Chapter 20
As Shin steps out of the library, something feels… wrong.
Not just wrong.
Distorted.
Twisted.
Unnatural.
He gently lays Mina's unconscious body on the ground. His eyes scan the surroundings.
This place…
It is dark.
Yet at the same time blindingly bright.
Like light and darkness are fighting for dominance in the same space.
Mina doesn't move.
Not even a breath.
Shin's chest tightens.
"When… will this end…?"
His voice is hoarse.
Broken.
Then Cling. Death. Buf.
Death.
Pfff.
Death.
Again.
And again.
And again.
Shin's body keeps collapsing, reforming, breaking apart in endless cycles. Bones shatter. Flesh tears. Organs rupture.
And then Reset.
He staggers.
"…Stop…"
But it doesn't stop.
It never stops.
Shin forces himself to look up.
And then
He sees it.
A figure.
Standing still.
Watching.
Waiting.
"…Who… are you…?" Shin asks, his voice trembling between pain and rage.
The figure answers calmly.
"I am the embodiment of Death."
Shin's eyes widen.
His breathing becomes uneven.
"WHY?!" he screams, even as his body collapses again.
Blood pours from his mouth as he speaks.
"Why is she suffering like this?! What did she do?!"
Death looks at him without emotion.
"She defiled the resting place of Death."
Shin freezes.
"…What?"
Death continues.
"Not only that. Her actions caused corruption… spreading to other sacred grounds."
A pause.
Cold.
Absolute.
"This is a sin that cannot go unpunished."
Shin's body is already breaking apart again.
By now He has died over 100,000 times.
Death looks down at him.
"There is only one way to save her."
Shin forces himself to stay conscious.
"…Tell me…"
Death raises a single finger.
"You must endure the pain of one hundred trillion deaths at once."
Silence.
Even the space itself seems to hold its breath.
"If your mind does not break… she will be forgiven."
Shin's vision shakes violently.
His body barely exists anymore.
Death speaks again.
"You have ten seconds."
"10… 9… 8…"
Shin's mind is collapsing.
"…7… 6…"
His body twitches uncontrollably.
"…5… 4…"
Fear.
True fear.
"…3…"
"…2…"
Shin lifts his head.
Blood dripping from his face.
Eyes empty Yet burning.
"I'll do it."
Silence.
Death pauses.
Then "…Very well."
Death slowly raises its scythe.
And swings.
For a moment Nothing happens.
No pain.
No sensation.
Just emptiness.
Then Everything.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!"
Shin's chest feels like it explodes.
No Worse.
Like every cell in his body is being ripped apart… infinitely.
Bones grinding.
Skin tearing.
Organs bursting
Again.
Again.
Again.
All at once.
His screams tear through the space.
Blood pours from his eyes.
From his ears.
From his mouth.
His body convulses violently.
His mind
Shattering.
"I… can't…!"
His will begins to crumble.
His existence itself starts fading.
His body looks empty.
Like a hollow shell.
This… is the end.
Then Light.
A faint glow appears in the darkness.
Memories.
Voices.
Faces.
People he cares about.
Promises.
Fragments of warmth.
They begin to fade
As if they never existed.
"No…"
Shin's voice is barely audible.
Then Another image appears.
His dream.
A world without discrimination.
A world of equality.
His goal.
"…No…"
His eyes sharpen.
"Not… yet…"
His fingers move.
Barely.
"…Please…"
His voice cracks.
"…Let's… get out of here…"
Death watches silently.
Then For the first time
It speaks differently.
"…What a will."
A pause.
"…Very well."
Death raises its hand.
Once.
Twice.
Three times.
The entire space begins to shatter.
Reality cracks like glass.
Darkness collapses.
Light floods in. A voice: You survived all 3 Three Trails.
Fresh air fills Shin's lungs.
Shin wakes up.
His body is broken.
Covered in blood.
Mina lies beside him.
Blood flows from her nose, mouth, ears… even her eyes.
Shin slowly turns his head.
And freezes.
"…My city…"
His voice drops.
"…What happened…?"
Tears fall.
Not from sadness.
But from rage.
From disappointment.
From betrayal.
The city he built.
The city of freedom Is gone.
Reduced.
Controlled.
Owned.
By the kingdom.
Something inside Shin breaks.
Not his body.
Something deeper.
30 minutes later.
Shin stands in front of a hospital.
Disguised.
Silent.
Cold.
He walks inside and approaches a nurse.
"Take care of her," he says, placing Mina gently down.
"Her name is Mina."
The nurse looks confused but nods.
Shin stops for a moment.
"…How much time has passed since Shin left?"
The nurse answers:
"…Six months."
Silence.
Shin's eyes darken.
Even further.
He turns around.
Doesn't look back.
Not once.
He walks away.
Each step heavier than the last.
Then he speaks.
Quiet.
Cold.
Absolute.
"…It's time."
A pause.
"…to fulfill my goal."
"Even if I have to do it alone."
What is Shin's plan?