Chapter 114: She Wants to What?

Words : 1011 Updated : Oct 6th, 2025

Chapter 114: She Wants to What?The golden portal shimmered in the air like a tear in reality, casting a soft, unnatural glow across the fractured battlefield. It should’ve been the end. A way out. A victory. But just as Inigo stepped toward it, hand still gripping the rifle tightly, a familiar, too-familiar voice broke the stillness. "You really thought I’d die so easily?" Both Inigo and Lyra froze. From the dissipating mist and curling smoke, she emerged. The Lady of Illusion. Whole. Alive. Elegant as ever. Her long violet robes drifted like smoke behind her, her expression unreadable but calm. Her feet barely touched the cracked obsidian floor, gliding across it like she never belonged to the same world they did. "Impossible..." Lyra whispered, raising her bow instinctively. "You... we watched you die!" "I don’t die that easily," the Lady said, smirking. "What you killed was a projection, a vessel. My core essence never left the Rift. I simply chose not to return—until now." Inigo stepped forward, cautious. "Then why are you here? Why help us now?" The Lady turned slightly, gesturing gracefully to the portal with a flick of her wrist. "Because I opened it. You wouldn’t be able to leave this realm otherwise." That stopped him. "What?" She gave him a patient look. "This Rift is a sealed realm. Not just a pocket of distortion like the others you’ve wandered through. You’re inside a plane created by me. It doesn’t follow your world’s laws. There is no door—unless I open one." Lyra narrowed her eyes. "Why would you help us? You were trying to kill us five minutes ago." "I was testing you." The Lady tilted her head. "At first, yes, I fought to defend my post. That was my purpose. But then he intrigued me." Her eyes rested on Inigo now. Soft. Curious. Studying. "You." Inigo blinked. "Me?" "There’s something about you. Something not bound to this realm. Something that doesn’t belong here." She smiled faintly. "You don’t even know it yet, do you?" "Know what?" Inigo’s voice sharpened. "You are not from this world." He went silent. The words struck him harder than any blow. "What are you talking about?" he asked slowly, as if denying that he was indeed from another world. The Lady’s smile turned gentle. "You’ve felt it. Haven’t you? How this place feels off to you. How you understand things others don’t. You summon weapons that shouldn’t exist. You move through this world with instincts you shouldn’t have. You’ve always known something was different." Lyra’s eyes darted between them. "Wait... what? You’re saying he’s—what, not from here?" "He came from a different world entirely," the Lady said. "A world of machines. Fast food. Cities that rise like mountains. Weapons that fire thunder. I saw it. I saw it all in his memories. And I want it." Inigo stared at her, stunned. "You... looked into my head?" "I did," she said. "Not all of it. Just a glimpse. But what I saw—your world—it’s marvelous. So much art. So much invention. I’ve never seen anything like it." "And that’s why you’re helping us?" Lyra asked, incredulous. "Because you like his... memories?" The Lady of Illusion nodded. "Yes. I won’t lie—I was curious. Then I was fascinated. And now, I’m tempted." Inigo shook his head. "Tempted to do what?" "To change sides," she said simply. "To leave this place. To learn from you. To bring what you know into this world." Inigo’s eyes widened. "You’re serious?" "I am." Her expression turned solemn. "There are no current orders to destroy you. I was never sent to kill you specifically. I was just the gatekeeper—one of many. But I have seen enough to decide for myself that it would be... a waste to destroy you." He lowered his rifle slightly, brow furrowed. "And you think I’d just let you tag along after everything you did?" "I understand your suspicion," the Lady said. "You’ve lost comrades to this war. I was the enemy. But I’ve seen what you can build. I’ve seen the stories in your head—the ones with heroes, machines, magic that exists only in pages. Manga. Light novels. Anime. Your world turns dreams into entire cultures. I want that." Lyra blinked, looking at Inigo. "What’s she talking about?" Inigo groaned, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "Oh God." The Lady gave a soft, amused chuckle. "You think it’s embarrassing? Those stories stirred your soul. They gave you purpose when your old world tried to break you. Don’t underestimate them." Lyra, still recovering, gave Inigo a look. "So all this time... you were from another world? That’s why there are so many peculiar things about you." "Well, I was hinting it to you all the time, that I’m not from this world. I can’t say it outright because that’s the logical thing to do. Not to mention," Inigo added with a tired sigh, "I figured no one would believe me unless they saw it for themselves. Guess a tank was enough proof." Lyra just stared, her mouth slightly open. "You’re serious. You’re really from another world." "I am," Inigo confirmed, more firmly this time. "I used to be a high school student back there. City kid. I played games, read manga, watched anime... the usual stuff. One moment I woke up here." "So that explains your magic, you can summon things from your world," Lyra said. "Kind of like that," Inigo said. "But that’s not important, the important thing here is this fucking demon wanting to switch sides because of my memories. I don’t think you have forgotten that you killed two of my comrades, you demon slaughtered humans. And you think I’m going to let you go away with it?" "Why’s that matter?" The Lady of Illusion asked. "Humans slaughtered our race too. And you are not from this world. So why do you care about this anyways? Our war doesn’t concern you." "Still, I can’t let you just join us, you are a demon. I don’t think you would pair well with us humans."

Chapter 114: She Wants to What?

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