‘’The designated search target is approaching.’’
“…It suddenly looks like something artificial from this room.”
“Could it be that monsters have the intelligence to create something like this?”
“That is…”
A faintly glowing alabaster labyrinth stood before us. As we proceeded between the rows of columns, a figure resembling a human stood in front of the pillars.
“…This is…”
“That mask-wearing monster… the one from the video…?”
The figure closely resembled a “Joker,” a creature with terrifying abilities, yet despite the close distance, it showed no signs of movement.
Beep “No biological reactions detected.”
“What’s going on?”
“I’m not sure, but… this doll looks just like that monster.”
“I can’t sense any heartbeat either. Still, it looks like it could start moving any second.”
“Could this be a trap? But even if it’s a type of monster that can suddenly animate like a statue, it’s said they can’t completely hide their magic power.”
“…This is just speculation, but maybe this doll here is… hollow.”
I had no idea what was going on. What exactly were these statues that looked so much like “Jokers”?
The hallway lined with columns continued. We started moving forward again—until.
“…Over there…”
Senpai Haruka had noticed something. And soon, I saw it too—someone was crouched down.
We entered a wide space at the end of the hallway. A circular platform—whether it was supported by a base below or just a narrow walkway was unclear.
In the center of the platform, a large magic circle glowed, and atop it, a man was crouching.
“Ugh… ugh…”
There were smaller magic circles around the large one, with flesh-like pillars rising from them. Embedded within those pillars were parts of human faces and bodies, some sticking out.
“Ah… aaagh… please… kill me…”
“…Iwakiri-san…”
Everyone was at a loss for words. The girl that Senpai Haruka called Iwakiri shook her head violently in agony as she noticed us.
“Aaaaah… no… don’t take it…”
“Ryu…dou-sama… why… why have you done this to us…?”
“No… we didn’t come this far… for this…”
The three others—were they students who had accompanied Ryudou Hinata? The tattered clothing scattered around—the fragments carried by that red goblin had been parts of their clothes.
“Heh… Hahahahaha!”
From the small magic circles, something was being absorbed, flowing into the body of the man standing in the large magic circle.
“…Why did you put your comrades through this?”
Red lightning crackled around the man as he stood, and his black eyes turned crimson.
“I didn’t. This was always going to happen.”
“As I thought… Ryudou, you’ve lost your sanity to the magical essence.”
“I’m perfectly sane, Haruka. The fact that ‘Mikuriya’ was stronger than me was always unnatural. Now that error has been corrected…!”
“Mikuriya-san… run… he’s no longer…”
“He’s no longer human… argh…!”
“Didn’t you all believe in me until a moment ago? Then this is your reward, isn’t it? Ah, this feels amazing… the power of others is so sweet…!”
The “Joker” drains human life through “Energy Drain.” This magic circle works similarly, drawing life from the four victims and feeding it into Ryudou Hinata.
Who set this up? I couldn’t believe Ryudou was acting on his own—he seemed like a puppet in some sort of experiment.
“Come on, let’s have a fight… This is that girl’s power. I’ll test it on you!”
Ryudou charged, wielding not a saber, but a sword—his target was Senpai Haruka.
“—‘Gale Slash!’”
“…!”
Senpai Haruka’s secret technique wasn’t quick enough; she tried to block with a dagger wrapped in magic.
In that instant, something inside me screamed a warning—as soon as Ryudou’s sword touched Senpai Haruka’s dagger, it emitted a red glow.
Skill ‘Fix’ activated: The spatial coordinates of the target object are fixed.
As Ryudou swung his sword, the slash “split”—a blood-red blade appeared, stopping in mid-air before it could reach Senpai Haruka.
“So that’s your trick, Fujiwara!”
“Don’t talk down to me…!”
Senpai Haruka struck back, but Ryudou caught her attack with his left arm.
A red armor, as if blood had solidified, covered his arm. Even as her attack chipped away at it, the armor quickly regenerated.
“This power… it’s my first time using it, but it fits me perfectly… What was I before? No wonder I was weak enough to be underestimated… isn’t that right, Iwakiri…!”
“Ugh… aaah…!”
Iwakiri cried out in pain—Ryudou was draining her power again.
There was no time to lose. I handed a chip to Nanami-san, who was standing just behind me—it was our “last resort” against Ryudou.
“(When I give the signal, throw this at Ryudou.)”
“…”
Nanami silently took the chip. Now it was between me and Ryudou.
“You must’ve looked down on me, right? That’s why you’re—”
“—Stop.”
“Hah? You should be begging me to stop. But there’s no way I’d listen… Hahahaha!”
“Fujiwara-kun!”
Ryudou slashed at me—even after seeing my ‘Fix’ skill, he wasn’t deterred.
“If you’re really coming at me with intent to kill, then there’s no need to hold back.”
“Don’t act so high and mighty, you lowborn!”
It was probably Ryudou’s own skill—a slash infused with magical power.
Skill ‘Fix’ activated: The spatial coordinates of the target object are fixed.
I stopped his attack before it could reach me, and I released a ‘Void Blast’ chip at Ryudou—and then.
“So that’s your trump card, huh? Using a monster’s attack… But it won’t work on me!”
Ryudou dodged the three incoming ‘Void Blasts,’ leaving behind a blood-made puppet where he had been standing. The blasts only pierced through the puppet.
“It’s over, Fujiwara. You arrogant first-year—”
“—Nanami-san!”
At my signal, Nanami threw the chip—hitting Ryudou, and I immediately activated ‘Restore.’
Ryudou could have chosen to retreat, but someone who thought they had already won would be too slow to make that decision. A fraction of a second determined life and death.
“—‘Restore’…!”
The second ‘Void Blast’ chip, which I had launched earlier, was restored.
“I… thought that wouldn’t work… but…”
The chip I had entrusted to Nanami contained the ‘Siren’s Scent,’ sealing Ryudou’s evasion skill. His body was struck by three invisible spears.
“…Gah… you… sealed my skill…”
Ryudou collapsed to his knees. The four fleshy pillars sank into the ground, leaving behind Iwakiri and the three other students.
“…Futaba…!”
Futaba-san rushed over to Ryudou, seemingly to examine him—but her action led to an unforeseen event.
“Ah… ahhh!”
The ground beneath Ryudou and Futaba began to “ripple.” A dark wave formed, and both of them were swallowed by the blackness.
“Damn it…!”
My ‘Fix’ had no effect. Futaba-san’s outstretched hand reached out for help but slipped through my grasp.
Senpai Haruka almost collapsed, but Cipher caught her.
Beep “Futaba-sama’s signal is still traceable.”
“…Cipher, is that true?”
“Then let’s chase after—”
Nanami began, but Cipher hesitated, his camera lenses whirring—and then.
「Futaba-sama’s response is directly below us… It seems like the only way to go is down through that hole over there.」
I couldn’t just leave the four who had collapsed behind. And descending down to that lower level from this platform… it looked like something only I could manage—using every available method at my disposal.
