My hand reached for the door, and with a little effort, I was able to open it. My eyes were focused on what waited for me behind the door. The place was so strange to me that I didn't know what to expect, but as soon as the door opened, I saw something. 

Behind the door was a small room, and what surprised me was that it was exactly like Amber's room. Even more surprising was that Amber herself was sitting on the bed. She was carefully reading a book she was holding in her hand, and she didn't even seem to notice I was there.

After thinking for a while, I raised my hands and looked at them. It turned out that my hands had become like they were in my previous life, causing me to feel displaced. Putting my thoughts aside, I looked at her again. 

Not knowing what was going on, I slowly stepped inside. Amber seemed to notice something and moved her eyes to me. I stopped as I didn't know what to do because I had somehow taken Amber's body, and the owner seemed to be in front of me now. While I was silent looking at her, she suddenly smiled and spoke. 

"I think it's time." Her words seemed cryptic, causing my doubts to sink deeper. Putting the book aside, she got up from the bed with light movements and stepped in my direction.

While I was thinking about what to say, she finally came to me. 

"Nice to meet you, I'm Amber." As I was about to introduce myself too, she interrupted me. 

"You don't need to introduce yourself, I know what you know about you. Just as you can view my memories, so can I view yours." 

What she said made me stunned. Doubts flooded my mind, but curiosity took hold of me as well. 

"So we're in soul form? Inside your body?" I couldn't keep guessing, so I asked the question directly. 

"Yes, we are in soul form, and we are both inside my–well, now your–body," she said, smiling again.

This made me suspicious; she seemed already resigned to the fact that I had taken her body. 

"I took your body...Don't you hate me?" I was curious why she was so calm and happy after I took her body.

 "No," she replied, turning and walking around the room. "Why should I hate the one who saved me?" As she spoke, she spread her arms to present the room to me. 

"Although I was rescued, I was also placed in this place like it was a prison. I know that this place is very similar to my bedroom in that nasty world...or, you could say, in that game you played."

As she corrected herself and looked at me,what she said at the end confirmed one fact: she definitely knows everything about me. 

"So you really can see my memory..." It didn’t seem surprising to have something like that in this world. 

"Yes, but...you, on the other hand, can’t see my entire memory..." The next words made me misunderstand again. 

"What do you mean?"

After staring at me for a few seconds, she started pacing the room again. A picture of her family was placed atop her dresser, which she approached and stopped in front of. After  a few seconds, she slowly spoke. 

"The thing is...although you can see my memories, I can also hide or change them." 

She shifted her gaze from the pictures of their family to me.

"You weren't protecting yourself from me, so I could see everything. I admit the fact that this world was a game shocked me a lot, but looking at your other memories made me realize that I'd rather be in your world." 

I just watched and listened without interrupting her. 

"I hid some memories by replacing them. I admit that I wanted to control you through those memories so that you...would hurt my...sister." 

She pulled her head down, and her voice became hoarse and quiet. 

"I've always...always, hated her…and envied..." Watching her, I was shocked. Her sudden change of demeanor didn’t fit what I thought of her. She was shaking a little, which made her seem more pathetic.

"I always...envied her, she was always strong. When our parents died, that envy grew bigger..." 

She sat down on the bed picking up a picture of their family. I couldn't see her face because her hair was covering it. 

"And so...I wanted to get stronger. I happened to obtain a certain book by chance. I don’t know how I did, though considering that this world is but a game, then maybe it wasn’t an accident." 

Her voice went from hoarse to doubtful for a moment, though there was still the hint of her being in a bad mood. 

"I forgot where that book was, but what the book looks like, I remember well. When you get out of here, you go search my memory, so that you can retrieve it. After reading the book, the content of which I do not remember, I found myself in a bad situation, and then you saved me."

Speaking, she stood up again, returned the photo to the cabinet, and then approached me. 

"But staying in this place for a long time and watching you, I realized some things. It’s time for me to go." 

She stopped in front of me. 

"I'm sorry for not showing you all my memories...but I don't want you to see all the bad things I thought about my sister...also, please, I want you to protect her." 

She lifted her head and looked into my eyes, and all the while I was in shock. But seeing her weeping, expectant eyes, I hesitated for a moment. 

"I know it's a selfish request." 

I thought to myself,

<<What have I been going through all this time? Now it turns out it's even more confusing, I didn't want to agree, but I think I have enough problems as it is such that one more won’t be too much.>>

As I was about to say yes, all of a sudden she came very close to me very quickly. And afterwards, I felt a soft touch on my lips. I stopped thinking and looked into her dark blue eyes with surprise. 

Her eyes were full of joy and peace. A few seconds later, she pulled away and smiled at me. Her eyes turned crescent-shaped. While I was still standing still in a daze, she spoke. 

"I knew you would agree. After all, I know all about you." 

Coming to my senses, I wanted to speak, but she continued. 

"Don't worry, all those memories you saw are genuine, I only hid those bad feelings for her. Everything else is true. There's also one last thing I'd like to tell you."

As she spoke, she walked slowly toward the door. 

"This door cannot be opened from the inside, but only from the outside. But also, if you open it, my soul can't stay here and can't go back.>> 

Speaking, she was already near the door, and I watched her as she looked at me too.

"You know, watching your memory is like living a second life, heheh, and I'm glad I did." A blinding smile bloomed on her face. 

"And so, I have to go. Although I would have liked to chat with you more, it seems that something is already rejecting me..."

She turned toward the door. 

"You shouldn't be afraid to change, open your heart to people. And always be strong, there are many experience points waiting for you, heheh...Goodbye."

Saying the last words, she stepped out the door. The soul, clear as a picture, quickly faded and gradually disappeared. I stood there staring blankly, and for some reason, I felt sad. I didn't know what to think about, continuing to stare at where she disappeared. It lasted almost a minute before I felt a vibration. 

Suddenly, a trail of cracks went through the wall, and everything gradually collapsed. When I went to leave the room, it was as if it exploded, and everything flew in different directions, gradually disappearing. Multi-colored shimmering colors reappeared around me.

<<It seems that because she left, this place also collapsed.>>

[ppfdg..sdlfs..frrtt...ereeerrt.........]

Watching around, I heard that sound again. Turning in that direction, I saw an object. It was a sphere. 

[gglker....frrtt...ereeerrt.........] 

What was strange was that it vaguely reminded me of an Orb of Despair. I wanted to get close to it. 

<<According to what Amber said, I'm still inside my body, so this orb is inside her, too?>>

But as I took a step, a warning caught my eye, which made my body freeze. 

[24% => 25%↑]

My reaction was quick, and taking a few steps back, I began to observe this sphere.

The sphere floated smoothly above the ground and didn't seem to be doing anything. Looking along its surface, I tried to figure out what to do next. I did not know how I got here and how to get out, but one thing was clear: the sphere was somehow connected to this. I looked at the orb again, and there was still no change. 

<<There’s nothing around, except for the multi-colored flowers. The only thing I can see is this sphere, but as this indicator keeps rising, what do I do? There is nothing left but to sit and think about what to do next. I don't know how much time has passed since I got here, but nothing has changed.>>

Remembering the conversation, and Amber's story, I felt that this world was getting even crazier, and maybe so was I. Finally realizing that nothing was changing, I stood up and tried to get closer to the sphere. 

[25% => 26%↑] 

As before, the indicator appeared, reminding me of all the feelings I had experienced last time. Pulling away again, I tried to calm my emotions. Suddenly a thought occurred to me,

<<Maybe I should just get as far away from here as possible, maybe then I can get out.>> 

I turned in the opposite direction of the sphere and started walking with quick strides.

But before I even passed 10 meters, I ran into an invisible wall. Moving along that wall, I walked in a circle around the sphere, which was in the center. I came to the conclusion that there was no way to get out except to approach the sphere. This sphere caused the skill indicator to go up, but my emotions were left alone. This could mean that it affected it in some other way. 

Soon another thought occurred to me, whether the percentage would increase if I stood near the orb for a long period of time. I stepped towards the sphere again. 

[26% => 27%↑] 

After checking, it turned out that, no, I could stand at this distance as long as I wanted and nothing would happen.

As I was thinking about whether I should step up to the sphere after all, a girl's back appeared in my mind, telling me not to be afraid to change. 

<<Easy for you to say, but taking a step toward it is pretty hard. What if I become that emotionless machine again? Though I know it will probably be temporary this time that's not too reassuring.>>

My gaze stayed focused on the orb. 

<<...maybe I should, since I'll come back to myself after a while... maybe.>>

Quickly shaking my head, I turned my attention to something. 

<<Maybe if I wait a little longer, the percentage of the indicator will drop, and I will be able to approach it safely.>> 

After waiting for a while, nothing happened.

<<"You shouldn't be afraid to change…">> Amber resounded again in my head.

"Okay..." Speaking, I stood up and took successive steps toward the sphere without delay. 

[27% => 28%↑] [Warnings] 

[28% => 29%↑] [Warnings] 

Without paying attention, I quickly grabbed the orb. At the same time, I felt something push me away. I fell backward with my arms open, and everything in front of my eyes began to distort. I tried to get up but found that I was motionless, as if something was holding me back. But I could clearly see that the sphere was moving. All the confidence I had built up before grabbing the sphere was gone.

A strong sense of panic and fear was growing inside me. I didn't pay attention to the indicator clues as I thought about what was about to happen. The sphere stopped in mid-air above my chest, and then began to slowly descend. My fear grew as the orb approached me. Finally, under my gaze of the distorted world, the orb touched my chest.

At the same moment, a hellish pain I'd never felt before made my eyes widen and my whole body tremble. I couldn't scream or do anything, something was holding me back. The pain I'd tried so hard to stay away from had reached me. Every part of my soul ached. It was not a simple pain, but rather an intense and stabbing one.

I felt something forcibly trying to change me from the inside out. In that moment, I wanted to just cease to exist. To just disappear and forget everything. 

[....dsfsdk....rtyh...pelr...]

Again the voice, but this time something with a touch of joy. 

[...dsfsdk....qwepr...dfl...]

My mind went into a daze, and the strange thing was that I was still conscious. 

[....dsfsdk.....krlkkel koriwl...]

The pain was gradually getting worse, but my mind was alert. At first I thought it might be status activation again, but it was nothing like before.

[....dsfsdk.....krlkkel koriwl...] 

And the more this happened, I noticed that gradually I was able to coexist with the pain. This time I heard a note of surprise in that mysterious voice. Until finally, a window appeared before my eyes.

[Temporary status effect activated: {Limitless Will}] 

7:13

7:12 

7:11 

I just stared at the window, not knowing what to think. My eyes moved upward, looking up at the sky.

The pain wasn't gone yet, but it wasn't getting worse either. I thought of one thing: "I hate..."

My thoughts became chaotic.

"I hate this world."

Enduring the pain, I stubbornly tried to open my mouth. Something inside me gave me strength, and something in my mind seemed to get away from me. But still I persisted, as the pain from my soul transmitted into my mind.

[....dsfsdk....rtyh...pelr...]

I ignored the voice that showed a hint of wonder. Finally, I was able to open my mouth.

"aaaAAAAA–"

Screaming, I tried to fight the pain.

Gradually I increased my voice until I shouted.

"I hate this world!"

When I said that, something inside me fractured.

"Ha...ha..."

I thought the situation was funny, which made me laugh.

"Hahahaha…"

As I laughed, the sphere that had already plunged into my chest flew back out.

"Ahhhahahaa–"

I couldn't stop laughing. The sphere whirled around, after which it rushed toward me again. But suddenly something changed.

"HahahaHAAA–"

[....dsfsdk....rtyh...pelr!!...]

To my amusement and an angry voice, something glowed from my chest. The sphere was immediately enveloped in light, and pulled into my chest.

"AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAA–"

This time I felt no pain. I felt very comfortable, and the darkness began to blur in front of my eyes.

....

"I hate..."