Clap! Clap! Clap!
Watching the spectacle that had unfolded, I couldn’t help but find myself clapping as ’Cedrick’ and the ’Team Leader’ both looked in my direction, their faces unable to hide their surprise.
"I was waiting for the right time to step in, but after hearing your conversation, I figured I’d wait just a little longer. You two were having quite the discussion, though I already understood some of it. Still, if you want to carry on, go ahead."
There was a lot of new information that I had learned from the conversation between the two of them. In a way, I felt extremely grateful to them. In fact, I even wanted them to continue speaking for longer.
But...
’It doesn’t look like I have much time.’
Thus, I had no choice but to show myself as I stared at the two people before me with interest.
The next sequence of events happened rather quickly.
I whipped out the knife and paused for a moment, taking a deep breath as the power of the knife began to increase, and the sense of bloodlust inside my mind grew. My grip tightened against my will. The handle was warm. Really warm.
A faint pulse beat against my palm, slow at first, then quickening to match my own.
For a split second, the bloodlust nearly consumed me as my vision turned completely red and a strong scent of iron lingered in the air.
’Not yet. Not yet.’
I just barely managed to persist. The situation had yet to reach the point where the knife could completely overwhelm my mind. It would still take a little bit of time before that happened.
And well⎯
That was exactly what I desired as I extended my hand, where an anomaly appeared, presented to me by the Realmwalker. I didn’t waste any time, stabbing it directly with the knife.
Spurt!
In an instant, I felt an overwhelming sense of bloodlust burst into my mind as I once again nearly lost control. My vision flickered at the edges. A deeper shade of red bleeding into the corners of my sight.
’Not quite yet...’
"Should we move on to the next one?"
I went for the next anomaly, repeating the same motion as I stabbed it down with the knife. The sense of bloodlust only heightened as the knife finally started to catch up with the numerous anomalies that I had absorbed beforehand, and in that moment, lifting my head, I could see it.
...The grim expressions on the Team Leader’s and Cedrick’s faces.
I found myself smiling at the sight, my hand reaching forward again as a certain mask appeared, and I placed it over my face. I transformed in that moment.
I became...
The Butcher.
But the real change happened right after that as I gripped the knife with more force.
Everything from that point forward felt like a blur. I was aware of what I was doing, but at the same time, I was really struggling to keep it together. With each passing moment, the strain on my nodes and body increased as the power of the knife increased. Something behind my eyes throbbed in time with the knife’s pulse. My teeth clenched without meaning to. The whispering inside my mind grew louder.
’Kill... Kill them all. You’re capable of doing that.’
’Don’t just settle for them. There’s more you can kill. Make sure you don’t forget that.’
The numerous eyes that surrounded me didn’t make it much easier either.
Looking in Cedrick’s direction, I could tell that he was dangerous.
There was no doubt about it.
Even in my current state, I didn’t know if I was capable of facing him.
Thus, facing his direction, I tensed my back and⎯
Swooooosh!
Threw the knife in my hand with everything that I had. The moment it left my grasp, I felt myself breathe. The whispering quieted. The pressure behind my eyes eased, but just barely.
It was just enough.
The knife whistled through the air, shooting in Cedrick’s direction as his expression changed and he tried to activate his ability. Of course, I didn’t let him, as Mirelle’s giggle echoed in the air.
That was just enough to stop him.
Well...
To some extent.
Cra Crack! Cra Crack!
Subtle cracking sounds echoed inside my mind as I stared in Cedrick’s direction. For a moment, I nearly forgot about him as the pain nearly sent me passing out on the floor.
I could tell that this was probably not going to be enough to take him down, but he had never been my target to begin with, as the knife suddenly veered slightly, and a scream followed.
The scream pierced the surroundings, but I didn’t put much focus on it as I dashed forward without an ounce of hesitation, pain piercing through my mind as I struggled to keep myself conscious.
This sense of pain didn’t fade even as I let go of the knife, and looking ahead, I dashed in the Team Leader’s direction as the knife stabbed him right in the shoulder.
A soft tune began to play in the air at the same time, taking Cedrick’s attention away from me for a brief moment as I dashed in the Team Leader’s direction, and watched him reach for the knife on his shoulder, trying to pull it away.
Time seemed to slow down in that moment.
Even the noise in the surroundings seemed to fade as I stared in his direction.
’Ah, there it is...’
In that moment of silence, I watched as his hand reached around the knife’s handle, and his expression blanked. What followed were blood-curdling screams that were enough to send anyone’s spine tingling.
"Haaa! Haaa!"
Each scream seemed to tear through the surroundings as he pulled the knife away from his shoulder, the wound quickly healing in the process.
"Haaa!"
His screams continued as he tried to get rid of the knife from his grasp, but there was no escaping the knife. But even if he could let go, I didn’t let him as I reached him and pressed my hand against his, making sure to close his hand around the knife.
His screams continued, and his eyes flickered red.
The knife was taking over its mind.
After everything that I had done, I had reached a point where... it was impossible for the Team Leader to escape its influence. I had waited for the exact moment in order to make sure he wouldn’t be able to get away from it.
At some point, he stopped screaming, his struggles fading as his body started to spasm.
I screamed in his stead.
"Haaa! Haaa!"
Part of it was due to the pain that I was experiencing, but there was a better reason for it, as I didn’t waste a single second.
Pushing through the pain, I reached for the mask on my face and pulled it off as I placed it on his face. His face changed after that, turning into that of a familiar pig.
The atmosphere froze over as I stumbled away, reaching for my shoulder while my node activated and my appearance began to change.
All happened in an instant.
Nothing more than a few seconds as I grabbed my shoulder.
Having rehearsed the actions inside of my mind over and over again, I knew exactly what to do as I had the Conductor ease up on his actions and give time for Cedrick... or to be precise, Osvald, to turn back, his attention falling on the ’Butcher’ who remained standing where he was.
He simply... stood there, the bloodlust coming out of the knife intensifying as the ’Butcher’ met Cedrick’s gaze. Instinctively, he must’ve turned his attention towards Osvald.
Everything after that... was really simple.
"Our... priority shouldn’t be the Butcher. It should be that anomaly. If you can help me get close to it and touch it, I should be able to c-ontrol it."
Having already shown my abilities, the fool didn’t suspect me at all.
Of course, as the Team Leader, I needed to touch the Conductor in order to control it. Still, I needed to play my part.
And I did.
At some point, I ’touched’ the Conductor and took control of it. The process was difficult as the Butcher only grew more powerful, the poor Team Leader’s mind completely consumed by the knife.
RUMBLE! RUMBLE!
The entire place shook. Everything was on the verge of shattering.
I still played my part.
And as I took control of the Conductor, a soft tune began to play in the air. That was just barely enough to contain the Butcher as Mirelle began laughing as well.
For just a moment, the entire place turned completely still as I slowly turned my attention in Osvald’s direction. That was also the moment I caught him mumble something on what appeared to be a communication device, and as if he had sensed my gaze, his head turned.
For a moment, our eyes met.
That brief moment felt like forever before I suddenly raised my hand, and⎯
I waved.
A dark figure appeared right behind him.
His face changed, but it was already too late.
A hand pierced right through him as I touched my face, and my appearance changed once more.
Shortly after that...
BANG!
An explosion sounded.
Through it all, I just smiled while closing my eyes, the building collapsing before me as I began mumbling to myself.
"...Message. Gotta make sure I deliver it."