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The sea had calmed.
But Weiss hadn't.
The celebration in Cocoyasi Village carried on behind him—laughter, music, the clinking of glasses—but all of it felt distant. Muffled. As if separated from him by an invisible wall.
He stood alone near the shore again.
Same place.
Different state of mind.
"…You're doing it again."
Nami's voice came from behind him, softer this time.
Not accusing.
Just… observant.
Weiss didn't turn.
"Doing what?"
"Thinking too much."
A faint smirk touched his lips. "That's a problem now?"
"It is when you look like you're about to disappear."
That made him pause.
Slowly, he glanced over his shoulder.
Nami stood there with her arms crossed, but her usual sharp expression had softened slightly.
"…I'm still here," he said.
"For now," she replied.
Silence settled between them for a moment.
The wind brushed past, carrying the distant sound of celebration.
Then Nami stepped closer.
"…What happened earlier?" she asked quietly.
Weiss's eyes flickered.
He knew what she meant.
The moment he froze.
The way he almost collapsed.
That… thing.
"…Just the system acting up," he said.
It wasn't entirely a lie.
But it wasn't the truth either.
Nami studied him carefully.
"You're a terrible liar."
"Good thing I'm not trying very hard."
She sighed.
"…Fine. Keep your secrets."
But she didn't walk away.
Instead, she stood beside him, looking out at the ocean.
"…Just don't die on me without explaining them first."
Weiss let out a quiet chuckle.
"I'll try."
Ding.
The familiar sound echoed in his mind again.
But this time—
It felt heavier.
[System Stabilizing…]
[Reconstructing Reward Data…]
[Warning: Partial Corruption Detected]
Weiss's expression darkened slightly.
"…Still not done?"
"Hmm?" Nami glanced at him.
"Nothing."
But his focus had already shifted inward.
The golden chest reappeared in his vision.
Cracked.
Flickering.
Unstable.
Like it could break apart at any moment.
"…This is new," Weiss muttered under his breath.
Before, rewards were clean.
Predictable.
Reliable.
Now?
Even the system felt… compromised.
[Opening Chest…]
The chest trembled—
Then burst open.
Light spilled out—
But instead of forming a single reward…
It split.
[Reward 1: Shadow Step (Incomplete)]
[Reward 2: ??? (Corrupted Data)]
Weiss froze.
"…Incomplete?"
That had never happened before.
Not once.
The first reward stabilized slightly.
A skill.
Movement-based.
Fast.
Silent.
Useful.
But the second one—
Glitched violently.
Symbols distorted.
Text unreadable.
Like something was trying to overwrite it.
Then—
A pulse.
Pain shot through Weiss's head.
"—!" He clenched his jaw, forcing himself not to react outwardly.
Not here.
Not in front of everyone.
[Error… Error…]
[External Interference Detected]
That again.
Weiss's eyes narrowed slightly.
"…So it's not just me."
Something really was interfering.
"…Weiss?"
Nami's voice pulled him back.
He exhaled slowly, steadying himself.
"Yeah?"
"You went quiet again."
"Just thinking."
She frowned slightly.
"…You always say that."
"Because it's always true."
She didn't look convinced.
But she let it go.
For now.
Weiss turned his gaze back to the sea.
But internally—
His mind was moving fast.
Incomplete reward.
Corrupted data.
External interference.
And that… thing he saw.
"…This isn't just a system anymore," he thought.
"It's something bigger."
Something dangerous.
Something watching.
And for the first time—
The idea of losing control crossed his mind.
"…Tch."
A faint click of his tongue.
That wasn't acceptable.
"System," he called silently. "Explain."
For a moment—
Nothing happened.
Then—
[Response Restricted]
Weiss's eyes sharpened.
"…Of course."
Whatever was going on—
The system either couldn't answer…
Or wasn't allowed to.
Both options were bad.
"…Alright," he muttered quietly.
"If you won't tell me…"
His gaze hardened slightly.
"I'll figure it out myself."
A sudden burst of laughter echoed from the village.
The celebration was reaching its peak.
Food, drinks, music—
Freedom.
Nami glanced back briefly, then at Weiss.
"…You should come," she said.
He raised an eyebrow.
"To what?"
"The party," she replied. "You know… the thing people do after they win?"
Weiss smirked faintly.
"Not really my style."
"Yeah, I noticed."
She stepped in front of him suddenly, blocking his view of the sea.
"Then make it your style."
He blinked once.
"…What?"
"You heard me," she said. "You saved the village. You helped me."
Her expression softened slightly.
"…So just… be there."
Weiss looked at her for a moment.
Really looked.
For once—
There was no sarcasm.
No teasing.
Just sincerity.
"…You're not going to drop this, are you?"
"Nope."
A brief pause.
Then—
Weiss sighed.
"…Fine."
Nami smiled.
A real one this time.
"Good."
As she turned to walk back toward the village, she glanced over her shoulder.
"…And try not to overthink things for five minutes."
"No promises."
She laughed lightly before continuing on.
Weiss stayed where he was for a moment longer.
Watching.
Thinking.
Then—
He moved.
Back toward the light.
But even as he walked—
The system flickered again.
[Warning: Corruption Spreading…]
[Unknown Reward Attempting Activation…]
Weiss's steps slowed slightly.
"…Now what?"
The corrupted reward—
The one labeled "???"—
Suddenly pulsed.
Then—
Without warning—
It activated.
"—!"
A surge of energy flooded through his body.
Wild.
Unstable.
Uncontrolled.
His vision distorted.
Sounds stretched.
Reality… bent.
For a split second—
He saw it again.
That place.
That darkness.
And those eyes.
Watching.
Always watching.
"…Interesting."
The same voice echoed faintly.
Closer this time.
Weiss clenched his fists.
"…Stay out of my head."
A soft chuckle.
"You'll get used to it."
The connection snapped.
Weiss stumbled slightly—
Then caught himself.
"…Weiss?"
Nami's voice, closer now.
Worried.
He straightened slowly.
"…I'm fine."
Again.
Same words.
But this time—
They felt less certain.
Because whatever that was—
It wasn't part of the original system.
It was something else.
Something that had just forced its way in.
Weiss exhaled slowly.
Then—
A faint smile appeared on his lips.
But this one…
Was different.
Not relaxed.
Not amused.
Sharp.
"…Good," he muttered.
Because if something thought it could interfere with him—
Control him—
Use him—
Then it had made a mistake.
A big one.
Weiss's eyes glinted faintly as he stepped into the light of the village.
"Let's see who breaks first."
The system flickered one last time.
[Synchronization Attempt Failed]
[Host Status: Unstable]
And far beyond—
Unseen.
Unknown.
Something smiled.
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