"Ugh... ah..."
Amid those agonized groans, Kyohei remained sprawled on the ground, struggling to raise his head and look toward Luo Zhen.
What Kyohei saw was only Luo Zhen's indifferent gaze and nonchalant expression.
Seeing Luo Zhen like that, the hatred in Kyohei's heart grew even more intense.
This time, however, Kyohei's hatred for Luo Zhen was not merely because of Sinon. It was also because of Luo Zhen himself.
Kyohei cried out inwardly, both in pain and grief.
(Why...!? Why can he be so strong...!?)
Kyohei was truly consumed by jealousy.
Unlike Shoichi, who had been driven into a desperate corner because no one expected anything of him and had ultimately become a murderous madman, Kyohei had been burdened with excessive expectations. He had been forced to pass the entrance exams for a prestigious medical university and inherit the family business, and that was what had driven him down the road to ruin.
Kyohei's grades had never been good. Because of his family background and appearance, he had been bullied constantly at school. No one cared about his own wishes; everyone simply treated him as a weakling to be trampled on. Even his family had never taken his personal opinions seriously, focusing only on molding him into an heir. That was what had twisted Kyohei's mind until it resembled Shoichi's.
One major reason Kyohei regarded Shoichi as an idol was that Shoichi had not been bullied. He had been the one bullying others, possessing a strength of his own and having killed countless weaklings. That was what made Kyohei worship him.
Kyohei had likewise poured enormous effort into his "mirror" in GGO, pursuing the strength he desired in the Virtual World. He had even sought, through Shoichi and Sinon, the strength he wanted to see, which was why he