Chapter 82
Chapter 82
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 82
Chapter Title: Dream of Toys
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[Emergency Directive]_Latest Update.
-If encountering a ghost story presumed to be the Black Flame Man within the deployed ghost story, report immediately. (Receive contact item.)
-First discoverer's team 'Executive Director position' to be deployed immediately. (Process on discovery.)
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*****
Dark, dim space.
Amid the sprawl of massive toy structures scattered everywhere, the man moved forward aimlessly.
Cock-a-doodle-doo~
!!
An unnatural rooster crow.
“…….”
When he lowered his gaze to his feet.
A cheerful-looking toy rooster came into view right underfoot.
It seemed like the kind that let out a sound when given a certain impact.
Even as he stared at the toy, he scanned the murky surroundings back and forth.
Under normal circumstances, he might have just chuckled at the fun toy and moved on….
But just now.
That cheerful toy's sound had nearly stopped his heart.
He focused all his nerves solely on this dark, dim space.
The place he was standing in right now.
Deserved exactly this level of tension.
A space made up of countless massive toys.
The atmosphere, with not a speck of light entering, and toys strewn messily across the floor in every direction.
It was just like walking into his room after his nephews had trashed it during the holidays.
If a ghost story space was this chaotically littered with toys and filled with giant ones.
There was only one such place.
==========
/Ghost Story Log.
[Dream of Toys]
:Identification Code Cd-C-52
The ones you forgot.
The ones you threw away.
The ones you broke.
The ones you tore apart.
The ones you killed.
This is a place where such toys gather.
A paradise for toys that lost their owners.
Did you treasure your toys?
If so. If you're someone who handled toys with care, this place is just a simple, joyful dreamland.
So don't be scared.
【
If you can stand tall before them.
】
If you can stand tall before the toys, this place is absolutely not frightening.
Physical suppression possible.
Mental damage: moderate.
*Additional notes.
Enter this ghost story fully prepared against attacks. (Especially be cautious of sounds.)
No one alive hasn't damaged a toy at least once.
==========
Some 'Toy Story' movie comes to mind.
The for this ghost story is simple—just remember these two things.
-Don't make any noise.
-Find the soundly sleeping child.
That's all you need to know.
The setup for this ghost story.
Is that you've entered the dream world of a child who loves toys.
So.
Find the child peacefully sleeping somewhere in this dream.
And capture them with the quill pen.
As quietly as possible.
Without getting caught by the killer toys, locate that child.
The toys here are sensitive to sound.
Fortunately, after stepping on that chicken toy model just now, there was no sign of anything pursuing him.
…Be careful.
Getting caught by the killer toys complicates things.
No need to take the easy path the hard way.
His gaze fixed on the floor.
The chicken toy had gone fine, but no guarantee the second time.
He cautiously prowled the area for a while.
Thud-!
!
He halted.
A massive echo rode through his eardrums, tickling his ears.
For a moment, he thought he'd dropped something.
But….
The echo came from far away.
Something falling to the floor from a considerable distance.
It couldn't be the killer toys.
They only react to sounds made by intruders in this ghost story space.
Unless it exceeds a certain decibel, they don't move.
Meaning, if the intruder doesn't make noise, they're no different from toy-shaped statues.
So.
Drip-drip-!
This sound was definitely from another intruder like him.
'Crazy!'
Others besides him had entered this ghost story space.
He hurriedly moved toward the source of the noise.
He had to confirm.
And stop them.
He figured they were civilians unaware of the rules here.
Agency members who read the manual before deployment wouldn't make such an obvious mistake.
At least, they'd follow the basic rule of 'don't make noise.'
Otherwise, it made no sense.
Unless they were suicidal maniacs who wanted the killer toys to tear off their limbs.
He thought that way.
Until he froze.
Until the five men in black suits entered his sight.
*****
“Hey! You psycho, stop it! Didn't you read the manual? Making noise gets you caught by the toy bastards, you idiot!”
A terrified employee spat it out in a low tone with all his might.
The other three employees around him seemed to agree.
They shook their heads up and down vigorously, trying desperately to restrain the situation.
But despite the warnings.
The male employee with a mischievous grin on his lips spoke in a truly nonchalant voice.
“Chill out, don't worry. You think this is my first or second time here? Even that precious manual says it: 'Killer toys don't activate if you stay under a certain decibel.'”
“What lunatic tests the decibel limit like you? If you're gonna die, die alone!”
Nod-nod-nod-!
The other three, equally terrified, nodded vigorously again.
“With that much fear, how do you expect to pull your weight in future ghost story deployments?”
The male employee, never losing his smile, spat 'cowardly bastards' at them.
Despite the continued pleas, he replied in a mock-reluctant, playful tone.
“Fine, fine. That enough? Man, you guys are such buzzkills.”
“Treating human lives like a joke—bullshit. One day you're really gonna get it bad……!!”
“What? Get what's coming? Why stop mid-sentence?”
The one employee who'd been raising his voice at the man clamped his mouth shut.
More precisely.
He was trembling.
Shiver-shiver-shiver.
?
“What, cold?”
The employee who'd been lecturing him moments ago started shaking like a leaf.
And the other employees were doing the same.
With faces drained pale.
Ghastly pallor.
Thud-
One even collapsed straight to the floor.
As the male employee's bewilderment grew watching their varied reactions.
Step-
Mysterious footsteps approached from behind him, brushing his ears.
And looking at the terrified gazes again.
Every one of them was staring not at him.
But somewhere else.
Not at him right in front of them.
But at someone else entirely.
……Gulp.
The male employee swallowed dryly.
Swivel-
He stiffly turned his rigid neck to check behind him.
What entered his sight.
Whoosh-
!!
Dressed in the same black suit, where a human face should be….
A being with flickering black flames stared down at him.
“It was you. The one making all that irritating noise here…… Nice to meet you like this.”
“…….”
The playful smile vanished from the employee's face.
In its place, a new expression emerged….
Fear.
Terror of death.
Something any Agency member had heard of at least once—the recently registered S-grade ghost story.
“Black… flame.”
[Black Flame Man]
With the man's whimpering voice as the end, the monster cloaked in black flames curled a sneer.
“I'm searching for something here. I'd appreciate no noise if possible. If you value your limbs intact, best not even breathe—stay quiet.”
“…….”
“Cooperation requested.”
The Black Flame Man.
The entity currently assigned an S-grade identification code by the Agency.
Had directed killing intent at them.
Everyone here instinctively knew.
And simultaneously….
Hoped for a painless death.
*****
'Now I can relax.'
He'd let a surge of anger make his words a bit harsh.
But his warning, delivered while wearing the item 'Top Student Glasses,' seemed to have gotten through to the Agency goons.
And now.
The five Agency members knelt before him.
Frozen in rigid attention.
He hadn't told them to be *this* quiet.
But good is good.
Now, no more pointless noise like before.
'……Thinking about it again pisses me off.'
Glare-
He shot a glare at the ringleader of the noise. Feeling it perhaps.
!!!
Thud-!
The Agency employee bowed his head as if smashing it into the ground.
…….
Yeah, that'll do.
'Still, just in case.'
He decided to take out insurance.
Rustle-
He pulled the third Bear Doll from his Employee ID.
The third Bear Doll, popping out.
Boom!
Immediately grew in size.
!!!!!
The Agency members, witnessing our third Bear Doll enlarge right before their eyes.
Straightened their backs even stiffer.
With death-row inmate faces, whimpering faintly as they awaited execution.
He immediately asked the third Bear Doll.
“Keep an eye on these guys so they don't pull any stunts.”
Snap-!
No sooner had he finished than the third Bear Doll brought one paw to his brow.
…Salute?
He'd just received a salute from the third Bear Doll—one he'd expect from army juniors back in the day.
No idea where it learned that.
Step-
Leaving the guys to the third Bear Doll, he resumed walking to find the ghost story child.
Naturally.
Boom! Boom!
Together with our first and second Bear Dolls.
“If you spot anything weird, come tell me right away.”
Snap! Snap!
…….
Another round of Bear Doll salutes.
Sharp as knives.
'…Did you all train together?'
How much time passed in the search for the sleepy child after that.
Not long, it seemed.
Patter-patter!
Turning at the familiar footsteps brushing his ears, the first Bear Doll was lightly approaching him.
Flail-flail-!
Waving both arms in a 'follow me' gesture, he followed the first Bear Doll's lead.
Walking together with the Bear Doll, they finally arrived where.
A massive tower stacked endlessly with bedding came into view.
The tower's structure was incredibly simple.
Blanket.
Pillow.
Blanket.
Pillow.
.
.
.
A colossal bedding tower of that exact simple makeup.
Just like the blanket-and-pillow forts kids build.
And this bedding tower.
Was what he'd been looking for.
Our first Bear Doll had found it perfectly. This massive tower was where the ghost story's owner hid.
“Good job.”
Flail-flail-!
Our first Bear Doll, thrilled at the praise, flailing his arms excitedly.
Now, only capturing the ghost story left.
Fortunately, today was going so smoothly….
Boom-!
!!
…….
'Yeah….'
Too smooth.
He hadn't even hoped.
Things had never gone smoothly once so far.
Splat-!
……Splat?
Along with the sound of someone tripping.
A woman's loud voice echoed through the entire space, slamming his eardrums.
“S-Sorry!!”