Side Story 6-1: The God of Death’s Observation Journal (1)

Journal Entry #1

I became a god.

Specifically, I became the God of Death.

This is crazy.

Someone like me is a god?

=====

The God of Death was climbing a mountain.

"This place is desolate every time I come here."

Crunch.

He stepped on a black bundle of sticks which turned into ash and scattered into the air.

The god stopped walking for a moment and looked around.

"...."

Black ground.

The ground was cracked as if there had been a drought, and only a red liquid was flowing where a river used to be. Only the black boulders were maintaining their shapes.

"The only things here are rocks."

The dried trees were all black regardless of their heights, and there were no grass nor wildflowers around them.

Furthermore, the sky was the color of ash and did not even allow the tiniest amount of sunlight to reach the ground.

"Tsk."

The God of Death clicked his tongue and continued walking to the top of the mountain to meet the owner of this land.

"Hey!"

He shouted toward the small temple on top of the mountain.

Actually, it was just a shabby little hut rather than a temple.

"Hey Shield dude!"

One of the two people on a bench in the yard outside the hut turned his head and scowled after seeing the God of Death.

"That stupid bastard! I told him not to call you like that!"

"Why are you getting angry? Are you the shield dude? The person he is talking about is calm so why are you throwing a fit? Are you petty as well since you're a cheapskate? And how dare you call a god a stupid bastard? Look at this punk constantly crossing the line."

"Ow!"

The person shouting at the God of Death could not hold back his anger and clenched his hair with both hands.

His long rose-gold hair fluttered like burning fire in the air.

The God of Death snorted at this and sat down on one side of the bench.

"You're here?"

The other person of the two greeted the God of Death with a gruff expression on his face. He then turned his gaze and silently wiped a rock shield that was so old that it was cracked.

"Hey Shield dude."

"What?"

"Your disciple crossed over another mountain."

"…Ahem."

"You smiled right now, didn't you? Didn't you?"

The corners of the gruff man's mouth slightly twitched and the God of Death did not miss it. The corners of the man with the long rose-gold hair's lips also twitched, but the God of Death paid him no attention.

He seemed to be teasing the man wiping the rock shield as he asked.

"Does it make you happy? But it seems like you already knew about it. Were you watching everything despite pretending not to care? Hmm?"

The God of Death became entertained seeing the extremely gruff man show a reaction as he continued talking.

"Oh, God of Death."

The man put the shield down at that moment.

The God of Death flinched and stopped talking.

"…Did I tease you a bit too much?"

He warily peeked at the man as he asked. It was because it would cause quite the headache if this man in front of him became angry.

However, the man did not answer the God of Death's question. He said something else instead.

"Oh God of Death, please take good care of Jung Gun."

The expression disappeared from the God of Death's face.

"Cage as well."

The God of Death then sighed after hearing the second name. He then shrugged his shoulders in an exaggerated manner.

"I told you that there is nothing I can do about that punk Jung Gun. They don't look like it, but the kiddos from the Choi family are all super stubborn!"

"As stubborn as you though?"

"…Of course!"

The God of Death admitted it.

"Of course they are not as stubborn as me!"

He grumbled with an unhappy expression on his face.

"And I don't know why that punk Cage's personality is getting worse and worse! I mean I know it was terrible even when she was young! What kind of seven year old tells a god to shut up?!"

"So are you going to turn away from everyone?"

The God of Death's exaggerated shrugs stopped and his shoulders slumped down to normal.

There was a short moment of silence before the God of Death looked at the desolate ground and broke the silence.

"Oh God of Protection."

He spoke again to the man wiping the old shield.

"Turn away? You know very well that I cannot do that."

The man wiping the shield did not respond at all. However, the God of Death chuckled after seeing him slowly smile.

Shaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa-

A breeze brushed past the God of Death's face. He spoke almost in a sigh.

"Why was it determined that gods were not born but made?"

"Is it hard?"

"Do you think it wouldn't be hard? My goodness-"

He stopped for a moment before continuing.

"I tried to become desensitized, but it's not going well."

"What isn't?"

"I really hate sacrificing a few for the greater good."

"Isn't that why you brought that child over?"

"…Kim Rok Soo?"

"Yes."

"…I can't deny that."

He stood up from the bench.

"Are you leaving?"

"Yes."

"Goodbye."

The man wiping the shield said goodbye to the God of Death without even looking at him. The God of Death did not look at him as he walked out of the hut.

"Why are you following me?"

"Hey idiot."

The God of Death looked at the man with the rose-gold colored hair who called him an idiot.

"What?"

The man scratched at his rose gold colored hair and walked up to the God of Death to speak in a quiet voice after hearing that uninterested response.

"Cheer up. We have booze here, so come if you get frustrated. I can at least give that much to an idiot like you."

The God of Death shook his head as he started walking again.

"Ow, that son of a bitch! He's always like this even when I'm trying to be nice to him!"

He heard an extremely annoyed voice behind his back but he ignored it.

However, he then heard a voice he could not ignore.

The God of Protection. He heard his voice.

It was not in his ear, but in his mind.

– Single-lifers are born with large plates.

– However, plates can always get even bigger.

– And they earn a qualification when their plates get bigger.

– However, there is only one way for the plate to get bigger.

– Sacrifice.

– Forcing countless sacrifices or committing countless sacrifices.

– Either taking away numerous lives or protecting numerous lives.

– When the person's body breaks multiple times in the name of protection…

– Their plate will get bigger.

The God of Death chuckled and quietly mumbled.

"Like you?"

The God of Protection's voice was still speaking in his mind.

He heard a voice as sturdy as a boulder in his mind.

– Like you.

"Pffft."

The God of Death started walking. He then mumbled quietly but loud enough for the owner of this land to hear.

"Don't cross the line. Shield dude."

– You too. Do not get involved anymore.

"Okay, okay."

The God of Death almost stomped away with annoyance.

"I don't plan on messing with Kim Rok Soo anymore. Other than maybe to help him. You care about him so damn much."

He let out a short sigh.

"Let's just go home."

* * *

In a dark house without any light…

He looked at the bookshelves filling his house and reached toward it.

A book landed on his palm.

Shhh.

< I decided to start including Kim Rok Soo from Earth 2 to my list of observation candidates starting today. >

The God of Death sat on his couch and started reading through his observation journal.

=====

Journal entry #XXXX

I decided to start including Kim Rok Soo from Earth 2 to my list of observation candidates starting today.

Basically, Kim Rok Soo was born today.

This guy has quite a terrible fate in store for him.

It is probably because he is affected by that reincarnator who calls himself the second White Star.

Tsk.

Kim Rok Soo's parents were lonely people as well.

However, two lonely people managed to find each other and create a family to earn their own little happiness, but…

It looks like Kim Rok Soo will be even lonelier than they were.

I'm going to have to barge into the house of those fortune telling punks to look into Kim Rok Soo's future at some point. Being alone in the world is extremely sad.

Man, what a poor little guy.

I should tell Choi Jung Gun to inspect this kid's surroundings every so often.

But… it is highly likely that that bastard won't listen to me. That rotten bastard.

=====

The God of Death waved his hand in the air.

A few books from the mountain of books filling the bookshelves floated up and opened on their own.

These were journals he had personally written.

The words floated up from the books and showed the records in the air.

=====

Journal entry #XXXX

Choi Han is still idling away in the Forest of Darkness.

Why does this kid not think about leaving the forest?

Yes. I guess that is understandable. Choi Han is not strong yet.

But why doesn't he search the nearby area?

Can't you inherit the power of the God of Protection that is there? Then that'll be good for you!

I can't help but recall something the Shield dude said.

What was it again? Was it something about how his plate isn't the issue, but that he doesn't have the character to take that power?

Where else is there going to be a good and innocent punk like Choi Han? He's just a bit strange, that's all.

Of course, the Shield dude always talks about how that power is for a bad but good guy, but… In my opinion, the Shield dude and Choi Han are two peas in a pod. Hehe.

Anyway, whether it is Choi Han or the Shield dude, what can I do about these two young little punks? Seriously, haaa. They're both so frustrating.

=====

The God of Death waved his hand in the air again.

There was now a glass full of wine in his hand.

=====

Journal entry #XXXX

Haaa. That White Star son of a bitch, if I was still human I would have smacked his fucking face at least two thousand times.

Should I just go beat him up? No. I can't do that. That world would hate me if I personally stepped in.

Haa… It's so annoying.

It's annoying even to write these entries.

The White Star found a new ancient power today.

The End.

I should just go drink all of the Shield dude's booze.

Tsk.

Ah, but Cage is growing well.

What a cute kiddo. I hope that she at least doesn't starve nor eat weird things and grows up eating everything she wants to eat, but I really want her to stop ignoring me.

It makes me a bit sad.

=====

"That punk White Star is done for now."

The God of Death took a sip of wine.

The White Star wasn't the only one who was gone.

"The sealed god won't be able to get out into the world ever again either."

And the reason that was possible…

"Should I say it is all thanks to Kim Rok Soo?"

No.

There were others who were responsible as well.

All things had many people who could be said to be responsible for it. The God of Death's eyes headed toward an entry floating in the corner.

=====

Journal entry #XXX

A single-lifer was born after tens of years, generation after generation, in the Choi family of Earth 2. However, nobody from that family has ever risen to become a god.

Why is that the case?

Is it because they were born with personalities that were better suited as extremely stubborn subordinates than leaders?

Ah, I am not talking about Choi Jung Gun.

That punk isn't even a subordinate.

He's just someone I made a deal with.

It is the truth.

There is no way that I would think that that bastard, that extremely rude bastard, is a precious subordinate of mine!

I mean it!

Anyway, it is quite a peculiar household.

=====

Screeeech-

The God of Death heard the door to his house open behind him, but didn't look back. He started speaking instead.

"You're here?"

"Yes."

The God of Death summoned a couch and offered the couch and a cup of wine to the individual who walked up next to him.

"Here. Have a drink."

"It's fine. Are you reading your journals again?"

"Yes. I need to go through them at least once."

"Because your mistakes are written in them?"

"That's right. I am not omnipotent."

"Hmph."

The God of Death turned toward the individual who snorted.

He could not see the individual.

This individual definitely existed, but was not visible in the darkness.

The God of Death opened his mouth.

"So, what brings the Sun God here? You're not a god who would show up for no reason."

"...."

—

Translator's Comments

"The only things here are rocks." (PR: Sexy)