I stood in a familiar black world.

It had been a while since the last time I had used the first ability. Unlike the second ability which granted me the ability to feel and experience one's emotions, the first ability subjected me to the selected emotion to the extreme.

Because it made me experience an emotion to the extreme, I always felt hesitant to use it.

Unlike the second ability, the mental toll it took on me wasn't something that I could easily brush off.

There had been times when I had acted out of character because of it.

It was for that reason that I was hesitant to use it.

Red - Anger

Purple - Fear

Blue - Sadness

Green - Surprise

Orange - Love

Yellow - Joy

The wheel appeared in front of me.

Looking at it again, it felt rather daunting.

'.....Anything but love.'

The goal in using the first ability was so that I would have a chance at beating Leon.

Love wasn't going to help me.

I shuddered at the thought.

Trrrr

The wheel spun.

I stood in silence while the colors alternated.

I felt nervous staring at the wheel. I could more or less imagine the pain I'd have to go through but at the same time, I was looking forward to it.

I had delayed this for too long.

Trrrr

In the darkened world, the wheel continued to spin.

It spun and spun and spun.

Until,

It stopped.

Purple - Fear

I blinked.

'Fear....?'

Again?

The world around me shifted.

I was back in the forest outside of the Academy.

Leon was standing in front of me.

"Hm."

I found my voice again.

"...Did something go wrong?"

Everything was the same as before. From the little details to everything else. It was the same as in my memories.

No, wait...

'I can feel my body.'

Realizing that I was standing and that my body was in top shape, I realized this was all an illusion.

But why Leon?

How was that going to induce fear over m

Spurt

I felt a sharp pain in my neck.

The world turned upside down and I lost my voice.

Tak.

The last thing I saw before the world turned dark were two leather shoes.

'Ah.'

It was then that I realized what had happened.

I had died.

Darkness overtook my consciousnesses shortly after that. Only for light to return shortly after that.

"....."

Yet again, I was standing before Leon.

I felt a sharp pain in my head. One that I was able to brush off rather quickly as I focused my attention on Leon.

This time, I was able to catch a glimpse of his face. It was cold and almost emotionless. It felt extremely intimidating, and before I knew it, I had unknowingly taken a step back.

'This...'

Ba... Thump! Ba... Thump!

The powerful beat of my heart drummed in my mind.

It echoed louder and louder.

The Leon in front of me. He looked so much like the Leon in the first vision I ever had.

"Wh"

Spurt

Before I could even react, I felt a familiar pain beneath my neck.

The world yet again flipped and darkness overtook my consciousness.

"Haaa... Haaa...."

The scene repeated.

Breathing heavily, I looked at Leon.

I was soaked in sweat.

Leon yet again stood before me. His cold gaze bearing down on me.

Lifting my head, I stared at him.

"F-fuck...!"

Clenching my teeth, I charged forward. Threads appeared all over the place and I raised my left hand.

But,

Spurt

Darkness yet again took over my consciousness.

"Haaa... Haaa...!"

Leon stood before me again.

The sight of him sent chills down my spine. Recalling the amount of times that I died, I secretly swallowed my saliva.

Despite knowing this was all an illusion, the deaths were real.

I felt and experienced all of them.

"Kh...!"

Yet again, I charged forward.

Unlike last time, I tried to dodge his attack, but...

Spurt

The result didn't change.

I hadn't even made it a single step before the world flipped.

'...What do I do?'

I looked around.

My head felt light and my hands were trembling.

The world around me felt sharp and I started to perceive the little things. From the raising of my hair to the quickening of my breathing.

Fear.

It had started to take over my mind.

'I don't want to die.'

Even if it was fake.

'I don't want to die.'

"Huu."

I stepped back while keeping my eyes fixed on Leon. I needed to think. Think of a solution to get out of this.

I could still vividly recall the time when I had experienced 'anger'.

Back then, I had lost track of the amount of time that I had been stuck within the imaginary world.

I wasn't sure for how long I'd be stuck in this world too.

For that reason, I needed to think.

Thi

Spurt

"Huaa...!"

I was standing before Leon again.

"Ah, this..."

I had died again before I knew it.

"Ukh...!"

I held my head with both hands. It was quick, but the pain was still lingering within the depths of my mind.

It just wouldn't disappear.

I was used to pain but this pain wouldn't disappear.

The more I died, the more it seemed to accumulate.

"Haa.... Haa..."

I felt helpless.

"W-hat do I do?"

It was such helplessness that added to the fear.

Drip. Drip...!

My entire body was soaked in sweat. My shirt was practically sticking to my body.

Turning to look at Leon, my heart froze.

"No, no..."

An intense feeling built up within me.

Before I knew it, I moved back and...

Ran!

"....I need to get away. Buy myself some t"

Spurt

The world turned dark again.

"O-oh, no..."

Yet again, I stood before Leon.

"No, no, no, no... Ukh!"

My head throbbed again.

The pain from before returned. It was far more intense than it was before, and for a moment, I staggered.

I was quick to brush the pain away.

How could I not when I knew that I didn't have much time?

'I need to think of something, I need to...'

Looking up, my pupils dilated and I stepped back.

Fear had started to imprint itself within my mind. All I felt was fear whenever I looked at him. It felt agonizing, and the sound of my heart continued to drum loudly within my mind.

It was so loud that I had a hard time thinking.

It was then that I caught it.

Placing his hand over the hilt of his sword, I tensed my body.

And then...

Spurt

The world tilted.

Yet again, I had died.

"....."

Leon stood before me yet again.

Ba... Thump! Ba.... Thump!

The only sound within the surroundings was the heavy sound of my heartbeat.

"Haa.. Haa..."

I tried my best to suppress my breath but it was hard.

Still, I remained rooted in my spot and stared at Leon. My entire body was shaking, and every part of me told me to run.

Even so, I remained rooted where I was.

And,

Spurt

Yet again, I died.

".....Ukh."

I flinched at the pain that engulfed my mind. It was as though my entire skull was being split open.

Even so,

"....."

Suppressing the pain, I stood firm with my gaze on Leon.

The fear that I was currently experiencing.

It was more prominent than ever before.

"....."

Despite every part of me telling me to run, I remained still.

My lips trembled and so did my entire body.

"Haaa..."

Spurt

The sound of my breath was the last thing I heard before the world turned dark.

"....."

Leon stood before me again.

I remained still.

At the same time, my face spasmed. The pain was starting to get harder and harder to contain.

Spurt

Yet again, I died.

Spurt

And again.

Spurt

And again.

Spurt

And again.

.

.

.

"Akh...!

At some point, the pain in my head became unbearable.

I screamed my heart out.

But no one heard.

Spurt

.

.

.

"H-how many times does this make?"

My lips felt numb.

Looking around, the world appeared hazy.

I had started to lose track of the amount of times that I had died.

Spurt

It just wouldn't stop.

.

.

.

It was just an endless cycle of death, fear, and pain.

It was torture.

"Akh...!"

My screams filled the surroundings.

Spurt

And so did the sound of my death.

.

.

The cycle continued to repeat.

I had started to lose count of the amount of times that I died.

'Why do I do this to myself?'

'Just run.'

'Why aren't you running?'

'It hurts...!'

Voices echoed within my mind.

I had long lost track of time.

The only things I could feel were the fear and pain.

Spurt

Yet again, the world turned upside down.

"....."

Coming to, I made no sound.

I just stood still and stared at Leon.

The pain within my mind was hard to describe. It hurt to the point where I could hardly think.

Still, it didn't last long.

When it did disappear, it was just me and Leon.

Again.

The two of us.

He placed his hand towards the hilt of his sword and I closed my eyes.

Spurt

The inevitable came.

So did the pain and the fear.

But this time, there was something else that was starting to enter my mind.

'Numbness'

Yes.

I was starting to feel numb to everything.

Spurt

Death no longer scared me as much.

"....."

Rustle, rustle

Standing before Leon, I perceived my surroundings better. A gentle breeze wafted through, and the trees rustled.

"....."

It was quiet and the beat of my heart finally steadied for once.

In the silence that suddenly took over the surroundings, I stood before Leon. He stared back at me with the same gaze of his.

It felt chilling to look at.

.....But I had started to grow used to it.

It didn't scare me anymore.

As if noticing this, Leon frowned.

For the first time since appearing in this world, he showed a reaction.

I didn't do anything and just waited.

Waited for him to make a move.

Spurt

He eventually did, and the world turned dark.

When I opened my eyes again, the first thing I saw was the moon.

It shone brightly from above.

My entire body was in pain and I could hardly feel it. Even so, when compared to the pain I had previously experienced, this was nothing.

Rustle!

I raised my head.

"....."

My gaze fell on the set of grey eyes that were locked on me.

In that moment, time seemed to come to a standstill.

His figure overlapped with the one within the illusionary world and my body trembled. At the same time, something flashed before my vision.

Lvl 1. [Fear] EXP + 17%

It was a notification.

One that was accompanied by another.

Lvl 1. [Fear] --> Lvl 2. [Fear]

And then,

I spoke.

".....When was the last time you were scared?"