KFBRV Pt 2 Ch 61

The status window cast a sharp glow across the pitch-black dungeon. This artificial light allowed Odette to see clearly.

Behind rusted bars stained with old blood, Karl sat bound in heavy chains.

He was a different man from the one she had known two years ago. A feral, decadent energy clung to him. His frame had grown massive, almost monstrous. A crooked, mocking smile rested on his lips.

He looked more dangerous now than the moment he decapitated her in her previous life. He radiated a threat far beyond his old thirst for revenge.

Confusion clouded her mind.

How can he be so different?

Was this the same boy who wept and begged her not to abandon him? It felt as if he had finally stripped off a mask. In the past, his vulnerability felt unnatural. This cold, sharp expression was undoubtedly his true self.

[Odette] "You've changed."

He looked up, meeting her gaze.

[Karl] "Changed? Me?"

The crooked smile sharpened.

A strange chill raced down her spine. This feeling mirrored the dread one felt before an unavoidable disaster.

She had come here because she suspected Charlotte wanted Karl, but a sudden thought struck her. Coming here was a mistake. She never expected him to become someone so ominous.

She gripped the shawl over her shoulders and spoke carefully.

[Odette] "You awakened as a Transcendent. You should be free from your slave status. Why do you remain in this mansion?"

[Karl] "Look at these restraints, Master. I am wrapped in so many chains. How could I possibly leave?"

A blatant lie. He could snap those chains in an instant. Maintaining the act of being bound was likely harder for him than breaking free.

However, Odette came to recruit him. She had to keep him away from Charlotte. She forced a gentle tone, pretending to believe his deception.

[Odette] "Then I will free you. First, come out of this cold cell."

She gripped the key to the secret passage—the same one she had obtained here two years ago.

He watched her, his expression unreadable.

[Karl] "You have no authority to command me."

[Odette] "What do you mean?"

[Karl] "The Count is my legal master now. He ordered me to stay locked away. I must obey his commands."

She froze.

[Karl] "I am quite loyal to my masters. Unlike the master who throws her slaves away whenever she pleases."

If he showed resentment or anger, Odette could have soothed him. But his eyes held no such emotions. He simply observed her, as if testing her.

This isn't working.

Panic began to set in. He was too different from the boy she remembered. If he remained this hostile, she needed to retreat and rethink her plan.

As she turned to leave, a chime echoed. A new notification appeared on her status window.

['Master of the Status Window' is currently caught in Karl's 'Time Regression'.]

[Regressions to this point: 4 (Currently the 5th loop)]

......What?

A shudder traveled up her back.

Is he repeating this exact moment?

Confusion swirled. Karl rarely used his powers. Even when fighting Calamities, he relied on physical strength.

To my knowledge, he has never rewound time.

He usually only stopped time or accelerated it. Rewinding was a massive burden because time naturally flowed in one direction. Even the lore of the game stated that Karl never looked back at the past.

Yet he rewinds time for something as small as this?

According to the window, she had already failed four times. Cold sweat soaked her skin.

I remember what I did during those four loops.

The problem was clear. Unlike her, Karl remembered everything. He remembered every version of her from those four attempts. And none of them had satisfied him.

This is insane. What does he want from me?

His eyes grew dull with boredom. He looked at her the way a scientist looks at a lab rat—or how a god looks down at a mortal.

If he hates my actions, he could just ignore me. Why go this far?

It was as if he wanted a specific reaction. He wanted something from her.

Odette swallowed hard, her throat tight with tension.

I likely saw this notification in the second loop, too. If I am still stuck, it means my usual choices are the problem.

A moment ago, she intended to flee. She wanted to escape the chill he radiated.

Then...... I must stay.

She couldn't force herself to be overly sweet, either. A sudden behavior change would look suspicious.

She broke the silence with a cautious voice.

[Odette] "I didn't abandon you, Karl."

She wanted to add that she left for his sake, but he cut her off.

[Karl] "So you left for my benefit?"

His lips smiled, but his eyes remained cold. In that instant, she realized she had already said those words in a previous loop.

Ding!

Another alert appeared.

[Karl is considering a 5th 'Time Regression'.]

[Warning! Don't become the target of further regressions!]

[The more loops occur, the easier Karl to regress. The probability of falling into an 'Infinite Loop' is rising rapidly!]

She couldn't back down. Odette slid the key into the lock. The mechanism clicked, and the heavy door swung open.

His eyebrows rose slightly. The boredom in his eyes flickered.

At least this is different from the last time.

Drawing strength from that small victory, she stepped into the cell.

[Odette] "I am sorry, Karl. I shouldn't have left you like that."

She knelt before him, reaching out to unbind him. But before she could touch the metal, a series of sharp cracks filled the room. The heavy chains surrounding him shattered into pieces.

[Karl] "You pick me up and throw me away as you please. Do you think a simple apology fixes it, Master?"

Before Odette could pull back, he gripped her chin. His touch was light, but his strength was undeniable.

Her teal eyes wavered.

What is wrong with him?

Other Transcendents were strong, but Karl was different. He radiated pure, concentrated terror.

Open the shop! Open it now!

She instinctively accessed the system shop and purchased a gun. It wouldn't stop him, but she needed a way to defend herself.

[Karl] "Oh. You are scared again."

The warning window flashed red.

[Karl is preparing the 5th 'Time Regression'.]

[Probability of an 'Infinite Loop' has increased!]

A glowing circle formed beneath Karl's feet. Dark red rings rose into the air, interlocking like an armillary sphere around them.

The world grew dark. Inside the sphere, a faint ticking sound began.

Tick. Tick. Tick.

The sound neared its end.

I don't have time to think!

She lunged forward and threw her arms around him.

[Odette] "Karl!"

She activated her Purification power immediately. If he was going to rewind time anyway, she would play her strongest card.

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