Master of Monster Synthesis-Chapter 699 - 362: Mourning Youth, Qin Shou
The Magic Mirror tilted its head and thought for a moment, "Hmm... 'Heavenly Destiny' is just what I call you lot. You seem to prefer calling yourselves 'System Owners'."
"What... System..."
Qin Shou swallowed hard, forcing out an extremely awkward smile.
"Haha, Brother Magic Mirror, could it be that you've made a mistake? I'm just a lowly nobody..."
"Oh, right, you people like to insult others as nobodies too." The Magic Mirror added casually.
Qin Shou: "..."
Is this what they call fated irony?
The light around the Magic Mirror rippled, transforming into a face identical to Qin Shou's.
"The last few Heavenly Destinies all died by my hand, and you'll likely be no exception.
Right now, you must see me as the villain. As a qualified villain, I believe I should tell you something even more amusing."
The sinister smile on the Magic Mirror's face made Qin Shou grit his teeth in fury, wishing he could peel its skin, pluck its tendons, and grind its bones into dust.
At this moment, he realized just how detestable his own remarkably handsome face could be.
He also understood the bitterness, anger, and despair of those unfortunate souls who had once fallen by his hand.
What goes around comes around, and now it's his turn.
Qin Shou took a deep breath, suppressing his rage, and quietly watched the Mirror's performance, not daring to act rashly.
Delaying was the only option—this guy had killed all the previous System Owners, proving the incredible strength of the Magic Mirror.
Being able to endlessly replicate other people's abilities, the Magic Mirror stood in an undefeatable position. Even in a fifty-fifty matchup, the Magic Mirror would always hold an edge, and Qin Shou knew he wasn't its match.
At times like this, cowardice was the only viable strategy.
The Magic Mirror's smile grew as radiant and mischievous as Qin Shou's own used to be, infused with a hint of malice and sinister humor.
"Heavenly Destiny, from the moment you set foot on the Heavenly Artifact Continent, I detected you through the Magic Mirror Core.
Unlike those before you, you don't care about saving the world, waging wars across galaxies, or indulging in romance. You only enjoy lurking in the shadows and savoring the control over everything."
Qin Shou's heart trembled, "You noticed me early on—then why wait until now to make a move?"
The Magic Mirror chuckled softly, "At that time, you were nothing but a small fry. Even as a Heavenly Destiny, your strength was too weak, and there wasn't much to gain from copying your powers."
"So you knew all along I would come to the Mirror Planet?" Qin Shou clenched his teeth.
"Of course. Nearly every Heavenly Destiny ends up finding their way to the Mirror Planet."
The Magic Mirror continued, "You owe your rapid ascension to the God Realm partly to me."
"Indeed, I should thank you for giving me so much time to grow." An ominous feeling surged in Qin Shou's heart.
Yet unexpectedly, the Magic Mirror waved its hand dismissively, shaking its head, "No, no, no—I wasn't referring to that."
"Then what?"
The Magic Mirror grinned insidiously, "I meant... the Heavenly Artifact Continent!"
"What do you mean?" Qin Shou frowned.
"Haha, those ancient geezers on the Heavenly Artifact Continent have lived for so long, they couldn't possibly be dumb enough to fall for your schemes. Did you really think your plans were flawless?" The Magic Mirror's words dropped like a bombshell.
Qin Shou's eyes widened in disbelief.
"Could it be..."
"That's right—all this time, I've been cleaning up your mess. But honestly, it was pretty entertaining."
"You..."
Qin Shou's face turned pale, his body trembling uncontrollably, overwhelmed by boundless shame and anger.
At that moment, the sense of intellectual superiority he had always prided himself on evaporated, consumed by the crushing weight of humiliation.
"Impossible... You were embroiled in the God Realm battle back then—how could you have had the chance..." He grasped at straws, fooling only himself.
To him, losing wasn't shameful; being toyed with at whim was.
The confidence he had painstakingly built throughout his rise had completely crumbled.
The Magic Mirror's eyes glimmered with absolute belief as it smiled, "Nothing is impossible. I'm invincible. No matter how many weaklings there are, none could challenge me. I was merely playing around."
"Then why didn't you wipe them all out and have the Mirror Planet army conquer the Heavenly Artifact Continent, even the Galaxy Alliance?"
By now, Qin Shou's posture was no longer upright. Shrouded in gloom, he exuded lethargy. His once-bright eyes now drooped lifelessly, resembling the infamous Dead Fish Eyes.
The Magic Mirror shook its head, "That was my original plan, but finding a Heavenly Destiny—someone like you—changed my mind."
"Was it worth it? Sacrificing the Mirror Planet for some game?" Qin Shou sighed quietly.
"It's just one planet—I've got time." The Magic Mirror responded indifferently.
Seeing Qin Shou completely dejected, his former vigor gone, the Magic Mirror's grin widened.
"Haha, entertaining—this is far too amusing."
Qin Shou stood slack, his Dead Fish Eyes devoid of hope for survival.
"There's no crevice to crawl into here, so if you're going to kill me, just get it over with—stop tormenting me."
But the Magic Mirror wasn't finished playing yet. Wiggling its finger, it said, "No, no, no. Based on what I know of you, there's no way you don't have a trump card."
"You..."
Qin Shou's blurred eyes filled with tears; his last shred of dignity laid bare once again.
"Come now, show me! I want to see what surprises you have." The Magic Mirror said, brimming with excitement.
Qin Shou: "..."
His hunched back rose slightly as he sighed heavily.
"Fine, you win."
As he spoke, gray particles began to leak from his body. Qin Shou's aura grew even more dilapidated, his face aging into a haggard visage that scarcely resembled a youth full of vitality.
"Oh, you visited Water Blue Star and gained some Abnormal Powers—impressive." The Magic Mirror teased, causing Qin Shou to stagger, feeling on the verge of collapse.
Why... How did it know even this?
There's no way to keep living.
