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 - 70

Chapter 70: Corruption

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“Do you want to change your destiny, Hero?”

Those words had an incredibly sweet ring to Kaltz, the former hero. 

“Change… My destiny?”

“Yes. Become a Vendetta.”

“Vendetta…?”

“A vendetta is a revenge carried out with everything you have.”

Kaltz’s eyes widened. Revenge carried out with everything he had. That was exactly what he had been hoping for. 

“…Before that, let me ask you one thing first. Who are you? Why do you have the same face as me?”

“Why would you ask those obvious questions? Of course, it’s because I am you.”

“…Huh?”

“I am you, Kaltz.”

The other Kaltz in front of him grinned. 

“All the inferiority… Jealousy, despair and… Pain that you’ve harbored, that’s what I am. I am your instinct. I am your true nature. After all, everyone has at least one demon deep in their heart.”

“Wha-?! A demon?! You bastard! What are you talking abou-“

“You want to kill him, don’t you?”

The other Kaltz interrupted him mid-sentence.

“Just like what you suffered in the underground laboratory, you also want to punch him, kick him and beat him to a pulp, don’t you? You want him to experience the worst pain possible, right, Kaltz…?”

“…..”

“Demon. That’s right. He’s a demon, so why does he always win? Why is he destined to be happy? Obviously the answer is because… He devoured your destiny.”

Kaltz remembered hearing similar words earlier. 

“Your destiny, your light, your honor… Everything belongs to him. Even the hearts of your comrades that you couldn’t get.”

“You were robbed. Everything was taken from you! Didn’t you see it just now? You are the protagonist of this story! You were supposed to defeat the demon, maintain close relationships with your comrades and flourish as the knight commander. You were meant to be the absolute hero, respected by everyone on this continent. That person should have been you!”

“….”

“And yet… Remember the scenes that you saw earlier! At this rate, all the respect and honor that should’ve belonged to you will be snatched by him! Even the hearts of your comrades… Alwyn, Brien, everything will be taken away by him!”

“….”

“You want to get back at him, don’t you? You want to cut him to pieces, don’t you? You want to prove you’re righteous by killing all of his comrades, don’t you?”

“…That’s…”

“Then, take my hand. I will give you power if you take my hand.”

Brimming with confidence, the other Kaltz extended his hand. However, Kaltz remained silent. Though he couldn’t put it into words, but he somehow realized he was about to make a deal with a demon. Deep inside of his heart, he had a strong premonition that he could never return to what he once was. There was this vague fear inside of him, the fear of falling into the deep abyss completely. 

However, as if to dispel his hesitation, the other Kaltz raised his index finger with his other hand and said…

“Allow me to tell you one thing, Kaltz.”

“Huh? What?”

“Revenge feels absolutely amazing.”

At those words, Kaltz’s eyes widened once again.

“Revenge tastes exceptionally sweet. There’s no greater pleasure than revenge. Just imagine it… The thrill of crushing the one that had taken everything from you… In fact, isn’t that the reason why you always locked yourself away in the dungeon like a madman..? You trained your hardest just so you can kill him.”

“….”

“You are merely taking away what was rightfully yours. What are you hesitating for, Kaltz?”

The other Kaltz then waved his extended hand as he continued on nonchalantly.

“Not like you have anything left anyway.”

“…Haha… Hahaha….”

He didn’t have anything. Nothing left at all. 

Those words pierced through Kaltz’s heart, creating a ripple in it.

That’s right. What am I hesitating about now?

Kaltz had already realized that gradually, his personal emotions had taken over. He was so fixated on defeating Kai not because the boy was a demon. Kaltz’s personal emotion had taken precedence over his righteous cause. He wanted to see Kai suffer. He wanted to see Kai’s face grimacing in pain. He wanted to see Kai filled with despair, battered and broken from his fist and sword. Hence why Kaltz locked himself away in the dungeon all day long. Defeating the demon because he was a hero? He only used that excuse as a convenient justification. 

“That’s right. You’re right. I don’t have anything left.”

Kaltz recalled the scene he had seen earlier. Alwyn and Brien. Everyone was smiling happily in front of Kai, that demon. In fact, he could see a glimpse of stronger emotion at the last part. A hint of love. 

“….A bunch of traitors.”

Revenge is sweet. Revenge tastes absolutely amazing. 

That’s right. That’s certainly true. After all, even now…

“…Haha…”

Kaltz grabbed the outstretched hand. He shook hands with his other self. In his mind, he envisioned the sight of Kai crying out in pain. 

“That’s right… This is the real you.”

“…Haha… Hahahaha!”

“Follow your instinct. Get your revenge and kill him, Kaltz.”

And then, just when Kaltz wondered why the other Kaltz’s form suddenly faded away from existence-

“Become Vendetta. Kill anyone who stands in your way.”

The other Kaltz melted into Kaltz’s body and disappeared.

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“…….Ah?”

“Hm? You’re already awake. Faster than I expected.”

“Whe-… Where am I…?”

“You’re in the demon’s laboratory.”

“…”

Inside the dimly lit facility, Prince Adolf shouted maniacally as he stared at the half-ghoul Kaltz. 

“Haha… AHAHAHAHAA!!! Finally, I can finally kill that fake demon…!!”

This wasn’t part of his original plan, but upon receiving a pawn that seemed to be useful, Adolf couldn’t stop himself from trembling in joy.

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T/N: A half-ghoul. Not even half-demon. How pathetic.