Extra's Perfect Ending

Chapter 169: Offer

Reeva waited, feeling the sweat trickle down his temple as his nerves wound tight, bracing for the god’s response.

"So, you’re saying you want to become my apostle, correct?" The Sun God’s voice cut through the tension, eyes sharp, weighing Reeva’s every word.

"Yes, sir. I’d do anything for you."

The answer came out shameless, but Reeva had no room for pride here. Being a god’s apostle had both upsides and dangers, but the benefits outweighed the risks. The biggest advantage? Protection. Becoming the Sun God’s apostle would put him under divine immunity, effectively solving his current predicament with the Sun Church.

Two birds with one stone: gaining divine favor and escaping his captors.

"Hahaha," the Sun God chuckled, clearly amused. "You’re more flexible than I thought. I’ll give you that. Your offer is intriguing, but… my apostle can’t be of another mystic force. How do you plan to manage that?"

Reeva’s mind raced. The mystic force within someone was their core essence. Changing that wasn’t simple—it required altering beliefs and, more importantly, transforming the very circle of their being. A weak belief could risk hollowing out a person’s identity, but a strong belief, like his, made it harder to change without severe consequences.

But Reeva wasn’t planning to play by the rules.

"I don’t need to believe in you to be your apostle," Reeva said, his voice calm, his mind already ahead. Most gods would be outraged at such a suggestion—it bordered on heresy. Apostles were supposed to embody unwavering faith, after all. But Reeva knew the Sun God was different. This wasn’t just a gamble, he was following what had happened in the original story.

In the book, the Sun God’s apostle hadn’t been a believer either, at least not originally. That small detail was all Reeva needed to know that this plan could work. Yet, in his rush of confidence, he had forgotten one crucial fact.

"So, did you see the future? What is my answer?" The Sun God leaned back, the gravity of the situation creeping back into his tone, though his face remained unreadable.

Reeva, trying to stay composed, replied, "You’ll make me your apostle."

His voice carried confidence, but inside he knew the god had seen through him. The Sun God’s smile widened, seeing through the bluff with ease.

"You don’t have that information, do you? Guess you’re not as useful as I thought."

"Wait! If you made me your apostle right now, I could get your message across faster—please!" Reeva blurted, desperation slipping through.

The Sun God laughed again, this time louder, the sound rumbling through the reeds like a wave. "You amuse me. But amusement alone doesn’t make you worthy."

The Sun God let out a booming laugh at Reeva’s desperate plea. "It’s not often I hear voices down here," he said with a gleam in his eye, "let alone someone begging for mercy."

Reeva lay trembling on the ground, finally able to breathe as the crushing pressure began to lift. The god’s laughter wasn’t as threatening as before—it almost seemed amused.

"However," the Sun God continued, "I think I could make a compromise. The fact that you haven’t gone insane from the void power must mean something. Perhaps… you’re the key I’ve been waiting for all this time."

Reeva’s body went limp the moment the pressure was released completely. He gasped, filling his lungs with as much air as he could, his entire body shaking from the sheer effort of surviving the encounter. He wasn’t dead. That was good. He was alive, and now he had to figure out what the Sun God wanted.

"I need assistance, something important," the Sun God said, his voice turning more serious. "You may have already noticed, given your repeated visits, but my field of reeds doesn’t extend forever. At the edge of my domain lies a large crack. I need you to go and close it."

Reeva blinked, staring at the god in disbelief. "What?"

The crack. Of course, he’d seen it before—the gaping tear in the ground that separated the vast field of reeds from the desolate black wasteland beyond. The thing seemed unfixable, an impossible breach.

"You want me to close that?"

The Sun God nodded calmly. "Don’t worry. I have something that might help, considering you have void power. You can rent it from me for a bit."

"Can’t you do it yourself?" Reeva blurted out, regretting the question immediately.

"Do you want to be my apostle or not?"

Reeva felt his heart skip. He hadn’t said anything, but the god smirked as if he’d heard the thought as clearly as spoken words.

"Your face is easy to read," the Sun God said with a playful smile. "So, do you want this job or not?"

"I’ll do it," Reeva replied, trying to mask his hesitation. He didn’t have many options. Escaping his current predicament and earning favor with a god was far more important than questioning the impossible.

"Good spirit," the Sun God said, clearly pleased. "Follow me."

The Sun God began walking, each step even and mechanical, though there was something peaceful about it. Reeva followed closely behind, his mind buzzing with questions, but time seemed to slip away as they passed through the endless reeds. Before long, they arrived at the crack.

It was just as Reeva remembered, perhaps even larger now. The chasm gaped before him, dark and jagged, its presence like a wound in the world. On the other side, the endless black rocks lay desolate, a place where nothing lived or moved.

"Here," the Sun God said, handing Reeva a bundle of reeds bound with a simple rope. These reeds were different—greener, more alive than any Reeva had seen in this bleak place.

"This is the root of the reeds," the god explained. "Place it as deep into the crack as you can, then get back up here fast."

Reeva took the bundle, the weight of it unfamiliar in his hands. Before he could ask, the god manifested a sturdy rope, tying it around Reeva’s waist.

"Tug on this when you’re ready for a pull-up. But only after you’ve placed the roots. And if you die down there, well, I’ll consider that the end of our little arrangement. You’ll never become my apostle. Are we clear?"

Reeva swallowed hard and nodded. "Yes, sir."

"Good luck," the Sun God said, stepping back to sit on the edge of the hole. There was something oddly solemn in his posture, almost as if he were sighing with the weight of eons on his shoulders.

Reeva, now bound by the rope and holding the reeds, stared down into the dark chasm. The sight was as unsettling as ever, a black maw that seemed to pulse with emptiness. He had seen down there once before, and the memory was enough to send a shiver through him. But there was no turning back now.

He looked at the Sun God once more, unsure of how to proceed, but there was no going back. Taking a deep breath, he peered over the edge, hoping this time would be different, that something—anything—would work out in his favor.

With one last glance upward, he began his descent into the crack.