Chapter 5: Consequences
The walk home from the warehouse felt like a marathon. Every step was heavier than the last, my body aching from the fight and my mind replaying the events over and over. I could still feel the sting on my arm where the creature had clawed me, and each throb was a reminder of how close I'd come to losing.
By the time I made it to my apartment, I was on the verge of collapsing. I stumbled inside, locking the door behind me as if it could keep the world—and the system—out. I sank onto the couch, burying my head in my hands.
"What am I doing?" I whispered into the empty room. I had no idea who I was even talking to. Myself, maybe. Or maybe I hoped that somehow, the system would hear me and have an answer.
The only answer was silence.
I leaned back, staring at the ceiling, trying to process everything. "Is this it?" I muttered, my voice hollow. "Is this my life now? Running around, fighting these… these things?"
A faint beep broke the silence, and I sighed as the familiar screen appeared in front of me, glowing in the dimness of the room. The system had apparently decided to show up after all. The screen displayed my stats, along with a notification that I'd earned 8 CP. Not that it mattered. I wasn't even sure what I'd do with it.
"Player Leo," the system's voice interrupted my thoughts, as cold and impersonal as ever. "Mission two complete. You have accumulated 8 Containment Points. It is advised to allocate earned CP to prepare for future missions."
I clenched my jaw, a surge of frustration boiling over. "Future missions… that's all you care about, isn't it?" I glared at the screen, wishing it could feel the heat of my anger. "What about me? What about what I want?"
There was a brief pause before the system responded, as if my question had no weight. "Your continued survival and progression within the Paranormal Containment System are the primary objectives."
I let out a bitter laugh. "Survival," I muttered. "That's it, huh? Just… keep going, one mission at a time, until what? I drop dead in some abandoned building?"
"Survival is the primary objective," the system repeated, devoid of any empathy.
I felt a swell of anger, sharper than I'd ever felt. "Is that all I am to you?" My voice cracked. "A tool? Just some puppet you can drag around whenever another 'anomaly' shows up?"
The system, of course, had no answer to that. It remained silent, as if my words didn't matter. And maybe, to it, they didn't.
With a sigh, I opened the CP menu, staring at the options. Containment Sphere: 5 CP. Spectral Vision: 10 CP. Minor Health Boost: 8 CP. I barely paid attention to the other options, my mind still reeling from everything the system had put me through.
"Fine," I muttered, selecting the Containment Sphere. "You want me to prepare? Here, I'm prepared." I clenched the small black sphere as it materialized in my hand, cold and heavy, its surface covered in strange symbols. It should have felt like a lifeline, a weapon. But it felt like a ball and chain.
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The next day, I drifted through the city in a fog. I couldn't remember the last time I'd felt so out of place, so out of sync with the world around me. People walked past me, laughing, chatting on their phones, completely unaware of the shadowed world that lay just beneath the surface. They didn't know what was out there. And they didn't know what I was going through.
I don't want this, I thought, the words heavy in my mind. I never wanted this.
For a brief, wild moment, I thought about ignoring the next mission, just walking away, shutting the system out. But that idea was crushed as soon as it appeared. I remembered the system's warning from before: Non-compliance results in consequences. What did that mean? Would it kill me? Or worse?
I shook my head, trying to push the thought away. There was no escape. Not now.
I was halfway down a busy street, lost in my own thoughts, when a chill swept over me. It was like a shadow falling over me, cold and thick, the kind of darkness that settles in your bones. I stopped, my heart pounding, and looked around.
"System," I whispered, barely daring to hope. "Is there… is there an anomaly nearby?"
The screen appeared instantly. "Anomaly detected," the system confirmed, its voice flat and emotionless. "Mission three initiated. Objective: locate and contain."
I felt a rush of dread, sharp and icy. "Now?" I muttered under my breath, glancing at the people around me. They were completely unaware, moving about their lives as if nothing was wrong.
Reluctantly, I followed the chill, letting it lead me down a side street and away from the crowds. My stomach twisted with every step, the familiar dread settling in. Eventually, the path led me to an abandoned building, its windows shattered and its walls covered in graffiti. It looked like a place that had been forgotten by the world. But I knew it wasn't empty.
The system's voice echoed in my mind. "Anomaly located within. Proceed with caution."
I took a deep breath, the containment sphere cold in my pocket. "Alright, let's… let's get this over with."
The moment I stepped inside, the air grew thick and heavy, pressing down on me from all sides. Darkness swallowed the room, and a faint, hurried whispering filled the space. It was almost like the last anomaly's whispers, but faster, more frantic, like it was trying to keep up with something just out of reach.
"Hello?" I called, my voice shaky. The whispering grew louder, surrounding me, filling my mind with a sense of overwhelming dread.
I took out the containment sphere, clutching it so hard my knuckles turned white. "System," I said, keeping my voice low. "What… what's in here?"
"Anomaly Level Two detected. Increased intelligence and awareness. Proceed with caution."
"Level two?" I swallowed hard, my heart hammering. Great, I thought bitterly. Just what I needed.
In the corner of the room, a figure stirred. It was tall, draped in shadow, with eyes that glowed a sickly yellow. I froze, every muscle tensed as it turned to face me. Unlike the previous creatures, this one didn't move mindlessly. It watched me, its gaze calculating, aware.
"System," I whispered, trying to keep my voice steady. "What do I do?"
"Objective: contain or neutralize."
I gritted my teeth, feeling a surge of frustration. "Thanks for the help," I muttered. The creature took a step forward, its gaze piercing through the darkness. I could feel its attention on me, cold and hungry.
You've got this, I told myself, though I wasn't sure I believed it. It's just another mission.
But as I stared into those sickly yellow eyes, I felt a chill like nothing I'd ever felt before. This creature wasn't just an anomaly—it was something darker, more powerful. And it wasn't afraid of me.
"System," I whispered, my voice shaking. "Help me."
The system's response was immediate. "Utilize Spectral Grasp to immobilize. Containment Sphere recommended."
With a deep breath, I activated Spectral Grasp, feeling the energy surge through my arm. I lunged forward, grabbing hold of the creature's arm. Its flesh was cold, almost painful to touch, and it let out a low, guttural growl, its yellow eyes narrowing.
I raised the containment sphere, but just as I was about to use it, the creature twisted, its arm slipping from my grasp as it dissolved into mist, reappearing a few feet away. I stumbled back, my heart racing.
"System, it's… it's too strong!" I gasped, panic seizing me.
"Adapt and survive," the system replied, cold and indifferent.
I felt a wave of despair wash over me. Adapt and survive. That was all the system cared about. Not me, not my fears—just survival.
With a shaky breath, I raised the sphere again, forcing myself to stay calm. "Alright, let's try this again," I muttered, my voice barely more than a whisper.
The creature lunged, and this time, I was ready. I activated Spectral Grasp, locking it in place long enough to bring the containment sphere down, activating it just as the creature let out a piercing scream. The light from the sphere enveloped it, and within moments, the creature dissolved, leaving me alone in the darkness.
"Entity contained. Mission complete," the system announced, calm as ever.
I dropped to my knees, breathing hard, the containment sphere cool and empty in my hand. I'd survived, but the victory felt hollow.
As I stared into the darkness, a thought crept into my mind, cold and unwelcome.
How long can I keep doing this?