Reborn as an Extra Chapter 696: You were nothing but a failure.

"I had told you... I was destined to win, no matter how you attempted to boast your power. Victory was always mine..."

"After all, you face this challenge alone, while I am backed by an entire legion of friends behind me..."

A smug expression graced Liam's features as he maneuvered the 'queen' chess piece, advancing it to a position that irrevocably checkmated the opponent's king.

Witnessing this, the individual opposite Liam slammed their hand onto the table in a fit of rage, unleashing a tirade against him!

"You are the single greatest damn mistake of my entire existence!!"

"Had you possessed even a shred more capability, I would not have suffered defeat at the hands of that scoundrel Ashtel!!!"

The individual who had confronted Liam in this chess match was none other than his own father, Neo Aldif. More precisely, it was a lingering will, a fragment of his consciousness that had persisted within Liam's sea of consciousness until this very moment.

"There was a time when I genuinely believed you held affection for me... but after your betrayals, any respect I once had has evaporated."

"Therefore, do not anticipate your venomous words to inflict any pain upon me... they hold no power over me any longer... In truth, you yourself mean nothing to me now..."

Liam's pronouncements ignited Neo's fury, causing him to grit his teeth and retaliate with even greater vehemence!

"I fucking raised you! You owe your very existence to me; without me, you would have amounted to nothing, you insignificant brat!!"

"You should have been honored to serve as my damned tool! Your sole purpose was to be an instrument for my ambitions!!"

At these vile declarations, Liam merely let out a loud yawn, stretching his body languidly, completely disregarding the frustration etched onto Neo's visage.

"As a father, you were a failure; as a husband, a failure; as a friend, a failure; as a protector, a failure, and even in your attempts at scheming and manipulation... you remained a failure..."

"You possess no right to denigrate me when you yourself were nothing more than a monument to failure... I am even ashamed to acknowledge you as my father... nay, from this moment forward, I shall cease to refer to you as such..."

"You will simply be a bygone era, a painful past I shall not deign to recall; you will fade into insignificance... after all, your existence culminated in nothing but a string of failures, even unto the very end..."

Liam's words sent Neo's face flushing crimson with rage. He attempted to rise and strike Liam in his fury, but to his utter dismay, his body remained immobile, frozen in place.

Observing this, Liam shook his head with a sigh of disappointment. He rose from his seat, his gaze locking directly onto Neo's rage-contorted eyes, and then spoke.

"Never forget, Neo Aldif, this is the domain of my consciousness... your very soul and mind were obliterated long ago by the very individual you despised above all others throughout your wretched life."

"This feeble, pathetic echo of your being holds no power here... within this realm, you are entirely at my discretion, Neo Aldif. Therefore, it would be prudent for you not to further provoke my ire, which you have already done to a considerable extent..."

Liam swiftly silenced Neo, preventing him from uttering another sound.

He turned and walked away from Neo, his voice calm as he addressed the figure within his mind.

"Neo Aldif, I shall forever carry the regret of not being the one to personally end your life and inflict upon you the suffering you forced me to endure..."

"I will always lament that I could not make you experience the pain you inflicted upon others... yet, I shall always find solace in the fact that I was never merely your pawn..."

Liam gazed towards the distant edge of his consciousness, where the nascent light of dawn was beginning to pierce the enveloping darkness. This ascending sun symbolized the success of his friends and his imminent return to life, mirroring the sun's own rebirth.

"Because of your actions, I endured immense suffering and then vanished. Ellie must have suffered greatly as well... I shall never forgive you for the torment you caused..."

"It is a shame that inflicting torment upon this pathetic remnant of yourself is ultimately futile, as it is merely an echo of a will. Otherwise, I would have patiently ensured you comprehended every iota of the pain I endured..."

As Liam's anger subsided, he observed the encroaching light and a faint smile graced his lips.

"Although... I did not personally bring about your downfall, I find satisfaction in knowing that you ultimately received what was justly deserved..."

"The individual you loathed most, Ashtel Rex, is infinitely superior to you. He is a paragon of fatherhood, a virtuous man, a steadfast protector, and a devoted husband..."

"He stands leagues above you... My sole regret is that I was not blessed with a father as exemplary as him, and instead, was burdened with a kin such as yourself..."

As the oppressive darkness receded from Liam's sea of consciousness, Neo's lingering will began to fracture, disintegrating into oblivion.

"May you find no peace in your demise, Neo Aldif. I, the child you dismissed as a mere tool, shall forge a life far richer and more joyous than yours ever could have been..."

"To live a life brimming with fulfillment shall be my ultimate triumph over you..."