The Last Bargain

Chapter XVII: A New Path

The chamber was deathly still. Yomi's presence filled the air like a heavy fog, pressing down on Zento, Shin, and Raito with a weight that made it hard to breathe. The god's eyes were fixed on Raito, its expression unreadable, waiting for the decision that hung in the balance.

Raito's hand hovered over the hilt of his blade, his fingers trembling. His mind was a storm, thoughts and emotions clashing violently. Yomi's words had cut deep, slicing through his defenses, echoing the dark conclusions he had come to over the years. Humanity is a race of liars... You know this to be true.

He could feel Zento and Shin's eyes on him, waiting, hoping he would reject Yomi's offer. But doubt churned inside him, rising like bile in his throat. He thought of his father, of the day he had chosen to trust in a future that never came, and he felt the old wounds reopen.

Maybe Yomi is right, Raito thought, Maybe the future is just another lie.

Yomi spoke again, its voice calm but commanding. "Raito Kasetsu, you see through deception. You know the truth in your heart. Join us. Help restore balance. Help us correct the mistake of humanity's creation. You, who have seen through all falsehood, know that this world is filled with lies."

Raito's jaw tightened, his heart pounding in his chest. Join the gods... The thought felt like cold steel, sharp and cutting. For so long, he had refused to believe in anything beyond the immediate, the tangible, the real. But here, in this place where gods spoke directly to him, the certainty of Yomi's words offered a strange, dark comfort.

"Raito, no!" Zento shouted, taking a step forward. His voice was thick with desperation. "Don't do this. You've seen the worst in people, but you've also seen the best. You know that we can change, that we can be better. Don't give up on us... Don't give up on yourself."

Shin's eyes widened with fear and disbelief. "Raito, think about it," he urged, his voice cracking. "You know the pain of losing someone. Don't let this god manipulate you. You're stronger than that. You've fought with us, trusted us... Don't turn your back now."

For a moment, Raito's resolve faltered. He looked at Zento and Shin, the friends who had stood by his side, who had fought alongside him through all the trials they had faced. There was a flicker of something in his eyes—doubt, hesitation, a lingering trace of hope.

But then he heard Yomi's voice again, soft but insistent, like a whisper in his mind. "You know the truth, Raito. Humanity cannot change. They are incapable of it. Join us, and you will have purpose, clarity. You will help create a world where truth is absolute, where lies cannot thrive."

Raito's hand stopped trembling. His expression hardened. "I... I can't believe in the future anymore," he said quietly, his voice breaking slightly, but with a grim determination that cut through the air. "I've tried... I've tried so hard to see the good in people, but all I've ever seen is their lies, their selfishness. My father... he believed, and he died for it. I won't make the same mistake."

Zento's face twisted with pain. "Raito, please—"

But Raito's voice grew louder, more resolute. "No, Zento. I'm done pretending. I'm done lying to myself. Maybe... maybe Yomi is right. Maybe humanity is beyond saving."

Shin shook his head, stepping closer. "No, Raito. You don't have to do this! We can find another way, together!"

Yomi's eyes brightened, and its form seemed to swell with power. "Enough," the god commanded, its voice resonating through the chamber like a thunderclap. "Raito Kasetsu has chosen. He alone will now continue a new set of trials."

Before Zento or Shin could react, the air around them pulsed with energy, and they were suddenly flung backward by an unseen force. The chamber distorted, warping as if reality itself was being twisted apart. Zento reached out, trying to grab hold of Raito, but his hand slipped through empty air.

"Raito!" Zento shouted, his voice filled with fear and disbelief.

Shin's voice joined his, desperate and strained. "Don't do this, Raito! Don't leave us!"

But it was too late. A wall of light surged between them, separating Raito from his friends. Zento and Shin were pushed further back, their bodies weightless, as if caught in a powerful current. The last thing they saw was Raito's face—grim, determined, his eyes reflecting a sadness that seemed deeper than the abyss around them.

"Goodbye," Raito whispered, his voice barely audible over the roaring energy.

And then, with a final pulse of power, Zento and Shin were thrust out of the chamber, out of Yomi's domain. The blinding light faded, and they found themselves tumbling through darkness, the god's voice ringing in their ears.

"Raito alone will now continue a new set of trials."

The world seemed to collapse around them, and then everything went black.

Raito stood alone in the chamber, the weight of his choice pressing down on him like a mountain. Yomi's presence grew closer, its form towering over him, radiating a cold, divine power.

"You have made your decision," Yomi said, its voice softer now, almost soothing. "Are you prepared for what comes next?"

Raito took a deep breath, feeling a strange mix of fear and resolve. "Yes," he replied, his voice steady. "I'm ready."

Yomi nodded slowly. "Very well," it said. "Your trials will test your deepest convictions, your commitment to truth, and your understanding of what it means to serve the gods. Prepare yourself, Raito Kasetsu. For the path ahead is filled with shadows."

Raito's heart raced, but he stood firm. He had chosen this path, and now he would see it through, whatever it might bring.

And so, with Yomi as his guide, Raito stepped forward into the unknown, ready to face the trials that awaited him.

Would they lead him to understanding, or to a deeper darkness than he had ever known?