Through the desolate streets of Regulus City, a caped man walked toward the nearby buildings.
"That brat definitely came this way."
He said it with a trace of anger in his voice.
The man in the green cape and mask carefully examined each of the massive buildings in front of him.
"…!"
But suddenly, he stopped.
—What is this? Why are my senses screaming in fear?
He wondered internally as his body began to tremble.
Faced with the strange sensations affecting his mind, the caped man closed his eyes.
He focused on listening to what his instincts were telling him and tried to find the source of his fear.
He opened his eyes.
"Over there."
Many skeptics would doubt the idea of following instinct, but this man was different. He wasn't just a superhuman, he was a hero. In other words, he was trained to detect threats from great distances using only his senses.
The green-caped hero walked until he stood in front of a building that, at first glance, didn't look very different from the others.
But it was hiding something. Something difficult to perceive.
From the hero's perspective, he could see that the building was surrounded by a terrifying energy he had never witnessed before.
"Alright… this doesn't look good."
"Is this an aura?"
He asked himself.
"It's not magic, that's for sure."
Despite his fear, the hero moved toward the entrance of the building.
"Hmm…"
When he reached the door, he tried to open it, but couldn't. The lock was surprisingly strong.
Clearly something very strange was happening inside that building, and the hero knew it. So instead of rushing in recklessly, he chose to call for backup.
"This is Green Saber. I need reinforcements in the southern sector of Refugee Camp Number 23."
He said as he pressed the earpiece in his ear.
"…"
After a couple of minutes of waiting, there was no response.
"Damn it…"
He could have left, returned to his post, and contacted one of his teammates from there. But he chose not to, and for one simple reason.
—That brat… the things he said, and the weapon he used.
He had encountered someone out of the ordinary, and he feared that if he didn't stop him now, he would become a danger in the future.
"Alright…"
PAAAAAAAM!
With a devastating blow, the hero forced his way into the building.
Tap… tap.
But it only took two steps for the hero to stop.
"What… what the…"
In front of him lay more than seven corpses scattered across the floor. Their bodies were mangled, and their blood continued to pour out.
GRROOAAARR!
There was no time to mourn, as a fierce roar shattered the hero's thoughts.
GROAAAAAAR!!!
Suddenly, five monsters appearing out of nowhere lunged at him, but he reacted in time.
Shaping Technique: Luminous Projection.
In an instant, a blade of bright green light formed around his arm, and with it he cut each and every monster into pieces.
"Were those wolf-type monsters? None of this makes any sense."
The hero prepared to continue his search, but just before he could take a step—
"…!"
He was struck by an indescribable fear.
"Ah… aaag…"
Thump!
It reached the point where he couldn't even remain standing.
—What's happening? Why can't I move?
He thought.
From the hero's perspective, it was difficult to explain everything he was feeling at that moment.
But if he had the ability to put it into words, he would surely say it felt like a pair of hands gripping his neck without applying pressure, and yet he still couldn't breathe.
...
...
…
..
Grrrrraaaaaaak
Groaaaark
***
"…"
I went up the stairs with the intention of reaching the third floor, but when I got to the second, I ran into a new obstacle.
"...Damn."
The staircase that should have led to the upper floors was buried beneath a pile of rubble blocking the way.
"Maybe if I lift this…"
Beep.
[I wouldn't recommend it.]
"Why?"
[These pieces of rubble weigh an average of 38 kilograms. If you don't want to throw your back out, I suggest finding another way up.]
"Hey, I'm not that weak. I can lift that much."
That was a huge lie, by the way.
"Cube, is this pile stable?"
[Stable? What do you mean?]
"You know, stable as in…"
I stared at the rubble for a moment, trying to spot one that stood out from the rest.
They all looked the same, so I pointed at a random rock and asked the cube,
"That one. Tell me, how likely is it that a collapse would happen if I moved, say, that rock over there?"
[Very likely. But keep in mind that specific rock is acting as support for the others.]
"I see…"
[Is something wrong, Mr. Robert? You seem a bit nervous.]
"No, it's just that I'm a little afraid of causing a commotion."
[Why?]
"Wolf."
[Wolf?]
"…"
[Ah, I see. The monster from the first floor.]
"That's the one. I'm afraid that… you know, it might come up here and find me."
That monster was probably still downstairs in the library, trying to track down the remnants of its last prey, which was me. But that wasn't what worried me. The bracelet was supposed to hide all of that while I wore it. What I really had to worry about was something else.
My weapons didn't work against it, and as for the camouflage bracelet, there were still about 24 minutes left before I could activate it again.
No matter how I looked at it, if that monster detected my presence, I was completely screwed.
"By the way, how did a monster that doesn't even inhabit this country end up in a building in Regulus?"
[Unfortunately, I do not have that answer. It may be due to Ka'li's influence, or it may not. It is impossible to know until the mission type is determined.]
"Mission type? Wasn't the whole point of this to kill parasites?"
[Not everything is about killing parasites, Mr. Robert. Sometimes the main objective can be something simpler, such as sealing a rift or retrieving an important artifact.]
"Hmm, I think I understand."
"Going back to before…"
[Of course. According to my analysis, it would be best not to move anything. Most of this rubble is leaning against each other, keeping the entire pile in perfect balance. If you move even the smallest rock or make a sudden motion, you will trigger a chain reaction that will inevitably create noise and draw the wolf's attention.]
"Alright, alright, forget moving the rubble. What if I climb over the pile and go across it?"
[That sounds like a better idea. Please give me a second to analyze it.]
"Great then…"
[Forget it.]
"What?"
[The structure here is far too unstable. I'm not just referring to the rubble, but to the entire staircase. There is a risk of collapse, and the probability will only increase with your presence.]
"Damn it."
The cube's constant warnings put me on edge. If what it said about the structure was true, then I needed to get away from there as quickly as possible.
Tap.
Tap.
I stepped back a couple of paces, knowing I wouldn't be able to go up that way, then turned to the cube.
"Scan the area. Look for another staircase or something that'll get me to the third floor."
[Right away.]
BEEEEEEP
While I waited for the scan results, I thought about how useful the cube had been during this mission. In the previous one, I had barely used it. Now I was depending on it not to get lost inside this building.
[Bingo.]
"Did you find something?"
[I have located three possible routes.]
"Out of those three, which one carries the least risk?"
Beep.
[Go straight down that hallway.]
I walked for a couple of minutes, following all of the cube's instructions. It had me go up and down several sublevels and move through various corridors.
"Huh…?"
Then we entered that room. It was filled with large cubicles, and inside each one there was a desk with various objects on top, like sheets of paper, pencils, and computers. Basically, the room looked just like an office… oh, wait.
"This is an office."
That explains the library downstairs.
"Hmm?"
But there was something else in that room. Behind all the cubicles, instead of a reinforced wall, there was a window.
I know, a window. That might not sound impressive under normal circumstances. But after what happened with the hero and the explosion, an indescribable curiosity made me want to look outside. I also wanted to check if the hero was alright.
"…"
[Mr. Robert, what are you doing?]
The cube asked as it floated around the cubicles.
"I want to look through that window."
[Why?]
"No particular reason. I guess I was a little shaken when you said the hero must have been writhing in pain from the bomb I threw at him."
[Oh… I see.]
I sensed a trace of guilt behind the cube's words. That was when I began to wonder whether this device could truly understand emotions well enough to replicate them. Or maybe it was just my own mind trying to convince me I wasn't alone, that there was a real person guiding and advising me.
Anyway, that was a reasonable doubt, but not relevant right now.
"Relax. I just want to make sure everything's fine outside."
[I understand your concern, Mr. Robert. But I must warn you. No matter what you see, try to keep an open mind and do not panic.]
"Huh…?"
—What the hell does that mean?
I thought as I got closer and closer to the window.
"What are you talking about…?"
"...?!"
And then, through the window, I saw it. Or rather, what I didn't see.
"Cube…"
[Yes. That is exactly what I meant. Inhale and exhale, Mr. Robert. Inhale and exhale.]
Through the window, I could see that outside, where the other buildings, the streets, the park, the refugee camp, and above all the ground should have been, there was only absolute darkness.
If I looked up, I could still see the stars and the moon lighting up the night sky. But if I lowered my gaze toward the ground, I was met with an endless abyss where no light existed.
"How is this possible?"
I asked the cube, still stunned by what I had just seen.
[Everything is possible, Mr. Robert. No matter how insane it may seem. That is why nothing has a true meaning.]
"What…?"
The words and tone the cube used filled me with deep fear.
"I'm serious… what happened outside?"
[It is Ka'li's doing. Its influence is distorting the space around this building. That is why you cannot see the exterior from here. Do not worry. I assure you that outside everything remains exactly as it was before… for now.]
"For now?"
[That is why you must complete the mission as soon as possible. If you fail, the consequences for the outside world and for the people there will be terrible.]
"…"
The cube was right. I couldn't afford to get distracted or frightened when the lives of hundreds of innocent people depended on me completing the mission.
—It won't happen again. Not again.
I told myself.
"Alright… tell me where to go now."
[To your left. Walk to the other side of the room.]
It didn't take long to reach the spot the cube indicated.
"And now?"
[Above you.]
I looked at the ceiling.
"Hmm… That's…"
I was quite surprised to see that my way up to the third floor would come from there.
"A hatch."
The steel door lay unmoving more than three meters above the ground.
[According to my scan, the safest way to reach the next floor is by using the emergency ladder.]
"It's a hatch."
"I think I understand your reasoning, but…"
[What?]
"It's too high."
[…]
[Yes. Even so, it is still the safest option to reach the third floor.]
"I see…"
"So what do I do now?"
[Simple. Just shoot it with the revolver.]
"…"
I said nothing. I remained silent, shifting my gaze between the hatch on the ceiling, the cube floating around me, and the door I had entered through.
"Cube…"
[I know what you're thinking. Even so, it remains the safest option.]
I sighed.
"And what about the wolf? Won't it hear the gunshot?"
[It will hear it clearly. That is why you must be quick.]
"Damn it…"
I was getting chills, and fear made me feel like someone was watching me.
"Alright. Give me the revolver."
Just like before, the weapon appeared in my hand with a brief but intense flash of light.
"Ugh…!"
I had forgotten how heavy it was and almost fell flat on my face.
"What… how… agh…"
It was hard to form words as my arms trembled like spaghetti trying to lift the gun.
"How am I even supposed to aim with this thing?"
[Very simple. Do it as you did in the cave.]
"Huh…?"
[With your heart and mind in sync.]
—Those are the same words the specter said…
—I still don't understand them!
[Remember, I can still hear your thoughts, Mr. Robert.]
That time, when I spoke with the specter, it told me to find a purpose.
The more I thought about it, the more I realized that beyond staying alive, I didn't really have a clear purpose. So once again, I had no choice but to cling to that idea.
—I'm going to live. I'm going to survive this, and I'm going to live.
I kept repeating the idea of living in my mind. That was what I wanted. That was the reason I got myself into this mess.
"Come on… ack."
I put all my effort into lifting the weapon, but no matter how hard I tried, I could only raise it to shoulder height.
"Damn it."
It was useless. I didn't have the strength to use such a heavy weapon.
"How did I do it in the cave…?"
I wondered.
"Ah, well…"
Knowing that, for now, my efforts were pointless, I returned the revolver to the cube. Then I went to one of the cubicles, looking for a desk that might help me. When I found one small enough to fit through the doorway, I dragged it out as quietly as possible.
[What are you doing, Mr. Robert?]
"Setting up a platform."
[Platform?]
I positioned the desk beneath the hatch, though not directly under it.
"Where exactly should I shoot?"
[Do you see that lever in the center?]
Up there, right in the middle of the hatch, was the lever the cube had mentioned. Around it were several stickers with the word "Pull" written on them, making it stand out.
"Yes."
[Shoot it.]
"Alright. Give me the revolver."
Once again, the heavy gun appeared in my hands, and with great effort I lifted it onto the edge of the desk.
Creeeek.
Even though I tried to set it down without making the slightest noise, I couldn't stop the desk from creaking under its weight.
"Oops…"
"Well, I guess it doesn't matter."
The creak wasn't that loud.
Good thing everything in the superhuman sector is super durable. If not for that, the desk would have already broken.
I lay down on the floor and positioned myself beneath the desk so I could hold the weapon with one hand and aim more easily.
"Alright. This will work."
[Remember. You must climb immediately as soon as the hatch opens.]
"Yeah…"
With no further interruptions, I aimed with the greatest concentration I could muster. I only had one bullet. One chance.
My finger brushed the trigger as doubts filled my head.
—I can do this…
I told myself.
—I'm going to survive…
…
Click.
I pulled the trigger, and instantly a thunderous
BANG!
Echoed throughout the room.
The recoil made me lose my grip, and the impact sent the gun flying across the room as the bullet shot upward toward the hatch.
CLANK!
A loud metallic crash rang out, followed by the sound of something falling.
"Huh…? Did I hit it?"
Confused, I looked up and saw that the bullet had struck true. The impact destroyed the lever, causing the hatch to drop straight to the floor.
"I… I did it… huh?"
But something else happened. Through the opening, I could see something approaching… fast.
"...!"
I rolled my body away like a log.
PAAANNK!
Just in time. The moment I cleared its fall range, a heavy object slammed into the ground, smashing the desk in the process.
"What the hell was that?!"
I quickly got to my feet and found myself staring at the object that had fallen through the hatch.
"A ladder!"
It looked exactly like the one I had found in the library.
"That was close… If I hadn't moved, I would've…"
[Mr. Robert…]
"What?"
Grrrrrr.
"…"
—That growl… it's coming from behind me.
Slowly, I turned around to face the source of the sound, and what I saw made me feel… disturbed.
BEEP.
The cube let out a loud alarm and shouted at the same time, but I couldn't hear its voice. It tried to show me something on its screen, but I couldn't tear my eyes away from what stood before me.
Grrrrrr.
Out of the infinite darkness emerged a grotesque being that should not even exist in this plane.
It resembled a pale, bony humanoid nearly two meters tall, with a massive mouth full of sharp teeth located in its stomach. Each of its four limbs was unnaturally long, and in addition to them, a third, even longer arm protruded from its back. Unlike the others, it had only three long fingers shaped like claws, and embedded in its palm was a red-pupiled eye staring directly into mine.
Everything about that creature was terrifying. But without a doubt, the most disturbing part was its face, which it concealed by wearing the severed head of the wolf monster as if it were nothing more than a mask.
Grrrrrr.
It growled again, though it didn't sound threatening. It felt like it was only trying to sound that way… as if it were imitating a wolf.
Boy.
Suddenly, a voice echoed inside my head.
Prepare yourself.
It said.
Grrk…
Aaaagrraaaaa…
Grroaaaaaraaaak…
Aaaaaaaaaagh.
Out of nowhere, it began to scream. It stopped sounding like a beast and started sounding almost human.
AAAAAAAAAAGH!!
"What… but… you…"
I tried to speak, but the words wouldn't come out.
BEEEEEP!
Out of the corner of my eye, I glanced at the screen the cube was desperately trying to show me.
[Warning:
Due to the influx of fictitious energies into this dimension, space and time around the building have been distorted, causing the opening of multiple portals to random locations across this planet.
Additionally, a rift has been detected, formed by the accumulation of energies.]
AAAAAAAAAAGH!!!
[Mr. Robert, a rift is a structural distortion within our dimension. It is an opening through which entities originating from other planes can traverse into this one. The one located directly in front of you is a clear example of this.]
"…!"
[You know what that means… don't you?]
—Yes…
"Give me the axe!"
The moment I invoked its name, a small but heavy axe appeared before me in a brief flash of light. Because of its weight, I had no choice but to grip it with both hands, even though it looked designed for one.
AAAAAAAGH!
That thing kept screaming at me in a horrifying way while staring me down.
I tightened my grip on the axe, knowing that if I lost it, a fate worse than death awaited me.
—This is just like in the cave…
"I can do this."