My Illusion Is Survival - Chapter 23

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 23

Thud, thud-thud.

With the strange sound of seams bursting, the bodies of Kazen’s subordinates began to gradually swell.

Their skin turned purple and their builds became massive enough to remind one of golems.

“Gruk!”

“Grruk! Grrrrruk!”

Then they even started foaming at the mouth.

‘Is this for real?’

I naturally couldn’t help but be disgusted by that grotesque sight.

‘This was supposed to be just a dating sim game! Why are you guys starting phase 2 on your own?!’

Regardless of my confused feelings, the conversation between Azel and Kazen Mayer continued.

“Six years ago, when I lost my father and brother to your hands. From that day until now, I’ve devoted my entire life to killing you with my own hands.”

What?

“But you always stayed ahead of me, as if mocking all my efforts.”

“…”

“You didn’t even kill me. Do you know that your disgusting pity made me even more miserable?”

I couldn’t help but sigh at this sudden sob story.

‘If he’s not going to kill you, just live well!’

While I understood Kazen glaring at Azel as if he wanted to kill him, I also felt frustrated.

‘You can’t win anyway! You can’t win!’

However, Azel was surprisingly just listening to Kazen’s story. Of course, I had some idea why.

‘Of all people, this bastard had to be Alendor Mayer’s son.’

This was exactly why I felt a sense of déjà vu from the name Mayer.

Kazen ‘Mayer’ was the child of ‘Count Alendor Mayer’ who appeared in the game.

*

Alendor Mayer.

Count Mayer who, despite being a noble of the Holy Empire, worshipped false gods and even dabbled in human sacrifice.

He was famous among gamers.

‘Because he’s a villain you inevitably meet when taking Azel’s route.’

Alendor appears in the game as a living corpse. Revived by a necromancer’s hand to curse Azel.

And his existence was used as the first clue revealing that Azel was a villain with a backstory.

“Your father was a man who deserved to die.”

“I know.”

The reason Azel couldn’t carelessly kill Kazen.

It was probably because of…

“But my brother was different. That man, that foolish guy, shouldn’t have died like that.”

Kazen’s dead brother.

Six years ago, Count Mayer wasn’t the only one who died by Azel’s hand.

Kazen’s brother, the eldest son of Alendor Mayer, had died there as well.

“Why did you kill my brother?”

“…”

“Answer me. Why did you kill him?!”

No answer came.

Unlike his father, the eldest son had committed no crimes up to that point.

But I knew the truth.

‘House Mayer’s eldest son was destined to cause countless massacres in the future.’

This was exactly why I had pitied Azel earlier.

Kazen’s brother was a future villain.

‘The kind and gentle eldest son would go mad with revenge and carry on his father’s twisted legacy.’

However, since he was judged by Azel’s hand, those crimes never came to pass.

Therefore, people like Kazen came to exist.

Those who knew nothing and hated Azel.

“Why! Why don’t you at least make an excuse? Say it, say it! Tell me that my brother was also a man who deserved to die!”

“…”

Azel never even made excuses at times like this.

Even now, he just changed the subject with a somewhat tired expression.

“…So you accepted demonic energy? Just to kill me?”

“Just? Just?! To kill you, whom even the Knights of the Holy Empire can’t handle, this much sacrifice is only natural!”

His voice was full of resentment as he spat out the words.

“The day I lost my family to your hands. My soul had already been buried in the mud long ago.”

But even so, Kazen’s choice was wrong.

“Then what wrong have they done? What sin have those who chose to fall into the abyss together, caught up in your resentment?”

I felt the same way.

Even if Kazen’s choice was due to his resentment toward Azel, the fact that all those numerous people following him were tainted by demonic energy was a different matter.

However, Kazen burst into loud laughter.

“Ah, those guys? Why is that my fault? They all made that choice because they wanted to.”

“They wanted to?”

“The reason those idiots follow me is all because of this.”

As soon as he finished speaking, Kazen’s fist struck the ground.

“…The ground!”

Then an earthquake occurred instantly and the ground cracked with massive fissures.

Centered on where Kazen’s fist had struck, a terrible blackness spread out. The earth was rapidly dying, turning black.

“Ahhh…!”

At that moment, ecstatic exclamations burst from the crowd surrounding us.

I felt a distant madness from them as they regarded the blackening, rotting soil as if it were a miracle.

Azel seemed to have figured something out from that sight.

“So they were Followers of Voltiers.”

Voltiers was the name of the false god that Count Alendor Mayer had worshipped.

“Those lowly creatures simply follow me of their own accord, yearning for power. You can’t blame me for that.”

Even though his mocking voice was insulting them, the people were too mesmerized by the scene before them to care.

It resembled the appearance of cult groups I had once seen in documentaries.

“Azel?”

Right then, Azel drew his sword from his waist for the first time.

Shing-!

“So it comes to this after all.”

“Wait! Azel, just a moment!”

I called out Azel’s name loudly, but he didn’t look back.

“Fate doesn’t change after all.”

“Fate? Haha! That’s a good word, so I’ll return it to you. I’ll make you pay for your sins from six years ago right here and now. I’m looking forward to seeing whose side fate will take!”

With that, the two men clashed.

“…!”

Kuuu-woong!

The pure collision of power against power created a massive shockwave.

If the two clever Aigres hadn’t shielded me, I would have already been blown far away.

-Grrrrrrrung!

However, this wasn’t the time to be worrying about Azel.

“If the Aigres called the master of the mountain becomes tainted with demonic energy, it would certainly be quite a sight to behold.”

“What are you doing! Catch them! Hurry and capture those things to offer them to Lord Voltiers!”

The humans who spouted such insane words were targeting us.

The sight of burly purple-clad men giggling as they approached was truly horrific.

-Kheooooong!

One Aigres immediately charged toward the enemy.

However, something like black heat haze blocked its sharp teeth.

‘What the hell is that?’

-Kheooong!

The Aigres hastily twisted its body to avoid the heat haze before its eyes. When the black something grazed its snout, the creature writhed in pain.

Azel was in a similar situation.

“It’s not ordinary demonic energy.”

“That’s right. I prepared it especially for you!”

Despite drawing his sword, Azel couldn’t get close to Kazen.

He couldn’t even use magic. The demonic energy absorbed his mana and nullified all attacks, leaving even Azel looking surprised.

“How long do you plan to just keep dodging!”

“I have no choice.”

Then a voice that sounded like he had resolved something came from Azel’s mouth.

“…!”

Instantly, goosebumps rose all over my body.

Kazen immediately swung his sword toward Azel, but it was blocked by an intangible force.

Clang-!

“What is this?”

Unlike Kazen who expressed confusion, I immediately grasped the situation.

‘This is insane?’

That was a precursor to awakening.

Ssssssssh-!

The dark red aura I had seen before swirled threateningly.

“…!”

The awakening I had barely prevented on the first day was about to be recreated again in this very place.

“No!”

I shouted at the top of my lungs without thinking, but Azel’s resolve was firm.

“No! You can’t! I said you can’t! Azel, you mustn’t!”

At my desperate cry, Azel’s gaze turned toward me for the first time.

“…Don’t worry. I’m only thinking of driving away the demonic energy.”

He was showing consideration for me in his own way.

‘You crazy bastard! That’s not the point!’

But this kind of consideration wasn’t what I wanted.

‘You can’t just drive away the demonic energy and end it there!’

Azel’s thinking right now was wrong.

He didn’t know it, but awakening was never a solution.

“Ahhh! Wait! Hey! This isn’t the time for this! We need to go over there first!”

When I grabbed his fur and screamed like a madman, I could feel the creature below me getting flustered.

However, I didn’t have the luxury to be considerate. I immediately grabbed the Aigres’s head.

-Kheng?!

“Chaaaarge-!”

When I mustered all my strength and shouted, the creature finally leaped high into the sky.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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