The day had gone by smoothly—or as smoothly as it could, considering the revelations that had shaken my world. George was now officially my enemy, and for once, my sister had firmly sided with me. A strange sense of satisfaction crept in, knowing I could freely deal with that bastard without interference.
Yet, beneath that satisfaction, confusion simmered.
If I was in a coma a month ago, why did I wake up in my room?
The thought plagued me, twisting around in my head like an unrelenting storm. I shook it off with a sigh. "No point in overthinking this... Huh?"
From outside, I heard the faint sound of my sister's voice. Thanks to my enhanced senses, her tone was crystal clear. Curious, I crept to the window overlooking the backyard and carefully opened it.
What I saw sent a jolt through me.
There stood George, speaking to my sister. Their argument was loud enough to cut through the distance, their words carrying tension and hostility.
"I already said fuck off!" my sister yelled, her tone laced with anger.
"Oh, come on, babe! We've already seen what that fucker did a week ago! You still want to stay with him!?" George spat back, his voice sharp with frustration.
"He's already back to who he was! I don't see why I need to stay away anymore!" she fired back, standing her ground.
George's face twisted in fury. "So you want to experience nearly being raped again? Do you know what could happen if he changes again!?"
My blood ran cold.
Raped...?
The word echoed in my mind, drowning out the rest of their argument. Memories, faint and fragmented, began to surface—terrible, horrifying memories.
And then it hit me.
Arthas Bloomlyn.
That bastard. That filth. In Daedalus Eternus, he was a character whose pride as a Bloomlyn knew no bounds, despite being the bastard son of the family. He was vile, a man who had taken pleasure in exploiting women. His deeds were infamous, though his life was brief—he died miserably during the Entrance Exam.
"...Arthas Bloomlyn. That motherfucker," I muttered through gritted teeth.
Rage surged through me as the realization solidified. It wasn't me who had done such things—it was him. That devil. While I had been stuck in his body in Daedalus Eternus, it seemed that bastard had taken over mine back on Earth.
I stormed into the bathroom, staring hard at the reflection in the mirror. The face staring back wasn't just mine—it was his.
"...Arthas, huh?"
So, he's watching me too? Lovely. Absolutely fucking perfect.
A mischievous grin curled on my lips. If that bastard thought he could just waltz back into my life whenever he pleased, he had another thing coming.
I raised my hand, preparing to channel a spell. "Flare:—"
Knock, knock!
"Ethan, you there?" my sister's voice called from the other side of the door.
I froze. With a sigh, I lowered my hand and made my way to the door.
"Yeah—"
Before I could open it, the door burst open, the hinges nearly snapping off as George barged in with fury etched across his face.
"I'll tell you right no—"
"That door wasn't cheap, you know," I cut him off, glaring at the now-damaged frame.
"Listen here, you—"
"I'd listen if you hadn't just busted my door open," I interrupted again, my tone casual but dripping with sarcasm.
Each interruption chipped away at his composure, his face growing redder by the second.
"...Did you know tha—"
"That I nearly raped my sister and probably would've if you hadn't saved her in time? Yeah, I eavesdropped earlier. Heard it all. Hate it all," I said bluntly, crossing my arms.
George froze, his mouth hanging open. My sister stood behind him, her face a mixture of shock and confusion.
I smiled at her, trying to reassure her. "Don't worry, Sarah. I'll make sure it won't happen again. First, though, I've got some trash to take out," I said, pointing at George.
That was the last straw for him. He swung his fist toward me in rage, but I caught it effortlessly, twisting his arm. With one swift motion, I hurled him toward the window. Glass shattered as his body crashed through, landing with a heavy thud in the yard below.
I turned to Sarah, whose worried expression lingered on me.
"No need to worry," I said calmly, "I know everything now."
Jumping down after George, I landed gracefully on both feet, the heat of my anger radiating off me in waves.
"You know, George, I actually appreciate you saving my sister. If it weren't for you, I probably would've ended my own life once I realized what I'd done," I began, my voice eerily calm.
Each step I took left scorch marks on the ground, the temperature rising with my every word.
"That said... I don't appreciate you trying to take her away from me."
George's eyes widened as fear overtook him. He scrambled to his feet, but it was too late.
"Flare: Burst."
A magic circle appeared beneath him, and with a loud whoosh, an implosion of fire engulfed him. His screams echoed through the air, drawing the attention of everyone nearby.
But I didn't care.
A wicked grin stretched across my face as I relished the sight of his agony. "Scream more, you piece of shit. I'll make you feel the pain you gave me all those years. And I'll amplify it by a hundred times."
The heat around me intensified, the ground beneath my feet starting to crack. My eyes glowed with a fiery blend of red, orange, and yellow, mirroring the storm of rage within me.
"Flare: Shot."
A fireball erupted from the magic circle, slamming into George and drawing another guttural scream from him.
Then I heard it—police sirens in the distance.
"Ah, the cops. Let's wrap this up with a bang."
Raising both hands, I conjured a massive magic circle. It spanned nearly seven meters in diameter, glowing ominously.
"Flare: Tempest!"
A fiery tornado erupted from the circle, reaching thirty meters into the sky and engulfing everything within a twenty-meter radius.
For a brief moment, my heart sank. I'd forgotten about Sarah. If she got caught in the blast…
Turning quickly, I spotted her. To my relief, she stood unharmed, staring at the blazing inferno with awe.
"Woah…" she whispered, stepping closer.
<@r©#!+3©+ Adjusts System Rules!>
"...What the fuck?"
I didn't know who—or what—was tinkering with my System, but I was grateful for it.
"Well, George," I said, turning back to the burning wreckage. "I'd say this is a fitting end for a piece of shit like you."
For the first time, I felt truly free.