The scratching persisted.
With the Team Leader staring in Cedrick's direction, he couldn't stop scratching himself. Even as the damp sensation seemed to grow stronger with every scratch. Staring in Cedrick's direction and seeing him stand before him, his mouth suddenly went dry.
"How does this make any... sense?"
He had seen and witnessed his death. How did he⎯Ah.
Then it finally hit him.
"Yes, you're right."
Cedrick laughed while staring at the Team Leader.
"...From the start, I was just waiting for you to 'kidnap me' and bring me here."
Laughing, Cedrick brought his hands behind his back.
"Just as you've been targeting Seth, I've been targeting you. No..." Cedrick suddenly paused, his eyes narrowing. "We."
The Team Leader's entire face paled as he took a step back. His heart, which had just barely settled down, started to drum loudly inside his mind once more as his lips opened and closed repeatedly.
The unease he had felt before began to crawl deep within his mind as he stared at the figure in front of him, his words barely coming out coherently as he stuttered through each one.
"But I... I didn't do..."
"You didn't know your place. That's all there is to it. You touched someone who was already eyed by someone else. We've been keeping a close eye on you, but now that you've stepped out of line, we've got no choice but to get rid of you."
"No, but... I am just doing something that you would've done eventually. If you really didn't like it, then you could've warned me. Told me something."
The Team Leader began chewing his nails, one excuse after another spilling from his mouth as he stared toward Cedrick. As he spoke, his gaze drifted across the surroundings. With Cedrick's sudden and unexpected appearance, he hadn't had the chance to properly take it all in, but he now realized he was standing inside a massive room.
The room was at least several heads taller than him, the ceiling rising high as the entire place looked completely empty, tall pillars stretching in all directions. As the Team Leader looked around, he found himself breathless.
'This wasn't here when I selected this place. This is an entirely new room.'
He looked in Cedrick's direction, his heart pounding against his chest as he silently swallowed. At the same time, his nerves churned as the bracelet he wore wiggled, ready to strike at any second.
His actions didn't go unnoticed by Cedrick who smiled at the sight.
"Don't think about fighting back. I know everything there is to know about you." He paused before adding, "...We know everything there is to know about you."
As if cold water had been poured over him, the Team Leader found himself completely breathless as he stared at Cedrick.
'I thought I was being subtle...'
How...? How could he tell? In a way, it almost felt as though he could read his mind.
The Team Leader's heart pressed even tighter against his chest, and sweat began to trickle down the side of his face. He was all too aware of his current situation.
...Too clear.
Especially about who was targeting him.
Cedrick knew and understood that he wasn't the only one who possessed the 'Gate Developer System.' Nobody quite knew how many others existed, or what its true purpose was, but in his years as a user, he had become aware of the hidden intricacies and organizations behind it.
That was when he became aware of one fact...
This world, it was their plaything.
Gates, anomalies, and the like... it was all just a... massive game.
A plaything of the numerous users.
But it was also one where the winner would inevitably become the true 'King' and holder of the Lesser Key.
Aware of this, the Team Leader wanted to take part in the vast game. However, he quickly came to realize one thing... One cruel truth.
He was merely a dime a dozen, surrounded by far more terrifying users and creators who lurked in the shadows. And among those already frightening individuals were members of the 'Hand,' who watched over the entire game from the dark, lurking, manipulating everything, waiting to claim it all as their own.
"Honestly, you might've lived longer if you hadn't made a move on him. It's not that I don't understand why you did what you did. Truthfully, we completely agree with you. He stands out too much. People are starting to notice him, and the more they do, the more the cracks begin to show. Society doesn't know about our game... and we intend to keep it that way, don't we?"
Cedrick pressed his hand against his temple as he smiled at the Team Leader.
But the smile on his face faded just as quickly as it came.
"...But just because we agree with you, it doesn't mean that you can touch him. Why do you think we haven't done anything to him yet?"
Cedrick tilted his head, blinking rapidly. The Team Leader felt an unnerving, almost suffocating pressure as he caught that sudden shift in his attitude.
In the end, his lips parted as he hoarsely spoke, "...B-becuase you have plans for him?"
"Oh, dear."
Cedrick covered his face while shaking his head. He looked disappointed as he mumbled, 'I knew you were stupid, but I didn't think you were this stupid.'
Dragging a hand down his face, tugging his skin for a brief moment, Cedrick's cold voice slipped out in a low whisper.
"We don't want our little game to be exposed. And with his current popularity, what do you think will happen if he suddenly dies?"
"...Ah."
The Team Leader's face suddenly grew slack as it suddenly clicked in his mind. His expression changed quickly as he opened his mouth again, but Cedrick was having none of it as he spoke before he could.
"You should've known your place. None of this would've happened to you. But now, it's a little too late. Since I was forced to come here, there's no point in you being here anymore."
"!!"
The Team Leader's heart seemed to freeze, his entire body stiffening as he clenched his fist tightly, the bracelet in his hand writhing intensely. He knew he had no choice but to fight, even if it would be a losing one. No, not even fight... if he could just escape...
"But I do have to say something."
Cedrick suddenly looked around.
"...You did design this place quite well. For a moment, I almost fell for it too. Especially the music... It was rather intuitive. Was that your way of teasing your prey? He did work with that Conductor."
"Huh?"
The Team Leader blinked, question marks appearing over his head as he stared at Cedrick. Designed this place? Teasing prey?
What?
What was he talking about?
"I'm curious, though. What happened to your anomalies?" Cedrick looked around, "How did you mess them up? Were you in that much of a hurry to finish? But that's unlike you. You probably realized that I had arrived and activated them earlier than they were supposed to, which is probably why they failed."
Cedrick blinked again, his head feeling light as the crawling sense of unease from before intensified. Stronger than ever, it spread through him as his entire body began to tingle.
Wait. Wait. Wait. Wait. Wait⎯!
"Had it not failed, I would've had no choice but to resort to a more forceful me... Hm?"
As if also noticing the peculiarity in the Team Leader's expression, Cedrick's head tilted slightly, and in that exact moment, something occurred. Something that made both of them pause.
Clap! Clap! Clap!
A sudden clapping sound.
One that was followed by a playful voice.
"Realized it yet?"
-x-X-x-
Clap! Clap! Clap!
The clapping echoed across the entire surrounding, the sound bouncing inside the large room. As both Cedrick and the Team Leader turned, their expressions hardened slightly as their eyes moved toward the source of the sound.
"To be honest, I didn't expect to learn this much from a simple conversation. In a way, you can think of me as extremely grateful."
The moment the two locked eyes with the source of the sound, the Team Leader's composure cracked. His eyes slowly widened as realization set in.
"You...?"
Cedrick, on the other hand, showed less change, though the subtle deepening of his frown hinted that he, too, found the situation unexpected.
"I was waiting for the right time to step in, but after hearing your conversation, I figured I'd wait just a little longer. You two were having quite the discussion, though I already understood some of it. Still, if you want to carry on, go ahead."
Seth silently waved a hand, gesturing for them to continue. From the way he carried himself, he seemed completely at ease.
It was almost as if he had forgotten the two people standing before him existed.
He had heard the conversation, yet he seemed so completely at ease that it created a distinct sense of tension in the air. One... that even Cedrick felt.
But that sense of tension didn't last long as Cedrick's lips parted and he spoke, "I did expect to meet you soon, but not this soon. Judging from your expression, it seems like you planned all of this. Well, this is good. In this case, I can just get rid of both of you at the same time. It'll make my job a lot easier."
His words carried disregard. In a way, they did.
While the situation was unexpected, it wasn't something that made him feel worried.
Seth merely smiled upon hearing his words. Planned? One could argue that he had, but it was a bit more than that. He had indeed planned for all of this to happen, though the way things unfolded was slightly different from what he had expected.
Nevertheless, this was still good.
Interlocking his hands behind his back, Seth took a few steps, pacing slowly.
"Honestly, my goal is rather simple⎯"
Seth paused, his pause carrying through the silence that spread across the large hall as the Team Leader and Cedrick both stared in his direction while calmly analysing their surroundings to figure out what he was planning.
"⎯I'm trying to send a message."
Seth's voice remained steady as he spoke. Almost conversational, as though he were addressing a couple of close friends.
"Yeah, I'm trying to send a message."
He repeated, nodding quietly while silently mumbling, 'Yes, a message. That's exactly what I'm trying to do.'
"A message?"
Cedrick tilted his head, his posture loosening. Rather than becoming worried, he started to feel a little bit of amusement.
He understood Seth's words. Of course, he understood.
But it was because he understood them that he relaxed. For him to speak so boldly... it was clear he didn't truly know what he was dealing with. Turning to the 'Team Leader' and seeing his pale face, Cedrick found that expression far more fitting for someone aware of the truth.
'He doesn't know what he's dealing with, and he thinks whatever he's planned might actually work... in the end, he's just naive. A naive fool.'
The Team Leader inwardly shook his head. But he still didn't do anything. He had encountered many similar situations in the past and knew how to deal with the unexpected. Perhaps this was also the reason he had yet to do anything to Seth.
But above all⎯
He was interested.
Cedrick suddenly grinned.
'What gives you the confidence that whatever you've got planned will send a message?'
Where did this naive confidence come from? Come.
Ha, maybe in a way, he could use this chance to send a message of his own.
A soft chuckle escaped Cedrick's lips as Seth's voice drifted through the air.
"It seems like you've been waiting."
Cedrick raised his head, catching Seth's gaze.
"I shouldn't drag things any longer, then."
Yet again, it almost felt that he could read his mind. Was I being too obvious? Cedrick wondered while staring back at Seth.
But just as he wanted to speak, Seth reached for his pocket. His actions were neither hurried nor slow, carrying the same calmness that he had carried since the start.
And then—
He pulled it. A long, slick knife that caught the dim light, its blade glimmering faintly as it emerged.
Neither Cedrick nor the Team Leader gave much of a reaction; in fact, neither seemed aware of what the knife was. Even when they looked at it, the knife didn't seem to be anything special. That observation didn't go unnoticed by Seth, who raised his own.
"It looks like the shop doesn't sell the same thing. Well, I guess this makes sense."
The Team Leader stirred, his lips pressing together as the bracelet in his hand wiggled.
Cedrick observed him, but didn't do anything. He wanted to see what the knife would do.
No matter how much he looked at it, the knife... just seemed like an ordinary blade. He could sense it was anomalous, yet it didn't feel like something of a particularly high order. In that case, what exactly was he planning to do? Cut them up?
Despite this, he still chose to observe. He had done his research.
He was aware of Seth's capabilities, but he wasn't naive enough to think Seth didn't have tricks up his sleeve. That was why he was observing. He wanted to see exactly what this 'trick' was.
But there was also a part of him that was curious.
'For a player like him to suddenly appear in the game out of nowhere, I'm sure he has some sort of secret. What is this secret?'
Cedrick was dying to know.
Especially when he considered his current circumstances. Though he was still part of 'The Hand,' when compared to 'those' monsters, he was still nothing.
'Still, he has to have some sort of secret.'
A lot of them had received the system quite a long time ago. And yet judging from how things had been progressing for Seth, it was clear that he had only received it recently. Or perhaps, he didn't touch it until recently? But that in itself was suspicious.
It was something worth looking into. This was why Cedrick chose to observe. But more than anything he was confident.
He was confident in his own abilities.
SWOOOSH⎯
Cedrick showed no reaction as the Team Leader beside him moved, the bracelet on his wrist wriggling as something shot out toward Seth. It cut through the air with a faint, silent whistle.
Almost like a bullet.
The attack came quickly, but as he moved, something shifted beneath Seth's feet before rising up and absorbing the blow with a soft 'thump.' The darkness receded shortly after, and the Team Leader frowned, his eyes sweeping the surroundings.
"What? Where is he...?"
It all happened in a fraction of a second, but the instant the attack failed, Seth's figure seemed to completely fade.
Only one person remained calm, his lips pulling into a smile.
After which, his gaze shifted towards the right as a figure emerged from beneath the floor, his hand reaching for his forehead as he wiped his sweat.
"That was close!"
So he said, but he still looked completely calm as the Team Leader's head flicked in his direction. He was about to follow up with something else when his expression suddenly froze.
"⎯⎯!!"
Even Cedrick's brow tightened as his head tilted.
Standing where he was, a large, squirming figure appeared in Seth's grasp. Its body was limp, with just barely a breath of life, but on closer inspection, it was anything but human.
The Team Leader's face went rigid upon seeing the creature.
"That's...!"
A cold chill swept through the air in that singular moment as the Team Leader shouted.
"Those are my anomalies...! How do you have them!?"
His shouts echoed across the surroundings as he stared at Seth with wide eyes. He had previously assumed that it had all been Cedrick's doing. That he had been the one to make everything go wrong with the turning process, but that wasn't it!
From the start, it had all been Seth's doing!
'No, that was clear to me a little while ago. But I thought he had made the transformation null... Instead, he's taken one of them? What even is his goal in doing this?'
The Team Leader felt his heart ache at the sight. He had spent so long preparing the circles and arranging everything. He had kidnapped dozens of people in order to have numerous anomalies at his disposal for when his masterpiece was ready.
He had planned on creating a Gate strong enough to shake the entire island.
And yet...!
"Honestly, it's a pity that I can't turn them back into humans. I would've..." Seth stopped before scratching the side of his face. In the end, he shrugged. "I don't know, maybe. Well, probably. Whatever, it doesn't matter. I can't, so it doesn't matter."
He stared at the anomaly in his grasp.
"I'm glad that they're just empty shells. I can tell that they're quite powerful, but you did something to them so that they wouldn't attack you, right?"
Seth raised his head to look at the Team Leader as his lips cracked into a smile.
The Team Leader's stomach churned, and he took a step forward, but just then Seth reached down and slashed the anomaly's head clean off. A wet, spurting sound echoed through the air as he tossed the body onto the ground.
Thump!
Dark blood stained the floor in that moment; the surroundings fell silent, save for the soft blubbering of blood spilling from the anomaly's body. The Team Leader froze, his gaze tracing the rolling head as he blinked slowly, his hand reaching for his neck. He was starting to become heated.
On the other hand, Cedrick continued to observe, his gaze falling on the knife in Seth's grasp. For some reason, he couldn't tear his gaze away from it.
Why...?
"Should we move on to the next one?"
Seth extended his hand once more as something pooled beneath him; then another body rose from the ground and reached for his grasp. The Team Leader's face underwent another change at the sight of the anomaly.
Even Cedrick found himself surprised.
But their surprise merely lasted a few seconds before Seth slashed down again.
SPURT!
Once more, blood spurted in every direction as Seth slashed down with the knife, spraying outward and staining the ground further, even splattering across his clothes and face as his lips pulled into a wider smile.
Cedrick's eyes flickered, his gaze tracing down the knife once more. He just couldn't tear his gaze away from it for some reason.
Ba... Thump!
In that moment, the surroundings seemed to quiet as his gaze lingered on the knife, every minute detail settling in his mind as his eyes swept over it, and then his pupils suddenly constricted.
"⎯⎯!"
As if sensing his realization, Seth's gaze shifted toward him.
Pulling the knife free, his wrist flicked a few times as blood splattered across the ground, then he reached into his pocket once more, retrieving a small white mask.
"Looks like the cat is out of the bag. Not that it matters~"
He slowly raised the mask to his face and set it in place, turning his attention toward the two. Though neither could see his features, they could feel it... The smile lingering beneath the mask.
The sick and twisted smile as his voice echoed once more.
"As I said... I'm doing all of this to send a message. A clear and powerful message."
And as his gaze lingered between the two, his face began to change, enlarging as his ears stretched and his eyes turned blood-red. Soon, the head of a pig replaced his own, and a heavy smell of rust and iron spread through the surroundings.
Afterward, the knife in his grasp began to glow, and the faces of Cedrick and the Team Leader fell.
Not even Cedrick could relax as he felt it clearly.
The power of the knife in Seth's grasp.
-x-X-x-
"We should do something about that knife."
Cedrick's voice spread calmly as his eyes settled over the knife. By now, he understood exactly what the knife was.
'A growth type item. One that grows with the number of anomalies that it absorbs.'
Feeling the growing power emanating from the knife, his expression became slightly more serious. Especially when he saw Seth retrieve another anomaly, the blade cleaving down once more as its power continued to rise.
'...I'm surprised he managed to get his hands on a growth-type item, but I'm sure there must be some sort of side-effect to using such a knife.' Cedrick's eyes narrowed as he observed the pig-like face that stood opposite him.
He wanted to observe more, but he knew that he couldn't.
"Not bad for a trump card."
While mumbling such words, his nodes churned.
The next sequence of events occurred extremely quickly.
Adjusting his clothes, Cedrick blinked once. The exact moment he blinked, the space behind Seth tore apart as a massive, yet strangely beautiful and eerie eye appeared.
It was enormous.
Far larger than Seth, or anyone within the room. The iris was a deep, bruised gold, and the pupil shifted slowly, settling on Seth with an almost casual weight. Dark veins crawled outward from its edges, pulsing faintly with each beat. From the corners, thin trails of black-red bled downward before disappearing into nothing.
It didn't move aggressively. It didn't make a sound.
It just looked at him.
And somehow, that was enough to make Seth pause as Cedrick activated his first Node.
[Judgement].
A faint, squeamish sound filled the air as the eye blinked, soft droplets falling; in the next moment it opened again, revealing a completely different pupil. One made of an eerie blood-red hue as the air seemed to shift.
Subsequently, the pig's movements became far more sluggish.
Cedrick adjusted his clothes once more.
He was far from done.
[Observe]
The eye blinked once more, the pupil's color shifting from blood red to celestial blue. In that instant, it seemed to change from something demonic to something more angelic, the heaviness in the air fading. And yet, as the Team Leader observed from the side, he couldn't help but feel suffocated as he stared at Cedrick.
'What sort of Decree is this?'
His lips trembled slightly as he looked around, his mind scrambling for a way out of his current situation. Everything had unfolded in a way he hadn't expected. From the start, all of this had been prepared in order to deal with Seth.
And yet⎯!
Not only did he seem aware of his plans, but even 'they' had gotten involved. And with him having lost control of the anomalies he had set up, the situation wasn't in his favor. With only one anomaly under his control, he was no different from a regular human.
Thankfully, he still had reserve items in case things turned for the worse, but he was still at a complete disadvantage.
'I've got to think quickly of a way out. As things stand, I⎯!!'
The Team Leader's thoughts came to an abrupt end the moment he turned around. Behind him hung a massive eye, its glossy exterior catching no light, its celestial pupils fixed on him with an unsettling stillness.
The darkness within the pupil didn't reflect the room.
It swallowed it, pulling the light from the surroundings into something that gave nothing back.
"H-ha."
The breath seemed to leave the Team Leader's body as he stared at it, subconsciously stepping back. As he did, his gaze couldn't help but move in Cedrick's direction as he turned to meet his gaze, his lips pulling into a thin smile.
The Team Leader's heart sank.
'Shit.'
But just as quickly as the thought arrived, he moved. His hand flicked, sending something hurtling toward Cedrick. The speed was exceptional. Even faster than when he had attacked Seth, as he reached into his pocket to grab something.
He didn't even look up to see whether his attack had landed or not.
He had only one thought at the moment.
'Leave! I need to leave this place!'
There was one item he had kept in reserve. Something he'd only intended to use in an emergency. But looking at the situation now, he knew that if he didn't use it, it would be too late for him.
"Hmm, no. I don't think so."
A soft whisper brought him to a complete halt, the eye before him suddenly widening as the Team Leader felt his entire body freeze at once. He didn't even get a chance to properly assess the situation before he heard the calm sound of a couple of footsteps, and Cedrick appeared before him, his hand reaching for his pocket.
"Let's have a look at what you have here."
He calmly retrieved a folded piece of paper from the Team Leader's pocket, revealing what appeared to be a chipped piece of metal. Giving it a quick scan, Cedrick smiled.
"I see. So that's what you were betting on."
His gaze fell on the frozen Team Leader whose eyes shook. With the eyes staring back at him, he... couldn't feel his body at all. He was completely frozen in place, with his nodes slowing down with each passing second as Cedrick pocketed the scrap metal.
"I'll take good care of it."
N-no...!
The Team Leader's face shifted further, but the change lasted only a few seconds before they heard something splatter. When both eyes turned, Cedrick's gaze fell on the pig-like creature.
The eye behind the pig stayed perfectly still. It watched him in the dim surroundings as the "pig" didn't move, its red eyes flickering ominously while fixed on the two of them. It was such a lack of action that made the two unable to tear their eyes away from him.
More importantly...
'Where did the sound come from?'
Cedrick's gaze wandered across the surroundings before eventually falling toward a certain area where a dark figure stood, knife in hand and anomaly in another. Cedrick's brow rose in surprise.
"Your node is working? That shouldn't be the case."
His ability should've nullified his nodes. How was he...?
"What do you think my Decree is?"
The pig suddenly asked, his voice sounding hoarser than before. Almost as if something was threatening to take over his mind.
Cedrick blinked slowly before looking at the Team Leader. Though he didn't say anything, his actions spoke volumes.
"Not quite~"
The amusement lingered behind the pig mask as a soft "thump" echoed and the anomaly dropped to the ground. Cedrick's gaze stayed on it for a moment, until it fell onto the knife.
'It's even more powerful.'
He felt an ominous feeling when looking at the knife.
A completely bloodthirsty one.
But above all...
"You won't be able to contain such a thing. Your mind..."
"That's not something for you to worry about."
The pig hoarsely spoke, his eyes turning a deeper shade of red as the anomaly under his control brought out another anomaly and slashed down with the knife.
SPURT!
Blood spurted in all directions, and the eye behind the pig widened. Once more, he tried to cancel out Seth's nodes to stop him, but...
Nothing.
...Nothing at all.
The anomaly kept moving on its own, bringing out another anomaly as the bloodthirsty aura around the knife grew even more pronounced.
'This situation is pretty bad.'
Cedrick realized rather quickly that if he let things keep going, things would become troublesome even for him. He wanted to move and get to him, but Seth wasn't the main issue at the moment. It was his anomaly, and with the anomaly not under Seth's control, Cedrick was put in an awkward position as he found himself unable to stop it.
Especially since he was already using several of his abilities at once.
'But more importantly, if he takes that knife, his mind will be consumed. He'll become a mindless monster that only knows how to slash. I already knew that he wasn't right in the head, but I didn't expect him to be so crazy he'd push himself to a point of no return. No...'
Cedrick was suddenly reminded of the World Congress.
'...Right, I should've realized it sooner.'
Still⎯
"Why is his anomaly still standing? It shouldn't be the case. I should've ⎯"
"He's... not of the same Decree as me."
The Team Leader's voice reached Cedrick softly, cutting past his words as Cedrick's other nodes started to churn and even more eyes started to appear across the entire room.
The pig's body hunched under a massive weight, but he remained standing, his eyes locked onto him as the red glow in them intensified, almost blazing. As more blood spilled onto the floor, the Team Leader's voice finally reached Cedrick's ears.
"His anomalies are independent of him. He..."
The voice whispered.
"...doesn't control them."
"Not quite."
The pig's voice grew even hoarser as he locked eyes with Cedrick, whose frown tightened as he extended his hand toward the Realmwalker. Staring at the knife, Cedrick's six nodes churned at once as he spoke.
"Don't do it."
Alarm was clear in his voice.
"If you take that knife, you're⎯"
"Too late~"
-x-X-x-
'Nodal degradation.'
The details inside the files were still vivid in my mind.
'The process of a node sustaining more and more fractures. By fracturing a node beyond its structural threshold, the point at which regenerative stabilization became computationally impossible, a byproduct known as a Cognitive Shard is produced.'
It was hard to forget the information when it was so interesting.
'By fracturing a node beyond its structural threshold, the point at which regenerative stabilization becomes computationally impossible, a byproduct known as a Cognitive Shard is produced. The resulting destabilization creates a transient breach in the node's containment field, through which excess energy can be introduced and rapidly assimilated. If the energy injection is sustained within the correct parameters, the cascading reaction will coalesce into a self-sustaining anomalous entity.'
In other words, an anomaly could be artificially created through nodal degradation, and that was exactly what this "fan" of mine had been planning to do. The file contained everything.
His Decree, his plans, the exact location of where he lived, and even the exact times when he used a specific time to 'spy' on me.
I knew everything about him...
Johnattan Banker.
That was what his real name was. Not the nonsense that he was currently using.
He was also a man with many flaws, such as his obsession with order and control. The moment someone stripped him of that control, he'd start to go on tilt. I knew... every little thing about him.
There was nothing that I didn't know.
From the moment I had gotten my hands on his information, he had already lost control.
The original plan was to mess with him through such information.
But that was when I came to learn of something else.
'I guess I'll have to thank you when I see you again, Mr. King.'
There was some additional information in the files. One regarding a certain 'Cedrick' whose real name was 'Osvald Marlon'. Just like me, he was targeting the Team Leader. That was also the moment I came to learn about this other organization.
In a way, I did feel a little bit of regret.
'Perhaps, things would've been a bit easier if I had asked about them.'
But back then, I wasn't aware of them. And even if I had been, I probably wouldn't have changed my wish. This 'Cedrick' was more than enough.
He was more than enough for me to send a message.
"How is it not working...?"
His voice whispered in the air as I looked back at him.
Seeing the surprise spread across his soft features, I felt my chest tingle. I wanted to move, but the massive eye behind me stopped me short as I felt a noticeable shift in it. Its size grew, swelling in the dark, and the weight pressing around my body deepened, tightening just enough to make it hard to breathe.
He was starting to put more force.
But⎯
I knew everything that there was to know about him and his Decree.
'Warden Decree, just like Mirelle. Just that he seems to have taken a different path within that Decree. Not that it matters...'
Since I was aware, I knew how to handle it.
He could stop me, but not my anomalies. I didn't control them like the Team Leader. They operated independently of me.
It was for this reason that his actions were useless.
His mistake was targeting me, and not my anomalies. But even if he did target them, it wouldn't matter. I had already taken everything into account.
There was nothing that he could do to change the situation.
SPURT!
The surprise on Cedrick's face only deepened as blood splattered across the ground. I didn't need to look to know what was happening. The bloodlust in the air intensified as I raised my head slightly, taking in the iron-like scent that hung thick and heavy around me.
'Yeah, just a little bit more.'
The eye behind me shifted, and the air grew even heavier.
It was hard for me to remain standing.
But that only made me smile.
By now, it was clear to me that I wasn't right in the head. It wasn't that I was fundamentally broken or anything of the sort... I was just like this from the start.
This was the true me.
I had never realized it before, since I had always been a coward. Perhaps it was due to the disease that had plagued me since I was young that my 'true' personality had never gotten to shine. However, with everything I had experienced, and the fear growing weaker with each passing moment, that hidden side of me began to shine more and more.
I...
...Just fundamentally enjoyed taking things to the extreme and making sure I left an impression. In this case, there were several other ideas that had entered my head to sort out the entire situation.
But when I thought about all of them, there was only one that truly stuck with me.
There was only one... that I could go for.
SPURT!
As blood spurted all over the ground, belonging to one of the anomalies the Team Leader had tried to develop, I could feel the weight of the knife growing even further. My entire mind tingled at the sight of it as the Realmwalker continued to stab at each new anomaly.
And when I turned my attention back to the Team Leader and Cedrick, I could see that they had also begun to realize the gravity of the situation.
Especially when I read their words⎯
"Don't do it."
There was a trace of alarm in his voice.
"If you take that knife, you're⎯"
"Too late~"
I reached out with my right hand, and a figure appeared as a knife fell into my grasp. The moment my hand came into contact with it, my entire vision turned dark red as voices began to whisper in my mind.
'Ho, it charged quite well.'
Thinking about it, the number of anomalies the Team Leader had prepared was quite a lot. Not only that, but they were all of a high grade. In a way, they were the perfect nourishment for the knife.
But there was an issue⎯
Perhaps, they were a little too good nutrition.
"⎯!!"
Cra Crack! Cra Crack!
Faint, yet unmistakable cracking sounds began to echo from deep within my body as I felt several of my bones shatter under the massive strain. The power within the knife was far greater than I had originally anticipated, my body bearing the full brunt of it, as witnessed by my hand bending at a weird angle.
Crack⎯!
The pain was hard to describe.
It felt as though I had fallen from the top of a skyscraper, smashing into the ground at full speed, only to be pulled back up and dropped again.
My mind also grew number number.
But within the numbness, I started to see beyond the red that colored my vision. I began to notice red dots everywhere. From the weaknesses in the structure of the house around me to the flaws in the two people who stood before me, moving as if to stop me before it was too late.
But it was already too late.
There was no point in stopping me.
For even I couldn't stop myself.
CRACK!
-x-X-x-
Curiosity killed the cat.
It was a rather common metaphor.
One that Osvald knew well. He had never given the quote much thought, but for the first time, he began to truly think about it.
A pair of ominous, blood-red eyes stared his way. A suffocating pressure surrounded its body as it gripped the knife. As Osvald faced the pig, he felt a force strong enough to make his skin tingle.
'...This is quite something.'
To make matters worse, the pig's strength even seemed to be overpowering the eye behind him.
And soon⎯
Step!
The pig took its first step forward, the sound echoing in all directions as the pressure surrounding its body continued to build. Following this single step, the pig stopped as faint yet unmistakable cracking sounds echoed from deep within its body as its bones started to turn and twist.
One could only imagine the pain it was enduring, and yet the pig stood completely still, not making a sound. Instead, the bloodlust emanating from its body only seemed to intensify.
"This is ridiculous."
Osvald muttered while facing the pig.
'He's tearing his body apart, let alone his mind. Does he not care about his own well-being?'
Suddenly, Osvald was reminded of what had happened in Malovia. The events were still vivid in his mind, and naturally, he was aware of everything that had happened. A certain thought crossed his mind then.
'...Is he going to repeat the same thing?'
Did he have a sort of doppleganger?
His brows furrowed tightly.
Unfortunately, he didn't have much time to think about such matters. Whatever the case was, there was one thing that he was certain of.
'He's not right in the head.'
He was dealing with a complete psychopath.
Step!
As the sound of the step echoed again, Osvald shifted his attention back to the pig as its movements grew faster and smoother. The massive eye behind it darkened to a deeper shade of red, yet even that wasn't enough to restrain it as Osvald took a deep breath.
'He's starting to tear away from my control.'
Honestly, this was fairly troublesome, but not enough to truly concern him. There were several ways he could think of to handle the situation.
Step. Step⎯
Hearing the approaching steps, Osvald canceled his nodes, and the eyes fixed on the pig vanished at once. Another node churned to life, but at the exact moment the first one ceased, and the eye faded, a thunderous bang rang out as the pig's back hunched and he flung the knife forward.
"⎯⎯!"
The knife shot through the air like a bullet, moving at incredible speed. Without hesitation, Osvald activated one of his nodes, and a massive eye formed in front of him, ready to shield him from any incoming attack.
However⎯
"Hueek!"
The attack never reached him.
Instead, it veered elsewhere, and a pained shout reached Osvald's ears. He didn't need to look to understand what had happened.
His thoughts immediately drifted towards the knife.
...The source of everything.
"The knife! Grab the kni⎯"
An eye appeared behind him in that moment as he tried to see what was happening, but it faded almost immediately as he heard a soft giggling sound. His nodes stopped churning at once.
"Hihihi~"
".....?!"
His nodes faltered for only a brief instant... just one moment. Yet even that was enough for him to lose track of the pig as its body melted into the ground and reappeared in front of the Team Leader, who had been struck by the knife.
"Haaak⎯!"
A loud shout followed.
One that seemed filled with agony.
That scream was soon followed by another, and then another.
"Haaa! Haaaaa!"
The screams persisted, growing more pained, more mournful as they filled the entire space.
They were loud enough to give anyone chills.
"Haaaa!"
But with his back turned, Osvald wasn't able to see what was happening, as he was caught by another distraction. One in the form of a long, skinny figure holding a violin as a tune drifted through the air.
The tune was soft, not overbearing. It drifted gently through the air, filtering into Osvald's ears as his mind was once again forced to pause.
This entire sequence of events took no more than a couple of seconds, but given the pig's current strength, such length of time was a lot. As Osvald reached up and touched his ear, pressing the earring, his mind cooled, and he turned toward the pig.
The situation was worse than he had expected, with blood leaking from the Team Leader's arm as the pig gripped the knife once more.
'He seems to have gotten stronger again.'
As if sensing his gaze, the pig's head turned, and Osvald felt his chest grow heavy at the sight. The sheer weight of its blood-red gaze pressed down on him, but it wasn't enough to leave him completely unsettled as his nodes churned once more.
'It's pretty much confirmed now. His anomalies move independently of him. Given his current expression, I can see that he's completely lost his mind. This might not be too bad. He's strong, but he's lost complete track of his mind.'
As his thoughts ran wild, Osvald retrieved several items from his pocket while glancing at the Team Leader. Despite being injured, he was still alive.
He considered using him to get rid of the pig, but the thought had barely surfaced before the pig moved again, its body melting onto the floor before reappearing right in front of him. Its movements were incredibly fast, but Osvald merely smiled as his nodes churned wildly at once.
"Been waiting for you to come."
Having observed what had happened with the Team Leader, Osvald had long been prepared, and the moment the pig appeared, numerous eyes manifested from all directions, each a different color as the pig's movements slowed down.
Seeing this, Osvald frowned.
'He's only been slowed?'
That spoke volumes about his power. Nevertheless, he had accomplished his goal as he turned to look in the Team Leader's direction.
"I can get rid of him. You⎯" His eyes flicked toward the source of the music that continued to swell in the background, "⎯get rid of them. Or take control of them."
Since they were anomalies, Osvald was confident that he could control them.
"If you do as I say, I'll consider letting you go."
The Team Leader didn't say anything, his gaze settling on Osvald, then the pig. For a fleeting moment, it shifted toward the exit of the room. This didn't go unnoticed by Osvald, but he said nothing and simply smiled.
Perhaps because his fear of Osvald outweighed that of the pig, the Team Leader made his decision quickly and dashed toward the source of the music.
"Good choice."
Osvald's smile widened as he shifted his attention back to the pig, who struggled against his control. However, Osvald had absolute confidence in his abilities as all six nodes churned at once.
'It's a little tough on my nodes, but it's still manageable. Now...'
His eyes narrowed, locking with the pig's blood-red gaze, which for a moment seemed to still.
The two stood face to face, seemingly observing one another.
For just a moment, the surroundings seemed to quiet as neither side moved. But the silence was soon shattered by Osvald's voice as he muttered,
"...How should I handle you?"
-x-X-x-
The situation was troublesome, but more than anything, it was interesting in its own way. In his many years, Osvald had never dealt with someone as crazy as the one in front of him. Even those who were higher ranked than him in the organisation weren't as crazy.
He was something else.
But craziness wasn't enough.
It just... made them a little bit more unpredictable.
"...How should I handle you?"
Muttering the words once more, he stood face to face with the pig. The pig didn't move, observing him in return as its blood-red eyes fluctuated. The silence between them seemed to stretch on, yet it lasted less than a second before the pig's eyes deepened to an even darker red and its entire body cracked once more.
Its neck cracked at a weird angle, and its body started to enlarge before Osvald's eyes.
'He's still growing stronger?'
A strong scent of bloodlust lingered in the air as Osvald frowned.
He had previously assumed that the knife had reached its limit. After all, it was just an item. Not only that, but the human body had limitations, too. Especially for someone like Seth who was merely at the Fourth Order.
Yet⎯
Cra Crack! Cra Crack!
Hearing the loud cracking sounds, Osvald understood that he had underestimated the situation.
Cra Crack!
Once more, loud cracking sounds echoed from the pig as its movements began to speed up despite the restraints around it. Osvald watched it all before glancing over his shoulder to see what the Team Leader was doing.
Making sure that he was doing his job, he shifted his attention back to the pig as he retrieved several flags from his pocket and planted them around the pig.
Cra Crack! Cra Crack!
The cracking sounds grew even more powerful, but Osvald didn't let the situation affect his mind as he planted the set of flags around the pig.
'I didn't expect myself to use these, but I guess I've got no choice. Considering what I'm dealing with, it's the bare minimum. And if I catch him, I'll also be able to leave a good impression. In a way, it's a good investment.'
Despite the calmness with which he handled the situation, in truth, he had no choice but to remain calm, as his mind was slowly growing exhausted. He was using multiple nodes at once, and the strain it placed on him wasn't easy.
He was also keeping his guard up as an eye appeared right behind his head, observing everything that was happening with the Team Leader. This put an even greater toll on his mind.
But it was necessary.
Cra Crack!
Taking note of the cracking sounds that were growing louder and louder, he set up the flags around the pig, arranging them in a perfect square. Once he was done, he looked back up at the pig before taking a deep breath. Sweat trickled down the side of his face as he reached up to wipe some of it away.
"Well, that's enough."
He pressed his foot forward.
The moment he did, the flags began to flap all at once as multiple triangles formed on the ground where the pig was standing. The entire sequence was incredibly quick, and the moment the triangles formed, they began to overlap as a large, opaque cube took shape around the area where the pig stood.
In just a fraction of a second, the pig was enclosed within the large walls of a cube that stood between the flags. The cracking sounds that were once loud fell silent as Osvald stared at the scene in front of him, taking several small breaths.
"....."
For just a moment, the surroundings turned silent.
Osvald stared at the massive cube, then pressed his hands together as it began to shrink. At the same time, his nodes churned even faster, his face turning pale. He was using every means possible to contain him.
'If I don't put my all into it, I don't think I'll be able to contain him.'
Clenching his teeth, Osvald ignored the strain in his nodes as the eyes surrounding the cube enlarged, with several more appearing. The cracking sounds from within the cube grew even softer in that moment, as the eyes seemed to be doing a very good job of holding it back.
Being of the Warden Decree, he was very good at restraining things. It was for this reason that he was a sort of 'enforcer'. But even that had its limits.
Cra CRACK!
The cracking sounds that had quieted moments before grew louder again, the shadow of the figure within the cube twitching and twisting at unnatural angles. Despite being restrained, the oppressive aura emanating from the pig continued to rise.
Within seconds, it had reached a point where the entire cube had started to shake.
Rattle! Rattle!
Osvald's expression changed as he forced his nodes to churn even faster, all eyes surrounding the box turning a deep shade of red as the figure within the cube twisted further.
'Ah, this is really starting to become troublesome. What sort of item is this!?'
This situation...
It had flown completely out of his expectations.
At the same time he was doing this, Osvald was using the other eye to check on the Team Leader. He had to make sure that everything flowed well on that side, too; otherwise, things would really be troublesome.
He was pleasantly surprised to see the Team Leader handling the anomalies well. Although the conductor-like creature was still playing music in the air, its actions were impeded by the Team Leader, who seemed to have taken control of the teenage girl.
While she did resist his control, he was still able to use her to stop the Conductor. There also seemed to be a few other anomalies at play. Just how many were under him?
Nevertheless, the situation seemed under control.
'Hmm, I guess he's not too useless.'
Osvald started to think that maybe he could have some use. However, the thought merely lasted a second before his attention shifted back to the cube. The rattling seemed to have completely stopped, the surroundings falling into a state of complete silence. For just a moment, Osvald thought that the pig had tired out.
...Or at least, that his nodes and restraints had worked.
But⎯
CRA CRACK! CRA CRACK! CRA CRACK!
It all happened in less than a second, the figure within the cube twisting in all sorts of ways as its body broke and restricted itself over and over. There was no sound besides the cracking, but Osvald could feel the pain with each twist. Then he heard a soft 'thump' from deep within as the pig pressed its hand against the surface of the cube, almost as if it were begging him to let it go.
Tok...
To Tok...
To Tok To Tok...
To...
It all grew silent as the knocking ceased completely, along with the cracking, as the pig stopped moving altogether. Even the noise behind him had stopped completely, with him no longer hearing anything.
But Osvlad had no time to look back or even use the eye to look back.
"...."
Subconsciously, he took a step back.
Step!
And then, he took another.
Step! Step!
Followed by two more.
Step! Step! Step!
Before he knew it, he found himself taking more and more steps back, his eye never leaving the figure standing within the box.
Why...?
'Why am I even doing this? Why...?'
He was on the other side of the corridor before he realized. The entire time his eyes never left the box.
And yet, he couldn't stop himself from moving back. Something within him prevented him from stopping as he continued to take one step back after another.
Ba... Thump! Ba... Thump!
A loud, almost unmistakable drumming sound pressed against his head with each passing moment, growing louder by the second. He wanted to make them stop, but it just wouldn't stop. As his gaze lingered over the distant box, he could feel the beat grow fast.
Louder!
And then⎯
CRA CRACK!
He heard it.
The familiar cracking sound.
But this time, the sound didn't come from the figure within the box.
No...
Cra Crack!
It came from the box itself.
Cra Crack! Cra Crack! Cra Crack! Cra Crack! Cra Crack!
Cracks began to form one after another, each spreading like a spiderweb as Osvald's face turned pale under the immense strain on his nodes. He tried to fight it back! Getting rid of all useless thoughts, he churned all six nodes at once. Despite this...
Cra Crack!
He found himself completely helpless as the eyes surrounding the box turned bloodshot, veins pulsing around them.
More cracks spread across the box, spiderwebbing outward, and before he had any time to react or do anything, it happened...
BANG!
The box exploded, and a terrifying pressure burst.
One strong enough to make the entire space tremble as a pair of bloodshot eyes found him.
Osvald's next break never came.
"...Maniac."
For his entire body tingled at the sight before him.
"He's a complete... maniac."
-x-X-x-
The situation was troublesome, but more than anything, it was interesting in its own way. In his many years, Osvald had never dealt with someone as crazy as the one in front of him. Even those who were higher ranked than him in the organisation weren't as crazy.
He was something else.
But craziness wasn't enough.
It just... made them a little bit more unpredictable.
"...How should I handle you?"
Muttering the words once more, he stood face to face with the pig. The pig didn't move, observing him in return as its blood-red eyes fluctuated. The silence between them seemed to stretch on, yet it lasted less than a second before the pig's eyes deepened to an even darker red and its entire body cracked once more.
Its neck cracked at a weird angle, and its body started to enlarge before Osvald's eyes.
'He's still growing stronger?'
A strong scent of bloodlust lingered in the air as Osvald frowned.
He had previously assumed that the knife had reached its limit. After all, it was just an item. Not only that, but the human body had limitations, too. Especially for someone like Seth who was merely at the Fourth Order.
Yet⎯
Cra Crack! Cra Crack!
Hearing the loud cracking sounds, Osvald understood that he had underestimated the situation.
Cra Crack!
Once more, loud cracking sounds echoed from the pig as its movements began to speed up despite the restraints around it. Osvald watched it all before glancing over his shoulder to see what the Team Leader was doing.
Making sure that he was doing his job, he shifted his attention back to the pig as he retrieved several flags from his pocket and planted them around the pig.
Cra Crack! Cra Crack!
The cracking sounds grew even more powerful, but Osvald didn't let the situation affect his mind as he planted the set of flags around the pig.
'I didn't expect myself to use these, but I guess I've got no choice. Considering what I'm dealing with, it's the bare minimum. And if I catch him, I'll also be able to leave a good impression. In a way, it's a good investment.'
Despite the calmness with which he handled the situation, in truth, he had no choice but to remain calm, as his mind was slowly growing exhausted. He was using multiple nodes at once, and the strain it placed on him wasn't easy.
He was also keeping his guard up as an eye appeared right behind his head, observing everything that was happening with the Team Leader. This put an even greater toll on his mind.
But it was necessary.
Cra Crack!
Taking note of the cracking sounds that were growing louder and louder, he set up the flags around the pig, arranging them in a perfect square. Once he was done, he looked back up at the pig before taking a deep breath. Sweat trickled down the side of his face as he reached up to wipe some of it away.
"Well, that's enough."
He pressed his foot forward.
The moment he did, the flags began to flap all at once as multiple triangles formed on the ground where the pig was standing. The entire sequence was incredibly quick, and the moment the triangles formed, they began to overlap as a large, opaque cube took shape around the area where the pig stood.
In just a fraction of a second, the pig was enclosed within the large walls of a cube that stood between the flags. The cracking sounds that were once loud fell silent as Osvald stared at the scene in front of him, taking several small breaths.
"....."
For just a moment, the surroundings turned silent.
Osvald stared at the massive cube, then pressed his hands together as it began to shrink. At the same time, his nodes churned even faster, his face turning pale. He was using every means possible to contain him.
'If I don't put my all into it, I don't think I'll be able to contain him.'
Clenching his teeth, Osvald ignored the strain in his nodes as the eyes surrounding the cube enlarged, with several more appearing. The cracking sounds from within the cube grew even softer in that moment, as the eyes seemed to be doing a very good job of holding it back.
Being of the Warden Decree, he was very good at restraining things. It was for this reason that he was a sort of 'enforcer'. But even that had its limits.
Cra CRACK!
The cracking sounds that had quieted moments before grew louder again, the shadow of the figure within the cube twitching and twisting at unnatural angles. Despite being restrained, the oppressive aura emanating from the pig continued to rise.
Within seconds, it had reached a point where the entire cube had started to shake.
Rattle! Rattle!
Osvald's expression changed as he forced his nodes to churn even faster, all eyes surrounding the box turning a deep shade of red as the figure within the cube twisted further.
'Ah, this is really starting to become troublesome. What sort of item is this!?'
This situation...
It had flown completely out of his expectations.
At the same time he was doing this, Osvald was using the other eye to check on the Team Leader. He had to make sure that everything flowed well on that side, too; otherwise, things would really be troublesome.
He was pleasantly surprised to see the Team Leader handling the anomalies well. Although the conductor-like creature was still playing music in the air, its actions were impeded by the Team Leader, who seemed to have taken control of the teenage girl.
While she did resist his control, he was still able to use her to stop the Conductor. There also seemed to be a few other anomalies at play. Just how many were under him?
Nevertheless, the situation seemed under control.
'Hmm, I guess he's not too useless.'
Osvald started to think that maybe he could have some use. However, the thought merely lasted a second before his attention shifted back to the cube. The rattling seemed to have completely stopped, the surroundings falling into a state of complete silence. For just a moment, Osvald thought that the pig had tired out.
...Or at least, that his nodes and restraints had worked.
But⎯
CRA CRACK! CRA CRACK! CRA CRACK!
It all happened in less than a second, the figure within the cube twisting in all sorts of ways as its body broke and restricted itself over and over. There was no sound besides the cracking, but Osvald could feel the pain with each twist. Then he heard a soft 'thump' from deep within as the pig pressed its hand against the surface of the cube, almost as if it were begging him to let it go.
Tok...
To Tok...
To Tok To Tok...
To...
It all grew silent as the knocking ceased completely, along with the cracking, as the pig stopped moving altogether. Even the noise behind him had stopped completely, with him no longer hearing anything.
But Osvlad had no time to look back or even use the eye to look back.
"...."
Subconsciously, he took a step back.
Step!
And then, he took another.
Step! Step!
Followed by two more.
Step! Step! Step!
Before he knew it, he found himself taking more and more steps back, his eye never leaving the figure standing within the box.
Why...?
'Why am I even doing this? Why...?'
He was on the other side of the corridor before he realized. The entire time his eyes never left the box.
And yet, he couldn't stop himself from moving back. Something within him prevented him from stopping as he continued to take one step back after another.
Ba... Thump! Ba... Thump!
A loud, almost unmistakable drumming sound pressed against his head with each passing moment, growing louder by the second. He wanted to make them stop, but it just wouldn't stop. As his gaze lingered over the distant box, he could feel the beat grow fast.
Louder!
And then⎯
CRA CRACK!
He heard it.
The familiar cracking sound.
But this time, the sound didn't come from the figure within the box.
No...
Cra Crack!
It came from the box itself.
Cra Crack! Cra Crack! Cra Crack! Cra Crack! Cra Crack!
Cracks began to form one after another, each spreading like a spiderweb as Osvald's face turned pale under the immense strain on his nodes. He tried to fight it back! Getting rid of all useless thoughts, he churned all six nodes at once. Despite this...
Cra Crack!
He found himself completely helpless as the eyes surrounding the box turned bloodshot, veins pulsing around them.
More cracks spread across the box, spiderwebbing outward, and before he had any time to react or do anything, it happened...
BANG!
The box exploded, and a terrifying pressure burst.
One strong enough to make the entire space tremble as a pair of bloodshot eyes found him.
Osvald's next break never came.
"...Maniac."
For his entire body tingled at the sight before him.
"He's a complete... maniac."
-x-X-x-
The moment the box exploded, everything seemed to stop at once.
It was as if the very air had been drained from the place. This time was different... instead of them looking at it, the pig was looking at them, its blood-red eye glowing in the vast room, ensuring they never left its sight.
Neither Osvald nor the Team Leader made a single move as they stared at the pig before them. The silence felt suffocating, and as Osvald kept his gaze fixed on it, his expression shifted again and again.
'Why? Why would he do this...!?'
He was completely out of his mind!
Looking at the pig and seeing the power emanating from its body, Osvald was certain there was simply no way for Seth to reverse the situation! The knife had most likely taken over his mind completely, and his body was shattered from the inside.
'...If he's betting on the body swap scenario that he did before, then there's absolutely no way!'
Switching bodies would only grant him another physical body, not a physical mind. And as Osvald stared at the pig... no, the Butcher, he knew there was no trace of consciousness left within that mind. The knife had stripped away all sense of reason, eroding whatever little rationality remained.
As things stood, unless he reversed time, there was absolutely no way for him to regain his sanity.
To put it bluntly...
He was dead!
"Crazy... He's totally crazy."
One did not fear a rational person.
One feared the irrational, for the irrational could not be predicted.
This became painfully clear to Osvald, who suddenly directed his voice to Johnattan.
"As things stand, there's no way that I can contain this! We've got no choice but to leave this place! No, shit..."
Osvald suddenly realized something else as he looked around.
They... were inside a Gate. Not just some abandoned factory, but a Gate. The only way out was to leave it.
"No..."
Osvald stared at the butcher before him, his throat tightening. There was another way...
RUMBLE! RUMBLE!
The surroundings trembled, everything rattling as Osvald barely managed to keep his footing. He scarcely had time to process what was happening before an overwhelming surge of bloodlust washed over him, and without hesitation, he reached into his pocket and hurled out an item that looked like a teddy bear.
Swoosh!
The moment he tossed the item, the bear enlarged, growing five to eight times its size as the butcher moved and slashed toward it. The butcher's movements were extremely quick, and the instant the bear expanded, it was torn in half within a second.
BANG!
"Huek!"
Osvald's eyes widened as he felt a terrifying pain reflect back to him. Almost as if he was being torn in half himself. However, he had barely managed to keep himself from screaming as he tossed another similar bear while turning around and moving away.
Step!
The butcher didn't give chase.
Rather...
It continued to move at its slow, steady pace, almost as if it found it beneath itself to chase him, the sound of its steps echoing across the entire room.
This was good.
The moment the Butcher had started moving, Osvald was already moving. He didn't turn his back against the Butcher, but moved sideways, creating distance while keeping the butcher directly in his line of sight.
'For just a moment, it took its eyes away from me and focused on the bear.'
Without thinking, he retrieved another bear and tossed it out. This time, he didn't toss it directly in front of him but tossed it to the right side. Just like in the past, the bear expanded and grew larger.
Osvald didn't tear his gaze away from the butcher. Instead, he calmly analyzed the next sequence of events as the Butcher's attention shifted away from him and onto the bear before slashing down.
SWOOOSH!
Its movements were incredibly fast. So fast that Osvald had barely any time to react before the bear was torn in half, and he experienced the same type of pain as his entire face paled, and he barely managed to suppress his groan.
"⎯!"
He drew in a cold breath, trying to keep his mind steady. But not long after he just barely managed to keep it together, he felt a pair of bloodthirsty eyes locked in his direction.
His very breath stopped.
But at the same time... just faintly, the corner of his lips curled.
'...His attention is back towards me. As expected, he's lost all sense of rationality.'
Had the Butcher kept its rationality, it would've ignored the bear. And yet... It seemed to go straight for it. Almost as if the only thing it could think of was to cut what was ahead of it.
'No, that's exactly what it's thinking.'
Osvald was certain of it as his thoughts pressed on and he thought of all sorts of ways to handle the current situation.
Step! Step⎯
The calm, yet heavy echo of the steps continued to reverberate across the surroundings.
The steps were slow, slow enough for anyone to outrun, and yet... despite their pace, it felt as though he couldn't escape them at all. As if, no matter what anyone did, no one could ever outrun them. And that feeling...
It built a growing pressure within the room.
One that made anyone feel choked up just being in.
Step!
Osvald drew another deep breath as he finally took a moment to cast a small eye and shift his attention towards the Team Leader, who seemed to have gained control of another anomaly. A darker anomaly.
'Alright. Let's think.'
Osvald's mind raced. Options... he didn't have many.
The Gate had one exit. He wasn't sure where it was, and while there was certainly one, he had a feeling that by the time they found it, it'd be a little too late.
His nodes were burning, and they could hardly contain that pig-like creature.
His mind wasn't in a state where he could use the Reflection Buddies as he had, for it would make him unable to focus on his thoughts. The flags were broken, so he couldn't restrain the pig. What remained? The only thing he had in consideration was the Butcher's mindless actions. It had no real thoughts. No objectives beyond the knife's hunger.
That was something.
'Irrational things,' he reminded himself, 'can still be redirected.'
But... one couldn't be too careless. The Butcher was moving slowly, but that was because its prey was in its sight. The moment one of them ran, it would run for them too. Even if he could use another Reflection Buddy, the Butcher would get rid of it in an instant, not giving them enough time to run.
His mind kept turning as he heard the sound of another step, its quiet echo bouncing across the entire room as the sense of suffocation coming from the Butcher only increased.
'It's growing even stronger.'
Osvald's chest grew even heavier as he silently cursed to himself. He understood that what Seth had done before was merely for show. Just before the entire 'scenario' had started, he had likely killed off most of the anomalies created by Johnattan, the Team Leader.
This made him want to curse because he understood that the knife was still absorbing all of the blood, and the Butcher would only grow stronger.
But this... wasn't bad in itself.
Staring at the Butcher, Osvald's shallow breathing paused for a moment as he took notice of something important.
That faint, almost muffled crack coming from deep within its body.
'Yes, of course.'
Osvald had a sudden epiphany.
His eyes lit up as he turned his attention to the Team Leader.
"You..."
He called out quietly without making too large a movement.
"His body is breaking down. However..." Osvald glanced at the approaching Butcher and pursed his lips. "By the time we wait for the body to fully break down, it'll be too late."
Instead, he looked upward. Though faint, he saw them... fine, miniature cracks stretching beyond the room and into the space itself.
The Gate...
It was starting to be unable to hold the power coming out of its body.
In that case⎯
"We survive until then."
He drew a cold breath, his nodes, which were already exhausted, churning even faster as he faced the Butcher.
"...Wait until the Gate shatters."
-x-X-x-
Wait until the Gate shatters...
'Surviving until then is easier said than done.'
The plan wasn't exactly solid, but Osvald knew it was the only option that he could go for.
Feeling the rising power emanating from the Butcher standing before him, his eyes shrank away from the fine cracks as his thoughts immediately fell on the situation.
As his thoughts scrambled, his gaze fell on the Team Leader, who seemed to have gotten the situation on his side under his control. However, that was all there was to it.
The situation on his side had stabilized, but it was far from perfect.
'As things stand, if I don't work with him, I don't think there's a chance I'll be able to get out.'
His thought process was quick. Calculating everything that there was to calculate, Osvald reached into his pocket and retrieved a small item.
He felt a little pained taking it out, but he had no choice as he tossed it toward the Butcher.
Simultaneously, Osvald turned in the Team Leader's direction and threw a couple of items his way.
"Put them on."
The Team Leader paused the moment the items reached him.
His expression revealed surprise and confusion as he looked them over, but after a second glance, he eventually put them on as Osvald shifted his attention back to the Butcher.
'Since it has lost all sanity, it should destroy it.'
Sure enough, the moment the item left his hand, the Butcher's attention snapped to the box for a brief second before it slashed in its direction. Its movements were extremely fast, even faster and sharper than before, as the bloodlust lingering in the air heightened.
BANG!
The box shattered almost instantly, and a soft tune began to play all around the room.
Osvald reacted quickly. The moment the melody filled the air, he slipped on the eartips. The Team Leader, already understanding his intent, put on his earbuds as well, and all surrounding noise faded away.
A change occurred subsequently.
Keeping his gaze fixed on the Butcher, Osvald's entire body tensed as he slowly edged closer and closer to the Team Leader.
'It's working. It's working...'
He couldn't hear a single sound through the earplugs, but he didn't need to; he could see the Butcher had shifted its attention away from him, looking elsewhere in multiple directions.
This was exactly what Osvald had intended when tossing the item.
He was certain it was going to work from the start due to the nature of the item, and also given how it was something that he had spent quite a lot of SP on. It was something that he had only intended to use when the situation was dire.
"....."
Keeping his gaze locked on the Butcher, Osvald continued to fall back until he reached the Team Leader, who stood beside a couple of anomalies. Primarily, a little girl and a dark figure.
Both seemed to have fallen into the Team Leader's hands, standing upright without doing a single thing.
But despite this, Osvald felt no relief as his head turned slowly.
In the distance, a figure watched them with a curled smile, the threads around its mouth hanging loosely as it seemed to savour the moment.
"Are you struggling to get it under your control?"
"...Yes."
The Team Leader replied weakly, his face pale as he held onto his injured arm while his eyes shifted between the Butcher and the Conductor in the distance. Looking at him, Osvald's eyes narrowed. He could see that he had lost a lot of blood.
Holding onto the pain, the Team Leader continued, nudging his head towards the Conductor.
"It's... not so much the other anomalies. I'm having trouble with that one. The priority should be getting it under control. I'm afraid we won't get out of this if we don't handle it."
"...."
Osvald didn't reply, his eyes narrowing as he stared at the Conductor.
Despite wearing the earplugs, the two could still hear each other without any issues. The only thing the earplugs did was mute all sound not transmitted through voice, neat in its own way, and something Osvald had prepared in advance for situations exactly like this.
With the Butcher not looking at them, they could afford a few seconds to discuss the situation. They were even tempted to run, but Osvald knew all too well that while it was distracted, any sudden movement from their side would draw its attention right back.
And by then...
Osvald drew a deep breath while staring at the Conductor.
It was staring back at them, its lips curled into an even more sinister smile. Having handled plenty of anomalies in his life, Osvald had thought nothing could truly unsettle him, but meeting the Conductor's gaze and feeling that smile made his heart press tight against his chest.
For some reason... that anomaly unsettled him even more than the Butcher.
"Cough! Cough!"
Grabbing Osvald's attention was the Team Leader's coughs as he held onto his lips, his hoarse voice whispering out a short moment after.
"Our... priority shouldn't be the Butcher. It should be that anomaly. If you can help me get close to it and touch it, I should be able to c-ontrol it. As you've already noticed, those of the Sonorous Decree seem to have some effect on the Butcher. If I can gain control of it, I should be able to buy us enough time to escape. At least, it'll confuse the Bu—Cough! Cough! Cough!"
Bending over, the Team Leader coughed more harshly, struggling to keep himself upright.
Osvald drew a small breath, his eyes coldly scanning the Team Leader's body. His body was doing badly, and as things stood, he was deadweight. However, thinking about his plan, Osvald knew that it was very likely the best option that they had.
And...
'Even if he tries something late, the moment the Gate shatters, I'm sure they will make a move. I also doubt he'd act against me in the middle of a Gate, and given the condition of his body, I doubt he'll be able to think about anything else besides running. But I'm not sure... I'm thinking of keeping him closer to my side. His abilities are pretty intriguing.'
"Alright. I'll help you."
Osvald made up his mind rather quickly.
"....."
The Team Leader said nothing, his gaze still lingering on the Conductor, who did nothing the entire time, just calmly observing them with the same smile as before.
No, it wasn't the same...
It was even deeper. Almost as if it had heard the entire conversation and found everything to be amusing.
Osvald's heart raced at the sight, only for him to forcefully calm it down as he muttered to himself, 'It's not even at the peak of its powers. Its true powers are suppressed due to the limit of Seth's nodes. There's nothing to be uneasy about.'
Drawing another breath, his eyes shifted between the Conductor and the Butcher as his nodes began to churn.
"I should be able to lock the Conductor in place for a short moment. The instant I do, make a dash for it and touch it. If you can gain control over the Conductor, we should be able to stall for more time."
"...O-okay."
The Team Leader's frail voice didn't inspire any confidence, but Osvald had no choice but to trust it as a multitude of eyes began to appear all around the room.
The moment they appeared, the Butcher stopped scanning the area and fixed its attention on them, its grip tightening around the knife as the glow intensified. Feeling the weight of the stare, Osvald's expression turned incredibly heavy.
These next few minutes...
They were probably going to be some of the hardest of his life.