Chapter 294: Athena’s Despair
The whispers vanished the moment the four figures appeared, as if they had never existed.
The feeling of being entangled by invisible threads also disappeared.
The entity seemed unwilling to confront them.
But Athena felt no relief, only a deeper despair. The man’s presence here shattered her last vestiges of hope.
Too smart isn’t always a good thing?
His words made her tremble.
What did he mean?
Athena, with her intelligence, understood the implication, but she refused to believe it.
Because believing it meant extinguishing the last flicker of hope within her, leaving only darkness and despair.
Their reactions puzzled Muse.
He looked back and forth between the man and Athena, frustrated by his ignorance.
“Damn it, who are you? What do you want?”
“Show yourself and state your name!” he roared, his knuckles white as he gripped his axe. He didn’t notice the swelling on his body.
The man smiled and nodded: “You must be Muse the Mad.”
“A member of the former Hero Squad, the most ferocious and reckless warrior in the war against the Demon Beasts.”
“Even the Demon Beasts feared you.”
“It’s an honor to meet you.”
But why did he look like this? In the first loop, Muse had been mad and brutal, but even when frequently ill, he hadn’t been this… grotesque.
It was said that Muse’s axe, stained with the blood of countless beings, was covered in deadly pathogens, like a komodo dragon’s teeth. A single wound, even a non-fatal one, could weaken the victim, leading to a slow, agonizing death.
Muse’s current appearance was far more disturbing than in the first loop. He looked like a monster.
Even more repulsive than Karsus, though he hadn’t completely lost his mind.
The man quickly averted his gaze. Muse’s appearance was too disturbing, even for someone without trypophobia.
He bowed slightly, a perfect gentleman’s gesture: “I haven’t introduced myself. My apologies.”
“I am Qin Chu, the Second Hero.”
Qin Chu.
Muse’s face contorted.
The Second Hero appearing here, right after he and Athena had obtained the soul fragment? Had their plan been discovered?
A murderous rage filled him.
If their plan was exposed, Qin Chu couldn’t be allowed to leave this place alive.
Nor could the women behind him.
Killing them wouldn’t be a problem. He loved killing. Unfortunately, his mind was clouded, unable to grasp the disparity in their strength.
Ireta, the Daughter of Death, was a witch even Shaye was wary of, one of the strongest among them.
Ireta had offered her assistance to Qin Chu whenever he needed it. This was the first time he had called upon her, and she had appeared remarkably quickly.
He needed Ireta to decipher Jie Luo’s soul fragment.
And if possible, he wanted to use her power over souls to conduct an experiment on Athena.
Heloise, though powerful, was still weaker than Muse, but this icy landscape was her domain.
As for Princess Anastasia, she was the weakest.
But the Snow Chain Mountains were practically her backyard. Without her guidance, finding this place wouldn’t have been easy.
Like Athena, Qin Chu only knew the name of the mountain range, not its precise location.
With Qin Chu, the Hero, on their side, the outcome of the battle was practically predetermined.
Muse wanted to attack, but seeing Athena standing there, dazed and unresponsive, he hesitated.
The tense silence stretched. Finally, Athena spoke, her voice hollow: “Qin Chu…”
“You knew all along.”
“Yes,” Qin Chu replied readily.
That single word pierced Athena’s heart like a knife.
It hurt.
The last flicker of hope died within her.
She gasped for breath, as if suffocating: “Then… Jie Luo’s residual soul…”
Qin Chu looked at her, a mocking smile on his lips: “Athena, there never was a residual soul.”
“It was me all along.”
Buzz…
Her mind went blank.
She couldn’t think.
It hurt. So much that she couldn’t even scream.
Her body convulsed, a sharp pain in her abdomen, her eyes turning dull and lifeless.
Not fear, not sadness, but the empty despair of lost hope.
Those weren’t the eyes of a living person.
Her reaction filled Qin Chu with a perverse satisfaction. This was what he wanted. The more she suffered, the more pleasure he felt.
More sadness, more despair…
It wasn’t enough.
He wanted more.
“You lied to me…”
She whispered, her voice barely audible.
Qin Chu smiled, walking towards her, his gaze fixed on her beautiful face, the face that had writhed beneath him in pleasure countless times.
He felt no pity.
In this moment, he wasn’t a hero, but a demon.
He grabbed her chin, forcing her to look at him.
Athena, seemingly drained of all strength, offered no resistance, her empty eyes staring into his.
She saw his demonic smile, heard his cruel words:
“Yes, I lied.”
“Did you really think your plan was foolproof? I know more than you think.”
“Ronald and Benson’s deaths… you orchestrated them,” Athena whispered, her lips trembling.
Qin Chu sighed: “That’s why I said you’re smart. That idiot behind you hasn’t figured it out yet.”
“Karsus’s death… you planned that too…”
“While he ultimately brought it upon himself… I won’t deny my involvement.”
So many members of the former Hero Squad, all manipulated by Qin Chu.
Realizing this, a sad smile touched Athena’s lips. They were like clowns, putting on a pathetic performance.
Haha… hahahahaha…
She laughed hysterically, like a madwoman.
The crushing weight of despair, the shattering of all hope, was enough to break anyone.
Tears streamed down her face as she looked up at Qin Chu: “And me…”
“I had planned different deaths for each of you… but Athena, you’re too beautiful to simply kill…”
He shrugged: “You thought offering me your body would hasten Jie Luo’s resurrection…”
“You thought you were sacrificing yourself for him, wallowing in self-pity.”
“Feeling defiled, unworthy of him even if he were resurrected, yet hoping he would appreciate your sacrifice, your devotion.”
“But everything you did only served to please me.”
“You know, watching you moan Jie Luo’s name while beneath me…”
He laughed, a cruel, mocking sound: “It was exhilarating!”
Was this man truly a demon?
Even Anastasia and Heloise exchanged uneasy glances, though they knew the former Hero Squad had been plotting against Qin Chu. They had brought this upon themselves.
But Qin Chu’s torment wasn’t over. He leaned in, whispering in Athena’s ear:
“Athena, you know…”
“You taste delicious.”
His warm breath sent shivers down her spine.
Was this fear?
Was this despair?
Where was hope?
She couldn’t see it.
She hugged herself, her body trembling uncontrollably.
She wished she were dead, wished he had simply killed her, sparing her this torment.
She wanted to cry, but she couldn’t.
Why was he so cruel?
“Oh, right,” Qin Chu said, as if remembering something. He tapped his head lightly: “Jie Luo… you all want to resurrect him, don’t you?”
“You’ll be disappointed. Even if you kill me and take all my blood and soul, he can’t be resurrected.”
“He’s dead. His soul is gone. He’s no more.”
“Even if you gather all the soul fragments and use the resurrection technique, I’m curious to see what would actually be resurrected.”
Buzz…
The last flicker of light in Athena’s eyes vanished.
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