Chapter 41 : Memories (3)
The shock Bittu got from getting his second class unexpectedly stimulated some parts of his brain which played a role in letting Bittu realise reality. However, the reality that he came to know was a whole lot different from what he remembered.
"Ugh..."
"Ahh.."
Bittu let out a pained groan as he massaged his head. He then took in his surrounding.
Seeing the familiar sight that he has seen for an unknown amount of time, his expression dropped a little.
He remembered that he has been in this place almost from the start of the apocalypse and in this place he has done nothing but kill and kill and kill.
On top of that, he has only killed these damn skeletons and nothing else. It was only now he understood what a robotic machine feels doing nothing but that one task on that same damn thing over and over again.
"If this goes on, how will I be able to meet my family and my Olivia?!"
"No, I need to get out of this place soon.", Bittu thought, determined to leave this place.
"Status, ", he called out to check how he was doing currently.
[Bittu sah –Lv.4
[Soul power : 1190/5000]
Race: Half-Human (Half- zombie)
Class: Jocker
Sub-class: Reaper
Bloodline: None
Strength-> E
Agility-> S
Stamina-> E
Constitution-> S
Perception-> D
Spirit-> D
Unassigned stat: 0
Abilities: Torment techniques, The tomb]
"So, my constitution and agility are my highest stat."
"I see. Since my agility is the best out of all my offensive stat. I should use these to finish off my enemies.", Bittu thought as he came up with the best fighting style for himself.
"Right, I should also check my notifications that I have neglected until now.", he said, remembering that he has been busy until now, unable to check them.
As he looked at the notifications, happiness found its way on his face," At least I have gotten some soul power and stats."
He felt quite satisfied.
However, soon his expression that was happy momentarily became stunned, which changed into horror right after as the implications of the words in the notifications hit him.
[Initiating the test for the elemental affinity, illusion.]
After that, new notifications began to flow in his mind.
[You have forcefully left the test.]
[You have failed to qualify for the chance to get a huge secret related to the illusions.]
[Congratulations, you have gotten the V rank illusion affinity.]
[You have forcefully left the illusion. You have a flaw.]
[You need a medium to use the illusion element.]
[You have killed a Lv.6 mutated skeleton mage.]
[Soul power: 190/ 5000] -> [Soul power: 1190/ 5000]
....
After reading the first and second notifications, Bittu didn't or rather couldn't focus on the rest as his mind blanked.
'No'
Bittu's mind whirled in a tumult of emotions, each crashing against the other like waves in a stormy sea.
Initially, there was a flicker of triumph, a fleeting moment of satisfaction at having overcome yet another foe in this relentless dungeon. But that fleeting joy was quickly overshadowed by a creeping dread as the implications of the notifications sunk in.
'No'
'No... It can't be.'
The realization that he was in an illusion and his memories were fake sent shockwaves through his consciousness.
'No.. It's a joke, right?'
He felt a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach, a gnawing sense of regret clawing at his insides.
'How can this be?!'
'I remember all the events that happened in my life. How can they all be an illusion?'
'No'
'No... This is a lie.'
In that moment, amidst the chaos of his thoughts, Bittu couldn't help but feel a sense of despair creeping in, as if the very fabric of his reality was unraveling before his eyes.
'How could my father, my mother, my sibling be nothing but a lie?'
'How come...'
'How could my Olivia have been a lie?!'
His mind was a whirlwind of conflicting emotions, grappling with the harsh reality that everything he lived might be a fabrication. The weight of the truth threatened to crush him as he struggled to come to terms with the deception.
'Noo'
'No.... It's all a lie.'
*snap*
Suddenly, as soon as he said that, an ethereal snap echoed in the dungeon. Following that, a vision flashed before him that showed his journey from the forest to this place all in detail, expect for when he was in the illusion.
This continued for an unknown amount of time, and when the vision ended, silence followed as he fell to his knees.
"..."
"..."
Suddenly, a laugh echoed in the darkness and silence of the room, originating from the very depths of his being.
"Haha"
"Hahahahahaha"
Sometime the laugh seemed to carry pain and suffering, while sometimes happiness and love.
"Hahahahahahahahaha"
It also seemed to carry dread and horror. Similarly, it echoed with relief and bliss.
"HahahaahahaaaaAaaaaa"
However, those crazed laughs soon turned into screams of agony and grief.
"Aaahhhhhhhhhhhh"
"Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh"
"WHY?"
"WHY?" "WHY?" "WHY?" "WHY?"
"JUST WHY?"
"Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh"
.....
After an unknown period of time, Bittu just sat there looking at the void. His eyes were red and dull. Saliva was dropping out of his mouth in drops.
At the moment, his mind was like an ocean facing a hurricane, unable to be calm. He didn't know what was true, what was not? Was he a CEO or was he someone who has forgotten his very identify? Was Olivia really nothing but an illusion? Were his little to no amount of memories true and were his twenty-five years of life false? Or was it the other way around?
And lastly?
Was he real?
Sadly, he didn't have an answer.
Right now, he felt that death was better than continuing to live. In death, probably there wouldn't be any deception, any trickery. He would be able to embrace it and truly die.
Bittu slowly got up and made his way towards the dagger that was his companion for this little time frame. With his perception, he picked it up and with lifeless eyes plunged it straight into his heart.
However, before he could fall into the depths of eternal slumber, a sigh followed.
*sigh*