As the message showed up, my whole body stiffen up. It was like, that one word, no, that voice, that voice has shaken my whole reality.
I could feel my breathing speeding up, it was becoming a little harder to breathe.
Despite not wanting to, My head..., it slowly turned to the side, and my body followed. I was unsettled about what, or rather whom, I would see if I turned around but I turned around.
?: " It is you Arthur! "
The voice was full of relief and happiness.
The owner of the voice, was tall, with long legs, long arms, slim waist. She had golden sunrise-like hair, and pretty pink skin, with a blush on her cheeks.
Innocence like none other, but a smile full of life, and confidence. That confidence was not visible in her smile, but that was how I remembered it.
Arthur: " Myeong. "
I muttered with whatever breath I had left on me.
Reality was snatched away from me and all I could see was her. Everything else around was white for me, nothing that I was interested in, except her.
And the feeling of holding the person infront of me was so intense that I could feel my arms raising up, despite my mind telling me not to do so.
My rationality and feelings were colliding, fighting with each other. My feelings were controlling my body and my mind was roaring me to act rationally.
But longing to hold the person infront of me was so strong, that I could see my hands approaching her face.
Her golden-brownish eyes looked at my hands, and then at me. She smiled at me, I felt... I felt as if she understood my feelings and accepted them.
With that, hesitation left me completely, and feeling the strength in my arms, I decided to push forward, but then-
**
?: " I know who you like. "
**
' Huh? '
World went dark around of me.
**
A girl, a little chubbier, wearing a school uniform, looking down at me, came into my view.
?: " She told us herself. "
Past her, I could see a blue sky with clouds. It seems I was lying on a grassy ground, and she was sitting beside me.
Arthur: "Us?"
Following my question, the world me went dark once again.
**
Myeong: " Arthur. I have missed you. "
+
[ The exclusive skill 'False awakening' has been shaking.]
+
I couldn't focus and something else flashed at me.
**
?: " I am telling you she likes me. "
Another voice of a typical male, that person was talking to someone. They were wearing normal clothes. I could see a banner on a wall behind them. Something was written on it.
?: " I tease her very often and I know she likes it."
?: " Hehe."
one person tries to emit a girl smiling shyly.
?: "She smiles like that. Haha."
**
Everything went dark once again. I could not see anything, but I grabbed my head, as Flashes kept appearing infront of me.
**
Inside a bus, two people wearing the same uniform as the chubbier girl, one girl, and one boy sitting on either side of me, both looked slightly younger.
?: "I am telling you Hyung. You are being stupid."
Arthur: "I know, but how does one control what they feel?"
?: "...That is true."
**
**
In the cafeteria, the same girl from the previous flash.
?: "Oppa, there is a rumor going around... you know about her-"
**
One flash after another.
**
?: "I am telling you man. It is true. "
**
**
?: "Hey Arthur. She is getting married."
**
+
[ The exclusive skill 'False awakening' is firmly activated.]
+
The flashes seem to end with that message.
huff.huff.huff.
Persephone: "-ey, Are you out of it yet?"
Arthur: "Y, yeah."
Hearing Persephone's voice I spoke but I was not completely out of it.
+
[ The Nubecula 'Guhimo' comments " He is finally out!" ]
+
[ The Nubecula 'Raziel' comments "Seems like it. " ]
+
[ The Nubecula 'Whose Heart Bleeds for Heartbroken' is looking at you with sad eyes. ]
+
[ The Nubecula 'Who like Cigar and Candy' is looking at you. ]
+
I looked at the comments, through my fingers, with which I was holding my head.
I thought it was weird that Nubecula [Who like Cigar and Candy] didn't comment anything annoying, but I just threw the thought aside.
Arthur: "Yeah. I am fine."
Removing my hand from my head I said that. But it felt like I was saying that to myself more than to anyone else.
Persephone: " Why are you keep blanking out?"
She spoke with confusion.
Arthur: " ...The script attacks mentally."
At my words, Persephone loses some of the confusion from her face.
Arthur: "Since it is locked inside, that is the only way. "
+
[ Some Nubeculas are excited hearing your words]
+
I looked back at the door, it was still a simple door, as my mind recalled what I saw.
' 'She' seems to be a result of the script. ' Even though the script showed me, someone, from my past, I felt more annoyed than nostalgic.
' ...And other flashes were my memories. I somewhat remember them.'
Some bits of my memory seems to have surfaced because the script showed me her.
' It didn't show me exactly her, but someone who could shake me.'
The script influence shows someone, a person, to whom we show reluctance, to whom it is very difficult to say no. That way it could lead them inside and trap them.
' Tch'
I clicked my tongue.
'I never wanted to see her again.' That was my genuine feeling, now.
' The influence of the script is getting stronger. If it wasn't for the 'False awakening'...'
I had 'False Awakening' so I wasn't concerned about the hypnosis of the script. But it showed me, someone, from my own reality.
' Is that why it is firmly activated? '
It was the first time that my skill was shaking like that, I could feel it. This skill 'False Awakening' is most mysterious to me and this time it was activated differently from normal.
Huuuuu...
Realising a deep breath, I tried to focus back.
' I don't want to think about these complicated things. '
My past, my profile, my weird skills, there was a reason that I don't think about it in detail.
' What is the point of it? '
I am not planning on thinking about any of the troublesome things. My past is my past, I am now in a different world. My profile does not open but I don't need to access it right now. And my weird skills, although not in my control seem to work when needed.
' So, there is no need to think too much about it. '
As I have mentioned many times, living without doing much is my plan. The future is bleak and dangerous, but it should be handled by the existence of this world. I will just help using my knowledge and sit back, riding them.
Persephone: " Are going to go inside or not?"
She asked me plainly. And I looked at her from the corner of my eyes. She seems like that she wanted to ask more but I had to hurry now.
' Yes, let's just clear these hidden scripts. It is going to go waste anyway.'
In my dreams, Zoe's heart's script was left untouched and this hidden script on the sixth floor caused a major incident without anyone clearing it.
'So it is not like I am taking anyone's chance.' I concluded.
+
[ The Nubecula 'Dionysus' comments " You going inside or what?" ]
+
[ Some Nubeculas are grumbling. ]
+
Somewhat annoyed by the constant questions I stood straight.
Arthur: " Shut up. I am going. "
+
[ Some Nubeculas are gasping at your bold remark. ]
+
Persephone: "Are-"
-Not you.
+
[ Nubecula 'Dionysus' is smiling. ]
+
' Why is this punk smiling?' I felt a little chill but I ignored it.
I walked towards the door, at a little slow paced, because I needed to talk to Persephone.
I didn't use the Isolation item because I don't want Nubeculas to get suspicious.
-You have to stay here.
Persephone: " What? "
She spoke like she heard something stupid.
-You need to stay here.
Hearing the same message twice, Persephone scowled.
Persephone: " You don't need to say it twice. Why would I stay here? "
-Because I need you to.
Persephone: " Just because I have been nice to you. Do you think you can order me around? "
She seemed really offended and angry.
I sighed internally.
-I said, 'need'. There is a limit to how strong of existence can make contact with this script. Someone like you would make the balance unstable.
Persephone tightens her jaw, hearing the words 'Balance'. And I could feel her feeling annoyed.
Persephone: " Alteration would happen, I am assuming. "
I nodded my head at her. As expected she understood.
Persephone: "But so what? "
Arthur: "Huh?"
A 'huh' just left my mouth hearing her speak that, I became confused. What, so what? The script would be ten times, no, many times more difficult.
Persephone: " You want to go inside? You are weak, without me sharing my stats or skill, what would you do? huh? "
That is true, but.
Persephone: " Alteration or it going berserk, it doesn't concern me. I am going. "
I reached the door. I felt annoyance quite strongly now, I didn't know if it was only hers, because I was feeling it too.
-What about, 'you not getting in my way?' I want to clear this hidden script.
Annoyance was growing even more inside me, I could even see it on her face now.
-Stay here. We have a soul contract, a part of you would be still inside me. I also have a defense-type skill.
I have Zoe's heart, it protects me. I looked at Persephone from the corner of my eyes.
She had an angry frown, and frustration in her eyes.
Persephone: "Fine."
She turned saying that, hugging herself. Her hair fell over her shoulder so I couldn't see her face.
Persephone: "Do whatever you want."
She said in a low tone, but that didn't sound like a grumbling, she sounded indifferent. I looked at her stoically as well. I couldn't show any reaction, Nubeculas are still watching.
She floated and left phasing through the window, without saying anything.
Although she was no longer infront of me, her annoyance was still there inside of me.
'She seems really annoyed.'
With that thought, I looked back at the door. The simple door with a simple doorknob. My hand moved and grabbed the knob, following which the messages appeared.
+
[ You have made contact with the area influenced by the ABANDONED SOUL. ]
+
[ Conditions: Have the permission of the ABANDONED SOUL. ]
+
[ You have not fulfilled the conditions to enter the area. ]
+
' Do I only gain permission if I am under its hypnosis? ' I concluded that the soul residing on the sixth floor only gives permission to ones who it can control.
' but... '
+
[ The influence area of the ABANDONED SOUL has decreased due to the soul already influencing a large number of souls. ]
+
A smile creeps by on my face.
' That is the reason that it goes berserk. '
The reason the soul was gathering people here is because it is trying to connect with more and more souls. Even in small amounts, if the souls keep adding, the 'balance' will be disturbed, and 'alteration' will happen.
The collection of drops of water makes the whole ocean.
But before it happens it will start to lose some of its influence, and I need to take advantage of that.
+
[ Condition to enter the area has been removed. ]
+
The influence has not disappeared completely, I still need to activate the script before clearing it.
'Let's just go inside first. '
I was already holding the doorknob. I twisted it, to open the lock.
creakkkk. tuck.
The door opened, I swing it and then looked back.
+
[ The Nubecula 'Dionysus' comments " She is not there anymore, let's go."]
+
[ The Nubecula 'Whose Heart Bleeds for Heartbroken' is looking at you. ]
+
I knew that he was talking about the person I saw due to the script's influence.
' But I don't give a crap about her. '
I was looking at where Persephone phased through. The annoyance hasn't decreased one bit.
Sigh.
I turned back and went inside, closing the door behind me.
Slam.
***
Past the door, a narrow hallway opened up as it maw, an extremely narrow hallway.
The hallway was so narrow that I could touch both walls if I stretched my hands on both sides.
The path infront was leading into the dark, meaning I couldn't see the end.
+
[ The Nubecula 'Guhimo' comments " Woah this so ominous. " ]
+
I walked into the unknown. The walls were empty at first but then soon a painting came to my right side.
The framed painting was of a room, bright with no windows, but a fireplace on one side lit the room, and on the other side it had a big bed.
On the bed, a woman was sitting, she was an adult with a little petite body.
She was wearing a majestic red dress with a white collar and solid shoulder crystal pads. She had jewelry all over her, on her dress, on her long gloves, on her neck, on her shoulder, and even on her cheeks, magically floating.
She also had white hair, and blue cat like eyes that were glowing. On her head, she had a crown, which resembled similar to a Phoenix crown from China but it protruded like cat ears at the top.
She had many cats around her, I couldn't even count them even if I tried.
' hmmm... '
After looking whole at the painting as whole. I walked further, and after some time, which felt like a minute or two, another painting came into my view, but on the left side of the wall this time.
I stopped again and looked at it.
' It looks the same. '
It was the same painting as before. It was weird that I came across the same framed painting but I was sure that it is on a different side of the wall, so I looked back towards the hallway.
Arthur: " Obviously. "
Obviously, I couldn't see the picture from before. I had walked too far.
Ignoring the painting, I walked further, and again after a minute or two the same framed painting appeared on the right side of the wall, different from the previous.
Just glancing for a fraction of a second without stopping I walked past it. The same paintings kept appearing on both sides like a loop.
+
[ The Nubecula 'Raziel' comments " It seems like a loop. "]
+
' No, it is different. ' I refuted on my mind.
+
[ The Nubecula 'Hwang Jini' is looking at you. ]
+
After I was somewhat sure that I walked past fifteen or sixteen paintings I looked at the painting on my left side.
Arthur: " There are fewer cats now. "
+
[ The Nubecula 'Hwang Jini' is nodding her head]
+
Everything about the painting was same. The same majestic woman sitting on the bed, the same room with no windows, the same fireplace at one side.
But the cats around the woman were less in number. I could count them now.
' fifteen more, or maybe seventeen... '
After roughly counting them, I walked past it again. The same painting was still coming on my sides, and as expected the cats were less and lesser.
After some time, another fifteen or seventeen minutes, the hallway then came to an end. It opened into two more hallways on the right and left side.
Infront of me there is a wooden railing, and past it there was a wall with a big window in the shape of a rectangle with a half circle on its top. I didn't know what this shape was called.
The window was foggy but it seem something shiny was behind it, maybe the moon or the stars.
I walked towards the railing, then held it with my hands. I looked down, and parts of similar-looking railings came into view at different levels.
I concluded that there are similar five more floors underneath this one, and the wall in front of me went all way to the floor.
Pushing myself away from the railing I turned.
' Should I go right or left? ' I thought.
There were three ways infront of me. I didn't know which way to go. I just decided to go right because the first picture I saw in the hallway was on the right wall.
I walked, and the hallway was again narrow enough that I could touch both walls if I stretched my hand on both sides.
The path was also dark, I couldn't see the end, but I walked anyway.
+
[ The Nubecula 'Guhimo' comments "It is still ominous. I don't like it."]
+
One minute further and the framed painting came on the left side this time, I turned my head toward it.
+
[ The Nubecula 'Raziel' comments " It is a loop. "]
+
Arthur: " Heh~, It is the same one. "
I snickered. The same painting, the same as the first picture full of cats, too many to count, was on the wall.
I walked further, and the painting was this time on the right side of the wall.
Arthur: " It really does seem like a loop. "
I laughed. I already spent thirty minutes or so in the last hallway. If it is similar to the last one, it is going to take another thirty minutes or so.
' I am just going to run this one, but I need to increase my stamina and agility. '
I didn't know how long will it take till I found what I am looking for. I don't want to be all tired.
' Let's see how many points I have. '
I focused and a white slate-like tablet, with golden text and runic designs, appeared.
+
[Point possess:42,300]
+
+
[ The Nubecula 'Dionysus' comments " Pretty little sum you got there. "]
+
[ 20,000 points have been used. ]
[ Strength Lvl.29--> Strength Lvl.39 ]
[ Stamina Lvl.29--> Stamina Lvl.39 ]
[ Agility Lvl.29--> Agility Lvl.39 ]
[ Magic Power Lvl.29--> Magic Power Lvl.39 ]
+
[ Your Strength has increased tremendously. The capability of your body has increased ]
[ Your Stamina has increased tremendously. You would get less tired. ]
[ Your Agility has increased tremendously. You could now move and perceive things faster ]
[ Your Magic Power has increased tremendously. You could sustain skill for a longer duration. ]
+
Multiple different colors of marbled slate-like tablets appeared in front of me, sliding up letting the other one appear in its place and leaving my peripheral view.
Then, I ran without looking at any of the paintings on my sides. After ten minutes, I exited the Hallway, and a similar-looking scene came into view, with the railing and the window, and two hallways on the right and left side.
Without thinking about anything, I once looked past the railing, it was also the same, five floors under this floor.
I moved and went through the left hallway since the picture this time was on the left wall.
Again a minute in or so, the same picture was on the right side.
' but it is different now. ' I smirked.
The painting was a little crooked, tilted on one side. I ran and some pictures in the hallway were the same but some were tilted like the first one.
After exiting the hallway, once again I looked down, it was similar, five floors. I quickly turned to the right hallway.
This time first painting was totally hanging on its edge, on the left wall, all the paintings were either tilted little or completely.
+
[ The Nubecula 'Guhimo' comments " I don't like it. "]
+
Exiting the hallway, I saw that the window of the opposite wall, past the railing, it seemed longer now. I could see up to my eyes from the top, but nothing else.
I looked down once again, nothing changed, and went inside the left hallway.
The hallway turned more messed up every time and the window went longer and longer.
I went through the hallway a couple of times more, I guess it was almost an hour and a half since I came through the simple door, but I was not tired since I raised my stats.
On this round, the hallway was completely messed up, it was like a hurricane went through here.
+
[ The Nubecula 'Guhimo' comments " ... I don't like it. "]
+
Arthur: " Well I do understand why you say that. "
+
[ The Nubecula 'Guhimo' is furiously nodding her head.]
+
[ The Nubecula 'Raziel' comments " It is like a haunted house"]
+
The paintings were not on the walls but on the floors, some were torn, some were bent, some were lying upside down, and even the wallpaper on the walls was torn. It was eerie.
After walking this time, I exited the hall, and the window past the hallway was completely on my level, I could fully see myself and I looked quite dashing.
' Do I really look that relaxed?' I didn't know.
I went towards the railing, grabbed it like I did the first time, and looked down.
' Oh? ' I smiled.
+
[ Some Nubecula are frowning.]
+
The area past the railing was completely dark like it was covered with a shadow. No more parts of railings on any other levels were visible, actually not even any levels were visible.
It was just one big shadow and nothing else, it was frightening to look at, to be honest.
I looked at myself in the window. The reflection inside the window didn't look afraid, he had a weird confident smile. I didn't know if I actually look that confident, I felt like the image was provoking me.
pffft.
Snorting at the image of myself. I stood up straight, gripping the railing rod tightly, I moved my shoulder up and down a couple of times as I took deep breaths.
+
[ The Nubecula 'Raziel' comments " What is he doing? "]
+
[ The Nubecula 'Guhimo' comments "I don't have a good feeling about this."]
+
I ignored the comments as usual.
Then tightening my jaw, I moved my right leg over the railing, and then my left leg. I sat on the rod, then put my heels on the sixth floor's edge.
+
[ The Nubecula 'Guhimo' comments "Yup. I don't like this."]
+
I stood at the railing while clutching its rod. Infront of me the area was empty, the shadow was underneath me, and my heartbeat was raised a little.
The image of myself was still snickering at me, but I ignored it.
' Okay. Nothing to fear, not a big deal, just a step. Just like they do in the movies, Cmon Arthur. ' I assured myself.
Gripping the rod even tighter than I already was, I swayed my body forward and backward.
+
[ The Nubecula 'Raziel' comments "I don't know if it is a good idea."]
+
[ The Nubecula 'Hwang Jini' is looking at you. ]
+
' Okay, one.. ' I started counting in my mind.
' two... ' Another Swing.
?: " What are you doing?! "
+
[ The Nubecula watching you are confused.]
+
' And three. '
At three I pushed on my heels, but suddenly someone's voice reached my ears.
thud!
I tried to turn my head, but then I heard someone putting their foot over the railing rod, and jump.
Someone grabbed my collar from behind.
Arthur: " Wha-"
My throat got pulled by the shirt where the button was holding it, even though I had my collar unbuttoned.
' I should have unbuttoned another. ' With that thought, a message appeared.
+
[ Lower Existence 'Lisa Hart' has used the Active Skill 'Telekinesis Lvl.2' ]
+
I was turned mid-air. Someone grabbed me by the shoulders, and I got to look at the person's face.
Arthur: "...Lisa? "
I jumped with my face towards the shadow pit, then I was grabbed and turned around, the pit was to my back now, where we were falling.
Lisa: " What the hell you jumped for?! "
She roared at me. It was quite different from how I daily see her, cold and proper.
Seeing her angry face, my unsettling feeling before I jumped went away, and I had to hold laughing out loud.
Lisa: " Why are you grinning?!"
The grin fully became a low laugh and Lisa's angry face made me laugh even more.
' Damn it, this is going to be difficult. '
We fall and then were swallowed by the darkness.