Levi's head was unable to form a single coherent thought. Her words stabbed deep into his mind like a knife ripping a hole that took him back to the island.

  'Second target.' The words he heard Kai whisper when he ran past him echoed in his head. But back then, he hadn’t understood. And now, with Emilia’s words hammering into his skull, it all began to make sense.

  Was he the real target all along?

  Did Kai call him the second just because Reinhart happened to stand in the way, because revenge came first?

  His hands trembled slightly. The puzzle pieces were falling into place, and the weight of what it meant pressed down on him like a skyscraper on the earth.

  Levi’s eyes widened slightly. His lips parted letting out words that came in mutteers, “So… those—those people…”

  “Yes,” Emilia snapped with a low firm tone...“Those people!” She stepped forward, eyes blazing with fury. “They all lost their lives because of you!”

  “Reinhart is currently in the situation he is because of you!” she shouted, her brows tightening.

  Levi flinched at the sound of Reinhart’s name. The image of the man’s last moments flashed through his mind—his smile before everything become engulfed in flames and him collapsing to his knees with Lian's nigh unrecognizable body in his hand.

  “What exactly are you doing about it?” Emilia’s voice rose again, trembling with anger. “You finally agreed to take on this so-called destiny you rejected, right? Then what the hell are you doing standing still?!”

  Her hands clenched at her sides, the air around her became slightly hot and heavy. “You’re not the only one who’s been burdened with power and responsibility,” she continued, “There's a bigger picture than you here."

  Levi stood there, shoulders stiff, unable to meet her gaze.

  She exhaled slowly, her voice lowering, but the fury still showing. “So stop acting like you’re the only one who lost something. Because if you keep this up, more people are going to die and next time, it won’t just be strangers to you.”

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  “If you know you can’t handle it,” she said, “then maybe we can find a way to transfer it from you to someone else.”

  Levi blinked, unsure he heard right.

  “At the very least,” she went on, her gaze remaining emotionless, “it would cost you your life.” She leaned forward slightly, “And then you can finally get the peace you cherish so dearly in the afterlife.”

  She straightened, “Not like there’s anything useful you’re doing with it anyway.”

  And that was it for Levi, his breaking point. His breath hitched, his fists tightening.

  “It’s not my fault!” he roared, the words tearing out of him before he could think. His voice reverberated violently off the walls. “Okay? It’s not my fucking fault!”

  Emilia didn’t react, but her eyes darkened.

  “I didn’t ask for this!” Levi’s chest rose and fell rapidly as he stepped forward, veins visible on his neck. “And yeah, I know I’m not the only one burdened with some powerful strength. I saw it myself—” his voice cracked slightly “—with you, Zenon, Lian, Reinhart!”

  He dragged a shaky hand through his hair, eyes wild with frustration. “But I’m trying, alright? I’m giving it everything I have to understand what’s going on! What this power even is! What the system even wants!”

  His tone softened for a fraction of a second, "For all I know, it might not even be working in my favor. So don’t just stand there acting like you know what’s going on inside my head.”

  He let out a harsh breath, the words trembling with anger. “I wasn’t born some prodigy like you, or Zenon, or Reinhart.” His hand gestured around the room at the walls, “I’m just some average guy who got thrown into all of this.”

  His chest heaved heavily as he tried to catch his breath. However, the response he got was far from what anyone in that situation would find as comforting.

  “And that self-pity is supposed to work on me?”

  Levi’s breath froze. He looked at her, the disbelief obvious on his face. “You know what?” he responded immediately in a bitter tone. “Where was your all-powerful self when it was all happening?”

  Emilia’s posture stiffened, there was vivid finally a reaction from her.

  “Since I failed to do my part, where were you?” His tone rose again, words trembling. “Or was it not your part to—”

  The sentence broke off halfway, he couldn't finish. A sudden chill surged through him like a spear of ice. His body seized and the air thickened instantly.

  Levi’s lungs refused to cooperate. His vision blurred as he staggered, clutching his chest. He gasped, the sound rasping before falling to his knees.

  He coughed violently, choking as invisible weight crushed down on him. Every breath was a battle. The pressure clawed at his ribs, squeezing tighter. He looked up — and saw her eyes.

  Emilia’s glare burned through him like molten glass. It was calm, composed, but radiating pure, terrifying fury. The air itself trembled around her, like a warning saying 'i let you talk doesn't mean you can say anything you want.'

  Levi’s heartbeat thundered in his ears. She’s going to kill me, his mind screamed.

  And then it all faded. The crushing weight lifted as if nothing had happened. Levi gasped, dragging in air like a drowning man, his hands trembling against the cold floor.

  Emilia turned her back to him, and spoke in an almost gentle tone, that somehow made it worse. “When you’re done,” she said quietly, “get out of my room.”

  She paused at the doorway, not looking back. “And let me know what decision you make later.”