recipient—provided that they are also wearing an identical ring."
Zefir let out a small smile before adding, "Each accessory is designed to bind itself to you. Whenever you use one, it will temporarily fuse with your body. If you wish to remove it—or simply choose not to use this function—it will return to its original form. 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. "Oh, and for motivation: 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 individual interests. I can guarantee that you will find something worth your while."
He leaned back into his chair, allowing his words to settle like seeds in fertile soil. Silence once again filled the room, but this time it was laced with curiosity—and a faint, lingering unease.
Zefir crossed his legs and looked at each of them in turn, his gaze sharp yet composed. At last, he broke the silence with a simple question, heavy with implication.
"Before we conclude the briefing… any questions?"
Kiyotaka Ayanokoji maintained his impassive expression, observing Zefir with his usual calculated neutrality. There was no urgency in his movements, but he mentally noted every detail: the rules, the restrictions, and the so-called "incentives."
Light Yagami let out a faint smile, crossing his arms as he stared at the ring inside the box before him. His gaze—sharp and brimming with ambition—shifted to Zefir.
"You say the ability will be completely under our control once we reach 100%. But what about you? Will you simply let us go?"
Zefir looked at him for a moment, then replied plainly. "Yes."
Lelouch Lamperouge, seated calmly, tilted his head slightly to the side.
"These worlds you mentioned… who controls their flow? Do you choose the calamities and the targets, or is everything governed by some external force? And furthermore—what guarantees that we are not merely pawns in a far greater game?"
Zefir inclined his head slightly and answered with a smile. "The problems in those worlds are not my doing. As for the rest… I suppose I guarantee it."
Senku Ishigami grinned at the response while examining the accessories with undisguised skepticism. He toyed with the ring between his fingers, one eyebrow raised, and voiced his doubts, cutting into the conversation.
"You talked about physical restrictions and specific commands. Just how 'scientific' is this ability? Does it operate under established rules that can be studied and replicated, or is it pure magic?"
"Well… you could find out for yourself," Zefir replied, clearly growing bored.
L Lawliet toyed with the box between his fingers, absorbing every word of the exchange, his piercing eyes fixed on Zefir.
Shinichi Akiyama remained silent, attentively following the discussion.
Yuuichi Katagiri reclined in his chair, a calm yet dangerous smile on his lips. He simply allowed Light and Lelouch to do the talking.
Keima Katsuragi barely looked up from the handheld console he had produced at some point without anyone noticing. 'No direct or indirect consequences for failing the contract… That claim can't be that simple.'
Faced with the slightly dissatisfied looks from Light, Lelouch, and Senku, Zefir finally agreed to give a more substantial answer.
His gaze turned directly to Senku, his tone stripped of all emotion.
"Yes, there are scientific principles behind everything you see," he added, gesturing subtly to the environment around them. "But do not expect me to explain them in detail. There are energies and forces that transcend human knowledge—concepts that lie beyond your current understanding."
He paused deliberately, allowing the notion of the unknown and the unattainable to sink deeply into their minds 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 meant to unfold, you are free to do so. I will not interfere with your fate—neither directly nor indirectly."
His eyes rested on each of them, conveying a blend of serenity and authority.
"This conversation is not an imposition, but an invitation. If you choose to reject what I offer, I will accept it without resentment. That ability—to decide for yourselves, to exercise your free will—is precisely one of the reasons I admire you."
He leaned forward slightly, interlacing his fingers over his knees. A faint smile formed on his lips—ambiguous and enigmatic, as difficult to decipher as his true intentions.
"As for your doubts regarding my reliability," he continued, his tone softer yet heavy with intent, "that is a question I cannot answer with words. It is something only time can resolve. My purpose here is not to convince you, but to offer you possibilities."
He let silence fill the space, his words echoing in the minds of those present, leaving behind a trail of uncertainty intertwined with a growing desire to know more.
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 heavier than his presence ever had.
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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.