Chapter 149 Beneath the moonlight [4]

Chapter 149 Beneath the moonlight [4]

I stood in a familiar black world.

It had been a while since the last time I had used the first ability. Unlike the second ability which granted me the ability to feel and experience one's emotions, the first ability subjected me to the selected emotion to the extreme.

Because it made me experience an emotion to the extreme, I always felt hesitant to use it.

Unlike the second ability, the mental toll it took on me wasn't something that I could easily brush off.

There had been times when I had acted out of character because of it.

It was for that reason that I was hesitant to use it.

?| Red - Anger

?| Purple - Fear

?| Blue - Sadness

?| Green - Surprise

?| Orange - Love

?| Yellow - Joy

The wheel appeared in front of me.

Looking at it again, it felt rather daunting.

'.....Anything but love.'

The goal in using the first ability was so that I would have a chance at beating Leon.

Love wasn't going to help me.

I shuddered at the thought.

Trrrr—

The wheel spun.

I stood in silence while the colors alternated.

I felt nervous staring at the wheel. I could more or less imagine the pain I'd have to go through but at the same time, I was looking forward to it.

I had delayed this for too long.

Trrrr—

In the darkened world, the wheel continued to spin.

It spun and spun and spun.

Until,

It stopped.

?| Purple - Fear

I blinked.

'Fear....?'

Again?

The world around me shifted.

I was back in the forest outside of the Academy.

Leon was standing in front of me.

"Hm."

I found my voice again.

"...Did something go wrong?"

Everything was the same as before. From the little details to everything else. It was the same as in my memories.

No, wait...

'I can feel my body.'

Realizing that I was standing and that my body was in top shape, I realized this was all an illusion.

But why Leon?

How was that going to induce fear over m—

Spurt—

I felt a sharp pain in my neck.

The world turned upside down and I lost my voice.

Tak.

The last thing I saw before the world turned dark were two leather shoes.

'Ah.'

It was then that I realized what had happened.

I had died.

Darkness overtook my consciousnesses shortly after that. Only for light to return shortly after that.

"....."

Yet again, I was standing before Leon.

I felt a sharp pain in my head. One that I was able to brush off rather quickly as I focused my attention on Leon.

This time, I was able to catch a glimpse of his face. It was cold and almost emotionless. It felt extremely intimidating, and before I knew it, I had unknowingly taken a step back.

'This...'

Ba... Thump! Ba... Thump!

The powerful beat of my heart drummed in my mind.

It echoed louder and louder.

The Leon in front of me. He looked so much like the Leon in the first vision I ever had.

"Wh—"

Spurt—

Before I could even react, I felt a familiar pain beneath my neck.

The world yet again flipped and darkness overtook my consciousness.

"Haaa... Haaa...."

The scene repeated.

Breathing heavily, I looked at Leon.

I was soaked in sweat.

Leon yet again stood before me. His cold gaze bearing down on me.

Lifting my head, I stared at him.

"F-fuck...!"

Clenching my teeth, I charged forward. Threads appeared all over the place and I raised my left hand.

But,

Spurt—

Darkness yet again took over my consciousness.

"Haaa... Haaa...!"

Leon stood before me again.

The sight of him sent chills down my spine. Recalling the amount of times that I died, I secretly swallowed my saliva.

Despite knowing this was all an illusion, the deaths were real.

I felt and experienced all of them.

"Kh...!"

Yet again, I charged forward.

Unlike last time, I tried to dodge his attack, but...

Spurt—

The result didn't change.

I hadn't even made it a single step before the world flipped.

'...What do I do?'

Spurt—

And again.

.

.

.

"Akh...!

At some point, the pain in my head became unbearable.

I screamed my heart out.

But no one heard.

Spurt—

.

.

.

"H-how many times does this make?"

My lips felt numb.

Looking around, the world appeared hazy.

I had started to lose track of the amount of times that I had died.

Spurt—

It just wouldn't stop.

.

.

.

It was just an endless cycle of death, fear, and pain.

It was torture.

"Akh...!"

My screams filled the surroundings.

Spurt—

And so did the sound of my death.

.

.

The cycle continued to repeat.

I had started to lose count of the amount of times that I died.

'Why do I do this to myself?'

'Just run.'

'Why aren't you running?'

'It hurts...!'

Voices echoed within my mind.

I had long lost track of time.

The only things I could feel were the fear and pain.

Spurt—

Yet again, the world turned upside down.

"....."

Coming to, I made no sound.

I just stood still and stared at Leon.

The pain within my mind was hard to describe. It hurt to the point where I could hardly think.

Still, it didn't last long.

When it did disappear, it was just me and Leon.

Again.

The two of us.

He placed his hand towards the hilt of his sword and I closed my eyes.

Spurt—

The inevitable came.

So did the pain and the fear.

But this time, there was something else that was starting to enter my mind.

'Numbness'

Yes.

I was starting to feel numb to everything.

Spurt—

Death no longer scared me as much.

"....."

Rustle, rustle—

Standing before Leon, I perceived my surroundings better. A gentle breeze wafted through, and the trees rustled.

"....."

It was quiet and the beat of my heart finally steadied for once.

In the silence that suddenly took over the surroundings, I stood before Leon. He stared back at me with the same gaze of his.

It felt chilling to look at.

.....But I had started to grow used to it.

It didn't scare me anymore.

As if noticing this, Leon frowned.

For the first time since appearing in this world, he showed a reaction.

I didn't do anything and just waited.

Waited for him to make a move.

Spurt—

He eventually did, and the world turned dark.

When I opened my eyes again, the first thing I saw was the moon.

It shone brightly from above.

My entire body was in pain and I could hardly feel it. Even so, when compared to the pain I had previously experienced, this was nothing.

Rustle!

I raised my head.

"....."

My gaze fell on the set of grey eyes that were locked on me.

In that moment, time seemed to come to a standstill.

His figure overlapped with the one within the illusionary world and my body trembled. At the same time, something flashed before my vision.

?| Lvl 1. [Fear] EXP + 17%

It was a notification.

One that was accompanied by another.

Lvl 1. [Fear] --> Lvl 2. [Fear]

And then,

I spoke.

".....When was the last time you were scared?"