"You shall know the weak point to defeat your opponent"
"Mm?" She seems eager to hear my purpose here but because of what I found out, maybe my real purpose will change as well.
I know First sees me now. I hope he also notices something strange in our situation now because… I am in danger. I am getting nervous. My heartbeat quickened and there was dripping of sweat on my right eyebrow. Are we still going to proceed with our original plan which is to protect her? We have an idea that the one who lives in room 305 will be the next victim of Gehenna. His victims have room numbers 605, 505, and 405 so the next one is 305. An obvious killing pattern that Gehenna did. We don't know yet if it was purely coincidence or he did it on purpose.
"Second, I know what you're thinking. Get out of that room, now!" an authoritative voice of First engulfed the silent room. The moment I hear that tone, it means the grave danger that I need to follow his order.
He could control me right now to leave this room but he's giving me my free will. Even without an attacking enemy, he can still do it, but he strongly respects my decisions. And that's one of the traits I like the most.
"Listen to me. I know you already deciphered it. It's too dangerous."
It won't end if no one will end this. From the beginning, this has been First's and my mission. I used to escape Gehenna because I was alone and got scared but now... I will face him—we will face him.
"Hey, stop that-" Please coordinate with me, First. I know you can read my thoughts without the need to speak out.
"You won't get anything out of pretending... Gehenna. "
She raised her eyebrows. "What are you saying?" I laughed at her question.
"I already know you. You're not the female receptionist I talked to this afternoon before I went to sleep. You used her body to imitate what she looked like. As soon as I entered this room, I noticed a lot of strange things."
"What're you planning? That guy is vicious. You don't know what'll happen when you angered him!"
"Prepare me for a battle, First"
"Just don't do that thing," He got me. He knows what I'm about to do. I am about to bite my lower lip twice to cut off our communication for a moment. This will help me to focus more on Gehenna without First holding me back. I heard him sigh. "Don't be reckless, please"
I am being stubborn. I imagine his face right now. He must be really mad because of my recklessness yet he pleaded. I can really be self-centered when I get to the climax of thrill. Gehenna did bad something to me and he did worse to his murdered victims.
"Are you crazy?" she looked at me with a scornful look. She clung tightly to the goblet with wine.
"Do you want me to tell you what my proof is that you are the murderer named Gehenna?"
She remained silent while glaring at me.
"The first thing I noticed is when you said you left the window opened this morning and you just arrived, so you didn't close it. You are already wearing your sleepwear, but you just arrived? Every day there is a chambermaid who checks every room for the resident's safety, especially since Gehenna has been killing people in this hotel. But why is your window still open? Also, when I touched your air conditioner, it wasn't warm. This means, the owner hasn't turned it on, and the real receptionist hasn't come to her room yet because she was still working. You stroked your stomach with your left hand but when I talked to the real receptionist earlier, she stroked her stomach with her right hand. She also used her right hand when someone called on the telephone that interrupted our conversation. Gehenna is left-handed. Also, the snacks you gave me. You do eat a lot of sweet, salty, and junk food for someone who's pregnant, but. And if you even said that those were in stock for a long time, I saw you took those out of a grocery bag. You drink alcohol right now which is bad for you baby.
Last but not the least, the reason why you don't want me to use the bathroom is that you're hiding a corpse inside."
"No, you're mistaken!" she got shaken that the wine from her goblet spilled half of it to the room's carpet.
"If I'm right... You killed the real receptionist this afternoon after we talked. Maybe, you were the one who called her that cut off our conversation. And you told her something that she would believe and fall for. She went to her room. She saw you and was about to be killed. She ran and opened the window to ask for help, which is why it was open, and the curtain was broken. She can't run outside to ask for help using the door because you probably hid behind the door waiting for her. You stashed her body in the bathroom for a while because you overheard us talking that I had something to say to her so you thought I might visit her."
"Hmm... you're right." I flinched when I saw her smile. There was nothing on her face that looked innocent—that she was the charming receptionist I have known. "Bwahahaha!"
I hate his laughter.
"B-But I don't understand. I don't understand what the pattern of your murder is," I said dubiously.
Because apart from 605, 505, 405, and 305 which all have numbers 05, the other night, Gehenna only killed one and last night there were two. I'm expecting three now but why only 305...?
"Haha! You askin' why?" He scoffed. "Because my killing pattern is three! I killed 805 and 705 at once along with 605. 805 and 705 don't have their remains because I fed them to my two pets!"
H-He also killed the one who's staying at 805 and 705. The police said they went missing on the same night 605 was killed. They did a police report and search for them but nowhere yet to be found.
"Last night, 505, 405, and 305 were supposed to be killed altogether making it three murders in one midnight, but the janitor and maid came to visit 305, so I didn't go through with the plan."
Visit? The janitor and chambermaid? Could it be that there are two grocery bags there because the receptionist's two co-workers visited? Did they have a party so there were sweets, junk food, and liquor even though the pregnant receptionist wasn't supposed to consume those? Are they celebrating something important? What does that mean?
"Yes, you're right! I killed those two too!" No! it can't be. "I only managed to kill two last midnight. But I'm back on track from making it three this time."
If the body of the receptionist is in the bathroom and he killed the two then who is the janitor and chambermaid I asked earlier where the receptionist was?
"Second, behind you!"
I turned my back because of what First had said. My knees softened. They are the janitor and chambermaid! That's why there was something off with the two of them earlier when I asked.
I turned to the front and saw no longer the receptionist's copycat but Gehenna! He was wearing black clothes and his bright red eyes is cunning.
He slowly approached me while the stares were captivating. There is some sort of wickedness behind it that you need to resist to avoid putting yourself into his trap. I stepped backward but reached the dead end.
"Let him attack you. To control you, a war must start. Don't worry, I got you, Second," First reassured. We need the system to detect an enemy attack so that First can fully utilize me.
I slapped Gehenna and ran to the other side. Trying to provoke him and at the same time to defend me against his plotted attacks.
He stopped staring at me. He looked up to the opened window. "It's almost midnight, my favored time. The next ones I'm going to kill are rooms 205, 105 and basement's 005. And there's a bonus! The janitor and the maid live in 105 and 005. Too bad, I killed them too early. Another ruined plan for me but they made my job quicker because that leaves me killing you, 205!" He stated with a mocking tone and conceited face.
I-I'm the next one he's going to kill! I'm the only one left of his targets. How bad can this be! First and I had plans to protect them, but we were too late. I am just about to tell the receptionist about the next murder which will be in room 305 but… it was all for nothing.
"Get her," Gehenna commanded his two minions—the remaining ones out of his 15 minions.
When the two of them attacked me, I was surprised that I was holding a sword. And without any hesitation, I was attacking unreluctantly and defending myself with great agility. First is doing great!
When it seemed like I couldn't handle them, I went to the window and was lucky because its grilles were broken, maybe this is where Gehenna entered when he killed the three.
It is late in the evening and the people here know how dangerous Gehenna is, so no one is roaming around the streets. I just kept running as First guided me on every step and direction to take.
"You are now in Phantom Street." First informed me while still running. This is the so-called Phantom Street, the notorious place of Gehenna's nest.
"S-Sorry," I said sadly as I stopped running for a moment and struggled to catch my breath.
"For what?"
"I'm sorry... for being reckless."
"You don't have to feel sorry. You actually outdid yourself." I pondered at what he said. I expect him to be mad at me. "Look out!"
I twitched when I saw someone approaching with a flying sharp metal thing. My right arm is wounded. I ran while the three of them chased me.
"There's another riddle," First reported.
"Again?" There's another riddle. I don't know if it's a good or bad thing since we're in the middle of an intense fight. This is no longer about fighting his clones but defeating his two clones and Gehenna who's the master.
"It says: 'You shall know the spell to defeat the weaklings'"
"Is there a clue?"
"Yes, 'Landmarks'"
"What's that supposed to mean?"
First continued to control me as I look for the answer. I can no longer run fast so I faced the two. These clones are not like the first ones we fought. They're stronger and faster.
"Hmp, I really meant for you to kill the thirteen first because they are useless to me but those two? Don't ever underestimate them," Gehenna said arrogantly. He is standing on a branch of a tree watching me fight hard with the two.
It's sad why this happened to this man. He would have been a good man and looked smart because he was a serial killer without being caught by the police, but he used that for evildoings. The killings should end. He must be stopped.
I looked around as I continue to fight. I saw Merlion! Tonight's feature is in Singapore. This is probably what the landmarks mean. I immediately flashbacked to the other landmarks I saw. If my memory serves me right it was the Big Ben, Eifel Tower, Pyramids, Great Wall, Leaning Tower, and Merlion.
"There's next: 'Letter capitals of the landmarks'"
Letter capitals of the landmarks? England, France, Egypt, China, Italy, and Singapore.
"A dialogue box appeared. It says, 'Riddle solved. Now, what spell did the system choose for the player to use? If answered wrong, the wrong spell will take a perilous effect.'"
Here we are again. Riddle solved, I don't know if it's right or wrong. Then if I choose the wrong spell, I can be ruined.
"There are three choices:
1 - es piartiel duobolyu
2 - jiyu owkyu eksey
3 - ee efeesi ayes"
What language is that? Even First got confused. He even checked the game settings if it was some sort of foreign language but none of it matched. An alien language? Knowing nth planet, it's not impossible at all.
"Argh!" My left leg got hit.
"Second!"
The cruelty of these two. The master hasn't even fought yet, it looks like I've lost. Now, my only hope is the riddle! Okay. That said, the letter capitals of the places. London, Paris? But it says 'letters'. England is E, France - F, Egypt - E, China - C, Italy – I, and Singapore - S ... Hmm...
"First, what are the choices again?" And he mentioned the three unknown languages to me again.
"There could be a relation about how it is pronounced," what First said gave me an idea.
"The third, that's the answer"
E/F/E/C/I/S - ee/ef/ee/si/ay/es - ee efeesi ayes
"Great! Now, cast the third spell."
I took a deep breath. "ee efeesi ayes!" And the magic that made my sword shine.
"Now, attack! That sword has increased its power abilities."
"Hya!"
I commenced and clashed on the two that gave me a chance to give them a clean cut. The small fries turned to ashes. Now... this is the 'big fry'.
"Spectacular!" Gehenna seems to be very much entertained.
I aimed my sharper and more powerful sword at him. I might gain confidence that my weapon upgraded but the level of difficulty has also upgraded—from fighting the 15 clones, now it's their master.
Gehenna preceded me in attacking which made me shocked. My right cheek felt pain. I touched it and it was bleeding. He attacked me on the right cheek with his sharp fingernails. I fight him with my improved sword case he is deliberately fast and even though his weapon is just his fingernails, I can feel the dark aura surrounding him.
"Second, there's another riddle. 'You shall know the weak point to defeat your opponent'"
"Clue?" I was encouraged when I heard that. We have a chance to beat Gehenna!
"Only one clue but it's a long one. 'Know its strengths in English. Picture the two figures. The top will always be on top. The bottom is its weakness.'"
"Huh?!" What kind of clue is that?
"Unfortunately, there are no choices."
Be calm. First is again in control while I am again solving the riddle. If I have already solved another riddle, this should not be a big problem.
'Know its strengths', there are so many. Gehenna's strength is his deadly stare, and his fingernails are his weapon. So far, he doesn't hold or have anything in his pocket.
'In English', eyes and nails.
'Picture the two figures', and because there's exactly two because it said 'two figures', I imagined an eye and a fingernail.
'The top will always be on top. The bottom is its weakness'
I no longer understand this another complicated riddle.
"Ahhh!" His sharp nails touched my side stomach. I was not wearing steel or any kind of body protection but only a school uniform. First got worried again but I'm still going to answer the riddle. First bought some sort of a medical or healing element from my inventory that would temporarily numb my body that have been injured by the opponent. But in return, my speed will decrease. At first, it was a good deal but in the longer run, I am now needing more speed because I am fighting against a non-human.
"45% left. Hang in there, Second. Just a little bit more. You'll nail this!" First is cheering me on. I'm worried about my life percentage. It didn't even stay up to 50% which would at least give us more chances of winning. I am also staggering.
Eyes, nails, eyes, nails... ah! There are two meanings of nails in English. My eyes widened to a figure I have made.