Chapter Twenty Three: Mind

HUUUUUUUUUUUUH!!!?????
This is insane!
I tried to move, but my body refused me. Not even a finger obeyed. She—LV—had seized complete control. My body was no longer mine.
And the worst part? She hummed cheerfully, swinging my arms and striding through the silent city as if this was some casual stroll.
I cleared my voice—though trapped inside, only I could hear it. My consciousness floated in a dark void. I could see through my own eyes, feel the world around me, but here… here it was pitch black.
Is this what LV sees? Is this how she exists inside me?
{LV……………….. I don’t think the combined intellect of the entire world could explain why… why I’M BEING DRIVEN IN MY OWN BODY!!!!}
“Shut up. You’re such a sore loser.”
……………… Huh!?
{Let me out this instant!!}
“I can’t do that. I need your body right now. It’s been three weeks since the ‘Human-Human’—and you can bet they’ll attack again. I need to investigate something, and your body is perfect for the job.”
The disappearance of the stadium had plunged humanity back into despair. The gods, mocking us, named it Human-Human.
{LV!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!}
The streets around us were barren—empty shells of what was once civilization. The city had become a ghost town. Human sightings were rare now, like phantoms fading from existence.
LV walked with purpose until she reached a park. The same park where I once met Amira.
She circled, scanning, eyes darting for a presence. And then we saw her—sitting casually on a bench. A girl. Her hair was striking, a deep shimmering blue, and her clothes matched as though she were cloaked in the ocean itself.
LV loosened my shirt and, with a deliberately sultry tone, purred:“Sorry I kept you waiting~.”
She approached the girl boldly.
My body leaned against the bench, arm stretched across the rest, right foot perched arrogantly on the seat. My voice, twisted by LV’s performance, dripped with honey:“Your beauty is far greater than the rumors say~… breathtaking. You put even the gods to shame.”
“Oh my~ thank you for the high praise… Infinity.” She smiled coyly, her alluring eyes gleaming.
“That was merely praise. No words can capture your beauty and elegance. I’m humbled.”
HUMBLED!? Me!? What the hell is she doing!?
The girl giggled softly. “Huhu~. To receive such compliments from the almighty Infinity… what more could a girl ask for?”
“Such flattery. I’m just a humble man captivated by your beauty.”
Where is this going? What’s the point of this nonsense!?
“Huhu~, I’m honored.” She blushed faintly, flicking her long blue hair behind her shoulder.
“I feel as though I’m being drawn to you by something greater than fate… our union would create a godly combination~.”
HEY! HEY! WHAT IS SHE DOING!?
LV lifted the girl’s chin gently, pulling my face close. Our lips… they were about to—
NO. NO!
But instead—
BAM!
Her fist rocketed into my face. Pain exploded across me as my body flew backward.
…………………………… WHAT!? I can feel it!? A human’s punch… hurt me!?
“Damn you…” LV growled with a wicked smile, standing.
The girl rose as well, glaring back. “You’re a hundred years too immature to toy with me… LV.”
WHAT THE—!? How!? How did she know it was LV when it was MY body!?
Crossing my arms smugly, LV sneered: “Hmph! I heard you made them call you ‘Mind’ in the human world. How typical. Always pretending to be someone important when you’re just a useless god.”
G-G-GOOOOOOOOOOOD!!!!???
{LV… WHAT IS GOING ON HERE!?}
“It’s simple. She’s a god.”
I froze. My stomach churned.
“But… why here?”
“You’re useless. Fine, I’ll explain.”
The girl before me—Mind.
I remembered. In the first meeting with Amira, she mentioned losing the top spot to a girl named Mind. This was her.
LV had been suspicious ever since. And now her doubts were confirmed.
She explained quickly: LV had used the power of Telepathy—gained from my battle with Wa’e’rrut. She contacted Amira, disguised her voice as mine, and told her to bring Mind to the park. Then, she sent Amira away, whispering through telepathy that I had a secret to confess. All so LV could corner Mind alone.
And now… here we were.
But even after that devastating punch, LV showed no pain. None. It was me—the host—who felt the sting.
“So,” LV said coldly, stepping closer, “what underhanded tricks did you use to become number one in Continental?”
Mind smirked arrogantly. “What are you saying? I’m a god. Human knowledge is nothing more than a breath of air to me.”
“Hmph! You never could stand on your own. You were always beneath me.”
Her eyes narrowed, anger sparking. “I’ve had enough of this meaningless chatter. Are you sure you should be wasting time when the gods could strike any moment?”
“So what if they do? We’ll crush them like we always do.”
“We? Don’t make me laugh. You’re nothing but a sidekick. I’ve seen all your battles. Pathetic. Zinertia—the power that shakes the heavens—and you use it like a child fumbling with fire. Aren’t you ashamed?”
LV smirked. “I see. So you’ve been watching all along? That’s just like you. Always the coward.”
“Coward? I simply keep my hands clean. Why oppose the gods when the outcome is obvious?”
“Coward. I was wrong to think you’d changed.”
“Say what you want. But aren’t you the one desperate to prove yourself worthy of the throne? Why should I care about your struggle?”
“You’ve been here in the human world for some time now. Will you just sit idly and watch it all burn?”
“You… have a point. I don’t wish to see my lambs slaughtered. But if it’s the gods’ decree, then so be it.”
“Decree, huh? Then tell me—why did you rob Amira of her rightful seat?”
“Why~? Must a god need a reason? It was fun. I read her mind, copied her answers, then altered her brain so she’d miss a few. She should be grateful I didn’t make her fail completely.”
HOW DARE YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
My voice burst out, audible only to LV.
{LV! Give me my body back! I’ll send her back to where she belongs!}
“Don’t waste your energy,” LV muttered. “She’s weak. Not worth the effort.”
Mind’s eyes narrowed. “I heard that. Still looking down on me? You’re the reason I came to this world—to see how far your selfishness would carry you.”
“You came here for me? Pathetic. You’ll never rise if you keep hiding in my shadow.”
“Why you! I’ll show you how much I’ve grown!”
Her fury boiled over. But before anything could happen—
“Naum~!”
A familiar voice called from afar. A girl waved, running toward us.
Amira.
Panting, she stumbled closer. “I’ve been waiting for hours… why did you make me wait~?”
For the last time—it’s not me!
LV, still wearing my face, reached for her chin gently.“I’m sorry, Amira~… will you forgive me~?”
She froze. Her lips trembled. “Y-Y… Yes…”
Her eyes shimmered, her voice faint.
Mind scoffed. “Hmph! That act is pathetic. You don’t even know how to play the role properly!”
With sharp irritation, she stormed forward and slapped my hand away from Amira’s cheek.
“This is how it’s done.”
She wrapped her arm around Amira’s waist, bending her backward with deliberate grace, her face mere centimeters from hers.
“Tell me~… do you want it~?”
“…Yes… You can do whatever you want to me…” Amira’s eyes glazed pale.
What!? That’s not real! She’s altering her emotions!
Altering emotions… what terrifying power.
The clash continued. LV and Mind bickered, challenged, postured over every word, while Amira—drained and pale—was taken unconscious by Mind, who carried her back toward Continental.
No matter how much I screamed, how hard I fought inside, LV refused to yield control of my body. Not until we returned home.
Then she smirked.“So… how did it feel? You haven’t been outside in weeks. Now that you’ve seen what’s going on—how does it feel?”
Don’t talk to me. Disturb me again, and I’ll beat you down.
“Oh really? Try it. You’d only be hurting yourself.”
I ignored her chatter until my body drifted to sleep, consciousness slipping away.
But in the quiet of my dreams… a voice pierced through.
{Infinity…………… help me……………}
Familiar. Desperate. Unmistakable.
At once, I shot out of bed, heart pounding. For I knew exactly who it was.