How to break the ice.

First he needs to gather information, since now he's in a new land, and the information that Professor Musha tells him that there are also dead souls here. Maybe they can help him find the direction of the two paths.

*sigh*

"If only I can summon Pumpkin." He still couldn't forget the mistake that he made. If Pumpkin didn't go near the golden rope it will not die.

The grass makes the travel slow, unlike in Tartarus. He smiles to himself like a madman. "If you can't see an exit, then make your own exit." He said.

"Flame on!" After he gathers mana in his two hands, he burns an entire grassland, making it look like an inferno.

"Much better." He's very proud on what he's done. But suddenly, new grasses appears in the burning land, and for some reason, the flames have gone out.

*Tsk*

"Give me some slack okay? You even don't want to have a nice travel here." He complained out of nowhere, hoping that they can hear him.

Suddenly, a group of skeleton with armor are going in his direction. Seeing another skeleton, without hesitation, he flies away from them. The skeleton guards didn't give up in pursuit and still follow him.

"Flame on!" he rotate his body, facing his pursuers and doused them in intense flames. The skeleton guards didn't stand a chance and become a burning charred.

Several soul stones appeared and without further ado, he consumed all of it.

"Its a good thing that the mabeast here are weak. Time to catch my breath." He said.

The mabeast at Tartarus are stronger than the mabeast at Fields of Asphodel due to the quality of miasma. Since that is the case, the abilities that he can absorb will also minimal. But if he can find some unique mabeasts in the process, it's still a profit to him.

While walking, he uses his extreme senses to the fullest so he will not be ambushed. Now that his perception is somewhat good, he can also use this to find some dead soul. Maybe he can ask them nicely and help him in reaching his destination.

Suddenly, a group of mabeast with bath wings try to attack him. he didn't blink an eye and burns them completely without much effort.

"How nice! To think that some of the bat winged mabeast can distinguish from truth to lie. How very convenient!" What is weird is why does that bat winged mabeast have some kind of ability? It is understandable if its innate ability is echolocation.

After some time, he found a tree in this grassland. He suddenly rest against the tree so he can rest up. He didn't have to worry about physical fatigue since in the first place, he's a dead soul, but his mind now are making mistakes that he can't deny now that he's having a mental fatigue

While he is resting, he sense that someone is approaching.

"Can you please help me, handsome?" A beautiful naked woman suddenly appear in front of him.

"Can you give me some com-aarrgghh!" Before she complete her sentence, he burns her without mercy.

"My mind palace can now discern from truth to lie. Sorry lady, but you choose the wrong man to flirt." He picks up the soul stone and eat it.

"Wow! This kind of ability. Maybe I can create my own harem? Haha nah! I don't want to abuse this kind of skill." He tells himself that having an integrity is better than being a liar.

If you use your imagination, you can use your abilities with a new purpose. Charmspeak ability is more than for getting ladies. While thinking about this, he saw someone, probably a dead soul, walking in grassland. But the weird thing is, his eyes of magic saw that the dead soul has a very densed mana with a color of black.

"There's someone like me? I thought I was the only one who is banished here. Wait, why is he not in the Tartarus? Did he also get out from Tartarus?" He said.

"If I didn't approach him, I would lose information that he might have. Furthermore, if he has any bad intention against me, I will sense it immediately." He contemplates the pros and cons of the situation. Believing that asking him will benefit him more, he suddenly stands up and walk to the supposedly dead soul.

"Hey mister, can I ask you question?" He asked the stranger while trying to probe his reaction.

When the stranger heard the question, he turned around to see a dead soul that can talk. Jack saw that the man has black hair and brown eyes with stern look. He is somehow wearing black clothes like a ninja with a forehead protector.

"This is weird, why are you talking? I mean, why are you even moving? I can see that you're a dead soul, but since the dead soul in Fields of Asphodel are cannot move and always looking upwards to see the sky, then what are you?" Jack matched this response with Professor Musha's exposition. To think that the dead souls in this grassland cannot move. Jack was thinking if he will tell him the truth.

"My name is Jack, and you're right, I'm a dead soul. But I didn't come from this grassland, I came from the bottom layer, to the Tartarus." He exclaimed.

He decided to tell the truth because if you want someone to trust you, you must give them a reason why they have to trust you. And for that, he needs to introduce himself and just tell him the truth. Even though the stranger might lie, since he can now discern from truth or lie, he can cope in this situation.

"I see, that means you're banished from your world. By the way, I'm Kotaro Fuma, an assassin." Jack was shocked since he's meeting a historical person here.

"You must be confuse on something. Come with me, I'm going to my hideout anyway. We can talk about your situation there." Since his intention is sincere, I follow him to his hideout and maybe ask if he knows Ms. Persephone.

Thinking about on how to reach to Ms. Persephone, Kotaro observes him since his condition is somehow abnormal while heading in his hideout.

They go to Kotaro's hideout while still silent. This makes Jack somehow bored. He thinks that Kotaro is also not good in starting a conversation.

"I'm screaming something to you! Whatever something to me! Zureta kotae o doketa saki dake ga..." Since there's no reason to have a conversation and walking in silence is somehow boring. he unleash his voice through singing, making the assassin somehow surprise.

"That song. Some of the language is hard to understand, but I can somehow understand most of it. Tell me Jack-kun, are you Japanese?" Kotaro wants to make sure if he's seeing his fellow countrymen, it's weird since he doesn't look like Japanese, not in one bit.

"Sorry but I'm not Japanese, I'm Filipino-American. But if you're asking on why I know Japanese songs, its because I'm an otaku in the previous world." He confidently answers the assassin's inquiry.

Using an intro song in one of his favorite anime, he somehow breaks the ice and now having a nice conversation with Kotaro. To think that his country become powerful in economy, to the point that it can stand side by side with other strong countries, Kotaro being a nationalist is very proud. Although, this anime thing is still confusing to him.

Walking while having a nice conversation makes Jack reminds the time when he is talking to his good friends about the new release of anime in fall, such good times didn't last. Even in his last breath, his good friends didn't leave him and just stayed beside him, crying while having a smile in there faces.

Reminiscing in his previous life still has a slight pain in him. 'Maybe that's why I have to drink the Elixir. To really have a new start, I have to forget everything so that there's no need for attachments. Still, I'm a coward since I can't let go in my previous life. If only I have friends here, I can somehow forget.' He thinks.

Kotaro now see his hideout and tells Jack that we can continue this conversation inside. When Jack saw the hideout, he didn't wonder why the hideout is a Japanese style house. The entire house is made out of wood, and when he see the interior, he saw the floor is composed of tatami mats.

They sit in the living room and the assassin makes some green tea on the spot and he offer it to Jack. The taste is like the authentic green tea, very refreshing after you eat.

"Mr. Kotaro, you addressed me earlier as a dead soul right? But what about you, are you also a dead soul?" He inquired this since he has a very dense mana. Meaning, a dead soul with very dense mana is abnormal. That's why he conclude that maybe he is not a dead soul, but a powerful something that has a very dense mana.

"Well, you're right. I'm not a dead soul since I'm alive again. I already passed the trials of Queen Persephone and become an Einherjar." Kotaro's answer puts a smile in Jack's face. He struck some gold mine, he only intends to find the direction where the Fields of Elysium is, but now he has the information of a dead soul that successfully being revived. What a nice luck.

"Actually, my goal is also to become alive again. Can you help me, Mr. Kotaro?" He shamelessly asked since he doesn't want to let go this opportunity.

The assassin thinks first and drinks his tea so he can decide what's best for Jack. "Based on your physique, you are not yet qualified." He said with a serious tone.

"I know I'm asking for much but please help me. What do I have to do to make you help me?" He persuade the assassin. He doesn't want to back down now that he is so close to his goals.

"I'm aware that you're a good man, but just like I said, the problem lies in your physique. You're still not worthy to take the trial" He said with patience in his tone.

"Before I help you, I have to know why you want to be alive. Because this procedure is taboo in human sense, you're already dead and you want to walk again in real world. If you ask me, that's absurd." The assassin said.

"Seriously? You're telling me that while you yourself is alive again?" He smiles in Kotaro's warnings.

But before Kotaro can explain further, Jack tells Kotaro his circumstances. The conversation with Mr. Saint Peter, his journey in Tartarus, his training with Professor Musha and so on. He didn't tell Kotaro that he captured the Grim Reaper and contain him in his Duat. His instinct tells him that its better that no one knows this.

"Hahaha so that's why! What a ridiculous idea! You seriously didn't drink the Elixir? Such a shame, Jack. Such a shame." He literally mocks Jack now he knows the truth. His reaction signifies that he doesn't have any malice to him and considered him as his friend.

"Then what about you? How can you still remember your previous life? See, you also didn't drink the Elixir." He countered the assassin using logic.

"Actually, I'm not a candidate for reincarnation, I was subjected as prisoner to be tortured forever in Fields of Punishment" He said.

"Oh... I'm sorry to hear that. That's not what I meant, really." He apologized sincerely.

"Don't mention it, my friend. Since I know your circumstances now, I can help you so that you can be qualified as a contender in the trials." He said to Jack with confidence.

"Wait, how come you're an Einherjar?" with a pronunciation of EN-HER-YAR, he was confused since if Kotaro is a sinner, how come he become worthy as an Einherjar and become alive again.

"It's simple, I was pardoned by warden Scathach." Kotaro now shares his experience on how he become an Einherjar.