The Face from Hell
My fist smashed into his face. I felt the bones in his face crunching under the impact.
As he tried to die on me, I grabbed him by the collar and kindly pumped some Divine Power into him.
His wounds healed. His breath, which had been on the verge of stopping, returned to normal.
"Why try to die? Why die? Who the hell said you could?"
How did you survive?
How are you here?
Why did you reincarnate here?
Why are you right in front of me?
Why you, out of all the countless people—why did you reincarnate?
A flood of questions and doubts swirled in my head.
"You, why the fuck are you here?"
So I asked.
I could snap his neck just by squeezing a little. I could kill him just like that. He was that pathetic.
In my past life, he was more terrifying than anyone, a real-life horror worse than any demon. But not anymore.
Still, I had no room for complacency. Was I afraid his sins would come to light? Afraid he'd torment me again?
No. It was rage boiling up because this piece of shit, who'd ruined my life and killed me, was alive and well—and now a goddamn hero candidate, the empire's 'hope' for the future.
"W-who the hell are you...!"
"You don't know? Why don't you know?"
Creak. I twisted his neck to the side.
"My life got fucked because of you."
"W-who the hell are—gurk! Gah!"
"Remember."
I tightened my grip. A little more pressure, and it'd snap. Should I just break it?
"I said remember."
No. Not yet.
I needed answers.
Why, why, why, why! Why did this worthless scum come back to life? Why is he here? Why is he a hero candidate of all things!
"Eugene...! P-please, calm down for a moment..."
"Fuck off, Mosik."
"...!"
-Master! What the he—!
"You fuck off too."
-Gah!
I shoved Mosik away and hurled Eodukshini from my pocket at him too. Mosik and Eodukshini went tumbling backward.
I glared at the bastard again with bloodshot eyes.
Those blank, clueless eyes. Eyes rotten from smokes, drugs, booze. It pissed me off even more. Had he just been blissfully lost in that shit this whole time?
Vrrrrm!
A massive vibration erupted from my chest. The Black Obsidian Sword. Yeah. You want to cut this fucker down too, huh?
Fine. Got it. I'll slice the bastard.
What did reasons matter?
Just kill him. Kill him, and it's all over. No matter how he reincarnated or what luck he had—just kill him.
Shing!
I drew my sword, and his face went deathly pale.
Why the pale face? You carved scars into my gut with a knife. What was it again? Oh yeah, the word for "cripple."
Should I carve the same on you? Nah. Doesn't matter. I'll just cut you down. Erase this fucker right here.
Whiiirrr!
War God's Blessing.
Red Divine Power coated the blade. A few swings and he'd die? Nah, one would do it.
I swung down at his neck.
No, wait—thrust into his gut.
-Calm down.
A voice came from the sword. I ignored it and tried to stab.
But the Divine Power coating the blade froze my body too.
Someone wrapped their arms around my back. Red hair cascaded down over my head, blocking my vision.
Arcana?
-Calm down. Take a deep breath.
Why stop me? These fuckers made me commit murder. And then they killed me.
Because of scum like this!
-I know. I remember all those stories you told me a few years ago.
You know, so why stop me?
-I don't want to see you tormented by the past because of trash like him.
"......"
-Now, deep breaths.
It was just her will manifesting, but it felt as warm as real flesh against me.
Her hands overlapped my trembling ones.
I felt the gentle stroke through my hair.
-I'm not saying don't get revenge. But not now. Not when you're this worked up—nothing good will come of it.
"......"
-There, calm down and look.
My vision cleared briefly, then returned. Slightly different. He looked exactly like the guy I remembered, but... not quite.
Not completely identical.
A little different. Definitely a different person. So why did I mistake him for that guy?
But fragments of the past kept overlapping. He resembled him. Clearly different, but too similar. How could anyone look this alike?
-That guy's up to something weird.
That guy?
-Don't worry about it. This is my business. Just hold on a bit. Your friends will be here soon. I'll handle mine. You... do what you need to. You can handle it.
The warmth vanished. I looked at him again—foam at his mouth, passed out.
The moment Arcana left, emotions surged, my body slipping control again.
I forcibly gripped my shaking arms like a junkie in withdrawal. My fingernails dug into the skin of my right arm, tearing flesh.
-Dammit! Hurry! Get here quick!
"What happened?!"
"What the hell is going on?!"
The door burst open as Professor Nipella Aoman and Ashy rushed in. They gasped at the sight of me.
Ashy hurried over and pried me off the student.
"What happened to your arm?! What the—! Okay, first things first. Deep breaths. In slow."
Ashy hugged me tight, patting my back like I was a baby.
Professor Nipella, Mosik, and Eodukshini quickly pried the weapon from my hand.
Ashy held me close, whispering soothingly as if she understood everything.
"There, there. Deep breaths... in... out... It's okay to cry. You're fine, you're okay."
"......"
Cry?
Me?
Why?
"It's okay, it's okay..."
Her patting reminded me of Arcana. Ashy's faint mana wrapped around me warmly.
Like she'd comforted me many times before, her touch was familiar as she thumped my back.
Bit by bit, the chaos subsided. The rage ebbed. The emotions... settled.
"No, we're the ones who got hit, why's he—"
"Shut it. Can't you see our kid's upset?"
I ignored the weirdo's voice and closed my eyes.
This felt better.
Ah... I wanted to go home. Desperately. More than ever, back to where my god and mother waited.
"You okay?"
"......"
I couldn't answer from sheer embarrassment.
Crying.
Me, at this age, crying!
"Here, banana milk. Calm down a bit."
Even more embarrassing!
"What's wrong? Embarrassed? It's fine~ Everyone cries sometimes."
Stop!!!
I seriously wanted to crawl into a rat hole.
No, if possible, just face-plant into a plate and die.
"Aww, so cute~ Eugene. You know? You're super cute right now. Is this what it feels like for fans seeing their fave?"
Don't say that for real...
I wanted to retort, but couldn't.
My hand shook. Ashy placed hers over it, gently stroking.
"Don't regret it or feel embarrassed. I don't know why you reacted like that or what you were about to do... but it's okay. I can understand it all. There had to be a good reason."
There was a reason. But it was based on assuming he was that guy.
Was he really that guy? Just similar face? Some random lookalike? Even if it was him, did he have those memories? Calming down now, I could analyze coldly. But in that moment, the emotions weren't mine to control.
Would Ashy understand? As a presumed Regressor, would she get my feelings? Should I tell her now? If I admitted knowing her secret—
"Shh."
As I opened my mouth, Ashy covered it first.
"You don't have to say it. No need."
"But,"
"■■■."
Static crackle!
That noise again. Couldn't make out a word Ashy said.
"Still not hearing it, huh?"
"...Just static."
"Means it's not time yet. Probably, the secret you're hiding... I can't hear it either. So."
Ashy smiled softly. Her blue eyes rippled with depths deeper than any abyss.
"Our secrets—we tell each other when we can speak them. For the first time then. Okay?"
Yeah. That makes sense. There's a reason it's not time.
...Whatever 'causality' is, anyway.
I'll find out someday. No, I have to.
Why hide these secrets? Why block me from speaking? Why is someone with that hated bastard's face right in front of me!
All of it!
-...Feeling better?
"...All good now?"
"Yeah. I'm embarrassed too, so everyone forget it?"
-Nah, thought Chucky possessed you for a sec... Scared the shit outta me...
Mosik looked pretty spooked. He glanced cautiously, then asked carefully.
"It wasn't 'cause of me, right?" "?"
"'Cause I dragged him here..."
"Nah? Just had a grudge against that fucker."
"I see. Good thing..."
But how'd Arcana relay those words? I didn't do anything.
Vrrrrm!
Vibration from inside my priest robes. The sword hilt poked out.
'Black Obsidian Sword, you?'
This was my predecessor's sword for ages. Not a divine relic, but close.
Exposed to divine power so long, maybe enough to convey will?
'...Doubt it.'
The sword wasn't at full power.
Not fully unlocked.
So, probably couldn't convey divine will alone.
'...The Blessing?'
When I tried stabbing, it activated without intent. No combat, no thought to trigger.
Blessings are fragments of divine will, right?
Maybe it relayed through the Blessing? The sword filling the gap.
'...Not anytime, probably.'
If so, we'd have talked sooner.
No dice, so quiet usually.
'...Wait, last time with Christina, didn't I hear a voice?'
Maybe not hallucination?
Blessings together amplify or something?
Ask later.
"Eodukshini. C'mere."
-...Not gonna hurl me again?
"Sorry 'bout that. Couldn't control it."
-Sigh, one chance...
"Can't be two?"
I pocketed the returning Eodukshini and left the room.
It was right next to the clubroom. Used to be staff lounge, but trashed club next door made it unusable.
People'd use it now.
Professor Nipella, waiting by the door, stood as he saw me.
"You alright?"
"Yeah. Fine now."
"What happened? That scene... well, could be trouble."
Out of consideration, he trailed off.
But I knew what I'd tried. Killing him. Anyone seeing would've thought murderer. Hell, I almost became one.
To them, looked like killing a total stranger.
"Explain later. Rest first. I'll clean up..."
"No. I'll handle it."
"...You sure?"
"Yes."
If an enemy from my nightmares appears?
If someone knows my weakness?
If they're stronger, but wear the face of someone I loathe?
...I have to overcome it.
Already got help. Even Arcana's, which I shouldn't have.
Did my embarrassing bit too.
Now, I overcome it myself.