Chapter 887: Chapter 888: Choice Was An Illusion Renata showed up with a thin smile on her face, blood streaking across her features, though none of it was her own. She glanced at Xander, who was standing face to face with Amon, who was just Damon’s shadow clone. This particular iteration did not seem too powerful, so she figured Damon had not put much effort into it. She stepped beside Matia and glanced at the others. "Well then... shall we?" Abellona frowned, tightening her grip on her spear. "Why are you getting in the way?" Renata sighed, her expression calm. "I may not be a knight, but I am someone who can respect his decision. This world is shit anyway." Evangeline’s eyes grew cold, murderous intent leaking out. "Move." Renata chuckled. "Someone’s getting fired up. You underclassmen may have had one great adventure in Lysithara and come back overpowered, but your upperclassmen are still in a whole other league." Evangeline’s eyes glowed gold. "Time to find out." She flashed forward in a beam of light. An explosion of radiance spread in all directions. Renata raised her hand, a barrier forming as it reduced the power of the attack. Matia followed up with an ice strike that nearly impaled Evangeline. Lightning sparked as Leona blasted it away with her sword. "Argh!" Leona charged at Matia, knowing that if she held back, she could die. Ice and lightning collided, forming a raging storm. Many charged at Matia, but she did not even move. She spread her wings, cold winds filling the air as visibility dropped to nothing. ... Xander stared at Amon with killing intent, circling him slowly, his expression cold. Emilia Highgon prepared a spell, glowing magic seals forming in her hands. Amon—or rather Damon—was tired as he glanced at the shadow drones. "Kill anyone who tries to get into the tower." The shadow drones turned, weapons raised, and joined the battle for the tower. He then turned to Bakemon Baal, leader of the Demon Heirs. "You too." Bakemon grit his teeth, his face smeared with blood. "My lord, we have a truce with them. I signed a contract. We can’t kill them." 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝔀𝓮𝒃𝙣𝓸𝒗𝒆𝒍.𝙘𝒐𝒎 Right. Abellona had made them sign a mutual contract. Damon nodded. "Then stop them within the limits of your contract." As soon as he said that— "Amon wants the elixir! We can’t let him have it!" someone screamed from the crowd, and they all took battle formations to deal with the invading drones. The sky above hung low due to Lazarak’s spell, its colors slowly changing. Damon could feel the natural laws unraveling. Gravity was fading. The atmosphere was dying. Everything that made up the world was collapsing into itself. Xander leapt into the air and swung his spear downward. "That’s your opening move? How predictable." He raised his hand and punched toward the spear, ice coating his fist. Emilia launched her attack, but he dodged easily. ... He did not turn around, even though he knew she was charging at him. He picked up the spear. And turned. Boom. A sonic boom shook the air. The dagger rested against his chest— Just inches away. "Why... why aren’t you trying to stop me?" "Why aren’t you trying to fight for your life?" "Why won’t you just... live?" "Why won’t my words reach you?" "Why is my love not enough?" "Why am I... not enough?" "Why don’t you love me?" Damon smiled slowly. He reached for her hand and gently took the dagger from her grasp, tossing it aside where it clanged against the ground. She fell to her knees. He knelt before her, holding her in his arms. He lifted her head and wiped the tears from her face. "I’m not stopping you because I know your love is not coercion." "I’m not fighting because I chose to stop. This is my choice." "I am tired," he answered her third question softly. "Your words reached me... but I can’t choose not to try. I’ll never know if I don’t. I wish to know if I truly had a choice, if I was truly free or if my choices were just illusions created by an all-powerful god." Then came her fifth question. The answer was simple. "It’s everything to me" He rested his forehead against hers. "You are plenty." He kissed her. "I do. I love you." Her eyes widened, but her tears would not stop. Sylvia lowered her head, tears falling freely. Damon tightened his grip on the spear, ready to drive it into his chest. "Ugh. Disgusting monkeys" Damon turned his head slightly. A girl stood right beside him. He had not even sensed her. In that same instant, she drove the dagger into his chest. The motion was quick and fluid. Lilith’s eyes widened in horror as the dagger dissolved inside Damon’s chest, transforming into countless runes that spread across his body. He collapsed to the ground, writhing in agony as his heart was modified by the curse. His desire for death inverted into an intense, overwhelming will to survive. It was like the feeling he had when he first left his village— Only a thousand times stronger. He had to survive at all costs. That was all that mattered. In his chest, a scar-like imprint appeared then it faded. Lilith stood frozen in shock. So did Sylvia. She had not noticed the girl at all. One moment she was not there, and the next, she was, as if some all-powerful author had decided she needed to be there at that exact moment. Lilith did not ask questions. She attacked. The girl casually grabbed her arm and broke it, kicking her aside. Then she glanced down with disdain. "Don’t touch me, you lowly savage who couldn’t even complete such a basic task." And just like that, the girl turned and walked away, heading toward the exit as if nothing else here mattered. Sylvia’s eyes widened. She raised her bow and fired an arrow at the girl. "Who... who are you." The girl paused, glancing at the armor Sylvia wore. Her voice was cold. "Ah. I see. You’re the one who inherited Valacara’s ascendant armor. I’ll make sure you suffer before you die, alongside that golden bitch who inherited Valarie Sunwarden’s armor." Sylvia’s hand trembled. For whatever reason, only one name surfaced in her mind. "Y... you. You’re Ittorath... aren’t you." Ittorath glanced at Damon, who had pushed himself up, staring at her with fury. The world did not end. Damon did not die. And that terrified him more than anything else. She chuckled. "I see not all you monkeys are stupid." Her gaze settled on Damon. Then she looked at the half withered flower in her hand. Lilith quickly touched her hair. Ittorath had taken the gardenia the unknown god had given her. "Farewell. My god has great plans for you." And just like that— She disappeared.