What happened?
Until her body was frozen in time, Louise couldn't comprehend what had befallen her.
Her will had lost control over her body.
She could only stand rigidly, watching Fujimiya Makoto approach.
"Someone as ancient as you probably hasn't heard of the 'King's Game,' right?"
Makoto's voice was gentle, his fingers lifting Louise's delicate chin, forcing her to meet his gaze.
"It's a game where, under the right conditions, you can issue 'absolute commands' to others in the game."
"And in this game, the condition for issuing commands is..."
"Killing your opponent five times."
"Then... the loser suffers."
As Makoto's words fell, stone-like hands erupted from the ground, gripping Louise's slender limbs.
Her porcelain eyes widened, her gaze at Makoto filled with disbelief and growing dread.
"You can't kill me!!"
Louise's proud face contorted with fear, her voice desperate yet fragile.
Makoto, hearing her, couldn't help but smile.
"True."
"Who can kill someone already dead?"
"Honestly, even now, I'm not sure my Zanpakutō can kill you."
"But..."
"If I bring you back to life, will you thank me?"
"Mrs. Louise."
At Makoto's words, Louise's expression froze.
Makoto's smile was sunny, like an innocent boy unaware of the world's cruelty:
"Three thousand times more sensitive..."
"A living body."
In that moment, Louise's heart sank like a stone.
[Revive, my love, Mrs. Louise!]
[Go wild!]
[Go absolutely wild!]
The broken sword's excited voice echoed.
Corpses?
So what if they're cold!
Warm them up!
Turn them into pleasure tools!
No one escapes!
"Damn you! Shinigami—"
Louise struggled desperately, but her body was anchored in place.
Only her mouth moved, her eyes filled with fear.
But the world rarely granted her wishes.
"Thump, thump, thump—"
A dull sound echoed within Louise's body.
Like a drumbeat, it drowned out her screams.
Yet, this heartbeat—a symbol of life, vitality—was to Louise a death march.
For the dead, 'life' itself was their greatest weakness.
And she had more than one.
As the heartbeat began, Louise's pale skin warmed, her veins glowing faintly.
Her fear deepened.
This man had done what even Yhwach couldn't!
Her faded emotions now surged with intensity!
Louise couldn't recall the last time she felt so alive.
She wanted... to resist!
"Hmm?"
As the thought arose, Louise realized something was off.
What was she thinking?
But... she wanted to resist!!
Louise cut off the thought.
Her mind felt wrong.
Just then,
"Click, click."
Stone hands climbed up her limbs, attaching to her body.
Sweat dotted Louise's back.
Her eyes darted, realizing the stone female statues were rising, controlled by Makoto, gripping her.
Worse, these statues had phallic shapes.
'What are those?'
'Wait...'
'No way...'
As she realized, terror consumed her soul.
She stared at Makoto like a devout believer facing the devil.
Reason and fear clashed in her mind.
"Shinigami!"
Louise glared at him, her pride shattered.
Her eyes, once arrogant, now burned with hatred:
"You think this defeats me?"
"His Majesty's power is invincible!"
"Mere trials can't shake my faith!"
"You'll only die!"
Her voice was a desperate howl, devoid of threat.
Yet, Makoto replied kindly:
"Rest assured."
"I have no interest in cold corpses."
Hearing this, Louise felt a glimmer of hope.
But his next words crushed her:
"Though..."
"I'm curious how to kill you."
Makoto's tone was casual:
"Yūsei is gentle."
"It makes you feel social death, not physical."
"It only tortures the mind."
"How long can you endure?"
Louise's face paled.
The stone figures pulled her apart, dust flying.
Three thousand times the sensitivity, plus the loser's punishment.
Makoto turned, shaking his head.
It was brutal.
"Ugh—"
Extreme torture and humiliation combined to shatter her spirit.
Even after resetting, Louise was broken, her eyes filled with fear.
The stone figures turned to ash, but Louise flinched at the sight, like a quail exposed.
"What are you looking at?"
Makoto's voice was kind, contrasting his actions, making Louise flinch.
He approached, and Louise glared, her eyes burning with malice.
"Kill you! If I kill you..."
"I can escape this hell!"
Her words fueled her, but Makoto interrupted:
"Oh, sorry."
"I forgot to tell you—the winner sets the next game."
"Let's play tag."
"I'll catch, you run."
"Deal?"
Louise's eyes widened in fury, but her confidence was shattered. She fled without hesitation.
Her single wing burned, her body covered in fiery reishi, racing toward the domain's edge.
"Boom—"
Her speed was unprecedented, driven by terror.
Yet, Makoto appeared before her.
Louise dodged, but his hand landed on her shoulder.
"First."
A horizontal line appeared on her chest.
Louise's eyes dulled, her voice desperate:
"No!"
But the rules were absolute.
Despite her efforts, within five minutes, she was caught five times.
Another '正' (righteous) formed on her face, freezing her in place.
Her expression twisted in agony.
This time, she couldn't speak, consumed by tentacles.
Third, fourth...
As the 'King,' Makoto chose the games, and without Yhwach's power, Louise was helpless.
Swordsmanship, hand-to-hand combat, flash steps, Kidō...
Makoto's skills, earned through effort, crushed her in 'fair' games.
The punishments were torture.
Initially, Louise screamed in pain, but by the third round, her eyes were empty.
Yūsei was gentle, targeting only the mind.
Makoto couldn't kill her, but he knew who could.
[Round 5]
The broken sword's voice echoed.
Louise knelt, reset, her voice a hoarse whimper.
Her face was blank, her spirit broken.
This time, Makoto didn't start the game.
He approached her, asking gently:
"Continue...?"
"Or end it?"
His words sparked a glimmer of clarity in her eyes.
She crawled to him, clinging to his ankle:
"Kill me! Please—"
But Makoto gently freed her hands:
"You know..."
"I'm too kind to kill."
Louise's eyes filled with despair.
"But..."
"You know who can truly free you, right?"
"Who?"
Louise's voice was hopeful, desperate for death.
Makoto placed her hand on her face:
"Yourself, Louise."
Hearing his calm, detached voice, Louise touched her face.
Left hand, right hand...
Her soul, longing not to be erased.
She finally understood.
Misogi Gōgi's script had unfolded silently.
Louise knelt, touching herself.
"Erase..."
In sorrow, she dissolved into light.
Sometimes, for the utterly tormented, choosing death is the ultimate relief.
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