The instantaneous vanishing of Teo's entire body caused a massive, shared shock among every person present. Adam himself could not help but reel backward, his breathing becoming ragged and shallow from the sheer impression of the gruesome execution.

The Undead Empress, left behind by the man who had been her owner and companion, emitted an extremely high-pitched shriek. The sound was so piercing that several nearby users instinctively covered their ears against the sonic assault. The ghost launched herself violently toward alter Adam, her ethereal arms outstretched, clearly intending to attack him in a desperate act of revenge.

However, alter Adam did not move from his spot. He simply used the hand that had just crushed Teo and, utilizing a speed so brutal that no one could track it, leaped forward to intercept the Empress, grabbing her by the neck and easily dominating her to the ground.

The attack was so brutal that the Empress was unable to scream due to the terrifying grip on her throat. She tried desperately to render herself intangible and even clawed at alter Adam's arm, but it was futile; there was no escape.

Adam watched in absolute horror what transpired next. Alter Adam once again activated his Personal Skill, this time selecting another ability from his stolen repertoire, which the boy managed to see through his [Cursed Vision].

[The ■■■ has selected the mutated Personal Skill [I Will Burn my Fears Lv10] for use.]

Before the eyes of everyone, the Empress's pure white, ethereal body began to burn with an impossibly bright blue flame, emitting a thick, noticeable cloud of black smoke. It was a ghastly sight, for the ghost never even had the chance to shriek out the pain she was obviously feeling, as alter Adam's grip on her neck was unwavering and iron-clad.

After a few agonizing moments, nothing remained of the ethereal Empress except a blackened corpse that finally crumbled and turned into dust.

The Empress inside Adam seemed utterly dismayed and horrified by what she had witnessed. However, what drew the boy's own attention most was the look on his counterpart's face throughout the entire gruesome process… It was one that reflected a contained laugh, as if he were thoroughly reveling in every second of suffering inflicted upon the ghost he had just immolated.

This was markedly different from the expression of near-indifference he had worn when he ended Teo's life.

While these thoughts raced through Adam's mind, his counterpart casually dusted off his coat and began walking back toward him.

"I know that look."

Alter Adam stated, his gentle smile returning to his face.

"You are trying to analyze me, are you not? Yes, I used to overthink things too, and I know how frustrating it is not to understand something. As a bonus, I will tell you a little more about what just happened."

Alter Adam cleared his throat and continued, speaking in an unnervingly casual tone.

"First of all, there is no need to make that face of repulsion."

He said with ease.

"After all, the destiny of 'Adam Scholar kills Teo de Leon' was something you would have carried out anyway if I had not appeared here to change the 'narrative'."

Adam clenched his teeth, clearly defensive against the accusation.

"Okay… It will be easier if he explains it to you directly."

Alter Adam suggested, scratching his cheek lightly. He then immediately called out to his infiltrator.

"Charles!"

The horned devil instantly came to his leader's side, awaiting orders. Alter Adam pointed toward Adam.

"Tell him how the scenario was originally supposed to proceed."

Alter Adam instructed, a command Charles accepted without hesitation. He turned to Adam and began to speak.

"Originally, this scenario was not going to be very different from the norm. The only thing I would do is take notes on the characteristics of this world to report back to Team Abyss."

The blond continued with the backstory, explaining how things had changed.

"However, this twisted when you and your team arrived from another timeline. I immediately recognized you because of the energy trace you carried, something only I would notice because I know Leader quite well."

Charles paused for a moment to take a light breath.

"Leader had already told all of Team Abyss, even before the 'revolution' began, that another version of himself existed somewhere, in a place inaccessible by any known method. He said if we ever found a clue to him, we were to report it immediately. So, imagine my surprise when I found you so randomly."

He appeared genuinely amused, recounting his own story. The 'No Name' team, meanwhile, did not know how to react, and even Solène seemed unsure of her next move, because her Dragonkin instincts screamed that trying to face whatever that new Adam was would be a very bad idea. On the other side of the rocky plain, despite Teo's horrifying death, the members of 'Black Phoenix' remained still, tending to alter Drake's severe internal throat injury thanks to Arion, who had rushed over and was using elven magic to treat the wound. Samantha, alter Li, and Nikolai were all visibly trembling with suppressed rage.

Charles continued his story.

"Once I reported your appearance in the scenario, and before receiving a response, I prioritized protecting you so that nothing would happen to you. You were necessary for the Leader after all… And believe me, you didn't make it easy. I even had to knock out Samantha and alter her mind so that she wouldn't remember your name when we were fighting the Dracling."

He then detailed his original plan, seemingly enjoying it.

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"I was to put into motion the plan I had already formulated for this scenario, but with you as the focus. I would try to make you stronger, because the last time Leader spoke of you, he said he wanted you to be as powerful as possible so you would be more useful after he killed and consumed you."

Alter Adam interrupted at that moment, correcting him and shaking his head.

"That was the old plan, by the way, back when I was more beast than man… I no longer think that way. In fact, the less power you have, the better it is for me now."

"Leader, I would have liked to know that beforehand."

Charles deadpanned.

"I could not help it."

Alter Adam countered with ease.

"After all, my acquisition of [4th Wall No More] was relatively recent, and that changed many things."

Charles sighed and looked back at Adam, resuming his damning account.

"Well, I didn't know that, so the situation was simple. I was able to analyze the nature of your powers and had an idea of how to make you stronger. That required you to consume the core of one of Vharzun's children."

Charles then revealed his manipulation during the last big fight.

"So, when the perfect opportunity presented itself during the struggle against Dravhark, I simply had to ensure the core was absorbed by you. I did this using that pink-haired idiot as a proxy. I pretended I could not move under some rubble and gave her my sword so she could destroy the core."

He then proceeded to detail the intended result.

"What should have happened was that the girl's body would not resist, the core would become destabilized, and you would be forced to absorb it to prevent Dravhark from resurrecting."

He recounted his failure with a visible flicker of frustration.

"However, what I did not expect was that the girl would resist, and what is worse, that she would absorb the core as her own... It was something I could not prevent, and I had to suppress the urge to cut off her head right there out of sheer frustration, but I could not compromise my disguise, so I had to improvise."

Charles explained how the plan transitioned into the current betrayal.

"Little by little, I began to talk with Drake and Teo, giving them a general overview of who 'David' was in reality and convincing them it was best to be cautious. I knew Teo was very easy to manipulate, so I only needed Drake to give the green light to 'interrogate' you. That was enough to convince him of the plan in the room with the skill-sealing rock."

He smirked, revealing the final layer of deceit.

"Yes, it was a trap, but not for you. I knew how Teo would react if I sufficiently incited him. He would try to get rid of both you and Chloe, taking advantage of the rock's skill-sealing effect once it was freed. That would have caused the same effect I originally planned: you would be forced to consume the girl's core to prevent it from freeing Dravhark."

Adam could not believe the web of calculated deceit he was hearing. Behind him, the rest of 'No Name' listened, completely dumbfounded. Alter Adam interrupted the flow, shaking his head.

"That sounds like an overly complicated plan, Charles… It is a good thing I managed to contact you in time to stop you from doing something stupid. The last thing I need is for the girl to die."

Adam did not understand that part. Was Chloe important in some way? Did it relate to those "immovable events" he had mentioned? Alter Adam again noticed the confusion in his counterpart's eyes and willingly elaborated.

"The Prophet, my ally, was able to see what destiny had reserved for this scenario if things were allowed to run their natural course."

The patched guy summarized the devastating destiny in a calm, flat tone.

"Basically, that asshole Teo would have shot the girl and used his ghost… that thing."

Alter Adam said, his face twisting in a look of profound disgust at the mention of the Empress.

"To turn her into an undead. She would have fought you, blah blah blah, some sentimental nonsense that does not matter, and in the end, you would have ended up killing that undead, awakening your Personal Skill in the process, and murdering Teo too. After that, there would have been a struggle between the two teams due to the resulting murder, which would have ended in Charles's death when his disguise was inevitably discovered. And as I have already said, that is something I cannot allow."

Adam was horrified by what his counterpart was saying. Could it possibly be the truth? If that were the case, what in the hell would have happened to make him murder not only Teo but also Chloe, even if she had been transformed into an undead? Despite the terror, a great wave of relief washed over his body because he knew this catastrophe had been avoided.

However, alter Adam noticed the relief and approached Adam further, giving him a deeply sadistic smile.

"Do not misunderstand."

He stated, his voice dropping to a low growl.

"This was not to 'help' you. In fact, quite the opposite. What I want is for you to suffer, for you to experience what it means to be on the other side of the story."

Alter Adam then revealed the lingering consequence of his interference.

"One of the abilities the [4th Wall No More] skill grants me is precisely the power to interfere with the destiny of other users. But that does not mean that certain things are not fixed. And now, the destiny of 'Adam Scholar will only awaken his Personal Skill after he kills Chloe Vanderlyle' is something you will have to carry forever… But it matters not; eventually, everyone you know and love will be brutally killed either way."

As he delivered the crushing curse, a sadistic smile etched itself onto his face, deeply accentuating the strange sutures on his head.

Adam froze, clenching his jaw in a paralyzing mixture of confusion, rage, and impotence. His mind screamed at him to act, but his body would not respond to the sheer weight of the fate he had been assigned.

A moment later, a ferocious shout broke the silence.

"SHUT UP!"

Everyone spun around. It was alter Drake who had shouted. He was now standing fully upright, his throat healed, his face completely contorted by a devastating, raw rage.

"It is enough!"

Alter Drake screamed again, his voice cracking with intensity.

"Stop talking! Yes, I believe you now! You disgusting creature are Adam Scholar! And I swear on my life, no matter what the cost, this day will end with his head rolling on the ground!"

Alter Drake extended an arm, and a System screen appeared before him, glowing with a unique white light.

[Notice: L-class Plot device: "The Best Day of our Life!" has been used] [The user and their allies will have the best day of their lives! All skills and traits will be severely boosted and can be used without any penalty for the next 1h.]

Everyone present, save for alter Adam and Charles, was instantly covered in an aura that massively enhanced their strength, making them feel refreshed and overflowing with energy.

Alter Drake pointed his sword at alter Adam and roared a challenge.

"We will kill you today, even if it is the last thing we do!"

He immediately launched himself toward his target at full speed, followed instantly by his companions. Galvanized by the truth and the sudden power surge, the members of 'No Name' and Solène did the same, having heard with horror everything that alter Adam had revealed to his friend.

Alter Adam sighed, though he did not appear worried in the slightest.

"Charles, you handle Adam and prevent him from joining the combat."

The boy ordered his subordinate. He then turned to face the storm of approaching enemies, the gentle, menacing smile returning to his face.

"As for me, I will take care of demonstrating to everyone why I am the one who now reigns supreme in this disgusting System... Ugh, such a corny phrase. If I repeat something like this, please smack my head."

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