Once settled in the metro, a quiet atmosphere reigned, each passenger immersed in his or her own thoughts. The beginning of the journey passed in almost palpable silence, as if everyone was trying to mentally reorganize the tumultuous events that had preceded.
Observing the crowd, I realized that this was quite normal. Everyone had to rewind the film of their lives, revisit the shocking scenes and try to understand the reality of this strange new world. Saei, especially, seemed bewildered. Her eyes reflected a combination of confusion and resignation, testifying to her lack of experience in this kind of exceptional situation.
As for me, a fan of fantasy stories, I felt a mixture of fear and excitement. It was as if we'd become the protagonists of an epic adventure, thrust into a story we didn't yet know the full extent of.
I decided to turn my head away, preoccupied by the idea that my thoughts could be deciphered by a curious gaze. The very idea of being taken for a fool because of my inner reflections bothered me deeply.
Eventually, my wandering gaze met that of a passenger with an unusual palm. A strange tattoo was spread across it, like a living work of art inscribed in its flesh. The soft glow emanating from the design captured my attention. It was a fascinating sight, a strange harmony between the static and the living, as if the tattoo carried within it a mysterious story.
Saei, seeking some invisible comfort, gently slid her hand along his shoulder, as if hoping to ease some unseen tension. The subway, plunged into post-announcement silence, enveloped us in a strange atmosphere, amplifying every gesture and glance.
Suddenly preoccupied, I noticed her blouse slipping off her shoulder. In a natural reflex, I delicately retrieved it, trying to replace it correctly. When my question about his well-being was echoed in his smile, I felt a subtle note of assurance, but also a perceptible reserve.
His smile, though intended to reassure me, carried the weight of a delicate concealment. It was as if this banal action had revealed a crack in the usual mask of our friendship, revealing an unexplored and mysterious facet.
The brightness of the subway seemed to accentuate the mysteries looming in our intertwined lives. I pointed out to Saei the presence of a strange tattoo on her shoulder, a discreet glow emanating from its mysterious designs.
She looked down at her shoulder, surprised to discover the luminescent inscription.
Saei's eyes stared at the enigmatic tattoo on her shoulder, and a puzzled expression floated across her face. "I don't remember getting a tattoo," she said, raising her gaze to me. "That's strange."
I pointed to the glowing pattern and explained my encounter with the passenger with the similar tattoo. "It feels like there's something bigger going on here, something we don't understand yet."
The "CXXXVI" engraved in a shade of light brown evoked a golden hue, a visual enigma that blended with the ambient strangeness of the moment.
Saei stared at her shoulder, seemingly absorbed in the mysterious glow of the tattoo. "What if it's connected to all this?" she murmured, her voice a mixture of curiosity and concern.
Saei's words echoed in my head, awakening unsettling thoughts. If these tattoos were linked to current events, it might explain some of the things I'd observed in the film. My mind was lost in the mysteries intertwining around us.
The man accompanying us seemed to perceive the whirlwind of questions that invaded us. He broke the silence by revealing that each of us bore a similar mark, one he considered more than just a tattoo, but a special key or identification.
"Every Solver has this mark," he declared in a calm tone, "It's like an imprint that connects us to this world of enigmas. We're all connected in one way or another."
In a fit of embarrassment, I stammered out a few words, realizing we'd skipped the introductions stage. "Excuse me, we haven't even done introductions...", I apologized, leaving a sense of slight confusion lingering.
"I'm Edano Takeo," he introduced himself with a rather cold smile.
In a gesture that oscillated between confidence and mysticism, Edano Takeo revealed the back of his neck, where a "DCXXX" proudly stood. An enigmatic symbol that aroused my growing curiosity.
"I see, Roman numerals seem to be the mysterious language of these marks that adorn our skin."
"You've only just understood..."
Caught up in the momentum, I hastened to introduce myself in turn. "I'm Bun Chokan," I said, while Saei followed suit by sharing her name, "I'm Saei Kyuri enchanted." An exchange of introductions that seemed to be the prelude to an adventure far greater than the one we had imagined.
Edano Takeo, as impassive as ever, broke the silence with a direct question devoid of nuance. "Is she your girlfriend?" he asked, pointing at Saei.
Caught off guard, I tried to clear up any ambiguity. "No, no, she's just a friend," I replied, embarrassment tickling my cheeks.
His piercing gaze seemed to delve deeper into me. "You look close," he commented coolly. Then, without waiting, he added in a much calmer tone: "Don't make her sad," before lightly tapping his head as if to ward off an unfortunate eventuality.「180°」
Edano's remark puzzled me, but I chose not to dwell on it. Saei, with her silky brown hair delicately framing her face, possessed a bewitching beauty. Her deep brown eyes emitted a mysterious glow, seeming to contain unexplored universes. Her gaze was both attentive and inquisitive, as if she had the ability to penetrate the deepest secrets.
Her face exuded a soothing gentleness, but behind this calm appearance lay a vibrant energy, ready to express itself at any moment. The delicacy of her features was balanced by a determined expression, revealing an inner strength.
Saei had a natural elegance. During our university year, Saei was the center of attention, surrounded by numerous suitors trying to catch her eye. The boys vied with each other to seduce her, but she remained impervious to their advances. She was an enigma to them, resisting all attempts at conquest.
However, in the midst of this assiduous courtship, I stood back, silently observing the scene. Unlike the others, I wasn't taking part in this frantic competition. Strangely enough, it was she who came to me, breaking the usual dynamic. We started chatting, and over time our friendship blossomed naturally, without artifice or pretense.
However, despite her obvious charm, I had never envisaged a romantic relationship with her. Escapes into the worlds of science fiction and fantasy seemed to occupy my mind more than the subtle nuances of romantic relationships. What's more, the signals between Saei and me never seemed to cross the border of friendship, at least as far as I knew.
Time had flown by without us realizing it, and it was time to catch our second metro to continue our journey. As we were about to board, my eyes caught sight of a group of strange-looking people. A fleeting intuition urged me to be vigilant, but I didn't pay much attention to it at the time. The excitement and fear of our unique situation seemed to have amplified my distrust of the unknown. Despite this, we boarded the subway, continuing our journey to Okutama.
As we entered the subway, a fleeting thought occurred to me, and I expressed my surprise to Edano and Saei, mentioning how strange it was that we could move freely in this unusual situation. He replied confidently, explaining that this was all planned, and that freedom of movement was expected.
These answers prompted a range of questions about Edano. How did he have access to such privileged information? He was anticipating every step, leaving a sense of mystery surrounding his person. It was then that he suggested I consult my inbox, which would shed some light on my questions.
Checking my inbox revealed messages I hadn't paid much attention to before. One of them clearly stated that until Riddle 1 was solved, we would enjoy the freedom to travel from one dome to another. One realization hit me hard: "this freedom was a temporary exception, and its disappearance could create tensions. Some might prefer to retain this privilege rather than solve the riddle", adding a complex dimension to our already precarious situation.
The atmosphere was one of latent tension, with everyone deep in thought. Furtive glances crossed paths, but few words were exchanged. The apparent freedom to move between domes seemed like a double-edged sword, offering security as well as revealing unsuspected threats.
I continued to scroll through the notifications, and it was then that a new element caught my eye. A public chat had been opened, apparently designed to allow participants to report when the hunter had been neutralized. Curious, I clicked on the link and a window appeared on the holographic interface.
A code appeared in front of me. It appeared to be the password to enter the chat room. Intrigued, I quickly typed it in, and a new window opened in front of me.
When I entered the chat, I was surprised to see that an alert had already been announced. The indication was clear: the hunter had been neutralized. The relief I should have felt was instantly replaced by growing confusion. How could this have happened so quickly without me noticing?
I rushed to tell Edano, thinking I had brought him important news. But, to my surprise, he replied with a simple, detached "I know", as if to emphasize that I was already lagging behind. This calm, almost superior tone left me with a strange feeling of being behind the times, despite my efforts to remain vigilant.
However, this was not the case with Saei, who seemed immediately reassured by the news I had just given her. A furtive smile appeared on her face, as if a weight had just been lifted from her shoulders.
Watching the other passengers in the subway, I realized why everyone seemed strangely calm despite the tension of the situation. Everyone had probably already heard the news. They'd all seen the alert and, like Saei, had felt a sense of relief that the hunter had been neutralized.
However, I turned to Saei and said cautiously: "Don't be too quick to claim victory. Even if the hunter has been neutralized, there's nothing to tell us that the enigma is over." Her eyes widened slightly, and she nodded, realizing that the real test might not yet be over.
Then a mysterious group spoke up. The voice of the group's leader pierced the confined subway air, abruptly breaking the silence enveloping the passengers.
"Hey, everybody, listen up! We've got some crucial information to share. The hunter isn't dead. We've intercepted messages, and as far as we know, he's still with us. Therefore, no one is to leave the metro. He could attack at any moment."
The announcement had the effect of a cold shower on all the passengers. Some seemed skeptical, others terrified. A palpable wave of anxiety swept through the car, amplifying the already tense atmosphere.
The group's words echoed in my head, raising a flood of questions. If the hunter was really still alive, why ask us to stay here, confined to this enclosed space? The enigma was growing ever more complex, and the oppressive subway air accentuated my doubts.
Another member of their group, a man with a tense face and scrutinizing eyes, spoke up, supporting the previous announcement. "My friends, you must understand that it's possible for there to be several hunters in the same dome. There's nothing to say there's only one. It could very well be in this subway, right here, among us. We can't take any chances. No one's getting out until we've checked it out!"
The silence that followed his words became even heavier, as if the air itself had become charged with suspicion.
[Counter: 223 037/240 069]