章 61: Eternal Rest
--- ? ---
I can't comprehend it.
I just want to end it all. Why can't I be granted such a simple request...?
I've lost track of time since my abduction and confinement in this dismal cell. The only memory etched in my mind is a figure injecting some peculiar blood substance into my veins. In the wake of that moment, everything changed.
Gradually, I sensed my sanity slipping away, as if some grotesque presence hovered over me, ready to consume the remnants of my mind.
Initially, fear consumed me, and I pleaded with that person to release me from this torment. Yet, after countless days, I became desensitized.
There were no mirrors in my prison, but an odd awareness clung to me.
I've transformed into an irredeemable monster.
Thus, my only wish is for death.
"Today is a good day, kekeke. Finally, we'll have...royal blood. Royal blood. Royal blood...With that, my research will finally be complete..."
In the haze of my mind, the man's words barely registered. I yearned to articulate a response, but my own mouth betrayed my attempts at control.
Even if coherent words could escape my lips, what could I possibly say to someone who seemed to have lost all reason? It was as if he had descended into madness.
As the final moments of my fleeting consciousness loomed, the door to this grim place swung open, interrupting the impending darkness.
Was it the usual visitor who came to this place?
I didn't bother to dwell on it, but the man in the lab coat suddenly erupted in shouts.
"You!? Who are you? How did you enter this pla--"
Before he could finish, a new voice cut through the air, one I hadn't heard before.
"...This damn Cult of Diablos"
His voice cut through the air, cold and chilling. The man in the lab coat fell silent, but I soon realized it wasn't solely because of the icy tone.
In my peripheral vision, I noticed the man who had been injecting me with that strange blood. His head now lay on the floor, a mask of terror etched across his face.
It was as if he had come face-to-face with a true monster...
Could it be...
I lifted my gaze out of curiosity, meeting the eyes of a man with crimson eyes and black hair. In those red depths, I sensed an abyss far deeper than the one that had been swallowing my consciousness.
Unlike me, he seemed to have controlled the abyss within him. For a brief moment, I could see a sword, although he wasn't holding one.
This odd thought faded quickly as the man began to speak to me.
"It's too late for you to return human. I can only give you two choices," he declared, his words hanging in the air.
Without uttering another word, he lightly touched the bars of my cell, and they yielded as if made of butter. I couldn't believe my eyes. Those chains were designed to suppress any form of magic, yet the black light emanating from his finger seemed to ignore that restriction.
...He's incredible.
As my mind was still hazy, it was difficult for me to keep my focus for so much time, but this may be my chance, so I held on with all I had.
He closed the distance separating us, only to continue his words.
"I can free you, and you will run away. Or, I can end your suffering here."
There was no need for him to ask. I... am tired.
I long to rest.
The torment I've endured is so excruciating that I've often wished for the relief of ending my own life.
I couldn't express this to him, as I had lost the ability to speak, but fortunately, it seemed he understood.
"I see. If that is your resolve, I shall respect that"
He didn't say much. Instead, a mystical dark light began to blossom in his hand, and I couldn't help but be captivated by its enchanting display.
Though the hue seemed mysterious, it held a peculiar beauty.
Suddenly, my thoughts were clearer than ever. I sensed my form dissipating, and what was supposed to be a painful and wretched departure felt more like a tender embrace.
Despite the magical glow appearing foreboding, it felt like the gentlest essence of magic I had ever encountered.
...Thank you, Onii-san.
I wish I could convey those words to you, but sadly, that is not possible.
--- Akira ---
As I gazed at the headless corpse standing before me, I couldn't deny the reality of the situation.
'Yeah, there's no way this is normal.'
It marked the first time I'd taken a life. No hesitation, no remorse. This guy simply had to meet his end, experiencing the same painful and wretched fate that I've felt on my own skin more than once.
And, it won't be the last life I'll take—not today, not in the future.
The young girl, instead, now free from her demonized state, had a faint smile adorning her face even in death.
Contrary to what she might have believed, my actions weren't driven by some sense of kindness or justice.
[A Nameless Girl - Quest Complete]
[You have leveled up] x10
That's all this was. A Quest to complete.
Individuals like her, victims of the Cult's experiments, could be seen as weapons the cult is gradually preparing for future use, fattening them up like livestock in their twisted research.
A test subject enduring for an extended period provides a valuable trove of data.
Regardless, she couldn't be left to the clutches of the Cult.
"...This place is trash"
With a single command, I materialized all the slime jelly at my disposal. Utilizing my Magical Power to enhance its properties, I forged razor-sharp swords that effortlessly cleaved through the entire space.
Observing the room reduced to chaos in mere moments, I couldn't help but release a weary sigh.
This eradicated all the data this madman had meticulously amassed.
It'd be better if I could also erase what I had just seen, to be quite honest.
Even though I understand the futility of such actions, the only way for me to make a change is to accumulate small victories, hoping that, over time, they might create a ripple.
I do not wield the strength Shadow possesses, not yet at least. But, I can just adopt a more strategic approach.
Having reduced the place to ruins, I took a moment to ignite a fire, ensuring any remnants of the gruesome events were obliterated.
As the flames burned everything away, I departed for my next target, fully aware that the hunt had only just begun.
'Let's see how you plan to do shit now, Zenon Griffey'
Even with the death of the researcher and the escape of the demonized girl, he exuded unwavering confidence in the original that his machinations were unfolding as intended.
I may not trust my memories, but it doesn't mean I will ignore them.
What nags at me is the certainty that if I were to have either Alexia or Iris abducted, they could lead me straight to the mastermind behind all this, but...
Unfortunately, a fragment of humanity still lingers, preventing me from taking that dark path.
Well, there are plenty of other methods for me to achieve my goals, so I suppose that settles it.
I'll settle for the next best option.
---
Author's Note:
If you are confused about who the "Nameless Girl" is, it's one of the victims of the Cult. For more context, you can see the episodes 4-5 of the anime where Alexia is kidnapped. It's that girl.
Anyway, for a while, my posting schedule may be kinda messed up...
But I am also excited since this chapter is the calm before the storm :)
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