— The void… Everything is white. Where am I? I see only white, I hear nothing. Am I in the realm of the dead?
*No. We are in your subconscious.*
— My subconscious? What is that?
*It is an unlimited version of your consciousness. Consciousness can die; the subconscious cannot. That is why we cannot all become aware of what escapes consciousness.*
— What? But who are you?
A body appeared out of nowhere.
— What? The young black-haired Satsujin Otoko!
— Yes, it's me, Mutreph. Have you taken the trouble to look at yourself, for a moment?
— What do you mean?
Mutreph lowered his eyes to himself and was seized by what he saw. He had no suture points. His skin was smooth: that of an ordinary human.
— What? Is this a dream?
He touched his head, his face.
— It's impossible! I have hair, eyes, a mouth. I am a normal human, not the one my father disfigured!
— Yes. Here, this is your true self, in your subconscious. It is no longer simply your consciousness, nor your memory.
— But I don't understand. What are you doing in my subconscious? And how did you enter?
— It's very simple. Earlier, while you were crying on the ground, our gazes crossed, and I asked you for permission. You granted it to me, without realizing it. It's very dangerous, but I am not here to harm you. Only to speak with you.
— Speak to me about what? And why am I naked?
Bakuzan drew closer.
— That, I have no idea. Tell me, do you believe in the principle of reincarnation?
Mutreph thought for a moment.
— No. It's absurd.
Bakuzan snickered.
— Yet it is quite real. Your chances of reincarnating after your death are one hundred percent.
Mutreph widened his eyes, then burst out laughing.
— Ha ha ha! What are you telling me? Reincarnation is impossible, for the simple reason that it makes no sense.
— On the contrary, it does.
— Huh?
— My father explained it to me: once, when he was still very powerful, he had observed it himself. There exist what are called the fundamental states of the existence of beings. They obey a logic that one cannot divert, modify or touch except by following that same logic, and its own functioning. They articulate in their own way the mind, the soul, history and the being. It is thanks to the being that we can reincarnate: as long as it is not touched, you will reincarnate. Me, I cannot touch beyond your mind and your soul: so you have nothing to fear. It is moreover because I can touch your soul that I find myself in your subconscious.
Mutreph understood nothing. Everything was going too fast for him.
— What are you telling me?
— What I know. The logic that governs these fundamental states is so solid, so capricious, that even the beings of the superior Meracloxes, at the center of the universe, cannot modify it if they do not follow this unique functioning. And, to follow it, one must first understand it. Me, I understood it thanks to my father. That is why I can touch your mind and your soul, even if I cannot go further, for the moment.
— I didn't understand anything.
Bakuzan sighed.
— Fine. Teaching you this functioning is not ideal. I simply want to tell you that you are going to reincarnate, and that it is probable that your mother has already done so.
— How do you know, about my mother?
— I read your thoughts earlier. I am truly sorry for your past: I did not know you had lived through such horrors. That is why I intend to offer you a second chance, because your life has been nothing but a long injustice.
— Oh yes? And how?
— I intend to give you the possibility of remembering your previous life. But, in exchange, you will have to make me a promise.
— Huh? You can do that? Are you a god?
— Ha ha, no. But, in exchange for a favor, one can obtain a miracle by sacrificing something very important.
— You're going to sacrifice something?
Bakuzan nodded.
— What then?
— Ten years of my lifespan.
— Really? You're not telling me nonsense?
— No. I am in your subconscious in full consciousness: isn't that enough proof for you?
— Hum…
— Now, let's talk about the promise you will owe me.
— Did you first ask me if I agreed?
— Hum…
— It would be good to reincarnate without remembering this cursed life. Every day, I have only relived it in thought, again and again. It's a nightmare, a nightmare of which I would like to no longer remember. I appreciate your gesture, kid, but however strong and intelligent you may be, you cannot understand the suffering of the one who has lived it. It's very different.
— Hum… You're probably right. Tell me, would you like to see your mother again, live with her, without this life? A happy life, but remembering that it is her, your mother, and everything she did for you?
— What? You can do that?
Bakuzan smiled.
— I thought so. It's not your past that haunts you, but your mother's sacrifice. You must miss her enormously, and having seen her suffer must have marked you a great deal. I can do it, if I sacrifice a thousand years of my lifespan in the pact. That's enormous.
— What? A thousand years? But that's a pity! You can't do it: you would die from it, and you would still have debts in the world of the dead, since you cannot live a thousand years.
Bakuzan burst out laughing.
— Ha ha ha! Satsujin Otoko live a very long time, my dear. A thousand years is almost nothing: it's as if I were removing a few milliseconds from my life.
— Incredible. And this pact, where does it take place?
— In the subconscious. That's why I'm here. You will remember your previous life, but not what happened here. Me neither, by the way: once out of here, I will forget everything.
— Why?
— Because we cannot become aware of what cannot be. Here, we are like in a sort of black market, where desires can be bought. The gods listen to us and are in a position to realize all our dreams, in exchange for a very important sacrifice. They are merchants of dreams, who sell their merchandise dearly. But be careful: one can use the subconscious only once in one's entire existence. Even after reincarnation, it will be impossible to start over. That is why one must think carefully, when one finds oneself there.
— You too, so you will no longer be able to use it?
— Think again. We are in your subconscious, not in mine. I am still in a position to use mine if needed. Even if the sacrifice comes from me, as long as it takes place in your subconscious, it only concerns you.
— Pff, you come to spoil mine, when it might have been more useful to me later. Fine, enough talk: let's see if you're not telling me nonsense.
— Very well. Now, let's talk about the promise you will owe me.
Mutreph swallowed.
— Go ahead.
— Promise me not to take revenge on your father in your next life, even though you will know that he was your father in the previous one.
— Just that? Yes, I promise you. As long as I am with my sweet mother, I only want to see her joy again, her smile and her beauty. That's all.
— Very well, mama's boy.
— Hum…
Mutreph blushed. Bakuzan bit his finger, until he slightly wounded himself.
— Do the same with your finger.
Mutreph imitated him. Bakuzan stretched his finger toward Mutreph's, who did the same. Their blood touched. The blood pact was open: a magic circle appeared on the ground. A gigantic statue, in the form of a Buddha, surged from nowhere. Mutreph, frightened and intimidated, knew however that he had to keep his calm.
— O name of God, witness of this scene, I ask that the subject Mutreph, here present, may reincarnate as the child of his previous mother, already reincarnated in another life. I add that the subject shall remember his past in this life, in order to enjoy the joy of seeing his mother again and living with her. In exchange, the subject promises never to attack his father for revenge, as he did in this life. Finally, as a sacrifice, we offer you a thousand years of life from the young Bakuzan Satsujin Otoko, whom I am.
The statue began to shine with an immense brilliance. It was in the process of taking the thousand years of Bakuzan's life. Mutreph, stunned, saw tears of joy and gratitude flow from his eyes: he was going to see his mother again.
— Bakuzan, I don't know how to thank you. It's incredible. One thing is certain: in my next life, I will remember you and who you are. I would like to find you again one day and return the favor, even if I know I will never be able to repay a thousand years of life… Thank you very much.
The golden light of the statue invaded the void, and everything disappeared in these places. During this brief instant, Mutreph looked again into Bakuzan's eyes, tears in his own, full of gratitude. Bakuzan looked at him in turn, gave him one last smile, then everything faded away completely.