Path of the Extra

Chapter 148: Truth Beneath the Lies [4]

Azriel watched, unblinking.

Even as his eyes burned, it was nothing compared to the ache of his bleeding heart.

He watched the red trickle down his chin. He fought the urge to scream at Leo—to tell him to shut up, to look at them one last time.

ʼI feel sick.ʼ

”A son who was a liar, a mother who turned away, a father who ran, and a daughter who was blind.”

The voice came from beside him, emotionless. Azrielʼs other self looked at Leo, frozen on the couch, with an unsettling calm.

Time had stopped again.

Azriel glanced at the hateful figure, his eyes burning with the urge to cut that throat. Yet his other self remained indifferent—or worse, aware but uncaring.

The other selfʼs gaze turned toward Azriel, lips curving into a slight smile.

”Itʼs time to expose another lie...”

Azrielʼs confusion deepened as the world around him shattered, then reformed. Only this time... they were no longer in the apartment.

He stood on an empty highway, surrounded by trees under a buzzing streetlight in the dead of night. He looked around, disoriented.

His eyes widened.

”What…?”

The blood drained from his face; every hair stood on end. His fingers went cold.

”No... what is this?”

In utter disbelief, he stared at the familiar sight before him: his familyʼs car, crumpled and shattered against another, cheaper car. But it wasnʼt just the wreckage that filled him with horror.

His mother, father, and little sister were standing outside, speaking with another man.

That man.

The drunk who killed his father and sister on impact—the one who left his mother clinging to life in the hospital, her final gaze filled with hate.

But... this scene was different.

”No, no, no... Why am I seeing this? What does this mean!? These are my memories—why are they not dead!?”

Azrielʼs scream tore through the night as he glared at his other self, his entire body trembling.

ʼI feel sick.ʼ

It took him seconds to realize everything he knew was wrong. The cars were already crashed, yet his family—injured, yes—but alive. His father was calling the police; his mother was comforting Lia, who was crying in shock.

Azrielʼs other self said nothing. He just stared ahead, blank, while Azriel ground his teeth, eyes fixed on the impossible scene.

”This doesnʼt make sense… Whatʼs going on?”

His heart thundered as he watched.

”The police and ambulance are on their way. Weʼre lucky the road was empty,” Ronald said, his voice steady despite the blood on his forehead. His gaze softened as he looked at his injured wife and daughter, then turned to the sober drunk man.

”I… Iʼm truly sorry… really,” the man muttered.

Ronald shook his head.

”Thereʼs no point. Letʼs just wait for help and prepare for whatʼs coming.”

The man could only nod.

Azrielʼs mind spun, confusion mounting. His body was burning with impatience, desperate for answers.

”Oh... I get it.”

Azrielʼs other self spoke, his tone chilling. Azriel turned, feeling a shiver run down his spine as the man grinned.

Azriel swallowed, taking an involuntary step back.

”Yes, thatʼs why I told me to find you in the void dungeon, to say those words...”

His other self looked at him, the grin slipping into a sad smile—eyes filled with something unfamiliar: sadness.

”It was meant for me, not you... Weʼre truly cruel to ourselves, arenʼt we?”

A low chuckle escaped, helpless and faintly amused.

Then... as if some unseen chains had shattered, his other self laughed.

Loud, unhinged laughter filled the night.

”HAHAHAHAHA! TO THINK THIS HAD TO BE DONE! TO THINK THIS IS HOW WE WOULD SHATTER OUR PATH WITH NO END! THIS ENDLESS CYCLE, PUSHING US FURTHER AND FURTHER UNTIL WE REACH THE BREAKING POINT! THIS IS HOW WE HAD TO DESTROY IT! HOW DAZZLING OF US! HOW INCREDIBLE! HOW MAGNIFICENT! ITʼS SO FUNNY! THIS HAS TO BE THE BEST JOKE EVER!”

Azriel stared in horror as his other selfʼs laughter grew louder, more maniacal, descending into madness. He didnʼt know if those were tears of laughter or sadness streaming down the manʼs face. Was he laughing? Crying?

ʼI feel sick.ʼ

Azriel just watched, feeling his grip on reality slipping, sinking into a nightmare that wouldnʼt end.

Finally, the laughter stopped. The smile faded, replaced by a cold, emotionless mask. His other self looked at him.

”This is it. The final piece… it was me all along. After this, Iʼll finally be free. Our cycle ends, and...”

He looked at Azriel with a gentle smile—a warm, kind smile.

”Youʼll build our own path.”

Azrielʼs throat went dry. He found himself unable to look away, unable to respond.

His other self approached, stopping just before him. The gentle smile held as he spoke.

”Donʼt blink.”

Azriel did the opposite.

He blinked.

And...

”...!”

His other self vanished.

A dire feeling washed over him. Azriel spun around, catching sight of the man standing behind his family.

He turned to Azriel, his smile morphing into something sinister.

”I told you from the beginning, didnʼt I? Youʼll need every ounce of strength for what comes next.”

Azrielʼs body froze, locked in place as he watched the figure who now held a scythe—a scythe that seemed to merge with the darkness of night.

ʼWait… no... I feel sick.ʼ

Azrielʼs body trembled, feeling fingers trace over his beating heart.

An overwhelming dread flooded him as he watched the scythe lift.

ʼI feel sick.ʼ

And the next second, Azriel blinked.

He wished he hadnʼt.

The scythe had already swung.

Ronaldʼs head hit the ground.

”DARLING!?”

”DAD!?”

”WHAT THE—!”

Blood sprayed over Jeanne, Lia, and the drunk man as Ronaldʼs body collapsed with a dull thud.

”Huh…”

Azriel blinked again.

”NO, LIA!”

Jeanneʼs scream—a sound filled with horror, terror, and pain—cut through everything.

ʼI feel sick.ʼ

And Azriel saw…

His sisterʼs head hit the cement.

ʼI feel sick.ʼ

Liaʼs body dropped, lifeless.

ʼI feel sick.ʼ

Azriel blinked once more.

And Jeanneʼs head fell.

ʼI feel sick.ʼ

He watched, numb.

ʼI feel sick.ʼ

His other self walked calmly toward the drunk man, who knelt, shaking and crying.

”WHO… WHO ARE YOU?!”

The figure ignored him, humming softly as he closed the distance.

”NO, PLEASE! PLEASE, I DONʼT WANT TO DIE! PLEASE!”

Then he froze, mouth open in a silent scream, unable to move or even breathe. He was forced to look up at Azrielʼs other self, who now stood inches from his face, smiling cheerfully.

”No need to be afraid. Iʼm not going to kill you. Iʼd never kill someone for a simple mistake… Instead, Iʼll do this.”

Without warning, his hand clamped over the manʼs face, a blinding light glowing between his fingers.

The manʼs screams of agony filled the night, cut off suddenly as he slumped to the ground, unconscious.

ʼI feel sick.ʼ

Azrielʼs other self looked around, nodded in satisfaction.

”Itʼs done.”

ʼI feel sick.ʼ

The sinister smile widened, stretching as if splitting his face in two.

ʼI feel sick.ʼ

A devilʼs grin.

”Ah...”

ʼI feel sick.ʼ

Azriel blinked once more, and his other self stood right in front of him, that same smile etched in place.

”Now itʼs time to...”

ʼI feel sick.ʼ

”...remember.”

ʼI feel sick.ʼ