Chapter 144
Chapter 144
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 144
Chapter Title: Dream Room (1)
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I shoveled the remaining noodles into my mouth in one bite.
I slapped some bills on the table and dashed out onto the street. Sector A was a little ways from here. The night shift was probably there, but given the high level, heading to the creature manifestation zone myself seemed like the better call.
I climbed onto the motorcycle parked in front of the shop and fired it up.
The motorcycle took off smoothly.
The jet-black two-wheeler sped through the crowd of pedestrians who parted like water. Evening air lashed at my cheeks. Nerves jangling, I blew past the packed street. Thankfully, Sector A wasn’t as mobbed as this place.
I let out a breath of relief at the minor stroke of luck and gunned it.
I’ll sense the creature when it gets close.
That’s what I figured, but at some point the feeling turned weird.
I narrowed my eyes at my rapidly blurring vision.
Fog?
[Creature ‘Ashen Cloak’]
The creature codex chimed in as I eased off the throttle.
[Stage 4. Swarm-type creature. Typically manifests as fog. Displays memories, hallucinations, and the like to nearby life-forms, luring them to locations of its choosing. Lures life-forms to high places, trips them to their deaths, then devours the corpses.]
“Ha.”
I let out a sigh.
So this was it. The researchers had slapped it with some fancy name, so I hadn’t clocked it right away. Only after the codex rundown did it click what this thing was.
A bastard I’d run into plenty back in the day, ad nauseam.
‘Dream Voice.’
That’s what we called it.
A psychic assault life-form—even top-tier knights got chewed up by it in bunches. Battle-hardened vets were especially vulnerable. All those scars to rip open, all those memories to shove in their faces via hallucination.
That’s why I’d always stayed on high alert around it.
Body tensed like a wire, I headed for the cluster of people.
Seniors were shepherding civilians through the fog.
“Rookie! East zone!”
The senior barked the order before I could even dismount.
“Get every last civilian still there over to Sector B!”
I didn’t push back.
I swung the motorcycle around and rocketed toward the spot he’d pointed out.
Sector A’s east zone held a pathetic little park. A fountain crusted with neglect. Fences in ruins. A half-built high-rise abandoned when the contractor went belly-up.
This was it.
The creature’s vibe hit stronger than where the seniors were.
Main body’s gotta be close...
Musing on that, I parked at the park entrance—and my eyes bugged out at the silhouette that caught my eye.
No.
Again?
“Senior?”
Kudo turned my way.
For a split second, gladness surged—figuring he’d rushed over on the alert too.
But then I clocked the person eyeing me right alongside him, and ice water flooded my gut.
Blonde woman.
The one I’d glimpsed at the restaurant. Situation read itself.
On a date, huh.
I scrubbed any honest look off my face and flashed a big grin.
“Hello. You hear about the creature popping up around here?”
The senior nodded instead of replying.
The woman clutching his arm, giving me a puzzled once-over.
I ignored her existence with effort.
“You’re on leave, so I’ll handle it. Main body’s nearby, so head west and loop back.”
“Solo?”
Kudo’s tone said he’d heard something insane.
“Against this thing?”
Fair...
My lips’ smile dimmed. His point landed easy. The sorry park had few folks, but not zero. Unlucky visitors were already wobbling in the fog.
Snared like that, they didn’t shake it off easy.
Meaning I had to scoop these people up and haul them clear of the creature’s reach.
“Here, take the bike.”
I shoved the motorcycle at Kudo.
“You two ride.”
Kudo eyed the bike in silence.
Luck held—he took me up on it soon enough.
The man-woman duo mounted up. The woman who’d gripped his arm hopped on back and clamped onto him tight. She stayed mum the whole time. Even when Kudo ordered, “I’ll round up the civilians in one spot—snag ’em and drag ’em out of range.”
I nodded, prepping to bolt.
Watching the senior kick the bike to life...
...Huh?
Why’s there a ring on that lady’s left ring finger.
...Looks an awful lot like a wedding band.
The stray thought blew apart as the bike peeled out.
I ditched useless brain noise and sprinted toward presences.
Truth was, no headspace for distractions against this foe. Dream Voice packed the same punch every encounter.
Regret and longing.
How many could stay above it all?
***
All civilians evacuated.
No cakewalk, but we pulled it off. Bonus: we clocked that the hallucination-zonked ones were homing in on one spot.
The half-built high-rise.
Where the creature’s presence hung thickest.
Main body’s there, probably. Send these folks off, then hit it.
Planning that, I caught Kudo’s report after he dismounted. Dry recap to the night crew.
Report done, boot it outta here.
On vacation, too. Not the creature for someone who’d lost family to face. Fog’s thin here, but thicker pull at the high-rise.
Chase it quick.
Lost in that, a voice oozed in my ear.
‘Captain.’
A slimy drawl.
‘Guess that’s the call now?’
Kyle.
Silver armor gleaming, black curls ponytailed—he popped up right in front. Crooked signature smirk.
Confidence. Easy swagger from it. Smidge of arrogance, dollop of pride.
Envy’s knight.
Hand on sword hilt, he stared me down.
‘Promotion congrats. Month behind me, though.’
Shut it.
That’s what I snapped back, I think. Post-ceremony. The slippery emperor finally parked me in Knight Commander. “Kyle’s enough,” I’d refused plenty, but no dice.
What’d he say? Country too big for one Knight Commander?
Some bullshit excuse—he promoted me anyway, I recall.
Kyle thrilled to bits...
Then charging in...
“Sarah!”
The sharp yell yanked me back.
“Sarah Perry!”
Ah.
I whipped around at Kudo’s frantic shout.
Gut plummeted.
Botched it.
Got hung up in this a sec.
Meantime, the blonde bolted for the high-rise. Short span, but while senior and I blinked, civilian her got fully snared.
Blonde hair flying.
Legs without a hitch.
Gap widening fast.
Senior lunged after her. I gnashed my teeth and tailed his leap.
Summer night’s muggy air slashed my cheeks.
Damn fool, slacked off and spaced.
Yelling mid-street-cross.
“Sorry!”
“Grab her before the drop.”
Kudo muttered, eyes pinned on Sarah’s back.
Sarah hit the building entrance. Like he said, she’d climb now—jump sure-death height.
Distance shrinking—thank god. Catch her pre-third floor.
Teeth clenched, I floored it.
Senior and I plunged inside neck-and-neck.
And,
Whoosh.
Rough wind gust—the door slammed.
Shit.
“Dream room.”
My mutter rolled Kudo’s eyeball my way.
Didn’t stop, though. No need to spell it out. Next instant, scenery flipped.
What goes down trapped in an ‘Ashen Cloak’-claimed spot.
Bigger sway in tight confines. Gray dust-caked building-material piles dissolved; cozy quiet spot bloomed.
Massive purple drapes.
Seats arrayed before.
Lights spilling over curtains.
Theater.
Grand theater’s stage, red curtains front: a figure stood. Suit-clad, clutching contract-lookalike papers. Blurry facial features—placeholder anybody.
Sarah barreled aisle-between-seats for the stage.
Precisely: up stairs to second balcony.
Chasing with senior, I yelled.
“An actor?!”
Kudo clamped his lip, no answer.
Know desires or regrets, easier to snap hypnosis!
“Were you an actor?!”
Kudo picked speed over chit-chat.
Up theater passages—stairs, exact. Stage stayed distant, natch. Drop spot for Sarah.
Second floor too low—third it is.
Sure enough, Sarah hit third-floor stairs.
Let us catch her.
Kudo snagged her arm at third-floor landing.
“Argh!”
Screeching, she thrashed in his hold.
“Let go! I’m late!”
“You alright?”
Senior locked the flailing Sarah tight; I piped up.
“No weird sounds or sights yet? Best scram with him quick. I’ll handle the creature.”
“You?”
“Yeah. Know the fix—fine.”
Huge sword slash shoves it off.
“No sweat—down first.”
“Let go!”
“Civilian rescue tops, right?”
“Let go! Gotta sign the contract!”
“If no-go, I’ll tail.”
“...Better bail together, re-enter.”
“Let me go!”
Sarah shrieked.
Twisted wild, yanked left hand free—slapped Kudo’s cheek.
“Let go!”
Smack!
Lucky.
Senior timed the swing, turned into it. Else Sarah’s hand pancakes. Mere graze. Palm sting, tops.
Sarah’s hand looked fine, yeah.
But she’d retry. Still loopy.
Get her out fast...
Turning to speak, I spotted ashen senior.
Man gripped rampaging Sarah, fixated on sparkle.
Clink, clink!
Ring tumbling.
Sarah’s finger-ring.
Bounced stairs down, plunged railing-gap between second-third.
“Senior.”
No deep think on the chain or Kudo’s ghost-face, I said.
“Down for now.”
Kudo obeyed.
***
Ricardo and Shu reached Shu’s place.
“Little miss~.”
Green-eyed guy drawled, trailing houseowner-guide into cramped one-room.
“No caution inviting rando dudes home~.”
“No game spot elsewhere.”
Shu one-eared the nag, beelined console.
Same as Hilde-invite—no change.
Her fave nook in the space; she glanced blandly at Ricardo.
“Sit. Fetch drink. Game pronto—what’ll you have?”