Is That My Alter Ego - Chapter 93



Chapter 93 – The Meeting

My head spins. There is no strength in any part of my body.

Am I still alive? I feel as if I am adrift in the cosmos, floating aimlessly.

…What has become of Kalea? She suddenly left me with only the command to flee, and then transformed into a monster.

And after being struck by Kalea, the hope that perhaps I could reverse the transformation crumbled just as I lost consciousness.

Then… my hazy mind, pierced by a shock that felt as if it would tear through my very being, faded away.

……..!…..!!

A sound reaches me. Is it truly a sound, or merely an echo conjured by my dazed mind?

It is as if I am submerged in water, struggling to hear. Is this… the voice of a person?

…No. It cannot be a human voice. That is impossible.

Such a desperate, endless wail could not possibly come from a human. Even I, listening, felt my heart constrict with the pain of it.

Perhaps I am not dead just yet, but it seems I will be soon.

The faint heartbeat that had been pulsing within me is now nearly imperceptible. The rhythm slows to a point where it is almost tangible.

…….!…….!!!!

Once more, a sound breaks through. If even I, unable to hear the faintest noise, can perceive it so loudly, it must be akin to the sky collapsing for someone in their right mind.

…Ah. The strength in my body begins to wane further. I can feel death creeping closer.

Kalea. What has happened to her? Was the reality I witnessed not a horrific dream?

…There were so many things I wanted to do for the young and innocent Kalea. It is truly regrettable.

And… the remaining residents of Espilia. Including all the beastfolk of the lower tiers… I can only feel remorse for not being able to give them more.

It is a pity. I wanted so desperately to erase the unnecessary hatred and discrimination between us with my own hands.

…..Kali.

I am sorry for showing her… such a sight. The death of a close friend is not a pleasant experience, after all.

My consciousness drifts further away. My body remains, yet I feel as if my soul is soaring far beyond.

It seems… the time has come.

Yes… it has been a fleeting experience. Good memories, and good people come to mind.

Now… I too shall slowly…

…….Huh.

…What? What is that sound? It seems I hear a voice.

…..S…sir.

Is it merely an illusion conjured by my mind? A voice seemed to echo, yet it felt hauntingly familiar.

Venis…?

…Kalea?

The voice was unmistakably Kalea’s. The tremor of her gentle tone, the crystalline clarity of her words—how could I ever forget?

Why, at this moment… just before death, does Kalea’s voice reach me?

Is it the guilt of not having protected her, of not realizing sooner?

I cannot grasp anything. Yet, Kalea’s voice was undeniably calling out to me.

Venis…

…Yes. I hear you, Kalea.

I’m sorry… because of me… it has come to this.

Kalea’s voice carried words of apology, though she bore no fault in this.

From noble mtl dot com

Kalea. Do not blame yourself. It is not your fault.

I do not speak aloud; the words form silently within me. Yet somehow, their meaning seems to reach Kalea’s voice.

Her tone quivers. Occasionally, I hear a muffled sob, as if she is weeping.

Venis… truly, you have been… kind from the very beginning…

…No. I am not that remarkable. I merely did what I had to do.

Except for you, everyone knows this…

Then… I am truly relieved.

I converse with Kalea’s voice. Strangely, the more we speak, the closer my scattered mind feels to her.

Though I had drifted far from the warmth of my body, now I can sense it once more.

Venis… may I ask just one thing of you?

Kalea’s voice hesitated. She questioned whether it was right to make such a request, whether it was proper to ask something of the one she had wounded.

“Of course, Kalea.”

There’s nothing I cannot do. Though in my current state, it seems there is little I can offer.

Yet if it is within my power, I will certainly oblige.

…Venis. Could you… please bring my sister back?

Sister? Is she referring to Kali? Has something happened to her?

My sister… she is truly a kind and good person. Yet… the world has been so unfair and cold to her.

I knew well that Kali was a good soul. She had endured a life so difficult that it forced her to reshape and diminish her own spirit.

Even so, the sight of Kali, unbroken and steadfast, gazing forward with clarity, was enough to inspire many.

I feel my body lying there. Upon my body, a warmth, something tender, envelops me.

A hand. It feels like the hand of a small child. The warmth radiating from that tiny hand is gentle enough to soothe a dampened heart.

Please… save my sister.

The entire world has been stained black. In this realm of darkness, I find myself lying somewhere indescribable. My form is visible from above.

And within this pitch-black world, something brilliantly white soars toward my body.

It embraces me warmly, cradling my prone form.

Thump… thump… thump…

Then, just before it might cease, my heart begins to beat once more. Warmth starts to flood into my once-cold body.

A body that had been utterly still, devoid of strength, begins to stir.

The pure white fairy gazes at me from within the blackness, smiling.

…Thank you, always. Take care. My… no, our master.

I find myself entranced by that smile, a bittersweet and distant expression. It is warm yet appears so blissful.

And in that moment, a gaze from above, looking down upon my body, swiftly descends, drawing closer.

As if I had known it all along, I relaxed my body and closed my eyes.

*

Consciousness returns. My entire being feels heavy, yet somehow, I sense I can move.

Biiiiiing…

A ringing echoes in my ears. Perhaps my eardrum has burst, for it sounds as if water flows.

Swoosh…

Drops of water plummet onto my body. It seems the rain has begun to fall.

Like someone’s tears, the relentless downpour chills me further.

With great effort, I force my eyes open. The dark world begins to glimpse a faint light.

“Cough, cough…”

With each cough, blood mixes with my breath. My body feels as if weighted down by lead…

“Guh…”

I struggle to rise. It is not a swift motion. Rather, it resembles the pace of a snail.

Yet I can move, distinctly.

By the way… what is this lodged in my abdomen? I had felt an odd sensation there for some time.

“Ha… what is this?”

A spear. A spear that has pierced through my belly looks down upon me. Am I still alive with this embedded within me?

[With usage beyond limits, the body of the doppelgänger collapses. (Time remaining: 15 minutes 42 seconds.)]

…It seems I am not truly alive. I have become a walking corpse. At this rate… in 15 minutes, I will meet my final death.

“Ugh… huff…”

Gasping for breath, I glance around with my dimming vision. Where on earth am I…?

Beyond the haze, I see the vast expanse of a square, littered with torn bodies.

And when I face forward, it feels as if I have forgotten how to breathe. I freeze in place.

“……….”

The sun begins to set, casting a twilight glow over the world. Strangely, dark clouds gather, and rain begins to fall.

In one corner, I see Kalea, her head alone remaining, wearing a vacant smile.

And above Kalea’s head stands a monster on four legs.

A colossal form that could be seen from anywhere in the square. A mane of deep crimson and stripes of black.

With claws so sharp they could tear mountains asunder, and eyes that flicker as if soaked in all the blood of the world.

That figure could be described as… yes. A monstrous tiger draped in a red aura.

The presence it exudes is beyond anything I encountered during my three lives as a doppelgänger, far surpassing any beast or human.

Can that be… considered a living creature? By its very existence, it could be called a calamity.

Yet, the reason I stood frozen was not merely that. I felt an unsettling familiarity emanating from that monster.

“…..Kali?”

Grrr…

At the sound of my small voice, the monster growled. But I knew, without a doubt, that it was Kali.

[Name: Kali / Age: 23 / Gender: Female / Status: Beastification. Hatred, anger, sorrow, despair, pain…..]

[Unique Ability (Eye of Magic): You possess the eyes that can see magic. You can perceive the trajectory of magic, allowing for smoother usage of it.]

[Unique Ability (Divine Flesh): Impossible! Your body is more perfect than anything shaped by the gods! All physical abilities are astonishingly enhanced, allowing you to surpass the limits of humanity!]

[Unique Ability (Blood of the Beast King): You are born of the blood of the Beast King, who once instilled terror across the continent. You are the eternal loyalist to the king of all beastfolk, the ruler.]

.

.

.

.

.

[Potential: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ (100 out of 100! You possess the qualities of a hero who will reign over this era!)]

Because the name that suddenly flickered in the status window was that of my friend, so achingly familiar.

Why… has it changed so completely?

The factors I can surmise are the ‘Beastification’ that appeared in Kali’s status window, and the ‘Blood of the Beast King.’ It must be these two.

The last item, long hidden… is the Blood of the Beast King. Moreover, Kali’s potential has transformed from five stars to six.

It has evolved to the same potential as Ariel and Seris.

But now, there was no time to concern myself with such things.

I dragged my heavy body toward the transformed Kali, moving forward step by step, as if I were an ant.

“Cough, cough… Kali. What on earth… is happening?”

Grrrrr….!!

As I approached Kali, she lowered her stance and began to regard me with suspicion.

The sound of her growl, rising from the depths of her soul, sent chills down my spine, and her crimson aura seemed to demand that I kneel immediately.

Yet, I began to move slowly, but surely.

Step by step.

“….Kali. It’s me. Venice… your friend.”

Kraaang-!!!

She swung her claws at me, howling with a force that stirred the air. But I continued to speak without faltering.

Surely, in a state as weak as mine, it would take less than a second for her to kill me.

But the transformed Kali was instead retreating, distancing herself from me. As if in fear, as if to say, “Do not come closer.”

“You… must have suffered a lot. Cough… it must have hurt so much.”

Grrr…!!

“Even if you pretend to be strong… I know everything. I can see it all… cough..”

No matter how much you pretend to be strong, it was obvious, Kali. Look now. Tears are streaming from your eyes, red as a predator’s.

I knew your gentle, unyielding heart. Without that, you could not live so boldly.

……..!

What is it that frightens you so? Do not be afraid. I am your… friend.

My slow, staggering steps finally reached Kali. She stood still, looking down at me, and I looked up at her.

[You can access the target’s emotions and memories. Would you like to proceed?]

(However, this will place a severe burden on your mind and body. If you cannot survive in the realm of the mind, both your soul and body will perish.)

Even so. Would you like to proceed?

“….Cough, cough…. Ha. Isn’t it obvious?”

My friend… is suffering and in pain like this. Of course, I must help.

“Approaching… now.”

Thwack-!

Fwoosh-!

The sound of fingers snapping reverberates through the air. At the same moment, an overwhelming light begins to radiate between Kali and Venice, blinding in its intensity.