The Forgotten One
"This isn't right? [What's your name?]"
A strangely echoing voice rang out. But it didn't quite sound like a ghost story—more like a fragile little girl's voice.
"Did some kid sneak into the school?"
"You think that makes any sense?!"
"No, I'm just throwing it out there."
"Both of you, cut it out. Ghost stories sometimes trick people like this, so we should be careful."
At that moment, the door to the empty classroom connected to the broadcast room began to creak open on its own.
Kiiiiiik.
[I want a name too.]
A child's voice echoed from the empty classroom.
"...Is it calling us?"
"Looks like bad news if we go in there."
But they couldn't just turn back after discovering something anomalous.
"Let's check it out first."
The classroom was, of course, completely empty. But they could feel a chilling aura seeping in.
...There's something here.
To the naked eye, it was clearly vacant space, but Ga-eun, with her heightened senses, could detect the unique energy of a ghost story.
Yet it was an incredibly faint ghost story energy. A hazy sensation, like it existed and didn't at the same time.
Ga-eun recalled what Si-hyeon had said when she first heard about this incident.
—"Don't forget your name."
"...Oppa was right."
Now she had a slight inkling of what those words meant.
Then—
Srrrrk, srrrrk.
A sound like dragging legs across the floor, not footsteps.
"...!"
Something was approaching them from the darkness.
"...What the hell is that."
A silhouette shrouded in dark red mist, vaguely girl-like, but the thick aura covered its entire body, making its true form impossible to discern. Multiple eyes embedded in its face marked it unmistakably as a ghost story.
[Lonely.]
[Lonely, lonely.]
[Why doesn't anyone remember me?]
"...This feels off."
The moment Ga-eun sensed something heterogeneous—
Shwaaaaa!
Darkness erupted from the dark red figure, overtaking the space.
"...!"
Netherworld.
The ghost story was beginning to unfold its domain.
Keek.
A sinister laugh burrowed into their ears, and they realized immediately.
"This ghost story... it was hiding its presence."
"Not illusion-grade or disaster-grade. This is definitely catastrophe-grade."
[Big sis, big bro, play with me too.]
As the temptation spread, the ghost story's rules surfaced.
An intangible hand seemed to rummage through their brains, plucking away memories one by one. Ga-eun instinctively realized something was wrong and tried to retreat, but—
"Ah...?"
It was already too late.
...What was that just now?
Why... am I even here?
Keek.
Starting with the ghost story's sinister chuckle, red text appeared before everyone in the Netherworld.
* * *
Emergency alarms blared noisily as guild agents scrambled.
"Report from the agents controlling the school perimeter! Confirmed the ghost story as catastrophe-grade!"
"We already suspected as much once the Netherworld formed... but I was hoping otherwise."
The guild response team was already in chaos from the clear red text in the Netherworld.
"Additional report! The Netherworld is expanding!"
"What? Bigger than the initial report?!"
"Yes! It started inside the school... and it's spreading to nearby roads and shops!"
"Damn it...!"
The virtual map on the situation room screen showed the red circle expanding in real time.
The Netherworld's influence was growing relentlessly.
"Why is it still spreading? Is it really catastrophe-grade?"
That's when three signals on the monitor caught their eye.
"Status of the awakeners inside the school?"
"...That's."
The agent staring at the monitor had a frozen expression.
"Their vital signs... are fading."
At the same time, another agent shouted from elsewhere.
"The names of the response team agents controlling the perimeter just vanished from the report."
"...What?"
"No records left. Like they never existed."
The entire conference room fell silent.
"What the hell is happening in there?"
* * *
"...I..."
My voice trembled faintly as my vision blurred. Or maybe it wasn't my vision—it was me myself fading.
A sensation of my body slowly vanishing, like my head was empty.
"...This is weird."
Who... am I?
The moment that question surfaced, my fingertips grew faint.
I tried to raise my hand to touch my face, but no sensation came.
"Sensation...?"
What was that? It felt like a word I'd never heard before.
My name was... what again?
The word "name" evaporated in my mouth.
Ga-eun.
Some syllable flashed through my mind. Utterly unfamiliar, like it was written in a language I'd never heard.
G a- eu n
●□○□■■◇•
The word crumbled, soon shattering beyond recognition.
The ghost story's faint whisper turned into hazy mist, smothering my memories.
Who I was, where I came from, why I was here. Everything I remembered was vanishing.
"...No."
"Someone... remember me..."
I muttered softly, but no one in this space could hear my voice.
A being fading into oblivion. A nameless person. An unremembered human.
It was only natural that such feeble cries went unanswered.
"I'm right here..."
The feeling that no one remembered me.
"...Please remember me."
In the dim gray world, every sensation blurred.
The moment when everything would be erased was approaching.
"Call my name..."
I wished desperately, desperately, for someone to remember me.
At that instant.
"...!"
A deep, resonant voice pierced the darkness, ringing in my ears.
Just one word. The moment I heard that name, my sense of self flooded back into my mind.
* * *
The guild interior was still pandemonium.
"Catastrophe-grade ghost story outbreak! Confirmed Netherworld formation in the sector!"
"The Netherworld's expansion speed is abnormal!"
"We need to deploy all standby response teams!"
But amid the chaos, my nerves were fixed on one thing.
"Catastrophe-grade ghost story: The Forgotten One."
The moment that name surfaced in my head, memories exploded back.
The Forgotten One from the novel I'd read. Its bizarre tale. Its eerie ability.
And even the backstory of how it became a ghost story.
"Why remember now of all times?!"
I couldn't help it—the thing had deliberately hidden itself. But still, too late!
The Forgotten One specialized in concealing and erasing existences. With the Netherworld already out, Ga-eun was in danger.
No use regretting now. Gotta go!
Thwack!
"Newbie! Where do you think you're going in this situation?!"
"Sorry! Sudden stomach emergency!!"
"Ah, that's understandable."
"Be right back!"
I'd bullshitted my way out, but even sprinting full tilt to the school would take over 30 minutes. Not enough time physically.
"Crap, what time is it?"
Sunset was moments away.
Faster...!
For once, I wished for deeper darkness.
Shwaaaaa.
The sun finally set completely, black energy rising from my feet.
"Ha. Never thought I'd want to turn into this. Live long enough, huh."
No choice—going in human form would get me one-shotted in a second.
My body began transforming. Hair dyed pitch black, skin glowing pale as moonlight.
Finally, deep, dark eyes.
"Shadow travel or whatever, make it happen this time too!"
Shwaaaaak!
My form was engulfed in darkness and vanished from the street.
* * *
"Ugh, teleporting's great and all, but why's it always so dizzying."
Before me stretched a warped space. Gray-tinted hallways. Distorted classrooms.
And three people passed out before the ghost story.
"What a mess."
Do-hyeok and Soo-yeon looked knocked out cold, and Ga-eun was standing but couldn't hold herself up.
At least I made it in time.
The Forgotten One erased existences. They were faint but still held form, so time remained.
"Sigh. Things were so peaceful for a few weeks."
I could've ignored it, but... Ga-eun got me the job. Gotta repay that.
I knew the backstory, but needed to observe first. Rush in recklessly and lose my head—who'd feed Luna?
Wake Ga-eun first.
"...!"
Ripples stirred in her darkened consciousness, and she began coming to.
"Ah...? How am I..."
Ga-eun gasped raggedly, slowly opening her eyes.
At that moment, the ghost story stirred again.
Srrk.
Its movements were stiff and eerie, like a mannequin forced to move after being frozen for ages.
[...?]
The ghost story said nothing, just—
Roll, roll.
Dozens of eyeballs swiveled wildly before all locking onto me.
Ew, total nightmare fuel.
Normally I'd grimace, but Phantom mode's poker face is passive!
It stared intently, then suddenly shrieked.
Kiaaaaaak!
Why do ghost stories always scream at the sight of me?
Like at the convenience store before. So many screamers.
Look in a mirror. I'm the one who should scream!
The piercing shriek didn't faze me, but—
Thud.
Ga-eun and the other two, who seemed to be regaining consciousness, passed out again at the sound.
Better this way. Their fading existence stopped anyway.
No way they'd recognize me like this, but best not to risk eye contact.
[...]
Cold silence descended as the ghost story slowly closed the distance.
Hey, hold up. Why are you coming at me now?
The grotesque eyes kept rolling ceaselessly.
Roll, roll, roll.
Looking confused. Then its dark red energy swiftly dominated the space.
Clear hostility radiated.
Am I screwed again?
The ghost story's body twisted bizarrely, space cracking like glass around it.
Haha... we're done for?
They say you laugh hysterically in utter doom.
Ghost stories always run from me, so I trusted that one thing!
What if it doesn't work?!
Ah, gonna hurl.
Bail?
But can I shadow-travel with these three sprawled out?
Timeout! I'll grab these three and go, so wait a sec, ghosty?
Yeah, right, it'll wait!
Chaotic thoughts exploded in my head, but outwardly I kept my calm, imposing silhouette.
Good thing I'm in Phantom form...
Though the random words and actions bugged me sometimes.
Try talking it down. Peacefully!
Dialogue's the best tool, right? Maybe it's reasonable.
I know the backstory, but I got no fighting power anyway.
I took a deep breath and calmly opened my mouth.
Tr... truce?
Might sound pathetic, but no choice!
But contrary to my thoughts, what actually came out was—
【Enough. Forgotten One.】
Fuck, what did I just say??
What... did I say?
No, not that! Say 'Please spare me, sir!' or something—
But ignoring my pleas, the words kept auto-flowing.
【Girl lost in irrationality, forgetting yourself.】
Ah, here we go again with this damn auto-play!
Worked fine until now, but glitches at the worst time!!
【I will save you.】
Eek, stop it, you idiot mouth.
Save who? I'm about to die here, you cursed beginner package!
Keep going rogue and it's really over!
A voice like an overwhelming presence admonishing the ghost story from above.
Then, the ghost story's twisted eyes fixed solely on me.
Tha... that's not what I meant to say—
The Forgotten One's voice trembled faintly. Eerily fragile, like a little girl's.
I remember from the novel, yeah...
But anyway.
You can talk??