VIP Chapter 227: What You Fear
Iaar.
Liya.
Treya.
The three teammates stood in the mist, but they weren’t “angry.” They were like puppets on strings, dangling unsteadily.
Will was momentarily stunned.
Were they the cause of the fear in his heart?
Well, if you were to say it, these three, when “blackened,” did indeed hold something for him to fear.
After all, their strength was undeniable.
…No.
Iaar’s ears were drooping.
Liya’s eyes didn’t have the heart symbols that signified love.
And Treya…
Her left eye was still covered by a black eyepatch.
These features weren’t characteristic of them “now,” but rather of who they “originally” were due to their experiences. In the story of the original work, they looked like this. Whether it was because they were afraid to take the step, because they were tsundere, or because they couldn’t understand their own inner desires, they ended up like this—
The appearance of the defeated.
Not only had they lost to the monsters in the new dungeon cultivated by Xiu, but after that, they also lived less-than-successful lives. This was perhaps one of the pleasures the original work aimed to create: not only to strike them down “now” but also to show that their future lives wouldn’t be great either. This would lead them to construct a scenario in their hearts where everything would be joyful if Xiu were by their side.
However…
Colors were gradually being painted onto them. The “light” pouring down from above was like dye, coloring them with the hues of “girls in love,” but amidst this color, there seemed to be a few dizzying, strange presences, captivating yet terrifying in an indescribable way.
If the figures being led by strings earlier were lifeless dolls, the more Will stood there, the richer the colors on them became.
But…
Shadows began to emerge from the ground, using their scythes to obscure the light.
Will understood.
“I see, I see, as expected of a psychic BOSS. At least on this level, you’ve grasped it very accurately.”
—In the first of the three trials of “most feared” things, his “fear” wasn’t the “blackening” of these three.
Will drew his sword from his waist again. He walked towards the shadows that lunged at him.
—It was that they *couldn’t* “blacken.” He feared not seeing their growth, terrified that they would remain as they were in the original work.
It had to be said that as a “demon” capable of reading “memories” and “emotions,” and as a psychic BOSS, their understanding of the human heart was indeed sharp.
But…
Such a “fear” was not worth mentioning.
The sword light flashed in the black room, and Will cut down the shadows. If this was the end, they would slowly become like their counterparts in the original work, as he wished…
“Alright, it seems you’re not stumped. Then… the second trial.”
As Will was thinking this, Lucifer’s voice resounded from all directions of the black space, like an echo from a broadcast. She seemed to be sitting in a good viewing box, thoroughly enjoying herself.
“Honestly, having three trials for this is unreasonable. You’ll just run away after everyone’s had their fun!”
Will’s words didn’t finish because what he saw before him was…
A male shadow.
His appearance couldn’t be discerned, much like the shadows before.
But…
Will knew very well that this person was…
It was “Xiu.”
Of course, he didn’t know what a person he had only seen in illustrations and anime would look like alive. Moreover, Xiu’s description was the cliché “ordinary-looking black hair and black eyes.” This feeling was more like an influence of his own “cognition.” Just like in a dreamscape, if a person appeared, you most likely wouldn’t be able to see their face clearly, but you would definitely know who it was.
Fighting…
Fighting Xiu?
To be honest, before discovering that this person had disappeared and become Shuna beside him, he had countless times imagined such a scene: facing off against the true protagonist of the original work, how he would defeat him. The ultimate answer was likely a complete loss. Not just in terms of “fate,” but also in terms of strength, he was beyond what an ordinary person could reach.
Why did his heart fear Xiu? Was it because he symbolized an unbeatable existence with his absolute “protagonist” advantage? Thinking about it this way, it did seem to make some sense.
But…
He walked step by step, appearing “gentle,” as if he had no intention of fighting Will. Instead, he stopped in front of him, extended his hand, and took the sword from his hand.
“What do you want to do…”
Will found himself unable to move. Not only were his hands controlled by him, but his body was also immobilized. Then…
Will watched helplessly as Xiu fiercely plunged the sword into his own chest.
Blood flowed from the blade, even flowing towards Will’s palm.
“Are you crazy?!”
Will tried to pull the sword out but found he couldn’t. He raised his head and looked at the face opposite him.
Shuna.
The face of a beautiful, somewhat spirited young girl. Her short black hair grew a little longer, obscuring her profile. Will’s heart clenched. He couldn’t move, and the sword was driven deeper into Shuna’s chest bit by bit. He understood what he feared, what was reflected in the “second trial.” It was precisely what he had most feared discovering these past few days… that Shuna, who was by his side, was actually the original protagonist, and her fate would eventually align with that of the protagonist in the original work.
“Tsk…”
Will, as if breaking free from this constraint, fiercely pulled the sword out of her chest, blood splashing onto the floor. Even if Shuna were him, Will wouldn’t attack. The moment he pulled out the sword, Shuna’s shadow in front of him turned into nothingness and dissipated into the space.
“Not bad, not bad. You’ve passed the second trial as well.”
“Hoo… hoo… hoo…”
The force from pulling out the sword still lingered in his hands. Will was panting. Was this considered “defeating fear”? Acknowledging that Shuna was the protagonist from the original work wouldn’t “kill the Shuna in his heart”—was that “defeating fear”? Will touched his heart, which had been beating wildly throughout the second trial. Although Lucifer had acknowledged it, he himself clearly didn’t think so.
Why? He refused to believe that Shuna was the protagonist from the original work…
“Alright, three trials is too long. Bring on the third trial.”
“Coming right up—”
Will heard Lucifer take a deep breath and then exclaim in a theatrical tone:
“The deepest fear in your heart!”
“The final trial, created for you by I, the Empress of Tenth Demon City herself, with more than half of my strength!”
“For Ichijou Renta (a little bit’s personal life), the deepest shadow—”
“What could it be?”
Will saw a door appear before him. Yes. He was also very curious about what it was… After all, a trial that “showcases your inner fears” benefits not the BOSS, but the participant. Through such “rule-based” forced actions, participants can gain a deeper understanding of their inner selves.
“Hoo…”
Will opened the door. Beyond the door was still a dark world.
“Hmm? The challenge is…”
Will had barely spoken before he realized what the deepest trial was. He froze, then slowly raised his head. He saw, above him, an ordinary…
Slime.
