Hayate had used a 4th tier spell known as “[Greater Sending]”. The spell took 2 seconds to cast, and it had an infinite range. Normally, it would have cost 4MP, but for Hayate, who’s items cut that cost, it was effortless. It was a powerful telepathic spell. When cast, it allowed Hayate to make a mental connection/call to any creature or player he was familiar with. Then that being would hear his message in their mind. If they recognized him, they could choose to accept or decline his call.
If declined, the spell would end. Unlike traditional communication methods, the spell did not use verbal or physical means to transmit the message. Instead, it directly connected to the mind of the recipient, allowing them to hear Hayate’s words as distinct as if they were spoken aloud. The spell had no range limitation, meaning that Hayate could communicate with individuals regardless of the distance that separated them.
When the spell was casted and the connection had been made, Hayate had issued his first commands. He tried to keep his tone firm but fair, not wanting to come off as bossy or overly demanding. Hiroshi was a skilled professional megacorp employee, he could handle it.
Hayate knew that Hiroshi would take care of the clean-up. It was a small mercy, a little less worry for Hayate to deal with on top of everything else. He sighed, a weary expression on his face. This was just the beginning...
Looking back at his old house, Hayate felt a tightness in his chest. The sight triggered so many memories of happier times. He knew he couldn’t bear to stay there any longer, not now..the longer he stayed here the more he would think about what had happened. With a sigh, he returned inside and started collecting important items. He picked up his old diary and some family photographs. He also retrieved all the documents from his parents’ bed, put them into one of his pouches of hoarding and tossed it into his inventory.
He had to admit, the pouch of hoarding was quite handy. Being able to carry around so much stuff without weighing himself down was incredibly useful. With everything that he deemed important, Hayate was now ready to leave. He took a deep breath and stepped out of the house once more, this time for the last time..sure he would return soon but not right now.
Hayate paused, trying to think of where to go next. He couldn’t find any trace of his parent well specifically his dad..nor could he find out where his dad or mom were buried. That left..his grandparents. “Nope,” Hayate thought, shaking his head. He was 100% sure that both of them were already 6ft under. His friends were an option, but most of them were his age so they should be 105-106...nope, not an option. But there was one possibility he hadn’t yet explored – Taro Nishihara. Taro was the youngest of his circle of friends and was only 15 back in 2024. Based on the math, he should now be 100 years old. Despite his age, Hayate couldn’t help but feel a glimmer of hope. Taro might be the one person who could still be alive
Sure, he might be on his deathbed, but that’s better than nothing. Besides, if anyone could provide him with some much-needed insight into what happened after he “disappeared”, it would likely be him. Hayate mentally traced his steps, trying to recall where Taro lived. He wasn’t the best in the group when it came to directions or remembering addresses, but he had to try. He knew that Taro’s family owned a noodle shop in Shinjuku, Tokyo. However it was highly likely that Taro no longer lived in that location. Because Tokyo was nuked..and it was a ghost city now. Perhaps by now he might be residing in a nursing home given his age. Hayate didn’t even know if nursing homes existed right now.
Hayate then remembered something, how could he be so stupid. Of course how should he forget about it. What Hayate was thinking about was “[wish].” The 8th/divine tier spell [wish] was one of the most powerful form of magic there was in “Hollow”. This spell, inspired by Dungeons and Dragons, granted the caster the ability to fulfill any desire. However, he was unsure if it would work in this world.
[Wish] spell had multiple uses and they were — It allowed the caster to replicate any spell of 7th tier or lower without needing any other components or materials.
Alternatively, the caster could create one object worth up to 2 million gold coins that wasn’t a magical item, with the object’s dimensions limited to a maximum of 100 feet in all directions. The object would appear in an unoccupied space nearby. There were four other effects too.
The caster could heal up to 25 creatures within sight, fully restoring their hit points and curing any status effects.
The caster could grant resistance to a certain type of damage to up to ten creatures within sight.
The caster could grant immunity to a single spell or one instance of a magical effect to up to ten creatures within sight, lasting for 8 hours.
And then there was the final effect which rewrote realty. This last effect allowed the caster to undo a single recent action, forcing the opponent to repeat it again. For instance, if an opponent succeeded in dodging an attack, the caster could undo that action and make the opponent dodge the attack once more. This effect could also be used to undo enemy critical hits or a friend’s failed spell. However, in competitive battle situations where the spell was used, the effect would be reviewed by an automated bot. The bot would monitor the battle and determine whether the caster’s wish was valid. If the conditions for using the spell were met, the bot would intervene in the battle and allow the wish to happen.
For example, if the caster wished to win a duel, the bot would end the duel in their favor. Similarly, wishing to find a legendary or mythical item would teleport the caster to the current location of the item’s owner if they agreed to the teleportation request.
Hayate hesitated. [Wish] was a powerful spell, but it came with a high cost. Once cast, he wouldn’t be able to use any 8th or 7th tier spells for the rest of the day. It was a gamble. If he didn’t get the desired outcome, he would basically be helpless till tomorrow.
As Hayate pondered over what to do, an idea struck him. What if...what if he used [Wish] to bring back his parents and friends? Sure, he hadn’t tried it in this world yet, so he wasn’t sure if it would work, but the mere possibility was enough to make his heart race. He knew the costs were high. If it failed, he would be without any strong spells for the rest of the day. But this chance...it was worth it. Maybe just maybe, he could have his loved ones back again.
Hayate took a deep breath, centering himself. He closed his eyes, focusing his mind, and pronounced the spell [I wish for my mom to come back to life in front of me]. As the words left his lips, there was an odd moment of nothingness. Hayate opened his eyes, expecting to see his mother. But there was nothing. The white glow, a usual indicator of a successful cast, was nowhere. No one was standing in front of him. He stared, stunned. It hadn’t worked.
He shook his head and sighed heavily. “It was a fool’s hope,” he muttered to himself. He couldn’t help but feel disappointed. He had wanted so badly to see his mother again, to hold her in his arms and feel her familiar embrace. He had hoped and prayed that the spell would be strong enough to bring his mother back from the dead. But alas, the universe seemed unwilling to grant him that small mercy.
Hayate couldn’t contain his emotions any longer.
He screamed out his frustration to the void surrounding him.
“FUUUUUUCCKKKK!!!”
His void echoed through the empty street.
This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.
“Goddammit! Why can’t I have my mother back!? Why can’t I have any of them back? This is absolute bullshit! I just wanted them back!”
He kicked at a rock on the ground, sending it flying far away in the distance.
It wasn’t just his mother who he wanted back. He wanted his dad and friends back too. He wanted to see their smiling faces again, to hear their laughter and share their joy. But it seemed that no amount of desire or wishing could bring them back.
He wanted to scream, rage, cry, throw a temper tantrum...anything to let out the emotional turmoil he felt inside. But what good would that do? It wouldn’t bring his mother back. It wouldn’t take away the feeling of emptiness in his heart. It was only a brief reprieve from the pain. Hayate felt hollow.
Hayate couldn’t fathom why [Wish] had failed. The spell should have worked. He had wished for his mother to return to life in front of him, but the spell hadn’t even activated. Why? It didn’t make sense. Hayate tried to figure out why. He remembered that in “Hollow”, if someone died and another person used any resurrection spell on them, they would get a notification asking whether they wanted to come back to life. If they chose no, no matter how powerful the spell, they wouldn’t wake up. Could it be that his mother had rejected resurrection?
If that were true, it would be a bitter truth for Hayate to accept. It meant that his mother had consciously decided not to come back to life. Was it because she didn’t want to leave the world of the dead behind? Or was it because she believed it was her time to move on? Whatever the reason, it cut deep into Hayate’s heart. He had longed so much to see his mother again, to hug her one more time, but now it seemed as if that wish was not meant to be.
Hayate had reached his limit. He decided to stop for now and continue tomorrow. In the morning, he would try [Wish] again to revive his father. Later, he would investigate the possibility of time-travel using [wish]. As for now, he was in a tight spot. For the next 24 hours, he wouldn’t be able to use any 8th or 7th tier spells. However, thankfully – [Teleportation] was a 6th tier spell, so he could still use that.
Hayate tried to suppress his emotions, pushing the pain and heartache to the back of his mind. It was easier said than done but what else could he even do.
————————————————————
The two men were sitting in a chic and dimly lit corner of a club, their faces illuminated by the neon lights that flickered on the walls. One man looked to be in his mid-fifties with short black hair and a clean-shaven face and wore a slick black leather jacket with glowing green accents around the cuffs and collar. He sported a metal prosthetic left arm. While the other appeared to be in his early twenties with a shaved head and several facial piercings. He wore a hooded sweatshirt with an abstract logo printed on it. His jeans were ripped at the knees, and he had a small tattoo on his neck.
The older man placed a small chip-like device on the table, causing a holographic display to light up and show a number. The number read ¥12,354,401. It was the debt of the younger man.
The younger man’s face paled as he saw the number on the display. He knew he had borrowed a lot of money from the older man, but he had hoped to pay it back slowly. But seeing the actual number in front of him made him realize just how much he was in the hole. He had fallen deeper into the hole of gambling than he had ever anticipated.
He gulped nervously and looked up at the older man, who was watching him intently.
“I-I promise I’ll pay you back,” the younger man stuttered, his voice shaky. “I’ve been trying to save up, but it’s been tough. My grandpa is on his death bed and I don’t even have insurance. His meds are expensive as fuck.”
The older man leaned back in his chair and looked at the younger man with a cold stare. “I don’t care about your sob story, ken.” He retorted harshly. “You borrowed money from me, and I expect you to pay it back in full with 40% interest. You’re in serious debt now, and I’m considering sending some enforcers after you. So start coming up with some solutions.”
The younger man..ken’s eyes widened in fear. He knew that if the older man sent enforcers after him, he would be in deep trouble. He had to come up with a way to get the money quickly, or he was going to be in big trouble. But what could he do? He didn’t have any money or assets to liquidate, and he didn’t have any connections that could help him. He was totally stuck...or so he thought.
“What about my body parts?” he suggested, his voice filled with desperation.
“What if I sell some of my organs to pay you back?”
The older man let out a dry chuckle, “You think your organs are worth that much, huh? With the kind of food you’ll consume they’re probably in a worse condition than a rotten fruit.”
“Besides,” he continued, “organ transplants are big business these days. Do you think I haven’t considered selling your organs? I had your body scanned. No offense, but you’re not exactly prime tissue material. You know, I just realized something. Your grandpa, is he still alive?”
“Yeah, he’s still alive. But he’s almost completely bedridden now. His meds are the only things keeping him going, he’s pushing 101 soon.”
“Nearing 101 and still hanging on, huh? He must be quite a unique specimen. I’ve heard of something called ‘Longevity Gene Therapy,’ it’s still experimental, but some wealthy clients are willing to pay big bucks for it, those fuckers at the top wanna live forever. Maybe your granddad is a potential candidate. You and your family will be compensated very well. All you need to do is hand him over to me, we’ll give him to them and they’ll run some tests on him etc etc nothing much and then after maybe a week he’ll be returned to you.”
Ken was horrified. “W-what? Are you asking me to sell my grandpa to some rich assholes for experiments?” He couldn’t believe what he was hearing. “I can’t do that. He might be old, but he’s still my grandpa.”
The older man let out a long sigh, clearly getting impatient. “Kiddo, let me be honest with you. Your grandpa’s life is practically over. He has what, maybe a few months? A year at most. In some ways, you’re prolonging his suffering by keeping him alive. With this therapy, he might have a chance at a better life, or at least a longer one. Plus, think about yourself too. It’s a win-win. We get paid, your grandpa gets a chance at a future, and you get out of debt. What’s not to like?”
“But... But-“ Ken couldn’t form the words. He was torn.
He glanced at the holographic display, the numbers still glaring back at him.
The older man sensed his hesitation. “Look, think about it. I won’t force you into this, but it’s the best solution for everyone involved. You know I’ll do what I have to if you can’t pay me back, and I’d rather not resort to...unpleasant measures. If you just sign his here, everyone will be happy.”
The older man slid a contract across the table towards Ken. “Here’s the deal. Sign here, I’ll take grandpa and I’ll clear your debt, no more enforcer harassment, no more late-night calls. I’ll even throw in some extra cash to sweeten the deal. And who knows, he could be a lucky one and live till 140. That’d be something, right?”
The contract stated that:
\- Ken Nishihara acknowledged that he was willingly agreeing to transfer legal custody of his grandfather, Mr. Taro Nishihara to Mr. Tanaki Nakamura.
\- Ken Nishihara understood that his grandfather would be taken for “Longevity Gene Therapy” and that this therapy was experimental and had a risk of failure.
\- In exchange for this, Mr. Tanaki Nakamura would clear all of Ken Nishihara’ current debt and pay him an additional bonus of ¥8,000,000.
\- Ken Nishihara would be given regular updates on his grandfather’s medical status and the therapy process.
At the bottom of the page was a blank space for Ken’s signature. The older man, Mr tanaki Nakamura watched him intently, waiting for his decision. Ken knew he was out of choices. He loved his grandfather, but he also couldn’t bear to see him suffer any longer. And the thought of being harassed by the money lender’s enforcers made him shudder. With a shaky hand, he picked up the pen which was on the table and signed the contract. “Alright, I’ll do it...”
“Good boy. I knew you’d see reason.” Mr tanaki Nakamura picked up the contract and put it back in his bag. “Your granddad will be collected within the next 24 hours, I’ll send some of my enforcers to your house after the 24 hours are up. In the meantime, why don’t you spend some time with him? Enjoy your last few moments together.”
Ken nodded, Mr tanaki Nakamura got up to leave, but before he did, he leaned in and whispered in Ken’s ear, “Remember, don’t say a word to anyone about this. If you do, the contract will be void and you’ll be in even deeper trouble. Understand?”
Ken’s eyes widened with fear. He nodded vigorously. “Y-yes, I understand. I won’t say anything to anyone. I promise.”
Mr Nakamura looked at him and said, “good..and here take this, have some fun.”
As Mr tanaki Nakamura walked away from the table, he placed a sleek, dark plastic card on the table. It was a one time VIP pass for the club and gave whoever had it access to the exclusive vip section.
Ken’s eyes widened as he saw the card. He recognized it instantly as the VIP card he had heard whispers about. Rumours said that in the vip section, the girls would do whatever the men told them to do, no questions asked. He looked around to see if anyone was watching, but the rest of the club was too busy dancing and drinking to care.
He was tempted ..but he wasn’t this much of an asshole to go through with it.
He glanced at the digital clock on the wall. It was 5 am and his grandfather would be waiting for him. He couldn’t afford to waste time here. He picked up the card and slipped it into his pocket..maybe he would come back later. He sighed, he was such a terrible guy.