Ba... Thump! Ba... Thump!
My heart drummed loudly inside my mind.
'This... is above Fourth Order.'
The moment the thought entered my mind, it refused to leave.
Thinking about everything that had happened to me so far, I was almost certain of it. This was the first time that something like this had occurred, and even now, I was completely and utterly confused by the situation.
Nothing made sense.
My memories.
My concept of time.
My everything...
All of it was messed up.
It was almost as if I was playing in the hands of something extremely sinister.
'Okay, calm down. Calm down.'
I tried to calm myself down. Having experienced many scenarios, I was more accustomed to situations such as these. But...
"S-shit."
Grabbing onto my shirt, I found myself unable to calm the trembling of my hand.
It had been a while since I'd feel such a deep sense of dread, and when I finally took in my surroundings, I realized I was standing in what looked like a library... or something close to it. The lighting was dim, barely enough to see, but the heavy, musty scent of old paper filled the air, confirming what my eyes were seeing.
Tall wooden bookshelves lined the walls, reaching all the way to the top, as a faint dripping sound continued to echo in the air.
Looking around, I saw numerous books.
Enough to number several thousands.
'Yes, this is a library.'
But at this point, a lingering doubt remained.
I no longer trusted anything that I saw or heard.
Clenching my teeth, I turned around. That was where I came from. Or at least, it should've been. But instead, all I saw was a brick wall.
"....."
I took a deep breath, forcefully trying to calm myself down.
'Let me check my surroundings to see if there's some sort of door that I can use to escape this place.'
At this point, I no longer cared about the mission.
I just had one goal.
And that was to escape this place.
'I should've never have accepted the mission in the first place.'
I thought I had been ready. I made so many preparations, but... Even after all of my preparations, I wasn't ready for this.
But just as I took a step forward—
CLANK!
A loud 'clank' echoed in the air.
".....!"
I flinched at the sudden noise, instinctively stepping back from where it came. When I turned toward the source, my eyes landed on something small and unassuming. It was a single book lying on the floor, its cover half-buried in the shadows.
The sight made me grow extremely apprehensive, nearly forcing me to take another step back, but it was also in that moment that I recalled something.
'Right! Luck Halo!'
I had consumed this right before appearing in this room.
The time limit was five minutes, and such time had yet to pass. All these strings of 'incidents' were most likely due to the Halo.
'...In that case, should I take the book?'
I only hesitated for a moment.
Knowing that this could be an opportunity, I walked towards the book and picked it up.
The moment my fingers brushed against the cover, I felt its texture. It didn't feel like cardboard; it was more like leather, but also a bit different. It was warm, a bit pliant, almost as if it had been breathing moments before I touched it.
My eyes lingered on the surface. There wasn't a title or a name, not even a trace of ink. Only a faint imprint pressed into the material, a circular mark fractured down the middle with jagged lines cutting through it.
The same symbol.
The... one that had been haunting me as of late.
I hesitated for a moment, standing completely still as my grip on the book tightened. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't stop myself. The curiosity, or perhaps something else entirely, guided my hand.
And soon—
Flip—
The pages turned.
At first, they were empty. The parchment was pale and smooth, but as I kept looking, faint lines began to rise beneath it. Letters formed slowly, bleeding through the fibers like veins surfacing under skin.
My breath caught, but my mouth opened.
"Index of the Forgotten."
Words spilled into the air.
The air shifted not long after, and the sound of my own voice came back distorted, like something was whispering it behind me a half-second later. For a split second, I nearly turned back, but my neck...
It wouldn't move at all!
".....!!"
The air felt heavier, thicker, and I could hear my own heartbeat echo faintly in my ears.
Flip—
The book turned another page on its own, the spine creaking like old wood.
===
[Subject:D-1]
Object: Cognitive Shard Test Theory
Overview: Controlled testing was conducted to observe physiological and psychological responses upon exposure to the Cognitive Shard.
Observations:
The subject exhibited a direct resonant response with the Shard. Preliminary data indicate a measurable correlation between the Shard's cognitive field and the induced dissonance generated during manual interference. This dissonance appears capable of triggering minor somatic and neurological alterations within the exposed individual.
Result:
Experiment terminated prematurely due to instability. The primary objective, controlled manipulation of the Shard's internal energy, was not achieved.
Conclusion:
Despite failure to sustain stable interaction, evidence supports the hypothesis that the Shard's contained energy can be harnessed to induce or generate localized anomalous phenomena. Further testing is recommended under enhanced containment protocols.
===
Reading the contents, I swallowed nervously.
'A report...? A data report? D-1?'
I quickly grasped the situation as my perspective on the book shifted.
This...
This right here was the experimental log of the cult regarding anomalies.
Flip! Flip!
[Project D-2]
[Project D-3]
I flipped one page after another.
Each project contained different descriptions. But with each description, I realized something.
'They're getting closer and closer to creating real anomalies.'
And then—
[Project D-13]
Object: Cognitive Shard Test Theory
Overview: To reproduce and stabilize the previously observed somatic alterations induced by the Cognitive Shard.
.
.
.
Conclusion: Experiment deemed a conditional success. Data confirms the feasibility of inducing controlled hybridization between organic matter and anomalous resonance fields. Further study required to assess long-term viability and containment compatibility.
An image appeared next to it.
It depicted a long figure, its body elongated, wearing a top hat and a sick smile.
'Twisted Man.'
My lips pressed tightly, my hand still moving to the next page.
Flip!
[Project D-14]
Flip!
[Project D-15]
I stopped at the last Project, my heart racing.
I knew what it symbolized.
But...
Object: Cognitive Shard Test Theory
Overview: To finalize the observed data and construction.
.
.
.
Conclusion: Experiment on hold pending review by the Ethics and Containment Oversight Committee. Estimated resumption date — Indefinite.
"....."
I swallowed nervously, staring at the data before my eyes.
I knew the reason for all of this.
It was all because of my actions. I was the reason why the experiment had been pushed back.
I licked my lips once more, forcing myself to calm down.
There was only one more page left, meaning that there was one more experiment.
After hesitating for a moment, I flipped to the next page.
[Project D-16]
The last project.
I grew curious about the data and brought the book closer to me so that I could read better.
But—
Object: Cognitive Shard Test Theory
Overview: The final test. To initiate a full synchronization event between Subject D-16 and the Cognitive Shard, overriding prior containment and stability restrictions.
Only two lines.
That was all it said.
Pausing, I brought the book closer to me to see if there was anything else, but there wasn't.
At least, not until a moment later.
Status:ACTIVE
Status...? Active?
I blinked my eyes in confusion, trying to grasp the situation.
But not a moment later, my expression froze.
Test: Undertaking.
11:47
The test has entered the facility. Subject is broadcasting. Movements steady, no signs of resistance.
11:50
Subject located the control room. Keycard acquired and verified. Access granted without delay.
11:59
The subject has entered containment. Visual feed steady. No interference detected.
12:00
Observation continues. No further input required.
.
.
.
12:27
Subject is reading experimental log.
"....."
"....."
"....."
The silence that stretched following the last words made my blood run cold. My hands, which had been steady a moment prior, began to shake as my breathing grew rougher and rougher.
But as if that wasn't bad enough—
12:28
The subject is experiencing emotional upheaval upon the discovery of the experimentation.
A new log manifested before my very eyes.
".....!"
Clank!
The book dropped from my hands.
"Where?!"
I hastily looked around, asking Mr. Jingles to see if there were any cameras looking, but regardless of where I looked, there didn't seem to be any cameras pointing at me.
This made my chest grow heavier.
H-ow...?
A series of questions floated through my mind.
D-16? That's... me?
'No, it can't be. It's impossible. It makes absolutely no sense. This is the cult trying to mess with me. It can't be!'
I started losing it, a constant ringing sound echoing through my mind.
Looking back down on the ground, I tried to reach for the book, but just as I bent down to pick it up...
"Akh!"
A sudden pain jolted me out of my thoughts.
The pain pierced my mind as I held onto my head, spit flying out of my mouth as my vision turned blurry and I stumbled my way across the room, holding onto the sides of the shelves, but the moment I touched one of the shelves, as though it was made out of paper, it suddenly started moving.
Rattle!
".....!"
By the time I realized what was happening, it was too late.
CLANK!
With a loud crash, the shelf fell and books spilled all over.
But that wasn't all.
CLANK! CLANK!
One shelf toppled into another, setting off a chain reaction as they collided one after another, collapsing before my eyes in a thunderous cascade.
I froze at the sight, aware of the chaos that had happened.
And it was also then that I was reminded of the side-effect of 'Luck Halo'.
"O-oh."
My chest trembled as I looked around me.
I could feel something shift in the surroundings, and without second thought, I rushed in the opposite direction from where I came from, trying my best to find a way out. As I left, I tried to look for the book, but the chaos that followed made it impossible for me to do so.
The only thing I could do was grit my teeth and leave.
But it was hard.
My mind still hurt, and my vision was blurry.
The lights were dim as well, making it extremely hard for me to see properly.
'Where should I go? What am I supposed to do?'
I could feel the place stirring to life.
Muffled groans and sounds filtered in all directions, most likely from those that had been startled by the noise, and I picked up my pace, dashing in all directions as I tried to navigate through the chaos.
And soon, a door appeared.
"A-ah."
The moment I saw it, I didn't hesitate.
I ran toward it with everything I had, my footsteps echoing sharply across the floor. The pain in my head flared up. It was sharp, and... unbearable, twisting my vision until the world warped around me.
The single door ahead blurred and split, shifting into three overlapping shapes that pulsed in and out of focus.
"Which...? W-which...?"
I didn't even know as I crashed into the wall, my hands pressing in all directions as I tried to feel for the knob.
At the same time, I started to hear whispers.
The voices echoed around me, distorted and overlapping, as if the air itself was trying to speak. I strained to listen, to catch even a single word, but the sounds twisted together into an unintelligible murmur.
The hair at the back of my neck rose, and soon—
Click!
I finally managed to find the doorknob, twisting it and opening the door.
".....!"
Without a second thought, I rushed out of the room.
But what greeted me on the other side of the door was darkness.
A complete and utter darkness that made me stop dead in my tracks.
'W-what...? Where is this...?'
I was struggling.
I couldn't think properly.
My emotions were a mess, and the pain in my head grew stronger by the second.
I didn't know what was going on, but it was making it impossible for me to think or analyze the situation properly.
And soon—
Flick!
Light flared into my vision, exposing a large room before my eyes.
"...!"
That was also the moment my mind blanked as a terrifying cold suddenly gripped me.
"Haaa... Haaa..."
Trembling, I hesitated. But eventually, I reached for my pocket and took out a certain flip phone, dialing a number.
The line answered a few rings after.
Click!
As usual, the line was silent.
But I knew.
I knew that someone was listening.
And eventually, I spoke, my voice trembling as I looked around me.
"E... verywhere."
Marked on the walls. To my right. To my left. On top.
Everywhere.
"E-eyes, everywhere."
Drawn in dark ink, the markings stretched across the walls in long, uneven lines.
The ink shimmered wetly, as if it had only just been laid down, a thick, oily scent hanging in the air. It ran in slow, deliberate drips down the walls.
Drip! Drip—!
"They're... looking at me from every direction. It's all I can see. I... don't know what's going on, but there's no way out for me. This is it for me."
Looking around, there was nothing.
The room was completely sealed from all sides.
Not a window or a door.
"One, two, three..."
I didn't know why, but I suddenly started counting.
"Nine, ten, eleven..."
I stared at each eye individually, feeling the throb in my mind growing increasingly painful.
"Thirty-one, thirty-two, thirty-three.."
The more I started to count, the more I started to feel a change in the surroundings.
Rattle! Rattle!
The room trembled, a deep vibration rolling through the floor and up my legs. The air grew heavier... colder, as if something was forcing its way in. But regardless of where I looked, I couldn't see a thing.
Still...
I was sure that something or someone was present. Watching me.
I started to shudder, a strong metallic scent filling the air.
And despite all of this—
"Fifty-four, fifty-five, fifty-six..."
I still found myself counting.
With every eye I counted, the presence in the room grew more prevalent, pressing closer... heavier, until it felt like the walls themselves were breathing.
I wanted to stop, but my mouth refused to listen to me.
I continued to count, each additional number seeming to grow in the sense of unease.
And soon—
"Sixty-eight, sixty-nine, seventy, seventy-one."
I stopped, reaching the final number.
71.
The surroundings turned completely silent.
"...."
It was in such silence that I heard it.
"Haaa..."
The soft sound of a breath as it brushed against the back of my neck, sending shivers down my entire body as I froze on the spot.
That was also the moment that images flashed inside my mind. The memories started to return to me, and my mind was suddenly brought back to the past.
During the final call, the hot breath ran down my neck.
'Who am I...?'
The voice whispered back then.
That time, I didn't have an answer.
But this time, I did.
The words flowed out of my mouth on their own.
"Dantalion."
The name escaped my lips once more.
It was as if something clicked inside my mind.
The haze that had previously taken over started to fade, and images once more flashed across my mind.
An old book.
Flip, Flip—
Hurried flip of the pages.
Drip!
A red droplet.
One that stained the pages.
And, soon—
'H-help... p-please.'
'I... don't want to do this anymore.'
'Please help me.'
A voice.
One that sounded desperate.
Rushed.
Or to be more precise, like... mine.
Drip! Drip!
Even more droplets fell, staining the pages red.
All sorts of symbols appeared, but eventually, the pages stopped at a certain page.
'Y-yes, yes...'
The voice grew frantic, excited.
And then—
Driiip!
More blood spilled on the book... A hand reaching for the blood, pushing the book to the side, and copying the symbol on the wooden table beneath.
The hand shook as it copied, even more blood spilling on the table.
But the hand didn't stop.
It continued to copy the symbol, and soon, the voice whispered, 'You... are my last hope. I beg you to save me from this suffering. I... beg and hope for you to save me. You are the only one who can grant me freedom. You...'
The hand paused, the last part of the symbol finally drawn.
'...Who seeks and values truth."
'Great Duke of Hell, Dantalion!'
RATTLE! RATTLE!
The surroundings shook.
Flip! Flip! Flip!
The pages flipped rapidly.
Cracks started to appear within the table, the symbol pulsing with life.
Voices started to whisper in the air.
They came from all directions, reaching for the one who had caused all of this.
And as all of this was going on, the head slowly raised.
A mirror appeared.
Within the reflection, a face stared back.
One devoid of a face.
Fwap!
The book suddenly closed, displaying a blank title.
One that glowed in the dim lights of the room.
[Ars Goetia]
The flashes ended there, and my blood froze.
Images replayed in my mind. Constantly. Over and over again.
But I didn't have time to dwell on them as a hot breath ran down my neck once more.
"Haa."
I suddenly started to shiver, my head flicking back.
But—
Greeting me were the same eyes... scattered across the walls, the floor, even the ceiling. But as I stared at them, a cold shiver crawled down my spine. They weren't like before. The surfaces they rested on seemed to pulse faintly, and within each glossy black center, something shifted.
They weren't looking at me.
They were...
'Looking somewhere else.'
The realization sank in slowly, like ice crawling up my spine. The eyes weren't fixated on my body, my face, or even my movements. They were looking somewhere else. Something that was present in the room.
"Haa..."
I exhaled shakily, taking a step back, but the moment I did, I felt something press against my back, halting me on the spot.
Ba... Thump! Ba... Thump!
I froze.
My heart thumping loudly within my mind.
A cold shiver ran down my spine as I took deep and steady breaths.
And soon, I turned around.
But—
"...."
Nothing.
Every wall around me quivered at my gaze, the carved eyes twitching as a low hum filled the room. It wasn't mechanical. It wasn't natural either. It was like hundreds of whispers had filled the room, each one speaking over another.
The air grew heavier, and the weight on my chest increased.
'Dantalion...'
The name still echoed faintly in my mind. It refused to leave my thoughts, whispering inside my mind like a broken record.
'Dantalion. Dantalion. Dantalion.'
The sound of it alone made my pulse quicken.
Yet, amidst all of this, the pain in my head started to surface once more.
It was far stronger than before, and my vision started to twist and turn before my very eyes. I didn't know what was happening, nor did I have the time to think about it.
'Dantalion. Dantalion. Dantalion. Dantalion. Dantalion. Dantalion. Dantalion. Dantalion. Dantalion. Dantalion. Dantalion. Dantalion. Dantalion. Dantalion. Dantalion. Dantalion.'
A single name whispered in my mind.
It was soft, and yet, it filled every corner of my mind.
I couldn't think or do anything.
'Dantalion. Dantalion. Dantalion. Dantalion. Dantalion. Dantalion.'
It felt suffocating.
It felt—
"Hail Dantalion."
"Hail Dantalion."
"Hail Dantalion."
"Hail Dantalion."
Huh...?
Blinking my eyes slowly, something changed.
The room I had been in was gone, erased as if it had never existed. In its place stood a vast chamber, dimly lit by dozens of candles flickering along the walls. Their flames bent and swayed as if breathing in rhythm with the air itself.
All around me, figures cloaked in white knelt low to the ground, their faces hidden beneath hoods.
"Hail Dantalion."
"Hail Dantalion."
Their voices rose and fell in a discordant chant, the same words repeated again and again, each one scraping against my ears like a whisper meant for something else listening in the dark.
"....."
I stared at it all in a daze, my heart calm as I struggled to make sense of what was before me.
What happened?
How did I end up over here?
What is going on?
I was calm despite the situation.
No, calm was the wrong word.
I was...
Out of it.
I understood everything that was going on, but at the same time, my mind was sluggish.
"Hail Dantalion."
"Hail Dantalion."
Dantalion...
That name.
Who was he...? Why were they chanting his name? Why were they kneeling before me? What was happening to me?
Slowly, my head turned to look at my surroundings.
As I did, a constant ringing sound echoed inside my mind.
It was loud, and it took over my entire mind.
"Hail Dantalion."
"Hail Dantalion."
"Hail Dantalion."
Besides the candles and the kneeling figures, a massive red circle stretched beneath me, its lines sharp and long, painted on the floor with fresh paint. I recognized it instantly. I'd seen it before, back then... with the Twisted Man.
Lifting my head, I let my gaze sweep over the room. The walls were lined with countless framed portraits, each one depicting a different face, men, women, children, hundreds of them, maybe more.
Their painted eyes seemed to follow the candlelight, glimmering faintly in the dark.
I even saw a picture of Mirelle.
"Seth..."
A voice suddenly spoke, and a woman dressed in pure white walked out from within the dim darkness.
Because of the dimness of the surroundings, it was hard to make out her features, but I could tell from just her voice that she was quite old.
But how did she know my name?
No...
It only made sense for her to know my name.
"It must've been hard on you."
I turned to face her direction, her wrinkles highlighted by the flickering lights of the candles.
"...You are the last of our works. The vessel perfected through fire and faith."
A cold hand pressed against my cheek, her smile warm as she looked at me.
"You are Dantalion."
She declared with certainty.
"One of the Seventy-Two, Duke of Knowledge, Keeper of the Veiled Mind."
The candles around the room flickered, the frames on the walls rattling.
A chilling cold spread across the entire room. One that made me feel as though I had been submerged in a dark abyss, sucking the very air out of my body.
"We have labored in your name, Great One."
The woman spoke while staring at me.
No...
Through me.
"The bodies we offered before were flawed. D-15 came close, but was unworthy. Now we bring you a vessel untainted, strong in flesh and spirit, bound by the Shard in their mind."
Rattle! Rattle!
The surroundings started to shake once more, the floor creaking as the presence within the room grew.
I stood on my feet, bound by something invisible, unable to move or react.
"We renounce all other Dukes, all other Kings. We kneel only to you, O Great Duke Dantalion, and seal our covenant in devotion and blood."
Her voice grew more hoarse, my mind filling with all sorts of whispers.
'Accept the devotion.'
'...Accept the prayers.'
'Accept the worship.'
"In return, bestow upon us your sight, your wisdom. Bring honor to our names, wealth to our kin, and dominion over what is to come, for we are yours... In mind, in soul, in eternity..."
RATTLE! RATTLE!
The room grew even more frantic, the frames rattling more and more.
And soon—
"....."
"....."
"....."
It all turned silent.
But only for a moment.
Not a moment later, the surroundings were filled with the same two words.
"Hail Dantalion."
"Hail Dantalion."
"Hail Dantalion."
"Hail Dantalion."
"Hail Dantalion."
"Hail Dantalion."
The voices thundered through the air, echoing off every wall.
"Hail Dantalion!"
"Hail Dantalion!"
Their cries multiplied, overlapping until the sound filled every corner of the room, an endless chant that seemed to crawl beneath Seth's skin, vibrating through his bones and thoughts.
Seth watched all of this in a daze, his thoughts sluggish.
But amidst the sluggishness, certain images continued to resurface in his mind.
'Ars Goetia?'
That was the name of the book in the memories.
But he had never read such a book in the past. In fact, he couldn't recall any of the things that he saw in the memories.
"Hail Dantalion!"
"Hail Dantalion!"
With the thunder of the voices, Seth's face started to distort.
Parts of his body began to tremble uncontrollably, a cold shudder running through his limbs as his thoughts grew dull and heavy. His mind felt thick and slow, as if it were being dragged down into something deep and suffocating.
The nodes in his mind started to churn, and something deep within them also started to turn.
Seth realized it rather quickly what it was.
His Cognitive Shard.
Something... was trying to take over.
His heart raced, but his thoughts were dull.
He could only stand in a daze, watching as the cultists continued to chant the same things, the frames on the walls rattling with their voices.
Amidst all of this, even more images began to appear.
A mirror.
A reflection stared back.
But with each blink, a new face would appear.
This persisted for a while, new faces showing up with each blink.
But eventually, the images ended.
Seth's breathing grew even more sluggish, his breath so heavy that he started to pant.
"Hail Dantalion!"
"Hail Dantalion!"
As the chants echoed on, the candle flames wavered violently, their light twisting across the walls. The air rippled, and the presence that lurked in the depths of the room swelled until it felt as though something vast was leaning closer, breathing just beyond the veil of sight.
Seth's heart started to beat faster, his face growing paler as his eyes focused on the old lady before him, as she slowly took out a mirror to show his face.
His heart sank the moment he looked.
His face...
It was gone.
There was nothing.
At least, for just a moment.
The moment he blinked, his face returned.
New images appeared in his mind.
Rattle! Rattle!
The room in the vision shook.
The pages of the book started to flip once more, turning faster by the second as though an invisible hand was rushing through the pages.
And then—
Fwap!
It stopped at a certain page.
[9 Kings]
[23 Dukes]
[7 Princes]
[21 Marquis]
[10 Earl]
[13 President]
[1 Knight]
The Unholy Trinity Rules above all.
The words written in the book glowed for a faint second, and for a moment, something resonated with Seth's mind.
In that moment, something became clear in his mind.
Information that he struggled to process moments prior suddenly became clear.
'D-16...'
That was the last and final project designed for the cult.
The perfect host, one of... 72 demons of the Ars Goetia. The 71st, to be exact.
And...
'Me'
No, to be more precise, the Seth of this world.
He was originally D-16.
The host of the one they worship.
Dantalion.
Ding!
A sudden notification flashed across Seth's vision.
[Who they worship!]
[Quest Completed]
[Calculating rewards...]
[Rewards calculated]
Ding—!
[Emblance Shard]
: Reverses the physiological impact of Cognitive Shard buildup in the host. Under specific conditions, the process may also regress the Shard into a fractured node.
The world appeared to come to a sudden standstill.
In that moment, Seth's eyes locked onto the description in front of him.
His previously dazed eyes regained some clarity as his gaze remained fixed on the description.
'Emblance Shard...? This is what an Emblance Shard does...?'
Suddenly, another thought came to his mind.
This Shard...
It was extremely 'convenient' for his current situation.
So convenient that he suddenly started to question the system again. For a moment, he had almost believed that the system was closely tied to the cult, but looking at the reward he had received, he started to doubt this.
Why would he get something like this if the system was related to the cult?
'But if it's not, then...?'
Seth's eyes squinted, and his breathing started to grow rougher.
Who did this system belong to?
Rattle! Rattle! Rattle!
Shaking Seth out of his thoughts was the loud shaking of the room.
His expression changed as he looked around.
"Hail Dantalion!!"
"Hail Dantalion!!!"
"Hail Dantalion!!"
"Hail Dantalion!!!"
The cultists continued to change, their voices rising. Louder this time, desperate and hoarse. One by one, their tones began to merge, forming a single, dreadful harmony that pulsed through the room.
RATTLE! RATTLE!
The rattling deepened, shaking the walls as if something monstrous was trying to force its way through.
Suddenly—
Cra Crack!
One of the cultists' heads snapped, their bodies falling limply onto the floor.
Thud!
"Hail Dantalion!!"
"Hail Dantalion!!!"
Nobody stopped; all eyes focused on Seth.
A tremor ran through the corpse. Then, slowly, its face began to cave in, twisting and shrinking until it vanished entirely, leaving behind only the pale blankness of skin.
That was also the moment the body stopped moving.
"Hail Dantalion!!"
"Hail Dantalion!!!"
The voices grew more rushed.
Faster!
"Hail Dantalion!"
Louder!
"Hail Dantalion!!"
Hoarser!
"Hail Dantalion!!"
Ba... Thump! Ba... Thump!
Seth's heart beat in rhythm with the chants.
Cra Crack!
Necks snapping, and bodies falling onto the floor.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
In a similar fashion to the first body, their bodies squirmed on the ground before their faces started to shrink, before disappearing.
Seth looked around, the scene leaving him breathless.
That was also the moment he started counting.
'One, two, three...'
He started to count the number of cultists in the room.
"Hail Dantalion!!"
'...Nine, ten, eleven.'
"Hail Dantalion!"
Their voices grew louder, but the number grew smaller.
RATTLE! RATTLE!
The room rattled more fiercely, and the heavy sense of dread only grew.
Something was coming.
It was approaching.
'...Seventeen, eighteen, twenty."
Thud!
As another body fell, he stopped counting.
He didn't need to count.
He already knew the answer.
There were still twenty people left in the room. Twenty of Seventy.
Seventy-one... If they included him.
He understood everything in that moment, the air fading out of his lungs.
But despite this, a sudden calm took over his body.
"Hail Dantalion!"
"Hail Dantalion!"
"Hail Dantalion!"
The chants grew louder, rising into shrill screams as the number of cultists began to dwindle. The rattling intensified with every cry, bodies collapsing one after another. Through it all, Seth watched in silence.
He did not speak.
He did not move.
"Hail Dantalion!"
RATTLE! RATTLE!
The presence in the room grew heavier, spreading like a suffocating weight that pressed from every direction. The air itself seemed to tremble beneath it. As the pressure deepened, the cultists began to shake, their bodies quivering with a dreadful, feverish excitement.
It was... almost here.
Twitch!
Seth's head twitched.
He could feel the Shard in his head pulsing like a heartbeat.
Twitch! Twitch!
Something was trying to invade his mind.
'Dantalion! Dantalion! Dantalion! Dantalion! Dantalion!'
Voices.
Whispers.
They invaded his mind in droves.
'Who are you...?'
'Dantalion! Dantalion! Dantalion!'
But it was also in that moment that he felt his nodes again.
Seth's mind cleared in that moment.
...And soon, a black shadow appeared next to him.
The Realmwalker held its hands forward, exposing several fragments.
Forty in total.
For this moment, Seth had prepared.
In case the situation turned for the worse, he was prepared.
He didn't hide them in his back, but had his anomalies keep the fragments.
'Are you sure about this...?'
A voice whispered in his head, louder than the constant whispers within it.
'...The moment you take them, you'll turn. There's no way back.'
The voice continued to whisper.
"Hail Dantalion!"
"Hail Dantalion!"
But staring around him, Seth understood he didn't have any other options.
And so—
"Yes."
Seth reached for the fragments, his actions causing the cultists to raise their heads, finally.
"Hail—What are you doing? How is...!?"
"Hail Dan...Ah?!"
"What's this?!"
But it was too late.
[Forty fragments have been located!]
[You have met the criteria to advance]
[The purity level is 82.3%]
[Do you wish to advance?]
▶ [Yes] ▷ [No]
Pain.
The moment Seth absorbed the fragments, he felt an immediate pain.
It was sharp and stronger than anything he had ever felt before.
For a moment, his mind blanked, and darkness took over his mind. But amidst the darkness, he realized something else. His Cognitive Shard... It was pulsing and squirming wildly, wrestling control back from the external force that was trying to dig its claw into it.
He didn't fully understand what was going on, but he knew that this was better than whatever had been happening to him.
RATTLE! RATTLE!
The room shook more fiercely.
"Stop...!"
"What have you done?!"
The shrieks of the cultists echoed loudly within the room, each one more panicked than the other.
Seth stared at the woman in front of him, her face aghast.
And yet, for some reason, his lips curled.
And soon—
"He... he..."
He began to chuckle.
It was soft at first, almost inaudible amidst the rattling.
But it didn't take long before the chuckles grew louder.
"Hehehe."
They started to fill the entire room, drowning out the rattling across the room as Seth's eyes started to darken.
The Cognitive Shard in his mind started to swell.
Like a heart, it started to pulse.
Ba... Thump! Ba... Thump!
With each beat of the shard, Seth's expression grew more and more twisted, his eyes darkening with each passing second as the laugh that escaped his lips grew more and more erratic.
RATTLE! RATTLE!
The room shook even more fiercely, but this time...
This time, everyone was clear as to who was causing the rattling.
"Hehehehehehe."
The laugh grew even more pronounced, an invisible pressure coming out of Seth's body as his eyes darkened to the point where they became almost entirely dark. His face began to pale considerably, and a strange pressure started to emanate from his body.
The sight made the cultists pause, their expression turning from shock to horror.
This sight...
"He's turning!"
"...He's turning!!"
They were all familiar with this process.
Through countless experiments, they had come to understand the phenomenon known as the Turning. It was the moment when the Cognitive Shard reached a state of oversaturation, when its influence exceeded what the human mind could contain.
From that point on, the subject would begin to change, piece by piece, as their body and consciousness warped into something no longer entirely human.
That was the moment they'd turn into an anomaly.
Of course, there were other factors that contributed to this change. Not everyone who had a Cognitive Shard could turn.
It depended on the Cognitive Shard in their mind.
On rare occasions, they'd turn into a powerful anomaly.
However, it never reached the point of concern.
That was until today.
On this day, D-16, the perfect vessel began to turn.
The pressure emitting from its body started to shroud the entire room, suffocating everyone within it as they could only watch in horror as its body started to change, its face paling and its eyes darkening.
"He... he... he."
But it was the laugh that sent chills down their entire bodies.
From the moment the laugh began, they all felt something stir within their minds.
It made them feel numb.
It made whatever action they thought of doing to stop him from turning come to a grounding halt.
They started to recall things of the past.
Memories that they had long forgotten.
"Haa... Haa..."
Breaths turned ragged.
Faces paled.
RATTLE! RATTLE!
The room shook even more fiercely, the entity hidden within the room trying to wrestle control of Seth's shard.
But it was too late.
"Heeee! He! Heee...!"
Seth had already lost control over his body.
All he could do was laugh.
But amidst the laughter, a figure appeared before him.
It stood straight, its presence overwhelming everyone within the room as the stitches on its face began to stretch, its eyes fixed on Seth.
None of the cultists moved.
Under the weight of the figure's presence, they couldn't move at all.
'A... No, almost S...'
They could feel the true weight of the figure standing before Seth.
And yet—
'It's being overwhelmed.'
The pressure coming out of Seth's body was greater.
More terrifying.
More... Sinister.
"...This is beyond my imagination."
A cold shudder began to run down its body as it continued to stare at Seth.
From the moment Seth began to turn, the Conductor felt its old strength return.
No, it was climbing steadily.
From 'A' to 'S'.
The Conductor could feel its body reaching realms it had never reached before.
The same was for Mirelle, Mr. Jingles, and the Realmwalker as they all appeared beside the Conductor.
RATTLE! RATTLE!
And yet, their combined presence was like nothing compared to Seth's.
In that moment, he was becoming a completely different entity.
One strong enough to make the Conductor shudder.
Nobody knew when, but Seth soon began to stop laughing, his expression calming down as the rattling across the room started to stop.
For a brief moment, the surroundings turned silent.
All eyes fell on Seth.
The cultists.
The Conductor.
Mirelle.
Mr. Jingles.
The Realmwalker.
The frames on the wall.
All eyes were on him.
And amidst all of this, the Conductor slowly began to move, taking out a blank mask.
"...Here."
As he did, he knelt down on the ground.
Thud!
The Realmwalker followed.
Thud!
Mr. Jingles followed.
Thud.
Mirelle followed.
All anomalies bowed at once as Seth reached with his hand, taking the mask from the Conductor's hands and slowly placing it to his face.
The moment he placed the mask on his face, the mask squirmed.
It began to morph, turning into that of a Jester, only for it to change a moment later. A clown? A King? A Harlequin.
The mask continued to change, settling into different faces.
But none of them stuck.
The only thing that did was the obsidian pair of eyes that stared beneath.
Blinking slowly, they turned towards the cultist woman.
She stood still, staring at him with wide eyes. Her aged features shone slightly beneath the faint flickering of the candles.
"....."
"....."
Neither talked.
But soon—
Cra Crack!
Her head started to squirm, and turn as a large smile began to form on her features.
A sinister voice came out of her mouth a moment later.
"...How unexpected."
The surroundings turned deathly still.
"How very unexpected."
Ding!
A chime rang before Seth's features a moment later.
[Continuation Quest Activated!]
• Difficulty: N/A
• Reward: End of Trial Period
• Objective: Escape!
• Location: N/A
Description: The Cognitive Shard is erratic! Power unlike you've ever felt before is churning in your mind, but your body is changing alongside it. The damage is starting to become irreversible! Dantalion has noticed and will soon claim your body! Escape before it's too late!
Time Limit: 1 hour
It wasn't known whether he acknowledged the mission.
He merely gave it a cursory glance before shifting his attention back to the lady.
As he did, the only lady's smile grew wider as her features started to age further.
In that moment, time seemed to stop.
Tik, Tik—
[00: 59: 58]
The room was silent.
Neither party moved.
A pair of black eyes fixed on the figure before him, her smile stretching unnaturally across her face as bodies continued to collapse beside them.
Thud! Thud!
Thirteen, twelve, eleven..
The number of cultists in the room started to dwindle with each passing second, the old woman's smile stretching further and further. The pressure emanating from her body also increased as Seth's black eyes remained fixed on her.
And eventually—
Thud!
The last cultist fell, their face squirming before fading.
"....."
A heavy silence pressed across the room, the flames from the candles flickering.
The silence pressed on until the old lady's lips parted.
"....Oh? What an interesting quest. You've got about an hour to escape?"
The voice was hoarse, but the moment the words came out of its mouth, the tension lingering across the room heightened.
"Hmm."
The smile on the old lady twisted further.
"What a curious construct, this system of yours. It doesn't appear familiar. So... was this body once D-16's, I wonder? It also appears that you're aware of how you're wearing a shell of a body that doesn't belong to you. How exquisite... your thoughts."
Secrets and details that Seth had never spoken about began to spill out from the woman's mouth.
It was as if she could see right through him.
No...
She could see right through him.
"This... system, as you call it. Curious. You seem as ignorant of its nature as I. How strange... Its essence is unfamiliar even to me. It is not of my design, nor does its power bear my mark. Peculiar... profoundly peculiar."
Blinking slowly, the old lady's face warped.
In just the blink of an eye, she turned from an old lady to an old man.
The voice changed alongside the change.
"Hmm... it is true. You are not of this world. And yet... could other worlds truly exist? No. No, that should not be possible. I am certain of it. Which means... There is something I have not seen. Something else
at work here. I am also certain your memories have not been altered or changed."
As if something suddenly struck his mind, the smile on the old man's face turned incredibly twisted as he looked at Seth.
"Yes... that is the only explanation. It must be so. There can be no other cause. How else could such a thing occur?"
"....."
The entire time, Seth remained quiet.
His dark eyes remained still as he listened to the old man.
At the same time, a lot of things started to make sense in his mind as he thought back to all the occurrences in the past. The strange coincidences, the number '71', and what had been happening while trying to get into the cult.
All of it was due to 'Dantalion', the 71st Demon of the Ars Goetia, and one of the Dukes of Hell. The Demon with many faces, and the one whose knowledge surpassed all. It was no wonder it could read Seth's mind.
There was nothing that one could hide from 'Dantalion'.
"It appears that you know about me."
"....."
Seth didn't react as Dantalion appeared a few inches from his face, studying Seth's expression carefully.
"Ah... this makes matters most intriguing. Few among mortals are even faintly aware of our kind. We have long veiled our existence beneath shadows and silence, invisible yet ever present. And yet you, standing before me, bear knowledge that should not be yours. How curious... how deliciously interesting."
Cra Crack!
A cracking sound resounded as the old man's neck tilted, his eyes still focused on Seth.
A shift began to occur in that moment as the pressure emanating from the old man's body intensified, causing the surroundings to rattle more than before.
Seth remained standing still.
His mind was calm. Utterly calm.
But at the same time, the entire world felt foreign to him.
He didn't even know if he was breathing.
All he could feel was an unbelievable amount of power as the insides of his body started to squirm while the Cognitive Shard in his mind grew more and more in size. He could tell that the more it grew, the more dangerous it became for him.
RATTLE! RATTLE!
The surroundings shook, the elderly man's face changing once more.
At the same time this happened, Seth felt something squirm inside his body. The Cognitive Shard that was expanding in his mind expanded even faster, and the timer before his eyes started ticking down faster.
Tik, Tik—
[00: 49: 31]
Despite this, Seth didn't show any reaction.
He couldn't show any reaction.
He was incapable of doing so.
Instead, he looked at the Conductor, Mr. Jingles, Mirelle, and the Realmwalker.
In that moment, it was almost as if he was connected with them.
RATTLE!
The room shook further, the bodies on the floor squirming once more before slowly beginning to stand.
With no faces, they all moved robotically, helping themselves to their feet.
'Stop resisting.'
'Stop... let the Cognitive Shard take over.'
'The moment you let go, you will be able to return to where you belong.'
'There's no need to fight it.'
Voices continued to whisper in his mind.
They grew in volume with each second that passed, drowning his thoughts away.
Tik, Tik—
[00: 43: 22]
The time flashed down rapidly.
In just half a minute, it had already lost more than five minutes.
'Take the Emblance Shard.'
'...Make the pain stop.'
'Make all of this end. This isn't your world.'
The voices continued as the time went down, a sharp pain invading Seth's mind as the Cognitive Shard enlarged further and further.
Blood began to seep from every one of Seth's orifices, his nose, his ears, the corners of his eyes, trickling down in thin, dark lines. It streaked across the smooth surface of the mask he wore, staining it crimson and giving the blank face an almost grotesque semblance of expression.
Tik, Tik—
[00: 27: 19]
The time was shooting down rapidly.
More than half a minute passed in less than half a minute.
The old man's face turned into that of a young woman with long black hair and smooth features. Staring at Seth, she smiled.
"You should take the Shard now, before the moment passes. Once the threshold closes, even I may not be able to draw you back. And I would rather not see you lost beyond return. The body still has some uses for me, after all."
But—
"....."
Seth remained quiet.
He just stared at the lady in front of him with his dark, stained eyes.
Tik, Tik—
[00: 13: 55]
Time jumped more.
Seth's features beneath the mask remained the same, albeit the mask was now covered in streaks of red as his body started to tremble.
The power in his body had started to grow erratic.
It had been calm a moment ago, but that was no longer the case.
The power that was enough to make the Conductor feel shivers started to increase once more, causing it to raise its head.
Mirelle, Mr. Jingles, and the Realmwalker did the same.
They all raised their heads to look at Seth.
Even Dantalion could no longer ignore the power that was coming out of Seth's body, its features contorting into a frown.
But just before it could react—
Tik, Tik—
[00: 01: 07]
Seth raised his hand.
The numerous cultists around him came to a direct stop.
At the same time, their heads slowly turned in Dantalion's direction.
"You've taken control of them...?"
Seth quietly nodded, a faint laugh escaping his lips.
But it wasn't a laugh out of amusement, nor was it a laugh out of happiness.
It was a laugh that sent chills down one's body as, not a moment later, a hoarse voice emerged from Seth's lips, "I see no reason why no anomaly can't bind to my command."
Dantalion's expression changed, but it was too late.
RUMBLE! RUMBLE!
Suddenly, the surroundings shook.
The Cognitive Shard in Seth's mind expanded, and soon—
BANG!
An explosion rang out.
The surroundings crumbled.
[00: 00: 00]
On that day, a gate appeared.
The final rank...
[SS]
-x-X-x-
Contrary to what Seth believed, the stream never started.
—What's going on? He said that he was going to start a stream an hour ago. Why is nothing happening?
—Did he forget...?
—I don't think he forgot. I tried to @ him a couple of times, but I've yet to receive a response. I think there's something wrong with the stream. Maybe some technical problems?
—How strange? Where did he say he would host the stream?
—Not sure, he hasn't said.
—Did he not? I thought he did.
—I'm pretty sure he didn't. Even Jamie isn't answering. I suppose they must've encountered technical problems.
Everyone had been waiting for some time for the stream to start. When they realized that nothing was streaming despite waiting for so long, everyone started to wonder if there were some issues on Seth's side.
—Ah, I was looking forward to it.
—...This bastard did this intentionally to promote his game.
—Yeah, he's obviously doing it on purpose.
With the delay came the hate.
None of them went easy on Seth, insulting him in every way possible.
Severed Star Guild.
"...Hey."
Zoey looked at Kyle.
"Hey..."
She called him a couple of times, only getting his attention after a few seconds as he pulled the earphones out of his ears.
"What is it?"
"Did something happen to Seth?"
"Seth...?" Kyle blinked slowly before his face turned weird as he looked at Zoey.
"Why are you asking me about him again? What's—"
"Here."
Zoey promptly cut him off, showing him her phone. On the screen, a series of comments appeared.
They were all the hate comments Seth was receiving.
Kyle's brows rose at the sight.
"What the hell did he do this time?"
He didn't even look shocked. He just naturally accepted the situation, immediately putting the blame on Seth.
And...
"It's a long story, but if I have to summarize it, he liked one of the comments that made it seem like he was the one responsible for the Night of Terror. Now, all the viewers are hounding him for an answer as he said he was going to host a stream, but never showed up."
"...Oh."
Kyle took a slow sip of the coffee beside him, his brows knitting together as he turned the cup in his hand. The label read "Kyle Special."
"How strange," he muttered under his breath. "It feels... weaker than usual."
"...."
"Ah? Sorry...? You were saying?"
Feeling the look Zoey was giving him, Kyle looked back up to her. Then, as if his mind finally processed her words, his brows furrowed tightly once more.
"Wait, how do you know all of thi—"
Flick! Flick! Flick!
Suddenly, the lights of the Containment Department turned off.
Not just the office.
Every single piece of electronics was turned off.
"Ah?"
"What's going on?"
"A power outage?"
Everyone within the Department stood up, looking up in confusion. But soon, everyone realized that something was wrong as none of their phones or devices were working.
"What's going on?"
Very quickly, everyone realized that the situation wasn't simple.
Kyle and Zoey exchanged glances while turning their attention towards the Section Chief's office as he walked out a moment later, his expression extremely serious. Unlike them, he seemed to have a subtle idea of what was going on as his gaze was directed towards a certain direction.
He didn't say anything, but the grimness in his expression displayed just how serious the situation was.
And not a moment later—
"Everyone, get ready."
The Section Chief's heavy voice rolled through the room, sinking into every corner.
"...I don't know what's going on, but I need you all to get ready."
He brought his hand to his shirt, clenching it tightly.
"This might very well be our last day."
*
The blackout didn't just affect the Severed Star Guild.
It affected every household on the island. In just a matter of seconds, five million people lost access to all electricity. The island was plunged into a total blackout.
Thankfully, since it was still daytime, the island wasn't plunged into complete darkness. Even so, the sudden loss of power brought everything to a halt. Major corporations froze mid-operation, communication lines went dead, and transportation, including most cars, shut down entirely.
"What is happening...?"
"Help!!"
"Someone...! What is going on!?"
Panic began to spread amongst the citizens.
Nobody knew or understood what was going on, but it wasn't until 'it' happened that true panic began to spread.
RUMBLE!
The island...
It shook!
"Haaaaak!"
"Hyeeek!"
Screams filled the streets, echoing off buildings as people stumbled and fell in their panic. It didn't matter whether it was Zone 1 or Zone 9; every corner of the island was swallowed by the same rising chaos, a wave of fear spreading through all the Zones without exception.
"Everyone, please calm down!"
"Calm down!"
The police and the Guilds immediately executed emergency procedures, trying their best to quell the chaos that had spread through every corner of the island.
"There's no need to panic!"
"Please calm down! We will try our best to keep you all safe!"
Despite saying this, none of them truly believed their own words. They exchanged uneasy looks, fear and confusion plain on their faces, while a heavy sense of dread settled over their hearts.
But just as the fear was starting to consume the minds of every single person—
Flick! Flick! Flick!
The lights started to return.
BEEP! BEEP!
The cars began beeping in a steady, unnatural sequence, one after another. Street lamps flickered to life, casting harsh light across the chaos. Phones all around started ringing nonstop, their overlapping tones forming a dissonant chorus that filled the air.
"It's back! The electricity is back!"
"My phone is back!"
"Yes! It's back!"
Even the island started to settle down.
For just a moment, calm started to return to the island, the members of the bureau and the Guilds taking the moment to take a deep breath.
But that sense of calm merely lasted a minute.
It didn't take long for the top executives of the Guilds to realize something.
—Gone! They're completely gone!
"Huh? What are you talking about? Speak calmly! I can't understand you very well."
—The anomalies that we've contained! All of them...! They are gone!
The same sort of call occurred within each Guild.
At the moment the blackout struck, every contained anomaly vanished without a trace; gone so completely it was as if they had never existed at all. These weren't minor cases either; anomalies of every rank, from the lowest to the most dangerous, disappeared.
The realization hit like a tidal wave, plunging the entire island into immediate crisis.
"Call the Bureau!"
"Immediately inform the Bureau! Place this as a nationwide emergency!"
"Quick! Quick!"
All the Guilds rushed to report their findings to the Bureau, each one sending urgent messages, calls, and incomplete data as fast as they could. For the first time in a long while, the Guilds set aside their rivalries and began working together, forced into cooperation by the sheer scale of the crisis unfolding around them.
"Yes! Yes...! Gone! They're completely gone! We don't know what is happening!"
"Please send help. Send—"
RUMBLE! RUMBLE!
A loud rumbling echoed once more, the entire island shaking as a result.
Screams echoed throughout the entire island as panic settled once again.
When it all settled down, all eyes fell in a certain direction.
Nobody understood why, but everyone had turned toward the exact same direction, as if drawn by an instinct none of them could explain.
When the authorities finally reached the origin point of the chaos, they found it to be located at a certain abandoned factory.
The moment they investigated the matter, they found a gate.
An Anomalous-Type Gate.
That day,
Malovia Island was evacuated.
The world turned its attention to the Gate.
And soon, a value was revealed.
[SS]
The world shook.
-x-X-x-
Breaking — [Malovia Island has been shut down. All citizens have been evacuated. The BUA has issued an official alert, demanding that all Guilds around the world pay attention to the matter. Not much else has been revealed about the Gate.]
Breaking — [Kermite Class? The world questions the incidents that have occurred at Malovia Island. What is going on? And can we survive this?]
Breaking — [In an unprecedented move, the BUA has issued its first global alert in years, prompting immediate responses from international Guilds across all regions. Officials confirm that every major Guild has been formally summoned, heightening concerns within the global community. As uncertainty grows, the world now waits anxiously for further developments, unsure of what this unfolding incident may bring.]
One day had passed since the gate appeared.
In just one day, the entire island was evacuated. Alongside it, the BUA issued a global warning, prompting the entire shutdown of the island and the immediate assistance of all international Guilds.
Malovia Island — BUA Branch.
"Thank you all for coming."
A man dressed in a pristine, dark suit and with a large frame stood before a large oval table, where a large projector appeared behind it. Seated on the oval table were all the top Guild executives from Malovia Island.
This included the Guild Master of the Severed Stars Guild and the Guild Masters of the other King Grade Guilds.
"We've already issued a global warning, and the Guilds from the main island will be coming in the following hours. As many of you understand, we're not dealing with something minor. The initial recordings of the gate's energy have been released, and the levels are suggested to be at around..." The man paused, his tone turning graver as his gaze swept across every member of the room. "The gate's rank has been measured to be at around SS rank, and it's still steadily climbing. I'm afraid we're going to be handling a Kermite-Class Anomaly."
The atmosphere in the room immediately turned tense. It was as if the very air had been sucked out of the room, with the faces of many turning grave.
Sigil, Elcid, Melas, Thrall, and Kermite.
This was the official classification that ranked anomalies.
In the rankings, Kermite was the last class and considered the most dangerous. It implied that whatever they were dealing with was at a level that posed a threat to the entire world. There were not many Kermite-Class ships in the world, but whenever one appeared, the consequences were catastrophic.
Even the Conductor, the anomaly that had appeared not long ago, was only Thrall-Class.
This indicated just how terrifying a Kermite was.
"The incoming Guilds will be arriving with their full personnel. The island will be overwhelmed soon, so I expect all of you to receive them properly and brief them without delay. We cannot afford even a moment of hesitation. We still have no certainty about how long the gate will remain stable."
Tapping his fingers against the table, the agent pressed his lips into a thin line.
He froze mid-motion as a faint signal reached his earpiece, lifting a hand to listen. After a tense moment, he gave a clipped nod and raised his gaze to the others, his expression darkening.
"Scouts of the Highest Order have already been dispatched to assess the situation, and I need every one of you to prepare for the inevitable descent. Select only the strongest your Guild has to offer. If you send anyone less... I fear you will be sending them to their deaths."
The room turned silent following his words.
Nobody made a single sound, their attention fixed on the agent.
They were all aware of how serious the matter was, and as such, didn't deny his words.
"Mhm. Okay."
With his hand pressed against his ear, the Agent looked at all the Guild Masters.
"The delegates from the other Guilds are here. Let's go and welcome them. This is going to be a long couple of days."
The meeting was soon dismissed.
*
Over the next few days, an increasing number of people began to arrive on the island. Guild Masters of all major Guilds made their way onto the island, taking their time to observe the Gate and delegating some orders to their Guilds back on the island.
The BUA was also busy handling other matters.
There was not a single moment of rest for anyone.
Severed Stars Guild.
"Has anyone found the whereabouts of Seth?" Kyle asked, checking his phone and seeing the multiple strings of messages that he had sent to Seth.
He was starting to get really worried.
"I haven't gotten anything either."
Joanna stood before Kyle, her phone out as she also sent him a series of different messages. However, regardless of how many she sent, she didn't receive a single message back. When she looked towards the other members, they also shook their heads.
"It's as if he's completely disappeared."
Kyle's expression turned grim as he looked at his phone once more. He tried calling, but when he received the 'Sorry, the number you've dialed cannot be reached' message, he could only close the call before leaning back in his chair while biting his nails.
He was really starting to worry.
"You've found nothing?"
Joining them, Zoey looked at Kyle. He shook his head, prompting her to frown deeply.
"...Why did he disappear all of a sudden? This is quite rare for him. Do you think that something has happened to him? Maybe during the—"
"I don't know."
Kyle cut her off, not wanting to even think about it.
Despite his best attempts at trying to remain calm, he was actually starting to panic.
Where was Seth?
What was he doing?
Why did he suddenly disappear? Why couldn't he reach him?
The more questions Kyle had, the heavier his chest became.
And just when the first signs of anxiousness were starting to show on his body, a certain voice boomed across the surroundings.
"I'd like everyone's attention!"
Immediately, all eyes focused on the Section Chief as he walked out of his office, holding onto a tablet.
"I will now announce the names of the people who will be participating in the game. For very clear reasons, not everyone will be able to participate. Only the top elites of our Guild will participate. Now then..."
Clearing his throat, the Section Chief began listing down the names.
"Zayne Tiffon."
"Cassandra Tales."
.
.
"Zoey Terline."
.
.
One by one, names began to be called. Everyone was familiar with the names that were being called, from Zoey to Kyle to Clara. All the top elites of the Guild were being called.
The list wasn't very long, with the Section Chief soon reaching the end.
But as he did, his brows furrowed.
This sort of reaction caused the room to pause, all eyes falling on the Section Chief.
"Why is he frowning?"
"Is there something wrong with the list?"
But soon, the Section Chief spoke.
The last name that came out of his mouth made the room pause.
"Seth Thorne."
And not a moment later, a figure walked into the room.
The instant he appeared, the room stilled. Kyle and Zoey felt the air tighten around them, pulled toward that void-like presence as his cold, obsidian eyes swept the space with unsettling calm.
Seth...?
"Where the hell were you, Seth? You didn't answer your phone at all. I was worried that something could've happened to you!"
Kyle was the first one to approach Seth.
Phone in hand, he flipped it over to show his phone log. There were over thirty phone calls in the past hour alone.
Staring at it, Seth paused.
"....."
He didn't say anything, his dark eyes staring at the screen before he nodded in acknowledgment.
"....I'm fine."
His response was rather lukewarm.
This made Kyle frown, realizing that something was a little off with Seth. From his demeanor to the way he carried himself... It didn't quite seem like Seth was okay.
He was just about to ask about it when, all of a sudden, several other voices cut in at once.
"Squad Leader!"
"...Squad Leader! Where have you been!?"
"Are you done with your game? I couldn't get in contact with you."
The members of Seth's squad closed in around him from all sides, bombarding him with questions before he could even process what was happening. Seth stood in the center, silent and unmoving, while their voices overlapped in a frantic chirp around him.
Kyle could only stare at the scene with a frown, feeling that there was still something off with Seth.
Thankfully for Seth, the Section Chief spoke a moment later.
"For those who have been called, please follow me. I will escort you personally to the designated gate. All Team Leaders are required to attend as well. Except for Team Leader Soran, who will remain here to oversee the Guild."
"Ah...?"
Leaning against one of the white pillars of the room, Soran looked at the Section Chief with a baffled look, taking out the toothpick from her mouth and flicking it towards a nearby member.
"Ow!"
"What do you mean except me?"
"I'm sure you understand this better than anyone. You've only just come back from the hospital after your treatment. You're in no condition to participate in the gate. No matter how sharp your mind is, your body won't be able to keep up, and you'll only become a burden because of your current state. You have to stay here."
"But—"
"No."
"Tsk."
The exchange ended with the Team Leader clicking her tongue.
Everyone looked at her with sympathy. By now, everyone knew the Team Leader's circumstances. No one doubted her talent, not even for a moment. Among everyone present, she was likely the most gifted member the Guild had ever produced. If not for her injury, her name would've probably risen to the top of the world rankings by now.
Due to her injury, she was unable to use her nodes.
She also had to travel often to the Central Island in order to treat the fractures in her node. The process was slow, bringing her out of the Guilds for weeks to months. For this reason, it was impossible for her to participate in the raid.
Soran understood this as well, and as such, she could only click her tongue to show her displeasure while mumbling, 'I should've delayed the treatment for another month. Fucking... idiot.'
The Section Chief ignored her mumbles and urged everyone to follow him.
"Let's go. We don't have much time. The situation is turning more and more serious with each passing minute."
He turned around and left a moment later.
Seth, Kyle, Zoey, and everyone else who had been called followed the Section Chief out of the Department.
The air grew tense as they moved, all eyes falling on them.
In that moment, everyone memorized the faces of those who were leaving.
Because—
This could very well be the last moment they saw them.
***
What was it like to be an anomaly?
Seth had been asking himself this question from the moment he found out about the past of the Conductor and how humans could turn into anomalies.
Were all anomalies humans...? Or was there more to it?
Did anomalies feel emotions? What did they see? Were they just programmed to complete their last wishes?
These had been questions that Seth had continuously asked himself in the past.
However, despite asking the Conductor, he received no answers.
The same was for Mirelle.
Nobody could give him an answer.
It was almost as if they didn't know how to answer.
But now...?
Seth had finally caught a glimpse of the answers.
Cold.
That's how he'd describe how he felt.
Numb.
That's how he'd describe his state of mind.
Isolated.
That's how he'd describe his existence.
He was both there and yet not. He didn't feel any connection with the world, and as the cold pressed on, he realized that the world before his eyes was very different.
It was dark.
Pure dark.
However, amidst the darkness, he felt speckles of light scattered in all directions.
He also felt the power he had never felt in the past.
A power so strong that it threatened to consume him at every single second.
No...
It was already consuming him.
"....."
Raising his hand, Seth reached for the speckles of light. He didn't know what he was doing, but it was almost as if his inner instincts had taken over.
From the moment he raised his hand and reached for the speckles of light, the pieces faded from his view. A faint throb reached his mind a moment later as something stirred within his chest.
Seth didn't know what was happening, but he was in no state to care.
He continued to look around, reaching for more and more speckles. Each time he locked onto one, it would fade from his vision.
They were all similar to some extent, with some being brighter than others.
Those became a lot harder for him to consume.
The pain that came with the absorption was even greater.
However—
"...."
Seth didn't care.
He just consumed each speckle.
His instincts had completely taken over, and all he could see was the darkness around him.
He didn't even know he was still standing on the same spot he had been in the past, his eyes closed.
Mirelle, the Conductor, Mr. Jingles, the Realmwalker, and the vessel for Dantalion were all staring at him.
Nobody moved.
Nobody dared to move.
But this was only for a moment.
Realizing that this was the perfect opportunity for him to take over, Dantalion took a step forward.
His lips cracked into a smile.
This was the perfect change for him.
So long as he—
RUMBLE! RUMBLE!
The surroundings shook fiercely.
Mirelle, Mr.Jingles, the Conductor, and the Realmwalker all faded from sight a moment later, leaving Dantalion alone.
His feet came to a pause.
Cra Crack!
His face changed once more, turning into that of a young child.
He didn't look particularly fazed by what was happening.
In the end—
RUMBLE! RUMBLE!
He could only watch as the surroundings around him started to crumble.
The vessel shook its head, the smile cracking on its face.
"I knew it... You are indeed the perfect Vessel. It would be such a waste for you to ruin such a good body. Let me take over inst—"
Seth's eyes opened, revealing a pair of inky dark eyes that seemed to consume the very light from the surroundings.
As he quietly scanned the surroundings, his face turned paler.
Blood started to leak out from every orifice.
His Cognitive Shard pulsed with even greater intensity, growing increasingly out of control. The power emitted from his body grew as a result.
Dantalion's expression changed.
"What are you doing?"
There were subtle hints of panic in his voice.
Not out of fear, but something else...
"What are you trying to do?"
Anxiousness.
"The body is going to shred completely if you—"
Dantalion couldn't afford to lose this body. It was the perfect body for him. If he lost the body, then it would make it impossible for him to ascend.
But it was too late.
Before Dantalion could get his words out, Seth raised his hand.
The moment he did, a black fog appeared.
It consumed his entire body.
"No!"
Not even a moment later, the surroundings changed completely, turning into a massive office.
Click! Click! Click!
The repetitive sound of keys echoed a moment later.
At that moment, the surroundings warped as a gate appeared.
People began to enter a moment later.
-x-X-x-
BUA Headquarters.
Undisclosed Location.
In a certain room, fifteen people were gathered. Their figures were swallowed by a dark, heavy hue, concealing their expressions and identities alike. All of them sat behind a large, semi-circular desk, the shadows stretching across their frames as if the room itself refused to reveal who they were.
They were the Central Oversight Board (COB), the top executives of the BUA.
Nobody knew of their identities, nor were they each aware of each other's identities.
"...What is the update on the current situation?"
A certain voice spoke.
The voice was muffled, making it difficult to discern the gender of the speaker.
"The recent Scout Reports have revealed the Gate to be an Anomalous Type Gate. They've all been extremely careful and have yet to start the scenario, but from the initial reports, the scenario takes place inside an Office."
"Any details on the Anomaly responsible for this reading?"
"Nothing yet."
"Hmm."
The members of the COB discussed the situation among each other.
It was rare for them to come together and talk with one another. It was essential to note that this only occurred when the situation reached a critical point. The last time this occurred was several years ago when the last Kermite-Class Anomaly was located.
"Should we start sending in members? There are several Guild Members who are asking for our permission to enter."
"...We should."
"Yes, let's not delay things any further."
"But who should we send?"
"I've already thought of this."
One of the members pressed down on the table as a hologram appeared in the middle of the table. On it were details of several Guilds.
"Given our lack of information and the Scouts' inability to properly initiate the scenario, it's best that we send in a dummy team first. We'll use this team to gauge the scenario and identify the primary source of the disturbance."
"A Suicide Squad?"
"Yes."
"I understand. I was thinking along the same lines. We can't afford to lose the top elites. We can send them later when we have more information."
There was no shred of sympathy in the Board Members' voices. They were all experienced veterans who had encountered thousands upon thousands of deaths in their entire lifetime.
To them, the deaths of several teams were a rightful sacrifice.
Especially when considering that all of this was being done for the greater good of the world.
"I've already compiled a list of the teams that should enter."
The hologram changed once more, displaying several emblems.
"The members that we can't sacrifice are those of the King-Grade. They hold too much importance to be discarded like that. However, we also can't have the teams be too weak; otherwise, they won't be able to explore much of the Gate."
"Agreed."
"For this selection, I chose to prioritize several key factors, primarily, familiarity with the island itself and its designated Grade, which is the Queen Grade. As such, the Guilds I intend to send into the Gate will be: Malovia Island's Severed Stars Guild, Sire Island's Nate Guild, Thyme Island's BlackRose Guild..."
One by one, Guild names began to be listed.
None of the other members said a word as they listened.
Until—
"...Andoria Island, Comet Guild."
The last team was called.
With a total of eight teams, the 'Suicide Squad' was assembled.
"Does anyone have any complaints?"
"None."
"Approved."
"Approved."
"Approved."
With the approval of every member, the order was sent to those waiting in front of the gate on Malovia Island.
***
Swoosh! Swoosh—!
Figures began to appear one after another.
"This is the gate...?"
"I don't feel anything."
The figures that appeared came from diverse backgrounds. Their uniforms bore different emblems, each marking a distinct Guild or organization, and their faces reflected a wide mix of ethnicities. Unlike Malovia, the Central Island had way more people.
At this moment, the world's top elites were gathered inside the gate.
"This is an Office Space?"
Everyone had been briefed beforehand regarding the Gate.
The top scouts had been sent into the Gate in advance, with details regarding it being shared with every participant.
The only unfortunate thing was that there was a limit to the number of people who could enter at once.
The limit was one hundred people.
There could be no more than one hundred per mission.
This wasn't an unexpected development. There were many gates that had a limit on the number of people who could enter.
And to no surprise, those from the Severed Stars Guild had been allowed to enter first.
"Those bastards."
The Section Chief clicked his tongue, glancing from his watch to the group gathered behind him. Fifteen people in total. Three Team Leaders, with the rest being the top elite members of the Guild, with the exception of Seth.
'...I'm not sure why the Guild Master insisted on bringing Seth, but I can't refuse his orders.'
Seth was elite in his own way.
There was no denying that. However, with no node and his recent absence from Guild activities, he wasn't the best person to bring. There were many others with more experience that he could've brought.
But that was the least of his worries.
Click! Click! Click!
Hearing the clicking sound coming from all directions, the Section Chief looked around. He stood inside a massive office floor stretching endlessly in all directions. Bright white lights glared from overhead, illuminating rows upon rows of cubicles that seemed to multiply the longer he stared.
Beneath their feet, the soft gray carpet muffled every step, swallowing the sound as if the room itself were holding its breath.
The clicking sounds...
They were coming from all directions.
'This isn't too different from what the Scout Reports have said.'
The Section Chief's face didn't look so good.
The same was for the other people who were present at the gate. They all understood that the reason they had been selected wasn't because they trusted them, but because they were supposed to serve as dummy teams for the eventual top elite teams.
'Fuck! Fuck! Fuck...!'
The moment the Section Chief heard the news of their approval, he knew that they were being sent over to die.
He wanted to complain, but this was an order sent over by the BUA.
Added to the fact that this was a global threat, he had no right to refuse.
Refusal meant treason.
'Fuck!'
The Section Chief gritted his teeth, looking around.
He could see the heaviness in their expressions as they glanced around. None of them was ignorant. Everyone understood exactly what this meant, and a quiet gloom settled over the group, suffocating the atmosphere with a cold, tense atmosphere.
But to make the situation even worse...
Bzzz!
Glinting under the bright office lights, the drone caught a glimpse of everyone's reaction, displaying it for the entire world to see.
Indeed.
This Gate...
It was being broadcast to every leader and member outside.
The Section Chief opened his mouth, but soon closed it. He eventually turned his attention back towards his team, but just as he did, a person started moving on his own.
"Hm? Seth...?"
"Where are you going, Seth?"
Everyone grew alert.
Be it those from the Guild, or those from the other Guild.
All eyes fell on Seth.
"What are you doing?! It's dangerous!"
Without saying anything, Seth continued to walk, moving past the first cubicle. Everyone held their breath in that moment, thinking that something was going to happen.
But—
"Eh?"
"Nothing?"
Much to their surprise, nothing happened to Seth.
Click! Click! Click!
The clicks of the keys continued to echo, their speed the same as before.
Surprised, everyone looked at each other.
Eventually, however, they all started moving forward.
Now that Seth had moved, they had no other choice but to move.
They knew that the moment he walked past the first cubicle, the scenario had begun.
The entire world held its breath.