Saka woke up in the middle of a field of waterlogged hay. The sky was clear and starry, nothing obscuring the horizon for miles around. Behind him, a massive purple giant sat on a stone throne, its eyes closed. Saka was amazed by the sheer size of this creature. How could something like this exist? Was it a human... or a monster?
Saka raised his head to the sky, reliving the moment of his death: the blast collar around his neck suddenly loosening and tearing his jaws apart.
Saka: "Doesn't matter... I should be dead now. Well, it seems my revenge idea failed."
Purple Giant: "No!"
Saka shuddered at the sound. This creature was speaking! He fell to his knees, unable to move in terror.
Purple Giant: "Saka... you want to return to that world. Right? You want revenge. Right? Let's assume I can accomplish that... but... I have one request before that. If you want to return, there's a specific task I want you to complete..."
Saka looked at his hands. Did he really want to return? Did he want to relive that hell? And even if he did return, all he would have to do was kill humans and monsters... nothing more. Was that worth it? But at the same time, he didn't want to stay here.
Saka: "I..."
Purple Giant: "Saka!! As soon as morning comes, you'll disappear from this world. I can't bring you back. You're not dead yet, but with the sunrise, you'll be gone, and it'll be out of my hands. So think carefully... and quickly, because time is your enemy now, not me."
Saka: "But why... why don't you return to the world and do what you want? And why me? And what exactly do you want?"
Purple Giant: "Saka, Saka... you'll know in time what I want. I'll give you tasks to perform for me from time to time. What do you say? Shall we make this deal?"
The giant extended his finger toward Saka. Saka looked at him carefully, filled with surprise, but since returning was the only available and most logical option... he agreed.
Saka: "Okay... a deal. But after you've finished your business, I want my freedom."
The giant laughed a deep, piercing laugh that shook the space around him.
Purple Giant: "Your freedom? I won't take it away from you. You're free to do whatever you want... except when it comes to my requests. And I promise that once I'm done, the last thing I'll do is sever all ties between us. Are we in agreement?"
He held his finger closer to Saka.
Saka: "Yes... we do."
The moment the giant's finger touched him, Saka woke up in the pit of blood he'd been lying in... but... his neck, which had just exploded, and his shattered jaws had completely healed as if nothing had happened!
Saka: "Is this a dream?!"