"I didn't expect you to have such a story in the past."

"It's a little embarrassing when I think about it, but I don't really care about it anymore."

Leon and Angelin talked all night while killing time. Before they even realized it, it was already morning, but the snowstorm outside was still falling without any signs of stopping.

In the cabin, apart from Leon and Angelin, there were Alex and three other friends. Antonio, Tony, and Keith. They were discussing with serious faces when they saw the snowstorm outside.

"This is bad. If this blizzard doesn't stop, then we might be forced to come back down from here."

"We can't go down even after this snowstorm is over. We're halfway to the top. Even if we go down now, the plane that will pick us up will not come and we will have to stay at the foot of the mountain for the next week. Antonio, are you going to give up on scattering grandma's ashes on Mount Everest?"

"Tony's right. We're already halfway there. Even if we want to go back, it will take time. I need to get to the top of Everest to get the research samples I have." Keith added, rejecting the decision to go downstairs.

"Alex, what about you?" Antonio looked at Alex.

"I'm neutral for now. Whatever decision you take, I will follow it. After all, I came here to take a walk while looking at Mount Everest."

"Then what about you?" Antonio looked at Angelin who was talking to Leon while jotting down something in her notebook.

"Ah, I'm neutral too. You do whatever you decide." Angelin seemed to be writing in a hurry. Leon watched her record every conversation they had and the arguments that occurred.

It was as if she was doing her research this time.

Seeing that no one supported his decision to go down, Antonio could only look at the last person. "How about you?"

"Me?" Leon thought about it for a while before turning his gaze outside. "I don't reject the idea of continuing, because you all have your own reasons for doing this."

"But this time I will abstain. It's up to you guys to decide."

Antonio had no other choice but to postpone this climb. Honestly, he wanted to get out of this place because of the bad feeling he felt. But he had to follow the wishes of others.

There was no way he would go to the foot of the mountain alone. He wasn't that stupid to separate from the group.

"In your opinion, is that action correct?" Angelin asked Leon.

"Why do you ask?"

"No, I just think that as a leader, he is not firm enough in making decisions. You know, I once heard a story from a professor at the University. In certain cases, majority voting is not the best solution in solving the problem."

Leon became interested. He took a sip of warm water as he said. "Can you tell me?"

Angelin was silent for a moment before starting to tell the story. "On a ship that was tossed in the middle of the ocean, a captain bravely steered the ship in the middle of the vast ocean. At that time, a terrible storm was brewing but everyone on board was calm because of the captain."

"But one night, without any reason, the captain suddenly disappeared. Without a leader to lead them, everyone was in chaos. In the midst of the dangers and storms that occurred, the people began to vote by popular vote."

"What do you think happened?" Angelin asked Leon while writing something in her book.

This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

Honestly, it's an interesting story. Leon had heard about this comparison from political experts.

This is actually a metaphor for a group led by someone. The ship is the organization, the passengers are the members, and the captain is the leader.

"It all depends on the leader. "Either the captain will bring the passengers safely to their destination despite the storm, or even return to port to look for a new captain."

Either you survive and become a hero, or return as a failure and will eventually be replaced.

Angelin seemed to smile at Leon's answer. This two-way approach without taking sides shows that Leon is not fixated on a particular point of view.

"Then what if the captain can't determine what decision to take? In the midst of a terrible storm in the middle of the sea, the captain, who could not make a decision, finally decided to vote on a decision. What do you think will happen? "

"The ship will be destroyed," Leon answered without hesitation. He took a sip of the warm water which warmed his body.

The situation was the same as the scene this time. As far as Leon remembered, after the night he was rescued by Alex and his group, there was no snowstorm. He would join Alex and the others and continue climbing.

They will reach the top of Everest, Antonio and Tony will scatter their grandmother's ashes, Keith will get the research samples he wants, and everyone will take photos to commemorate the moment on Mount Everest.

Isn't that a happy ending? There were no accidents or problems during the climb.

As much as Leon wanted that to happen, he knew that this was a test.

But what impressed me was that he could manipulate someone's past and make them experience that incident. Trapping them in their own memories without realizing it. Even Leon was also trapped even though he could still tell that there was something wrong with his memory.

Codex of thousand Minds and consciousness. Leon didn't know what use this talent had, but cultivating this guy as an ordinary magus was too much of a waste.

Moreover, this person was also a Reincarnator. Isn't that amazing?

If Felix is a hidden gem with unexpected potential, then Blood Shadow is a rough diamond that is still raw. Just polish it a little, and it will show its astronomical value.

While looking outside, Leon took a sip of warm water into his mouth. "It all starts from here."

He immediately turned his gaze towards Angelin. "Hey Angelin..."

"What?"

"In your opinion, even if the captain still decided to sail to his destination, would they survive?"

Angelin was silent for a moment and couldn't answer. The answer she can give to this question is very broad. The slightest variable will change the entire fate of the ship.

So she gave an ambiguous answer. "Didn't you already say it, it all depends on the leader. From what I see, attitude is what determines the path you will pursue. The captain may foolishly believe that he can get them to their destination but in the end, they will die."

"The captain could also decide to return but find the same ending. Dead."

"You're right. Whatever the new captain chooses, he will only die." Leon smiled while looking outside.

His mind immediately went to work and recalled all the experiences he had on Mount Everest.

What separates it is only the attitude that the captain takes. This is actually just a trick question that only has one answer. Whatever the new captain chooses, all choices will only end in death.

Leon closed the window curtains again and walked to his bag. The items he owned were still the same as his memories. "It won't be enough if I have to stay here any longer."

Leon, without thinking, packed all his belongings and put on a thick red jacket with 5 layers. He also wore thick gloves and wore a warmer under his clothes.

"Leon… What are you doing?" Angelin asked while looking at Leon strangely.

Angelin's voice turned everyone's gaze to Leon who was packing the remaining things. Lastly, he wore an eye patch that protected his eyes from the snow.

Everything is complete. Leon smiled on his face which was covered by his thick clothes.

"Hey, Leon. No kidding. You don't really want to get out there, do you?" Antonio held Leon's shoulder while pointing at the blizzard that was raging outside.

Leon ignored Antonio's question and took the ski poles he was carrying. He walked towards the exit before being blocked by Alex.

"Leon!!! are you insane? Why do you suddenly want to go out there?"

Antonio also held Leon's arm tighter. "Don't do anything strange now. Previously you almost died because you were trapped in this cabin and didn't know the climbing route. Do you want to seek death again at this time?"

Leon's actions also made the others curious

But for Leon, that question brought him to memories he had in the past.

It started from a thought that passed by without him realizing it.

There was a time when he felt that this curse was haunting him. Every night, every time he closed his eyes, the image of guilt over the death of his parents haunted him.

"This… Not anymore… Why? Why do I always remember that again???"

"Damn… damn… damn…"

"It wasn't my fault. No… it was my fault. If only I read more books in the library. If only I had remembered more and tried more, then it wouldn't have happened."

Leont kept muttering the same words. That was when he was still a student who had just started college. Leon never told anyone about it.

In these early days, Leon had one thought that always appeared in his head.

To end himself.