"What's going on?!"
Kyle let out a startled shout the moment he heard their words.
However, contrary to his expectations, none of them answered. They just all stared at him and Seth wordlessly.
But soon, one of them reached for their walkie-talkie as they communicated, "I've located two potential targets. I have their data locked in. One of them appears to be in the fifth order, whilst the other doesn't have any powers. We might need more support. Send more people over."
"What?!"
By now, Kyle had come to understand that something was wrong with the situation.
'I recognize a few of them, but why are they suddenly so aggressive? Why are they talking about eliminating us? It makes no sense at all...!'
It was Seth's voice that brought him out of his thoughts.
"They must know something. In order to make sure that everything flows well, even if we're innocent, they've most likely come to the decision to sacrifice us."
Kyle's stomach sank.
He could tell that the people in front of him weren't anomalies.
They really were planning on getting rid of them.
'Why am I not even surprised?'
Kyle understood the business all too well.
This was a business that prioritized the greater good over the health and well-being of select individuals. In this case, he understood that they had become such sacrifices.
In such procedures, once the decision was made, talking was useless.
The higher-ups had made the call.
'Do I really have no choice...?'
Staring at the group in front of him and seeing them keeping him in check, Kyle's entire body tensed, his node slowly starting to churn.
"I can detect that his node is flaring! Get ready! He's of the Tempor—"
By the time they reacted, it was already too late.
[Time Freeze]
Time stopped.
Kyle's mind ached as he hurried forward, going towards the people in front of him while balling his hand into a fist and launching a direct attack against the nearest person.
BANG!
Two seconds.
That was how long Kyle could keep time frozen.
But this was more than enough.
[Time Freeze]
BANG!
Kyle wasn't an elite member for no reason. Turning his node on and off, he masterfully moved around those who attacked him and launched several attacks, preventing them from doing anything.
BANG!
"Ukh!"
Groans filled the space as the members in front of him struggled to keep up with his pace.
But it didn't take long for them to adjust.
They were all elite members for a reason. Matching the timing with Kyle's, one of them opened their mouth and shouted.
"Stop!"
"Stop!"
"Stop!"
"——!"
A loud voice suddenly filled Kyle's mind, disorienting him. Kyle instantly understood what had happened as his heart sank.
'Shit! Sonorous!!'
Kyle tried to activate his node, but his mind wasn't in it.
He was stunned.
That was all it took for one of them to close the distance between the two, their bodies fading in the surroundings before arriving right behind him.
Kyle's expression changed as he activated another one of his nodes.
[Rewind]
A sharp pain invaded Kyle's mind as the figure that had manifested behind him stopped. Not even a moment later, their bodies faded and reappeared right where they had been a few seconds prior.
"Huh?"
The sudden turn of events stunned everyone.
Kyle didn't let this chance go to waste.
Despite the pain that he was feeling, he knew that he had to finish things quickly! He could hear the numerous steps that were coming from a distance.
'Shit! Shit...!'
Why couldn't he just talk it out? Damn it!
Regardless of how much he cursed, Kyle knew that there was no escaping the situation. His mind throbbed, and he was starting to become exhausted, but in order to escape this situation, he had no choice but to hurry.
Pressing his hand against his chest, he used another one of his nodes.
[Acceleration]
Kyle's entire body started to experience changes, the surroundings around him suddenly stretching as the muscle fibers in his body started to stretch alongside the changes in the surroundings.
He also started to perceive things a lot quicker, like the sudden movement from one of the people in front of him.
And also—
"Huh?"
BANG!
Seth's foot as it struck one of the people right in the head, stunning him and everyone else present.
In that moment, everyone paused, unable to make sense of what had happened.
However, Seth remained indifferent to it all.
With one person down, he didn't move towards another target. He reached up with his foot and stomped on the head of the person that he knocked over.
BANG!
He looked completely ruthless, his expression lacking any semblance of emotion as he continued to stomp down with his foot.
"Akhh!"
BANG!
It was the scream that awoke everyone from their stupor.
"Shit!"
"...Get him!"
But how could they get him? Kyle used that chance to close the distance between them, arriving right before them before using his shoulder to tackle them out of the cubicle, sending them crashing against the cubicle opposite them.
BANG!
The sheer force of the impact knocked them all out at once.
"Haaa... Haaa..."
But Kyle wasn't faring much better than they were.
His breathing was heavy, and the nodes in his mind were throbbing intensely. He understood that if he continued like this, then it was likely that fractures might form on his nodes. He had to be more careful.
But it wasn't like he could've afforded to do that.
Most importantly...
"You..."
Kyle looked at Seth.
He was still looking at the person he had kicked, his dark eyes gleaming under the bright lights of the office above.
There were so many questions Kyle wanted to ask, but hearing the distant footsteps and voices, he hurriedly grabbed Seth's arm and pulled him away.
"Let's go! We don't have much time! We have to run before it's too lat—!!"
Kyle's words cut off in the middle. In a way that almost felt like his voice had been stolen away.
And soon—
Ding!
A sudden chime rang, startling Kyle.
Slowly...
His head turned.
Towards the computer behind him.
A notification greeted his sight the moment he turned.
And soon—
[Target has made it into Zone 6]
[Your services will no longer be needed]
Swooosh!
His body faded from the spot, disappearing completely.
"....."
For just a moment, the surroundings turned silent. Seth remained standing on the spot, his gaze moving away from where Kyle had been and towards the corridor before him. Without a second thought, he took a step forward.
The moment he did, several people appeared to his right.
They also stopped.
No, it was more like they were forced to stop.
Standing in the middle of the corridor, with several bodies strewn across the floor, Seth's dark eyes shifted toward the newly arrived group. The dim lighting made the shadows beneath his eyes stand out even more, giving him an exhausted, almost hollow look.
In that moment, nobody made a sound, a sudden tension enveloping the surroundings.
But soon—
Pop!
A certain pop echoed, and a figure walked out, her hand massaging her neck as she placed her hand directly into the pocket of her jean jacket.
"What do we have here?"
Geneva, one of the Paragons that had been sent, looked at Seth up and down, her mouth moving slowly as she chewed the gum in her mouth.
"...Hmm."
Her brows furrowed for a moment as she looked at Seth.
Eventually, however, she raised her brow.
"Seth Thorne?"
A smile filled her lips a moment later.
"It says in your profile that you have no node. So then..."
Sweeping her gaze over the bodies on the floor, she looked back at him.
"How did you manage to do this to them?"
"....."
Seth remained quiet, staring back at her without an expression. Not just her, but the people standing behind her, and the couple of drones that were pointed at him.
At this moment, Seth's image was being recorded for everyone to see.
The leaders and everyone who were still staying outside.
All eyes were on him.
The world was against him.
Seth's lips curled.
"You're smiling?"
Geneva stared at the man in front of her, feeling subtle hints of bafflement.
'He can smile in this situation?'
But soon, her lips pulled into a similar smile.
"I like that confidence of yours. It's a pity that we have to get rid of you. I'm sure you understand that even if you're innocent, we've got no choice but to do so. We can't avoid any outliers to mess with the plan."
"...But what if I can provide good intel?"
"We have enough."
"Are you sure?"
"More or less. At least, we have enough to be sure of what we have to do."
"I see."
Seth replied calmly, his dark eyes sweeping the group once more.
"Well, it's good that you understand."
Geneva massaged her neck once more, fiddling with her pockets to take out a packet of gum as she popped it into her mouth.
*Pop*
"I won't delay this any further."
Chewing on her gum, Geneva looked to the person next to her. Without needing her to say anything, the man, a relatively lean man with handsome features, stepped forward, his node churning as his body faded from the spot and arrived right behind Seth.
The movement was instantaneous.
There weren't many people who caught his action.
And a moment after stepping in front of Seth, the man raised his arm, ready to strike at his head. He moved fast, with full intent behind the blow. But the instant his attack came down, Seth moved.
As if he had eyes on the back of his head, he tilted out of the strike's path and turned his body with eerie calm. His hand lifted, reaching toward the man's face, catching him completely off-guard.
Then—
BANG!
He pushed the man's head against the ground.
Before anyone could even react, Seth raised his foot and stomped down on his head.
BANG! BANG!
His attacks were ruthless and precise. In just two stomps, a sharp cracking sound tore through the corridor, followed by a wet splatter that spread across the floor.
It was only then that Seth stopped as he looked back at the group.
For some reason, his dark eyes looked even more intimidating than before.
"...."
"...."
A deep silence spread across the area.
"...Are you sure he has no node?"
A voice soon broke the silence, speaking to Geneva, who continued to chew on her gum. Eventually, she nodded.
"Yes."
She had witnessed the entire scene.
The entire time, she didn't feel a node coming from Seth.
"He did all of this without a Node."
This was both interesting and concerning. Ray's movements were fast, and no normal person should've been able to follow up with them. And yet... Seth seemed to have been able to tell exactly what had been happening the entire time.
'It shouldn't be possible unless he has a Node.'
Geneva's brows furrowed.
'This is rather concerning.'
He also didn't appear to be an anomaly.
"Should I...?"
Pulling her out of her thoughts, she saw another person in her group move. She didn't quite know who he was. From another Guild? She didn't pay much attention to who had been selected for her team, but extending her hand, she shook her head.
"Nah, I'll take care of it. We can't afford any mishap. It'll be better if I take care of this myself so that we can get this over with."
*Pop*
Pulling both hands out of her pockets, Geneva's eyes narrowed as she stared at Seth.
Something about him... felt off to her.
Not even his lack of node. But it was his demeanor. That dark... almost dead look in his eyes made the back of her skin tingle. Coupled with his pale skin, for a moment, she started questioning whether he was truly alive or not.
'Creepy.'
*Pop*
Popping another bubble, she closed her eyes and sighed.
At the same time, her nodes started to churn.
Not one. Not two. But three.
What set Paragons apart from the rest was their ability to use multiple nodes simultaneously. At the same time, she started to take action, and the surroundings began to shift, a terrifying pressure emanating from her body.
Step—
Taking a step forward, the world started to shift alongside her.
The pressure only grew with each step that she took, and even Seth started to feel the full brunt of her pressure as his dark eyes flickered.
But just as she was about to take another step—
"Hehehehe."
A sudden giggle echoed.
"Huh—!?"
It was soft, but the moment it sounded, Geneva suddenly felt her nodes stop.
In an instant, the pressure coming out of her body stopped, a sharp throb piercing her mind simultaneously.
She didn't groan or make a sound, but, as if sensing something, her head slowly turned as she saw a pair of legs dangling from one of the cubicles.
Lifting her head, a pair of dark eyes stared back at her.
*Pop*
A gum popped.
But it wasn't hers.
"Is this how you do it?"
A soft voice echoed a moment later as a young girl with deep black hair stared at the pack in her hands, chewing slowly as she studied the label.
"Hmm."
She looked quite interested in the gum as she mumbled, 'Chips are childish. Maybe I should get him to buy me this.'
"....."
Geneva stared at the figure wordlessly, her mind relatively calm.
As if sensing the Paragon's gaze, the anomaly turned her head.
She blew a bubble.
*Pop*
"The boss doesn't like it when people slack."
"Is that so?"
Geneva replied, staring straight at the anomaly that had appeared in front of her. As she did, she extended her hand to stop her group from doing anything irrational.
'Warden Decree. Around B Rank. Managable. I'll still call for backup.'
Geneva secretly sent a signal using the chip resting next to her tooth.
"Yes, he doesn't like it. Now get to work."
The girl shooed them away with her hand.
However, Geneva remained standing where she was.
"And who might you be?"
"Me?"
The girl pointed at the metal plate next to her shirt.
"Supervisor Mirelle."
"Oh."
Geneva pretended to understand as she smiled politely.
"I apologize for not recognizing you instantly. I just wanted to take a break."
"Break?"
"Indeed. I feel like all employees need a break here and then in order to be as productive as possible."
"Hmm."
Mirelle furrowed her brows, fiddling with the gums in her hand.
Eventually, she turned to look in a different direction.
"What do you think?"
The expressions on several faces shifted instantly, their eyes widening before they snapped their heads back. A figure had appeared behind them without a sound, its presence so sudden that it caught everyone off guard.
It stood casually, almost lazily, one hand resting atop a cubicle wall. Its head leaned forward, propped on a lifted fist as if it had been watching them for a long time...
Even Geneva's expression couldn't help but change, turning more serious.
'The Conductor. S Rank. Sonorous. Backup required.'
Eventually, the Conductor's lips opened, barely as its stitches kept its mouth from opening too much, "What do I think?"
The Conductor smiled, looking at everyone present.
"...I would say she has a point."
Geneva's lips pressed together, her mouth opening a moment later as she prepared to speak, but right before she could, the Conductor's next words took her away.
"But we can't really spare much time. The situation is a little bit serious at the moment. Especially when..."
Pausing, the Conductor's gaze locked onto a couple of people present before raising its hand.
Geneva's nodes activated instantly in response, but a giggle followed.
"Hehehe."
And soon—
BANG! BANG! BANG!
Several heads exploded.
Thud! Thud!
Bodies fell a moment later.
".....!"
".....!!"
Thud!
As bodies fell, time seemed to come to a complete halt.
It was fast.
So fast that hardly anyone had the time to react.
Geneva had managed to react, but in the instant that she did react, the soft giggle that came after made it impossible for her to act.
All she could do was stare at the bodies on the floor in a daze.
But soon—
"H-haaaa!"
"Haaaakkk!"
Screams echoed.
Despite the group being made up of elites, there were also several others who belonged to small Guilds. Their mental toughness was a lot weaker, and when faced with such a terrifying anomaly, they found the screams ripping out of their thoughts without a thought.
Geneva stared at all of this in silence, her mind churning to process everything as she looked at the anomalies before her.
'....It's already been several dozen seconds since I called for backup. Why is nobody here yet?'
Realistically speaking, they should've already been present.
Especially Latcher.
He was extremely fast.
Given that he wasn't here yet, there were only three conclusions.
'He's dead. He's fighting an anomaly. Or he hasn't received the message.'
Neither conclusion was ideal.
Geneva's eyes narrowed further as she looked at her own group. Besides a few, most of them were panicking. This wasn't ideal, especially since they were up against such powerful anomalies.
Geneva understood that she had to do something quickly.
Her nodes churned once more, her gaze locked onto Mirelle.
Mirelle opened her mouth a moment later, a soft giggle escaping her lips, but the moment she did, Geneva cancelled her nodes.
"Hehe—"
Realizing what had happened, Mirelle stopped.
But that was the moment Geneva reacted.
Three of her nodes flared to life at the same time, igniting a surge of force that rippled through the air. The surroundings twisted, the space itself bending as the cubicles around her lifted off the ground with a deep groan of metal and wood.
Mirelle rose with them, carried upward as if the entire office floor bowed to her will.
With a sharp swipe of her other hand, another cubicle shot outward, expanding unnaturally as it slammed into place. It formed a towering barrier between her and the Conductor, cutting off his line of sight in a single, decisive motion.
Geneva didn't stop there.
She knew that she had to act quickly.
"Get your shit together!"
Shouting at the top of her lungs, she directed her gaze towards the members of her team. It was her shout that allowed them to regain a little bit of their bearings.
However, not even a moment later and a soft tune began to play in the air.
"Shit!"
Geneva was quick to react.
Pressing her hands together, the surroundings shifted once more, a large dome forming around them, blocking all noise.
"Quick! Quick!"
Beads of sweat trickled down the side of her face as she bent over to help one of her teammates up while she turned to look at a short, browned hair girl next to her.
"Michela, I am not sure if all of us can make it out. I'll make a path for you. Try to get reinforcements!"
Without waiting for her to reply, Geneva opened up a path with a swipe of her hands.
Michela stared at the opening before looking at Geneva. In the end, she faded from the spot, not saying anything the entire time.
But—
"Well..."
A long hand curled around the edges of the path that Geneva created, a stitched-up figure peeking from the opening, looking at the insides of the 'fort' Geneva had created with an amused look.
"...You're quite a troublesome one, eh?"
The Conductor's lips stretched upward, some of the stitches breaking in the process.
Thud!
A figure fell next to the Conductor a moment later.
*Pop*
Staring at Geneva, Mirelle looked unhappy.
"You—"
As if Geneva would give them time to speak. Her nodes churned once more, the surroundings twisting. The entire time, she kept a close watch on Mirelle's lips, and right when Mirelle opened her mouth, Geneva shut off her nodes.
"Hehehe."
But contrary to her expectations, the giggle was a little different.
"Haaaa!"
"Hiaaaaak!"
"Huerrk!"
Hearing the screams coming from behind her, Geneva felt her thoughts were true.
And sure enough, a moment later, images flashed across Geneva's mind. Images of her past. To the times that she wanted to forget.
Her chest suddenly squeezed, her hands trembling from the sudden surge of emotions.
'So this is what it does...'
Despite everything, Geneva remained calm.
This wasn't the first time an anomaly had tried to break her mind.
Activating her nodes, Geneva closed the path in front of her, blocking all of the noise
The screams behind her continued, and with a flick of her hand, she opened up a path in the opposite direction.
"To those who can follow, come."
Given the situation, Geneva decided to exclude those who couldn't make it. Her life came first. She couldn't put the others above herself.
Without looking back, she ran out.
A few others followed her from behind.
'My main priority right now is finding reinforcements. As things stand, I can't handle the two supervisors who are present. The fact that I'm still alive right now is a miracle. The Conductor must be toying with me. I don't know what it's trying to achieve, but I need to take advantage of this to escape.'
Taking another step forward, Geneva pushed her node again. The space around her lurched, stretching outward as the cubicles bent and warped away from her path. In an instant, the cluttered office floor reshaped itself, forming a long, direct tunnel that cut straight through the maze.
Her actions could be considered somewhat reckless, but she was doing so deliberately.
She wanted to catch the others' attention.
'Come on! Come on! Come on!'
The more time passed, the paler her face became. She was pushing her nodes to the utmost limit, and with passing seconds, she could feel the strain that her nodes were taking. Her breathing was also starting to turn heavier.
"Haa... Haa..."
From time to time, she'd turn her head to look behind her.
All she saw was darkness.
But that darkness sent chills down the spine.
Although she couldn't see them, she could feel them.
They were moving towards her.
Catching up.
Furthermore...
The people who had been following behind her...
They were gone.
'Hurry! Hurr—'
"Ukh!"
Caught off guard, Geneva bumped into something as she stumbled back.
"Shit!"
Her heart sank a moment later, but when she turned her head, she was stunned to see a familiar figure.
"It's... you?"
Seth's dark eyes stared at her in silence as her pupils shrank.
But before she even registered the movement—
Seth's hand was already at her throat.
His fingers pressed against her skin with quiet, terrifying precision, as if he'd been there the entire time and she had only just noticed.
".....!"
The force behind his hand was enough to make her entire body turn numb.
She immediately tried to activate her node, but the moment she tried to do so, a soft giggle echoed in the air.
"Hehehe."
Her nodes stopped.
Geneva's eyes widened, her breath hitching as she stared into the abyss behind Seth's gaze. The longer she looked, the deeper she sank. Her thoughts unraveled, her awareness slipping into the darkness swirling silently within his eyes.
"Y-you... Y-you...! I... knew... I..."
Her voice cracked, the words collapsing as her lips trembled. Whatever realization she reached never fully surfaced.
A moment later, her body went limp.
Thud!
Her body fell onto the ground a moment later as Seth raised his head.
It was in that moment that he came face-to-face with the two other anomalies.
For a moment, everything turned silent.
But that silence was soon broken.
"Hello..."
The Conductor's stitched shattered completely, its lips twisting into a wicked smile.
"...Fake boss."
-x-X-x-
"...."
Seth remained silent.
He didn't show much of a reaction to the Conductor.
Instead, he scanned the surroundings before finally opening his mouth.
"Where is your boss?"
His voice was cold, the darkness in his eyes turning deeper than before.
He looked incredibly intimidating.
But—
"Wow."
This only seemed to amuse the Conductor.
"You do act like the boss, but you act nothing like him. I'm curious... What is your relationship with the boss? He also doesn't seem to want to kill you."
"...He wouldn't dare."
"Oh?"
*Pop*
Mirelle's gum popped as she looked at the Conductor.
"Is this guy on his period?"
"...Maybe."
The Conductor shrugged, entertaining Mirelle's words.
"....."
Seth remained quiet, unbothered by the words said by the two of them.
"Where is he?"
His lips parted once more, his eyes darkening once more.
"Do you understand what he's done?"
Seth's voice lowered, his eyes flickering further into the darkness as a strange pressure appeared to come out of his body. It was a pressure that even the Conductor couldn't ignore.
But despite it, the Conductor maintained its smile.
"I understand. I understand it fully."
With a sickening smile, the stitches sealing the Conductor's eyes ripped as it let out a soft cackle, "It's because that I understand it that I love it!"
Its cackle echoed across the surroundings, the amusement and excitement it felt becoming clearer than ever as it spoke faster.
"To hold... that much power. How can it not be exciting? Not only that, but it's still growing!"
Looking at Seth, the Conductor's eyes squinted.
"I know that you are aware of what can happen. I know... that you're aware of the potential that the power holds."
The Conductor paused, its smile fading slightly as the surroundings turned silent.
It was within that heavy silence that the Conductor drew in a long breath. When it finally spoke, its voice trembled, not with fear, but with barely contained excitement.
"I know that you're aware he holds the potential to rule every existing anomaly once his potential is awakened."
Taking another breath, the smile returned on the Conductor's face.
"And as his vassal, I wish nothing more than to realize that potential."
"....."
For a moment, the doppelgänger remained silent.
He didn't say anything while staring at the Conductor and Mirelle.
But soon, it shook its head.
"It's not possible the way that he is right now."
"I know."
"But I'll help him reach that point."
"You can't do it."
"And you can?"
"....."
The doppelgänger remained silent once more.
This silence made the Conductor's smile widen.
"See...?"
Eventually, the Conductor turned away from the doppelgänger. As it did, it started to fix its suit whilst also adjusting the metal plate on its chest.
Turning its watch to check the time, the Conductor's voice turned a little bit more stern.
"If you'll excuse me, I have work to tend to. I can't entertain you any further. If you wish to find the boss, I'm sure you won't need either one of us to tell you where he is."
With that, the Conductor proceeded to leave alongside Mirelle.
*Pop*
The doppelgänger stared at their retreating backs without saying a word.
Eventually, he lowered his head to stare at the numerous bodies around him and swatted down.
Slap—
He slapped the girl he had choked out a moment prior.
***
BUA Malovia Branch.
—Haaaaak!
A scream echoed from the speakers.
Images flashed across the large screen.
—Haaaik!
—Heeeeeek!
They depicted a certain group fighting just one person.
He stood alone, fighting everyone at once with his dark eyes.
Even Geneva...
Click!
The video ended there.
"....."
For a moment, the area remained silent.
All Guild Masters and agents from the BUA didn't make a sound.
But soon, all eyes turned towards a certain individual.
He sat with a smile, staring at the screen with little expression. But soon, as if noticing their stares, he looked back.
"What a shock."
He said, his voice lacking any indication of shock.
"This person is from my Guild, but who would've thought he'd be this stro—"
BANG!
A thunderous slap suddenly echoed across the auditorium.
"Cut the bullshit!"
A voice boomed a moment later.
When all heads turned, they saw a man with a thick, heavy beard rising to his feet. His sheer stature was imposing, with broad shoulders that made him look even bigger.
Muscles tightened beneath his uniform as he locked a fierce glare onto the Guild Master of the Severed Stars Guild, his presence alone enough to make the air feel heavier.
"Do you think we're stupid?! Do you really think we wouldn't know if your Guild had someone like that?!"
He was the Guild Master of the Royal Chamber, one of the most prestigious Guilds on the Central Island. It was also the very same Guild that Geneva belonged to.
His reaction only made sense.
Pointing at the screen, he shouted, "You've seen the video! Not just me. Everyone has seen the video! There's no denying that he's working for them! He took out not only the elites from my Guild, but the elites from the other Guild!"
The Branch Manager at BUA commanded, "Replay the video again."
The Manager didn't say anything and just replayed the video.
It was there that a certain pair of dark eyes appeared on the screen. They stared straight at the drone while a soft smile spread across his lips.
The next scene was enough to send a cold chill across the room as he singlehandedly killed every single person present.
Geneva included.
The evidence was overwhelming, and as the video replayed once more, the breathing of several of the Guild Masters turned heavier. This wasn't just a small loss, but a great loss! Especially when taking into account the fact that one of the people who had been killed was a paragon.
But the creepiest part of it all was the fact that he appeared to be enjoying the entire thing.
Everyone could clearly see from the video that the group had been trying to approach him calmly and talk things out, but he didn't even give them a chance before attacking them.
By the time the video had ended again, all eyes fell on the Guild Master of the Severed Stars Guild.
He could only smile innocently.
"As I said, I don't know anything about this. He isn't very reputable within the Guild, and as far as I'm aware, he's at most a Game Developer. I believe that he's been possessed by an anomaly. Otherwise, this is not possible. This could also be self-defense. Everyone knows how the Guilds are operating."
"Possessed, self-defense or not, I don't care! It's clear that he's not on our side!"
Slamming his hand against the table once more, the Royal Chamber Guild Master grabbed his blazer from the back of his chair and shrugged it on with sharp, impatient movements. Without waiting for a response, he strode toward the exit, his steps heavy with pent-up fury.
As he pushed the door open, he muttered under his breath, "Whatever the case is, the fact of the matter is that he's another variable that we will need to get rid of. I'll personally escort a team to handle him. See if I can't get rid of him then."
There was no arguing with him.
Nobody even tried arguing with him.
Everyone understood his frustration. Not only that, but everyone had seen the video. They had seen the figure effortlessly dispatch all the elite recruits.
He was someone that they needed to get rid of.
And not long after, an announcement was made.
Breaking — [Royal Chamber Guild Master steps in! What is the reason for his sudden involvement?]
Breaking — [Royal Chamber Guild Master vows to 'eliminate traitor at all costs!' Who is this traitor? What exactly happened at the gate?'
The title made waves around the world.
Traitor? There was a traitor?
But soon, a video appeared.
It depicted a young man with dark eyes and dark hair. Despite most of the video being blurred, everyone understood what had happened.
And soon, everyone thought back to the previous headlines.
Breaking — [Shocking! A traitor has emerged in the Malovia Gate! What is the identity of this traitor!?]
Breaking — [Seth Thorne! Humanity's traitor!]
-x-X-x-
It felt like she had been plunged into a terrible nightmare.
One she hadn't experienced in a very long time.
And when her eyelids fluttered open, a pair of dark eyes stared directly at her.
"——!"
Her body reacted in an instant, her muscles tensing as she readied herself to get up, but right as she started moving, a hand pressed against her lips and held her down.
"Don't bother."
"...Mhm!"
Geneva's words were blocked by his hand as she glared at him.
She tried activating her nodes, but as if sensing what she was about to do, he clutched her face and brought her down against the ground.
BANG!
The impact was hard, leaving Geneva completely stunned.
For a moment, she didn't know how to react.
Since when had someone...
"Are you done?"
The cold words pulled her out of her daze.
When she looked up again, the pair of dark eyes from before remained fixed on her. In fact, looking at them now, his eyes looked even darker.
'There's something wrong with him. There is no way that someone like him has no node. He... definitely is working with them. I don't know why he hasn't killed me yet, but I need to take this chance to—'
"It looks like you still aren't aware of your situation."
Seth's eyes flickered, and in the next moment, he pressed his hand down.
BANG!
Geneva's vision turned white for a moment, pain flooding the back of her head as she heard a constant ringing sound in the back of her mind.
Seth's words followed a moment later as he maintained his grip over her face and lifted her up.
His strength was quite alarming.
Lifting her body effortlessly with one hand, he turned her head to show the bodies on the floor.
"Take a look."
"Mhm!"
Sick bastard!
Geneva's eyes narrowed as she glared fiercely in Seth's direction.
Was this how it was? Was he trying to show her what he had done to her teammates? Was this his sick way of finding amusement in his killing!?
Geneva's heart turned cold.
Despite everything, she knew that she had to remain calm.
This wasn't the first time she had encountered an anomaly that took pleasure in killing people.
Her hands tightened considerably as her mind scrambled to think of a way out of the situation.
But it was amidst such thoughts that Seth pointed at the bodies.
To be precise, the ones that the Conductor had killed.
"Look carefully."
"....."
Geneva didn't reply; her eyes turned away.
But even if she didn't want to look, Seth made sure she looked as he increased his grip over her face and made her look.
As he did, his tone turned even colder.
"Look."
So cold that Geneva found herself subconsciously listening to his words.
"——!"
It was also in that moment that she finally saw it.
The heads that were present on the people whose heads should've completely exploded due to the Conductor's actions.
But...
"That's not all."
Still holding onto her body, he moved forward a little and kicked one of the bodies.
"Hmmm..."
A small groan escaped from their lips a moment after.
This made Geneva's eyes widen.
That's...!
"They're all alive."
Seth answered for her.
"None of them has been killed. That wasn't the goal from the start."
Finally letting go of her, Seth reached for his pocket and took several papers before handing them to her.
Geneva subconsciously took them.
"...I don't understand how you were fooled into thinking that we were on the opposite side, but these are some of the papers and information that I've managed to find throughout the entire Gate."
Looking at the papers, Geneva found herself holding her breath.
[He knows everything.]
[He alters perception.]
[Everything is a lie. Everything is deceit.]
[The devil is coming.]
[We must stop him.]
"....."
Geneva's eyes remained fixed on the papers.
Looking at them, she didn't show much of a reaction. But she seemed to understand something.
However, she soon shook her head.
"Based on the information that you've given me, then what makes you think that I can trust you? Everything is a lie. Everything is deceit." She repeated one of the quotes that she found in the papers, looking at Seth carefully, "The devil is coming. He knows everything. He alters perception. We must stop him."
Her lips pulled into a thin smile.
"The more I read this, the more I find myself wanting to get rid of you."
The smile quickly wiped off Geneva's face as she glared at Seth.
"Do you think I'm stupid? Do you think I can't see through your deceptions?"
Her node started to churn.
This time, with Seth being so far from her, she didn't need to worry about him smashing her head against the floor.
Her lips opened again this time, but the moment the words were about to leave, Seth spoke.
"You have a little brother, correct?"
Geneva's throat clamped up at his words.
Staring at him, her eyes started to widen. Brother...
Seth remained calm, his dark eyes remaining fixed on her.
"He is someone that the public knows about because you don't want to involve him in the affairs of the world. Not even the closest people to you know about him. Of course, they also don't know about his condition, correct?"
"Haa.... Haa..."
Geneva's breathing started to quicken.
The more she stared at Seth, the more she found herself unable to hide the subtle trembling of her shoulders.
This shouldn't... H-how does he...?
All of a sudden, she was reminded of the words she read.
'He knows everything.'
'He alters perception.'
'Everything is a lie. Everything is deceit.'
'The devil is coming.'
'We must stop him.'
"Your story is quite common within the industry. Sick family member. Join a Guild in order to pay medical bills. Become famous. Manage the disease, but do not cure him completely. Immerse yourself in the work to find a complete cure. It's the usual..."
The more he spoke, the darker Seth's eyes became.
At the same time, despite her best attempts at trying to remain calm, Geneva's expression started to crumble.
At this very moment...
She felt naked.
As if all her secrets and thoughts were laid bare for the figure standing before her.
He looked emotionless.
With no clarity in his gaze.
Almost as if... He was death itself.
'I... I...'
"Since you seem rather useful, I'll make you an offer."
There was a moment of silence as the two looked at each other.
But soon—
"You seem rather useful. I'd like to use you for a bit. In exchange, I can give you something that might be useful to you."
"...."
Geneva didn't answer.
How could she answer?
She wasn't dumb. She didn't believe this offer for one second.
But eventually, her lips opened.
"...And what if I don't join?"
"Then you're going to die."
Geneva's expression crumpled.
Die?
As if that sounded like a threat to her. She had faced death many times before. Death was the last thing that she was scared of.
But his next words took her aback.
"Not by my hands, but by those that you once thought to be on your side."
"Huh?"
Seth lifted his hand and turned his wrist.
As he did, he looked back at her.
"By now, the whole world thinks you're dead. If they suddenly see that you're alive, they'll think that it's some trick. They'll kill you in order to avoid risks. You know how they are."
Geneva's breathing grew even heavier, her eyes widening the more Seth spoke.
"There's no more place for you in this world. The only thing you can do is follow me."
Checking the time again, Seth slowly turned around to face the opposite direction.
"Time is ticking. What is your decision?"
"...."
Geneva didn't move.
She remained where she was, her mind struggling to process the situation.
In the end, she clenched her fists so tightly her knuckles ached.
Then, slowly, she lifted her head.
"Devil.. You're... the devil."
"Devil?"
The corner of Seth's lips curled as he paused for a moment.
"...I'm just a game developer. A very good one at that."
-x-X-x-
'Why am I...'
Geneva quietly followed Seth from behind.
She bit her lips, her mind churning with all sorts of thoughts.
'He is the devil. He has to be the devil that was in the documents. How else would he know about my brother? There's no way he should know!'
The more she walked, the more convinced she became of her assessment.
And it was through such an assessment that she started to feel helpless. Thinking back to everything that had happened, she was no longer confident she could do anything to him. Recalling his dark gaze, her back shuddered for a moment.
'Can I beat him? Can I run away...?'
There were all sorts of scenarios running through her mind.
Realistically speaking, as a paragon, she had the means to escape. Even if she didn't use her Nodes, she still had several items at her disposal.
But that wasn't the problem...
'Does he really have a way to help me?'
Geneva clenched her teeth.
The more she stared at Seth's back, the more mysterious he became in her eyes.
Her brother didn't actually have a disease.
In reality, he had been a victim of an anomaly in the past.
Even now, Geneva has not forgotten the anomaly's title.
VILE - 1048.
Geneva bit her lips tightly. The main reason she had joined Royal Chambers was that she wanted to find that anomaly and get it to reverse the curse that had been placed on her brother.
However, even after becoming a paragon, there had been no news about the anomaly.
This left Geneva completely helpless.
But it was this sense of helplessness that drove her to become even more desperate.
And as her eyes lingered on Seth's back and the cubicles around, a certain thought crossed her mind, 'If... he really is responsible for this gate. Then... It's possible that he really might know where VILE - 1048 might be. If that's the case, then I might follow along for now. It's just that...'
Geneva bit onto her lips with even more force.
'Taking his side will also mean siding against humanity.'
Her heart turned heavy at the thought.
The thought of betraying humanity made her heart sink completely. This was most likely going to be a decision that she wouldn't be able to ever reverse, but thinking about her brother, and what she had been doing her entire life...
Geneva's teeth clenched tightly.
I...
Slide—
Coming to a stop before a certain cubicle, Seth reached for the door and slid it to the side, startling Geneva.
Click! Click! Click!
The slow and unhurried sound of keys being pressed echoed a moment later as she hurried her steps to see what was behind the cubicle.
That was also the moment the clicks stopped.
"....."
"....."
Two figures looked at each other.
When Geneva looked inside, her brow rose.
'That's...'
She recognized the figure sitting inside the cubicle. She wasn't considered to be extremely pretty. Her features were a little plain, with short brown hair and eyes. However, there was a certain pressure emanating from her that made Geneva do a double-take.
It didn't take long for her to recognize the woman sitting down.
'...Clara?'
Geneva wasn't unfamiliar with Clara.
She'd seen her in the Grand Concord in the past, an event where the top recruits from across the world gathered as the official rankings for every Guild and individual were announced on a global stage.
She never ranked very high, but the fact that she ranked at all on occasion was a testament to her skills.
'Right, I heard that she's been struggling this year. I don't even know if she will be ranked, but now that I think about it, she should be in the same Guild as him.' Geneva's eyes narrowed as a thought surfaced, 'Is he also going to do the same thing he did to me...?'
"Stop the red dot from reaching Zone 2."
Seth's voice echoed all of a sudden as he pointed at Clara's screen, where a dot suddenly appeared.
For a moment, Clara remained sitting, her eyes tracing Seth's body.
But eventually—
Click! Click!
Clara turned around and did exactly as Seth ordered.
"There's no way for you to stop the red dot from reaching Zone 2. All you can do is either try to redirect it away or buy as much time as possible. That is the only thing that I need you to do."
"....."
Clara remained silent.
However, her hands continued to move, opening doors, pressing certain buttons, and using the tools at her disposal.
Geneva watched all of this in stunned silence.
'She's... listening to him just like this?'
She blinked her eyes slowly, alternating her gaze between the two. Could he have already blackmailed her? Were they in cahoots? What was happening? Why was she listening to him without even asking questions?
"Let's go."
Most surprisingly, right after giving out the instructions, Seth turned around and walked out of the cubicle.
Click! Click!
For a moment, Geneva hesitated.
She wanted to walk up to Clara and ask her what was happening. Why did she listen to him?
However, feeling a certain gaze from outside the cubicle, she could only clench her teeth and quietly move out.
Slide—
Seth slid the door closed a moment after, his gaze settling over another faraway cubicle.
But right as he began to move, he stopped.
His head slowly turned to face the distant corridor. Geneva followed his line of sight, and despite not seeing anything herself, she could feel it.
The subtle trembling from the ground.
But that wasn't all.
She could also hear it.
The sound of numerous footsteps heading their way.
For a moment, Geneva held her breath. But soon, her eyes lit up.
'It's the others!'
She was certain.
These were the reinforcements.
Maybe...
"Over there!"
"There—!"
Immediately, a group appeared in the distance. They all sprinted toward them quickly.
"He must be the one that we need to get rid of."
"Quick!"
"Quick! We have to—eh?"
Stunned, they all came to a stop.
"What is she doing here?"
"What...? Isn't she supposed to be dead?"
"What is going on?"
All eyes were now focused on Geneva. Everyone present had heard the news of her death and had also seen the videos. These were things shared by them from the reinforcements that had just entered the Gate.
For her to still be alive...
"Get rid of her as well."
A cold voice followed a moment later as the group parted to reveal a man with deep blue eyes. His dark braids fell gently over his shoulder as he stood a head taller than the rest.
The moment Geneva caught sight of him, her breath caught.
Latcher...
"There is no denying she is standing before us. However, that does not change the fact that this may be a trap. Based on the intelligence we have received, our course of action is clear. She must be eliminated."
Kai Latcher's words were cold and heartless.
But he was following protocol. Anomalies were twisted and ingenious creatures. One single mistake could mean the end of everyone present. To avoid the risk, they needed to eliminate her.
Her death was signed.
"Wait..."
Finally finding her words, Geneva tried to speak, but it was too late.
Latcher's blue eyes flickered as he turned his attention towards Seth, his eyes closing for a moment as the atmosphere turned incredibly tense.
It was also in that moment that Seth looked at Geneva.
"Block them for me."
He turned around a moment later and calmly walked away from the scene.
His actions stunned everyone present.
By the time they recovered from his actions, he was already several steps away.
"Get back here!"
It was also at this moment that a voice boomed, and a figure shot toward Seth.
Swooosh!
He was fast.
His momentum was strong.
But at the same time he moved, another figure moved.
With her nodes churning, she raised both of her hands.
Swooooosh!
A large wall appeared before the figure, causing him to stop. His gaze turned toward Geneva, who opened her eyes wide, her lips opening and closing as she stared at her hands.
"That... I..."
"Get rid of her."
Latcher's words reverberated a moment later as he clenched his fist and smashed it against the wall in front of him, shattering it into a thousand pieces.
BANG!
"Warn the others..."
Moving past the wall, he communicated with the others.
"...A new traitor has emerged."
-x-X-x-
Kai Latcher.
Ranked 47 in the Global Rankings.
A prospect said to have the potential to break into the top ten within the next decade.
His unique Decree was one of the reasons for this.
[Shatterpath Decree]
It was one of the rarer and more dangerous Decrees.
With its great power came enormous risk. It was for this reason that not many reached the top with this Decree. The side effects and repercussions of using the Decree were extreme, with users being more prone to fractures than any other Decree.
Nevertheless...
'Ignite.'
BANG!
There were outliers capable of bearing the burden that came with the Decree.
Kai was one such outlier.
Sparks flew within his node. With each spark, his node expanded further and further, providing him with unimaginable and explosive strength that he used to shatter the numerous walls that were ahead of him.
BANG! BANG!
Despite Geneva's best attempts to stop him, it was of no use.
Kai was like an unstoppable train.
He rammed through each wall without any regard.
It was almost as if he was walking casually with no obstruction.
"D-damn it."
Geneva cursed under her breath as she stared in Kai's direction. She didn't even know why she reacted. Had she been controlled? Was it due to her feelings for her brother? What had made her react like this?
But regardless of how much she wanted to curse herself for her actions, it was already too late.
"Get her!"
There were already several people heading in her direction.
Without a thought, Geneva shifted her attention away from Kai and onto the approaching group.
Her nodes all flared up as her fingers started to twitch.
But just as she was about to take action...
Slide—!
A cubicle in the far right opened, revealing a girl with long blonde hair and green eyes.
She looked stunned by what she was seeing.
But at the same time, the moment she caught sight of Seth, her node flared, and the surroundings turned blindingly bright.
"—!"
".....!"
The eyes of many closed.
Even Kai was no different.
The attack itself wasn't harmful, but it was enough to cause everyone to lose their sight.
But what was most shocking was how Geneva didn't find herself turning blind like the others.
'What sort of...?'
It was also in that moment that she sensed the woman's gaze.
She didn't say anything, but just nudged her head.
The message was clear.
'Go.'
Geneva reacted in a heartbeat. She didn't know what was happening, but she knew that this was her chance to dash away from the group and follow Seth from behind. This was exactly what she did as she dashed away.
"G-get her!"
"She's... running!"
It didn't take long for the others to realize what was happening.
Immediately, they gave chase.
Of course, some also turned in Zoey's direction, but by the time they went for her, she was already gone.
'I don't know what the hell is going on, but this is all I can do...' Zoey muttered under her breath, leaning back against the walls of another cubicle as she stared at the walkie-talkie in her hand. She had been waiting in her cubicle from the start, waiting for the moment to come out.
Seth had warned her a few hours prior about what was to come.
Zoey had been confused, finding his words back then confusing, but seeing everything planned out as he had spoken, she found herself at a loss.
'What... is he planning?'
***
At the same time, in another area of the Gate.
"What did you just say!?"
A loud voice echoed.
Staring at the walkie-talkie in his hand, the Guild Master of the Royal Chambers opened his eyes wide.
He wasn't the only one stunned.
Several of the people who had entered the gate with him were similarly stunned.
The walkie-talkie vibrated.
—This is Latcher. I repeat. This is Latcher. I've located the one responsible for the deaths. I am currently chasing him down. There also appears to be Geneva with him. I can't tell if she's been converted or is an illusion. For now, I have engaged with the usual protocol. She will be treated as an enemy. Location has been shared.
Hearing the words coming from the walkie-talkie again, the first one ot snap out of it was the Guild Master.
He didn't think twice.
Connecting the walkie-talkie with his phone, he immediately traced the location of Latcher's walkie-talkie.
"Go! Go...!"
Everyone followed alongside him.
At the same time he moved, he opened the universal channel and announced, "To everyone hearing this, stop whatever you are doing immediately. Proceed at once to the coordinates linked to Latcher's walkie-talkie. I repeat. Cease all activity and move to Latcher's coordinates! This is of the utmost importance!!"
The Guild Master repeated the same message several times before finally stopping.
At the same time, he picked up his pace, his eyes narrowing as he hurried towards where Latcher's location was.
'...I hope I make it on time. I really want to make it in time.'
The Guild Master...
He wanted to be the one to set an example for those who mess with his Guild.
***
"Where are you running off to?!"
Latcher's loud voice bellowed across the corridors as he rushed in Seth's direction with all his might.
He was explosive.
With each step he took, he grew faster and faster.
But at the same time—
BANG! BANG! BANG!
He'd be stopped by the numerous walls that would appear right before his eyes.
Kai would shatter them effortlessly, but his momentum grew weaker each time. When he turned back, he saw Geneva slowly catching up to him.
His blue eyes flickered as he stared at her.
"...You really have betrayed us." He muttered silently, his eyes turning colder as he turned his attention back towards Seth.
Despite his best attempt at trying to catch up to him, there would always be something that would hinder his path. Be it Geneva, random interference from people inside the cubicles, or even anomalies.
Kai was shocked to find the gap between him and his target only widening.
To make matters worse, his target had not once run.
He simply just...
Walked.
The sight made his insides twist green, his pride recoiling violently at the humiliation. His ego refused to tolerate it, refused to accept even a second of it.
That was why he stopped holding back.
In a single moment, he forced open every node in his body, ignoring the strain, ignoring the warning signs. A crushing pressure erupted from him like a shockwave, warping the air itself. The surroundings buckled under the force, the walls bending, the floor trembling as the immense pressure poured out of him without restraint.
Cra Crack!
With a single step, the ground shattered.
His body faded from the spot.
And in the fraction of a second, he was already before Seth.
Kai didn't hold back.
The moment he arrived before Seth, he reached forward with his hand, trying to get a grasp of his head, but, almost as if he had eyes at the back of his head, Seth moved it to the side.
No...
He moved it even before Kai had moved.
It was as if he had predicted everything from the start.
"——!"
The sight left Latcher stunned, his momentum carrying him past Seth, his body shooting forward before he released all the tension and forced it to come to a sudden stop.
BANG!
The pain that came from such action was enough to make one faint.
But Kai wasn't one to care about pain.
He had long grown numb to it.
But to him, there was something more important as he turned his head to stare in Seth's direction.
"You..."
Kai tried to speak, but the moment he did, he stopped.
Seth wasn't even looking at him.
He was looking elsewhere.
'What...?"
For some reason, Kai's heart sank.
Ba... Thump! Ba... Thump!
What followed was a loud and rhythmic thump.
One that came right from his heart.
He didn't know what was going on, but with each passing second, his heart only grew more and more frantic.
And soon—
He found himself turning his head.
The moment he did, his heart stopped beating.
So did his breathing.
He wasn't the only one.
Soon, Geneva arrived. She froze just like him.
The same was for those who were chasing.
And even—
"This is the place."
"They've stopped here."
"They——"
"....."
Silence.
All people present stopped speaking or breathing.
In that moment, all eyes were focused on a singular point.
Towards a singular door.
One that had a metal plaque that said, [Manager's Office].
-x-X-x-
In that moment, all eyes turned away from Seth.
He was no longer the focal point of anyone present. He had long been forgotten as all eyes shifted towards the inconspicuous door that stood at the end of the corridor.
[Manager's Office]
It was just a plain door.
And yet—
The moment all eyes fell on it... It was as if the very air had been sucked away from the surroundings.
Ba... Thump!
Hearts drummed in unison as nobody dared to make a sound.
The drones that hovered overhead captured the entire scene, showing the door to everyone watching.
*
BUA Malovia Branch.
"This is..."
"It's the boss's room."
"...We've finally found the final room."
Tension ran high within the auditorium, every face drawn tight as dozens of eyes fixed on the inconspicuous-looking door. It wasn't ornate, nor did it carry any markings of importance. In fact, its plainness was exactly what made everyone uneasy. Something so ordinary had no business feeling this ominous... yet the atmosphere around it was suffocating.
Soon, the Guild Masters all stood up.
The sheer gravity of the situation weighed on everyone's mind as the branch leader had no choice but to speak up.
"Please calm down, everyone. I understand what you are feeling, but for now, we can't send any more people into the Gate. There's still some buffer time since the last team entered. The best we can do for now is tell them to wait."
The buffer time wasn't too long.
It was just a couple of hours. Once 100 people were sent in, another 100 could be sent over a couple of hours later.
These were the general rules of this Gate.
"For now, I will deliver the message to stay put. We've already marked the room's location. We may go whenever we wish. The best course of action is to acquire even more information regarding the Gate."
Despite the situation, the branch leader remained relatively calm.
The Guild Masters of the larger Guilds were no different. They were one of the few that remained seated, their hands crossed as they stared at the door indifferently. They didn't feel the same way as the others.
They weren't as intimidated by that plain door.
"...I will be delivering the message now."
Taking out a small flip-phone from his pocket, the branch leader sent over a message real quick, "Hold position for now. Do not approach the door. I repeat, do not approach the door. Hold position."
The message was clear.
In order to avoid misunderstandings, he repeated it a couple of times.
Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding!
Chimes began to echo across the feed as the message spread across all members.
And once they took out their phones—
—Eh?
—What...?
—We're going in?
—Why are they instructing us to go in? This doesn't make sense. We don't know anything about this room.
—What's going on?
There was a slight delay between the broadcast and the real live events.
But it wasn't too long.
However, upon hearing the words coming out of the members inside the Gate, the faces of the people in the auditorium couldn't help but change. But none reacted more sharply than the branch leader. His face drained of color the moment he heard their words, the tension in his jaw tightening visibly as the weight of the situation settled on him like a stone.
"Impossible!"
He stared at his phone again.
'——!'
It was to his utter shock and horror that the message that he had sent was completely different from the one he had intended to send.
How did...
Crrr! Crrrr—
A loud scraping sound echoed across the entire room.
When the branch leader lifted his head, he saw all the Guild Masters stand up and head towards the exit of the room.
The branch leader said nothing at the sight.
There was nothing that he could say.
At this moment, all Guild Masters were starting to get ready.
They all understood that it'd soon be their turn to move.
There was something extremely sinister at play.
***
"This makes absolutely no sense..."
"Why do they want us to enter the room. We don't know anything about it. Wouldn't the best approach be to wait for more people?"
"S-hit..."
"It's because they can't feel what we feel!"
"They're trying to send us to our death in order to get more information!"
The messages caught everyone completely off guard. A heavy silence fell over the area as the weight behind the door pressed harder and harder against them. With every passing second, the pressure intensified, wrapping around their chests and shoulders like an invisible vice.
It felt as though simply standing there was enough to crush them.
"What do we do? Do we have no choice but to listen?"
"Shit!"
"Guild Master!"
Eventually, all eyes fell towards a single person.
The most qualified person.
The Guild Master of the Royal Chamber Guild. Unlike the rest, and a few others, he was still relatively calm, his expression fixed on the phone in his hand. Feeling everyone's gazes, he looked up.
Eventually, he put his phone away.
"We wait."
"Huh?"
"What...?! But—!"
"Do not be fooled by the messages."
The Guild Master replied, his tone low.
"The command makes absolutely no sense. It's far too erratic. I refuse to believe this is a message the BUA would issue. Even if they intended to gather additional information, their standard procedure involves several verification steps before anything like this is ordered. This feels fabricated. Either we're trapped in an illusion, or our devices have been tampered with. The safest course of action is to wait for reinforcements and have them confirm the situation firsthand."
His words brought a certain calm to the group.
When thinking about it, his words made sense.
Standing not far from him, Kai shared a similar opinion, "I've encountered similar situations like these before. Although it shouldn't be possible to tamper with our devices, this is no normal gate. It is best to exercise caution."
There was still some doubt in the air.
However, with the two most qualified people speaking, everyone started to calm down. If it was them, then...
"Huh?"
"What are you doing!?"
But of course, how could things flow smoothly?
Before anyone realized it, a certain figure had already walked towards the door. Latcher was the first to react, but by then, it was already too late as Seth reached for the handle of the door and pulled it open.
"No!"
"You—!"
Creaaaaaaaak!
The moment the door opened, a suffocating darkness poured out from within. The air seemed to collapse inward, pulled violently toward the threshold as if the darkness itself were devouring it.
Every sound vanished.
Voices. Breathing. Even the faint hum of the lights.
All of it was swallowed whole, leaving the surroundings in a perfect, chilling stillness.
But soon—
Click! Click! Click!
A clicking sound echoed.
One that was neither hurried nor slow.
Within the darkness, a faint light flickered. It was small, pale, and strangely steady. It came from what looked like a lone monitor, its glow cutting a thin line through the void.
And behind it, partially swallowed by the shadows, sat a figure, its silhouette barely visible behind the monitor.
Click! Click!
His fingers continued to move quietly across the keyboard.
Click!
It was almost as if he hadn't even noticed them.
Click! Click!
But everyone present knew...
Click!
It was aware.
Click!
Observing them.
Click!
Evaluating them.
Click! Click!
Judging them.
But soon—
Click!
The last key echoed.
A tense silence followed.
One that was broken by a certain voice.
A voice that...
Sent chills down everyone's spine.
"...You're here."
-x-X-x-
Nobody dared to breathe.
The voice was soft.
And yet, the moment it sounded, it almost felt as though something was crawling at the back of their necks, inching closer and closer to their ears.
It was also at that moment that the 'clicking' returned.
Click!
The tension in the room reached an all-time high; every person was frozen in place, hardly daring to even look at each other, while the repetitive clicks of the keyboard echoed through the air like a ticking clock.
Click. Click... Click!
There was no time to even think.
It was like each click resounded with the beat of their own heart.
The creature that stood before them...
'Just what is it!?'
'H-how can something like this...!'
'I... I...'
Several covered their mouths, unable to calm their nerves as their legs shook under the sheer tension of the situation.
They were all elites.
At least, a major part of them were.
And yet—
'I can't breathe! I can't breathe! I can't breathe!'
'H-help...!'
As though they had been transported back in time to the times when they had just started, their entire bodies quivered under the rhythmic, yet tense presses of the keys.
Only a few were able to maintain their calm.
But even they... were struggling to do so.
'Kermite... This must be a Kermite.'
'I've only seen one before... but I don't know. I don't know. Why does this one feel even more terrifying? C-can we...?'
Doubt. Horror. Dread.
They were all feeling certain unspoken emotions.
Kermite's were rare. However, each time one appeared, the entire world would submit under its might.
At this very moment, they all realized the sheer terror that came with such a label.
Not even the Conductor could make them feel this way.
And soon—
Click!
The 'manager' paused once more.
As it did, its voice quietly whispered into the air.
"...It took you long to find this place."
Took long...?
It had been waiting for them?
Several started to tremble even harder. Of course, the more clearheaded ones understood that it had been the case. From the moment that they had entered the Gate, this 'anomaly' had likely been waiting for them to make their way towards it.
But was it really speaking to them?
Were they the ones that it had been waiting for?
The eyes of a single person in the room flickered.
Nevertheless, he remained quiet.
His calmness was noticed only by a single person, who stared at him with a pale face.
Could he...?
Click! Click!
The clicking continued.
This time, slower.
It was also at this moment that the voice whispered in the air once more.
"I expected this to be a lot less troublesome."
Scratch! Scratch!
A faint scratching sound echoed a moment later.
"...Nothing ever goes smoothly."
For a moment, everyone paused.
Nobody could recognize the voice, but it sounded...
"I have been doing a lot of overwork."
Annoyed.
"He's interfering, and yet they don't even see it."
Disappointed.
"Humans..."
The anomaly stopped, its voice growing thinner.
"...What fragile beings they are."
For some reason, the moment the last words left its mouth, the air in the room seemed to thin instantly, as if drained away, leaving several people gasping in silent panic. It wasn't just that they couldn't breathe anymore; something deeper, heavier, was pressing down on them.
It was now more like—
They were being choked.
Click!
"They can't see the enemy even when presented before their eyes."
Click! Click!
"They are careless. They don't think."
Click!
"They fear what scares them, but not what is truly scary."
Click!
"Humans..."
Click. Click!
"...They are useless."
Click!
Pressing the key again, the anomaly stopped.
Silence—
The entire room fell silent as it stopped speaking or typing.
But it was that silence that made everyone turn completely unsettled, their hearts stirring. What next? Was it going to move?
Was it going to...!?
'We need to act quickly!'
In that fleeting moment, the remaining Paragons stirred. They had been communicating with each other the entire time.
'I've detected its weakness.' Kai spoke through his mind, his expression grim as he fixed his attention towards a certain spot, his eyes narrowing the more he looked at it. 'I'm almost certain about my hypothesis. If we don't act soon, we won't have time to act later.'
'...You've detected it? How sure are you?'
'Yes, it's the computer. So long as we destroy the monitor, we should be able to clear the Gate!'
'Are you sure?'
'I'm certain. I have read it in several of the clues that I've found!'
Blinking his eyes, he shared several 'images' with them.
All Paragons were equipped with devices that could allow them to talk with each other once they reached a certain distance. These devices came in the form of lenses, allowing them to speak through their minds, preventing anyone else from hearing.
But was that truly the case...?
Could their thoughts really not be heard?
"Haa."
A single exhale.
It was just a single exhale, and yet...
Everyone could feel the disappointment laced in that one breath.
The Paragons stiffened.
For some inexplicable reason, it felt like it was directed at them.
That couldn't be, right...?
Surely...
"...They really are useless."
The word made the hearts of the Paragons sink.
In particular, Kai, as his head stiffly turned towards the creature sitting behind the desk, its features still obscured under the darkness of the room.
He couldn't see the creature standing behind the desk.
But he could feel it.
He could feel its gaze directed right at him.
"You can't even realize it when you're being played."
Tap.
Pressing his hand against the table, the expressions of the Paragons changed.
"——!"
"...Huek!"
"N-no!"
The devices they used to communicate shattered all at once, leaving them stunned.
T-this..
How did...
"It looks like it's time."
Without waiting for anyone to speak, the monitor before the 'boss' slowly started to move and turn.
Crrrr—
The movement was slow, but the sound was grating, each scrape tightening the air as the tension in the room climbed to an all-time high and every pair of eyes locked onto the glowing monitor.
Soon, the monitor turned, and everyone caught a glimpse of the screen.
A red dot.
That was the first thing that everyone caught a glimpse of.
It was moving quietly across the monitor, moving closer and closer to the area marked as [Zone 0].
Ba... Thump! Ba... Thump!
For some reason.
The closer the red dot moved to [Zone 0]
, the faster their hearts drummed.
None could really understand.
And yet, they could feel it.
The incoming dread as the air grew colder.
Still.
And soon, under the watch of everyone present, including the world, the red dot reached [Zone 0].
Time seemed to stop in that moment.
A voice followed,
"The devil has come."
***
At the same time.
The world was similarly holding its breath.
A livestream of the entire event had long been broadcast, and in that moment, all eyes were fixed on the 'boss' and the monitor.
—...The devil has come.
The voice was soft, but it reverberated across the entire world.
Households. Bars. Offices.
Not a single place didn't hear the spine-chilling voice as it spread through every corner of the world.
Online.
The comments were going crazy.
—What's going on? The devil? What's it talking about?
—Why aren't they doing anything? Why are they being so useless?
—Send more people! Holy fuck! What is this shit!?
—What are they doing!
—Quickly send someone!
—I've already transferred all of my assets away. I can't fucking watch this shit. My heart can't take it.
—Fuck!
Panic had long since settled across the minds of the citizens.
They all sat frozen, eyes glued to their screens, holding their breath as they waited to see what would unfold next.
At the Gate.
Several of the highest-ranking members of the Guilds were already standing outside.
"How long until we can go in?"
The Branch Leader checked his watch, trying his best to remain calm as the long arm of the watch rotated slowly.
"...There's still five minutes."
Despite his calm appearance, his back was entirely drenched in sweat.
He, too, was watching the stream.
...And while none of the people watching could truly feel the dread coming from the 'anomaly' sitting behind the chair, he could feel it.
Everyone standing outside the Gate could feel it.
And soon—
RUMBLE! RUMBLE!
The Gate shook, startling everyone.
"Careful!"
"Be careful!!"
The ground cracked, and the entire island shuddered beneath the impact. Several people stumbled, losing their footing, while only the remaining Paragons and Guild Masters managed to stay standing amid the chaos.
RUMBLE!
It was as if a high-magnitude earthquake had taken over.
But everyone knew it wasn't the case.
"It's starting..."
The branch leader muttered under his breath, his lips trembling as his wide, unblinking eyes remained fixed on the Gate looming before him.
"...The climax."
He licked his lips, which had long gone dry.
"The true nature of the Gate is being revealed."
-x-X-x-