Part 1 Chapter 7 (7)

Only Changyeom and I were in the penthouse. From the start, only those I permitted could set foot in this penthouse, and even they couldn’t enter now that I had set up a Barrier. Until this Barrier disappeared, Changyeom and I were cut off from the world.

“Hmm, hmm-hmm, hmm♪”

Changyeom hummed a tune as they took a drink from the refrigerator. Picking up a milk carton full of strawberries, Changyeom pushed one towards me.

“Would you like to drink it together?”

[Can I even eat in this state?]

I shrugged my shoulders. Changyeom nodded and sat on the edge of the bed. I quietly got up and approached Changyeom, grabbing their neck with both hands. Even as their neck was being choked by my hands, Changyeom calmly inserted a straw into the milk carton.

“You know it’s useless, right? You can’t inflict any harm on me, who is a spirit body, right now. Although I am outside due to the cube, my main body is sleeping here inside you.”

Changyeom placed their hand towards my heart. I released the hand that had been choking their neck and sat on the edge of the bed next to Changyeom.

[Is it because I haven’t reached Apotheosis?]

“That’s right. Because I, a Spirit, am refusing to become one with you. That’s why your maximum output as a monstrous human is SS+. If expressed in your terms… Level 99.”

The state of unity where Spirit and human become one heart, Apotheosis.

“According to human standards, it’s SSS, a stage with 100% Affinity Rate, and at the same time, a state of perfection that transcends human limits and dares to reach the position of a god. You call the process of humans and Spirits reaching Apotheosis ‘Syncro’.”

[No explanation needed.]

“I’m saying it because I want to, you know? If you don’t like it, try shutting me up. You should be trying to appease me, not the other way around. Hehe.”

Even though I had possessed Changyeom’s Phoenix, I couldn’t use its transcendent power. This was because the Spirit right before my eyes was refusing to Syncro with me.

[How long do you plan to refuse?]

“Forever. Puhuhu. If I just accepted you, you could immediately go after Seongju or the Otherworld God, couldn’t you? It’s frustrating, isn’t it? Because things aren’t going your way.”

Changyeom was giggling, swinging their legs back and forth.

“That’s why you’re trying to get other Spirits, aren’t you? Because you can’t reach Apotheosis on your own due to me, you’re trying to somehow get other Spirits and link them with heroines to make them fight in your stead. You might be able to defeat Seongju on your own somehow, but if the Otherworld God comes, you’ll definitely lose.”

[If you know that, why don’t you help me?]

“Why would I?”

Changyeom shrugged their shoulders.

“What reason do I have to help you? There’s no reason to help a human who has taken over someone else’s body. Especially for a ‘Player’ who used us as playthings for their enjoyment.”

I couldn’t say anything. Changyeom was still looking up at me with an expressionless face.

“The day you first possessed me, I can’t describe how wronged I felt after reading your memories. Brainwashing? That was a trivial matter. This world was actually created by those in high places, and we were just puppets performing tricks within it.”

[…….]

“That my family, including myself, and my entire world were nothing more than devices for your amusement-I’ve never experienced anything more shocking in my life. Isn’t that right? Being brainwashed by a bug-like creature from outer space, a mid-boss who tries to destroy the world as an executive of an evil organization, then dies to the ‘protagonist’ and hands over their power. And all of that was a predetermined fate from the beginning.”

[That’s the future Changyeom’s Phoenix experiences.]

Changyeom drank all the milk with a gulp and crumpled the carton with their hand. As if their throat was parched, Changyeom immediately picked up the next carton and inserted a straw.

“Yes. In that ‘original work’ you so loudly proclaimed, I was merely a means for the protagonist to awaken. If I lose, it’s game over. If I win, I give my Core to the protagonist for their sake and disappear. …Isn’t that unfair?”

[What is?]

I asked, even though I knew. It was a small habit developed from talking with Changyeom, and also a consideration for them, who loved to talk. As if Changyeom had read my thoughts, they excitedly continued speaking.

“Why do I have to die? Why do I have to hand over my Core to a human I’ve never seen before and disappear? I don’t want that. I want to revive Terra, and kill that mycelium with my own hands, and most of all, I wanted to live a long life with the people I love, growing old together. …Now, I just want to destroy that ‘original work’ completely.”

[That’s why you wanted to save Cheon Gaeul so badly.]

I had no particular reason to save Cheon Gaeul. Frankly, I only needed to save the six Spirits and six heroines. Considering Seok Harang was a Spirit, it seemed like I only needed to bring in at least five people.

[You deliberately made me turn my steps away from the dimensional gate.]

“Even though you weren’t aware of it.”

That day, Changyeom wanted to save Cheon Gaeul. It seemed they had sympathized with Cheon Gaeul’s situation, who would fall into a third-rate Villain role, by identifying with their own situation as a device for the protagonist’s awakening. Changyeom read my thoughts and nodded.

“That’s right. They’re pitiful, aren’t they? That they had to endure such suffering merely for the sake of future plot development. It’s the same for Cheon Gaeul and Gwanggeom. If the world is designed like this just for the ‘protagonist’ and we are merely dolls made to dance within it, I’ll cut my own strings first.”

[Is that why you want to destroy the world?]

“What’s wrong with that? Let this kind of world all go to ruin. Puhuhu. If it’s going to be destroyed by the Otherworld God anyway, it’s not bad to destroy it with my own hands, is it?”

Changyeom let out a hearty laugh and threw the milk carton into the trash can. The crumpled milk carton flew in an arc and landed precisely inside the trash can.

“So just hand everything over to me. Your body, your power, your mind. Anyway, I’m grateful that you broke Seongju’s brainwashing and let me know the truth of the world, so I’ll leave your soul. So you can live forever inside me.”

[Then I’ll watch the world burn from inside you.]

“That’s right. The heroines you loved, the comrades you trusted, the Villains you defeated. I’ll burn them all.”

Changyeom smiled brightly like a child. That smile brought back memories of the day I was on their route, making my head ache. With the same voice that whispered love and urged me to fight Seongju together, they were now declaring to me that they would destroy the world themselves.

[What will you do about Seongju? If Seongju comes from Pluto, you’ll be brainwashed immediately if you’re alone.]

“Before that, I’ll kill everyone and then commit suicide. Is that answer sufficient?”

Changyeom’s will was firm. I had no power to say anything about it. If it were a judgment made as a brainwashed executive, I could tell them the truth and ask for help, but of all things, Changyeom read my memories as a Player and realized who they were.

Beyond being a brainwashed Spirit, the truth that they themselves were a being in a 2D game.

[That’s why you always wanted to ruin the ‘original work’.]

“Of course. That way, you’ll give up quickly. As elements outside the original work start to pop up, and the predetermined flow twists completely, you’ll get more stressed. The more your mind wavers, the more I’ll break through that gap. Don’t forget.”

Changyeom subtly raised the corners of their mouth. It was the first genuine smile they had shown since meeting in this world.

“The moment you give up, everything ends.”

I lunged at Changyeom, and Changyeom fell backward as if entrusting their body to me. Changyeom’s body sank into the soft bed, and I climbed on top of Changyeom, grabbing their shoulders and pressing down. Changyeom calmly looked up at me.

[I won’t give up. Never.]

I asserted to Changyeom. Changyeom nodded as if they had expected it.

“That’s right. Your giving up means I’ll destroy the world.”

[And you’ll take your own life.]

I fell sideways and lay on the bed. Both of us looked at the ceiling, then burst into laughter.

“You said you loved me enough to kill me. I thought I was going to be choked to death just now.”

[What sin could you have committed?]

“That’s right. The world is what’s bad. So how about we just smash it all?”

[That won’t do.]

I sat up and perched on the edge of the bed. Changyeom also sat up. Before long, the sun was rising beyond the window.

[I’ll kill Seongju and drive out the Otherworld God. I’ll awaken all the Spirits and everyone will survive. The heroines, and me. …And you too.]

“Me too? Puhuhu, you’re dreaming big. You know my personal route was harder than the true ending you yourself called ‘fucking crazy’, right?”

[I retried dozens, hundreds of times just to clear your route, so that much is nothing. Don’t worry.]

I raised my hand and patted Changyeom’s shoulder.

[I’m not someone who can’t handle one more person added to 16.]

Changyeom’s expression as they looked at me became subtle. I couldn’t instantly grasp Changyeom’s feelings from that expression I had never seen before.

“If Cheon Gaeul or Eun Yuha found out, they’d stab you in the stomach first, you know?”

[It’s fine. I’ve already been stabbed a few times.]

“…That was a game. This is reality.”

[Are you worried now?]

Changyeom rested their elbows on their knees and cupped their chin with both hands. Their pouting lips clearly showed dissatisfaction.

“I don’t care where you get stabbed, but don’t forget that body is mine. Understand? If you’re using someone else’s body however you want, then use it carefully. Don’t keep letting other people cling to my body.”

[I apologize for that. I’m doing my best to take care of it, though.]

Changyeom sighed.

“No skinship. Understand? If you’re going to use your body, do it in your monstrous human form. Don’t harass other people with my innocent body.”

[It’s already hard enough, and you’re making it even harder.]

“……Fine. Simple touches are okay. Don’t do anything more than that. Because it’s unpleasant.”

Changyeom got up from the bed and walked to the window. As they stepped into the sunlight, their form gradually began to blur from the bottom of their robe. Changyeom spread their arms towards it.

“Instead, I’ll give this back to you. Once I go back inside you, you’ll know immediately. What you have regained.”

[Another Zen koan, as always?]

“That’s right. Every time you awaken one Spirit, I’ll tell you one interesting thing. Anyone who saves a Spirit, use a cube. Then I’ll reappear.”

[You talk for an hour for one cube. That’s quite expensive.]

“It’s much more expensive than 200 billion, isn’t it?”

I grimaced fiercely, showing my displeasure. Although I had no eyes, nose, or mouth, Changyeom must have felt how I was feeling. As Changyeom had read the memories of the ‘me’ from reality, they knew very well how I had come to possess this world.

“Oh, right. Thank you for supplying strawberries every time. Even though you really hate strawberries.”

[If you know, then stop nagging me from inside. I have my own preferences too.]

“I don’t want to, though? If you’re renting someone else’s body, you have to pay the maintenance fee. Puhuhu.”

Before long, the sunlight reached Changyeom’s knees. Changyeom held up the cube’s ashes from their pocket into the sunlight. The cube vanished along with Changyeom’s hand.

“Struggle as much as you want. I’ll watch to see how long you can endure.”

[As long as it takes.]

Changyeom tilted their head and smiled sweetly. Soon, their entire form became translucent. Changyeom raised their remaining hand and snapped their fingers. As their lower body gradually turned into particles of light and scattered, I raised my index finger.

[Ah, before you go, can I say one last thing?]

“What is it?”

Changyeom tilted their head. I confirmed that Changyeom had disappeared up to their neck, then subtly let out a remark.

[You’re still damn talkative.]

“…What? …! Hey, hey you-“

Snap. As I snapped my fingers, Changyeom turned into light and disappeared. Soon, the particles of light that were Changyeom flowed towards me.

“…….”

The flame that flowed into my heart soon settled inside my heart, and the human of flame, whose armor had disappeared, had returned to the human form of the previous girl-Phoenix.

“Alright, let’s see who wins.”

I lay sprawled on the bed and placed my hand on my heart. My heart, pounding more than usual, seemed to be mocking my resolve.

“You messed with the wrong person.”

Even if they see dozens, hundreds of game overs, it’s the Player who ultimately clears the game. I reaffirmed to myself, and to the Spirit inside me who wished for me to let go of the controller called Phoenix.

“One-coin clear, I’ll definitely achieve it.”

First, I wouldn’t eat strawberries for a week. Ignoring the Mini Phoenix that flew above me and pecked at my crown with its beak, I quietly closed my eyes in the sunlight shining through the window.

Bang bang bang!

“Hey! Big trouble! Seonui Cheol is resigning?!”

I pulled the blanket over my head. Why does that thing always make such a fuss whenever I try to sleep?

“Should I just kill Jo Deokbae for good? ……Huh?”

I instinctively touched my mouth.

“Why is my speech like this?”

My polite language had disappeared.