My Childhood Friend Turned Yandere in the Apocalypse

Chapter 288: Ch 288: Closer to the end

[A new mission has been issued by the system. Mission ID-000. Please become nourishment for the system’s growth. Resistance is futile.]

The message appeared on everyone’s system screen, and they could do nothing but stare at it helplessly, wondering what they were supposed to do now. Hope faded from their eyes far more quickly than Rin wanted to admit.

Even he found himself frozen in place, unable to do anything except look at the enormous tree towering over the distant horizon.

[There is no point in fighting anymore, Rookie. This is the end. Offer your body and soul to the master of this supreme form.]

The familiar system window taunted him, causing Rin to bite his lip until he tasted blood.

Everyone was waiting for him to say something. They were waiting for their leader to encourage them.

But for the first time since the apocalypse had begun, Rin found himself unable to find the right words.

For several long seconds, nobody moved.

The overwhelming presence of the colossal tree had robbed everyone of their courage. Even the veteran hunters who had survived countless life-and-death battles stood rooted to the ground, unable to tear their eyes away from the enormous branches stretching across the horizon.

It was not merely large. It felt...absolute.

Every instinct inside them screamed that the existence standing before them was something no human was ever meant to challenge.

The pressure radiating from the distant tree was unlike anything they had experienced before. It did not resemble killing intent, nor was it the aura of a powerful monster.

Instead, it felt like standing before a natural disaster.

"This isn’t over yet! We can’t give up here and now! Everyone, pick up your weapons and get ready to face the final challenge!"

Reina’s voice suddenly rang throughout the settlement.

Although her body was trembling, her eyes burned with determination. She looked just as frightened as everyone else, but she still forced herself to step forward.

Albus quietly moved beside her and placed a steady hand on her shoulder, silently supporting her as she addressed the crowd.

Rin slowly lowered his head.

Everyone nodded, and yet they did not move...rather, they still could not move.

[See?]

The familiar voice spoke inside his mind once again.

[I warned you that resisting would only make things painful. If you surrender now, you will not suffer. Your memories will disappear, but your existence will continue as part of the system. Isn’t that a beautiful ending?]

"...Shut up."

Rin’s voice was barely louder than a whisper.

[Why struggle any longer? Your synchronization has already exceeded ninety percent. Your body belongs to this system. Your future belongs to this system. Even your thoughts are gradually becoming mine.]

Memories and countless instructions flashed through Rin’s mind. The system wanted him to forget who he was and become one with it.

For a terrifying moment, he could no longer tell whether those memories belonged to him or to someone else.

His breathing became uneven.

"...Young Master."

Collin quietly stepped beside him.

Unlike everyone else, the old butler did not look toward the distant tree.

Instead, he looked only at Rin.

"I know what you’re thinking."

Rin remained silent. There was no way Collin could know what he was thinking, but Rin kept that to himself.

"You are going to do something dangerous."

"..."

"You believe that you could have prevented all of this if you had been more careful. But this is a problem all of us have to face eventually."

Collin’s calm voice continued.

"Whether we win or lose today...none of us regret following you. After all, this was the choice we all made."

That was true, but Rin still felt that part of this was his fault for not stopping the system. He knew more about what was happening than everyone else.

Nearby, Shelly quietly walked over without saying a word. She simply stood beside Rin before gently taking hold of his hand.

It was warm, but he knew he did not deserve any of the warmth or support he was receiving.

"I don’t know what that stupid tree is trying to do. But I won’t allow it to succeed. We promised to go back together, right? I intend to keep that promise, no matter what."

Her voice remained unusually soft.

"I’ve come way too far to become fertilizer. So let’s cut the tree down at its root and earn our freedom."

Several hunters nearby let out weak chuckles.

Even in the face of overwhelming despair...

They were still trying to smile.

Kyle stepped forward next.

"Let’s bring this tree down and show it humanity’s strength. Everyone, get ready for the last hunt of your lives."

"Exactly!"

"Let’s do this. I’m sure we’re going to have a lot of fun."

The hunters roared in agreement and charged toward the tree.

[Futile resistance has been noted. Countermeasures will now be taken. This is your last warning. Surrender before you lose your last chance at redemption.]

The system shouted, but no one listened. They all rushed toward the main body, only to be blocked by countless monsters.

"Everyone, charge! Our freedom is on the line!"

Albus yelled as everyone began making the final push.

[Resistance is futile. Humanity’s access to the system has been restricted.]

Suddenly, no one could use their powers anymore, and the sudden loss of those abilities caused countless hunters to be injured while just as many were killed.

Panic immediately spread through everyone’s minds as they lost the only reliable way they had to defend themselves.

And just like that, the atmosphere across the battlefield turned grim.

"No way! Our powers! How are we supposed to fight without them?"

"Is this the end?"

People panicked, losing the will to fight any longer. Those who stopped moving were quickly devoured by the system’s monsters.

The others continued fighting at a much slower pace after witnessing what had happened to their comrades.

Since the restriction was incomplete, not everyone lost access to their abilities. Shelly continued clearing a path toward the main body, her sword never stopping for even a moment.

Rin followed after her with the goal of reaching the main body, and somehow they managed to arrive before the glowing core.

"So you’re the bastard responsible for all of this? Finally, it’s time for me to get rid of you—"

[Protocol Safety will now begin. Intruder: Shelly Pinrose recognized. Searching for the optimal suppression method.]

[Suppression method found.]

The system did not bother stopping Shelly directly. Instead, it created an opponent it knew she would never be able to reject or injure.

Rin’s clear blue eyes looked back at her from a familiar face, and she froze.

"Shelly, what’s wrong? Why aren’t you attacking me? It’s alright. You can fight me. I promise I won’t be angry."

The illusion wearing Rin’s appearance spoke, and anger erupted from Shelly’s body.

She knew it was fake.

She knew the real Rin was standing behind her.

Yet her resolve faltered, as though the system had chained her hands before she could strike.

Shelly’s fingers tightened around the hilt of her sword until her knuckles turned white. Every muscle in her body tensed as she stared at the familiar face standing before her.

Her breathing gradually became uneven, and although she knew with absolute certainty that the person before her was nothing more than an illusion created by the system, her body simply refused to obey her.

"Shelly? Didn’t you always say you wanted to protect me? Then why are you pointing your sword at me?"

The voice was identical.

The gentle smile, the calm eyes, even the subtle warmth in its expression mirrored Rin perfectly.

It was as though the system had not simply copied his appearance but had recreated every detail it believed made Rin who he was.

Shelly instinctively took a step backward.

"...No."

Her voice barely escaped her lips.

"No...you’re fake."

The illusion merely smiled wider before taking another step toward her.

"But I sound like him."

"..."

"I look like him."

"..."

"I even remember every promise you’ve made together. Do you still want to doubt whether I am real or not?"

Each word drove another invisible nail into Shelly’s resolve.

She wanted to attack.

She knew she had to attack.

Yet every time she tried to raise her sword, her arm became unbearably heavy, as though countless invisible chains had wrapped themselves around it.

"You are still hesitating. Tell me, my dear - what makes your Rin special that I don’t have? After all, I have the same body and memories as him. In other words, I am him."

The system had not restrained her physically. Instead, it had shackled the deepest part of her heart.

It had found the one weakness she had never managed to overcome.

Behind her, Rin immediately realized what the system was trying to accomplish.

It had never intended to defeat Shelly through brute force.

It knew better than anyone that she was one of the strongest people standing on humanity’s side.

So instead of overpowering her...

It had chosen to weaponize her emotions.