The game to summon spirit from a mirror was always simple: go into a dark bathroom with a mirror, light a single candle, and say 'spirit I welcome you into this mirror' three times at midnight.
But Akira decided to try it in his bedroom instead. The mirror there, tall enough to match his height, seemed to hold a strange, unsettling weight.
Every time he glanced at it, he felt an inexplicable chill, as though his reflection wasn't quite his own.
With his room already steeped in shadows, he lit a single candle, its soft glow barely illuminating his features.
Taking a deep breath, he stepped closer to the mirror, gripping the candle tighter as he felt the flicker of fear ripple through him.
"Spirit, I welcome you into this mirror…" he whispered, his voice barely audible over the stillness, and then waited.
A minute passed, and he felt the temperature in the room plummet, cold enough to make his breath visible in the dim light.
"Spirit, I welcome you into this mirror…"
His skin prickled as a faint whisper seemed to breeze past his ear, and he shivered, casting a wary glance around him.
"Spirit, I welcome you into this mirror…"
He finally said third time as he forced himself to keep looking forward, into his own reflection. It was still him in the mirror—until, slowly, his reflection seemed to distort, warping into something unrecognizable.
As he watched, the mirror fogged over, beads of condensation forming on the glass, obscuring the figure that stared back at him.
Then, faintly, a message scrawled itself across the fogged surface:
"Behind you."
Akira's hand trembled, the candle wavering as he turned around slowly, only to see darkness.
But before he could let out a breath, something icy latched onto his shoulder from behind, and a powerful force yanked him toward the mirror.
Startled, he lost his grip on the candle as it clattered to the floor, extinguished, leaving him to brace himself on the mirror's edge with both hands, barely keeping himself from being pulled in.
He glanced down, horrified to see a pale, skeletal hand reaching out from the depths of the mirror, gripping his shoulder with claw-like fingers.
Heart pounding, he stared back at the face emerging from the mirror—a twisted version of his own, empty black sockets where eyes should be, and a grin that stretched from ear to ear.
"You want to take my place, don't you?" Akira snarled, adrenaline surging.
CRASH!
He punched forward, his fist connecting with the glass as it splintered, sending cracks radiating outward and leaving his knuckles bloody.
[Ding!]
[The ghost Yin energy depleted to 75%]
Panting, he stepped back, his eyes darting around the room. "Did… did I scare it off?" he muttered, feeling an intense presence still lingering, watching.
Just then, something cold latched onto his ankle. He looked down to see another blackened hand emerging from one of the shattered pieces of mirror on the floor, gripping his leg with unyielding force.
"Damn it—I forgot about the mirror shards!" he cursed, frantically kicking his foot free, scattering the broken glass even further.
[Ding!]
[The ghost Yin energy is depleted to 60%]
With each shattered piece he kicked away, he caught glimpses of the figure—long, dark hair concealing a face hidden in shadow, drifting just beyond the edges of the glass.
He straightened, gritting his teeth, fists ready. "If you're hiding in the mirrors, then I'll drag you out myself!"
He swung a punch into the empty air around him, feeling the icy breeze of the ghost's presence as a faint, mournful wail echoed through the room.
[Ding!]
[The ghost's Yin Energy has dropped to 50%.]
Akira's eyes widened, remembering the system's requirements. He'd have to weaken the ghost further, down to 25%, if he wanted to absorb it.
"Alright then," he muttered, positioning himself for the next strike, "let's see if you're up for round two."
Akira now understood the ghost was bound to the mirror. His options were clear: either shatter the glass entirely or strike at the spirit using its reflection as a guide, despite its invisibility in the dim room.
"Wait... How am I even seeing the reflection in this darkness?" he murmured to himself, then shook his head.
"No time to think about that now—focus."
CLANG!
He smashed the remaining shards of glass, the sound sharp and reverberating in the stillness.
The ghost's scream filled the room, a haunting wail that rattled his bones, and he felt the energy around him weaken as its Yin energy drained.
Blood dripped from his hands and feet, the sting of his injuries making it harder to concentrate, but he gritted his teeth.
"Just a little more," he whispered, spotting the ghost's reflection in a shattered fragment on the floor.
She sat curled in the corner, hugging her knees, her quiet sobs filling the air. He glanced behind him—nothing. But in the broken mirror, she was there.
"Why did you hurt me?" her voice drifted out, soft and hollow, as she lifted her face from her knees.
"Pain… hurts…"
Her eyes locked onto his as she suddenly flew at him, her white gown trailing behind like a phantom's shroud.
Akira barely had a second to react, throwing a punch at the air. A violent wail burst forth, shaking the room as his fist made contact with the unseen force.
[Ding!]
[The ghost's Yin energy has dropped to 25%.]
[Do you want to use 'Vulturine Entity'?]
Without hesitation, Akira selected "Yes."
His left hand glowed with a strange light, stretching toward the spirit as if by instinct, and the ghost's form began to dissolve, drawn toward his hand like wisps of smoke.
When it was over, a hidden tattoo flickered on his arm, only visible for a moment before it faded again.
[The ghost 'Kai (R)' has been absorbed.]
[You've gained: 100 Life Force.]
[Congratulations! You've solved the 'Roommate' Mystery.]
[Reward: 500 EXP, Ink of Death, Shattered Mirror, 320 Life Force.]
[Level Up: Level 1 -> Level 5.]
[Yin Energy: 120]
[Yin Manifestation: 70]
Akira exhaled, relief flooding him. The first mystery was solved, but the ordeal had left him battered.
Blood pooled around him, his hands and feet throbbing.
He laughed weakly, the sound echoing in the eerie silence. "Looks like a murder scene in here," he muttered, hands trembling despite his attempt to stay calm.
"It's fine... I'm fine..."
After a few moments, he lit up the room and began bandaging his wounds, wincing as he wrapped his hands and feet.
Just then, the front door opened, and he heard familiar footsteps approaching.
A middle-aged woman with a sturdy build and her dark hair in a tight bun entered, a shopping bag in hand.
It was Suzuki Haru, his housekeeper, who came by regularly to cook and tidy his apartment.
"Yamamoto-san? You're still here?" she asked, setting the bag down in the kitchen.
"Yeah, school's closed temporarily," he replied, keeping his attention on the bandage.
"Oh, I saw that on the news! Terrible what happened to those students. I'm glad you're alright," she said, letting out a relieved sigh as she stocked the refrigerator.
Akira remained quiet, focusing on his injuries.
"Since you're here, should I make lunch?" she offered, glancing over before her eyes widened in concern at his bandaged hands. "Oh my, are you hurt?"
"It's fine," he assured her. "But could you please clean up the mirror in my bedroom? It's… a bit of a mess."
"Of course, I'll take care of it," she said, hurrying to his room, only to gasp at the sight of blood splatters and shattered glass covering the floor.
"I… uh, accidentally broke the mirror," Akira chuckled sheepishly, trying to defuse the tension.
She shook her head, exasperated. "Just be careful next time, alright?" she murmured, already gathering the pieces with a sigh.
As she worked, Akira returned to his rewards screen, calculating his situation. "420 Life Force… only about 21 days…"
A sinking feeling settled in his chest. 'So I have to hunt down ghosts just to survive?' he thought, anxiety creeping in. 'This is… not good.'