Encore 25 — False Existence (IV)

(What am I?)

Kazuya thought.

(I'm just a fake existence. Do I even exist? What was I all along? Nothing in me is real...)

He was not real.

Nothing about him. He was simply a shell created for the convenience of the original. He was created on a whim. If Reina Hinamachi had not survived, Kazuya Shiba would not have been created.

Before him, 'Kazuya' appeared, despite fighting Sylus on the outside.

Kazuya did not care. He did not care about anything anymore. For all he cared. The world could die. His family. His friends. All the humans, the gods, the Imperi. They could die.

[Pathetic.]

'Kazuya' said, looking down at Kazuya. He scratched his head, almost as if he did not know how to deal with the situation.

He then sighed.

[Get up.]

He growled.

[Get your pathetic ass up.]

(I don't want to. Just let me fade away. I'm nothing anyway.)

Due to this being their shared space, 'Kazuya' could hear his thoughts. Everything within the hollow void could not be hidden.

Kazuya curled himself into a ball.

(I want to die. Just erase me. I don't want to live. I don't want to live. I don't want to live. I don't want to live.)

·———·

[Tch!]

Kazuya clicked his tongue as he dodged Sylus' slash. He then created a sword of electricity, attacking Sylus playfully. Though he was playing around, he seemed annoyed for some reason.

"Take this seriously."

Sylus said, punching him with a fist of light. She quickly followed up and barraged him with more attacks.

"I'll don't care if you were my student. I'll kill you."

None of her attacks really injured Kazuya excluding the one which hit his solar plexus. He gasped for breath.

[This motherfucker...]

He breathed, punching Sylus with Sacred Lightning. She nullified most of the power by blocking it with her arms.

[...Just doesn't learn...]

Kazuya's eyes opened wide at the sakura petals.

"Sakura Hysteria: Cyro Arrows."

Isla's eyes flared with tears and her sockets became red from excessive crying.

The petals froze and were fired at Kazuya; they scratched his skin, creating the thinnest of cuts.

[This is how it should be.]

"Shut up!"

Yuichi leapt into the air despite his battered body. He raised Tainted Wisdom above his head. His body began glowing white and sparked with lightning.

[See! This is how it should be!]

Kazuya showed two layers of white teeth as he started up at the white figure.

[Are you watching this?!]

·———·

[Are you watching this?]

Kazuya looked over at the spectacle that 'Kazuya' showed him.

He was fighting his friends. With the power and body that 'Kazuya' currently had, he could kill them if he wanted to. So...

(Why?)

The boy slammed the bottom of the abyss continuously with his fist, to the point where it began bleeding.

This was a mental space. A place where the soul could venture. Any damage done to the body was damage done to the soul.

(Why?! Why show me this?!)

He gritted his teeth and tears flowed from his eyes.

(Just completely take me over! What's stopping you?!)

Kazuya stared at his true self with beast-like eyes.

[Nothing.]

(Then why?!)

[...]

'Kazuya' stared at him.

[Have you really given up?]

He narrowed his eyes. That look of pity got on the nerves of Kazuya.

(Would you shut up?!)

He yelled.

[Do you not want to live?]

(You took away my will of living! You ruined everything! If you hadn't surfaced, then I would still want to live!)

Kazuya cried, bearing his teeth.

(I'm a false existence! I don't exist! Just kill me!)

[You just want to die because you think you're fake?]

Kazuya did not answer.

'Kazuya' pulled his other self up and shouted at him with an irritated expression.

[Do you think you're fake?! Well then, look at them! Look at your friends! Your comrades!]

Kazuya watched his friends shed tears as they reluctantly fought 'Kazuya.' Sylus' face was mixed with complicated emotions. It tensed in regret each time she attacked.

[You're not fake within their eyes! To them, you're a precious friend!]

(Not anymore...)

Kazuya muttered, looking down.

(Now I'm merely a monster to them.)

'Kazuya' closed his mouth and let him go.

[It's the only way.]

The platinum-haired man made a bitter face.

[You cannot survive without discarding your friends.]

(Survive... W-wait, what?)

Kazuya's voice wavered.

(W-what are you talking about? I thought you were going to... What are you...)

[Since the time where I killed Mom, I didn't want to return to the world. I was going to keep quiet forever but... the Imperi began searching for me.]

(No way...)

[If you don't leave here, they'll kill everyone you care about.]

(But... I'm fake, why would you...)

[Remember what I first said to you.]

The boy remembered his words.

['You are me.']

(But that doesn't—)

[If you are me, then what am I?]

Kazuya thought about the question which sounded more like a riddle.

His eyes seemed to shine slightly.

(You... are also me. We are the same.)

'Kazuya' nodded.

Kazuya looked a little more hopeful. But he still had no goal. Something he would work to.

[The gods.]

(Huh?)

[I killed Mom. However, it was the gods who forced it to happen.]

Though he knew that the feelings he had were his but also not, Kazuya could not help but get angry.

[Some gods are working with the Imperi. I didn't join in the first place but the punishment was killing Mom. That's why you have to kill the gods. It seems like I'm forcing it upon you but it's the best choice to go with. Especially since the world won't be the same after today.]

(What do you mean?)

Kazuya asked.

[Just... when you believe the time is right, release all of your mana from your body. That's the key.]

(Why would I—)

'Kazuya' smiled bitterly.

[You can't live without discarding your friends, remember?]

Kazuya looked downwards.

'Kazuya' extended his hand out with a smile. The boy looked up at his true self.

[You don't have to live how I told you. You can live without following what I said. Since you're like a little brother to me, just live how you like.]

He also smiled and grabbed 'Kazuya's' hand.

[This may be misleading but... show the world what 'Death' truly is. And also, remember...]

[('No matter who you are, I will always love you. So, Kazuya, live on.')]

·———·

"I'll fucking kill you, Kazuya..."

Sylus growled.

Yuichi and Isla were behind her. The construction site had been destroyed from their encounter with Kazuya.

"You killed my master..."

"You're so cruel, Ms Kin."

The teacher flared.

"Don't call me that, you monster."

"That's rude, I'm still Kazuya Shiba, you know?"

Finally, Kazuya realised who he truly was.