Chapter 5: The Whisper of Shadows
The cold silence of the orphanage was broken by a distant, eerie sound—like the faint hum of something alive, yet far from human. Raiden stood in the main hall, his fingers trembling as a notification from the System appeared before him.
[Special Quest Received: Investigate the Anomaly]
Reward: ???
Failure: ???
Beside him, Takashi frowned as he read the glowing message hovering in front of his eyes.
"An anomaly…? What does it even mean?" Takashi muttered, his voice a mix of unease and irritation.
Raiden's hands clenched into fists as his gaze flickered between the message and the darkened corridor ahead.
"It doesn't matter what it means. We're leaving now," Raiden said, his voice more forceful than usual, though it carried a slight tremor.
"And leave the others behind? You know I can't do that," Takashi replied sharply, taking a step forward.
Raiden grabbed his arm, his usual calm demeanor cracking. His eyes were wide with fear.
"You don't get it! This isn't normal—this… this quest, it wasn't triggered by me. The System just gave it to me without warning. That doesn't happen!"
Takashi pulled free from Raiden's grip, his expression hardening.
"Then stop shaking and get it together. If something's coming, we have to protect the kids," he said firmly, glancing toward the younger orphans huddled in the corner.
Raiden took a deep breath, trying to steady himself. His charisma and intelligence had always been his strengths, but this time, the unknown had struck a nerve.
In one of the empty corridors, the air grew colder. The flickering lights cast unsettling shadows on the walls, creating the illusion of figures moving where none should be.
Shin stood at the center of the hall, his sharp eyes scanning the darkness. The whispers in his mind had returned, faint but taunting.
"Run, Shin… or will you let them die, too?"
He pressed his hands to his temples, forcing the voices away. Not now. Not here.
From the corner of his eye, he noticed a faint, ghostly glow. A figure emerged from the shadows—a humanoid creature, its translucent body rippling like smoke. Its hollow, glowing eyes locked onto him, exuding malice.
Behind him, Takashi and Raiden entered the corridor, stopping abruptly when they saw the creature.
"What the hell is that?" Raiden whispered, his voice barely audible.
The System chimed again:
[Warning: Spectral Entity Detected. Physical Attacks Ineffective.]
Raiden and Takashi exchanged a glance, their fear momentarily replaced by confusion.
"How do we fight something we can't touch?" Raiden muttered.
The creature glided forward, its movements eerily smooth. Behind them, the children screamed as more spectral figures appeared, emerging from the walls and the floor.
Takashi stepped in front of the orphans, his fists clenched.
"Get back! Stay behind me!"
Raiden activated his System abilities instinctively. The air around him shimmered as a barrier of light formed, separating the children from the creatures. But even with his skills, he could feel the weight of their presence pressing against his shield.
"They're breaking through!" Raiden shouted.
Shin watched the scene unfold, his body tense. The malice within him stirred, whispering promises of power and survival.
"Let me out," the voice hissed. "I can end this. I can protect you… protect them."
He shook his head violently, his knuckles whitening as he resisted the pull.
"No," he muttered under his breath. "Not like this."
One of the spectral creatures lunged at Takashi, who dodged skillfully and countered with a burst of energy from his palm. The attack passed through the entity harmlessly, and it retaliated with a swipe of its claw-like appendage, grazing Takashi's arm.
Takashi gritted his teeth, ignoring the pain. He glanced at the children behind him and then at Shin, who remained rooted to the spot.
"Shin! Do something!" Takashi yelled.
Shin's eyes darted between Takashi and the approaching creatures. The malice surged again, its whispers growing louder.
"Let me take control," it insisted. "You'll die without me."
In the chaos, one of the creatures cornered the caretakers in the dining hall. The two women who had always seemed uneasy around Shin screamed as the specter loomed over them.
"Please, no!" one of them cried as the creature struck, its claws tearing through her body like paper.
The other woman froze in terror before meeting the same fate.
Only the third caretaker, the kind and compassionate one, managed to escape. She stumbled into the hall where the children were gathered, her face pale and tear-streaked.
"Shin!" she called out desperately. "Raiden! Someone, help!"
Her voice snapped Shin out of his internal struggle. He took a deep breath and stepped forward, his resolve hardening.
"Stay with the kids," he said to her, his voice calm but cold.
Raiden looked at Shin, his barrier flickering as the creatures pushed against it.
"What are you doing?" Raiden asked, his voice cracking.
"Buying you time," Shin replied.
Before anyone could stop him, Shin ran toward the nearest creature, his heart pounding. The malice inside him laughed, its voice triumphant.
"Good… You're finally learning."
As Shin approached the spectral entity, his shadow seemed to stretch unnaturally, merging with the darkness around him.