"What is this?" Ryuk asked, looking at the golden card in Old Jack's palm.
It was glass-smooth, and drawn on it was a strange symbol of two folded wings crossing each other.
"A pass," Old Jack replied, passing the card to Ryuk.
It was strangely warm and glassy to the touch.
"This is a pass that you would give to those in the Apex Barracks."
"Long ago, I was given this by a friend as a token of appreciation. Anyone who possesses this pass and submits it to an Apex authority will be directed to the owner of this pass, who owes a single wish. That wish will be fulfilled if they are capable of it."
Old Jack's voice lowered. "This actually belongs to a pretty powerful family in Sector B."
"When you're asked for the wish, tell them you want to enter an academy."
Ryuk went still, staring blankly at the card.
"I should leave Sector E!?"
The thought came as quite the shock to Ryuk.
Sector E was a place one could enter but never leave. While Ryuk, like every young boy, had truly dreamed of seeing the world and the other sectors, he knew well that the future of that dream was bleak.
He had accepted that fact and came to terms with reality.
Besides, his years of bonding with Sector E had made him embrace his fate.
Yet, right now, everything was changing—and it was changing so fast.
He had lost Uncle Bob, and now, the knowledge that he would not be stuck in this place forever had been shattered.
Things were moving too fast for him, and he didn't know whether to feel happy or sad.
Sector E was all he had ever known.
There was a fear of survival if he moved to the other sectors, yet at the same time, he was also amazed by the prospect of seeing the outside world.
"Look around you, Ryuk. Everyone here has already lived their life. Everyone here has already accepted their fate."
Old Jack's voice was firm yet melancholy.
"We no longer look towards any bright future because we've already lived it. Our will to fight or to live is gone. We're just surviving, patiently waiting for time to pass. None of us have any goals at all."
His tone shifted, almost fatherly. "But look at you. You're sixteen, filled with life and with a goal. If you stay here forever, you wouldn't move an inch from your current path and would be doomed to mediocrity."
He paused, letting his words settle.
"Is that the future you want? Or is that the future your uncle would want for you?"
"If you ever have any hope of avenging your uncle's death or any hope of living a true life and possessing tales worth telling, then you have to move away from here."
"You have to live, just like everyone here once did."
Jack's expression softened. "But don't worry. This place will always have its arms open for you."
"Even though, honestly, I'd prefer you never came back here, you get the gist of it, right?"
Ryuk's hands clenched the card tightly.
"But why?" he asked, raising his head to look at Old Jack.
"You said this is a pass, right? Then why are you giving it to me? This is also your opportunity to leave this place. Why are you giving me your only chance of ever leaving?"
The golden card in his hands felt heavy.
Ryuk knew well that if anyone else in Sector E learned about it, it would cause a bloodbath.
Ryuk wasn't the only one who wanted to leave. If Sector E was a prison, then this card could be said to be the only key out.
Who wouldn't want it? Who wouldn't kill for it?
Yet Old Jack was essentially passing him the key, squandering his own chance of ever being able to leave.
Ryuk couldn't understand why.
"Hmm," Jack said, scratching his chin. "Let's just say I owe Old Bob one, and I hope this can repay that debt."
Ryuk narrowed his eyes as Jack continued.
"Besides," he said, rising to his feet, "I've possessed that card for close to fifty years, yet I've found no use for it until now. It's essentially just been collecting dust."
"Since I'll never really use it anyway, why not give it to someone who'll make good use of it and also settle an old debt?"
"Seems like quite a good trade to me, no?"
Old Jack moved behind Ryuk and walked towards the exit of the room.
Grabbing the doorknob, he twisted it and was about to leave when Ryuk's voice stopped him.
"Old Jack," Ryuk called. "Thank you."
"Ah, don't sweat it, kid," Old Jack said with a wave. "It's getting late. Go get some rest. I'll prepare some clothes you might need for your travels tomorrow. Sleep tight, bloody mutt."
With that, Old Jack opened the door and left.
Now, alone in the room, Ryuk sat on the bed, staring fixedly at the golden card in his palm.
"I'll be leaving for Sector B tomorrow," He thought, clenching the card tightly. He soon relaxed his grip, placing the card into his pocket.
"Your death won't be in vain, Uncle Bob. I promise."
The pain of losing Uncle Bob still hurt badly, but Ryuk knew better than to cry his eyes out.
He would find a way to kill that bird-like Knull and give Uncle Bob the justice he deserved.
That would make Uncle Bob proud—much more than endless tears ever could.
Now that he was alone, Ryuk finally had the chance to focus on the mysterious light flashing in the corner of his vision.
It felt as if there was a strange presence within his eyes, and he concentrated hard on it.
"Just what are you?" he murmured, but what happened next caused him to jerk back in shock and slam his body onto the hard, metallic ground.
[System Fusion Process Completed.]
[Identifying Host Characteristics.]
[Host Character Found.]
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In and Out_SnowySmoos.