White observed the situation around him again.
Arglav and Karna, the two elves who were right beside him, were immobilized from the sudden intimidating aura White had spread out around him.
They watched silently, as White casually stood up and dusted the dirt off his right shoulder.
When he finished, he laid eyes on the slime woman standing before him.
She was clad in an armor bejewelled with an intricate and scintillating necklace; various other faceted crystals adorned her outfit giving off a very exquisite appearance.
----------------------------------------
...You knowww...
Why are you surrounded by women who want to kill you.
Receiving another round of undeserved provocation, White was scratching his chest crazily to remove that itch that had been present in his mind for the past week.
"Shut up! Shut up! Shut up! Shut up! Shut up! Shut up! Shut up! Shut up!
Get out! Get out! Get out! Get out!"
White's eyes dilated, as the focus of his pupils shook unsteadily as if hit by a tremor.
The sudden surge of darkness in control over his mind was overwhelming him.
"G-get out of my bodyyy! ?! Why can't... I... ghh...!!!"
"Kh... kaha... ...KAKAKAKAKAKAKAKAKAKAKAKAKA!"
Amused by his other self struggling so helplessly, his other half began to cackle wickedly.
"Why can't I move?! Get out of my head!!! Get out!! Get out!! Get outtt!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
As if ceding to his screams, White suddenly stopped moving as soon as he said that.
"Haaah... haaah.... is it... over... ...you over there, co-could you h- Kuhhh!!!"
White's eyes began to burn up as soon as he eased up for a moment. The strain on his bleeding eyes began to take effect again when he began to relax himself a little.
He had been too focused trying to regain control, unconsciously ignoring the stinging pain coming from both of his eyes.
"My eyes, ...that's right... I was straining them too hard..." (whisper)
His bright red eyes started to cool down, and he smudged the remaining blood off his face with his forearm.
He was done fairly quickly, which left his hands idle.
Ssssssssssssssssssssszzzzzzzzzzzzztttttttttttttttttttt
Just then, he noticed another inconsistency.
Why was no one moving?
When he had lifted his face and looked around again, he noticed the same people.
The two elves, the six skeletons, the slime woman, and the woman called Soma Suzuhara. All of them, staying as still as they did since he started his one-man skit.
At this moment, no one dared to move.
"? W-what's wrong everyone...? W-why are you guys looking at me like that?"
White was puzzled, because everyone present was staring at him as if they had seen something unbelievable happen before their eyes. ...More specifically, near his stomach.
Ssssssssssssssssssssszzzzzzzzzzzzztttttttttttttttttttt
The charred smell of ... meat?
Having a very bad premonition, White slowly looked down.
...He couldn’t believe his eyes.
!!!
His right palm was holding a lightstone bare-handedly.
His previously burnt hand had returned to its original state along with the restoration of his limbs for some reason, but he had definitely not forgotten how strong of an effect the lightstone had when it came in touch with his skin.
And now, he was holding onto it once more.
Steam was forming constantly as it continued to keep in contact with the surface of his hand's skin.
?!
Shocked by this action he had unknowingly taken, he tried to release it immediately.
But before he could stop it, his grip on the lightstone grew even tighter suddenly and-
The hand shoved it onto the surface of his abdomen.
"...?! AaaAAaAaAahHHhHhHhHHhHhHhHHhHhHhHHhHhHhHHhHhHhHHhHhHhHHhHhHhHHhHhHhHHhHhHhHHhHhHhHHhHhHhHHhHhHhHHhHhHhHHhHhHhHHhHhHhHHhHhHhHHhHhHhHHhHhHhHHhHhHhHHhHhHhHHhHhHhHHhHhHhHHhHhHhHHhHhHhHHhHhHhHHhHhHhHHhHhHhHHhHhHhHHhHhHhHHhHhHhHHhHhHhHHhHhHhHHhHhHhHHhHhHhHHhHhHhHHhHhHhHHhHhHhHHhHhHhHHhHhHhHHhHhHhHHhHhHhHHhHhHhHHhHhHhHHhHhHhHHhHhHhHHhHhHhHHhHhHhHHhHhHhHHhHhHhHHhHhHhHHhHhHhHHh-"
White had no idea what had just happened, nor did he have the rationality to conduct a simple deduction any longer.
His eye whites were showing on his face, as the seeping pain crept throughout his entire body.
It registered so heavily, that he could no longer hold his own consciousness any longer. Words could no longer describe the pain he was feeling.
He was beginning to feel disconnected from his sense of pain, and that was a very bad sign.
His entire body was sending emergency signals to save itself, but something was pushing it back, creating a delay in response and action to prevent the source of pain.
Just like switching a radio channel, his scream cut off midway again.
Another brief moment passed, and White's hand let go of the stone finally.
It fell down shrouded in a trail of steam.
But it didn't reach the ground like that.
White grabbed a knife from his pouch on his waist, and sliced the stone mid-air in half.
The two halves fell onto the grass just like that.
----------------------------------------
"Really, it would have gone all sorts of wrong without me around... Seriously, this hurts like hell still..."
White's head and right hand had extended downwards with the knife to perform that slash, his body posture was slouched forward with bent knees.
It was as if he had just swung his knife like splitting a person from the head down in half.
His left hand had grabbed a handful of some sort of grey powder and applied it forcefully onto his burnt wound.
The sizzling quickly stopped.
When he was done, he looked up to the sky as he wiped the drool on his mouth with his right shoulder, his hand never letting go of the knife.
"Stay there obediently now."
----------------------------------------
Nngh...
I am... back in this... place...?!
I was back inside of my apartment.
It was just like that time.
The same thing happened a year ago...!!!
But this meant that, I’m being pushed back inside again-
No!
No!!!
He is still in control of my body!
Something bad is going to happen!!!
I know it, he's planning something!!!
Panicking, I quickly ran towards the door to exit the apartment.
My hands placed on the door knob, as I tried to twist it to unlock the door.
But another hand was already there.
"Stay still will you? You've yet to see everything yet."
?!
My body was suddenly constricted by an invisible rope tying my whole body up strongly.
I quickly looked to my left.
He was there again.
The same obnoxious guy with that messy white hair and that imposing look he cast upon anyone within his field of vision.
I despised that.
A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.
I despised that so much.
The fact that he was part of me, was something that I could definitely not accept.
...He was too much of a nihilistic existence who continued to plague my mind all these years..., a stark contrast to my beautiful ideals.
He wasn't grinning as usual however, as he stared at me with a very serious and frustrated look.
Snapping his fingers, a set of monitors appeared around me.
Everything else besides them faded away in this space. The couch, the computer, the coffee table, the windows…
Until there was only a blank box with only us two, and 2 rows of monitors stacked on top of each other.
That was all there was left. This hollow space.
But there was nothing on the screens except static.
It made no sense.
Why did he bind me like this to see nothing?!
"W-what are you doing to me?! What are you trying to show me?!"
"...Can't you see? I'm trying, ...trying really hard. I want you to see for yourself."
"...Huh?!"
I became a little impatient at his know-it-all attitude.
"I'm trying,
...to destroy your mental landscape of self-denial."
My body shuddered for a moment, at the words he had just said.
"!!! Get me out, get me out this instant!!! This is my body! You can't do this!!!"
But the constraints became even tighter, as the monitors came even closer towards me.
Until it was right in front of my eyes.
I could see the small grey and fuzzy pixels from the static this close.
My head began to hurt.
It began to hurt a lot.
It hurts! It hurts! It hurts! It hurts! It hurts! It hurts!
Why.
Why is it hurting.
At a time like this.
There was nothing that could possibly hurt me here!
Precisely because there was nothing.
Why...
"Why..."
"WHY DO YOU ALWAYS COME OUT AND INTERFERE!!! WHY!!! WITH THAT LOOK ON YOUR FACE! PITYING ME LIKE I'M SOME SORT OF PET! LIKE I'M SOMEONE WHO'S ALWAYS A BURDEN! WHY! WHY IS IT ALWAYS YOU! I WISH I KNEW EVERYTHING YOU DID! I REALLY DO! BUT IT'S ALWAYS USELESS... I CAN'T LEARN TO ACCEPT EVERYTHING LIKE YOU DID!!! I HATE YOU, I HATE YOUR EXISTENCE, I HATE EVERYTHING ABOUT YOU!!!"
My bodily functions were still resisting, as they tried to move itself into a cowering position whenever he lost his focus on the bindings restricting my body for a second.
But it barely did anything, as he was already in full control of the body currently, both internally and externally.
It seemed that he had prepared for this a long time ago.
On the contrary, I was not prepared.
"...Is that, your true feelings White?
...I couldn't care less if you hate me, I am a necessary evil after all.
Despite everything, you still can't face the darkness.
But, do you really, ...wish to know everything?"
"!!!..."
The pain subsided a little, as the slightest consideration of a choice came to my mind.
"I..."
"...This is the first step. To your, ...our awakening."
"Our... awakening..."
I know...
I know what he is trying to do.
He is right.
But, it's going to break me.
It's going to thoroughly crush my soul.
If I don't handle this correctly.
I know...
It will break me.
"I am not here to do charity, White. Neither are you here without rhyme or reason. You don't have a choice. The fact that it has come down to this, ...just shows you the darkness that has clearly built up considerably since the last time we've met."
"..."
"Look closely, White. As much as possible, ...
Until you and I.
Are reborn."
----------------------------------------
The slime woman had brought along half of her summoned skeletons around her intending to stop the other 2 elves from interfering. Her own fighting prowess was way below the curve of an average elven warrior in the end, she wasn't confident of taking White away with her own individual strength.
This gave an opening for Soma to break free, which the slime woman was clearly anticipating.
When she did, she did not follow up. The slime woman could sense that Soma was not moving an inch.
? She's not giving chase?
This was out of her expectations.
Did she... perhaps have a long-range attack spell she could cast hidden within her arsenal?!
But before she could turn her head to know, ...it was redirected to the front.
...Where a commanding voice came out, from the person she had least expected to come from.
"Noisy. It's been so noisy since a while ago."
!!!
A surge of intimidation crept up towards the slime woman, as she immediately questioned the oppressive existence of the guy she had thought to be a harmless little rabbit.
"You're not... him...
Wh-who... who are you..."
But she was ignored, as if the guy was entirely uninterested towards her presence.
!!! My exalted presence... how dare you…!
Being looked down on by such a vile species known as a human?!!! How dare you-
"Closing your eyes won't help at all.
Look closely, White.
Before you regress even further, let me show you. The consequences of your inaction."
!!!
She was immediately struck terrified from the ending of his words.
There was no other word to describe it.
Fear.
It was definitely fear.
Something she had never felt for a very long time...
Th... this guy...
...H-he seems different than usual?! It's like... he's changed his personality entirely...!!!
Her eyes never left White's, but the murky feeling soon dissipated when she saw the boy seemingly talking to himself and performing exaggerated actions, as if it was an attempt to exorcise an evil being within himself.
...? He's... he's back again...?
The slime woman thought to herself as she saw White turning to ask the elf nearby for something nervously.
This was indeed the guy she expected to see, but what was that before then?
She had a confused look, but it slowly changed, as White began to move a lightstone to his stomach.
?! What!! What is he doing?! My Slime Veil can recover him, but it's not like he's not going to feel the pain!!!
An agonizing scream broke out, as White's body twitched profusely from the shock of the pain.
...See, what is he doing?!!!
The slime woman became restless, which was an unusual emotion she was not used to feeling.
The horrific aftereffects were like she predicted, but all of a sudden, he stopped screaming, and moving again.
This pattern...! It-it’s going to happen again isn’t it?!
The lightstone White was holding fell to the ground.
…!!! You fool! That thing is extremely volatile to flammable terrain!
It's going to light this place up!!!
But contrary to her expectations this time, the boy took out a knife from his pouch and deftly sliced the stone in half. He had done so without losing eye concentration directed towards the trajectory of the falling stone.
His eyes... are definitely unusual...
Ey...eyes...
...?!
Why am I feeling this way...?
This feeling...
Is this...
F-fear again?! Consecutively like this... this cannot be a coincidence!
It's coming from... that guy...!
But th-this... is impossible!
"Really, it would have gone all sorts of wrong without me around... Seriously, this hurts like hell still..."
"...Stay there obediently now."
The slime woman could not comprehend White's words, but every single word he spoke sent further chills down her non-existent spine.
As if his words came true, she was immobilized in fear.
She felt around with her Slime Sense, and realized the others around White were not moving either.
Are they in a similar state like me?! This White guy, to infect a widespread fear effect like this unto me ... he's not as simple as I initially thought...
"Soma Suzuhara."
!!!
"H-hyesss!!!"
"...I see what you've been doing to my body all this while. I am a simple man, so I don’t trust proverbs. I trust my instincts. See, there this saying...
Loyalty begets trust. That could not be further away from the truth, right?
Since… I can’t trust someone who's attempted murder towards me… with a smile on her face as she does so?"
“Aa-aahh…”
Soma wanted to say something, but she couldn't put it into words.
Tears were welling up in her eyes, she could not refute them because they were true.
She had intended to kill and store his body parts in containers, which was admittedly already considered a grievous crime worthy of the most severe of punishments back on Earth.
They were clearly the actions of a psychopath.
Just as Soma lifted her sword slowly with intent to end her own life from shame, White continued.
"-However, ...since I've somehow resurrected and reattached all of my severed limbs without any visible repercussions, I am willing to give you a chance."
Soma stopped the blade of her sword at her own heart.
"...?! A ch-chance?! Master, I will offerrr!!! My bodyyy!!! And soul to youuu...!!! I will s-serve you without question!!!"
She grabbed the first chance for forgiveness from her Master.
"...Good, ...you know, I've been thinking... your imperfection really intrigues me greatly. We might unexpectedly share... very similar traits, hmmm?"
This came out as unexpected as Soma was used to receiving verbal abuse from White. Thus this became an unbearable treat for Soma who was already infatuated with White.
"H-Hauuu!!! Master!!!"
!!! This woman!!!
Soma ran towards White recklessly without constraint, which alarmed the slime woman greatly.
Snapping out of her immobilized state, she gathered her elite skeletons and distanced herself from the other group.
This was the chance to escape!
...But, ...why did I need to escape...? I've seen the stats of everyone present here... Especially that guy...He should have no combat potential or any special abilities...
...That's right, after thinking about it some more... I shouldn't be running.
As long as I'm careful about his eyes...
After showing interest in something for a long time, how can I give up like this? That’s unbecoming for what I’ve evolved into isn’t it...?
That puts my life ordeals to shame, ...to be stuck here for such a reason like being scared...
I'm not going to give up no…...w???!!!!!!
The slime woman had her back facing White when she was retreating, but she turned around again, which kept her stuck the same way she had been the first time round, when she unconsciously refocused her eyes towards White's.
It was glued there again.
What am I, an idiot?!!!
Unaware nor interested in her internal conflict, White raised his right hand and made a signal to stop Soma from getting closer.
...She had arrived very quickly, which left the two elves behind White extremely shocked.
"Th-this was our subjugation target...?"
"We're gonna die here, aren't we?"
But White was not interested in them either.
He narrowed his eyes with a judging glare at Soma.
"!!!"
Her body stiffened up tightly, as something different from her urinal fluids were released from below her waist.
"..."
"Hauuu!!! Mnnn... m-master, don't lookkk!!!"
White was only briefly interrupted from the unexpected scene he was shown suddenly, but he quickly returned to the task at hand.
Raising his index finger on his right hand, he spoke.
"... in a perfect world, men like me should not exist...
But... this, is not a perfect world.
...Soma Suzuhara, I bestow to you your first chance for redemption."
"Yesss, and for that opportunity you’ve graced me with, I will do anything for you, my Masterrr!!!"
"...Lift that earth bubble you've created, and kill the monster inside of it. Slowly. I want you, to make it die... the cruelest way possible."
"Yesss~!"
Grinning to herself ecstatically, Soma felt another urge to wet herself at the thoughts of her reward when she had done her job splendidly but she stopped it quickly. It would be shameful of her if she did it again in front of her Master.
Although White had never said anything about a reward in the first place, only his forgiveness.
Soma's head was too clouded with an abundance of unhealthy passion that it diluted his words.
Words of love began drowning out her thoughts, as Soma did a waving gesture to undo the Earth Sphere from the Skill Scroll, revealing the person inside.
"Wh-? Ah?"
"Aha~ There's that vixen who'd slept with Master without his consent~ I knew ittt, I knew ittt! It wasn't his fault after all! He wouldn't have sex with bitches without any love~ I'm the only one for him after all~ Aaahhh~ He's noticed my passion~, he knows about my love~! After I'm done with you, we'll finally be real lovers!!! Aaahhh~~~ It’s like killing two birds with one stone… no, three? Four? Hehehe~ I wonder how many babies does Master wanttt~"
"Hiiiiiiiiii!!! D-Don't come closer... don't come here!!! P-please! Don't... Don't... come... I-I don't... I don't want to die.... I don't want to die..."
Soma dragged the Sword of Bloodwell along the ground and walked towards Syviel. It was creating that same unpleasant screeching sound again.
----------------------------------------
"N-no... what... what are you doing?!!! That's Syv-"
"Sshhh..."
!!!
Inside of the space of White's consciousness, the oppressive personality placed a finger on his own mouth.
White was instantly creeped out by the grinning face his other self was making.
It exuded a dirty air of sinisterly emotions.
"We've begun.
Our Awakening."