I open my eyes.

I'm lying down on the ground staring at a rocky ceiling.

The cold breeze brings the smell of mold to my nose.

...

Wait...

After getting up, I look around and find myself in a small dome-shaped room.

Glowing green mushrooms are growing all over the ground and there is a table with books and a dagger in the corner.

...

Something feels off...

It's all familiar and yet...

My legs slowly take me right next to the table.

My right hand then picks up the dagger and holds it in the palm while my eyes intently look at it.

I had...

Enough...

Can I just...

End it myself...?

Those were my thoughts.

Full of despair and devoid of any hope.

And yet, at the same time I thought of the opposite.

What's happening?

Why are my thoughts such a mess?

Then, my hand gripped the dagger with the blade pointing up toward me.

Wait.

No.

STOP.

But my hand wouldn't listen and the dagger sank into my neck.

I immediately coughed out blood and the grip on my dagger got weaker.

But instead of letting go, I raised my other hand to the dagger and jerked it to the side, cutting off my neck.

...

!

"Gruaaah!"

My eyes fly open as cold sweat appears on my forehead.

After breathing out once, I try to get up.

...

But find out I'm unable to move.

"Oh wow, sorry...

I didn't expect that to happen."

Looking to my right, where a man's voice came from, I spot...

A white cat.

"Huh...?"

"Good morning... Reiza, right?"

"What are y-"

At that point, I noticed that my limbs and tail were held in place by some strange transparent material.

It was firmly holding me down and trying to move it with strength wouldn't have any effect.

"Sorry, but you will have to endure these restraints for a little longer...

I have to make sure you aren't dangerous, so please don't take it personally..."

"Ghrr..."

Naturally, I growled at him and tried to force my way out.

But when I tried to gather mana to blow it off with magic, nothing happened.

The mana in my body just... refused to move.

"Now now, calm down.

How about we talk first?"

While saying that, the cat floated right above me.

It was then, when I noticed this cat had two tails.

Both of them seemed to have white flames on their tips.

Moreover... this cat...

Its aura resembles the blast I felt a while ago...

But its faint...

Barely stronger than a quest pointer.

Wanting to know more, I tried to examine him...

...

But nothing happened.

"Let's start with introductions...

En is my current name.

And yours is Reiza, correct?"

En...?

Why does it feel familiar?

And how does this cat know my name?

"Me and my people are responsible for pulling you out of that squid's clutches."

His cat eyes then squinted at me.

"Although...

I guess it wasn't really needed, right?"

"How do you... know my name?

What... do you want... from me?"

"Well..."

He then landed on my chest and continued.

"I took the liberty to look into your memories...

Or rather, you allowed me to do it."

...what?

He looked into my memories?

...and when did I allow him to do that?

"Maybe I should say... the other you did."

The... other me?

"You look really confused...

Sorry, but before we continue this talk, I need to first do something about that thing in you..."

He then jumped off of me and looked at me from above.

"And for that...

It will be better if you go to sleep."

After saying that, one of his tails positioned above my head and shook.

I don't know what he did, but it then made me drowsy and relaxed.

In just a few moments, my eyes closed and...

.....

........

Tears.

I'm crying.

But why am I crying?

Simple...

It's because...

I just tried to kill my best friend.

I was about to take her life...

But I didn't.

I realized just how pointless it would be.

...

Why did I even consider doing it?

To get a revenge?

For something she didn't even do?

What is wrong with me...

Deep in thought, my tears kept pouring out.

Then suddenly, the world around me started to shatter.

As if reality was a piece of glass, everything broke and fell apart leaving me in white void.

I got up and looked around while wiping off my tears.

And in that moment, my chest burst open.

A black cloud then started to ooze from the hole accompanied by an excruciating pain.

"Gaaaaaa!"

I fell on my back from the pain as more and more poured out and painted the void around me black.

It continued to seep out for what felt like an eternity.

But eventually, it stopped and was completely absorbed in the surroundings.

Then, as my shaky hands touched my completely intact chest, the world around me shattered again.

The blackened shards disappeared and the white void was restored once more.

.....

........

I open my eyes.

Only to spot a cat's face right in front of me.

"Hello again.

I have some good news for you.

I got rid of that parasite, so you are free to move around."

For some reason, I felt extremely drowsy so I didn't reply.

But I soon realized what he meant.

My arms, legs and tail were free again.

With that, I sat up and looked around.

It was a small room with walls made out of stone and with no windows anywhere.

"I'm glad you are so much calmer now...

And probably really tired too."

When I looked at En, I saw the tips of his two tails pointed at each other.

Between them, was a little gooey black ball.

The sight of it evoked feelings of disgust in me.

"Do you want to look at it before I destroy it?"

But I didn't reply and simply frowned and looked away.

"Alright then..."

After saying that, the white flames consumed the ball and it disappeared.

My eyes squinted at the place where that black thing used to be and my mouth opened to speak.

"Who... are you...?"

En's eyes also squinted and his head slightly dropped.

"Don't worry, I will discuss everything with you.

For now, let's go outside to wake you up a bit."

I didn't really understand what he was saying.

But somehow, I felt like I could trust him.

It was strange...

We then slowly walked out of the stone building.

And behind that door stood... a massive crowd.

Humans with elongated ears numbering hundreds stood there, watching us.

...and none of them had fear in their eyes.

"I was a success!"

After En announced that, a loud cheer came from them.

"Amazing!"

"As expected of lord En!"

"Lord En did it!"

The mere sight of that overwhelmed me.

How astonishing to see so many people... just... be happy.

I could not help but unconsciously widen my eyes and let my jaw open.

...

What are they so happy about anyway?

|= A little while later =|

While me and En walked through the city, my head finally cleared up.

And I realized just how odd all of this was.

There were plenty of people bowing down to and greeting us.

But not a single person was afraid of me.

Even with their eyes open.

It was more like they felt the same respect for me as they did for En.

But I don't think I did anything to deserve their respect...

Eventually, we entered some sort of palace.

Inside, we walked into a grand room.

There were four people on each side and in the middle was a pure white cushion.

En went on and lied down on it, leaving me standing.

He then looked at me and smiled.

"Reiza...

First of all, I would like to welcome you to Celenic, my city."

"...thanks."

Isn't it a little too late to welcome me?

"Now, let's get to the point..."

His eyes closed and he hung his head.

"You have the messiest soul I have ever seen."

...

What?

"Your soul is split into two pieces... which isn't all that strange.

The abnormal part is that....

The main half has a hole in it...

Both of the halves still have some black marks on it from hosting that parasite...

And all of the connections between these halves are severed or corrupted."

...

I have no idea what he just said.

Is this 'soul' important?

He probably noticed my confusion, so he decided to elaborate.

"In other words...

Your main personality is slowly losing memories.

And you can't communicate with your other self."

This again...

What other self?

And I know I'm losing memories...

"To be honest, fixing it will be tough."

Those words alone made me open my eyes wide.

Fixing it...?

Does that mean... I will get my memories back?

"You can... fix it?"

As a response, he simply nodded.

But despite it being good news...

I thought it just sounded... too convenient.

Sure, I want my memories back.

But I feel like there's some catch.

With my gaze turning into a glare, a cold voice left my mouth.

"...what do you want in exchange?"

The reaction to what I said was unexpected.

Those eight people, who bowed to me a few seconds ago were now shaking in fear...

Just like they were supposed to.

And En stood up and looked at me.

I could read slight unease in his expression.

"This is what I do...

I don't need any repayment."

His response only made me more suspicious.

Why would someone I don't even know do something like that for me?

We kept staring at each other with a frown.

For a moment, only the trembling of the other people could be heard.

"... alright.

I'll tell you the full story.

So please calm down...

And don't kill anyone here."

...

En then hushed the others to leave before stepping forward and looking at me.

He then sighed and started talking.

"My name is En.

But that hasn't always been my name.

Blessed bloom was the name given to me by my creator."

He sighed yet again and looked away.

"My creator... was the god... you already met him.

He created me and my brother, who he named 'evil root'."

Evil root...

I heard this one too.

...

Wait, I remember.

Weren't both En and the root in the highest level list?

...

[Database]

Level: 8762 Name: Lily Race: Void slime (final remnant)

Level: 5671 Name: Nadeksha volcano Race: Brimstone hell golem (titan)

Level: 5213 Name: The terror Race: Kraken squid (titan)

Level: 5186 Name: Arminua continent Race: Elder island turtle (titan)

Level: 5037 Name: Evil root Race: Nirum malum kat (original)

Level: 5034 Name: En Race: Alio mortem kat (emperor)

Level: 5000 Name: Reiza Race: Cataclysmic wolfman (prodigy)

Here they are...

"God created us to 'keep balance' as he called it.

My brother would cause chaos and I would mend it.

The god also gave us both the power to affect souls.

Something mortals can't do.

And it worked like this for a while.

Balance was being kept."

As I kept listening, I unconsciously crossed my arms.

"But it wouldn't last forever...

As you might know, causing chaos is much easier than keeping order.

And because of that, my brother rose in power much faster than me.

It was a few centuries ago when he realized he could get rid of me and be free to do whatever he wanted.

Unfortunately for me, the god seemed to have forgotten about us, so he wasn't keeping us in check anymore.

Fortunately for me, I managed to escape...

I changed my name and founded a new civilization away from the others."

Rose in power much faster?

But according to the database, he is only three levels higher than En.

...I guess levels really don't matter.

"Even now, people with corrupted souls come here and I cure them.

But I can't return to the mainland and fight my brother directly anymore..."

En then looked at me...

As if he was expecting something.

And I realized what it was.

"So you want me to fight him?"

He neither responded nor nodded his head.

He only hung his head and closed his eyes.

I see...

"But am I not weaker than both of you?"

"That is not the case...

We may be higher level than you, but we were created at level five thousand already.

You have climbed from level one just like everyone else."

What difference does that make...?

"That's why I ask...

Will you help me in exchange for mending your soul?"

...

I'm already trying to track down someone.

Having another target is troublesome...

But with database, I might find him quickly.

Seeing me think about it, he added one more thing.

"... from what I've seen in your memories.

My brother is your enemy as well..."

"... what do you mean?"

"...

It will be easier to fix your soul so you can remember yourself.

The question is...

Do you really want to remember all of it?"

Do I?

Of course I do...

Being unable to remember irks me.

"Of course..."

"Even if so many of them are painful...?

The dreams you had before you woke up... were your memories..."

...

The one where I killed myself in despair?

And the one where I cried like a baby?

"Are you sure... you want to remember?"

.....

Bonus: