player POV Chapter 24: After the Rift 7

My entire body was trembling uncontrollably as I looked at Darwin.

His gaze was never comforting. It pressed down on , as if it were preventing from breathing normally.

Calm down... just calm down.

I told myself that, but my heart refused to listen.

My breaths were uneven, my hands shaking no matter how hard I tried to hide it.

I felt sweat gathering in my palm around the hilt of my sword, and the pressure in my chest grew heavier with every second of silence that passed between us.

Then he spoke.

"Why did you deceive ?"

I froze.

The words caught in my throat.

Deceived you?

When did I ever deceive you? We only t once.

But I knew imdiately that thinking like this was useless. What mattered now wasn’t the truth—it was what was going on inside his head.

I opened my mouth to speak, then closed it.

Not a single word ca out. It felt as if my tongue no longer belonged to .

He continued, as if he wasn’t waiting for an answer:

"Didn’t you say you had sothing important to do? That you couldn’t go out with ?"

He smiled.

And with that smile, my stomach tightened.

Stop smiling... please.

The more he spoke, the wider his smile beca.

It wasn’t a normal smile.

It was the kind that made my body tense up.

Sweat began to run down my forehead, and my chest grew tighter with every breath.

Then he said,

"Why didn’t you tell you were going to a rift? Why didn’t you ask for my help?"

Because I don’t want to go with soone as unstable as you...

The thought appeared clearly in my mind—then vanished instantly. No. I can’t say that. If I do... I’ll die here.

Suddenly, the smile disappeared from his face.

He looked at with a colder tone than before, so cold that the air around us seed to change.

"Don’t you trust ? Aren’t I your friend?"

Sothing pressed heavily against my chest.

Your friend?

How could I be your friend? Do you think I’m looking for death?

His expressions began to change rapidly.

One mont he looked calm; the next, a strange sadness appeared in his eyes.

It wasn’t ordinary sadness—it was the kind that made more uneasy than his anger.

It was clear he couldn’t control his emotions.

If I make a mistake in my response... everything will collapse.

My mind was racing. I didn’t think about fighting—my body could barely stand. And even if I were at my best, I knew I couldn’t defeat him.

There was only one thing on my mind:

How do I get out of here?

He began muttering in a low voice, as if talking to himself.

"You too... deceived ..."

My chest tightened.

No. This is bad.

"You’re just like all of them..."

He said it slowly. "Aren’t you?"

I didn’t ask who "they" were. His tone alone was enough. They were people who had betrayed him before.

He suddenly raised his head and looked at . His gaze wasn’t cold—it was hesitant.

"So... should I kill you?"

I froze in place.

Don’t say that, please...

My mind was screaming, but my mouth wouldn’t move.

He continued as if arguing with himself.

"No... I can’t kill you."

He took a deep breath.

"You’re my friend."

Yes... hold on to that. I’m your friend, right?

Don’t back down, please.

But his voice changed again.

"But... you deceived ."

Damn it... no, don’t finish that sentence. I’m begging you.

"And if a friend deceives ..."

He stopped.

"What does that an?"

He wasn’t waiting for an answer. His thoughts were colliding.

It ans you should give him a chance, right? You should think about that...

"So... maybe I should kill you."

He took a step forward.

My heart nearly stopped. Don’t co closer... please, don’t.

If he cos any closer... it’s over.

Then he suddenly stopped.

He looked at his hands, as if seeing them for the first ti.

"No... I can’t."

His voice cracked.

"If I do that... I won’t have any friends left."

Yes, you’re right... don’t do it.

Oh...

I took a deep breath then. I survived...

He fell silent for a mont, then said in a low voice,

"But he deceived ... so I should kill him."

"Heh."

A short, empty laugh. It wasn’t the laugh of soone happy—it was the laugh of soone who had made up his mind.

Please... don’t laugh like that. You’re scaring .

He looked at .

I could no longer see anything in his eyes except a cold stare.

In that mont, I felt real fear. It was as if every cell in my body was screaming: run.

He took another step forward.

My breathing choked, and it felt as if my chest was about to burst open.

I looked at the artifact in front of .

It was close... I tried to grab it, but my body was shaking. I couldn’t move any part of myself.

Why can’t I control myself?

He ca closer—calmly.

And that terrified more than anything else.

"What’s wrong?"

"Are you scared?"

As he finished his sentence, his laughter grew louder.

"Hahahaha."

When I saw him laughing, there was only one thought in my head:

I don’t want to die.

I clenched my fist tightly without realizing it.

The pain in my fingers snapped back to reality. I grabbed the artifact this ti, my hands trembling.

My heart was pounding violently. I had only one hope—the feature that worked in every rift.

If the Grave Guardian is killed, you’re allowed to leave.

"Please..."

My voice ca out weak.

"Transfer out of the rift... now."

Nothing happened.

I waited.

One second... then another.

I thought I was too late—that everything was over.

Then suddenly—

I felt a powerful dizziness, as if the ground vanished beneath .

I could no longer feel my body—my legs, my hands, not even my breathing. It was as if I separated from myself for a brief mont.

The sounds disappeared, leaving only a faint ringing in my head. I tried to move, but I couldn’t.

Then I felt the weight of my body falling downward.

I hit the ground, and the air was knocked out of my lungs.

When I opened my eyes...

I was at the entrance of the rift.

I looked around quickly, my heart still pounding hard.

I wasn’t sure whether I had really escaped or not.

I stood up quickly, but dizziness struck my head, forcing to stop for a mont so I wouldn’t fall.

I took a deep breath, trying to regain my balance.

I need to get out of here... before he catches up to .

I told myself that in a low voice, as if afraid he might hear .

My body hurt like hell, my knees trembling, but fear was stronger than the pain.

I started walking, then picked up my pace slightly.

I didn’t dare to run—my body wouldn’t allow it.

Every step was heavy, and every faint sound made turn around imdiately.

Don’t stop. Don’t look back too much. Just move.

Thoughts crowded my mind, but I tried to ignore them.

When I had gone far enough, I felt my breathing start to calm slightly, but my heart never stopped pounding...

---

"Why did you leave like that?"

"Don’t you love too?"

I don’t know why... but I felt the urge to laugh.

"Heh..."

The laugh ca out short, then cut off. It wasn’t enough, so I repeated it—longer this ti.

"Hahahahaha..."

I suddenly stopped and frowned.

"Everyone always leaves... no, no. You’re different. You’re my friend."

"Why did you leave? I just wanted to play with you a little."

I felt anger... then sadness... then happiness.

"If you had stayed..."

I paused for a mont.

"I wouldn’t have had to think about killing you."

I said it as if it were a normal thought, then suddenly smiled—a wide smile, for no reason.

"But it’s fine."

My voice changed again. It beca lighter, then sharper, then disturbingly calm.

"We’ll et again."

I raised my head and laughed.

"Hahahaha..."

I turned and started walking, then suddenly stopped, as if a new idea had co to .

"This is going to be really fun."

I laughed one last ti, softly this ti.

"Anyway..."

I said as I walked away.

"We’ll et again soon..."