I Got Reincarnated Into a Game I Was a Top-Ranker in and I Became the Leader of a Villain Group That Will Destroy This Shitty Country - 28

Chapter 28: Sprouting Desire

ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー

Something is wrong… This isn’t supposed to happen. Why is Chloe standing there? And why is my own wrist bleeding? Wasn’t I supposed to stab Kai’s wrist with the knife?

Then, the snapping sound of fingers echoed inside the room eerily loud. 

SNAP

“Ugh.. Ahaha… AHAHAHAHHAHA!!”

Gebels laughed maniacally. He refused to succumb to the pressure of the situation. He, who had been kneeling due to the overwhelming pain in his wrist, stood up slowly. He then glared at Chloe. 

Calm down… Just think about it. Logically speaking, it’s impossible for my wrist to get stabbed by me. It must be a trick.. Or manipulation… Or maybe an illusion created by that boy… That means.. The Chloe in front of me must be an illusion too. 

“…You killed her, didn’t you?”

While Gebels was trying to organize his thoughts out of desperation, Chloe’s voice suddenly rang into his ear.

The smirk returned to Gebels’ face. He then tilted his head to the side at Chloe’s question. 

“Killed…? Whatever do you mean?”

“Number 3278. A girl with long silver hair. Do you remember her?”

“Hmm…? I’m not sure. Do you really expect me to remember every single piece of trash I’ve discarded?”

Gebels sneered and at the same moment, Chloe, who had been standing far away from Gebeles, suddenly closed the distance in a second and pointed a knife at him. The swift movement made Gebels’ spine tremble. 

“So… You don’t remember her?”

“…O-Ohh… This is quite a surprise… You’re pretty fast.”

“You see, Gebels… I….”

With eyes full of rage and obsession, Chloe spoke calmly. 

“I’ve been searching for you… For the one that killed my best friend… So I can avenge her death…”

“Hmmm~ I don’t quite understand to be honest, but I do think you’re on the right track here. I might be the right target for your revenge. After all, I was the one who conducted all these experiments.”

“Fufufufu…..”

There, Chloe suddenly chuckled. 

“Do you have any idea how much… How much I’ve been longing for this moment??? Do you even know how much tears of blood I’ve shed, training every night… All so I can slice your disgusting face and body to pieces??”

“Ahahahahahaha!! Is that really something you should say? No one would expect a member of the Hero’s party to say something like that, you know?”

“Well, isn’t that because you’re a demon?”

Chloe then turned her attention to kai. The chains that had tied Kai’s limbs had vanished, as if they had never existed in the first place. Nia, who had been lying on the bed behind him, also got up and removed the bandages covering her eyes. Nia’s sharp red eyes gleamed. 

Gebels gulped nervously and then Chloe continued on.

“Kai, I can kill him, right?”

“Yeah. This revenge is all yours after all.”

“….Kyahahahaha!! Kyahahahahaha! This is a space created by illusions! Do you really expect such petty trick would work on me?!”

“No? This is not an illusion though.”

The one that said that was Nia, the one who had stayed silent until now. Nia then continued speaking. 

“This is the reality. You assumed this is all an illusion just because you’re in a precarious situation.”

“……..Nonsense!! Do-Do you really think I will believe this shitty bullshit?! Then where did the chains on your bodies go?! Where did they go?!”

“You sure talk a lot for trash that is worth less than human.”

With a voice colder than a midwinter storm, Chloe pulled out another knife. Her eyes were filled with a blazing vengeful spirit, showcasing her ruthlessness as an assassin. 

“Do your best to survive, scum.”

“Pfft… Kyahahahhaha!!”

Almost immediately, the color of the surrounding air suddenly turned black and drawn toward Gebels. The wind raged violently and the person in front of Chloe suddenly transformed into a hideous monster that looked like an orc. This burly monster was covered in jet-black muscles. 

“Ahh~ Even though I didn’t want to show you this form of mine…”

“-!!”

Chloe flinched back, surprised at the sight she beheld. Embedded in between bulges of thick muscles were human faces. The faces of the people that had died in agony. The remains of innocent people that were sacrificed for the empire’s nefarious goal. 

“Hahaha!~ Maybe your ‘best friend’ is lodged among them too?”

“-!!”

“Chloe!”

Her thread of reason had snapped and Chloe was about to jump in mindlessly, but thanks to Kai’s voice, Chloe immediately regained her composure. She was well aware that jumping in recklessly because of emotions would only lead her straight to death. 

“…..”

“…..”

Kai and Chloe only stared at each other silently Chloe then recalled her conversation with Kai when the three of them gathered. 

“When we fight Gebels, should I fight him alone?”

“Yeah. This revenge is yours after all.”

“…I see. Thank you.”

“Perhaps… Are you feeling nervous, Chloe?”

Kai spoke gently to Chloe in a small room that seemed unfit for a demon like them. Of course, he did so while cradling Nia’s puffed cheeks with both of his hands. Nia was sitting next to Kai, she deliberately scooted closer, making sure no space was left between them. 

“Hahaha… Well… I guess I might be? If what you said is true and it’s Gebels we’re up against… I don’t know, it doesn’t seem like I have a chance in winning. He’s the Crown Prince’s most trusted subordinate after all. They said he’s skilled at fighting too.”

“….”

Kai couldn’t say anything. After all, the fact still stood. Chloe was an assassin. Facing someone head-on wasn’t her expertise. Hence why she ended up getting her mind manipulated by Gebels and died at the hand of the Hero in the original storyline. However, Kai firmly believed….

“I believe you do have a chance, Chloe.”

“…Huh?”

“I will tell you everything. Everything about him.”

Kai firmly believed in Chloe’s potential. She had tremendous potential. A genius assassin who excelled in combat, even more than Brien, who was much older than her. Chloe was able to become a top-class assassin without ever having a decent mentor. Kai knew all of this. Hence why he was confident Chloe could win against Gebels as long as Kai told her Gebels’ attack patterns and weaknesses.

“….Why?”

“Hm?”

Seeing the confidence from Kai, Chloe became confused instead. 

“Why would you go to such lengths for me? We’ve only met recently, right? So why… Why are you paying so much attention to me..? If anything, I’m your enemy, aren’t I?”

“Huh..? Oh. Ahahahaha!”

“Why are you laughing?!”

“No, no. I mean, I already told you, didn’t I?”

Chloe was taken aback. She could never forget the smile that Kai showed to her.

“I want you to stay alive. I want you to be happy. That’s the only reason why I’m helping you. That’s all, really.”

“…..”

Kai’s smile was so warm. Its warmth reminded Chloe of her deceased best friend. A pure kindness that shone so blindingly bright. Of course, Nia’s gaze was immediately filled with hostility. But Kai was able to speak his thoughts while hugging Nia tightly in an effort to appease Nia’s anger. 

“Kai, you dare to blatantly cheat on me right in front of me…”

“A-A-Anyway!! I will tell you everything about Gebels! Listen close, okay?!”

“…Pfft… Fufufu…”

At that moment, for some reason, Chloe’s cheeks were adorned with a slight blush. And so, Chloe came to a decision. She had a desire that sprouted within her right at that moment. She wanted to repay Kai properly. Little did she know, this desire of her would become an important driving force for her one day.

She mustn’t lose. She absolutely couldn’t afford to lose.

“Now, come at me, trash.”

“….Right.”

The grotesque monster in front of her looked exactly as Kai’s description. Chloe smirked, feeling her confidence returning. 

“Let me tell you one thing, Gebels.”

“Yes?”

“You can’t defeat me.”

Sparing a single glance at Kai, Chloe continued on.

“A girl who has a reason to live tends to be quite strong, you know?”

ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー

T/N: I hope Chloe can defeat Gebels. I don’t want MC to help her… Because, Chloe’s life goal is to avenge her best friend after all.