I had no desire to betray the Guild.
They'd given me generous pay and treated me fairly.
However, at the end of the day, my life came above loyalty. I was in desperate need of money and fragments. If the right offer came, I didn't mind leaving.
...And it wasn't like the Guild didn't have any options. The moment I received an offer, they'd be notified, and as long as they matched the offer presented to me, I'd gladly stay with them.
I also knew and understood my worth.
Asking for ten million guaranteed wasn't unreasonable of me. This was me being extremely reasonable.
This was how much I was worth.
If anything, I was probably worth even more. Still, I seemed to be the only one who believed that. The man across from me clearly didn't share the thought.
"Ten million..."
It took a couple of seconds for Hermes's face to return to normal following my words.
He raised his finger, trying his best to stay calm.
"Ten million...? As in how much we should offer the Guild for you, or—"
"Ten million a year. That's how much I'm asking for you to pay me if you want me to join."
"....."
There was a moment of silence after I confirmed my thoughts.
The silence dragged on as Hermes struggled to keep his smile. He truly gave it his best, but in the end, the smile slipped away, leaving his expression neutral.
"Are you aware of what you've just asked?"
His voice was soft, but I could feel the coldness in it.
I still nodded.
"Yes, I'm aware. That's my current value. Ask me the same question in a few days, and it will have changed again. If you intend to poach me, do it now; otherwise, you may not be able to afford me."
I planned on asking for twelve million by then.
'To me, this seems fair.'
Just me, of course.
"Ha."
Hermes let out a sudden chuckle and slipped off his sunglasses, his eyes narrowing sharply.
"I see what's going on," he said, his chuckle dying off rather quickly. "You're trying to show me your loyalty for the Guild, right? That must be it."
No, not really...
Stepping forward, he tapped the right side of my chest, pushing me back.
"I like loyal people, but you need to show your loyalty to the right place. Rejecting a place that can get you higher in the world's ladder is not loyalty. It's stupidity."
He tapped my chest again.
"Loyalty only gets you so far, and the Guild will be compensated if someone poaches you. Besides, you have no powers, and you are nowhere near as valuable as you think. If this stupid sense of loyalty is what made you name that outrageous sum, then you're only burning your bridges."
He lifted his hand as if to tap my chest again, but hesitated, holding back. At last, he slid his sunglasses back on and turned away.
"I'll give you some time to think about my offer. This will be the last time. The offer is for half a million guaranteed. Take it or leave it. If you reject our offer, don't ever think about working for a Guild in the main island."
He proceeded to walk away right after that.
Staring at his parting back, I couldn't help but mumble, "I wasn't joking when I said the price will increase in a couple of days."
Maybe I hadn't been quiet enough, but he seemed to catch my words, pausing abruptly. In the end, though, he shook his head and moved on, disappearing into the crowd.
I continued to stare in his direction before a thought struck me, and I looked around.
'Was he the one who had made me feel like I was being watched?'
No longer feeling the same sensation, I calmed down a little.
"I really hope that's the case."
I proceeded to head to the Guild right after that.
"...I really do hope so."
***
"I've already sent the offer over, and I'm waiting for them to confirm. I'll let you know more about the situation when I get a proper answer." Hermes walked along the busy street of Malovia, holding his phone to his ear.
After a short pause, he added, "I've also made another offer to someone whom I deemed to be worth recruiting. However, it looks like they're extremely loyal to the Guild. I'm starting to second-guess my decision. I've decided to give him one last chance."
As Hermes spoke, he couldn't help but think about the recent interaction.
He never once believed Seth was serious about the offer. It was obvious he was acting out of that foolish loyalty to the Guild.
Ten million guaranteed was something that only the absolute best of the best in the entire world would get offered.
Even Zoey and Kyle, whom he deemed to be amongst the top talents, only got offered 2.5 million a year.
There was simply no way a nobody like that would ever get paid ten million.
"He's got talent, but it's going to his head. It's nothing unusual. He'll be humbled and come back to me. Keep a draft of the contract ready and lower the terms."
Thinking thus far, Hermes chuckled.
"Ten million..."
He shook his head.
"How ridiculous."
***
A heavy silence pressed on within a certain room.
Two figures sat before the Section Chief, radiating a presence that pressed down on the room. The longer he stared at them, the more a satisfied smirk crept across his face.
"...I take it that both of you succeeded."
Kyle and Zoey looked at each other. Shortly after, the two smiled.
"Yes."
"Fortunately, I have."
The smile on the Section Chief's face widened upon hearing their confirmation.
"Good, good."
He pressed his hand against the table.
"With the two of you reaching the Fifth Order, I'm a lot more confident about the upcoming Congress. While I don't expect an amazing result, I still hope that we can achieve a better result than the other Guilds within the island."
As he spoke, the Section Chief's expression grew serious, his gaze locking onto the two before him.
"With that said, I sincerely hope the two of you prepare thoroughly for the upcoming Congress. This year's results will carry immense significance for us."
Kyle's and Zoey's expressions similarly turned serious.
"...If we manage to rank above the King Grade Guilds on the island during the Congress, there's a strong chance the Guild could be promoted to the next rank. The two of you must understand the significance of this matter, right?"
As the Section Chief's gaze lingered on them, Kyle and Zoey both drew a deep breath. They understood the gravity of the situation. Achieving King-Grade status wasn't just a title. It carried far greater influence and weight.
It would make their Guild more prone to sponsorships and hold greater weight in the eyes of the people.
The amount of revenue they'd generate would multiply.
It would catapult their Guild to a whole new level.
"Currently, Clara is undergoing therapy, so her situation is a bit complicated."
"Huh?"
"Wait, what? Senior is undergoing therapy?"
The sudden revelation took both Kyle and Zoey aback. In their eyes, Clara was an all-mighty senior who completed all tasks in the fastest and most efficient ways. For her to be in therapy...
"Is it because of what happened at the gate?" Kyle suddenly asked, prompting the Section Chief to nod his head.
"Yes. You may not have noticed, but she couldn't perform in that situation because of the trauma she experienced some time ago. I've tried numerous therapists, but none have been effective."
Kyle and Zoey's faces only grew more and more serious.
Just when Zoey was about to raise up an issue, the Section Chief's next words stole any words that were in her mouth.
"In the end, I sent her to Seth while I figure something out."
Immediately, the room fell silent.
That was until—
"Wait, what?!"
"Did you send her to Seth?"
Both Kyle and Zoey stood up.
"Hm?"
The Section Chief glanced up, noting the shocked expressions on Zoey and Kyle's faces.
"What's wrong? I'm not really counting on it working. I'm just trying it for now while I figure something out. I heard that Rowan had good results, so—"
"That's the problem."
Zoey suddenly interjected, her fist clenching tightly as she looked at the Section Chief.
"Rowan... He hasn't been normal since whatever sessions he's been taking with Seth." A shudder ran down Zoey's face as she thought about Rowan. In her mind, he used to be a sort of annoying guy who was trying to court her. That was who he used to be, but following the incident with Seth, he no longer appeared to hold any interest in her.
This would normally make her happy, but... the changes he experienced came with other 'quirks'.
"He's obsessed with Seth."
Kyle spoke up, his face scrunching up slowly.
The Section Chief blinked his eyes.
"What...?"
Had the two of them lost it? Surely, they were joking... Yet as he looked at Zoey and then Kyle, he realized they were serious. Kyle's expression in particular was especially solemn.
"Whenever he has the chance, he can't stop talking about Seth and how impressive he is. He often glances toward Seth's office, hoping to run into him while making it seem like a pure coincidence. He also lights up a candle every day, mumbling things like how grateful he is and so on."
Kyle shivered as he spoke, holding onto his arms while mumbling, 'Goosebumps, goosebumps...'
"That's just a small list of creepy things he's been doing since the arrangement." Zoey chimed in, holding both of her arms like Leon.
She then began to rant about the other things that Rowan had been doing lately.
Listening to all of this, the Section Chief's face blanked.
What? What in the—
"I'm telling you, Section Chief. The way Rowan looks at Seth is almost like those crazy cultists that you see around occasionally!"
Both of them turned their gaze to the Section Chief and spoke in unison.
"Save senior Clara!"
"...You must stop this before it's too late!"
-x-X-x-
Hotel Claire was located on the northwestern coast of Malovia Island, around [Zone 7]. It was originally built by a shipping magnate, whose goal was to lure the wealthy to the island, following the discovery of the ores within the island.
For a time, the hotel thrived, becoming the island's prized jewel, a gathering place for the wealthy who came in droves.
But its glory was short-lived.
A figure soon appeared. No one ever learned how it began, only that it spread with unnatural speed. By morning, nothing remained but a blackened shell, and every soul inside had been lost to the flames.
A gate formed not long after.
Seven floors, each more gruesome than the last.
Click! Click!
The shutters of the cameras clicked.
A crowd had already formed along the sides of the hotel entrance, held back by metal fences. It was a mix of reporters and eager fans.
News of the trials had made waves already.
[Severed Stars!]
[Kyle!]
[Zoey Terline!]
[Olivia Soran!]
[Jamie Ross]
Banners waved high as the crowd roared, their cheers swelling with each car that arrived. The moment Kyle, Zoey, and several others stepped out, a louder wave surged through the stands, their soft smiles and striking features drawing countless eyes.
They walked over to the crowd, signing and talking to the fans.
"Thank you for your support."
"You're here to cheer for me? Thank you."
"Sure, I'll take a picture."
"Is this for me? How sweet of you."
The crowd grew to appreciate them even more as they interacted with them.
'What the hell is this?'
I stepped out of the car, staring at the sight, unsure how to react. Looking around, it was clear that nearly every member had a fan club of their own. Even the rat appeared to have several fans, his dimples showing quite well.
Everyone had a fan club...
Well, everyone but me and my group.
The moment we walked out, nobody reacted. It was almost as if the joy had been sucked out of the place, as even the reporters stopped snapping photos. They just whispered things like, 'Who are they? Have you seen them before? I'm not sure...'
It was a bit awkward, but it made sense.
Our group mainly focused on Guild activities and never tried to attract any attention.
This was also probably why our team was the only team that didn't have any sponsors.
I scratched the side of my face when thinking about it.
'Yeah, that's probably my fault.'
If I hadn't just focused on the Guild gates, we probably would have had a fan club and sponsors by now. In the end, however, this was fine.
There was always time.
Ignoring everything around me, I stared ahead at the massive, charred skeleton of the hotel and swallowed hard. Despite so much time having passed, the scent of smoke and char still lingered in the air as shadows clung to the scorched walls, some looking like the shadows of the victims as they tried to escape the hotel.
I felt a certain unease staring at the building.
Not because it looked scary, but because of my inherent ability. The one where the gates ranked up whenever I stepped in.
Staring at the distant building, I knew...
I knew that things were going to turn for the worse the moment I stepped in.
As such, closing my eyes, I took a deep breath.
Eventually, I turned towards my group and nudged in the direction of the hotel.
"Let's go."
This might be one long and exhausting trial.
*
The noise died down the moment we stepped into the Hotel.
Several other groups had already arrived, their faces serious and detached. It was clear from their expressions that they were treating the upcoming trials with utmost seriousness.
We stood before a large retractable door, catching a glimpse of the charred remains of the reception beyond. The smell of burnt lingered stronger than before as all eyes soon fell on a tall man with a thin beard, gray hair, and a large nose.
I recognized him.
'He should be a Team Leader, I think. Team Leader Remi?'
I wasn't too certain.
"Everyone here should have already been briefed on the upcoming Trials and what the tasks will entail. My purpose today is to address the safety measures. Since this is a Trial in every sense, we do not want anyone to die. Unfortunately, we cannot eliminate that risk entirely. There is always a chance of death."
The atmosphere suddenly turned tense.
It wasn't as if no one knew. The Trials weren't mandatory; members could opt out if they wished. Yet for many present, quitting also meant quitting their job. In a job that dealt with things like death on a daily basis, fearing it only meant one wasn't suitable for this job.
"You've all been given walkie-talkies. In case of an emergency, use them to communicate. If you can't, that's fine too. We have numerous agents stationed inside to monitor the situation should anything go wrong."
The Team Leader's gaze swept the surroundings.
"I'd like to think nothing will go wrong inside, but with these kinds of gates, there are no guarantees. There's even a chance that some of you could be among the unlucky few to experience a sudden spike in the gate's rank."
"....!?"
My heart skipped a beat for a moment.
Don't tell me—
"Situations like these always occur, and it's your job to be ready for such occasions. If the gate's rank increases, you will have ten minutes to decide whether to continue or leave the Trial. You will also be judged based on your decision-making. You always need to expect things to go wrong inside of a gate."
Oh...
I relaxed after hearing the next part of his speech. For a brief moment, I had almost thought he had caught onto something.
Thankfully, it was just me being paranoid.
'And yeah, he's right.'
This gate wasn't inescapable. It had been cleared before, and if any team found it too dangerous, they could simply exit through the main door. There was nothing stopping them from entering.
"Enough said. Everything will be recorded on the cameras positioned on your breast pocket."
Following the Team Leader's gesture toward his breast pocket, I glanced down and noticed a small hole in the fabric. This was probably the camera used by the broadcasting stations to broadcast the entire event on TV.
I patted it a couple of times before looking back at the Team Leader.
The surroundings turned quiet shortly after that.
And then—
"Alright, you may enter. I wish you all the best of luck."
The Team Leader stepped back, and the teams moved forward. I followed, glancing back at my own team, who watched the hotel doors with clear apprehension.
In that moment, I wanted to tell them everything would be alright.
That we had trained enough, that we were prepared.
But when I tried, no words came out.
Because deep down, I knew it wasn't true.
Things weren't going to be alright.
Everything was going to fall apart.
And it didn't take long for me to be proven right.
"A-ah, shit."
I stared at the raging fire before me, feeling its heat sear my skin as it started to consume me.
"...I think I might be fucked."
-x-X-x-
Live Views — [2,072,302]
This was the number of viewers who were currently tuned in to the broadcast. For an island that boasted 5 million people, this was massive.
Almost half of the entire population of the island was tuned in to watch the Trials.
There was no bigger live event, with viewers able to watch each group individually at will. As a result, audience distribution varied widely, with the top teams drawing six-figure viewership while the lowest-ranked teams only managed four-digit numbers, some even doing as badly as three.
Viewership drawing was also an important criterion that was taken into account for the Trials.
The greater the draw, the more likely they'd get selected for the World Congress.
"It looks like all of the teams have finally entered. Who do you think are the most likely candidates to perform well in this upcoming Trial?"
Naturally, an event of this scale brought with it a team of commentators.
"... There are several that I have in mind." A man dressed in a suit with short black hair and relatively handsome features spoke. Samuel Marian was a relatively well-known commentator on the island, famous for his wild takes and large following.
"I had previously been told that the two stars of the Guild wouldn't be participating due to some circumstances, but given how they are both here, I can pretty much guess what happened."
An ambiguous smile curved across his lips as he turned to face the cameras.
In doing so, his eyes drifted toward the broadcast's chat.
—What? What happened?
—I also heard that.
—I thought they did it because they needed viewers. Since the main team isn't coming, there's hardly anyone that is worth watching. There are a few, but that's just about it.
—Me too, lol.
Samuel had a hard time restraining his smile while looking at the chat.
"It's not as simple as them wanting more views. It's actually deeper than that."
Samuel remained ambiguous as he looked towards the numerous screens in front of him.
"Nonetheless, Zoey's and Kyle's teams, along with Endrick's and Cillian's, are expected to perform the best in the upcoming Trials. The only uncertainty is which of them will come out on top."
"...Isn't it obvious?"
The other commentator, a young woman with soft brown hair and pretty features, interjected.
"I'd say that Kyle's team has the highest chance of taking the first place."
"Oh?" Samual raised his brow, looking at his colleague. "What makes you think that?"
"It's largely thanks to his teammates. From what I've researched, those two often work together, but if we focus strictly on their individual teams, I'd say Kyle has the stronger lineup. Especially Myles Holms. He's been a breakout star this year."
—Myles!!
—They mentioned Myles!
—Who is he?
The chat erupted the moment Myles's name came up. In just half a year since joining, he had risen in popularity, achieving impressive results while skillfully marketing himself to the public.
"You have a point."
Samuel agreed. Even he couldn't help but admire Myles's achievements.
He was one of the island's hottest prospects. Some even called him the second coming of Kyle, while others insisted he would eventually surpass him.
And at the rate he was progressing...?
Samuel wouldn't count that out of the picture.
"Although you raise some good points, I wouldn't take it for granted. You have to remember that Rowan is on Zoey's team. As far as I'm aware, he was close to reaching the Fourth Order. There's a good chance that he may have already done so."
"Ah...!"
The female commentator covered her mouth with her hand, her eyes widening.
"If that's the case..."
"Yes, if that's the case, then they have a strong chance of taking the top spot. Of course, there's also Endrick and Cillian, the department's other two stars, though lately they've been overshadowed by Kyle and Zoey. Their teams aren't quite as strong either, but who knows? There's still a chance tha—"
Samuel's words came to an abrupt stop.
He wasn't the only one. The studio similarly turned silent, alongside the chat.
As all eyes drew to the broadcast, the silence was soon shattered by Samuel's words.
"T-this..."
What in the world...?
***
"Hmm."
The moment the hotel doors swooshed open and I stepped inside, it felt as though I had entered an entirely different place. The charred exterior was gone, replaced by the welcoming sight of a spacious reception hall.
One bustling with activity.
Chandeliers gleamed from above, their light reflecting off the polished marble floors, while sofas were scattered throughout the space, and a large bar and café stood just beyond the reception.
"...This place actually looks nice."
I was genuinely taken aback by the sight before me. It seemed I was the only one, though, as the rest of my team kept their eyes fixed firmly on the reception.
The same seemed true for the other teams, all of them staring toward the reception where two figures stood unnervingly still, dressed identically in sharp suits, their smiles unnaturally wide and frozen.
I subconsciously swallowed as I looked at them.
"That's the first part of the trial. Each team must go to the reception and request a room card. The card you receive will determine which floor your team will be assigned."
"Ah...?"
I turned my attention towards Joanna.
"Wasn't this supposed to be a gate where we had to climb each floor? Why are we..."
"It is... In a way."
Joanna nodded.
"This is the ground floor, so it doesn't count. There are seven floors in total, but the order doesn't really matter. What matters is that you can access each floor. The only one you won't be able to enter right away is the seventh floor."
"I see."
This made sense.
Honestly, as the Squad Leader, I should have known all of this beforehand. But with everything that had happened, I hadn't been able to focus on anything. Joanna had briefed the entire team in advance, but I hadn't been able to pay attention to her words.
'Right, I need to get it together.'
I couldn't afford to go into a gate with this mentality.
This was important.
'Thankfully, I have Joanna with me. She's really reliable when the situation calls for it.'
"Nnn...!"
A soft yelp pulled my attention away, prompting me to look at Mia. She was staring at her phone, her expression unusually pale.
Before I could ask her what was going on, she turned her attention to me.
"That... Squad Leader..."
She wasn't the only one to look at me. The others were also looking at me with similar expressions.
"What?"
My eyes narrowed, falling on her phone.
That was when I saw it.
Live Views — [708]
—It says right here that he's the Squad Leader of the team. Why doesn't he know the information?
—...This team is cooked. I'm leaving lol
—Is this for real?
Ah.
Right...
All of this was being livestreamed to the audience.
"It's fine."
I dismissed the others with a light wave of my hand.
"They're right, so it doesn't matter."
"But—"
"It's alright."
I raised my hand to stop Mia from speaking.
"It really doesn't bother me."
There were more things that bothered me than what other people thought about me. That said, if I wanted to attract sponsors, I needed to focus on improving my image in the eyes of the world.
This was a world where those from the Guilds were treated as celebrities.
It was important that I took care of my image.
"Looks like it's our turn, let's go."
As Joanna spoke, I followed her lead and walked towards the reception, where we were greeted by the receptionist. The closer I looked, the more a cold weight settled on my chest.
His clothes were immaculate and his expression perfectly professional, yet his eyes held a strange, unblinking intensity, and his smile stretched a fraction too wide, like he was stuck in that position.
"I'd like a room for seven people."
"Seven?"
The receptionist tilted his head, his gaze sweeping between all of us before nodding. A cold shiver ran down my spine as his eyes lingered on me a moment too long, and then he finally looked down at his computer, taking out a key not long after and passing it over the marble counter.
"Room 307, on the third floor."
"...Okay."
As Joanna reached forward for the key, the smile on the receptionist's face widened to the utmost limits.
"I wish you a happy stay."
The world turned black shortly after that.
-x-X-x-
The darkness didn't persist for long.
I soon found myself in a spacious room furnished with sofas, paintings, and a carpet that stretched across the floor. It looked every bit the definition of a luxurious apartment, though the decor carried an air of being somewhat outdated.
But it made sense considering how old the hotel was.
"...We're here."
"This place is quite nice."
"Wow, they even have a TV. I wonder if it works."
Before any of us could react, Nora bounded over to the sofa and switched on the TV with the remote.
Click!
A program began to play right after that.
—Welcome to Hotel Claire, one of the island's most luxurious destinations. Here, you'll find top-class facilities, from a swimming pool to private venues and so much more! We're delighted to welcome everyone to the hotel!
An image of the hotel filled the TV screen, one that soon changed to the swimming pool area, displaying people in swimsuits lounging under the sun, their faces lit with carefree, cheerful smiles.
It looked like the usual hotel introduction program.
"Tsk. Tsk." Nora clicked her tongue, holding the remote forward as she pressed the buttons several times, "Looks like this is the only program available. It's not letting me switch to any other channel."
"Of course it isn't."
Mia chimed in, looking at Nora as if she were an idiot.
"There's no satellite in here. How else would they have other channels?"
Her words were soon followed by a face as she lowered her head to look at the camera positioned on her chest.
"...That girl, I'm sorry. She can be stupid at times. Don't mind her. Please don't leave the show because of her."
"You do realize that all they see is your double chin, right?"
"Nnn....!?"
Mia's face changed drastically, her mouth opening as she looked at Nora. She looked both shocked and hurt, her face seemingly trying to say, 'I have no double chin!'
It was a good thing that Joanna stepped in right after.
"Stop it, you two. We're here on a mission. It isn't time for you two to be messing around."
"But—!"
"Stop."
"No, but she—"
"Stop. "
"Nnn!!!"
Mia's face flushed red as she shot Nora a glare, which only made Nora chuckle with delight.
"Squad Leader."
A moment later, Joanna turned her attention to me and handed me a thick file.
"This is...?"
"The information regarding the scenario. I noticed that you haven't been paying attention in the briefings. I don't know if it's because you are trying to test us, or because something happened, but I figured you'd like this."
"....."
I didn't know how to react. Looking at Joanna and then the files in her hand, I felt both embarrassed and happy.
Embarrassed by the fact that I had been so careless and stupid, but also happy to have a reliable member like her in my team.
'Yeah, I should stop letting everything get to my head. This is important. I can't believe I was this irresponsible.'
"Thank you."
I took the papers and unfolded them, carefully scanning the first page. As I read, Joanna's voice echoed in the background.
"We've still got a bit of time before the scenario begins. It should start once every team has settled into their rooms. Since we were sent here fairly quickly, I'd estimate we have about ten to twenty minutes."
"What do you suggest we do?" Niel suddenly asked, lifting his glasses up. His action prompted an annoyed mumble from Nora that went along the lines of, 'Can you stop lifting your glasses every time you talk? Is that the only thing you know to do?'
I couldn't help but agree, but chose to remain silent.
Niel's face twitched, but he quickly brushed it off and kept his gaze fixed on Joanna.
"Should we go out and expl—"
"No."
Joanna shook her head.
"That wouldn't be ideal, and even if we wanted to, the door is locked. We can't go out of the room. The best course of action for now is to rest for a bit and prepare for the upcoming scenario. Brainstorm any plans, and prepare for any potential differences that might occur."
As she spoke, her gaze slid toward me. She didn't say a word, but the meaning behind her look was clear.
She wanted to wait for me to finish reading everything.
The others also appeared to understand the message and moved towards the nearby table as Joanna started to detail to them the plan that she had come up with. I stared in their direction for a moment before sitting down and looking through the file that Joanna had given me.
'Okay, so from the looks of things, each team is assigned randomly on each floor. Each floor has its own trial in some sense, with the seventh floor being the last floor and the one that is most difficult to clear. There aren't many teams that have cleared this floor.'
In that case, clearing six floors would give us a chance to pass the Trials, while reaching the seventh would almost guarantee us a spot.
Okay...
I examined each scenario carefully. There were quite a few, and it was very likely that the scenario we would encounter would be completely different from any listed.
Still, it was good to read about all of the previous scenarios and memorize the rules and ways to clear them.
This was exactly how I spent the next ten minutes doing.
Although time was short, I managed to familiarize myself with many of the scenarios, noting them mentally as I flipped through the pages. At the same time, I kept track of the discussion unfolding among the group.
"We should act as we usually do in the scenarios we've gone through in the games. Keeping communication constant is important, and we also must remain collected at all times. The worst enemy isn't the anomalies. It's ourselves."
I couldn't help but nod from time to time.
Very good advice.
Flip—!
Flipping to the next page, I prepared myself to read the next part, when—
Ding!
A sudden notification appeared in my vision.
[The scenario is now starting...]
[Operation: Hotel Claire]
Class : ■■■
: An abandoned hotel that had encountered an unfortunate fate. Eight floors in total. Each guest has a story, and within those stories lie clues to the truth of what happened. Was the fire truly an accident, or is there something more? Who is responsible, and if so, where are they hiding?
[Scenario candidates will be joining shortly. Do you wish to purchase any item?]
[From the moment the scenario begins, you won't be able to purchase items]
[You have sixty seconds]
"Huh?"
Reading the description, I froze.
Wait, wait, wait...
Eight floors?
Weren't there seven?
Not only that...
'It wasn't an accident?'
I quickly looked at the document in front of me, going back to the first page where I read about the incident.
[The cause of the accident has been identified as a gas leak. The exact source remains unknown, though many suspect faulty construction. Further investigations have yielded no substantial findings.]
"....!?"
My breath paused at the sight of the description.
No substantial findings...?
My lips parted, but before I could think of anything, more notifications flashed before my eyes.
Ding!
[The time limit is up]
[The shop is now closed]
[Best of luck!]
Sixty seconds had passed before I knew it.
And then—
To Tok—!
A loud knock echoed from the door, sending chills down my body.
To Tok—
The door knocked again.
I didn't react immediately. My thoughts were clouded by the previous notification.
'Eight floors...? There are eight floors?'
It was common knowledge that the hotel only had seven floors. So where had the eighth floor come from?
To Tok—!
The door knocked more forcefully this time, and I finally snapped out of it, turning my attention towards my team members as they all looked at me.
Joanna's expression was especially tense.
"This..." She bit her lip. "...There's never been a time in any scenario when someone knocked."
"I know."
I had read enough to know.
In that case...
I turned my attention towards the door. Who was it...? Who was knocking? Why were they knocking?
To Tok—!
My stomach churned, but I held it back and took a step towards the door.
The soft carpet muffled my footsteps as I edged closer to the door. A chill ran through me. I could feel someone standing on the other side, their shadow stretching across the carpet as I came to a halt before it.
I grew tense.
To—
Clank!
I opened the door before they could finish knocking, ready to attack at any moment, but...
"Hello."
A soft smile greeted me.
Tipping his cap, the attendant in a spotless beige-white uniform bowed politely. His movements were practiced and precise, yet there was something about the stiffness of his smile and eyes that gave me the same unease feeling from the reception.
"...You must be the guests in this room. I've come to inform you that there's been a change in the plans."
"A change...?"
"That's right."
The attendant continued to smile.
"There's been an unfortunate change to the plans we had set for everyone. An accident occurred on the third floor, and we're working to resolve the situation. As a result, the third floor will now be closed. I sincerely apologize for the inconvenience."
"....!?"
"What...!?"
A look of shock marred our features as we looked at the attendant.
Joanna was the first one to speak up.
"What do you mean the third floor is closed?"
"...There's been an unfortunate accident."
"Accident? What accident?"
"There's been an unfortunate accident."
The attendant repeated, his smile the same as before.
"Wha—"
I raised my hand to stop Joanna.
The attendant bowed slightly, pressing a gloved hand against his chest.
"But fret not. To make up for this, we're offering a complimentary dinner for everyone on this floor. We've brought in the finest chefs in the building to prepare an excellent meal for all of you."
Even as his words rang polite and pleasant, there was something in the stiffness of his posture and the unsettling steadiness of his gaze that made the air around us feel incredibly heavy.
The attendant raised his body again, extending his hand in the direction of the corridor.
"...If you would please, I'd like to escort you to the venue."
As if time itself had paused, the attendant remained perfectly still. His smile was stiff, almost forced, and so were his eyes.
No...
It almost looked like they were shaking.
"What should we do?"
Pulling my attention away from the attendant, I looked back at my team. Despite the unsettling situation and the initial shock, everyone had managed to regain a surprising measure of calm.
Niel was the first to speak up.
"According to the document, things shouldn't have started like this. There's no mention of the third floor ever being blocked, and attendants have never escorted members anywhere before. It's clear that something unusual is happening inside the gate."
Pausing for a moment, Niel's voice lowered.
"Something... I'm not entirely comfortable with."
His words brought a certain silence to the surroundings. A deep and suffocating one as the eyes of the attendant continued to shake, lingering in our direction with the same forced smile of his.
Soon, all eyes turned on me.
"Squad Leader?"
"...What do you think the best option is?"
"Should we stay? I don't know if that's a good option. I'd say we should go. There's no way something like this happened without a reason."
I didn't answer immediately. It was clear that the gate had changed. This much was obvious. I wasn't surprised by this, taking into account the fact that this tended to happen whenever I entered a gate.
'In a way, I guess it didn't really matter if I didn't learn the information about the gate in advance. From then to now, I'm still very clueless.'
However, if there was one thing I had learned about gates, it was that when something happened, running away was never the answer. The best course of action was to face it head-on.
In that regard, I agreed with Joanna's words.
Opening my eyes, I took a step forward.
"We're going."
This was the only realistic option that we had.
The attendant's smile grew even wider. So did the shaking of his eyes.
"You've made a great choice."
*
Following the attendant, we were soon led into a vast hall, dominated by a massive wooden table at its center.
Draped in a white cloth and set with silver plates, candles, and various decorations that gleamed under the lights of the chandelier, the table looked meticulously arranged and impressively grand.
A soft tune floated through the air as a band played at the side of the room. Attendants moved among the tables, their familiar smiles in place and silver trays in hand. I paused for a moment, taking in the sight of the various teams seated around the grand table.
They all looked just as lost and confused as we were.
"Please take a seat."
Coming to a stop, the attendant showed us to our seats.
I hesitated briefly before taking a seat. As I settled in, a soft, aromatic fragrance drifted through the air, carrying faint hints of citrus mixed with something sharper... Mint, perhaps? I wasn't too sure.
"...The dishes will be coming to you soon. Please enjoy yourself while we wait for the remaining guests."
The attendant left shortly after that.
A brief silence settled over the table as Joanna took the opportunity to glance at the other teams and speak with them so that she could get some information. In the end, there wasn't much to learn. They had all experienced the same thing we had. They were all preparing for the gate when the knock came.
As I listened to the conversation, my gaze drifted across the venue, taking in the details of the room.
I hadn't noticed it at first, but when I looked up at the ceiling, a mural came into view. It depicted a weird mannequin-like figure. Or was it...? I couldn't quite tell properly. It looked like some sort of body, but it had no face or expression.
Staring at it, I found myself tilting my head.
There was something unsettling about the mural, though I couldn't pinpoint exactly what. I kept staring, searching for details, but the more I looked, the less I could make out.
All I could focus on was the blank face of the mannequin.
In the end, I shifted my attention back to the table. My gaze landed on the nearby cutlery, and I picked up a spoon, examining its perfectly polished surface as it reflected the soft light of the candle before me.
'It's very well polished.'
I could see my reflection in it.
I tilted my head slightly, trying to get a better look at my reflection.
'How did they manage to get it this polished? I wonder ho—'
"....."
Time slowed down.
The sound of the room drained away, leaving only the soft, uneven flicker of the candle. A cold tendril of dread slithered up my spine, curling into my neck, coiling around my chest. My hands trembled, each breath shallow, harsh in my throat.
A pair of hollow eyes stared back at me from above. Right where the mural appeared. They belonged to a desiccated, almost rotting face, a silver ring between the nose ridge, with torn lips and yellowed teeth dangling loosely, as if the mouth itself had been ripped apart
"H-ha."
Mustering a shaky breath, I pulled the spoon down, and all of it faded.
The silence. The face. Everything.
Slowly. So extremely slowly... I turned my head back.
Back towards where I saw it.
But—
"...."
All I saw was the same mural from before. The same faceless mannequin.
"Squad Leader?"
"...Is everything okay? You don't look so well."
Hearing my squad's words, I swallowed silently before looking back at the spoon, the dim light from the candle flickering faintly.
Okay...?
Am I okay?
"I..."
-x-X-x-
I had to blink a couple of times to fully snap out of it as I looked around me. Seeing everyone looking in my direction, I waved my hand.
"...I am fine."
I wasn't.
However, as the Squad Leader, I had to make it seem like I was fine.
"I just had some weird vision. I'm not entirely sure if it's because I'm tired, or because it is part of the scenario, but I'm sharing it with you all."
There was no need for me to gatekeep the vision. Sure, it could very well be because of my tiredness, but what if it wasn't...?
I couldn't remain silent for something as important as this.
"A vision...? What sort of vision did you have?"
Leaning forward, I began to explain to them exactly what I had seen. From feeling subtle hints of something from the mural behind, to the desiccated and rotten face.
"...I think the corpse had black hair. Thinning black hair. The eyes were hollow, and it had a nose ring. That's the thing that I was able to notice in the split moment."
The moment I finished speaking, everyone turned quiet, Mia, Sarah, Nora, and the others slowly turning their attention towards the mural behind. Eventually, Nora broke the silence.
"I can't sense anything from it."
"...Me too. It looks like some sort of mannequin."
"I also don't see anything."
As the others looked at the mural behind, they didn't seem to notice anything strange about it. They just thought it was a normal mural.
This made me glad to some extent.
'Maybe it was really just me.'
Of course, I couldn't rule out the possibility that I was special. I was, in fact, special. I was very well aware of that fact, and so, I kept the vision to heart as I continued to scan the surroundings.
I thought I'd be able to notice something else, but not even a minute after I began looking around, the soft toll of a bell echoed.
Dong—
Immediately, all eyes fell towards the door of the venue as they opened not long after, several people dressed in white entered.
Similar to the attendants, they had smiles on their faces, but unlike the attendants, they all felt more life-like. They had a sort of pure look on them with their white clothes, and as they came in, the attendants bowed down slightly.
"Welcome. Welcome."
An elderly man with a long white beard raised his hand, prompting the attendants to stop bowing while looking in our general direction.
"It's such a pleasure to see all of you present at our hotel. I'm one of the managing members of the hotel, and I've come to personally greet you and apologize for the inconvenience that has occurred today."
His words were soft, and for a brief moment, I even thought he was just a regular old man.
The more I looked at him, the more it seemed to be this way. From the soft look in his face, to his features, and general demeanor. He didn't strike me as anything but a regular old man.
"For the first apology, I'd like to offer you all some of the best cooking that we can offer."
He turned his attention towards the chefs, who bowed slightly. Moments later, the doors opened wider and more attendants walked in, each carrying a different tray of food.
A nice scent wafted into the room shortly after, as I started to salivate.
"W-wow... that smells good."
The others also shared the same feeling, all eyes drawing towards the approaching food. For a moment, the thought of touching and eating the food crossed my mind, but I was quick to snap out of it.
'No, there's no way this is food that I can eat.'
This was a gate.
I knew that things weren't going to be so simple.
Thankfully, the others also appeared to share the same feelings as the attendants moved closer to us and placed a dish on our table.
Opening the metal lid, a fresh plate of meat appeared, the strong aroma wafting through the air even more powerful than before. My stomach rumbled at the smell, but I pushed all thoughts of eating aside.
"This right here is one of our most special dishes. Filet Noir au Vin Sombre, with a special touch of pepper sauce, glazed with a little wine."
Sat at the head of the table, the old man leaned forward, his fingers brushing the edges of the silver platter as he introduced the dish, his voice smooth and unnervingly calm. The other men in white stood behind him, their smiles wide.
"...Ah, please. I shouldn't interrupt you any longer. Let's get to tasting the dishes."
Picking up the fork and knife, the old man began to eat the food.
But—
He was the only one to do so.
None of us dared to even touch the food, staring at it with deep apprehension, the silence around the table growing heavier with each passing second. The dish sat there, steaming gently, its glossy surface catching the dim chandelier light in unnatural ways.
As if sensing our hesitation, the smile on the old man's face began to falter. Slowly, almost imperceptibly, the corners of his mouth twitched downward.
The men in white behind him didn't move, but their smiles remained frozen.
"Are you not going to eat the food? It's best to eat it while it's warm."
A sudden tension rose within the room as the heads of every attendant turned toward us. Their smiles remained, but the warmth behind them had vanished.
No one spoke.
No one moved.
"....."
The old man sat motionless at the head of the table, his eyes fixed on us now with such intensity that it made my heart palpitate. It was almost as if he was waiting to see who would eat first.
'What do we do?' Whispers echoed as he stared at us, the other teams talking with one another as Joanna and the other members of my team looked at me. I didn't answer and stared at the dish in front of me.
Should we eat the food...? The thought crossed my mind, but only for a split second. I'd be foolish to eat the food that came from a gate. However, staring at the old man and feeling the intensity of his gaze, I almost felt compelled to eat the food.
It felt like something really bad was going to happen if I didn't touch the—
BANG!
"....!?"
"....!!"
I nearly jumped from fright as a hand slammed down on the table, the sharp sound cutting through the silence like a crack of thunder.
Slowly, I turned my head, every muscle tense.
My heart skipped a beat.
The old man was staring directly at us now, his hand still resting on the table. His expression had changed. It was no longer welcoming.
Just cold.
As if he had finally lost his patience.
"Are you going to not going to eat the food?" He asked again, this time, his voice was even colder. So cold that for a moment, I felt the back of my spine tingle.
I wanted to pick up the fork, but a good part of me told me that it was a stupid idea.
'Think, think. This must be the goal of the scenario. Find a way not to eat the food. Fin—'
"Very well."
The old man's voice turned soft again, the coldness and tension in the room fading completely.
With the same smile as before, he grabbed the knife and fork and began eating again.
"You are all missing out."
-x-X-x-
"....."
A weird tension hung across the room.
Clink! Clink—!
The soft clinking of the cutlery echoed within the tense environment.
The old man cut into his steak with slow, careful movements, as if the act itself mattered more than the meal.
He didn't speak. Didn't look up.
He just smiled as he ate.
With every bite, his jaw moved slowly, like he was thinking hard or listening to something no one else could hear. Sometimes he paused, chewing with his eyes half-closed, the sound echoing in the surroundings.
All eyes were on him.
Nobody dared to make a sound or disturb him; all communicated with each other through messages or other means.
'...I don't have a good feeling about this.' Mia whispered quietly, looking in the direction of the old man.
I shared the same feeling as her.
Something about the current situation felt unsettling. Despite the old man eating and drinking with a smile, it was his lack of action that made my heart race.
Just what was he planning?
Was he really just going to leave us alone if we didn't eat?
I had serious doubts about this.
Still, I couldn't just sit still. I needed to figure something out.
I—
"....!?"
Clank!
A low, muffled sound echoed from beside me, sharp and sudden. I jolted and turned my head toward it, heart already pounding.
My eyes paused on Sarah.
She sat rigidly, staring straight at the table. Her dark eyes were wide, trembling, locked on something I couldn't see.
Several eyes fell in our direction.
I felt the tension grow.
And then—
Sarah slowly pointed at my plate.
"Worms," she mumbled, her voice soft, almost dazed. "...There's worms."
What?
I lowered my head to stare at my plate.
And yet, I saw none of the worms she was talking about.
All I saw was the pristine steak, perfectly seared, its glaze catching the light, the aroma warm and rich as it drifted through the air.
"Ah...?"
Sarah blinked her eyes slowly, snapping out of it.
Staring at my steak, her head tilted.
"What, but... They were..."
I paid close attention to her confusion, keeping careful tabs on it as I soon turned my gaze toward the old man who was carefreely eating his steak. In just a matter of minutes, he was almost done with his dish, and as his knife slowly sliced through the steak, a quiet, unsettling pressure spread through the room with each delicate cut.
Ba... Thump! Ba... Thump!
I swallowed nervously, observing my surroundings to try and determine exactly what I needed to do in order to clear this unknown scenario.
At some point, for some reason, I also found myself staring at my phone
That's when I happened to catch a glimpse of the livestream chat.
—What are they doing? Why are they not eating...?
—...That shit could be poisonous. Of course, they aren't eating.
—But they're doing nothing.
—Should we watch from another angle? This team looks boring.
Live Views — [653]
The chat was still working?
I was a little surprised by this. However, it also made sense. Considering how we could also communicate with those outside, this made sense.
'Yeah, communication is allowed outside. If something truly goes wrong, and all hell breaks loose, I guess those from the Guild might come in.'
I calmed myself down and stared at the old man.
His knife cut the last piece of the steak, his fork digging into it as he brought it to his mouth and ate it.
The tension in the room heightened.
I started to grow tense, my muscles tightening alongside my breathing. Unknowingly, I started to lean forward in my seat.
And then—
Clink!
He placed the cutlery down.
"How delicious."
His gaze lifted towards us once more.
With the same smile, he interlocked his fingers and swept his gaze around.
"...Nobody else eating?"
His words were met with silence.
Besides the soft tune that dabbled in the air, and the soft footsteps of the attendants, nobody made a sound.
"Okay."
The old man placed his hands on the table and stood up.
I grew even tenser, ready to move at any second. The same applied to everyone present.
"...."
Slowly, the old man turned his head.
His gaze focused on the band as he clapped his hands.
Clap! Clap!
"Since our guests here aren't hungry, how about we play them some music? Let's go with the traditional music that we usually play."
The people in the band froze, almost robotically. A moment later, the violinists began to play a new song. The sound of the violins rose slowly, spreading through the venue until it was all you could hear.
It wasn't a terrible song. It was rather upbeat.
The notes wavered unnaturally, bending at strange angles, like they were being dragged by the strings. High, shrill strings stretched on, then dropped without warning into low, trembling hums that buzzed against the walls.
I felt a weird and uncomfortable tingle in my ears.
Moments later, the people behind the old man moved towards the band and began dancing in circles, the sound of their soft steps moving in rhythm with the music.
"...This right here, ladies and gentlemen, is a tradition that we follow over here. It is a dance that symbolizes purity and good luck. Dancing means being part of the luck. If any of you wish to join, please feel free."
As he explained, the old man moved to the ground as they danced.
Ta! Ta! Ta!
He joined them not long after.
The music drifted through the air, and the group began to dance in slow circles to the tune. There was something unnatural about it. Their movements were extremely synchronized, almost creepily.
I couldn't quite put it into words.
It was a strange and quietly disturbing sight.
And then—
Ta! Ta! Ta!
More steps echoed.
All heads turned towards the door as women in white entered the room, their faces filled with smiles, and their soft hair falling down their white clothes.
Just like the men, their clothes were clean and pristine.
And yet, unlike the men, the moment they entered, I felt every hair on my body begin to rise as they brought out what appeared to be a large hammer.
'What sort of...'
The chairs shifted, some of the other teams ready to move.
"Ah, you're here."
The old man greeted the women, his smile growing bigger as he distanced himself from the dancing group and moved towards them.
As he did, he introduced them to us.
"These are the Maids of the Covenant. Chosen from birth, each comes from a line kept pure through obedience and faith. They've never stepped beyond these walls, never heard the voices of the world. Their bodies and spirits are well preserved. Their purpose here is sacred, and without them, the foundation of this house would falter."
The old man grabbed the hammer from the woman, looking at it.
"Well then..."
He paused, the smile on his face fading as a cold chill enveloped the room, and then—
BANG!
He smashed the hammer towards the nearest person, blood spurting out throughout the entire venue.
"....!?"
".....!"
All eyes widened in shock, nobody able to react in time.
Spurt!
The hammer dropped down again, smashing once again as blood spurted everywhere, and the squelching sound of the hammer pulling back from the face echoed loudly within the room.
All noise stopped in that moment.
So did the dancing as everyone's attention focused on the dead body collapsed on the ground.
"Hehehehe."
"Hahahaha."
What followed was a series of eerie laughs coming from the old men and the people in white.
"Hahaha."
The laughs rang hollow as they all stared at the body on the ground, and as I slowly looked at the corpse, whose entire jaw had been shattered and caved in, I noticed it. The ring that sat at the bridge of their nose.
A-ah
An image flashed in my mind. One of a certain dessicated corpse. My heart sped rapidly, a cold chill rushing down my body.
And as if that wasn't enough...
"Hahaha."
"He... hehe."
It soon started.
The laughs.
Not just from the men in white, but from the people around me.
"Hehe... he.
No... Not just around me.
"Hehehe."
I, too, began to laugh as my eyes shook.
And as I slowly raised my head, I noticed the others' gazes shaking as well. In a manner that was similar to...
The attendants.
My heart sank.
-x-X-x-
"Hehe... He."
It wasn't something that I was able to control.
The laugh.
"Ha... Haha."
It echoed loudly within the venue, coming from me and the people around. None of us could stop it. As if we had been possessed by something, we all began to laugh.
The world began to stretch, and I could hear my own breath pounding inside my head.
I didn't know what was going on, nor did I know what was happening; however, in the brief moments of clarity, I was able to notice the shaking of the other people's eyes and realized it was exactly like the attendants.
BANG—!
The hammer struck down, the squelching sound echoing loudly within the venue as blood spurted everywhere.
The tune in the background shifted, growing faster.
More upbeat.
The people in white moved at the beat of the music, their movements just as synchronized as before but faster.
BANG! BANG—!
The world continued to stretch around me.
It almost felt like I was on drugs, the entire situation setting my mind on a buzz. Everything felt hazy, and for a moment, I felt numb.
But—
'I have to snap out of it!'
Ziiiii~
Within the music that played, one of the strings was pulled a little too tight, and the beat went off tune for a split second. That was all it took for me to snap out of it as the haze that clouded my vision faded completely.
"....!?"
But it looked like I was the only one to snap out of it.
"He... hehe."
"Hahaha."
The laughs continued to echo around me, the eyes of everyone around me still shaking. While I was still unsure of what was happening, I knew that I had to keep up the act as I laughed alongside everyone present.
"Hehe."
The moment I turned toward the band, my heart clenched. Among them stood a figure in white clothes and a white hat, a violin in its hand. Slowly, it lifted its head, revealing a face I knew too well... Its eyes stitched shut, its mouth sewn closed.
Ah.
I understood then what had happened as the conductor lowered its head once more, its hand gently guiding the bow stick.
Ziiii~
"Ahh."
Finally done smashing down, the old man took out a towel and wiped his hands clean.
As he did, he turned his attention towards us once more.
"The first sacrifice had to be made. In order to be accepted by us, you must be pure. One's body must not be tainted by external objects like those strange rings. The skin must also be completely pure and clean from any blemishes."
Giving the bloodstained towel away, the old man turned his attention towards the people dancing.
"...In that case, the dance is in full swing. Why don't we all start to dance?"
The laughter died at once.
However, as if their bodies were no longer their own, everyone accepted the order, turning their attention toward the music and the dance. One by one, everyone started to stand up.
I also stood up.
'What should I do? Should I get the Conductor to get everyone to snap out of it...? Will that help?'
This felt like the most obvious solution. However, once I turned my attention towards the band again, the conductor who had been present moments prior was gone. At the same time, a voice whispered in my ears.
'...Given my limited strength, I can only help you.'
Ah...
My heart sank.
Ziii~ Ziii~
At the same time, the sound of the violin grew more shrill. I began to follow everyone else, moving towards the other people in white and joining them in a circle.
"Please hold the hand of the person next to you."
I reached for Mia and Joanna's hands.
The moment I touched their hands, my face nearly cracked.
Cold...
Extremely cold.
Still, I held onto them as the old man stood in the middle of the circle.
"Within our tradition, we like to dance not just to display purity, but also to ward away all the evil spirits. In particular..."
The old man paused, lifting his head to gaze at the mural above. Suddenly, the temperature in the room plummeted, a strange, suffocating tension filling the air. Chills ran down my spine, as if some sinister presence had silently materialized among us.
It was enough to make my breathing grow heavier, and as the tension reached an all-time high, the old man mumbled, "The Keeper."
BANG! BANG!
Suddenly, the doors of the venue shut with a thunderous sound.
"....!?"
The sinister presence that lingered within the room grew even more pronounced, the chill running down the room growing even more pronounced as the old man's face started to twist, his eyes opening wide alongside his eyes.
"Dance! Dance...!"
He began to shout.
Immediately after, the music in the background grew more forceful, and everyone began to move, holding hands while moving from side to side.
'Just what the hell is happening?!'
I followed the dance, flustered and confused by the entire situation. I didn't know what was going on, but if there was one thing that I understood, it was that I needed to dance with everyone else.
I could feel the sinister presence all too vividly, and sweat drenched my back, clinging to me like a cold, heavy weight.
Ta! Ta! Ta!
At first, the steps and rhythm were off. Not everyone was able to get in rhythm with the others, causing the air to grow even colder.
"D-dance...!" The old man's voice came out as a shrill, his face turning pale, and his mouth widening to the point where it felt unnatural.
I didn't know what was happening, but I could feel the heavy palpitations of my heart.
They rang loudly in my mind, and I followed the instructions.
No, it was more like...
I started to follow them again as the strange haze from before started to return.
'W-what...?'
Ta! Ta! Ta! Ta!
"Dance! D-ance...!"
The old man's face grew more and more desperate with each second that passed, his jaw opening wider, and the presence within the room growing ever present. I tightened my grip on Joanna's and Mia's hands as my eyes scanned the surroundings, trying to determine where the source of it all was coming from.
Just where was it?
I looked left and right, keeping my head straight while I moved with the others present.
I could tell that there was something present, but I couldn't tell where. It was watching.
It was—
"....."
A thought suddenly struck me, and all of a sudden, it was as if all sound had faded from my mind, time slowing down at the same time. I didn't know when, but my head slowly and subconsciously lifted towards the ceiling.
Towards the mural.
And it was there that I saw it.
A dessicated face. Just like the one from before. Only this time, it was different. The nose ring was gone, replaced by messy white hair and hollow eyes. A thick white beard framed the gaunt, decayed features, giving it a twisted, unnatural presence.
But the creepiest part of it all was its jaw.
It was open... stretched to a point beyond recognition, almost as if it had been pulled apart.
Ba... Thump! Ba... Thump! Ba... Thump!
The low, yet steady rhythm of my heartbeat echoed loudly within my mind. One that grew faster with each progressive second that passed, and slowly, time started to resume.
No, it started to become faster.
"Dance!"
The old man's voice echoed, his voice filled with desperation.
Ta! Ta! Ta!
"Dance!"
He screamed, his voice turning shrill. Almost as if he was being chased by something.
"Dance!!!"
His eyes turned hollow, his expression twisted.
"Da—ukh!"
Spurt!
Blood suddenly spurted out from the old man as his jaw pulled apart, weird gurgling sounds coming from his mouth. The atmosphere froze over at the sudden action, until...
Thump!
He fell face-first against the floor, blood pooling around his body.
And yet—
Ziii~
Despite his sudden death, nobody stopped.
We all continued to dance. The music continued to play.
Ta! Ta! Ta!
But at the same time, staring at the old man and recalling the vision from before, my heart pressed tightly against my chest.
I suddenly understood.
That was no hallucination.
That was a premonition.
A premonition about the next victim.
Ta! Ta! Ta! Ta! Ta! Ta!
-x-X-x-
"What's happening?"
A surprised voice echoed within the monitoring area.
With the Trials in full swing, it was only natural that the Guild set up a designated monitoring team that checked on all of the members. In case one of the members sounded the alarm, they were ready to alert the agents that were stationed inside.
But—
"The agent's signal! I can't detect it at all. It's gone!"
A short woman stood up, looking all flustered. She was the manager in charge of operating the monitoring room, and the moment she noticed something wrong, she immediately stood up from her seat and dialed a few numbers.
"Hello? Hello...?"
The first person she called was the Section Chief.
He was on standby in another room, handling several sponsors for the event.
The moment he received the call, he picked up.
—What's going on?
"Sir!"
The woman's voice rose, her tone sounding extremely flustered as she looked at the monitors in front of her.
Where there should've been multiple red dots, each indicating an agent that was stationed to support the members, there were empty markings.
"I've... I've lost contact with the members in charge of monitoring the situation!"
—What?
The Section Chief's voice lowered, a rare solemnness filling his tone.
—What did you just say?
"I've lost all contact with the stationed members."
—Hold on.
Du. Du.
The Section Chief hung up the call. As he did, the manager's attention fell on the monitors. Each floor was different, but the members were scattered across each room, and as her gaze fell on a particular room, her face couldn't help but pale.
Especially when she witnessed the hammer fall and blood spurted. The sight made her flinch.
"Oh... no."
Clank!
The door opened, and the Section Chief entered not long after. He wore a pristine suit with his hair neatly combed. He looked completely different than his usual self, and as he entered the room, the first thing he did was look at the monitors.
"...Shit."
A curse slipped out from his mouth as he moved to the monitors, pressing a couple of keys and trying to establish communication with any of them.
Click! Click! Click!
"Can anyone hear me? Hello?"
And yet...
Despite his best efforts, he wasn't able to receive a single answer. It was as if all communication had been cut off.
But was that truly the case?
Looking at the stream and seeing the chats, it was clear that the communication was still working.
"What the hell is going on?"
This situation made absolutely no sense to him.
Click! Click!
He continued to press a couple of keys, trying his best to sort the situation, but it became extremely clear to him moments later that it wasn't possible. He had to go and take care of the operation by himself.
'I should've known that something was wrong the moment the gate turned differently than it was supposed to.'
No, he was already aware.
He had specifically sent a message to the agents and the Team Leaders to be stationed and prepared for anything while he handled the sponsors. That had clearly been a massive mistake.
"Stay here, I'm going to check the situation from up close."
He spared the monitor a glance, caught sight of the situation within the gate, and rushed out of the room, dashing out of the area he was in. Thankfully, the monitoring room was set up in a large camper that had been parked right outside the gate.
It didn't take him more than a couple of minutes to reach the hotel, and as he did, the first thing that he noticed was the flustered expressions on some of the Team Leaders as they looked at him.
"Section Chief!" Team Leader Michaels, a short yet bulky man, shouted the moment he caught sight of the Section Chief, his expression extremely concerned as he pointed at the gate.
"I've been trying to reach you, but your line was busy."
"Busy?"
The Section Chief looked at his phone. Even if the line was busy, he should've been able to see the message. For him not to see it...
"Something happened to the gate, I can't—"
"I know."
The Section Chief replied, moving closer to the entrance of the hotel and putting his phone away. The reporters and fans were still lingering outside, taking in the scene as the clicks of the shutters echoed loudly, with some reporters trying to shove their way close to them.
"Has something happened?"
"What's going on with the stream? This is completely different from usual. Did something go wrong?"
"Can you spare me a moment of your time?"
They were like hounds, trying to get any little information about the situation. The Section Chief promptly ignored them, stopping right before the gates of the hotel. As he did, he stopped for a moment to stare at the doors of the hotel.
His eyes narrowed until he eventually reached forward and pressed his hand against the doors.
"....!?"
The moment he did, his expression changed drastically. The very hair on his body rose, and his entire back started to tingle.
"Quick! Give me a measuring device!" His head flickered towards the nearest Team Leader, who presented to him a small device that the Section Chief quickly powered to measure the energy of the gate.
The meter immediately shot up the moment it was activated, slowing down until finally stopping at... [C].
"Huh...?"
The result looked unexpected, leaving the Section Chief at a sudden loss. He could've sworn he had felt some sort of extremely sinister energy inside. Something that made even his own heart palpitate.
And yet...
The gate energy meter was the same? How did that make sense?
How did that...
"...Ah."
Something clicked in the Section Chief's mind as he looked towards the hotel, images of the broadcast replaying in his mind as his face paled considerably.
"Shit!"
He rushed through the door, trying his best to break it, but—
BANG!
A large barrier appeared shortly after, blocking his entrance and forcing him back. Stumbling back, the Section Chief looked ahead with a horrified look.
"I should've known better..." he hoarsely said, his expression twisting. "The gate has been taken over by an external force."
His teeth clenched tightly, taking out his phone and making a call.
The line went through moments later.
"Guild Master..."
***
Ta! Ta! Ta! Ta!
The dance continued, the soft sound and melody of the violin echoing loudly within the air as I kept up with the dance, trying my best to ignore the blood that stained the floor, alongside the body.
I continued to dance with the group, feeling my movements growing more and more in sync with the music.
The more I danced, the more I felt the previous sensation starting to return. The hazy sensation felt akin to brainwashing.
At the same time, my mind flashed with images of the two dessicated heads. They clung to my thoughts, making it harder and harder for me to concentrate.
'Damn it! What the hell is this scenario...!?'
By now, it was obvious that the scenario was wrong. I had already been aware of that fact from the notification that I had received. And yet, for some reason, there was something else that was leaving me flustered. It was the fact that the changes that were occurring to the gate were too extreme.
Almost as if there was another force at play in all of this.
No, more like...
It was as if I were being targeted.
'It's either that, or I'm special.'
How was it that I was the only one who could see the strange creature above?
'No, now is not the time to think about that. I need to figure out a way to snap everyone out of this current haze.'
Ta! Ta! Ta! Ta!
"Keep dancing! Keep dancing!"
A new voice led the group.
The group moved clockwise around the corpse of the old man, the sound of the strings growing thinner and thinner by the second, adding a certain sense of dread that made every hair on my body stand.
Ziiii~
I took in my surroundings, trying to understand how it was possible for any of us to turn out this way.
None of us had eaten the food.
How had they managed to brainwash most of the people present with just a simple dinner? Was there something hidden within the room that had caused this, or was there more to it than I knew?
I sneakily looked around the room, trying my best to see if there was anything that could potentially help me gain a clue.
'We didn't eat the food, so it can't be the food that caused all of this. I also didn't notice any strange movement and symbolism with the hands. I don't think they managed to hypnotize us with that. In that case...'
My gaze eventually drifted towards the table — at first to the food, but then... towards the candles.
Seeing them flicker faintly in the air, their glow dim under the bright lights of the place, and giving out a strong citrus fragrance, I felt something within me stir. The moment I inhaled the smell, I felt a strange tingling at the back of my nose, my vision growing hazy in the process.
Wait—!
A realization suddenly struck me as I stared at the candles.
'Could it be...!?'
-x-X-x-
The citrus scent lingered, settling into my nostrils as I inhaled.
A haze settled in my mind the moment I inhaled the scent.
I became even more certain of it.
The candles...
They were the reason this was happening. It wasn't the food or anything else in the room. It was the candles. It had to be the candles!
Ta! Ta! Ta! Ta!
Moving with the dance, I began to sweat. The rhythm quickened, and with it, so did our steps.
"Keep dancing! Don't stop! You mustn't stop!"
A voice slithered through the air alongside our movements. I couldn't tell where it came from, but it was unmistakably female. It was sharp, shrill, and dripping with a certain chill that made the hairs on my neck rise.
"Dance! Dance—!"
Our movements hastened.
I started to breathe more heavily.
'This is not sustainable.'
I could feel my stamina draining rapidly, even though I had been hitting the gym regularly lately. How long was this going to last?
I didn't know. However, if there was one thing that I knew, it was that this couldn't go on for much longer. Hastily looking around, my eyes settled on the candles.
'Should I go and extinguish all of them? There's about... One, two... seven candles. Will I be able to extinguish all of them before the people in white get to me?'
I had to be careful not to use my powers. With cameras recording everyone present, the moment I did, I would be exposed. That was something I couldn't allow.
Originally, I had intended to reveal my powers gradually, 'awakening' to some random Decree, but I hadn't reached that stage yet. Attempting it now would seem suspicious, and without my abilities, I wasn't confident I could extinguish all the candles at once.
'What do I do...? What should I do?'
My mind scrambled to find a solution.
Ta! Ta! Ta!
"Faster! Faster!"
Especially when I noticed that the rhythm wasn't slowing. We were moving faster in circles, dancing to the music as the woman frantically shouted the same words over and over again, her voice growing more and more shrill.
"Keep going!"
I didn't know what would happen once this was all over, but seeing some of the members beginning to feel sick made it clear that I had to act quickly.
Loosening my hold of Joanna and Mia's hands, I prepared myself to move when—
Swoosh!
Someone beat me to it.
Moving faster than my eyes could see, they dashed towards the nearest candle, grabbing it and tossing it away before rushing towards the next candle.
"Wha..."
I didn't know who it was, but it didn't matter.
Seeing them act quickly, I also dashed towards the other end, reaching for the candles that they hadn't reached.
"What!? Stop—!"
It took a couple of seconds for the people in white to understand what we were doing, and the moment they did, a shrill voice echoed from behind us.
"You don't know what you're doing!? Stop this at once! You're going to kill us all!!!"
The desperation behind that voice was all too clear, but I couldn't care less at the moment. They were the last people I could trust. My priority now was to free everyone present from the brainwashing and help subdue the people in white.
Swoosh! Swoosh!
I tossed two candles aside, extinguishing them, and then stopped, realizing there were no more left. When I turned toward where the other figure had been, I finally caught sight of them, my brow rising in surprise.
"Sarah...?"
So the other person who had snapped out of the brainwashing was Sarah?
I was pleasantly surprised, but I didn't have the luxury to wonder how she had done it. The woman's voice tore through the air, a shriek so sharp it felt as if she had clawed the words from her own throat.
"Noooo!"
The air on my body rose, and when I turned my head, I finally caught sight of an elderly woman as she clung to her face with both hands, her nails digging into her own flesh as her eyes stood wide. So widely that it sent chills down my spine.
"You've ruined us! You've ruined us all!"
Her shrieks were deafening, overwhelming everything around us. By now, the dancing had stopped, and some people had even collapsed to the floor from sheer exhaustion.
But... If there was one thing that everyone shared, it was the fact that they were all looking at us.
I felt every hair on my body rise.
The music had stopped as well, leaving only the woman's screams of madness echoing through the room as she clawed at her face.
"No! No! No! No! No! No!"
Her screams were so raw that they sent chills down my spine.
"You don't understand...!! You don't understand what you've done!!"
My lips quivered slightly, feeling a sinking feeling in my stomach as I looked around, seeing the other teams slowly starting to snap out of their daze, their gazes pulling away from us. I wanted to quickly help them recollect themselves, but before I had the chance to do that, the woman's screams echoed once more.
Her words, however, made my entire body freeze on the spot.
"No, no, no... He's going to come for us now. He's going to come..."
He...?
Who was 'he'? What was she—
"Hiaaaaakk!"
A scream suddenly ripped through the room. My heart leapt into my throat as I turned to the elderly woman. Her eyes were unnaturally wide, so much so that it seemed something else had taken hold of her.
But when I focused on her, I realized she wasn't just screaming, she was staring.
Her gaze was locked on something invisible, something that twisted the air around it, radiating a darkness that made her shrink back in pure terror.
I followed the direction where she was looking, but I didn't see anything.
I could tell that she was looking at something. No, it wasn't that I could tell. I could feel it with every once of my body as the hair on my body rose, and my heartbeat drummed loudly.
And then—
BANG!
Blood spurted. A head exploded.
"....!?"
Thump!
A body fell limply on the floor, sending chills down my body. Before I even had the time to properly assess the situation, another scream ripped through the hall.
"Haaaaaaa!"
It was just as raw as the one from the woman, his eyes turning white and his mouth opening widely.
Flick! Flick!
The chandelier above swayed, the light flickering in the process, as the doors of the room started to sway before suddenly smashing to a close.
BANG! BANG!
All noise appeared to strip away from the room, the men and women in white opening their mouths wide, all staring in a certain direction.
Ba... Thump! Ba... Thump!
Their mouths moved, shaping screams that never emerged. They just stood with their mouths wide open. I followed their gaze, but the room was still empty.
And yet...
I could still feel it.
The sinister presence that lingered in the room stared in our direction.
BANG!
Another head exploded, blood spurting onto the floor.
I took a step back, swallowing my saliva as I looked towards my team. Joanna and the others had started to recover and were staring at the people in white in horror. Despite it all, they still seemed to be rational as they looked at me.
I understood immediately as Joanna was the first one to speak up, her eyes darting towards Min.
"Go."
Min didn't waste a second. The moment he heard Joanna's words, he dashed towards the doors before smashing into them.
BANG!
The doors hastily opened, and he turned in our direction.
I didn't waste a second and dashed out with the rest of the team.
"Get out quickly!"