In an Instant

16.5: Bonus Chapter: If the God of Death wasn't physically here before c16

Things I scraped because I didn't realize I've written the God of Death physically into this fic lmao. I actually wrote this before chapter 16. For those who want to see a smart Cale having a throwdown with Gods, I'm so sorry.

This is actually my attempt at giving this fic some kind of underlying plot? It failed, obviously, but like, it's still an attempt right? I might or might not use some element from this in the fic's future.

I actually figured out a way to write Cale's smart? Just use my advantage as a reader and have Cale "notice" something lmao. (it's so lazy im so sorry)

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Disclaimer: I have actually no idea how negotiation really works lmao. So I just went with blackmail(?) instead?

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In the small control room, behind the place where the Gods cower, a large door appears. Following the futuristic theme of this room, the door opens to an abyss. 

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Cale follows behind these Gods' lead dutifully, seemingly with no fear or care about his own safety.

A trail of red dirt follows behind him.

[Be very careful, Cale,] he hears Super Rock whispers, [I'll take control of the door for you, so let's both do our best.]

A trace of real pleasure seeps into Cale's wide smile.

Super Rock really is reliable.

His heart thumps once, twice, thrice, before beating normally again.

Nonchalant he may look on the outside, both Cale and his ancient powers are preparing for battle. 

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The place they all sit down in is a vast expanse of black with lowlights, little to no visibility, and a long table seemingly floating in space. 

Cale starts first: "See, what's interesting for me is that......I don't actually know any of you."

He is smiling the whole while.

Not because there's anything funny, but because he's actually so angry right now he's resorting to this to keep his mind straight. 

Cale casts his gaze around the table. Interestingly, none of these Gods dares to meet his gaze.

Multiple Gods, fearing the gaze of a mortal? 

Please.

Cale might be confident, but he isn't stupid. While he might be decently not-weak and his powerset is somewhat decently interesting, he is not so arrogant as to think that such power can threaten a God, not to mention multiple Gods.

If he can do that, he'd have squashed the White Star like the bug that bastard is and bitchslapped the God of Despair straight out of the stratosphere ages ago. 

But somehow, during the course of the entire interaction between him and these "Gods",  they keep upholding the illusion that he has some type of power over them, when he in fact does not.

Interesting. 

A red-herring? Or a truth he has yet to realize?

Cale pushes this currently unverifiable line of thoughts away.

Instead, he taps the table once.

"Cage, the excommunicated priestess of the God of Death, told me that she felt the presence of Death when they first arrived. I myself sensed Death in the black smoke you sent to Raon before, too, before it disappeared."