No sooner said than done.
Frank’s breathing was growing weaker by the second.
If they delayed any longer, it would truly be too late.
Carrying Frank’s lifeless body in one hand while Nemu followed closely behind, Lorde quickly arrived at the hidden chamber beneath the Seireitei.
Before officially turning Frank into a Soul Reaper, however, he needed the man’s consent.
If Frank refused, Lorde had no intention of forcing him.
Since he was in his physical body, his Zanpakutō had transformed into a cane with the Soul Reaper insignia engraved at its base.
The cane had only one purpose—to force a living person’s soul out of their body.
In the original story, both Rukia and Kisuke Urahara had used this method to help Kurosaki Ichigo leave his physical body.
Supporting Frank’s dying body, Lorde raised the cane, aimed it at his forehead, and gave it a firm tap.
Pop!
Frank’s slightly transparent soul was instantly pushed out of his body.
A long chain extended from his chest, connecting him to his physical body.
“Yo.”
Leaning casually on his cane, Lorde smiled gently.
“Frank, how are you feeling?”
“Huff…
huff…”
Frank fell to one knee, breathing heavily, his face pale.
“Why…
is it…
so hard to breathe?”
“It’s normal.”
Lorde smiled faintly.
“When a living person’s soul leaves their body, breathing always feels difficult at first.
Don’t panic.”
A living person?
A soul?
My body?
“What do you mean?”
Frank looked utterly confused, unable to understand what Lorde was talking about.
“It means…”
Lorde pointed his cane to the side.
“You’re dead, Frank.”
“I’m…
dead?”
Following the direction of the cane, Frank’s pupils shrank to pinpoints.
“Wait…
Lorde…
is that…
my body?”
“Not yet.”
Lorde glanced at it before calmly replying,
“But it will be soon.”
The moment a soul leaves its body, the body’s time of death enters a state of suspension.
From this point onward, it would take roughly one to two hours before Frank’s body died completely.
“I…
died?”
Frank’s face turned deathly pale.
His lips trembled as pain and despair flickered across his eyes.
“Even you…
can’t save me?”
Faced with the last trace of hope in the man’s eyes, Lorde silently shook his head.
“I can’t.”
“Your injuries are too severe.
They’re beyond repair.”
“I’m sorry, Frank.”
Those words extinguished the final spark of hope in Frank’s eyes.
“Heh…”
His expression became empty.
An endless storm of rage, frustration, and despair surged inside him, yet he had nowhere to direct it.
He was dead.
Meanwhile, the people who had murdered his wife and children were still alive, enjoying wealth, power, and privilege.
He hated it.
He hated his own helplessness.
He hated the injustice of the law.
He hated the corruption of the government.
Most of all…
He hated this absurd world.
“AAAAARGH!”
Frank slammed his fist into the ground and let out a heart-wrenching roar, venting every ounce of resentment buried deep within his soul. This chapter was taken from novelping dot com without permission.
“Ahem…
sorry to interrupt.”
Lorde spoke at just the right moment.
“Actually, there is another way for you to continue living…
in a different form.”
“I just don’t know if you’re willing to accept it.”
“What?!”
The moment Frank heard there was still hope, his eyes widened.
“What is it?”
“I don’t care what the price is.
I’m willing to pay it!”
“Even your soul?”
“…”
Frank hesitated.
In the Western world, anyone who demanded a person’s soul in exchange for power was usually a demon.
From Frank’s point of view, the moment Lorde mentioned his soul, there was a very high chance that he was one.
But after calming down, Frank suddenly realized something.
If he was now just a soul…
…how could Lorde see him?
He really was a demon.
But…
So what if he was?
When his wife and children were slaughtered…
…where was God?
When he placed his faith in the law…
…where was justice?
When he looked to the government…
…where was fairness?
Nowhere.
Never.
Not once.
If that was the case…
Then he would gladly fall into Hell.
Even if it meant sacrificing his soul, he would avenge his wife and children.
“Including…
my soul.”
Frank answered without another moment of hesitation.
“As long as you give me the chance to take my revenge, you can have my soul…
or even my life.”
“Very good, Frank.”
Lorde nodded in satisfaction.
He had judged the man correctly.
“Since you’ve accepted, there are a few things I need to explain.”
“Do we need to sign a contract?”
“A contract?”
“Yeah.”
“The kind demons always use.”
“You know…
flaming parchment covered with a bunch of deceptive bullshit.”
“…”
Lorde stared at him speechlessly.
“Frank…
I’m honestly curious.”
“How exactly did you conclude that I’m a demon?”
Frank shrugged.
“That’s how it always works on TV.”
“Demons take people’s souls as payment.”
“Frank…”
Lorde rubbed his temples with a sigh.
“You really need to watch less television.”
“I’m not a demon.”
“And I don’t want your soul.”
“No problem, demon.”
Frank’s expression clearly said, Believe whatever helps you sleep at night.
“So, how are you bringing me back?”
“Are you going to turn me into a demon too?”
Lorde gave up trying to explain.
“Look down.”
“Do you see the chain attached to your chest?”
Only then did Frank notice the chain extending from his chest to his physical body.
Clang.
He gave it a tug.
“It’s pretty sturdy.”
“What’s it for?”
“The Chain of Karma.”
Lorde answered calmly.
“It binds your soul to your physical body.”
“The moment it’s severed…”
“…your connection to your body disappears forever.”
“Oh.”
Frank nodded absentmindedly.
“I don’t really care about that.”
“What I care about is how you’re going to bring me back.”
A strange smile appeared on Lorde’s face.
“Frank…”
“I never said I was going to resurrect you.”
“What?”
Before Frank could finish speaking, a cold flash sliced through the air.
Clang!
A sharp blade severed the chain in a shower of sparks.
Frank froze.
His pupils contracted violently.
He clearly remembered what Lorde had just said.
If that chain was broken…
…he could never return to his body.
“There.”
Lorde calmly sheathed his blade.
“Now…”
“You can never be resurrected, Frank.”
“Fuck you!”
Veins bulged across Frank’s forehead as he roared.
“What the hell are you doing, you damn demon?!”
“As you can see.”
Lorde remained completely composed.
“I’ve severed the connection between your soul and your body.”
“Lorde!”
Frank’s face twisted with fury.
“You bastard!”
“I trusted you…”
“And you lied to me!”
“Calm down, Frank.”
Lorde’s voice remained steady.
“Being alive doesn’t necessarily mean remaining human.”
“There are other ways to live.”
“Hmph.”
Frank let out a cold snort.
“So your plan is still to turn me into a demon.”
“Of course not.”
Lorde shook his head.
“If you truly wish to live…”
“If you truly desire the power to take your revenge…”
“…then stop asking so many questions.”
As a former Marine, Frank still possessed the discipline of a soldier.
After a long silence, he spoke in a deep voice.
“Fine.”
“Even if I become a demon…”
“…I still want to live.”
“Excellent.”
Lorde smiled faintly.
“Some things are better experienced than explained.”
Rather than wasting time trying to convince Frank with words, it would be far simpler to let him witness everything firsthand.
“Good.”
Frank flashed a grin, revealing his white teeth.
“I’ve never liked complicated explanations.”
“So…”
“What do I need to do?”