The rooftop was quiet.
For the first time since I died, nothing was chasing me.
No screeching monsters.
No shadow creatures.
Just cold wind moving through the empty ghost city.
I sat on the edge of the building, staring down at the frozen streets.
"Vikram," I said.
"Hmm?"
"You destroyed those things like it was nothing."
He shrugged.
"I've had practice."
I turned toward him.
"How long have you been here?"
Vikram didn't answer immediately.
Instead, he looked up at the sky of the In-Between.
The clouds never moved here.
Finally he spoke.
"Four years."
My brain froze.
"FOUR YEARS?!"
He nodded calmly.
"Ghost time is weird."
"That is not the shocking part!"
I stood up.
"You've been dead for FOUR YEARS and you didn't think to mention that earlier?!"
"You didn't ask."
"That feels like important information!"
Vikram laughed quietly.
Then his expression became more serious.
"Rive… the In-Between isn't just a waiting room."
He pointed toward the city below.
"It's a world."
"A dangerous one."
I crossed my arms.
"Okay. Explain the rules before another nightmare tries to eat me."
"Fair."
Vikram sat on an old water tank and began explaining.
"In this world, ghosts aren't equal."
"Of course not," I sighed. "Even death has competition."
"There are rankings."
He raised one finger.
"First type — Rulers."
"These ghosts build power by gathering followers. They form groups, almost like gangs."
"They control ghost armies and dominate parts of the city."
"Basically… ghost gang leaders."
I blinked.
"We have ghost gangs?"
"Yes."
"Why does the afterlife sound like a crime movie?"
Vikram ignored me.
He raised a second finger.
"Second type — Element Controllers."
"These ghosts can control parts of the ghost world itself."
"Wind, shadows, energy, sometimes even the ground."
"They grow stronger by mastering the environment."
"So… ghost wizards?"
"…If that helps you understand."
He raised a third finger.
"Third type — Seers."
"These ghosts can see fragments of the future."
"They track other ghosts… hunt them… and grow stronger by consuming them."
I stared at him.
"Wait."
"They eat other ghosts?"
"Yes."
"That is extremely disturbing."
"They're called Ghost Hunters."
"Most ghosts fear them."
I slowly sat down again.
"So basically the ghost world has gangs, wizards, and psychic ghost hunters."
"Correct."
"And monsters."
My head snapped up.
"Monsters?"
Vikram nodded toward the dark horizon.
"In both worlds… there are creatures called Soul Eaters."
"They devour souls."
"They grow stronger every time they consume a ghost."
"They even enter the living world sometimes."
I swallowed.
"So those shadow things earlier—"
"Low-level creatures."
My soul nearly left my soul.
"LOW LEVEL?!"
Vikram continued calmly.
"But the worst ones are called Ghost-Eater Monsters."
"They don't just kill ghosts."
"They absorb them."
"Completely."
I stared at the silent city.
"This place is horrible."
"Correct."
Then Vikram looked directly at me.
"But you're different."
"What do you mean?"
He pointed at my chest.
"You're not showing signs of a normal ghost type."
My stomach dropped.
"That sounds dangerous."
"There are rumors about a fourth category."
"Great."
"A Hybrid Ghost."
My brain stopped.
"Those ghosts can use abilities from multiple types."
"They're extremely rare."
"And very powerful."
I blinked.
"Please tell me you're joking."
Vikram shook his head.
"Your energy earlier reacted to the Watchers."
"That doesn't happen to normal ghosts."
Before I could respond—
A horrible scream echoed through the city.
Not a monster.
A human voice.
My heart froze.
I recognized it instantly.
"…Arin?"
The scream came again.
This time closer.
Vikram's expression changed.
"That's not good."
"Why?"
We ran to the edge of the rooftop.
Down below, in the dark street—
A ghost was standing.
Its body twisted.
Its eyes glowing dark red.
Around it were broken ghost fragments.
It was eating them.
Absorbing their energy.
My chest felt like it shattered.
Because I recognized the face.
"Arin…"
But something was wrong.
His smile looked… wild.
Hungry.
Stronger than any ghost around him.
He slowly looked up.
Directly at me.
And grinned.
"Oh," Vikram muttered quietly.
"That's very bad."
My voice shook.
"Why?"
Vikram answered slowly.
"Because your best friend…"
"…just became a Ghost Devourer."
Arin licked the dark energy from his hands.
And spoke my name.
"Rive."
"I've been getting stronger."
"Waiting for you."