==== ??? Pov ====

I doubt you are talking about the black knight or the naked girl so I assume you're talking about the silver eyed, one punch meat grinder?

“Yes,” laughed the voice, “but like you, her heart is filled with vengeance. So to ensure she doesn’t mistakenly use you as a stepping stone, as well as repaying the debt I owe to your soul sibling, I have an extra skill for you.

The last - God Ranked Skill

Having existed countless millennia, you are destined to outlast time itself, and so are or will be the last of many things. Due to your unique soul, you are able to inherit skills and abilities, even those with restrictions, from those who are the last of their kind, ensuring their legacy is never extinguished.

Both parties must be willing for the skill or ability to be inherited

When skills or abilities have identical results, only the strongest will take effect.

Excludes abilities that rely on non-existent racial features.

Let me get this straight. Not only are you offering a potential ally, an absurdly powerful skill that will enable me to destroy the souls of my enemies along with a skill that will allow me to use it by creating a substitute soul, but you are also giving me abilities to make my life easier... I am no fool. What do you get out of this?

A deep chuckle caused the void to shake. "As Gods, we have to perform certain roles to ensure, well you wouldn't be able to comprehend why so let's just keep calling it 'the balance'. However, we are only able to interact with the world through proxies, or what I have been calling avatars. As such, I offer you this power in exchange for your... help with certain things."

"I am what could be considered a neutral god, and thus my methods are tailored towards maintaining the status quo. You are a being that should not exist, that is not controlled by fate and most importantly, a very malicious, vindictive entity that would happily destroy the world if given half the chance and no other choice."

The quick progression of the conversation, as well as Grim’s blatant insult, caused me to forget to ask about the soul sibling he mentioned.

...

"I am just telling you how I see it. This summoning is but a single event in a long list that has occurred due to those that seek to manipulate or destroy the 'balance' for their own selfish desires. I will not try to win you over with statements like 'so the same fate will not fall on anyone else' or some garbage about the 'greater good' because I know it will not work. You desire revenge and to have it, you need strength and ability. By giving you those, I mitigate the risks of you becoming desperate and doing something stupid like creating a space rupture or something."

A what?

"Ignore what I just said. Just know that everything has a price, and the price for your vengeance is to become my avatar, to hunt down those I deem… necessary and to avoid tipping the balance too significantly in one direction.

Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.

It sounds too easy. What’s the catch?

"I didn't expect you to ask that question. I guess without experience, all that knowledge is useless," sighed Grim. "I guess in simple terms, you can chalk it up to good and evil. You will mainly eliminate those who are too extreme on either side of the scale, thus earning the hatred of nearly everyone. The 'good' will see you as evil, and the evil... well, they usually see themselves as good, so once again, you're evil... maybe this wasn't the best example as it's very two dimensional, but I hope you get the point."

If I could, I would be rubbing my temples in pain about now. I somehow get the sense that Grim is struggling to put things in a way that I would be able to understand.

So basically, I will become your executioner and by doing so, make many enemies.

"Hmm, more like you will help reset the balance. Death is not the end, and for those that are... executed, as you put it, their souls will be given a chance to transcend or reincarnate. This world is just a stop gap in the vast scheme of things... well, for everyone but you. Even us Gods get to advance once we have fulfilled our roles and found a suitable replacement."

Excellent, an eternal prisoner who is exchanging freedom for revenge.

"Not at all. When nothing significant is going on, you can do as you please, providing you don't destroy the balance too much. Everything in moderation. No taking over the world or committing mass genocide."

Why do I feel that last bit wasn’t added as an example but a rule?

"Anyway, I guess this is the bit where I bait the hook," laughed Grim. "I love the expressions and proverbs from your world, I hope you can spread a bit of that during your time here. If we weren't on such a tight deadline, I would relish the chance to see how things developed in your old dimension."

... So?

"Ahh yes, firstly having you learn the native tongue naturally will be a problem so I will be sorting that out, but the real icing on the cake," Grim chuckled at that, "is that we have a common enemy, one only a very few people have any ‘real’ information about."

I am assuming you mean 'Sun Clan'.

"Once again, you are correct. The Sun Clan are a group that have been a pain in my side since their formation over ten thousand years ago. The other Gods stayed my hand when they performed the last summoning, irradiating one-third of the world and causing countless species to become extinct. With this second attempt, even though it is debatable which one had the worse outcome, they have lost their support and I can finally act. By the way, I don’t just want the leadership dead… I want the entire organisation burnt to the ground… No survivors. Looking at snippets from your past, I believe you have no issues with this?”

Not knowing what you are talking about regarding my past, if you have nothing more to add, no rules or restrictions, then none at all as I was going to do it anyway.

"Good. So… do you agree to my terms?"

As long as our agendas never cross, I guess I don't really have a choice.

"Time reveals all truths. From the little I know about you, as long as I never act against you or those that you are close with, or try to control you too much, I don't see us having a problem."

Somehow I feel this is still too biased in my favour and certain aspects of our conversation have been glossed over.

Once again, I forget that I am not talking, but thinking and Grim can hear everything. "That's because you still do not know your true self. Well then, I think it's time you woke up. Oh, and I wouldn't mention what you are about to find out until the person in question tells you... A few unlucky souls have passed this way for that offence already, and I doubt we will find a body equal to your current one."

Memories that should belong to the silver eyed woman flood into my mind, causing me to shudder.

"Awake, Mors Letum, Demon of Wrath, Avatar of Death, Keeper of Souls, he who is not bound by fate, the Eternal. May you find peace amongst the torrent of time, while our enemies quake in fear."

You know, for someone who claims to be neutral, you're pretty merciless.

“My avatar, it's the neutral gods who are the most dangerous. We have no allegiance to any side and are capable of anything in order to meet our objectives. Something I am sure you will discover in time as I am only one of two Gods who has taken an interest in you.”

Grim's last words confused me, but I felt as if I was floating upwards and hazily opened my eyes.

Not even five centimetres from my face, two silver eyes stared intently at me. As my arms wouldn't move fast enough, all I could do was shout. "MOVE!"