"...The devil has come."
The Boss's voice drifted quietly across the room as the red dot finally reached its designated mark.
In that moment—
In that breath of time—
Every gaze locked onto the monitor.
No one blinked.
No one spoke.
Their breathing was restrained, shallow, and light as all attention narrowed to that single red dot pulsing softly on the screen.
Nobody understood what the words meant, but the unease gripping the room tightened. It coiled around them like a cold hand, squeezing slowly, making every breath feel heavier than the last.
'Devil...?'
'There's a devil? What is it talking about?'
'There's something coming! Something is coming! I can... feel it!'
'...W-here? Where is it?'
The silence stretched on, but within the silence, everyone heard them.
The whispers.
Some heard laughter. Others heard their own names. They were soft at first, but with the passing of the seconds, they grew louder, invading their minds.
But it wasn't all.
Soon... the whispers spread beyond the room itself.
"What's is... going on?"
"What am I hearing...?"
"What is happening? What is this voice?"
"D... Da..."
People in the crowd turned pale as the whispers grew more and more pronounced. They grew louder, numerous, and... more sinister.
Birds, mid-flight, stopped midair.
Cars halted in the streets.
Streetlamps flickered without wind.
Screens across the world shimmered as if something was messing with their screens.
It was as though the entire island had stopped moving in that moment.
As if—
The very thing inside the Gate had started to spill into the real world.
RUMBLE! RUMBLE!
A loud rumbling shook everyone out of their thoughts.
The island shook once more!
This time, it was fiercer, and everyone could feel it.
"What's happening!?"
"H-help!"
The reporters who had all stayed behind started to panic. They were just regular people, after all.
"Something... S-something terrible is happening!"
Cracks spider-webbed across the streets as lamps toppled one by one, the entire island trembling with growing violence. But if that wasn't enough to send panic surging through the population, something far worse followed.
A thick black mist began to seep across the ground, curling around the feet of everyone present.
Black mist...?
The sight made a few pause.
But soon, a horrifying realization dawned on everyone. Urgency clawed up their throats as they all turned their heads.
"Ah—!"
"This can't be—!"
"The island!"
In the far distance, massive clouds of black loomed over the horizon. They rose like towering mountains, shifting and pulsing as if alive, waiting for the perfect moment to spill over the island and swallow the city whole.
"The island!! It's sinking!"
Indeed, the island was sinking.
The faces of those who were standing outside the Gate turned grim, their gazes meeting as they understood what was happening.
"...An external power has entered the Gate. It's starting to break."
A cool voice followed amidst the chaos.
It belonged to one of the Paragons, their expression relatively calm as they assessed everything coldly.
"Whatever this 'devil' is, it likely possesses power equal to, or greater than, the Boss inside the Gate. Its presence alone is destabilizing the structure. At this rate, it won't be long before the Gate collapses entirely."
Turning his head to face the Gate, the Paragon's eyes narrowed.
And sure enough...
Cra CRACK!
Cracks began to appear over the Gate as he took a step back.
"...The Gate is on the verge of collapse. Once it collapses, whatever is trapped inside will come out. We should take that opportunity to eliminate it."
"But what should we eliminate? The boss? Or the devil?"
The Paragon turned silent. He didn't answer.
He himself didn't know.
But it didn't take long for him to get his answer as he stared at the 'stream' on his phone. It was there that he witnessed the gruesome sight of a Paragon's head exploding on the spot as the 'boss' snapped its finger, killing it without any mercy.
The sight was one that everyone present witnessed.
But it was what they heard next that made their decision clear.
—Quick! Quick! Break the monitor! Help the thing escape! That's the way to clear this gate!
—Don't fall for the anomaly's words! This is not a devil!!
—Quick!
Everyone watched as the group inside the Gate all moved at once, rushing towards the boss as they tried to destroy the monitor in front of him. Hearing their words, they all immediately understood.
The devil...
It was very likely the other power that was causing the Gate to crack.
It was the thing that the boss was trying to imprison.
In that case—
"Get ready."
"The Gate is moments away from collapsing. When it does, you must act immediately. Either destroy the monitor on sight or assist the entity that emerges from it. It will most likely be weakened at first, but once it stabilizes, it will be able to contend with the Boss. This is our only chance to clear the Gate!"
The order came directly from the branch leader as he stared at the gigantic black mountains in the distance. As they grew taller and taller, the tips started to spill onto the city.
He didn't know whether his order was correct.
However, he didn't have time to make sure. They had to pick a side; they chose the most logical side.
The boss was responsible for creating the Gate.
Not only that, but its actions inside the Gate were clear.
It... had already killed several Paragons. The 'devil' was the entity that it was trying to contain, or even worse, absorb. They couldn't allow this to continue.
Cra Crack!
"Get ready! Get ready! The Gate is about to break!"
"Everyone, get ready!"
Standing outside the Gate, everyone got ready, their bodies tensing as the cracks around the Gate expanded.
At the same time, everyone maintained their attention on the stream.
In particular, towards the figure sitting behind the monitor.
In that moment, they all saw it.
The subtle movement coming from the monitor.
Cracks started to appear all over its back.
The monitor shook, and more heads began to explode as everyone rushed the boss.
It was a scene of carnage.
One that made the hearts of many clench.
But was this truly what was happening inside the Gate?
*
Cra Crack!
'Yes... I need to destroy the monitor. So long as I destroy the monitor, I can be free!'
'The boss! Boss! That's the one we need to get rid of!'
'Don't fall for its trick! I mustn't fall for its trick!'
'Kill the boss! Destroy the monitor!'
'This is the only way we can be free!'
Voices continued to whisper in everyone's minds. Soft, disjointed murmurs slipped between their thoughts, threading through the room like invisible fingers.
All eyes stayed fixed on the figure seated behind the monitor. Its posture did not shift, its silhouette did not waver, yet its features remained swallowed by the darkness, as if reality itself refused to show them what it truly looked like.
But contrary to what the people outside believed they were seeing, there was no carnage.
No corpses littered the floor.
No blood splattered the walls.
No heads had exploded.
In reality, not a single person inside the room was dead.
Cra Crack!
Yet, despite that undeniable truth, every observer, everyone watching through the feed or within the room, saw the slaughter.
They felt it.
They believed it.
Because in their minds...
It really had happened.
Seeing the chaos around him, the boss didn't react. Instead, it fixed its gaze on the one figure that remained calm.
To the one figure that was completely unaffected.
Eventually—
"The Gate is about to crack." Seth's voice whispered in the air, its dark eyes remaining locked onto the 'boss'. "Once the Gate cracks, you will be attacked by everyone. Even with your current strength, you will not survive."
"....."
The Boss didn't answer; its features were still obscured under the darkness.
"Why didn't you take it?"
Seth spoke again. But this time, its voice was even colder.
"...Had you taken the Emblance Shard, none of this would've happened. But now...?"
Seth's eyes narrowed, his eyes flickered into what felt like 'disappointment'.
"There's no reversing what you've done. There's no turning back into what you once were. You've now... fully become an anomaly. What even was the point of creating a Gate?"
The voice was calm.
And yet, if one listened carefully, they would catch the fury buried beneath every word.
Seth? The Doppelganger? The System?
Whoever it was...
It was disappointing.
Angry.
Cra Crack!
Amidst its words, the monitor cracked further.
It was now on the verge of completely shattering.
But despite the situation, the boss remained still. It stared right at the doppleganger before slowly starting to stand up.
*Sigh*
A single sigh escaped its lips.
It was a long and tired sigh.
Staring at the monitor that was on the verge of cracking, the boss looked at Seth, its features still obscured by the darkness.
"The Gate..."
Words finally started to leave its mouth.
"There was a purpose."
"...."
Seth wordlessly stared at the 'boss'. No, to be more precise, what was left of the original Seth.
Cra Crack!
The monitor shook further.
A strained sound followed.
One that contained whispers.
'Give it up...'
'You can't contain me!'
'I am not something that you can imprison!'
'The entire world is against you!'
'There's nothing that you can do to defeat me!'
'Give it up!'
Each whisper grew louder with the seconds, digging at the boss's mind.
Dantalion's figure started to materialize from within the monitor, prying its way out of the screen.
Its features were blank, but one could see the smile plastered across its face.
The boss stared at all of this in silence before lifting its head to stare at the doppleganger.
As it did, it left its final words, "I needed to buy time."
It paused, its voice lowering as its features started to show.
"I needed to buy time for myself to get adjusted to this new state. To... tame this new power."
BANG!
The monitor exploded a moment later.
As it did, the entire world turned completely white.
That marked the end of the Gate.
It also marked the start of the end.
-x-X-x-
The world of anomalies was unnatural.
The more powerful an anomaly became, the sharper its mind remained.
Yet beneath that clarity lay something else—
Not whispers.
Not voices.
Something lower.
Something darker.
It was the raw and unfiltered inner nature buried deep within the human heart.
For when a being turned into an anomaly, its true, feral nature emerged—
Hehehe.
'No... Not yet.'
From the moment Seth turned into an anomaly, he tried to curb that 'instinct'. He tried to restrain it so that he could retain his consciousness.
But there was no fighting the primal instinct that was coming from deep within his body.
He knew that it wouldn't be long until the instincts took over.
Until his consciousness truly faded.
He held on for a while.
The power that came with the turn was unimaginable.
But at the same time, it was hard to control.
It was for this reason that he created a Gate. The purpose was to hold the demon at bay until he could finally control his power.
And now—
Swoooosh!
Seth's eyes opened.
The blinding light receded, withdrawing from his vision.
In its wake, he found himself exposed.
Surrounded by thousands of eyes, all fixed on him from every direction.
All of them... simply staring.
Time seemed to slow down in that moment.
But it was amidst that restless crowd that he began to look around. His gaze drifted over countless faces... expressions twisted with fear, anger, tension, and even calmness.
And then his eyes settled.
On one person.
He stood out.
Not because of anything unusual in his appearance, but because of the expression he wore. Among all the numerous expressions around, he was the only one smiling.
'Dantalion.'
Of that, Seth was certain.
There was no trapping him. He... had also escaped the moment the Gate shattered. And now, Dantalion had settled himself amidst the crowd.
Blink!
Sure enough, in just the blink of an eye, the man's expression snapped back into one of fear. As if on cue, another face in the crowd shifted.
This time, it was a woman.
Her lips curled upward, forming that same uncanny smile, stretching just a little too naturally across her face, like one that was waiting to see a great show.
And sure enough—
'They're coming.'
Seth could feel it.
Looking at the ground, and the shifting muscles and churning of Nodes, he could tell that the numerous humans were getting ready to attack him.
He stared at them calmly before reaching for his tie and adjusting it.
As he did, a quiet, yet low voice rang out.
"...Come."
***
Come...
The Boss's voice was quiet, its features completely masked by a dark mist that covered its entire body, save for the pristine suit it wore. However, it was the sound of its voice that made several people's expressions change.
Its entire demeanor appeared to change in that moment, and a pressure that was unlike anything that it had exerted before burst out from its body.
"Careful——!"
"Move back! Move back!"
Rather than attacking him, the Guild Master and Paragons retreated.
There was too little information regarding the 'Boss'. But that wasn't the main reason why they retreated.
They were searching...
Looking for the other 'entity' that was supposed to appear.
Where was it?
Where was it hiding?
Everyone looked around, but there wasn't a single trace of another anomaly. For a brief, breathless moment, the surroundings fell deathly silent.
But that silence didn't last for long.
Swooosh—
One of the Paragons eventually moved.
"Haaaa!"
"—!!"
It was Kai Latcher.
His gaze was hazy, and his expression frosty. The moment he moved, several of his nodes churned at once. His momentum grew exponentially as a loud whistling sound arose across the surroundings.
It didn't take long for him to reach the Boss, and without a moment of hesitation, he unleashed every ounce of built-up power into a single, devastating punch.
"Haaa—!"
The air screamed alongside him, and the punch soon arrived before the boss.
The entire sequence of events occurred in less than a fraction of a second.
And soon—
BOOOOM!
A thunderous explosion tore through the air, the force of it making the entire area shudder. The ground trembled beneath their feet, air vibrating as the shockwave rippled outward, swallowing every other sound in its wake.
"Careful!"
"Move back!"
The impact was powerful, raising a large cloud of dust.
For a moment, the world held its breath.
They all stared in the direction of the cloud.
Waiting.
Anticipating the result of the clash.
But the anticipated result never came, the hearts of many sinking.
Especially when their eyes landed on the figure standing before the "boss."
With both hands pressed together, an anomaly, pitch black from head to toe, took the full force of the impact. It simply stood there, unmoved, as if the blow had meant absolutely nothing.
Cracks split the ground at its feet, dust rising in thin wisps, while Latcher's breathing grew heavier and heavier behind it.
"Haa... Haa..."
The boss stood silently, staring at all of it amid the haze covering its face.
For just a moment...
Everything froze. Nobody moved. All eyes fixed on the spectacle before them.
But that was only for a moment.
"Go!"
Soon, the other Paragons moved. Kai's actions had started a chain reaction.
Nodes started to churn, and everyone began to move at once.
"Attack!"
"...Surround them!!"
"Attack quickly!"
Their momentum was terrifying.
The instant they launched forward, the collective force of their movement collided with the boss's pressure and pushed it back. The suffocating weight that had filled the area just moments ago was forced to retreat under the sheer power of their advance.
And this was before the main Guild Masters or the upper echelon of the Paragons had even taken a single step.
They hadn't moved yet...
And still, the balance had already shifted.
The boss didn't pay attention to any of it.
Its focus never once drifted toward the chaos unfolding around the battlefield.
Instead, its gaze locked onto Latcher.
Latcher stood with his head lowered, shoulders rising and falling with strained breaths. At a glance, it looked as though he had poured everything he had into that one attack.
But looking closer...
The boss caught sight of something else.
A thin smile.
Indeed, he was smiling.
Using Latcher's body, Dantalion had pushed everyone into action.
Same tricks...
Finally lifting his head, the boss stared at the numerous figures rushing toward him. The boss didn't panic. He didn't tense. He didn't even shift his footing.
He simply watched.
His eyes traced each person barreling his way, taking in every movement, every stance, every node... Almost as if he had all the time in the world.
Their momentum was terrifying.
It had long overwhelmed his momentum. If he took their attacks head-on, the result would be obvious.
But he wasn't alone.
Fixing his tie again, the mist covering the boss's face shifted slightly. It was brief, almost easy to miss, but in that moment, the veil thinned just enough for a hint of the face behind it to show. A faint curve at the corner of the mouth.
One... that seemed to belong to a mask?
"Hehehe."
A laugh rippled through the air a moment later.
It was a soft and eerie laugh.
And yet, the moment it carried through the air, the momentum rushing toward him came to an abrupt halt, leaving everyone frozen in disbelief.
Nobody understood what had happened.
But before any of them could even begin to process the scene before them, the laugh grew louder, rising through the silence, echoing across the world with a depth that made every hair on their bodies stand on end.
"He... he! He! He!"
The laugh carried through the air, its pitch high, and the deep sense of madness that hid within it spreading through every corner of the surroundings.
For just a moment, the boss's body hunched, the mist covering its face fluctuating wildly, revealing hints of its true features.
Jingle~
Subtle bells rang in the air.
The boss's body hunched further, its hand reaching up to cover its face.
"Ha! Haaa...! He! He! HE! HE!"
Its laugh grew even more terrifying, its movements growing more and more erratic.
In that moment, it was as if something was taking over its body.
Something...
Extremely sinister.
But most horrifying was what came with the laugh.
"My... node..."
"W-what's...!"
The Nodes of several recruits stalled all at once, freezing as if they had suddenly turned to stone.
No matter how hard they tried to force them awake, no matter how desperately they pushed, their Nodes refused to churn.
And amidst such a situation, the boss continued to laugh, its laugh growing higher and higher in pitch as laughs continued to whisper in its head.
'Hehehe!'
'He! HE! HE!'
The more he heard the laughs, the more they made him want to laugh.
"Ha... Ha! HA!'
'No... Ha! Not... HaHA ...yet!'
Covering his mouth with his hand, forcing the laughs to come to a stop, his eyes swept over the surroundings before the mist closed in again, hiding his features and pulling the area into a brief, heavy silence.
That silence lasted only a moment, ending the instant his low voice echoed once more.
"...I... I guess I'm a little stressed from all the work."
Cra Crack!
The ground cracked beneath its words, thin fractures spreading outward like roots. A moment later, hands began to claw their way up through the openings. One after another, they surfaced, dragging out creatures of all shapes and forms.
Gasps broke through the crowd as horror settled in.
The things rising from beneath the earth were nothing any of them wanted to see.
"That's...!"
"VILE - 001. VILE -038."
"VILE - 402."
A man suddenly spoke, his voice grave as he scanned the numerous creatures rising from the ground.
"VILE - 920"
"VILE - 882"
"VILE - 1930"
Eventually, he stopped, his breath coming to a pause as he moved his hand behind him, trying his best to cover its trembling.
"...They're here."
He may have been able to hide his hand, but not his lips, as he muttered, "A-all the missing anomalies. They're here."
The employees were here.
The words uttered sent a chill down the spines of the many watching.
VILE - 011
VILE - 301
VILE - 992
VILE - 201
One anomaly after another began to appear, their presence looming over the numerous Guild Masters, Paragons, and Guild Members.
This was an unprecedented scene that left everyone stunned. No one could find their voice, no one dared to breathe too loudly, as their minds scrambled to make sense of the impossible sight unfolding before them.
How was this...?
H-how?
Eventually, all eyes fell on the boss again.
The originator of it all.
The sense of horror coming from the figure grew even more pronounced, pressing into the minds of several until their thoughts were practically shouting, 'It can summon anomalies!? What sort of concept is this?!'
Their disbelief mixed with a fear they could no longer rationalize.
An anomaly like this...
They had never seen it before.
But to make matters worse, there seemed to be something deeper to the boss.
Something even more terrifying.
Thankfully, that very essence appeared to be contained at least to some extent. But what no one could tell was that the 'boss' was barely holding on.
'Ha... Hehe! HE! HE!'
'HA! HaHa!'
'HeHEHa!'
'He... He... HAHE!'
'HeHa...! HaHe!'
Laughter echoed in the Boss's mind from all directions.
The more anomalies appeared, the stronger the whispers and laughter inside his mind became.
His inner nature...
It was slowly making its way out.
'No, not... yet!'
'HeHEHa!'
'Seth' could slowly feel his consciousness sinking deeper and deeper into the inner nature contained within his body.
The more it threatened to take over, the more the mist around his face fluctuated, revealing even more hints of what lay beneath.
It was only the sharper-eyed people who caught it.
Gold? Red...?
Smile.
Jingle~
Bells?
A picture began to form in the minds of those who caught it.
But alongside the picture was a quiet sense of dread. One that made their expressions turn grim.
'He...! HeHA!'
Hearing the laugh echo in his mind again, Seth covered his face, looking at the numerous anomalies that were clawing their way towards the top. By now, the elites of the Guilds had all snapped out of their shock.
They didn't hesitate.
"Before more appear, eliminate them!"
"Follow Containment procedures!"
"Divide into several groups! Forge a path to the boss!"
Despite being from different Guilds, they were all elites. The moment several of the higher-ranked Paragons and Guild Masters issued orders, they all followed them swifly, dividing into multiple groups.
One group handled the anomalies while the other, and more powerful group, handled the Boss.
BANG!
Immediately, both sides began to clash.
Containment procedures for all the numerous anomalies appeared on the screen of their phones, with several Guild Masters designating different groups to fight the approaching anomalies.
Each group contained more experienced 'Containment' members, with the front being held by those from the 'Hoarding' and other departments.
Unlike the 'Containment' members, they were a lot more adept at fighting against monsters and anomalies.
When it came to raw power, they were a league above.
"Hurry!"
"Quick—!"
"Make sure to be as swift as possible! Take the burden from the others!"
BANG! BANG!
Chaos ensued, and the anomalies brainlessly attacked the numerous elites and members around them. Their numbers were endless, but their power was not.
It was to the surprise of everyone present to find that they weren't as strong as they expected them to be.
Or at least, that was until 'it' showed up.
WHAM!
With the single stroke of its baton, the music flared.
"——!"
"—!"
The tune was loud and sharp.
The moment it sounded, several of the weaker people froze in place, their faces turning pale as blood leaked from the side of their ears.
For a moment, the entire battlefield quieted down.
For just a moment...
Everyone paused, their gazes fixed on the creature standing not far from them, its hand holding onto a small violin as the stitches on its mouth ripped apart, revealing a cruel and twisted smile.
Behind him were several faceless figures.
They all held onto a different instrument as they looked at the figure before them.
Towards...
The Conductor.
"...Ah."
The Conductor smiled, feeling the attention of everyone on it, its body giving a faint, twitching shudder, the kind one would make when a deep sense of excitement stirred from within, and soon.... Its hand slowly began to move.
"What an incredible audience."
WHAM!
The music flared again, the Conductor's movements sharp and swift.
"Haaaa!"
"H-help!"
Screams filled the surroundings, blood splattering from the faces of many as eardrums ruptured.
"Ah—!"
It was a scene that left many holding their breath, their eyes glued on the stream as they froze on the spot, unable to turn away from it.
But soon, the Guild Members reacted.
Their reactions were swift.
A figure with short black hair stepped forward, her hand swiping in the air as several barriers began to form around the air, blocking all the noise from entering. Her reaction was quick, preventing anyone from sustaining severe damage.
She stood with her back straight, her eyes narrowing as she looked at the Conductor.
But before the people could rejoice...
"Hehehe."
A soft giggle echoed, and the barriers shuddered.
It was only for a moment, but that was enough to make the noise enter.
And thus—
"Haaaa!"
Chaos erupted from within the barriers.
"Haa!"
Screams filled the air once more, but as if that wasn't enough, several phones began to flicker at the same time, a figure appearing within them as several people froze at once, their eyes turning slack.
And soon—
"W-wait! What are you doing!?"
"Why are you attacking?!"
"Traitor! There's a traitor!!"
It was chaos.
It was utter chaos.
If not for the swift reaction from the Paragons and Guild Masters, the damage would've been immense.
Catching a glimpse of the unfolding situation, the doppleganger didn't show much of a reaction. He stood amidst the chaos, observing everything as he stared at the anomalies under Seth's employment, serving their uses.
They had grown quite strong under his rise.
But it wasn't enough.
Far from enough.
And sure enough—
Snap!
A loud snap echoed in the air.
In an instant, all sound ceased. The Conductor, who had been smiling a moment prior, suddenly stopped, the smile slowly receding as it stared toward the source of the noise, the stitches in its eyes snapping as a group of people appeared in the distance.
They didn't appear at all flustered by what was happening.
Rather, they appeared relatively calm as they scanned the surroundings, their gazes falling on a girl sitting on top of one of the lamps, her feet dangling as she popped the gum in her mouth.
"...Who's going to take care of her?"
A quiet voice whispered, causing a woman with long brown hair to step forward, her hand covering her mouth as she yawned.
"Warden Decree, right?"
"Most likely."
"Alright, I'll do it."
Not even a second after the words left her mouth, her figure blurred with the surroundings. In the next moment, she was already next to the girl, a thin dagger appearing in her hand as she slashed at the girl.
*Pop*
The gum popped, and Mirelle's body fell back, her legs still hooked around the lamp as she dodged the attack.
"Hehehe."
She started giggling again, but it was simply not enough.
Sasha's face paled for just a moment as she maneuvered her body around the lamp, her movements fluid like water as she stabbed toward Mirelle's exposed head. Her actions were incredibly swift, all happening in a fraction of a second.
Not even Mirelle could do anything about Sasha's actions.
Thankfully, she wasn't alone.
From the gleam of Sasha's dagger, a face appeared, and not a moment later, a voice followed, "Mr Jingl—"
"Nope."
From below, Hugo shook his head, his nodes churning as the dagger on Sasha's hand hardened, blocking the anomaly from appearing.
To make matters even worse, Emma, the Sonorous Paragon, waved her hand, casting a large bubble over the two.
WHAM!
The Conductor's music flared a moment later, but the bubble absorbed all of the music, allowing for Sasha's dagger to cleave down on the little girl.
"——!"
She didn't miss.
The dagger stabbed right at the back of Mirelle's head.
*Pop*
The gum popped once more, and not a second later, Mirelle's body faded.
Thud!
Sasha landed on the ground a second later, her hand holding onto her neck as she looked towards the others.
"That was quite a bit of an effort for just an anomaly."
"...Yeah, not bad. From what I know, she should've been one of the 'supervisors'. It's only normal for it to be hard."
"A bit troublesome, but don't get distracted.
The others focused on the Conductor a moment later.
The smile from the Conductor had long faded, replaced by a gloomy expression.
This was the first time that anyone had seen such an expression from the Conductor. Not even Seth was familiar with this expression, having only seen it once before.
For the usually smiling Conductor...
This was very rare.
"I guess things are getting a little bit more serious."
The Paragons remained calm, looking at the Conductor. Their goal was clear. They had to take care of the 'supervisors'.
Regarding the boss...?
One of the Paragons smiled.
'I can only hope they leave some for us.'
An even more terrifying group was taking care of him.
-x-X-x-
'W-where...?'
From the start, Seth's goal was clear.
He wanted to get rid of Dantalion. That was his one goal, and the reason why he had done everything.
The system had asked him to run...
But he had other plans.
He...
Had a goal.
'He... He... HAHEha!'
'HA! He...!'
'Where...? Where is... Haha!'
His gaze desperately scanned the surroundings, trying his best to look for any clue regarding Dantalion.
But—
Nowhere.
Dantalion was nowhere to be found.
To make matters worse...
Swooosh!
Seth could feel a shift in his surroundings.
He could feel the numerous anomalies that he had summoned were starting to be pushed back. Not only that, but his connection with Mirelle had also faded.
She...
"H-ha..."
Seth took a deep breath, the mist covering his face fluctuating.
The laughter in his head grew further, every part of his body tingling as he continued to scan the space. Alongside the tingling, he could feel the hidden sadistic nature that hid deeply within his body was starting to take over.
He didn't have much time.
He—
"—!"
Swoooosh!
All of a sudden, time appeared to have stopped. He instantly recognized what was happening.
Temporal...
Not a moment later, several figures walked amidst the frozen time.
Their power and pressure were unlike the others', and Seth could even feel his own momentum beginning to be suppressed.
"We should get this done quickly. It's not easy to create a pocket."
"...Alright, I got it."
Their voices were rather leisurely.
Seth scanned each face. There were about a dozen of them, each one of a different age, and while he didn't know who they were, he could tell that they were incomparably powerful figures.
But he didn't care too much about them.
After one glance, he looked away from them. He looked towards the crowd, staring to see if he could spot the demon.
But regardless of where he looked, he wasn't able to find anything.
'Heh—! HEhe! He!'
'Ha! HaHah! HEH!'
'Hee! HEHe! HeH!'
'Ha—! HAha! HA!'
'HeeHee! HE! Hee!'
By now, his entire mind was filled with laughter.
His entire body shuddered, and for a moment, he lost sight of what was around him. The laughter was clouding his thoughts.
By the time he realized, several figures were already charging at him.
"...This easy?"
A dark figure appeared before Seth in an instant.
With both hands crossed, the Realmwalker prepared to take the full brunt of the attack.
BANG—!
However, the Realmwalker's figure quickly shattered under the sheer impact of the attack.
The attack carried through from there.
Seth stared at the attack, unmoving. The momentum behind the attack was powerful, but he wasn't worried.
A black pool formed beneath his body, pulling him down.
He vanished a moment later.
Swooosh!
"Hm?"
Seeing his attack miss, Borack raised his brow before glancing at the figure standing beside him. "James, I thought you stopped time. How did—"
"Careful!"
Borack felt a pair of hands shove him aside as a silhouette appeared exactly where he had been standing a moment earlier.
The speed at which the anomaly emerged left him stunned.
But he recovered quickly.
The moment he laid eyes on the anomaly, several of his nodes churned, and in an instant, a large boulder materialized above it, crashing down with force. At the same time, Ramirez waved his hand, causing several gloves to appear from beneath the ground, grasping Seth's body from all directions, keeping him in place.
Ranked 27, Ramirez was of the Guardian Decree. His nodes could temporarily seal and contain anomalies.
The brief opening they created allowed everyone present to strike at the boss simultaneously.
"Quick!"
They unleashed everything they had.
None of them was from the Anomalous Department. In fact, every one of them was an elite from the Horading Sector.
Because of this, they handled the situation smoothly, each knowing exactly what they needed to do. Given the little information available about the boss, there was no need for any Containment member to be present.
After all, in terms of strength, they were significantly weaker.
BANG! BANG—!
Several attacks came crashing down on Seth at once.
Ramirez's nodes churned wildly as they tried to contain the 'Boss' down, and while he struggled, he was able to keep him just barely in place.
Seth felt all of this, his body memontarily freezing under the strange effects of the Paragon's power.
To make matters worse, the laughter grew louder in his mind.
It made it harder for him to think properly.
But despite this, he was still looking.
Looking for... the demon.
'Where...? Where is...?'
The Paragons took advantage of this.
"Keep attacking!"
"Use everything that you have!!"
The attacks were relentless, each one landing harder than the last as Seth's clothes began to shred, his tie snapping loose while the mist clinging to his body fluctuated even more wildly.
'W-where...? Where...?'
It was obvious that Seth was on the losing side.
Despite the power contained within his body, he was still getting pushed back.
This situation...
It wasn't like Seth hadn't anticipated it.
He knew from the start that when faced against the top experts of the world, he'd still lose.
But this wasn't the true reason why he was struggling.
'Heh—He! HEHA! He!'
'Ha—HA! Heh—HE!'
'HeHE! HaHAH—!'
'HE! HehHe! HAH!'
'HeHaHe! HE! Ha!'
It was the voices in his mind.
They were becoming increasingly pronounced, and they were the main reason he was starting to struggle. Under the barrage of attacks, he found himself unable to focus on containing the voices.
'Ha! HA! HA! HA!"
The mist that covered his body grew thinner and thinner.
A long piece of fabric with a bell at its tip slipped out from the mist covering his face.
Jingle~
It rang once.
"He...!"
That single sound was enough to make the attackers stop.
Not because they chose to, but because they were suddenly unable to move at all.
"....."
"....."
For just a moment, the surroundings turned silent.
Not a sound was heard.
But soon—
"He... Khehehe."
A laugh echoed.
A certain chill rose in the air as the boss's body hunched, several bells popping out from the mist covering its face.
Jingle~ Jingle~
The Jingles of the bells echoed quietly across the space as the air froze.
"He... HehE!"
What followed was a forced, yet strained laugh.
From the moment it sounded, it was as if everyone's blood froze.
"What's... going on?"
"It's changing? It's evolving?"
"I can't move. Ramirez!"
"I'm trying!"
The previous calmness on the Paragon's expression began to change. In its place was a deep sense of apprehension as they watched the mist slowly start to fade from the anomaly's body.
Cr Crack!
A cracking sound echoed, Seth's body hunching further as his arms and body started to squirm. Soon, the mist covering his body thinned further, and the appearance beneath the mist began to be revealed.
One detail at a time.
Cra Crack!
What emerged was a figure completely different from before, one that they were aware of, yet nothing about it resembled humor.
Its mask, split into a permanent smile, curved sharply at the edges, as if carved with the intention of mocking anyone who dared to look at it. The colors on its suit were faded and uneven, hanging loosely in places as though the fabric had decayed along with whatever was wearing it.
Small bells dangled from its collar and wrists, but instead of ringing, they gave off a dull, hollow rattle that caused the air to freeze.
And just as everyone became aware of what lay before them, the Jester raised its head.
The moment it did, the lips on the mask pulled into a tighter smile as it suddenly began to laugh.
"Ha... Hahahahahaha!"
"HAHAHAHAHAH!"
"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!"
"HEHEHEHEHEHEHE!"
The laugh was unlike anything that the Paragons had ever heard before.
Not just because of the way it sounded, but because of what came alongside the laugh.
"Haaa... Haaa... Haa....!"
All of a sudden, one of the weaker Paragons started to feel something, their breathing growing heavier. The change caught everyone off guard, but before they could even figure out what was happening, the Paragon's face turned completely white.
Especially when...
Cra Crack!
He heard a sudden crack in his mind.
The sound was subtle, but he heard it.
Not just him; everyone else did, too.
In that moment, everyone froze, all eyes falling on the Paragon as time appeared to freeze.
Then—
Crack! Crack! Crack! Crack! Crack!
Fast.
Loud.
Numerous cracking sounds followed all at once, all eyes falling on the Paragon as he looked at them with a blank expression.
In that moment, his lips opened.
As he did, he mumbled, "My Nodes..."
He blinked his eyes, his lips opening again.
But this time, no words came out.
Instead, his entire appearance started to change. In just a breath's time, his face turned completely white, the color draining out as if something had wiped away every trace of humanity he once had.
Crack! Crack!
His body began to lengthen, joints stretching in ways that looked painfully unnatural, yet he showed no sign of discomfort, as though he had lost complete sense of what was happening.
The structure of his limbs shifted next, growing thinner and more exaggerated, giving him an almost puppet-like body that swayed with each subtle movement.
"....."
".....!!"
Horror flashed across the faces of those watching, their hearts sinking to the lowest pits as the laugh from the Jester echoed in the background.
In that moment, their heads turned to face the Jester as it laughed, its hand covering its face as its gaze fell on them, the amusement all too clear.
"HaHAhaHEhaHE!"
The laugh resounded loudly in their ears.
One that made them realize something.
The Jester...
It had turned someone into an anomaly.
-x-X-x-
"Ha...! HAHe!"
The laughter was different from what it had been before.
If earlier it sounded restrained...
Now, all restraints had been thrown out the window. The laugh grew even more deranged as the Jester's body hunched further and further, the mask covering its face twitching with a madness so palpable it made the world seem to pause around it.
But it wasn't the Jester's changes that made everyone look at it in horror.
It was what the laughter brought that made the Paragons stop dead in their tracks.
Cra Crack!
A Paragon's body twitched, its bones jutting up and down beneath its skin as its entire structure began to change.
The movements were small at first, barely noticeable, but they quickly grew sharper, the sounds of bones grinding against one another slipping through the air.
Its skin tightened, then stretched, then tightened again, unable to keep up with the shifting shape beneath. The Paragon tried to speak, but only a strained breath left its throat, cut short as its jaw locked into a new angle.
Within moments, its silhouette no longer resembled the person it had been.
Its arms lengthened unevenly, fingers fusing, splitting, then bending backward in ways that no human joint could manage. The spine arched, pushing the torso into a hunched, unnatural shape, while its head tilted to one side, settling into a position that looked disturbingly deliberate.
By the time the mist cleared, the Paragon had disappeared entirely.
In its place... was a completely different creature.
One whose pressure was enough to alarm the other Paragons as they stared at one another, their faces unable to hide their shock.
In the many years that they had been doing this job...
This was the first time they had witnessed a scene like this.
A scene in which an anomaly had turned another person into another anomaly.
It was enough to send chills down their very spine.
"Oh, man..."
But despite their stupor and confusion, the Paragons were quick to move, their bodies dashing away as they distanced themselves from the 'anomaly'. Instead, they immediately focused their attention on the Jester as they started communicating with one another.
"What do you think happened? What's with the sudden change?"
"I'm not sure."
Ramirez replied, his nodes churning as a white glow enveloped the newfound anomaly, covering its entire body and preventing it from moving.
"I can't determine its strength, but for now, I should be able to contain it. But that's not the problem here."
Ramirez's tone turned grim as he looked at the Jester.
"Ha... HAHE! he!"
Hearing the distorted laugh that continued to echo from the Jester's body, his expression sank.
"...I don't know how it managed to do that, and that's what worries me. I do not fear what I know. I only fear what I don't know."
His words brought a moment of silence as the laughter continued to echo in the background.
While none of them felt any major changes in their bodies, they did feel a slight tingle in their nodes.
It was easy to ignore at first, but the more they used their nodes, the more pronounced the feeling became, and as they exchanged glances, they soon understood.
"Don't overexert your nodes! The further you push your node, the more likely it will be to take over! Keep your control to a manageable level!"
"Sandy! Block all of the noise! Make sure not to—"
Samuel's words were quickly put to a stop.
Before he could even share his commands, the Jester's entire body trembled further. At the same time, Ramirez's expression changed drastically.
"Shit! Shit—!"
All eyes turned on the Paragon that had turned into an anomaly.
It was there that they witnessed the white film covering its body begin to thin. Ramirez reacted instinctively, his nodes churning harder as he tried to reinforce the seal, but as he did, Samuel's expression shifted drastically.
"Shit! Don't do—!"
It was too late.
By the time Samuel spoke, Ramirez's Nodes had already churned faster.
This was also the moment that his expression changed.
"Ha! HA! He...!!"
The laughter that echoed in the background grew even more pronounced, and Ramirez froze on the spot, his eyes wide as he looked at the others, his face turning pale as his lips opened to mumble, "Oh."
By the time he realized his mistake, it was already too late.
Cra Crack! Cra Crack!
A series of 'cracks' echoed from within Ramirez's head as his eyes turned completely red, the blood vessels within his eyes exploding at once.
It felt like a long time had passed.
But not even a moment had elapsed as the world around them seemed to freeze.
Crack!
His body began to change a moment later, enlarging as pieces of stone formed across his skin, spreading quickly until both of his hands were covered by gauntlet-like layers. A heavy, terrifying pressure radiated from him as the transformation continued.
B... Rank.
No... A Rank!
The faces of the Paragons sank.
They hesitated.
Not because of the power that the anomaly exhibited, but because of the Jester.
In that moment...
They all shared the same thought.
'If I use my node, will I also turn?'
Despite being the absolute best elites in the world, this was the first time they had witnessed something like this. None of them understood what was going on, except that the anomaly fed on the sudden overuse of their nodes.
The answer was clear.
They had to keep the usage of their nodes to a minimum. But what was the minimum? Not only that, but with them not being able to use their nodes to the absolute best, it was the same as nerfing them heavily.
"HEha! HeHE!"
A heavy sense of dread descended upon the group in that moment, their faces turning slightly pale as they looked at one another.
But the moment of hesitation only lasted a brief second.
There was no turning back.
They couldn't turn back.
And as such, they quickly focused their attention on the Jester.
"I've already contacted the others outside. They will be coming shortly. They've already suppressed most of the anomalies outside. I've also relayed to them the situation over here. Just don't overdraw your node. So long as you don't overdraw then..."
Not even a few seconds after Samuel began speaking, the Jester suddenly stopped laughing, bringing the nearby surroundings to a still silence.
Nobody moved.
Nobody except the Jester, as it brought its hand away from its face and turned to look in their direction.
No...
It was looking elsewhere.
Towards a different direction.
None of them understood what it was looking at, but that brief moment of silence was enough to make everyone grow unsettled. The Paragon's body began to move subsequently, their nodes churning moderately as they tried to attack, but at the same time they did, the Jester's head turned.
Jingle~ Jingle~
The bells at the top of its head jingled as its lips pulled into a tighter smile.
And shortly after—
"Ha! Ha! HA! HEHEHE! HA!"
"Ha! Ha! HA! Hehehe! HA!"
"HAHA! Ha! hehehe—HA!"
"Ha—ha—HA! Hehehehe! HA!"
It began to laugh once more.
But this time, its laugh was a little different.
It was cruder. More deranged, and most importantly...
"HAHAHA!"
It was louder.
Loud enough for everyone within the vicinity to hear.
And subsequently...
Cra Crack! Cra Crack! Cra Crack!
Cra Crack! Cra Crack!
Cra Crack! Cra Crack! Cra Crack!
Cra Crack! Cra Crack! Cra Crack! Cra Crack!
Cra Crack! Cra Crack! Cra Crack!
Cra Crack! Cra Crack! Cra Crack! Cra Crack! Cra Crack! Cra Crack!
Cra Crack! Cra Crack!
Cra Crack!
Cra Crack! Cra Crack! Cra Crack!
Cra Crack! Cra Crack! Cra Crack! Cra Crack!
Cra Crack! Cra Crack!
A series of cracking sounds began to echo throughout the surroundings.
Everything froze in that moment.
Be it the anomalies, the Paragons, the agents of the BUA, the Guild Masters, or even the viewers.
In that moment, all focus was on the laughing Jester.
Question marks appeared on a few; their minds struggled to process what was happening, but in the next moment, all questions faded.
What replaced it was a look of true dread.
For...
Even more anomalies began to appear.
-x-X-x-
"What the hell is happening...?!"
"Jason! Jason!"
"...Emily! What are you doing? Why aren't you moving!?"
The surroundings were filled with shock and confusion. At one point, everyone was fighting the numerous anomalies, and in the next moment, several people stopped at once, a faint cracking sound echoing from their minds.
Nobody knew what was happening.
However, in the next moment, scenes that shook the minds of all those watching unfolded before them, followed by a deranged, almost sadistic laugh that echoed across the surroundings like a chill carried on the wind.
"HAha! HE!"
The frozen bodies began to move, their bones cracking as their limbs twisted unnaturally, their shapes slowly and grotesquely changing.
"Shit!"
"...What the fuck!?"
It didn't take long for everyone to realize what was happening.
But it was that realization that shook them to their core.
"They're turning! They're turning!"
"How is this possible?! This makes no sense at all!"
"Move back!"
"No, kill them now that they are turnin—Huek!"
Some chose to step back, still unsure of what was happening and unwilling to strike at people they had been fighting alongside only moments earlier. But, of course, there were others who were far more ruthless and cold, already preparing to cut down whatever stood before them without hesitation.
Seeing how the situation was turning, those who chose to attack went all out.
"Attack now before things get worse! Don't let your emotions cloud your judgement!"
A lot of the members present had been trained to forgo any semblance of emotion, conditioned to choose only the most optimal option in any situation. It was for this reason that they chose to strike.
But...
Was this really the best option?
"HAHEha—!"
One single laugh.
That was all it took for the many who chose to act to freeze.
"W-what..."
"My node..."
In that instant, they all felt a similar sensation.
A similar tingle in their nodes.
In that moment, for just a brief moment, time appeared to stop for them, a constant ringing echoing in their ears as they looked around, finding several people staring at them, mouthing strange words.
'Not them... too?'
One of them managed to read the lips of a distant person.
But it was already too late.
Cra Crack!
He soon heard it.
The familiar cracking sound that he had heard coming from the people who had frozen moments prior.
And soon—
His vision turned black.
But in the very last moments, he could feel it.
The changes happening within his body as he, too, started to turn into an anomaly.
CRACK!
***
At the same time.
Not far from where the Jester stood.
Rumble! Rumble!
The surroundings shook, screams filling the area as everyone witnessed the spine-chilling results that came with the Jester's laugh.
"What the hell is happening?"
Kyle muttered, his lips dry as he stared at the distant Jester. Alongside him were Zoey and the rest of the group that had entered the Gate. Even the Section Chief was present, although his expression wore a frown as he mumbled, 'Something is not adding up. Did what I saw really happen...? Did it?'
"Guild Master."
Team Leader Soran spoke up, her expression grave as she looked towards the Guild Master who stood ahead of the group.
For some reason, there appeared to be a peculiar expression on the Guild Master's face as he looked towards the distant Jester.
It was almost like one of...
Amusement?
'No, that doesn't make sense. Why would he be amused?'
Blinking once, the thin smile that she seemed to have seen from the Guild Master faded as he turned his gaze in her direction.
"Yes?"
Soran's head once again focused on the Jester, and the distant chaos before hurriedly speaking, "The situation seems to be a mess, and judging from the situation, that... thing is capable of turning people into anomalies. I've thought of several approaches, and I think—"
"There's no need."
The Guild Master raised his hand, cutting the Team Leader off. He then began to speak, his voice calm and seemingly completely unconcerned.
"...The situation is indeed a bit of a mess, but it's still not completely out of control."
Not completely out of control?
Soran blinked her eyes, staring at the Guild Master at a complete loss before looking back in the direction of the Jester, where more and more people were slowly starting to turn as its sadistic, almost cruel laugh echoed in every direction.
She wanted to say more, but eventually shrugged.
'Well, if he says so.'
Soran's thought process was simple. Since he paid her salary, he was right.
But that was just her.
Hearing the Guild Master's words, the other present Team Leaders, and even the Section Chief, looked at him in confusion.
But just before any of them could get any word out, the Guild Master turned his head to look at one particular individual.
His lips curled further into a smile.
"It's manageable, right?"
The group froze. Thereafter, all heads slowly turned in the direction of where the Guild Master was staring, and it was there that everyone caught a glimpse of a pair of dark eyes.
"Huh?"
"...Seth?"
"Seth? Did you say Seth? What...!? Why are you here? No, wait...!"
Kyle hastily raised his head in alarm, his eyes sweeping over the surroundings. He knew all about Seth's 'situation', and what was presented in the news.
In fact, the moment he came out of the gate, he also seemed to have had the impression of being betrayed by Seth, but Kyle understood from the start that something was wrong. He didn't believe in his memories for one second.
But still...
'They felt incredibly real.'
He wasn't the only one to react like this.
Almost everyone else was the same, staring at Seth with a look of wariness.
But soon, all eyes turned on the smiling Guild Master.
'...Does he know something?'
Kyle's heart skipped a beat for a moment. His thoughts paused on what he'd previously witnessed inside the gate, and his expression couldn't help but turn serious.
'Now that I think about it... He did seem to know a lot back in the Gate as well. Although he did 'betray' us in the end, I don't think all my memories are fake. But what is true and what is false?'
Kyle felt a headache starting to form.
"So? Do you have an idea of what's going on?"
"...I do."
Seth replied after the Guild Master spoke. He didn't give the others time to process the information before turning to look elsewhere.
"He's hiding... Somewhere within the crowd. If you can find him and eliminate him, all of this will be over."
"He?"
"Who is hiding?"
As the others asked the questions, Seth didn't reply. Instead, he turned around and headed in a certain direction.
"There is no better time to attack than now. Its power is at its weakest after being sealed for so long. If you don't take advantage of this situation, it'll all fall apart. It won't be easy to find him, but it'll essentially be the only non-human in the dwindling number of humans present."
The entire time, his attention seemed fixed on something else, and without a word, he eventually broke away from the group, leaving everyone stunned.
Question marks appeared on the heads of everyone present, but before anyone could fully process his words, the Guild Master clapped his hand, his smile still lingering.
"You've heard him. Time to start looking."
-x-X-x-
"...What?"
Nobody moved despite the Guild Master's words. How could they move? They could hardly understand his orders.
Follow along?
But even if they did, what were they supposed to do?
"Guild—"
"His words were pretty clear. You just need to look for someone who is disguised as a human, but isn't human."
Pausing, the Guild Master's gaze fell on one of the Team Leaders present.
"Carmen, I'd like you to use your abilities to look at the surroundings. See if you can spot anyone trying to disguise themselves as a regular member."
"But Guild Master..."
"Just do as I say. I'll take responsibility for now."
"....."
Eventually, Carmen relented. As the Team Leader of the Hoarding Department, she was the only one in the room with the authority and ability to act. Too many members were still missing, and none of the other departments' Section Chiefs were present besides the one from the Containment Department.
With no one else available, the responsibility of checking the situation through her Hunter Decree fell solely on her.
Because of that, after a brief moment of hesitation, she finally decided to activate her node.
Her nodes churned, and the moment they did, the surroundings began to distort. Lines stretched across the world like shifting grids and intersecting vectors, the colors around her bending and bleeding into one another. At the same time, she tapped her foot against the ground while saying, "I'm going to share my sight with everyone."
Her third node churned, and the eyes of all those around turned blue.
They all soon shared her vision.
Or at least, most of them.
"Share it with him, too. Don't worry about overexerting your nodes. With me here, nothing will happen."
It was only when the Guild Master spoke that Carmen reluctantly shared her vision with the departing Seth.
Despite her actions, he didn't stop for one second.
It was almost as if nothing had happened to him.
"Stop wasting any more time. Start searching. Make sure to keep a distance from the Jester in the distance, and use the chaos to your advantage. It's obvious that the range of its 'laugh' is limited."
And with the Guild Master's words, everyone began moving.
Watching everyone leave, the Guild Master remained standing in place, his gaze slowly turning in the direction of where Seth had left. Thinking about his actions and the Jester in the distance, he couldn't help but smile once more.
'...What an interesting turn of events.'
*
"What do you think?"
"...I don't know. What am I supposed to think?"
Zoey glanced at Kyle as they moved quietly through the chaos. Every step felt heavier than the last. The scene around them was enough to send chills through their very core, and the closer they drew to the distant Jester, the stronger the sense of dread pressed against their chests.
"hA...! HA! He! HA!"
By now, they had grown close enough that the laughter became more pronounced.
The moment they arrived close enough to reach its range, they all felt a strange tingle up around their nodes. It made them pause for a second, but a cold voice followed the moment they stopped.
"Keep moving. Don't overexert your nodes. You won't be noticed with me here."
There was another person moving alongside them.
Clara.
Although the two didn't understand why she chose to go with them, her presence was the main reason why they were able to get closer to the main area without being noticed.
Looking at the small black tendrils that were clinging to their body, the two exchanged glances before hearing Clara's words once more, "Keep your eyes peeled. Remove all unnecessary thoughts and focus on the task at hand."
Her words instantly brought the two back to the situation.
Without wasting a second, they started to look around.
"Look for someone that is pretending to be human, right...?" Kyle muttered, his eyes squinting as he scanned the area for anything out of the norm.
This wasn't exactly easy.
Despite the Team Leader's skill being used on them, the area was completely chaotic. Besides the laughing Jester, they could hear screams as people froze on the spot, their bodies cracking and turning into grotesque creatures.
They could even see blood spilling onto the ground, and as they grew nearer, they all started to slow down, their breathing coming to a pause.
"Slow your steps."
Clara took the front, her eyes sweeping the area as they stopped behind a burned-down black van. They all immediately rushed behind it as a scream ripped through the area.
"Haaaa—!"
They didn't need to see to know what had happened.
Kyle and Zoey's expressions tensed, their gazes falling on Clara as her brows furrowed tightly.
The two weren't just worried about the situation around her. They were also worried about Clara. It hadn't been long since she had been reinstated to the battlefield, and while she seemed fine now, there was no telling whether she could fall back into the state she had fallen into the past few months.
Still, despite knowing this, the two of them didn't stop looking around.
It had to be said, the Team Leader's ability was remarkable. Even from such a distance, she could share her perception with all of them. It made navigating the chaos far easier, allowing them to distinguish humans from anomalies at a glance.
Yellow for human, red for anomaly.
Kyle looked all over the place, his eyes desperately searching for something.
Anything.
'I still don't know what's going on, and I don't even understand why the Guild Master is listening to Seth, but looking at the situation, we're at a point where we just need anything. Otherwise... Otherwise, we might never clear this scenario.'
Biting his lips, Kyle kept scanning the area, ignoring the sharp sting building in his eyes from forgetting to blink.
'Yellow, yellow, yellow, yellow...'
But regardless of where he looked, he couldn't see anything suspicious. He checked his phone, hoping to see if the other members had seen anything, but there were no new messages. As he looked at Zoey, Kyle's heart sank.
'Shit. Is there really someone pretending to be human? Could Seth have...? No.'
Kyle shook his head.
Seeds of doubt were planted in his mind, but he quickly shook them off. Even if the entire world refused to believe in Seth, he wasn't going to be one of them.
He knew Seth better than anyone, and even though he was acting weird, Kyle still believed in him.
As such, he continued to scan the surroundings.
"HAHAHA!"
The laughter of the Jester.
"Haaaa!"
The screams of the Paragons and members.
Kyle continued to ignore it all as he strained his vision to look around.
Where? Where? Where? Where? Where?
He started to become desperate. He continued to look all over the place, even going as far as moving away from the spot despite Clara and Zoey trying to hold him back.
'Must be somewhere. Must be....'
Kyle suddenly stopped.
All of a sudden, his gaze fell towards a certain individual.
He stood amidst the chaos, his lips pulled into a smile. The moment Kyle caught a glimpse of him, he felt a cold chill run down his body.
But...
'Yellow. His entire body is coded in yellow.'
Realistically, he should've been a human.
But why was he smiling? And...
'Why am I suddenly feeling chills running down my entire body?'
Kyle's breathing grew heavier, his lips pursing together.
And soon—
".....!"
As if sensing his gaze, the figure turned his head.
For just a moment, time seemed to freeze between the two of them.
Kyle's pupils slowly constricted, every hair on his body raising.
But something strange happened right after.
Something... He couldn't quite understand as his vision turned completely dark from that moment onward.
But only for a moment.
BANG!
The moment he snapped out of it, he felt a large hand clamp around his neck, his back smashing against what appeared to be a wall. His breath caught instantly, strained and shallow, as his hands reached for the hand clasping his neck.
His struggles only made things worse.
The hand clamped harder against his neck.
"Ukhhh!"
But just as he tried to pry himself free, he looked down and froze. It was there that he saw a familiar pair of eyes staring back at him. And soon, his cold voice cut through the panic rising in Kyle's chest.
"Found you."
-x-X-x-
BANG—!
Kyle's figure was thrown to the side of a wall as a hand clasped onto his neck, lifting him above the ground.
"Huek!"
It all happened so fast that he had no time to react.
By the time he did, a pair of cold, dark eyes stared straight at him.
Through his struggle, Kyle managed to get a few words out.
"S-Seth...?"
He was stunned. He didn't know what was going on. In one moment, he was looking at someone, and in the next moment, he found Seth grabbing him by the throat.
His thoughts spiraled.
'What's happening? Why is he acting like this? This makes no sense... Why would he be doing this? What if...?'
His mind fell back on the memories he had seen.
All of a sudden, a thought surfaced in his head.
What if they weren't fake? What if they had all been... real?
A shudder ran down Kyle's spine as his pupils constricted. He didn't hesitate. Past the point of confusion, and at the point of realization, he instantly activated his nodes, trying to freeze the time around him.
But to his absolute horror, he realized none of his nodes were responding.
'How?!'
Kyle didn't even have the time to speak out his confusion before he felt the grip over his throat tighten as Seth's hand pulled back before smashing him against the side of the wall once more.
BANG!
"Akh...!"
A harsh groan tore from Kyle's throat as the air was driven from his lungs.
In his daze, he continued to stare at Seth.
He still couldn't understand. Why were his nodes not working? And what the hell was going on with Seth?
"What are you doing!?"
Thankfully, reinforcement came pretty quickly as Kyle caught a glimpse of a lock of blonde hair from behind Seth. In that fleeting moment of clarity, he could see the look of shock on Clara's and Zoey's faces.
But despite their presence, Seth's attention remained fixed on Kyle.
"Come out..."
It was as if he only cared about one thing and one thing only.
Everything else appeared to be white noise to him.
But what was he even saying?
Come ou—
"Hey!"
A hand gripped onto Seth's shoulder, pulling him back.
"What are you doing!?"
Zoey's voice echoed once more, this time louder as she glared at Seth. Clara stood not far from her, observing the entire situation with a deep expression. For a moment, she looked almost hesitant.
But that hesitation didn't last for long.
Soon, her expression returned to normal as she stared at Seth, dark tendrils moving up her body as they enveloped her entire body.
Seth didn't mind all of this.
He couldn't care less about what was happening around him.
His only focus was on Kyle.
"You're still not going to show yourself?"
His grip over the throat tightened as he pulled Kyle back once more, his hand ready to smash him against the back of the wall once more. But before he could even attempt such a move, a figure appeared right before him, her movements quick.
"...."
"...."
It was only then that both sides came to a halt, Clara's gaze locking firmly with Seth's as the tension between them thickened.
That moment seemed to last for an eternity, but it was just for a moment.
Not even a second later, Clara appeared behind Seth, a cold dagger already pressed against his throat. She was so fast that Seth didn't even have the time to react.
...Or at least, that was how it appeared to be for Kyle.
But looking at Seth, Kyle's throat clenched.
For some reason... It didn't really feel like he cared at all as his gaze remained fixed on him.
"Y-you..."
"I don't understand what is going on, but you need to let go of Kyle. I'll keep things courteous on account of what you did to me. However, if you continue like this, I'm afraid that I'll have to take more extreme measures."
The cold blade dug deeper into Seth's throat, its edge pressing firmly against his skin. Still, Seth didn't react. That forced Clara to press the blade even harder against his neck. The pressure increased until a thin red line finally appeared, slowly tracing its way down his neck.
Drip—!
But despite the threat.
Despite the blood that dripped down.
Seth...
He remained unmoved.
His eyes never left Kyle's, his own reflection staring back at him from within them.
For just a moment, the surrounding chaos appeared fleeting to the four of them. The screams, the clashes, the laugh... Everything appeared null as Seth continued to stare at Seth, and Clara's dagger pressed deeper.
But eventually, Seth's grip over Kyle's throat loosened.
Until—
Thump!
He finally let go.
"Cough! Cough...! Cough!"
Slumping to the ground, Kyle coughed violently, both hands clawing at his throat as he fought to draw in air. His head spun, his throat burned, and his thoughts came sluggish and unfocused. Even so, he kept his eyes on Seth, forcing himself to stay aware.
He... was still trying to understand.
"W-why? Why did you...?"
But Seth's attention wasn't on him.
It was elsewhere.
Not on Clara. Not on Zoey.
Somewhere else entirely.
And when Kyle followed his line of sight, his breathing stopped entirely. The same went for Zoey, and even Clara's grip on her dagger slackened, her hand trembling as whatever they saw stole the air from their lungs.
Standing in the distance was a figure that didn't need to move to be felt. Its gaze locked onto them, and as its attention fell upon them, a crushing pressure bore down on their bodies.
It felt as though something beyond this world was staring straight through them, ignoring flesh and bone alike. A deep, primal dread rose from within their bodies, instinct screaming as they froze beneath its gaze.
But they weren't the only ones.
Everything around it seemed to freeze as well, the gazes of many locking firmly onto it.
Jingle~ Jingle~
A soft jingling sound drifted through the air, carried by a faint breeze, and with it, the laughter came to an abrupt stop.
Nobody moved.
Be it the people or the anomalies.
Everything... had stopped.
For the first time...
The Jester had stopped laughing. Nobody knew what to expect.
All sorts of thoughts drifted through their minds as they stared at the Jester.
'It stopped laughing. Should we attack? Did it get tired? Should I... use my node? Is it safe to use my node?'
'...No, not yet. Observe. Why did it stop laughing?'
'Calm. Keep calm. Calm.'
'Look for a weakness.'
'Don't use your node yet. Keep observing.'
They were all assessing the situation. Trying to determine what to do and make of the situation.
And under such gazes, the Jester finally began moving.
Step.
The world tensed, the nodes of many starting to churn as they prepared for the worst.
But to everyone's surprise, and growing horror, the Jester continued to move.
Step. Step—
It seemed to have a goal.
A direction.
Those in its path moved aside without thinking, their bodies reacting before their minds could catch up. With every step the Jester took, the hearts of those watching thudded harder, each beat pressing heavily against their minds.
One step.
Two steps.
Three steps.
Where was it going? What was it doing?
Watching the Jester move, all eyes followed its gaze and finally caught sight of a pair of dead eyes staring back at it, a red line tracing down his neck.
".....!"
".....!!"
The faces of a few changed, recognizing the figure staring back at the Jester.
How could they not?
He...!
"T-the traitor!"
Shock filled the hearts of many, but their shock only amplified as the Jester drew closer and closer to the traitor, eventually coming to a stop in front of him.
In that moment, the world seemed to fall silent. Every sound vanished, every breath stilled, and all hearts paused.
All eyes were fixed on the two figures facing one another.
The Jester.
...And Seth.
Just...
What was happening?
-x-X-x-
The Jester's sudden presence brought everything to a halt. Movement died where it stood, as if the world itself had been ordered to stop. All eyes were fixed on the two figures facing one another, the space between them carrying a certain sense of suffocation.
Neither moved as they stared at one another.
For just a moment, the world appeared to quiet down. All breaths held.
Until—
"I-I... should have known...!"
A hoarse voice shattered the silence, bringing everyone's attention towards the disheveled figure next to Seth, his eyes glaring at him.
"Y-you planned all of this. You... are with that... that thing."
His words weren't loud.
And yet, they managed to reach the ears of everyone present, shaking them out of their daze as their bodies started to move.
As they did, Kyle's voice grew louder.
"You did this!! You are a traitor!!"
He was screaming, his bloodshot eyes fixed on Seth as he weakly raised his hand to point at him.
"You... damn traitor!!"
Kyle's words bellowed loudly as everyone looked at Seth and the Jester, their eyes starting to become clear as realization also dawned on them.
"That's right...!"
"He was said to be a traitor. It all makes sense!"
"He's the one controlling the Jester! He must be the one behind all of this!"
"So long as we get rid of him, we can get rid of that monster!"
The eyes of many changed, turning even wilder as they set their gaze over to Seth. Feeling the numerous gazes directed at him, Seth didn't react at all. Instead, he took them all in before slowly turning his attention towards Kyle.
Kyle's eyes were still bloodshot, his face pale as he glared at Seth.
But on closer look, one could notice the smile hidden beneath his gaze. The pure look of ecstasy hidden within those eyes that curled at the edges.
Seeing all of this, Seth's lips similarly curled.
A smile soon marred his lips.
"...So you've finally decided to show yourself."
He looked utterly unconcerned by the people surrounding him as the Jester finally began to move, its gaze slowly shifting, turning toward the numerous figures advancing in its direction.
Nodes churned one after another, power surging to the surface, yet as they did, the numerous anomalies that had formed also began to move.
The fragile balance that had held the surroundings together only moments ago finally shattered, and in an instant, the area was flooded with attacks from every direction.
BANG!
The surroundings shook, each side attacking the other.
Overlooking the entire thing, the Jester's body grew even more hunched as its lips parted slightly.
"He..."
A chuckle.
...It was just a mere chuckle, but it was enough to make the hearts of the many that were heading in its direction squeeze.
"Control your nodes carefully!"
"Don't overus—!"
WHAM!
Music flared all of a sudden, cutting through the chaos with a sharp, jarring intensity that made every movement falter for just a split second.
Not a moment later, a figure appeared behind the Jester, the stitches on its lips and eyelids ripped as the two dark holes in its eyes stared straight at the people heading its way. Holding onto the violin, the Conductor's hand moved down.
Ziiiiiiiiiii~
Pulling the stick down, a high-pitched, dissonant, and unsettling sound began to play out from the violin, forcing the faces of a few to turn completely pale.
Only the stronger Paragons were able to resist it, albeit their faces turned even graver.
But that wasn't all.
With the presence of the Conductor, a dark figure soon materialized next to the Jester, followed by a soft popping sound as a young girl appeared on top of another lamp, staring at the scene leisurely.
The sight made a few despair.
"How is this....!"
"Why are they here!?"
"They should've been dead!"
But this was merely the start.
As its lips parted wider, a soft jingling sound spread through the area. A cracked, hoarse chuckle followed, seeping out of the Jester and echoing unnaturally across the surroundings.
"Ha... He... Ha."
"——!"
"—!"
Many stopped.
It wasn't that they chose to stop. Their bodies simply refused to obey. The nodes within them began to churn on their own, faster and more violently than they intended, slipping out of their control. Eyes widened one after another as panic set in, all of them staring at the Jester as the same horrifying realization settled in their minds.
And sure enough—
"HAheHEhA!"
The laugh changed a moment after, turning to the one everyone had grown accustomed to.
"Oh... shit."
That was also the moment many realized what was happening.
But by then, it was already too late.
Cra Crack! Cra Crack! Cra Crack! Cra Crack! Cra Crack!
They had all started to turn.
"Focus! Ignore them!"
"Keep eyes locked onto the target!"
While this was happening, the more elite group focused its attention on Seth. By now, everyone could tell that the Jester and Seth were working together, with the Jester even going as far as protecting Seth.
This made things obvious for everyone.
Seth was the mastermind behind everything.
He was the one that they needed to get rid of.
"Make sure to block all noise from reaching. The laugh appears to be of the sonorous property, so make sure to drown it all away!"
"Sylas, you keep your attention on the target!!"
"We'll take on the Jester while you take on the target! Make sure not to lose sight of him! Do whatever you want! If you feel that you need to kill him, kill him!"
"Yes!"
The group's pace surged, their movements sharpening as their bodies were bathed in a bright yellow glow. At the same time, dark tendrils crept across Sylas's body, wrapping around him as his form began to blur, slowly fading from sight.
The Jester noticed. Its gaze shifted toward him.
But it was already too late.
Before it could react, the Paragons were on it, closing the distance in an instant. Multiple nodes churned at once, power erupting from every direction as they launched their assault.
The Paragons were different from the rest.
Although they were wary of the Jester, they didn't fear it. Especially since they were now aware of its weakness.
"Hold it back!"
"Make sure to buy enough time for Sylas!"
They just needed to do one thing and one thing only.
Kill Seth.
So long as he died, all of this would end!
***
BANG! BANG—!
Chaos had completely taken over the island.
Screams, destruction, laughter...
The entire island was thrown into a terrifying state, chaos spreading as the battles raged on. And amidst it all, only two individuals stood completely unaffected.
They simply stared at each other, until...
"...I'm curious. How are there two of you?"
Kyle finally began speaking.
While his tone was calm, his face showed fear and anxiety. To the world, he needed to show fear.
"No, there aren't two of you."
Taking a closer look, Kyle's eyes squinted.
"...Ah."
Realization soon dawned on his face.
"You are that weird system thing, aren't you? That doppelganger?"
For just a moment, Kyle's lips trembled. He... so clearly wanted to smile, finding the entire situation amusing.
"I bet your entire plan went up in smoke, right?" Kyle's gaze turned even more amused, the corners of his eyes squinting further. "Your entire plan revolved around him, and yet, he chose to sacrifice his entire body. Even when you provided him with a way out, he chose to forgo such an option, turning into a complete anomaly. You must be disappointed, right? You must be... angry. Especially since you probably can't do anything to me due to the body that I've taken over. You're not going to kill poor Kyle, right? Do you think he would allow it?"
Propping his body up, Kyle slowly stood up, bringing himself closer and closer to Seth before stopping.
As he did, his lips finally pulled into a smile, his hands extending.
"So...? What's your choice? Kill me? But what would the point of that be? After all..."
Kyle's head slowly turned towards the Jester.
"He's already useless, isn't he?"