(Give yourself some music to make the reading more interesting, that one's a long chapter. Unless you like reading long chapters with absolutely no sound, it's up to you.)

-What happens when the black swan wakes up from being a white swan?

-...That's not a flower. Order all the employees nearby to evacuate immediately.

My footsteps felt like distant echoes in my ears, my tired body forced to drag itself out of this endless reality of nothingness. I was exhausted from the battle that I barely came out of alive, yet couldn't linger around to rest. Something was telling me to keep moving or else something bad would happen, I would get left behind and abandoned in this eternal void.

My legs were aching, begging me to let them rest but I couldn't, I was gritting my teeth to endure the pain. I couldn't remember exactly how long I've been walking, just that it was a lengthy period of time. However, I could see it in the distance, the destination that I was aiming for. Taking the apparance of a hallway with one of its wall missing, it was welcoming me. Once I was fully inside, I was greeted by a shocking difference of lighting to when I was looking at it from outside, extremely dim compared to the perfectly illuminated hallway that I peeked at from within the empty void. Slightly curious, I peeked over my shoulder and the missing wall was now present, preventing me from escaping.

No going back I guess.

Y/N: ...

Nowhere to go but in a single line. I followed the corridor, leading to a singular closed door. It was the last obstacle stopping me from progressing. Reaching for it, my mind pondered: did I truly want to see what was on the other side? Do I have the fortitude to see what lies behind it, knowing that it could be even worse?

...I suppose I already know my answer, the words I uttered at the one in that darkness were my answer.

Y/N: I'll keep going until I let out my last breath.

With that, I turned the doorknob and opened the door with no hesitation, refusing to be held back by doubts.

The inside of the room I entered was just as dark as the hallway leading me to it, as if almost all of the lights inside died at some point. One of the few sources of illumination was coming from the center of it, a green light inviting me to come closer. With no real choices in the matter, I carefully made my way over, keeping my hands on my weapon in case something tried to attack me.

...

After reaching the middle, the door that I took to get in suddenly slammed shut, fully trapping me inside. Out of instinct and fear, I pointed the barrel of my rifle at said door and pressed the trigger, simply hitting the wall with the projectile.

???: You don't have to be so scared Y/N.

Y/N: ...

A voice called out to me, a kind voice that could only be associated to a certain someone. Stepping out from the shadows, the figure of the woman with a ponytail revealed itself to me. However, even in that dim lighting, I could tell that something was different. Unlike the last time I saw her, her clothes were now slightly disheveled and bags were under her eyes. Nonetheless, she gave me a smile that did not lose its warmth.

Yet, behind those eyes, she was in pain, she was haunted by many thoughts, her labcoat stained by an unknown dark liquid and her hands hidden in her pockets. I stepped closer and looked at her in silence.

Carmen: I have to apologize, that... me acted quite aggressively.

Y/N: I... I suppose?

Why was she talking about herself like they weren't the same?

Carmen: You must be exhausted after what happened, you always looked like you were on the verge of collapsing upon arriving here, even now you do.

She wasn't wrong, my body was still aching from the previous confrontation I had and my legs were ready to give up. Sensing that she was right without having me to tell her, she placed her arms around mine and helped me sit down.

Y/N: God my body hurts.

I unconsciously mumbled to myself, finally obtaining a moment to rest. Beside me, the woman who helped me lightly chuckled, flashing a bright expression for a brief moment before the bags under her eyes ruined said face. The both of us were completely exhausted, silently taking that small window of opportunity to regain some strength.

Carmen: I know that she- "I" already told you this but it'll just keep getting harsher and merciless.

Y/N: I remember.

My eyes slowly adjusting to the dark, I could see her eyes looking down at me, filled with a certain sadness. Then, she heaved a sigh and placed one of her hands in her pockets before pulling me back on my feet. Normally, I would have stopped her from doing so but strangely, my body had gone quiet with its begging, I could no longer sense the pain that I was feeling a moment ago.

Carmen: I've seen it so many times. I've seen what happened in this facility, I was forced to witness every horrible things occuring here without being able to do anything. The voices, the screams, the deaths and even that wasn't an escape for them, brought back like nothing had happened.

Taking a few steps away, she began to speak to me.

Carmen: Tell me, do you remember what I wanted to create?

Y/N: ...Not exactly.

My memories are more than foggy, they are shattered beyond repair, the fragments simply floating in my mind with no way to connect between each other. Maybe I answered differently before? What if I once arrived here with a perfectly recovered memory, would that make me an inferior version of said what-if?

Carmen: I yearned to cure the City, its people, from something they simply accepted as simple truth. I wanted to give them the power to choose their fate, the Light that would shine said possibilities.

Y/N: The Light?

Carmen: ...The Seed of Light. Though, it pains me to see how said "Seed" has been created.

Her hands deeply hidden in her labcoat, she took a few steps in silence and turned to face me once more.

Carmen: The man now in charge of this project successfully managed to find a way to harvest a large amount of a new substance, allowing to shed one's outer layer to reveal the mind underneath it.

Y/N: ...I remember Binah talking about that. The abnormalities, they were people once.

Carmen: ...

She silently averted her eyes, almost embarrassed by what I told her.

Carmen: Cogito, the substance that allows what was once defined as simply a concept into reality, transforming those who were affected by it into monstrosities. I never wanted this outcome, which is probably why it happened after my self-inflicted demise.

That however, I could remember it vividly, it was like a mental scar. It seemed like she sensed my slight discomfort. Holding a gaze of remorse, she slowly pulled out her hands and moved her sleeves, revealing many cuts around her wrists. None of the wounds seemed to be infected, nor were they bleeding but they were a permanent mark on her body.

Carmen: I couldn't forgive myself after every failures that stood in our path, even the loss of a child in our attempts being part of said failures.

Y/N: ...

Carmen: But... even with each failures, I remember your voice calling to me, simply saying "Let's try harder next time" or "We probably just did a slight miscalculation, nothing to be worried about". It gave me a reason to keep smiling in spite of the errors that we were making.

I did that? That's a first for me.

Carmen: So why... why weren't you there when he died? I wanted to hear your voice, telling me that it wasn't my fault, to give me an anchor to rely on but I couldn't find you. I was left with the words of anger and sorrow from the one closest to the deceased haunting me.

Her head hanging, she observed her cut wrists, as if reminiscing about the past.

Carmen: I couldn't even tell you something that was on my mind for a long time, something that I WANTED to tell you.

Y/N: ?

Interested by what she mumbled, I raised an eyebrow slightly. Her hands slowly tightening into fists, she placed them on her chest and took a deep breath, gathering her energy to let out what was weighing on her mind.

Carmen: I loved you Y/N.

Y/N: ...Huh?

That's an odd way to confess to someone, right in the middle of a dark room while talking about a terrible past and humans turning into monsters. Unable to respond properly, my mouth opened for a moment but closed itself after no sounds came out of it. I began to raise a finger but was interrupted by the woman facing me.

Carmen: You believed me instantly, you even told me that you wished for the City to be kinder to others. I was so happy to hear that, when many tossed me aside as a lunatic. In those final moments, lying in that bathtub waiting for my own death, I realized my biggest regret. 

Y/N: ...

Carmen: I even remember, when you arrived at the laboratory with that girl by your side, I felt a thorn prickling me.

That girl, Alter Ego? That would be the only explanation.

Carmen: I still do, which makes it even harder for me to be forced to see this place without being able to do anything, it hurts me so much. I wanted to see your face one last time before closing my eyes for the final time but alas, it didn't happen, even if I begged for that miracle to occur.

Slowly but surely, I lowered my raised index, becoming more and more unable to let out a word through this mess. My brain was having a hard time processing everything that my ears have just heard. Not minding my confusion, my interlocutor resumed her conversation.

Carmen: That's when he decided that my original project should come to fruition. However, not in a way that I was expecting. From my body, they managed to obtain said Cogito that they used to pursue the research.

...There goes my index once more, slowly raising itself to make its presence known. Putting the cogs together, I was able to form a linear path of events, at least from what I know and the information I've just received.

Carmen: ...But I was still conscious. I was still capable of acknowledging my surroundings even after... I became this.

With that, she pointed towards the green light and just like a magic trick, something that was once not present was now there. It was a massive container with a green liquid inside. Floating in said substance was what seemed to be a brain with nerves connected to it, forming some sort of horrible tree with the nerves serving as tree branches. The sight left me speechless even more than I was, not like I was about to say a word anyway considering what I've been told.

Carmen: I was forced to see how my own death led to the creation of those... abnormalities, even if only indirectly.

Y/N: ...

The woman catched her breath and looked into my eyes once more, done looking down.

Carmen: However, I suppose it was like the miracle I wished for was granted, I was able to see your face once more. Even after I died, you still tried to keep the team's energy up, even if you had your own disagreements about certain aspects.

Through the darkness barely illuminated by the container standing beside us, I was able to see a frown form.

Carmen: Though it also forced me to see things I didn't want to. To see you smile so happily with her, it made me feel a pain that I shouldn't even be able to experience due to a lack of a proper body. I can even remember feeling the liquid around me starting to boil when I was particularly angry.

...Hold up.

Y/N: Wait, you said that they used your body to created the abnormalities here right?

Carmen: ...Yes.

Y/N: You love me?

Carmen: ...Yes.

Y/N: So you're the reason they're all behaving weird around me! Is that why they were all acting so odd?! Because of that?!

Quickly stepping closer, I grabbed her arms firmly.

Carmen: ...

She did not answer my outrage. In that moment, I could feel the accumulated anger from each day slowly raising to my head. I was slowly going insane in this place and those abnormalities were not helping.

Y/N: Answer-!

Just as I was about to push further, I noticed her arms starting to tremble. My rage dissipated and was replaced by shock. She was crying, I could see it, she was letting large tears roll down her face.

Carmen: I know... I know, please don't yell at me.

I was slightly taken aback by the sight, letting go of my grasp on her. Without any hesitation, she placed her hands on her head.

Y/N: Are you alright?

Of course, that's a rather dumb question to ask, especially when the person concerned is literally in tears but it was the best way I could think of to get her attention back.

Carmen: No. I can't take it anymore Y/N, I'm tired of this, I'm sick of this place! I'm sick of endlessly being forced to see people die over and over again because of my actions! I'm sick of hearing their pleadings, only to be ignored and left to die! I can't!

She swiped her tears away, her face filled with a mix of pain and sorrow.

Carmen: I just want to close my eyes and never open them again, to never see this place again.

Y/N: ...

In a sense, I couldn't deny that I too wanted to never see this facility again. Hell, some parts of my mind were willing to escape it through the one-way path that is death. This place was something that I wouldn't inflict to anyone, not even someone I truly despise.

Carmen: ...Which is why I want to ask you something.

Y/N: What is it?

Facing me, she extended one of her hands in silence before uttering her request.

Carmen: You understand my pain right? You too wish to escape this place, let's leave this place together, sink and close our eyes to escape this eternal cycle.

Y/N: ...

I longly stared at her hand and offer, seriously pondering on it. My mind was in shambles and I was at my limit, who knows if an end is even something that exist here. In a way, it was maybe the only chance I could get to escape in a way, even if it meant leaving everyone else on their own and quite possibly to die.

...Leave everyone else to die huh? Do I even have the heart to casually let so many people die and abandon them for my selfish desire? The answer came as quick as the question: if I were to be that selfish, I wouldn't even be here, I would have taken her offer a long time ago. Shaking my head slightly, I announced my refusal.

Y/N: Sorry but I don't want to leave like this, not without the ones depending on me.

Carmen: Why... Why are you refusing?

Y/N: Because I still have an ounce of goodwill I suppose, I'm not selfish to the point of leaving everyone else trapped here. I'll stand by them and die with them.

Firmly denied, her hand lowered and her eyes grew emotionless.

Carmen: You say that you're not selfish? Liar.

Y/N: I don't see a lie in my statement.

Carmen: If you truly proclaim to not be a liar then...

All around us, the floor began to tremble, the walls crackling and the ceiling breaking into pieces. Not sure what to do, I quickly darted my eyes around and held my rifle tightly. Soon, fragments of said ceiling came crashing down and disintegrated upon contact with the ground. I quickly dodged a few of the debris and looked around, the walls disappearing and revealing even more room on the other side. The floor now a mere plane surface floating in what seemed to be an endless void, the only other point of interest was the green container and...

Y/N: Wha... What the hell is this?!

My eyes widened in terror, my sanity taking a massive hit upon recognizing what I was seeing. In that void that I mentioned earlier, humanoid shapes were floating in it, circling the floor below them. All of them levitating in a circle turning around us, my eyes told me what I wished to never know. The ones floating, the motionless bodies, were all wearing my face, frozen with an eternal smile of ecstasy and carrying different E.G.O suits and E.G.O weapons, creating a mix of so many colors and combinations of equipments that it was making me sick. Looking down on the ground, more of said bodies were there. However, these ones were all severely wounded, mutilated even in some cases, all holding faces of pure terror and desperation unlike the ones above my head, the sickening expressions were making my heart palpitate. My hand pressed against my mouth, seeing so many motionless bodies looking exactly like me was leaving me queasy and horrified.

Carmen: ...Then explain how these are here. So many sacrificing their friends and partners just to escape by themselves.

Y/N: I... I..

I unconsciously took a step back from the shock of witnessing such thing, unable to say what I wanted to yell out loud. Wanting nothing more than to escape this place, my foot suddenly made contact with something behind me. Cold sweats began to run down my back and face, my eyes ready to close themselves as a defense mechanism. Slowly, I turned around and saw on the ground one of the endless remnants looking back at me with empty eyes, a green spear that seemed to be made out of vines stabbed in its chest.

Carmen: You don't have to see this place anymore, you can close your eyes and escape... and even if another iteration of you is made, I'll simply bring them too, just like you, to escape this cycle.

Y/N: ...

This is wrong, this is SO wrong. My mind screaming so, my eyes rapidly shifted around to in an attempt to find a possible escape but as far as my eyes could go, more bodies were present. So many of them, even their shadows could be seen in the horizon, some trying to run into the endless abyss to escape but ultimately failing to do so. But for what reason? What exactly were they running from?

Y/N: I refuse to accept this... this... this horrible reality!

"You refuse? That's a shame, you can't reject something you haven't tried yet. Or perhaps, you haven't tried yourself."

Right beside me, a voice cackled in my ear, causing my body to jump. It was the same voice that I confronted before, the one that I couldn't recognize. I hurriedly turned around, causing my breath to cut short from the revelation. It was something so simple, yet so impossible that my mind refused to think about the possibility.

It was me, the voice was mine.

Y/N: ...

Standing in front of me was one of the bodies, a wide smile plastered on its face while one of its hands was holding a rapier. Wearing an outfit that I couldn't recognize, its eyes pierced into my soul and brought shivers into my spine.

"Well, no matter, we'll save you from this eternal hell, nobody deserves to be trapped in this eternal prison. I recommend you to reconsider."

I had nothing to say on the matter anymore, my mind already set on not turning into some kind of freakish art exposition. Fueled by my sanity telling me to stand my grounds for the sake of my survival, I frowned back.

Y/N: Go fuck yourself.

With that, a swift motion forced my body to bend in an awkward position, grazing the sharp end of the weapon by a few centimeters.

"If you say so, you'll regret not taking the offer soon enough."

Finally, the battle not against some eldritch entity beyond our comprehension but rather a familiar human body with a familiar face began. Both circled by hundreds and hundreds of past victims, it was like standing on a tall mountain of bodies, as if the floor itself was made with the blood of those who died.

Searching for the warmth of the pink outfit that I was wearing, I quickly grabbed the green spear next to me, previously stabbed in the body of one of the many "me" laying around before pointing its stained end at the attacker.

Y/N: I don't intend on dying so you better be ready to have that smile of yours ripped off.

...

...

After waking up from that darkness engulfing the entirety of the facility for the second time, the captain of the Security team mumbled to herself, feeling her own headache starting to show signs. Pinching the bridge of her nose, she soon adjusted her eyes to the light around her and took a single look at the workers around her.

Hava: Man, they sure are cutting the budget short, not even any resting time.

Daniel: Hava, you're not helping.

Hava: Oops, sorry~

Elis: ...P-Please stop.

In the background, conversations sparked yet none of them could enter her ears, her mind focused on something in particular. Her heart was beating vividly and her fears were growing stronger.

Alter Ego: ...

Without even a single word to her own employees, the girl made her way to the exit.

Hava: Going to see Y/N?

At the mention of his name, her body froze but her expression remained the same. She quietly turned to face her interlocutor and saw the figure of the woman making her way towards her. Once close enough, she simply flashed her one of her many teasing smiles and went for the exit.

Hava: I'm coming too, I need to ask him something so it saves me some troubles.

Alter Ego: Eh... Hey, wait!

She quickly followed the footsteps of the one who outpaced her, holding onto her sword in case she was forced to fight. Through the intercom, the sounds of a melody echoed but she couldn't give less of a crap right now, like how many of the employees were not in a state to worry about something as trivial as that.

A sense of emergency could be felt in their footsteps, it was as if time itself was running against them. With that dreadful feeling, the both of them stepped inside the department below the first layer. There, chaos ensued, a cacophony of panic spreading like wildfire with the office workers.

Clerk 1: The captain is missing, what do we do?!

Clerk 2: He always knew what to do, what are we going to do?! We're all going to die!

Alter Ego: ...Gone.

Hava: ...Hey you!

The second girl did not let that shocking discovery stop her, calling out one of the employees working in the Central Command division. They hurriedly turned to face her and sprinted in their arms.

Clerk 2: Have you seen the captain? We can't find him anywhere!

Hava: What about the other departments?

Clerk 3: Still nothing, nobody can find him, it's as if he vanished.

Clerk 4: J-Just like mister Sib before I joined the Wing, the proxies are here to kill us all!

Hava: Everyone calm down! Now is not the time to fall to fear-

Clerk 1: T-The proxies are here?! I don't want to see those lunatic psychos!

Alter Ego: ...

Hava: No need to worry everyone. The chances that a proxy is in this facility are below-

Alter Ego: Everyone shut your mouth!!

Her voice pierced through the chaos like a knife through butter. She slammed her sword on the floor to make her presence more imposing. Instantly, everyone who were unlucky enough to hear froze in place, even herself. A few seconds passed and her head slowly raised, revealing the embodiment of cold, a full blizzard in her eyes, leaving ice shards in everyone's soul.

Alter Ego: Proxies? Are you even listening to yourselves? This is ridiculous, I've seen what they can do, do not utter their names, even as a joke.

Hava: Yea, plus we would definitely be alerted of them by now if one were to be in this place.

The clerks were speechless, still fearing the gaze fixated on them, at least until the woman in question took a deep breath and calmed down. Her heart still beating rapidly, her eyes moved to Hava.

Alter Ego: I have to keep the Security team under control so-

There was no need for her to finish her sentence, already receiving a thumbs up. Following that, the one holding the black scythe of the Orchestra adjusted her monocle behind her hair and flashed a wide grin to the workers.

Hava: Since the captain's not here, I hope you all don't mind if I take over temporarily, right~?

Alter Ego: ...

While all of this was happening, the captain of the upper layer silently scanned the room for the silhouette of a certain person. She knew from her previous visits that she would normally be there, a certain blue haired girl named BongBong. Yet, she was nowhere to be found as well.

Alter Ego: Where did she go...

She whispered that question to herself and turned to leave, her heart aching with anxiety. He was gone, he simply vanished and she had no idea what to do, she could only attend to her duties and pray that a miracle would occur... if such a thing even exist in this eternal hell.

Alter Ego: Please be alive Y/N.

With a sunken heart, she dragged her feet back to her department.

...

...

Trapped on the bloodied battlefield, stained by the stench of death to the point of making everything around feel like nothing but a deep nightmare, the duo wearing the same face were clashing at full force. On one side, one was wearing what looked like a light purple/cyan outfit with different sections being different colors, from pink to yellow and carrying a rapier...

...And then there's me, forced to duel the unrelenting assaults with a green spear already tainted by the dark blood of one of the many deceased copies of me laying around. I hurriedly jumped to gain some distance and planted my feet down just in time to deflect a thrust aimed at my jugular, the bloodlust emanating was enough to make my legs quiver.

Everywhere I looked, all I could see were the distorted faces of agony and terror covering the dark floor and if I even dared to peek upward, the millions of dark stars corrupting the void would look back at me with smiles going past the realm of humans, trapped in the eternal bliss of an empty promise. I suppose the ones laying down came to that same conclusion, they must have fought their hardest, desperately struggling in order to escape with their life, only to meet the same outcome as the ones before them.

I quickly zigzagged between some of the remains and avoided a rush of attacks coming my way. The air was completely silent except for the swing of our weapons ripping the air into shreds and the occasional clashes. My eyes were locked onto the figure chasing after me, my rifle pressing against my back while my hands were holding the melee weapon. Once in position, I slightly squinted my eyes and waited for an opening, soon revealing itself once the smiling corpse went for a hit in the legs. Teeth gritted, I pushed back my instinct telling me to dodge and rammed the end of the sharp object in the opponent's stomach.

...

Normally, such a wound would have been fatal and it probably was too but I would never be able forgive myself if I were to drop my guard like that. Due to that feeling, I hurriedly pulled out the spear and violently spun it above my head for a few twirls, slashing the neck open with the sharp end.

From the wounds came not a single drop a blood but rather a dark liquid, slowly dripping down on the ground like honey. I took a step back in shock and witnessed the body slowly collapse, falling beside the others before a laughter began to slip out of its lips, growing more and more powerful.

Y/N: Shut up!

I gave another good stab in its back and observed the strange liquid pouring out for a full second, horrified at what I was seeing. I didn't know what was going on and even more terrifying was that my mind immediately started to scream at me to get away, it was speaking from experience.

That dark matter with many colors mixed within it, I would be able to recognize it anywhere.

Y/N: No... nonono, not this again.

I mumbled under my breath and turned around to run away. It may have been what saved me since once I did so, my eyes immediately spotted another standing body jump in the air, holding a dark hammer with a mouth on one side and faces on the other. Also wearing a large smile to the point of breaking the limits of what a human could possibly show, its mouth was oozing the previously mentioned liquid.

I had no time to avoid the blow, forcing me to go on the offensive and blast a bullet of the pink rifle on my back inside its body. The shock was enough to make it lose its focus for a moment, allowing me to stab it with the green spear. I watched the sudden foe land on the ground with the spear still impaled in its chest and turn back to the previous enemy that I fought, not present anymore. It simply vanished, leaving a puddle of that liquid where it once was.

"The true meaning of existence is to love myself, others would gladly sacrifice me for their desires so why shouldn't I be able to do so? The true happiness was to accomplish my own wishes."

The voice came from the one I stabbed, slowly rising from the grave and pulling out the weapon lodged in its chest before snapping it in half like a twig with its weapon. Upon second inspection, I could recognize the outfit it was wearing: it was Red's. With no hesitation, the bandaged hands of my opponent tightened around the handle of their weapon.

Y/N: ...

I was at a disadvantage, now lacking an actual way to defend against melee attacks unless I try using my rifle as a temporary shield. Thankfully, weapons are not something lacking in this massive graveyard but it wasn't making me feel good. On top of what could possibly be called grave robbing, I was also robbing from bodies looking exactly like me, copies of me who also went through the same ordeal and possibly committed the same horror in hope to survive.

My heart was debating on whether I should go through with that decision, my sanity nodding along but for a situation like this, I'm glad that my mind was the one making the decisions, not the emotions. It was all for survival, I couldn't afford to lose my will because of something like this.

"Her voice guided me to true freedom, away from the hell of this facility. We're all free from madness, just like you will be soon."

With a guttural laugh coming straight out of some horror film, it charged at me with its weapon raised above its head. I replied to the attack by holding my rifle on the side, using it as a makeshift protection to block the strike. Sadly, that was the best it could do, a "makeshift" defense. The mouth on the hammer opened and spat out a weird substance along with some bloody chunks, all raining down on my face and my suit.

As much as I would have liked to complain or let out a scream of disgust, the moment I tried to do so my back suddenly bent, something making contact with it from behind. Not expecting that sudden attack, I was flung into the air before landing directly on top of one of the numerous past victims laying on the ground, forced to hear the crunch of the bones under my weight resonate in my ears, bones coming from a corpse looking exactly like me. The sound was enough to inflict a severe hit to my mind, letting a scream of pure fright escape my lips while I struggled to get off of the body.

By doing so, one of my hands grazed a cold object, bringing my attention to it. Laying beside the now crushed me was a red axe, a bloody axe that brought back memories, the memories of those shoes along with the haunting smile Alter Ego gave after wearing them. Shrugging that feeling aside, I took hold of the handle and stood back up just time to deflect a second charge from the hammer wielding maniac. However, when I tried to retaliate, my entire left side felt like it was pressed against thousands of knives, possessing the strength to push me away.

I snapped my gaze towards the source of the attack and saw not too far away a second person standing there, also looking exactly like me. This one was wearing a dark outfit with a cloak of the same color on top of it, an uncomfortable smile of ecstasy staring back at me. Strangely, I could not see any weapon in their hands. Still, it didn't change the fact that I was now dealing with more than a single opponent at the same time, making the situation escalate to a new level of tension.

The newcomer immediately bursted into a joyful ramble.

"Lady Binah, watch me! Watch me harness and mold the true power of E.G.O, just like you told me! I will show the result of your teachings, all for salvation!!"

Y/N: ...Great.

Keeping my grasp onto the axe, I grabbed my rifle, which was laying next to me, and placed it behind my back before I charging at the nearest opponent, making sure to also leave an eye on the second enemy in the distance. Not losing that wide smile, "I" replied to my attack by preparing a parry. Now forced to opt for another tactic, the corner of my eyes noticed something occuring in the distance and cut short my concentration.

Further away, the one wearing the cloak grabbed one of the many E.G.O weapons laying around, a simple red knife with a skin-like color as the handle and aimed it at me. My eyes widened when said knife began to melt and morph into a larger object, something bringing back bad and recent memories. The transformation process done, it looked exactly like one's Binah's pillar, pillar that the one in the distance immediately launched at me, an attack that was barely avoided by me.

This is bad, this is really bad, I'm trapped in a cycle between the both of them. Plus, how in the hell did one of my past selves managed to reach that point?! This is beyond simply E.G.O mastery, this was like magic! There's no way something like this could be real!

Y/N's mind: Come on, I just need to get rid of one and I'll be good.

Don't lose focus Y/N, losing focus right now would be equivalent to jumping down a cliff. That thought in mind, I jumped over one of the many obstacles on the ground and went for a quick attack with the newly acquired axe. By doing so, I found myself clashing against the dark hammer. Once locked in that battle for control, I locked my gaze into my target's, who casually smiled back before coughing out the dark mixture of colors going down his lips. Taken aback by that underhanded trick, I was almost about to retreat but forced myself to keep pushing, enduring the presence of that filth on me.

Don't retreat, time is of the essence. This ordeal was pushing me to the absolute limit, putting an unimaginable strain upon my sanity and energy, forced to kill people wearing my own face while constantly being attacked by them. With no other choices, I swung a perfect kick in its stomach and took advantage of the small window of opportunity to swing the axe perfectly in its stomach. Seems like it was the one breakthrough I needed, the recoil powerful enough to send the corrupted star that descended from the sky back on the ground.

Now was the time to strike.

Y/N: Free from this madness my ass, you just became as insane as the rest of them.

I mumbled those words and violently slammed the blade in the smiling one's right shoulder. Now done, I could no longer stop myself, giving into the paranoia. My own limbs grew numb as I repeatedly swung the weapon in the defeated foe in an attempt to ease my consciousness and confirm its death. What first started with a few grunts due to the effort needed grew into full screams of panic, my mind forced to acknowledge the terrible actions done against my own body, further fueling my swings.

Oozing out was the liquid that I've grown to fear, staining the ground, wriggling and spreading its presence all around, finally managing to slip its way inside this place. I looked back at the weapon I used, the once red blade was now completed tainted, the substance dripping down from it. My blood froze after seeing what was left of the one I massacred, reminding me of the second enemy that I had to deal with. I sharply turned around and was met by the end of a massive pillar colliding with my body at full speed.

The only sensation I felt for a few seconds was the cold ground pressing against the side of my face, landing head first once gravity took hold of my body. Dragged along like a puppet without strings, I painfully bounced twice, each bounce feeling like I was crushed alive, struck by a blunt object even. I wanted to scream to express my pain, I even yearned it, but my lungs felt like they were on fire, deprived of oxygen after such a terrible landing, the only thing that came out were gasps of air.

Y/N: ...

I wanted to just remain still, accept my demise and close my eyes, my insides groaning at the mere idea of trying to stand up after what occured. Which is why a faint yell of agony came out of me when I tightened my fist, basically signaling that I wasn't giving up yet. I took a deep breath and carefully returned on my feet, glaring at my opponent in the distance.

The axe was no longer in my possession, yet the warmth of the rifle against me remained. Changing plans, I switched to my E.G.O and loaded a bullet in the barrel before shooting at the target, a perfect hit. However, this was far from over, that much should be obvious by now. As proof, the one wearing a cloak shrugged off the bullet shot in its body and calmly stomped the ground, causing it to ondulate like waves crashing against the earth.

"Reveal the truth, molten Fairies!"

Back on the offensive, the laughing star that came from the abyss above us grabbed yet another weapon and caused it to melt, turning into a small sphere in its hand. That sight alone was enough to make my body react, immediately giving myself a push on the left to dash away. Once done, I looked back at my previous location and saw what I could only consider a thousand slashes ripping the air apart, yet another memory of that confrontation against the Sephirah of the Extraction team.

"Release, molten Fairies!"

Y/N:?!

Just as the words entered my head, the sensation of being cut apart followed, my nervous system crying at the experience, something that I also wish I could do. I dropped down to my knees, I needed a moment to calm down the pain. Sadly, time was not something on my side, rest would not be a possible choice until I could find a way out of this mess.

I weakly looked back at my attacker with sweats going down my face. Then, it was as if time froze, my terror spreading across my whole being. Standing still, the one deep in lunacy grinned back at me with a pillar already formed, my name already written on it. With my mind begging my body to move, I desperately tried to push my wounded self from the floor, only to fall back down. I couldn't move, my body wasn't responding to my demands, trapping me in place around so many corpses who also perished in this place. The realization was enough to send my mind into hysteria, tears starting to build up, the culmination of my emotions and stress seeping out. Knowing that all my efforts, all my struggles and all my victories were for naught, I couldn't stop myself.

In the end, I will die just like the many others before me, a nameless body that will be added to the mountain. I should have realized, if one that could harvest and reshape E.G.O like nothing couldn't even overcome this ordeal then what were my chances? None, that's the truth.

Y/N: ...

Wiping away my tears with my heavy arms, my ears faintly caught the sensation of air being pushed aside, the pillar coming my way. Not wishing to see my own demise, I closed my eyes with a single prayer: the wish that my next "me" would be able to find a solution.

...

...

I silently gave my last prayers, I was ready to meet my end. So why? Why? Why is nothing happening? Is death still not a gift, even in this place? My throat sore, I opened my eyes, still seeing the numerous corpses laying around the battlefield. I couldn't understand what was happening until I turned in the direction where the pillar was coming from.

Standing in front of me was... "me". A full arm ripped off, it still stood up and took the attack. I couldn't comprehend what was going on, my mind drawing blank. The pillar dissipating into the air, I was able to see the one facing me in the distance tilt its head to the side, not losing its large smile. That was when the truth popped into my mind, finally able to realize what was going on.

Y/N: No...

I would be able to recognize it anywhere, that black substance with many colors mixed within it, covering the entire suit of the body protecting me. At first, my mind couldn't understand how it got here but memories came back. I could vividly remember when I mercilessly attacked the copy of me wearing Little Red's suit, causing that thing to escape from the shell with how many times I struck it with the axe. I brought it here, I brought that thing here via my own actions.

Now that the pillar was no longer present, the body went limp and collapsed to the ground, the dark matter detaching itself from it and landing on top of another one. Quickly spreading itself, the second possessed body stood up, a body with both arms still attached and functional. Once done, it took hold of my paralyzed body and carefully pulled me back on my feet, snapping me out of my daze. Despite all of that, I still winced in pain, feeling the ground trying to bring me back down. Thankfully, it was there to prevent me from doing so.

"Ah, there you are, the one Lady Binah enlightened me about! Why are you helping them? Wouldn't accept someone who accepts you, not fear you?"

No response from the inky parasite.

Y/N: ...

"The both of us are the same person, we both belong to you, so why do you latch onto one who can only fear and despise you?"

Those words impaled me like a blade. Hell, even now, my body was unconsciously trembling, knowing that I was held by the very thing trying to attach itself to me. I couldn't speak up, my words jumbled and trapped in my mouth. In spite of that, words still came out from "me", the one carrying me speaking up.

"You aren't Y/N, not anymore."

"You are a monster, no Y/N."

"Demon."

"We belong to Y/N, not you."

The voices that came out from the body looking exactly like me left me with an uneasy feeling and for good reasons, they were all nowhere close to mine. It's opinion said, it fully pulled me back on my feet and made sure that I wouldn't fall down.

"A demon? I still look the same, I am still the one you chased during those hellish days in that facility."

Just like me.

"You accepted that woman's offer."

"You no longer are our Y/N."

So... the ones above us, the flying Stars of a dark City, the corrupted pieces of an abyss with no end, the blissful bodies forever floating through nothigness were all the ones who accepted her offer? If so, that must mean those lying around me were the ones who fiercely fought for themselves and their convictions, only to fail in the end.

Taking a long breath to recover my composure, I glanced at my unexpected savior. They simply looked back at me, the corpse's expression changing to a light smile.

"If that is the case then your presence is not required. Nevertheless, you will make a fine material to mold."

Albeit still experiencing some remnants of pain in my body, I pulled the bolt of the rifle and inserted a new bullet in the barrel. My gaze locked onto the target and my hands soon pointed the end of my weapon at the opponent preparing another attack.

I suppose the true ordeal begins now.

(I hope you don't mind me changing Day 48's trial slightly. If you do, I'm sorry.)

(Also, funnily enough, I can't remember what I wrote for the first part but can you blame me with how long this chapter is? Since I don't want to go through it YET AGAIN, I'll just pray that past me didn't write some bullshit.)