"Hey, wake up kiddo."

"Hmm... can I even call you a kiddo?"

I opened my eyes, finding myself in the same white void I woke up in after overusing Vymir for the first time.

I turned towards the source of the voice.

"Why do you sound-..."

My eyes widened as I looked at him, his voice, his looks there are no other answers.

"You?!... What?! Who are you?"

The guy smiled kindly at me, patting my head softly.

"My name is Shoji. But everyone here is referring to me as 'Kowagari'."

I took a step back, slapping his hand away from my head.

"Why do you sound like me... and why do you look like an older version of me!? And why are you wearing a cassock?!" I screamed in surprise and slight uneasiness.

"Ey! Calm down, Yokubo! I've been through this already, every one of us has been!" He said reassuringly.

"What did you just call me? 'Yokubo'? Why?!" I said in frustration.

"That's what we call you here, and it's the only name that fits you."

"Wait...are there more of us here? Why am I here anyway? Did I die?"

"I can't tell you anything other than the things I want to tell you, Yokubo. And no, you're not dead, that's for sure."

"Sit down, Yokubo, I want to tell you something."

"No! I don't want to sit down! I want answer, you motherfucker!"

He smacked me on the head and forcefully sat me down on the ground, sitting across from me himself.

"You and that sharp tongue of yours... ehh... how is that even possible?" He said, wondering about something.

"CAN WE NORMALIZE GIVING ANSWERS?!" I said loudly in frustration.

"You're the weakest one... you should have never reached this place in the first place... so how come have you moved my heart..."

"What the fuck are you talking about, man?!"

"I can tell you the most of my story... do you want to hear it, Yokubo?"

"If you will answer my questions then I'm all ears, you stupid me!"

"Very well then..."

"My name is Nakamura Shoji. I was the fruit of my father's affair, here in Himorashi."

"O,h that's just like me..."

"Yeah, many of us had the same beginnings."

"My father took me away from my mother and raised me with his wife whom I considered my mother for the rest of my life, despite knowing that I was not her biological son."

"I had a big brother named Konrad and when I was 2 years old, my little sister Kaori was born."

"Hey! That's the same as me!"

"I was also born with Authority Type 4, unlike you who has Authority Type 1."

"Hey, that's unfair! Besides, why do you all call it 'Type'? 'Level' sounds cooler!"

"But that's not the only difference in our childhood, Yokubo-kun." He said, tearing up a little.

"I've never pulled the trigger..."

"You... why?! What happened to her?!" I grabbed his neck and pressed him to the ground.

"She died..." He said, tears rolling down his cheeks.

"I was too scared and I lacked the courage to do it..."

"Then what happened to them if you didn't pull the trigger?!" I asked, screaming at him.

"They were killed anyways... tho I was hated for the rest of my life for not doing anything about it..."

"I was just a three-year-old back then! I couldn't think straight! I was too stupid! I've cried every day because of that day!"

I released his neck and leaned away from him.

"And so everything went the same... I met Haruki... we became friends... then in middle school... Carmilla joined us... those were really good days... I still tear up when I travel back in memories..."

"Everything went the same... I was at the shrine... the kitsune killed me... I was cursed... I met Sebas..."

"Do you remember that night... the one where you decided to change your dream into a greater one?"

"Yeah... after Carmilla killed me..."

"I was too afraid to face her... even tho I was a lot stronger than you... I was afraid like a small bitch!"

"I ran back to the shrine and after some time became a priest... lived there for three years... and in the end... died in loneliness and suffering... I can't tell you anything more... but I want to do something that has never been done before..."

"Do what?" I asked curiously.

"I want to give you the remains of my power... and finally rest in peace afterward... this power is the last thing that keeps me here... and I don't want to be here... I want to become a part of you, Yokubo. You're so weak, yet you're so much better than I am! You've exorcised a demon... you've fought Carmilla and won, even tho all the odds were in her favor... you're just straight-up awesome!" He said in amazement, wiping his tears and taking my hands into his, a big smile on his face.

"I..."

"Do I want to do this... this might be a trick... but the thought of becoming at least a little bit stronger... it's nice... when I grow stronger... I'll be able to exorcise more lost souls... I crave... I crave for this feeling... this warmth..."

"Okay... fine! I'll take it!" Suddenly our hands start to glow in an even more intense Purple than my Soul String usually is.

"Finally... but before I disappear I want to tell you two things!"

"So just say it!"

"Before you fainted you've heard your voice in your mind, that wasn't you! Don't listen to those voices! And the second thing is... please hug Kaori and tell her that big brother always loved her!"

"Very well then! I will do as you wish! Just leave that to me and rest in peace, other me!"