[‘Future Conqueror of This World’ Holloway’s Emotional Values!
Affection: 35%
Attachment: 37%
Possessiveness: 42%]
[‘Future Conqueror of This World’ Holloway’s ★★!
Jealousy: 15%
Anxiety: 20%
(=Linked Emotion: Possessiveness)
Obsession: 42%
Trust: 11%]
The gap between Possessiveness and Attachment was getting a little dangerous……
Why did all the good stats only go up by tiny amounts?
Affection and Attachment had barely moved near 40%.
Maybe, like when they broke through 30%, I needed some kind of trigger.
If he was unconsciously protecting me, perhaps they would rise if he became even slightly conscious of that fact.
I closed the stat window and picked up the hand mirror that had fallen in front of me.
[Obtained ‘Hand Mirror’!]
[Hand Mirror
Feature: Reflects attacks 3 times.]
……Why am I suddenly getting nothing but defensive items?
Suspiciously so?
Why are you making me nervous like this?
Why are you giving me defensive items out of nowhere when I haven’t even done anything, making my heart flop around like a freshly caught fish?
[You complain even when I give you things.]
Now it was even trying to talk to me.
Hey, answer me!
Did you want to have a conversation with me that badly?
The system said nothing.
I put the hand mirror into the front pocket of my cardigan.
Cletta, who had been watching me, gave me a gentle eye-smile.
“You’re keeping it?”
“Obviously. Want me to shove it into your mouth?”
“Ah.”
This guy is crazy.
I picked Holloway up, curled his hand into a fist, and used it to smack Cletta over the head.
Everyone was rendered speechless by my glorious actions.
[Holloway wants you to hit him one more time.]
So I hit him again.
It probably didn’t hurt much, but Cletta looked a little bewildered.
Then—
[♡〜٩( ˃́▿˂̀)۶〜♡
CRITICAL!
♡〜٩( ˃́▿˂̀)۶〜♡]
[Thanks to you calming Holloway’s irritation by smacking Cletta over the head, you overcame an 8% probability and collected story fragments!]
Since we’re already doing this, just give me all the remaining words.
Did my unreasonable stubbornness actually get through?
[Collected fragment: ‘Calamity.’]
[Collected fragment: ‘Immortality.’]
[Collected fragment: ‘Weapon.’]
[Collected fragment: ‘Humanity.’]
[Collected fragment: ‘Demon Worshipper.’]
[Collected fragment: ‘Black Mage.’]
Random fragments appeared chaotically around me.
I hurried to read them.
Then suddenly, the words vanished before I had finished.
Another window appeared.
Hey.
I wasn’t done reading.
[Story fragment collection complete!]
[LOADING=͟͞(๑•̀д•́๑)…….]
[Completing the story ‘Secret of the Island’=͟͞(๑•̀д•́๑)…….]
The shattered pieces forced themselves together.
Ding.
[‘Secret of the Island’ story complete! (•̀ᴗ•́)و]
[Beginning ‘Secret of the Island.’ ( ˃̣̣̥‸˂̣̣̥ )]
[You have been afflicted with the status effect: Sleep.]
One by one, everyone around me collapsed.
So it wasn’t just me.
As if that wasn’t enough, every member of the group who had been in the same space disappeared.
Left alone, I couldn’t endure the overwhelming drowsiness either.
My consciousness faded.
***
《The Aide’s Record》
【My master, stronger and wiser than anyone else, achieved everything he had ever desired.
My master had a grand dream.
He desired a life of 「Immortality」, one in which he would never suffer from any disease.
He wanted power capable of forcing any enemy into submission.
He also desired a powerful living 「Weapon」.
That was my master’s will, and I gladly followed it.】
《The Aide’s Record》
【「Mars Island」.
My master wished to realize his great plan on that island.】
《The Aide’s Record》
【No one understood my master’s ambition.
Only I understood him.
My master said that even the omnipotent gods could not grant his 「Wish」.
My master said he needed a 「Demon」.
A powerful demon capable of granting his deepest desire.】
《The Aide’s Record》
【Materials were needed to summon a demon.
Of the many kinds of sacrifices required, 「Countless Humans」 were the easiest material for my master and me to obtain.
The world was overflowing with humans.
We needed a summoning circle capable of calling a demon.
And it had to be enormous.
I carved that summoning circle across the entirety of Mars Island.
Then I found the most powerful 「Black Mage」 capable of summoning the demon.】
《The Aide’s Record》
【The black mage quickly captivated my master.
My master was pleased with the black mage, but I……
(The ink has bled behind the writing.)
The black mage said we would not be disappointed.
I will never forget the grotesque smile stretching across his face when he said those words.】
《The Aide’s Record》
【We found a way to gather the required number of sacrifices on Mars Island without arousing anyone’s suspicion.
If Mars Island became a resort, everything would be solved.
Humans would come to Mars Island with their own feet.】
《The Aide’s Record》
【A beautiful island and a luxurious hotel.
Once every element people would enjoy had been gathered, the 「Resort」 was complete.
The sacrifices, knowing nothing, swarmed in like bees.】
―Excerpt from one of the Aide’s recorded conversations―
(Master, Black Mage)
‘No one will ever discover our grand plan.’
‘More humans possessing magic will gather here as well. Accelerate the plan.’
《The Aide’s Record》
【As Mars Island became famous as a resort, the 「Unending Screams Underground」 increased as well.
Yet this 「Peaceful Land」 beneath my master’s feet and mine remained far too tranquil.
No one heard those ear-splitting screams.
Looking at the humans below who were experiencing hell and the humans above who had yet to experience it, I felt a strange sensation I could not explain.】
《The Aide’s Record》
【This island was always filled with magic.
Naturally so, when we were continuously extracting 「Magic from Humans」.
These humans would have to surrender their magic for the rest of their lives, but that was none of my concern.
This overflowing magic brought me unmatched pleasure.】
《The Aide’s Record》
【The underground was filthy no matter how often I looked at it.
Disgusting amounts of blood were everywhere, accompanied by terrible screams.
The laboratory was even dirtier.
Blood-soaked metal beds.
Various surgical tools and torture instruments scattered everywhere, covered in blood and chunks of flesh.
The stench in such a place was unbearable.
I clearly told them to clean it……!
(The writing suddenly becomes jagged with rage. It soon returns to smooth handwriting.)
The corpses of failed experiments were scattered around like garbage.
It was not a pleasant sight.
It was not guilt.
I simply dislike filth.】
《The Aide’s Record》
【As usual, an accident occurred today.
I recorded the conversation, so please review it whenever you wish.】
―Excerpt from one of the Aide’s recorded conversations―
(Black Mage, Researcher, Test Subject)
‘Lock it in the prison. Apparently its body was unsuitable for a demon. Useless.’
―A researcher runs over, unable to conceal his joy.
‘S-Success! Black Mage! A demon has successfully settled inside a human body!’
‘Are you certain?!’
‘Absolutely! Even after we injure it, the wounds heal immediately! More importantly, it called itself a demon!’
‘S-Success! We succeeded!’
―Black mage leaves. A man remaining alone begins disposing of the corpses. Monster goes berserk. One researcher dies.
【The test subject, whose appearance was so horrific that one could hardly believe it had once been human, transformed into a monster and attacked a researcher.
We confirmed that those whose bodies were incompatible with demonic energy lost their 「Humanity」 and became demonic beasts.
It was a common occurrence, so the researcher’s body was discarded in the dumping ground as well.
Demonic beast disposed of.】
《The Aide’s Record》
【At last, the time approached.
Just as I could never forget the overwhelming emotion I felt when the 「Summoning Circle」 filled with blood, my master must have felt the same.
His ambition was finally within reach.
Honestly, there was no need for us to know how many humans had been sacrificed.】
―Excerpt from one of the Aide’s recorded conversations―
(Everyone present)
‘Is it finally time?’
‘It is all thanks to everyone who gathered this many humans! Now it is time for your wish to be fulfilled!’
‘So I will soon possess everything.’
‘At last, my god……!’
《The Aide’s Record》
【The island became strange.
The once-clear sky filled with dark clouds, rising……
It hurts, it hurts, it hurts, it hurts, it hurts, it hurts, it hurts!
Everyone is dying.
That black mage!
I should have realized earlier!
If I had known that bastard was a 「Demon Worshipper」, this tragedy would never have happened.
For my master, I should have killed them all……!】
[The Aide’s Record ends abruptly.]
[Perspective will shift to the vengeful spirits.]
The distorted aura of demonic energy enveloped the entire island.
Every human touched by the ominously surging dark-red energy rapidly transformed into a monster.
Everyone except the black mage and those who had participated with him screamed.
‘Aaaaaagh!’
‘M-My body……!’
‘Aaaaaah!’
Everywhere, the painful wails of monsters echoed mournfully.
Someone cried tears of blood and begged.
‘Someone, please…… save us……!’
But those screams reached no one.
The 「Calamity」 had already drawn near.
Darkness eventually swallowed everything.
Even the final remaining ember—
went out.
They had not disappeared.
They continued to 「Exist」 here in another form.
Even though they did not want to.
Even though they wished to stop breathing.
They were not permitted to.
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