"Haaa... Haa..."
My lungs were on fire.
I had no idea how long I'd been running. I just kept going, as fast and as far as my legs would carry me. The thought of that old woman chasing me pushed me forward, and I couldn't stop. I didn't even know where I was heading.
All I knew was that I had to get as far away as possible from the place.
'Creepy. Too damn creepy!'
"Huuh!"
Eventually, my stamina gave out, and I stumbled to a stop beside a narrow alleyway.
It was dimly lit, the walls marked with scattered graffiti. Two large dumpsters sat off to the side, surrounded by torn, overstuffed garbage bags. The smell was tolerable. It was a lot better than that dumpster fire that was the old lady's house.
"Haa.. I think.. haa... this should be good... enough."
I moved by the wall and rested my back against it. I thought about sliding down in order to rest, but seeing how dirty the place was, I thought otherwise.
I wasn't a clean freak or anything, but ever since I'd stepped into that old lady's house, the sight of trash had started to make me feel nauseous.
Whatever the reason, right now I just needed to catch my breath. I took slow, steady inhales as I pulled out my phone and searched for the nearest flight back to Malovia Island.
It was time to go.
'The quest should be completed too, right? I did manage to find some clues regarding the Twisted Man by finding the photographs. This should be enough. Please let this be enough...'
I could only hope and pray that I had met all the criteria for the quest to complete. But as the minutes dragged on, maybe half an hour or more, nothing happened. The quest window never appeared, and a sinking feeling settled in my chest.
'It can usually take longer, but I'm afraid that... even if I wait a little longer, I'll probably not receive a single thing.'
To make matters worse, when I checked the flights back to Malovia, the next one wasn't until 8 a.m.
It was only 1 a.m.
I still had seven long hours to wait.
And even then...
Who was there to say nothing would happen at the airport? Something about this place. This city...
Something about it felt extremely off to me.
It was almost as if...
Everyone was in on it. As though the old woman's influence ran deep within the place.
But maybe I was just overthinking. There was no real evidence to back up the thought, and it was entirely possible I was just being overly paranoid.
However, whatever the case was, I decided to trust my own gut feeling.
'There's nothing wrong with trusting my gut feeling, even if it's wrong. The worst that can happen is that I waste seven hours. Either way, I'm stuck here until the next plane.'
"Haa..."
A deep and long sigh escaped my lips as I thought about my current situation. Given the likely chance that the quest had yet to be completed, I knew that there was still more for me to find.
'Should I just quit and stay here while waiting for the next flight to arrive?'
This seemed like the most reasonable way to look at things. The situation felt genuinely dangerous, and it wasn't as if the quest had been forced on me. I could back out at any time. The amount of SP offered wasn't insignificant, but for now, it was something I could afford to ignore.
But at the same time...
'Is it worth it to abandon the quest?'
The whole point of this quest was to help me develop my game. It was to add depth to it and make it better. Could I really give up a quest that would help me build a better game that could traumatize more people?
"...."
I held onto my chest.
Logic told me to just wait here and wait for the plane to arrive, but...
'No, I can't.'
It wasn't just because I wanted to clear the quest, and I couldn't afford to ignore the reward. It was more about the fact that I felt there was some sort of grand scheme behind this entire situation.
While the system had indeed assigned this quest to me, I had a feeling that it wasn't just to help me develop the game.
There was definitely more to it.
I just needed to figure out what.
And the key to it all was the two photographs in my hand.
Staring at them, and alternating my gaze between the two, I grew more and more creeped out by how uncanny the two photos were. Despite being two different timelines, the photos were of the same quality, and the poses and expressions were exactly the same.
They both stood behind a certain train.
"Hmm."
My eyes squinted as I looked at the train, a thought occurring to me. Could this be a clue? Could the train be where I had to go next to figure out the situation?
'Why did she take a photo here? Where does the train lead? Why were they going on the train...?'
All sorts of questions crossed my mind as I stared at the image.
The more questions that arose in my mind, the more certain I was that the key to the situation was the train.
Hence, taking out my phone, I quickly researched all the nearby train stations.
I got the result not long after.
[Elderglen Junction]
"Alright, this should be my next stop."
Putting my phone away, I pulled myself away from the wall and followed the directions from my phone.
*
The Elderglen Junction was located not far from the airport.
It was a thirty-minute walk from the heart of the city, tucked away near its edge. The street lamps flickered dimly, casting a faint glow over the cobblestone road as the night air sank into my bones, prickling my exposed skin from all directions.
The streets were dead silent.
Stopping beside a large metal fence, I switched on my flashlight and aimed it at the tracks ahead. In the distance, I could make out several trains and cargo cars scattered along the railway, some resting on the tracks, others off to the side.
Some sat slumped across the tracks, others leaned off to the side, like broken bones in a forgotten graveyard.
The place was quiet, and there didn't seem to be anyone present.
I could make out the outlines of several trains in the distance, but the flashlight wasn't strong enough for me to see clearly.
It didn't matter.
"Hup!"
I jumped up, grabbed hold of the metal fence, and pulled myself up. With a bit of effort, I swung over and landed on the other side.
Thump!
I landed softly and kept my flashlight pointed ahead. A strong, iron scent filled my nose, prompting me to momentarily pause. For a moment, I almost thought it was blood. However, the smell was different.
It smelled a lot more rusty.
'Fuck, has all the blood I've been seeing lately even made me tell if something is blood or not by the smell?'
My lip twitched.
I didn't know how to feel about that.
The flashlight jittered in my grip, casting uneasy shadows that seemed to twitch along the walls. There wasn't much to go off from the photo I had. The most noticeable feature was the large, old train, which stood out more than anything else.
That was my only lead.
But even after scanning the station, it was nowhere in sight.
'Right, it would make sense if it's gone. A lot of time must've passed. I'm sure that—'
Not even halfway through my thoughts, and a massive shadow loomed before me in the distance. By the time I managed to figure out what it was, my hand froze as I opened my mouth before closing it.
Staring at the all-too-familiar train, I pulled out one of the photos and held it up, shifting my gaze back and forth between the image and the real thing.
I eventually shook my head.
"...Hasn't changed one bit."
Not even one bit.
-x-X-x-
The train towered above me, its massive black metallic frame blending with the darkness around.
I hadn't spotted it at first because it was set back from the main track, hidden behind one of the platforms. From a distance, it looked like part of the wall. But once I cast my light on it, everything became clear to me.
This was the train I had been looking for.
'What now...?'
I had found the train, but what next?
I scanned the area, searching for anything that might offer a clue, but there was nothing. The train looked completely abandoned.
Taking out the photographs, I even went as far as to go to the same spot to see if I could figure something out, but there really was nothing.
'...Surely there must be some sort of record about the train. About where it went in the past, and for how long it operated.'
I tried looking for such answers on the internet, but that also led to nothing.
I also went as far as putting on the glasses, but...
Nothing.
Absolutely nothing.
There was nothing for me to see.
'Could I have guessed wrong?'
That could've been the case.
I felt rather stumped at the situation as I took a brief pause to contemplate it. Eventually, however, I craned my neck to stare at the massive frame before me and decided to enter the train.
Perhaps I could find a clue inside...
Thankfully, getting onto the train wasn't difficult. The doors weren't locked, and after giving one a firm pull, it opened with a soft metallic creak.
Moving onto the train, I looked around.
The chairs were lined up on both sides, made of soft fabric stretched over wooden frames, all facing each other. A worn, dirty carpet covered the floor, muffling my steps. The windows on both sides were clouded with dust and grime, making it almost impossible to see through.
I casually walked around the place, inspecting every inch of it.
I was hoping to find more clues about the situation, but...
"Nothing."
I couldn't find a single thing that could help with my investigation. In a last-ditch effort, I pulled out my glasses and slipped them on.
The cold around me seemed to deepen, sinking further into my skin as I scanned the space again.
I hadn't expected much when I put them on. Honestly, I was just grasping at straws.
But then—
"Huh?"
I saw it.
Footprints. They glowed faintly under the blue light of the glasses as they trailed forward, leading toward another carriage. I followed their path with my eyes until they stopped at the door separating this carriage from the next.
I licked my dry lips and stepped forward, following the glowing footprints. A tightness settled in my chest as I reached the carriage door.
With a slow breath, I pulled it open, revealing a familiar-looking carriage.
Clank!
The carriage was identical to the one I had just left. The glowing steps continued along the narrow aisle, leading straight to the very end, where they stopped beside a single seat.
I was too far away to see what it led to, but I knew in that moment that whatever I was looking for was right there.
My throat grew drier with each breath as I took a step forward, following the trail of footsteps.
The closer I drew to the spot, the heavier the feeling in my chest grew. Nonetheless, I carried on. I had to carry on.
I knew that I was onto something, and I needed to see through it.
For some reason, as I moved toward the distant area, it felt like the space ahead of me was stretching. The path seemed to grow longer with every step, as if the train itself was warping to keep me from reaching it.
But I knew that this was all an illusion.
Soon, I reached the spot and paused.
"....."
Slowly turning my head, my eyes traced the steps until they eventually paused towards a certain crack.
Yes...
An all too familiar crack where I saw hands move out from.
CRACK!
At that moment, a sharp cracking sound echoed through the carriage. I instantly realized what was happening. I stepped back quickly and pulled off my glasses, just in time to see the space ahead of me split open, revealing a massive opening right in front of me.
"H-ho."
Looking in, I could make out the outline of several corpses, and I covered my mouth.
'This situation...'
It was exactly the same as what had happened not too long ago.
....I also understood that this was most likely the main goal of the mission.
'I can already guess that in order to clear the quest, I need to enter the place.'
I bit my lip, staring at the crack without moving a single muscle.
If this was the same as the crack from before, and there was the possibility of another Twisted Man appearing... I really didn't want to go.
One experience was already bad enough.
'Realistically speaking, I know how to defeat it, but who is there to say that the Twisted Man won't be different? No, this... I don't think the risk is worth the reward.'
I was really close to talking myself out of the situation, but at the same time, thinking about everything that I had thought before, I pulled out my laptop from my bag and booted up the app, loading the chat box as I began typing.
[Is this part of the quest?]
I didn't have to wait long for an answer.
[Yes]
'Yes, okay...'
This pretty much confirmed my previous thoughts. This was part of the quest, meaning that it was within my capabilities.
But so was the previous quest.
I almost felt scammed while thinking about the previous quest.
[Will there be a Twisted Man inside?]
[.....]
No answer.
I scratched the side of my cheek.
I felt quite distressed at the moment. I didn't want to go. I really didn't want to go.
But I was going to go.
I had made up my mind a while back. It was just that self-doubt was continuously trying to make me not go. But I was going to go.
'I have to go.'
This was all for myself.
To become stronger. To learn to be less of a coward. To cure my disease. To be less passive.
All of this was to help me improve.
This was why I knew that I was going to go. But just because I was going to go didn't mean that I was going to go straight away.
There were a few things that I planned on going over before entering.
"Since now I have the money, I'll buy some items that might be useful for me inside the strange space. Maybe some sort of escape item."
The amount of SP that I had was quite abundant.
I didn't see why I couldn't invest some of the money in some items to help me.
The thought of buying new items excited me somewhat, but at the same time, there was something else that was more important.
"Where is he... Where is he... Where is he..."
Scrolling through my contacts, my eyes eventually fell on a certain number.
"It should be this one."
I was sure of it when I saw the [Annoying Bastard] name as the contact. It wasn't Kyle nor Myles.
It was the Section Chief.
Without hesitation, I pressed the number and began typing a message.
[This is my location. Pick me up as soon as possible.]
I wasn't dense.
I understood very well just how much the Section Chief valued me.
At first, I was confused, but then, putting everything together, it became pretty obvious to me that he valued my 'talent' a lot. I was quite clear about his interest, and finally decided to put it to good use this time.
"He might be sleeping this time, but I'm sure that the moment he sees the message, he'll immediately come to me."
I made sure to send him my location so that he could come as fast as possible.
'If my guess is correct, he'll definitely come.'
In order to make sure he did come, I specifically wrote two things.
[I'm in danger. It is something related to the Twisted Man case.]
Regardless of how busy he was, I was sure that this was enough to compel him to come.
The main reason why I was doing this was simple.
'...If I trust my gut feeling again and there's really something wrong with this entire city, then by the time I arrive at the airport, another situation might arise. If the Section Chief is here, I doubt anything will happen to me.'
I was essentially calling a personal bodyguard.
At the same time, since this was related to the Twisted Man, I was sure that he'd be interested.
This was, after all, a very complicated situation.
My only problem with the situation was explaining to him why I came here and how I managed to find this, but to be honest, I didn't think explaining to him this part was that hard.
Well...
The part about me secretly infiltrating the house of an old lady was probably going to be a bit hard to explain, but that didn't matter. I now had enough evidence to prove that the old lady was related to this case.
I'd probably be forgiven if this ended up being the truth.
At least, I hoped.
"Okay, I think this is good. Now..."
I turned my attention towards my laptop and opened the shop app.
A large interface appeared before me.
─────[Shop]─────
-> [Second Order]
[Quantum Deck] [Discount 30%]
: A deck of playing cards that reshuffles reality slightly with every draw. The effects are subtle but can change probabilities in your favor or against.
Price : 23,477 SP
[Echo Compass] [Discount 40%]
: A compass that points toward your most desired object or person, but may lead you into unexpected places.
Price : 7,102 SP
[Chameleon Cloak] [Discount 20%]
: A cloak that bends light, rendering the wearer nearly invisible. Loses its effect if worn longer than 30 minutes continuously. One must also be careful! Wear it for too long, and the effect might be permanent.
Price : 11,085
[Available Points : 8,322 SP]
─────[Shop]─────
Almost immediately, my eyes fell on the glaring discount parts on several items.
'There's discounts...!?'
This shop offered discounts?
I couldn't believe it as I immediately sorted through all of the items that were on offer.
The number of items that were in the Second Order shop was less than the First Order shop, but the quality was undeniable a lot better. The effects of the items were also a lot more desirable than the First Order shop.
The only regrettable point of the Second Order shop was the prices.
They were simply... ridiculous.
Quite a lot of the items were priced in six to five digits. The items that were priced below were in the minority. As a result, the pool of items that I could choose from was also smaller.
But that all changed with the discounts.
With them, several of the items became affordable to me, and I already knew what I wanted.
"The compass. I need to buy the compass."
There was no doubt in my mind that this item was going to be the item that was going to be the most useful for me. At the very least... It was also the only item that I could afford with the current SP that I had.
This was why I didn't even hesitate when buying it.
*Poof*
As always, the item appeared right above me and fell right into my lap, and I grabbed it.
The item was nothing special at a glance.
It looked like nothing more than a simple compass that marked both south and north. But the moment I touched it, a cool sensation ran through my fingers, and I knew right away, it was anything but ordinary.
"Good."
I closed down the laptop and slipped it into my bag. At the same time, I checked my remaining balance and tried my best not to be hurt by the sight.
[1,229 SP]
I had spent about 70,000 dollars on a compass...
This thought alone made me gag. However, I also understood just how important it was for me, and so the regret and self-loathing merely lasted a few seconds before I settled my gaze towards the crack.
"Alright..."
All preparations were made.
I had the compass with me. The knife was in my bag. Both Mirelle and the Dreamwalker were with me.
'Thankfully, the Dreamwalker didn't die. Otherwise, I really would've been in some trouble.'
I really needed to find more useful ways to use it. I couldn't just keep using it as some sort of meatshield.
'I'll figure something out later.'
Pushing those thoughts aside, I took a deep breath and stepped into the crack in front of me, falling into a mass of bodies that clung to me and pulled me deeper into them, slowly letting the darkness embrace me from all sides.
*
"Huaaak—!"
I took a deep and desperate breath as my eyelids flew open and the darkness clouding my vision began to fade.
"Haaa... Haa..."
Holding onto my chest, I looked around me while sweat pooled down from the side of my face. Taking a few moments to catch my breath, I looked around me to see a crack appear not far from where I was, alongside the same view of the train as before.
At first glance, everything looked the same as before I entered the crack.
However, I was quick to notice the differences.
The air around me...
It was staler and warmer than the one I was used to.
Not only that, but as I looked around, the train appeared much cleaner than it had been before I entered. From the chairs to the carpet, everything looked freshly tended to. It was as if someone had come here specifically to clean this train.
Eventually, forcing myself up, I moved out the window.
It was also then that I noticed the most glaring fact of it all.
The windows...
They were actually clean!
There was no doubt, I was in the right place. After a quick glance outside to make sure no one was around, I pulled out the compass and gripped it tightly in my hand.
"Alright."
I closed my eyes and thought deeply about what I wanted.
'Twisted Man. Clues.'
The moment the thoughts crossed my mind, a strange draining sensation hit me, as if something was pulling energy straight from my head. My knees nearly gave out, but I clenched my teeth and forced myself to endure it.
'Resist, just resist a little bit...'
Thankfully, the sensation didn't last for very long.
It merely lasted a few dozen seconds before fading.
Then—
Trrrrr!
A distinct stirring sound echoed through the quiet as I opened my eyes. The compass in my hand shifted and turned, its needle trembling slightly before finally settling.
It pointed east.
Back towards the city.
'East. That's where I need to go, I guess.'
Nodding slowly, I followed the direction of the compass.
I really hoped this worked.
The soft echo of my footsteps followed me like a shadow, each one louder than it should have been in the silence. The air felt heavier with every step I took, pressing in from all sides as I followed the compass.
Pausing for a moment, I looked around me.
I was once again back in the heart of the city. The only difference was the fact that there was no one present around me.
The streets were completely deserted. Not a soul was in sight, and the cobblestone path lay empty beneath the tall metal lamps that flickered weakly. The faint, uneven light cast an unsettling shadow, filling the air with a strange sense of oppression.
'.....This does feel creepy.'
The only thought that was in my mind at the moment was not to make a single sound.
If this were truly like the Twisted Man scenario, then the last thing I needed to do was speak. I couldn't let it hear my voice.
'Still, looking at the compass, it does feel like I'm being led to a familiar road.'
As I looked around at the familiar streets and shops, a growing unease settled in. I was walking a path I had already traveled before. With every step I took following the compass, that feeling grew stronger until...
I entered a familiar narrow road, and my steps paused.
If I wasn't sure of it before, I was almost certain of it now. I was... being led towards the old woman's house again.
'Oh, god...'
Looking at the road ahead and seeing the graffiti all over, alongside the cracks on the cobblestone path, I knew that the only notable thing ahead was the old woman's house.
That was where the compass was leading me, and I pressed my lips tightly.
Taking a silent breath, I clutched onto the compass while thinking about the description of the compass. There was indeed a small part that said it would lead me to somewhere unexpected. I had somewhat prepared myself for it, but who would've thought it would lead me all the way back to the old woman's house?
Just recalling the place made my stomach churn.
I really didn't want to go back to that trash-filled place.
But...
When was the last time I actually followed my own cowardice?
'Even though I say I hate something and I don't want to go, I still go. I really just love doing this to myself.'
Shaking my head, I continued walking ahead before eventually spotting a familiar-looking apartment. The lights were off, and the place looked deserted.
This made me feel a lot better.
'Right, this is a different world... Another place. The old lady shouldn't be here. Perhaps the compass is making me go back here because I missed something back then?'
It wasn't like I had actually done a very good job at investigating the place.
Thinking about it, the only thing that I managed to get out of it was the photographs that depicted her two husbands in the same scenario, standing by the same train.
Maybe there was more that I needed to discover?
I moved cautiously toward the house, scanning my surroundings. Once I reached the door, I paused and placed my hand on the doorknob, feeling its cold, metallic surface against my skin.
With just a turn of my wrist, a faint clicking sound echoed, and the door turned.
Click!
"....."
I remained rooted in place, looking down at my surroundings.
Although the sound was small, it was loud enough to attract the attention of the Twisted Man. If the Twisted Man was truly here, I'd see some sort of hint about its presence.
But...
Nothing.
Even as I flashed a light above me, there appeared to be nothing in my shadow.
The Twisted Man was nowhere in sight.
I sighed in relief the moment I noticed this, but I didn't let my guard down. The Twisted Man was a tricky anomaly. This could very well be within its plans if it were truly here.
Opening the door slightly, I held my breath while waiting for the inevitable stench to hit my nostrils, but...
'Huh?'
Coming into the apartment, the sight that I had expected wasn't there.
What was once an extremely filthy place, littered with trash and debris, now looked completely different. The floor was spotless, almost unnaturally clean, as if the mess had never been there to begin with. Although the wallpaper still peeled at the edges and carried a sickly yellow tint, the space felt far more maintained than before, throwing me off entirely.
What the hell happened to this place?
'Why is it so well maintained?'
It almost felt like a completely different place.
But that wasn't the only thing that gathered my attention. Staring in the distance. Towards the now pristine living room where the TV was located, my eyes immediately fell on the gigantic circle that was deeply etched onto the floor.
'This is...'
I suddenly had flashbacks of the time I was under the sofa and noticed the marking. Because of how many clothes and trash there were on the floor, I wasn't able to see the entire thing, but now that everything was clear, the marking became clear to me.
It was a gigantic red circle, marked onto the floor with several symbols that I couldn't recognize.
As I stared at it, a chill ran through me. Something about it felt deeply wrong, and an unsettling pressure began to creep over my skin.
A sinister feeling crept up my skin the more I stared at the circle, and just as I was about to move, the TV flared to life.
Flick!
".....!"
I half expected the familiar nursery rhyme to suddenly play out, but that wasn't what played out on the TV.
Far from it.
At first, there was only static. Then a video flickered to life, its image grainy and distorted, like an old VHS tape playing after years of dust and disuse.
A low, vibrating hum bled into the air, growing louder, more invasive, like something alive gnawing at the edges of my mind. Shapes began to take form on the screen as figures, draped in white robes that covered their faces, encircled a red symbol scrawled into the ground.
The markings pulsed faintly, and at the center stood a single person.
It was a man.
He wore the same suit. The same top hat.
And as I slowly retrieved the first photograph and brought it forward, I knew exactly who the figure was.
It was the first husband.
Before I even had the time to properly process the situation, rhymes and hums began to echo from the TV as the magic circle beneath the man pulsed even more powerfully. I watched as the man started to panic. He tried to rush out of the circle, but was kept inside by the white robed people.
'No, it almost feels like he's met some sort of wall...'
An invisible wall?
He looked desperate as he tried to get out, but there was no use.
He couldn't get out. No matter how much he banged on the wall. No matter how much he begged. He couldn't get out.
...And as this happened, his eyes were locked onto a specific white robed figure.
The entire time, he looked at that figure.
And soon...
He stopped.
No, it wasn't that he stopped; it was as if something had taken complete control of his body. Like a puppet whose strings had been yanked taut.
Crack!
Then, without warning, his head snapped backward with a sickening jolt, followed by his arm and the folds of his clothes twisting in unnatural directions.
I watched the scene with wide eyes as the scenes continued for the next several minutes.
And by the time it was over, it felt like the very air had been ripped from my lungs. I couldn't breathe.
I could only stare, frozen, as my eyes clung to the flickering recording.
There, looming in the center of the frame, stood a tall, familiar figure. Its limbs were unnaturally long, stretched beyond human proportions, and its face was hidden beneath the shadow of a tall, crooked top hat.
It didn't move.
It didn't need to.
Despite appearing within the recording, its presence alone was suffocating, like the screen itself was bleeding dread into the room.
'Twisted Man...'
That was the Twisted Man.
-x-X-x-
'Wait, wait, wait...'
Staring at the recording in front of me, I didn't know how to react. What did I just witness?
My eyes weren't deceiving me, right?
This was... without a doubt the Twisted Man.
Staring at the horrifying figure that still haunted me in my sleep at times, I found myself swallowing nervously. From the all too familiar top hat, to the suit, and its long and lanky body that I could never forget about.
'Yes, there's no mistaking it... It really is the Twisted Man.'
I replayed the scene from the video in my mind, my heart lodged in my throat as a slow, creeping realization began to take hold.
The Twisted Man...
It was a man-made anomaly.
'This...'
Something like this was possible?
Staring at the white garbed figures that were present within the tape, I found the sense of unease grow. This especially grew more pronounced when my eyes fell on a certain figure within the circle.
It was clear the figure was a woman, and remembering the previous tape, I recalled how the man inside the circle had been desperately staring toward her.
It didn't take a genius to understand what had happened.
'That woman and the man know each other. Most likely, the woman had some sort of involvement in how he found himself there, which in turn resulted in him becoming the Twisted Man.'
If I had to guess who the woman was, it would almost certainly be the old woman. Thinking back to her words about her husband, how he never returned after that trip, and realizing that the very man trapped within the circle was him... I knew without a shadow of a doubt that my theory was correct.
But that still raised a few questions.
'Who are the people in white? Are they... possibly related to the same cult that I'm thinking of? It's obvious the old lady is affiliated with them, and they are the ones behind the Twisted Man. But... What is their goal? And what about her second husband? How was he related to all of this? Could it be that he had also been turned into...'
My thoughts paused there.
Suddenly, taking out my phone and opening up the file related to the Twisted Man, my eyes paused on the number of incidents that the Guild suspected were all related.
In total, there were seven incidents...
Each on different island, with the case being the exact same each time.
'Single two-story house. Attack when there's only one person. Most attacks occur on the second floor.'
As I read the words carefully and took in the situation, a tangle of thoughts swirled through my mind. But gradually, as I recalled everything I had experienced lately, the once-scattered pieces began to fall into place.
'Right, why didn't I think about it before?'
It came as like a sort of eureka moment.
I thought about the layout of each house and the victims. Single two-story house with a single person. What other place was like that?
It was the old woman's house!
'Even if the old woman and the people she's working with have full control of the anomaly, what they don't have full control of is the hatred it has towards the one responsible for its creation. What if the reason why it haunts people with such criteria is because it's trying to display the resentment it has for the old woman?'
Whoever the victims were, the Twisted Man killed them with the thought of killing the woman.
While I was still unsure about the reason for the poem and why the Twisted Man loved to play, I was certain that I was headed in the right direction with my thoughts.
'Yes, it all makes sense...'
As more and more dots started to connect with one another, there was still one question that lingered at the back of my mind.
The second husband...
What exactly happened to the second husband?
Did he meet the same fate as the first husband? In that case... My thoughts paused as a horrifying theory struck me.
There were two Twisted Men?
The thought of another Twisted Man lurking around somewhere made me grow tense. But that was only for a brief moment as I suddenly looked back towards the information within my phone, and my eyes paused on the number of cases.
'Seven cases, seven different islands...'
Covering my mouth, I shook my head.
'No, I'm overthinking. It's probably the Twisted Man moving between the islands. There's no way. There's absolutely no way that there existed seven Twisted Men. Absolutely no way—'
Flick!
Jolting me out of my thoughts was the sound of the television closing as the room suddenly plunged into darkness. But not for long, as a dim light cast right behind me, illuminating the area in front of me, faintly.
My entire body locked in place as the light swayed slowly to the right, then to the left. I watched, paralyzed, as my shadow shifted with it... along with the shape of a head leaning out just above my right shoulder.
"———!"
I nearly jumped out of my skin, every nerve screaming, but somehow I kept silent, barely. My breath caught as I slowly turned my head, dread crawling up my spine.
A pair of hollow, empty eyes stared straight into mine.
'...Ah.'
The sound nearly slipped from my mouth, but I just barely kept myself from muttering them. I staggered back, every inch of my body trembling as a cold shiver gripped my bones and my thoughts became a jumbled mess.
But then, a voice echoed.
It was a hoarse, grainy rasp that seemed to drag itself across the walls, almost as if someone was scraping them with long and sharp nails.
"So you managed to find this place."
She lifted her thin hand and held the lamp out in front of her, its dim glow revealing the lines and creases of her aged face as she peered at me from behind the light.
"...I did suspect that you might find this place, but I didn't think you'd actually be able to. I'm starting to grow curious."
Her head cocked slightly.
"How did you manage to find this place?"
Silence filled the room shortly after her words echoed. The thought of answering her never crossed my mind.
I knew all too well that this could very well be a trap to get me to speak.
'If the Twisted Man is indeed here, then all it will take is one single word for me to meet my end. I'm not going to fall for it.'
"Hhm? You're not much of a speaker, are you?"
Her lips slowly curled into a smile, but it was then that I noticed her mouth was completely devoid of teeth.
"...Well, it is of no issue."
The old woman's attention turned towards the marking on the floor as she tapped her foot lightly.
"Now that you're here, you might as well become the very same thing my previous husbands became."
The markings on the floor suddenly pulsed, and I felt a sudden change in my surroundings. Whatever the changes were, I didn't plan on sticking for long as I made a move for the gap between the old woman and the house door, but...
Tonk!
My nose smashed against something hard the moment I tried to move away, forcing me back as I stared at the empty space before me.
Suddenly recalling the video from before, I reached my hand forward.
It was there that I felt a smooth and durable surface.
This..
What in the world was this?
'What's happening? Why can't I move forward...?'
Pressing my hand forward and feeling the smooth yet invisible surface before me, my thoughts momentarily paused.
I didn't know what was happening, nor did I have an idea of what this strange, invisible surface in front of me was. The only thing I knew was that things were unfolding the same exact way as they did on the tape.
Still, as I lifted my gaze toward the old woman ahead, a cold understanding crept in.
'I already knew she wasn't normal. This... this had to be her doing. A skill of hers that blocks anyone from leaving...'
"There is... no use trying to escape."
The old woman's voice whispered in the air once more as the metal lamp in her hand dangled before her, causing the shadows all over to stretch and shrink in repeated patterns.
"...You're already trapped here. There's no point in trying to escape."
What followed her words was the brightening of the circle that stood beneath me, illuminating my surroundings as it suddenly grew warmer, and I started to sweat all over.
I also started to feel itchy all of a sudden.
'Shit, shit, shit...!'
I'd seen the video. I knew what came next.
My stomach filled with dread as I stared at the old lady who stood on the opposite end.
My stomach twisted as I locked eyes with the old woman. Her face contorted as she began to hum in a strange, broken rhythm. Her words made no sense, yet each syllable scraped against my spine like nails.
"Sal. Um. Tar. Alhm. Orek. Son..."
The temperature grew warmer. More sweat formed, and the itch grew more and more persistent.
'I need to quickly leave this place!'
Bang! Bang!
I tried banging on the surface in front of me, but as though it were made of some sort of extremely durable material, it didn't budge at all.
"Stop resisting, child."
She paused her chant, staring at me.
"...To reject me is to reject the mist, and no one rejects the mist. It sees everything. It feels everything. And it hears everything. Whatever thoughts you have, it knows."
What...?
'What is she talking about?'
Listening to her words, I struggled to grasp what she was trying to say.
It appeared to be something about the mist, but what mist? Was she talking about the strange mist that dotted the sky and surrounded the islands? Or was she talking about something else?
'It's very likely that she's talking about the mist that surrounds the islands, but from the way she's speaking, it almost feels like she thinks of it as a real living entity.'
Could it be...?
Thinking about it, there were all sorts of anomalies in this world.
It wouldn't be a surprise to me if the mist was actually a byproduct of an anomaly or an anomaly itself. However, with all of my past research, I had never found anything of the sort in the past.
Could it be that it was some sort of secret information?
'...Could also be that she's batshit crazy.'
Looking at her, this seemed to be the most probable thought.
"To reject me is to reject the mist. And no one rejects the mist. It sees. It feels. It hears. Whatever you think, it knows."
We?
I thought back to the recording and thought about the people in white. Could she be referring to them?
If so, was this some sort of strange cult that worshipped the mist?
'...Is there any correlation between this and the cult that was planning on sacrificing Mirelle?'
I felt extremely inclined to believe that this was the case, but I knew too little about the cult that I was dealing with to know.
'And what if it is...? What then...'
I thought about how I had gotten involved with them due to Mirelle, and a cold dread settled in my chest. The pooling sweat around my shirt wasn't helping as the temperature was rising fast.
I understood that the situation was rapidly deteriorating.
If I didn't get out soon, then there was a very likely chance that I'd never be able to get out.
Thankfully, I was prepared.
Staring at the old woman, a long and thin figure appeared right behind her, looming over her without her knowing.
Or at least, that's how it seemed at first, until the woman's lips curled into an eerie smile.
Something moved.
From the wall, a shape peeled away like flesh from bone. First came the tall, black top hat, then the sleek contours of a suit I knew too well. Every inch of the figure exuded a silent malice... one that felt extremely sinister.
But its sudden presence didn't scare me.
Rather, it made me feel a lot more at ease. Knowing that a Twisted Man was present was a lot less scary than not knowing if it was present or not. With its appearance, I now knew, and I felt a little relieved to some extent.
I also secretly rejoiced at my caution. Had I said a single word, I would've most likely been killed.
'No, wait.'
I blinked my eyes slowly, realizing something.
The old woman... It was quite clear that she didn't want to kill me. Her goal was something else. Something more obvious.
Staring at that red circle that pulsed beneath me and thinking back to the video, the answer was obvious.
The old woman wanted to turn me into a Twisted Man...
I didn't have much time to think. The moment the Twisted Man appeared, I immediately started to act, grabbing the knife from my bag while at the same time, a viscous substance filled my hand as it converted into a hammer that I drummed onto the invisible wall.
BANG! BANG—
The Twisted Man was attracted to noise.
So long as I brought it to me, then it would leave the Dreamwalker alone.
And indeed, my thoughts were quickly proven correct as the Twisted Man turned its attention towards me, taking a step forward as its twisted smile curved further.
Seeing this, the old woman didn't react.
She simply smiled as the Dreamwalker attacked her from behind.
Everything happened incredibly quickly.
It all happened in the time that it took for me to breathe, and right as the Dreamwalker's attack was about to reach the old woman, her face twisted as she turned around and shone the lamp directly in front of the Dreamwalker, as it stopped dead in its tracks.
".....!"
"A Dreamwalker? How peculiar..."
She looked more amused than anything else as she reached her sickly hand forward and grabbed onto the neck of the Dreamwalker.
"While I'm confused as to how a Dreamwalker is following you, it has been getting in my way since before. I think it's time that I got rid of it—"
'No, shit! I can't let it die like this!'
Its loyalty had already fallen quite a bit for what I had done to it before. I couldn't afford to make it fall again.
That was why I didn't hesitate to bring out Mirelle.
"Hihihi~"
A sudden giggling sound echoed throughout the room the moment I brought out Mirelle, causing everything to pause as the old woman similarly stopped, her head turning towards the direction from which the noise came as a little head peeked from right behind the window.
The moment Mirelle appeared, it was as if time had frozen completely.
Everything seemed to come to a standstill as the Twisted Man and the old lady both stopped, staring in the direction of the little girl.
I thought that this was a good enough distraction for me to leave, but right as I was about to think of a way to get out, the old lady's voice echoed in the air once more.
"M... mirelle."
And when I looked at her—
She was no longer smiling.
She was trembling.
And so was I.
What did she just say?
Did she just say Mirelle...?
I had to take a moment to fully digest the situation, my thoughts squirming as I connected even more dots. However, I was quick to snap out of it and stared at the space in front of me.
Even though I was curious about the situation, there were more pressing matters at hand.
'Like getting out of this darn place.'
With the old lady distracted by Mirelle's appearance, I knew that this was the perfect opportunity for me to figure something out and escape.
I would've loved for Mirelle to directly attack her, but as of right now, Mirelle wasn't capable of doing anything but causing a distraction. Although Mirelle was an extremely strong anomaly, my current capabilities were clearly not enough to make use of her full abilities.
Even her skill was currently marked with question marks.
Catching sight of the woman staring blankly toward Mirelle, I turned to the Twisted Man, who was also drawn to Mirelle's giggling.
'Even if I can use Mirelle's skill, there's no way that she can defeat the Twisted Man. For the old woman... I don't think she's much stronger than me.'
The issue was that she could control the Twisted Man.
That was the most troublesome thing.
So long as she could control the Twisted Man, it would be impossible for me to leave this place.
'I've already found everything that I need. I'm sure the quest is already completed. The thing I need to figure out now is how to leave.'
This was still considered a Second Order mission.
...At least, I hoped.
Whether it was or not, I wasn't sure, especially when I came to the realization that the strange cult behind Mirelle had a hand in this matter.
But now was not the time for me to dwell on those matters.
I need to think.
'How in the world can I get rid of the Twisted Man and the old woman? No, not even the Twisted Man... the old woman.'
If the old woman was the one who was controlling the Twisted Man, then she was my target. She was the one that I needed to handle somewhat in order to escape.
All sorts of thoughts and ideas jumbled up in my mind as I thought of all sorts of scenarios.
This all happened in the span of less than a few seconds, and when the old woman spoke again, she redirected her gaze towards me.
"Why... is Mirelle here? How is she... here?"
Her eyes were wide as she looked at me.
Bloodshot even.
For some reason, she almost looked desperate to the point where I could feel the circle beneath me starting to falter.
'Wait, this can be an opportunity...'
Her actions sparked an idea as I looked from the old woman back to Mirelle.
I quickly recalled Mirelle, then summoned her again. She clung to my right leg, peeking out from behind it to stare at the old woman.
"M-mirelle... It's really her..."
The old woman's eyes shook the moment she saw Mirelle.
This also confirmed my thoughts about her and the cult. Without a doubt, she belonged to the same cult that had involved Mirelle.
It was already quite obvious before, but this eliminated all shred of doubt.
"You... how is Mirelle with you?"
With the old woman asking again, I felt shivers run down my spine when I felt her gaze. It felt more bloodthirsty.
More desperate.
There was something sinister in her eyes now, filling the hollowness that once filled them.
"....W-why aren't you answering me?"
Her voice grew even more hoarse as she spoke, her eyes fixated on me.
I could see the impatience starting to build up as she looked at me.
Just as she was about to act, I raised my hand and pointed to my mouth, keeping my eyes fixed on the Twisted Man.
"Hu...?"
Pausing, the old woman alternated her gaze between me and the Twisted Man before she spoke once more.
"....It won't attack... you. There's no need to worry. You can speak freely."
I shook my head.
Although I did believe her words, the point of the matter was that I wanted the Twisted Man as far away as possible from me.
It was only once it was gone that I could think of escaping this place.
"I said... You can speak!"
The old woman raised her voice, her voice turning even more hoarse as her wrinkles became more pronounced under the dim light of her lamp.
I stood firm.
As of right now, I held the advantage.
She wanted information from me, and in order to get it, she had to listen to my requests.
I once again pointed at the Twisted Man.
'Get rid of it, or I'm not going to speak.'
Although I didn't directly say the words, it felt as though she understood them as her face twisted and contorted. The red circle beneath me also glowed a stronger pulse, and staring at it, I felt my stomach churn.
'Ah, yes... Nothing strange here.'
Even though the red circle beneath me felt threatening, with the heat starting to become unbearable, I didn't let it affect me.
'I hold the advantage in the situation. She wants information. She also probably wants Mirelle. In that case...'
I looked at Mirelle and unsummoned her.
"Mirelle!"
The old woman grew frantic as she saw Mirelle disappear before she flicked her attention back towards me.
"What did you do...? Bring Mirelle back. Bring... her back!"
The old woman's voice strained further as she started to scream for Mirelle, but I ignored her while continuously staring at the Twisted Man.
I needed to make sure that she got my intentions.
And I didn't have to wait for long...
"I'll get rid of it! I'll get rid of it!"
With a wave of her hand, the Twisted Man began to move, turning towards the stairs that led to the second floor before disappearing right before my very eyes. The wooden stairs creaked under its steps, and I knew that it had truly gone up.
But still, I didn't relax.
'There's also a chance that there might be another one.'
"It's gone... speak now. Tell me how you got Mirelle. No, let me see her!"
The old woman stepped forward, moving towards me, but stopped the moment she felt the barrier in front of me.
When I saw her stop, I quickly summoned Mirelle as she once again hugged my thigh.
This time, her little mouth parted open as she mumbled, "I don't like this... I don't like this..."
Staring at the old woman, Mirelle didn't look happy at all.
I could understand why.
If the old woman was truly related to the cult, then there was no way she'd be happy with her here.
But I needed her to play along for just a little bit.
Just a little..
Turning towards Mirelle, I patted her back while nudging with my chin towards the old lady. Understanding my intentions, Mirelle made a face, but eventually stopped hugging my leg as she moved closer towards the old lady.
"M-mirelle..."
Seeing Mirelle, the old lady grew even more frantic as her hands pressed against the invisible barrier before her.
"M... Mirelle. Come here. Come here to me."
"No."
Mirelle shook her head, taking a step back while staring at her.
"You come to me."
She also began to sulk while staring at the old lady.
My entire body tensed at the sight, my hands slowly curling as I waited patiently.
And then—
"Come? Yes... of course I'll come."
Taking a step forward, the red circle beneath began to falter, and soon it dimmed down completely as the old woman crossed the circle and headed towards Mirelle.
"Yes, it's you, Mirelle... I know it's you. I—"
It was also in that moment that I moved, a viscous black liquid coating my entire hand as I lunged at the old lady in a desperate attempt to take her down.
It was now or never!
-x-X-x-
Very clearly, Mirelle was incredibly important to the old lady.
Perhaps not even the old lady, but whatever cult she belonged to. In fact, thinking back to what I had managed to gather, it appeared to be the cult leader who was interested in Mirelle.
Something about needing her to help them advance.
The old lady's reaction was all that I needed to see to confirm such thoughts.
Seeing how she followed all of my instructions, and even went as far as cancelling whatever rite she was trying to perform, I understood just how important Mirelle was to her and the cult.
I took advantage of that.
The strange barrier in front of me vanished in an instant. Without hesitation, I lunged straight at the old woman instead of running away.
"You—!"
The old lady's face contorted and twisted the moment she saw me lunge in her direction, but I didn't care and immediately lashed down with my hand as the Dreamwalker in her grasp squirmed and made things more difficult for her.
My first thought before had been to find this chance to run away.
However, I realized that it would probably lead to another chase. Not only that, if there was a possibility of another Twisted Man lurking around somewhere, I knew that I'd be doomed.
That was why I decided to go directly to the old lady.
Not only could she control the Twisted Men, but she also had valuable information about the strange cult.
If I could just take care of her, then I'd be able to learn more about the cult while at the same time escape this entire scenario.
'I've also felt her strength. Besides the fact that she can control the Twisted Man, she isn't very strong.'
The plan was solid, and I was quick to act.
Everything was perfect. From the timing of my actions, to the clear startled look on the old lady's face.
But—
Thump! Thump! Thump!
Right as I began to move, I heard the sudden sound of something rapidly approaching from the stairs, and my heart nearly leaped out of my chest as I caught a glimpse of a large shadow appearing from the side of the stairs as it directly headed my way.
It was fast.
Incredibly fast.
I knew in that moment that the Twisted Man was coming. But instead of panicking, I continued with my actions, hammering down at the old lady as she raised both hands to block the attack.
BANG!
The attack hit, and she stumbled back.
As she did, the Twisted Man's figure became even clearer in the background as its head turned to stare in my direction, sending chills down my entire body.
'Now!'
A long shadow appeared behind the old lady right as she stumbled back, grasping her arms.
"L-let go...!"
Clearly, although she wasn't as strong as the Twisted Man, she was still quite strong, as she nearly managed to escape the grasp of the Dreamwalker. But it was still not enough as I immediately rushed ahead and extended my hand as a long tip formed, stopping right at the old woman's neck.
I froze in place, the world around me stilling as my eyes slowly rose to meet the massive figure looming behind the old woman. Its crooked grin revealed jagged teeth, and the shadow cast by its large top hat masked much of its face, making it all the more sinister.
Its presence alone made me shiver.
It almost felt as though a massive boulder had been placed over my shoulders, causing them to bend slightly as I tried my best to maintain my composure.
But it was hard to do so.
Staring at the end tip of the black substance that stopped right at the old lady's neck, I opened my mouth, feeling the slight sting that came from my dry lips separating for the first time in a while.
"Tell it to move back... or you'll die."
Ba... Thump! Ba... Thump!
The moment I spoke, I felt my own heart rate spike up to an unimaginable rate as I stared at the Twisted Man.
I was tense. Incredibly so as I forgot to breathe for a moment.
Will it act, or will it not...?
I waited for what felt like forever, but... thankfully, the Twisted Man didn't move at all.
It was almost as if it didn't care about my voice as it continued to keep its gaze on me.
Waiting for some sort of command.
That was when I knew that my plan had worked.
'...As expected. It won't move now that the old lady is in danger.'
This was indeed the key to getting out.
I could now also speak without worrying about the Twisted Man as I stared at the old lady in front of me.
For the first time in a while, I finally found myself relaxing a little.
"Shall we have a talk? The two of us...?"
***
At the same time.
It was still quite early in the morning. About 3 a.m. Usually, at this time, most people were asleep. Even those from the Guild.
Most monsters came from gates, and unless an emergency situation occurred, there was no need for them to do anything.
The only department that needed to be alert at night was the Containment Department. Unlike the other departments, anomalies acted in the middle of the night more often than not.
But with that being said, not many stayed in the office during nighttime.
They were usually all sent towards areas where the anomalies were reported.
Currently, the Section Chief's office.
"Oh dear."
Staring at the numerous paperwork piled up in front of him, the Section Chief scratched the back of his head.
Beside him stood a woman with short black hair that brushed her shoulders. A look of pity softened her features as she glanced at the Section Chief, gently resting her hand on his shoulder.
"...With a good salary comes a lot of work."
"...."
The Section Chief didn't even feel like replying at all.
No, he did actually...
"Yes, and also a great assistant, don't you think, Team Leader Soran?"
"Huh?"
The woman's face changed the moment she felt the Section Chief's gaze. Her brows furrowed as she took a step back.
"Hold on, don't tell me you actually think I will help you with this?"
The Section Chief smiled, and the Team Leader's face crumbled as she immediately turned around to face the door.
"Where do you think you're going?"
"Leaving. No shit. I don't get paid enough for this."
"No, you're staying."
The Section Chief forced her to sit on one of the sofas despite her protests that went on like, 'It's the middle of the night. Why am I still supposed to work? What sort of slavery is this?' He ignored her and sat down at his desk.
But just as he did, he heard her groan again.
Lifting his head to stare at the Team Leader, she slumped the papers on the table before looking at him.
"This is ridiculous. Why am I the only one getting called to do this? I'm sure the other Team Leaders are also available."
"They aren't."
"But—"
"They're supervising the members, alongside the exchange members from the other departments. A role that you yourself managed to slip away from."
"....."
To his words, the Team Leader could only remain quiet.
She was just about to prepare a response when the Section Chief spoke again.
"I've also received several reports from Kyle and Zoey about you throwing all your responsibilities to them."
"What?!"
Team Leader Soran nearly jumped up from shock.
"Those rats did wha—" Catching her slip up, the Team Leader immediately covered her mouth, but it was too late as the Section Chief heard her and shook his head.
For someone as capable as her, she really was...
Extremely lazy.
And it was because of how she was that the Section Chief found himself acting differently around her.
"Get to work."
Shaking his head, he pointed at the papers in front of her.
"The faster we get this done, the quicker we can go h—"
The Section Chief barely managed to get a few words out before his phone rang. Frowning, he looked at it to check who was contacting him at this hour, before his brows jumped up.
"Well, fine. I'll do the paperwork for now. Can you tell me where—"
"Scratch that."
The Section Chief strode toward the hangar at the far end of the room, grabbed his coat and top hat, quickly donned them, and hurried toward the door.
"Do this all yourself. I need to go."
Clank!
He left right after that, leaving the Team Leader at a complete loss.
By the time she snapped out of it, he was already gone.
A look of despair marred her features.
"Wait, wait, wait... Section Chief!!"
-x-X-x-
Staring at the old woman, I was nervous.
Extremely nervous.
Even though I was currently the one who held the advantage as the pointed tip of my hand was placed right at her neck, the looming figure that stood before me made my heart grow extremely heavy.
But despite this, I remained steady.
These next few moments were key for me to leave and learn more information about the entire situation.
I pressed the tip closer to her throat.
However, despite the fact that I was pressing the sharp tip closer to her throat, the old lady didn't look scared at all.
In fact…
She didn't look like she felt much at all.
Her hollow eyes remained fixed on me as her lips parted.
"…Mirelle. How do you have her?"
She asked the same question, her eyes growing even more hollow as she did.
"Answer me."
The Twisted Man behind her twitched, and for a brief moment, I almost faltered. But I kept my cool and kept my hand raised to her throat.
Even as the Twisted Man began to move, its body stretching over me, I remained still.
This was a game of nerves.
It was to see who would falter first.
But… There was something that the old lady didn't take into account.
And that was the fact that even if I removed my hand and ran away, the Twisted Man would still get me. It had already heard my voice.
For that reason, I remained still.
I knew and understood that the Twisted Man wasn't going to move.
So even as the floor cracked and the Twisted Man moved around me, I didn't budge at all.
Creaaak.
Staring directly into the hollow eyes of the old woman while feeling the floor behind me sink as a shadow cast over me, I licked my lips.
'Calm down. I need to remain calm.'
I couldn't panic. I couldn't allow myself to panic.
Keeping my gaze fixed on the old woman in front of me, I began to speak again.
"…Who are you? What is your goal? And what do you want with Mirelle?"
The old woman blinked the moment I asked the question.
She seemed genuinely surprised at first, but soon, her lips cracked into a sick and twisted smile.
"So you don't know?"
Her tone was laced with amusement as she looked at me.
"Despite… being here. Despite having Mirelle with you… You don't know? Ka… ka… ka…"
A growly, slow laugh escaped the old woman's lips as her empty eyes stared directly at me, and the Twisted Man stopped, its head moving right next to mine as shivers ran down the right side of my neck.
Eventually, the head stopped before it turned to face me, exposing its twisted smile.
I wanted to run in that moment.
I really want to run.
But I couldn't. I couldn't falter, and I pressed my hand deeper into the woman's neck.
"Answer me."
"Ke… kek."
The old woman cracked a laugh yet again, extremely amused by my reactions. I was just about to push the tip further down her neck when her dry lips parted open.
"We follow the doctrine of the mist."
What…?
The woman's smile grew even more twisted as she noticed my confusion.
"Do you think that the mist that covers the world is a natural phenomenon? Do you think the reason why floating islands exist is because the land beneath is simply uninhabitable? Kak."
Cracking another laugh, the old woman's eyes grew more deranged.
"It is not a natural phenomenon! Kakak! Everything… all of it is the will of the architect!"
Architect?
"He knows it all. He is aware of it all. He is the saviour that will save us from this cursed world!"
The woman's head twitched in that moment, producing a faint cracking sound as I was taken aback.
Savior? Savior of what…? This felt like some sort of thing some lunatic would say.
'Well, she is a lunatic…'
"He is the reason I've been able to live for so long despite my condition. They all told me that I wouldn't be able to live further than twenty, but look at me now."
The old woman opened her mouth.
"I've… grown old enough to lose my teeth. Kak. Ka."
The woman cracked another smile, exposing her empty mouth.
Something about the old woman's demeanour felt off to me. But at the same time, taking in the information, a theory occurred to me.
'Could it be that she had some sort of incurable disease that she couldn't cure, and this, whatever architect or cult somehow managed to cure her from the disease? As a result, she decided to become a devout believer in them?'
This made sense.
If I had to start a cult and had the ability to heal people from strange diseases, I'd do the same thing.
It was the fastest way to gain followers.
'I think I'm starting to get a better idea of how this strange cult works. I'm curious about the mist, and what they mean by that, but looking at her… I don't think she'll elaborate.'
I could only keep her with me at the moment and bring her back to the Guild.
No, wait… I couldn't quite do that.
She was aware of Mirelle and the Dreamwalker.
I couldn't afford to expose them, as that would also expose my secret.
'Ah, shit… If that's the case, what am I supposed to do with this old woman?'
Staring at her, a thought crossed my mind.
And the thought was…
To kill her.
I licked my lips, my hand trembling slightly. I didn't pity the woman even if she died. In fact, she deserved death.
I didn't think I'd even feel much from killing her.
But it was just that…
I had never killed anyone before. The thought of killing someone also felt a little daunting, but if it needed to be done, I was prepared to do so.
'I'll probably end up puking after a while, but I'm already used to puking.'
I licked my lips again, feeling my mouth growing even drier than before.
'Regardless of how I see things, I can't let her leave. She knows too much, and bringing her back to the Guild is also not an option. Do I really have no other choice but to kill her?'
The more I dwelled on the situation, the more this seemed to be the correct course of action, and my stomach churned even further.
However, I knew that I couldn't waste time.
Seeing how the woman was just laughing, no longer answering any of my questions, I knew that it was time for me to end things.
But not quite yet.
Feeling the presence of the Twisted Man, I knew that it would still be here even if she ended up dying.
I couldn't kill her just yet.
'I need to do it after getting out of this place.'
With my thoughts organized, I was just about to open my mouth when the woman's voice echoed in the air once more.
"You also look sick…"
"Uh?"
What did she just say?
Looking down on her, I saw her stare at me with a flat expression. No longer was she laughing or smiling like before.
Instead, her face looked serious.
Chillingly so.
"…Ah."
Then, as if realization had suddenly struck her, the smile returned to her face.
"No wonder. No wonder…"
"What? Wh—"
"I can feel it."
The old woman cut through my words, her smile twisting in amusement.
"You have a Cognitive Shard… Just like me."
What did she just say?
Hearing her sudden words, my entire body stiffened.
Cognitive Shard. Cognitive Shard. Cognitive Shard.
The words played on repeat inside my mind. It replayed over and over again as I thought about the two words that I hadn't heard in a long time, but had been trying to figure out how to cure.
As far as I knew, there was no cure for it.
The only cure was the strange system that I had.
And yet…
This woman in front of me was telling me that she had the same disease as me?
That she managed to live for so long despite having the same disease?
I couldn't understand it.
Had I been lied to the entire time? Was there really no cure like those from the Guild suggested?
…Was the strange system really the only place that could cure me from this disease of mine?
No, most importantly, how could she even tell? None of the people I had met had noticed anything. Be it the Section Chief. The Team Leaders, and even Kyle... How did she notice it so quickly?
"You should look at your… expression."
The woman's smile widened as she looked at me. She seemed to relish in my internal turmoil.
"You've probably... been told so many times how there is no way to cure your disease. How you're just going to die away without being able to fight it… I bet that's all you heard your entire life."
It was.
It really was.
But back then, my circumstances were different.
No one knew what the strange disease that was eating at me was. All the doctors that I had somehow managed to visit came back with the same answer.
My mind was deteriorating, but there was nothing wrong with my brain.
It was only once I came to this strange world that I came to learn about the identity of the disease that had been plaguing me for so long.
Cognitive Shard.
I… had a Cognitive Shard.
But it was also the moment that I understood what my disease was that I found myself becoming lost.
As far as I understood, Cognitive Shards came from the over-fragmentation of the nodes within one's body.
I had no nodes.
In fact, there was no such thing as nodes in my previous world. Anomalies were also not a thing. They were more like fiction than anything else.
And yet…
Somehow, someway, I had a Cognitive Shard?
How did this make sense?
It didn't make sense at all. There were so many questions regarding my current situation that I desperately wanted to see the answer to.
But more than anything, I wanted to be cured.
I wanted to be free for once in my life. I didn't want to wake up thinking that this very day could be my last.
I wanted to wake up knowing that this day…
It was a day that I could look forward to.
"You look hesitant. I hit… right in the nail, didn't I?"
The old woman continued to speak, my pressure over her neck weakening slightly as she appeared to notice this.
"I can see that you're desperately looking for a cure to your disease. I can provide that for you. I can… cure you."
Her words were like a whisper of temptation.
Listening to her words, voices began to whisper in my mind.
'Listen to her.'
'Take the cure…'
'She's the living example that the cure works. You don't even know the real intention of the system. Isn't it easier to listen to her?'
For a moment, I faltered.
For the briefest of moments… I actually considered the notion of turning to the cult.
But it was only for a brief moment.
"What do you say? If you let me go—"
"No."
I cut the woman off, whipping the smile from her face at the same time as her face slowly started to change. It slowly… became emotionless.
Her eyes became more hollow, and just one look at her was enough to give me chills.
"Are you sure?"
"Yes."
There was no hesitation on my end.
I knew very well that even if I wanted to take the offer, the system would probably not allow me to do it. Not only that, but I'd also be forced to do all sorts of things for the guild.
I already had the system with me.
And not only that, it also helped me develop games.
That was all that I wanted to do.
I was… after all, a horror game developer.
Joining some sort of strange cult I had no idea about was not something I was entirely inclined to do.
I wanted to traumatize people in a different way. A more ethical way.
"You're… going to regret this decision."
"Perhaps, I will."
With my hand still pressed against her throat, I moved a little to the side and physically turned her body around before grabbing the back of her neck.
At the same time that I acted, the Twisted man beside me moved, its movements following me as it tried to reach for me, but stopped the moment I applied more force onto the woman's neck.
'Yes, as expected… It won't move as long as I can threaten her life.'
"Go. Walk ahead."
I pushed her with my hand, leading her towards the door of the house as the woman followed along with my instructions without saying a single word.
But just as we moved, I stopped and looked back.
"Keep the thing here. I'll kill you if it follows me."
"…You'll die if you kill me."
"I know, so let's keep it civil between us."
I smiled docily at her. She didn't answer, nor did I care to hear her answer as I led her out of the house. At the same time, I looked back towards the Twisted Man as it stood by the door, staring in our direction without moving a single muscle.
It just stood there, staring at us without any trace of emotion.
I tore my gaze away after a few uneasy moments, gesturing for the old woman to move ahead. We began walking across the empty streets of the city, where the streetlamps flickered like dying embers under the weight of the darkness.
Each of our footsteps rang out loudly, swallowed and then spat back by the silence, as if something was listening, just beyond the edge of the light.
For a moment, I almost thought I spotted the shadow of a tall silhouette standing beneath the light.
But only for a brief moment, as it disappeared shortly after. Most surprisingly was the subtle movement from the old lady as she mumbled something underneath her breath.
It was extremely subtle. Enough to make me thing it was my imagination.
But...
'It's probably not my imagination.'
As we walked, neither one of us talked.
The silence embraced us from all sides, only to be shattered by the soft and muffled sound of our steps.
I continued to walk like this, leading the old lady to the familiar train station.
It was only after I saw the train station that I drew a secret sigh of relief.
'Almost there. I'm almost there and I can finally go back to the real world.'
This entire experience felt like a nightmare to me. Not only was the cult that I had been trying to investigate a lot bigger and more troublesome than I expected, but it also appeared to be capable of healing Cognitive Shards.
'There's also that architect she talked about… Who exactly is he, and what is his involvement with the mist that surrounds the islands?'
There were so many questions in my mind, and yet, no answers.
But that was fine.
I understood that I was going to get my answers soon enough, and eventually, stopping by the all too familiar train, I opened the carriage door and entered, settling my gaze over the exit of the world.
'Finally.'
Finally, I could go back to the real world.