Chapter 214: Tomb of Stars (1)
Chapter 214: Tomb of Stars (1)
Beyond the door lay a vast, brown plain.
Due to its color, it looked like a field of reeds, but in reality, it was an infinitely wide expanse filled with plants resembling tall, lush grass.
Furthermore, the brown was far from the organic shade of a plant.
If I had to describe it, it was the brown of metal. Perhaps "bronze" would be more accurate.
Seeing plants of that color fill the earth to the far horizon, swaying slowly, gave me an inexplicable sense of liberation.
It was the kind of feeling that makes you realize how small you are.
Especially since I was short, with half my body hidden by the grass, the feeling was even more pronounced.
Wondering what my companion was thinking, I looked to my side.
Since he called this The Tomb of his kin, was he lost in sentiment?
Or was he deep in thought, as was his nature?
I turned my head expecting one of the two.
However, standing there was a figure with an expression so cold and composed it was terrifying.
The very essence of Al’shel, as I perceived it, was laid bare.
"Spatial expansion… coordinate randomization… time dilation… sensory deprivation…"
The small voice leaking from his mouth uttered words that lacked any consistency, as if he were merely trying to grasp the current situation.
After muttering about dozens of such terms, he finally spoke with a hint of humanity.
"Lee Ha-ram."
"What?"
"Please, never forget the fact that I am here."
"What are you talking about all of a sudden?"
How could I forget an octopus with a presence as strong as yours?
"I see why Zess didn't want to send me alone. This is a truly malicious place."
What is this guy talking about now?
"Explain it to me. Don't just keep it to yourself."
I'm notoriously weak in situations like this.
"It is a simple story. Zess said there was something dangerous here, but that was incorrect. This room is likely more peaceful than any other."
"And the reason?"
If I don't know the reasoning behind that conclusion, it's not something I can feel at ease about.
Knowing my luck, there’s bound to be a twist.
"To summarize, it is virtually impossible for the concept of 'someone' to exist in this place."
What kind of philosophical nonsense is this?
"You're here, and I'm here."
"Yes, that is true. That is why Zess sent the two of us together. Though, as always, she didn't bother to explain properly."
"Make it. Easy. To understand."
Stop beating around the bush. How many times do I have to tell you?
"It means this is a place where the position of an existence is defined by someone else perceiving them."
Huh?
"So… you're saying the moment I'm alone in this room, my existence itself is deleted? What kind of crazy talk is that? There's a limit to how broken a conditional instant-death skill can be."
Even the Curator, who messed with pseudo-Reality Manipulation and time reversal, didn't pull that kind of stunt.
"Of course, if one has a clear will and power, it is possible to maintain oneself… but this room has set numerous traps to block even that. An endless simplicity that makes you forget where you are. Discrepancies in the sense of time. Memory readjustment. Hallucinations. Auditory illusions. A full course of mental manipulation."
Right. He really is the same race as you.
In short, it means the entire room is covered in the same kind of pitch-black lasers you use.
"What sophisticated taste."
"It is not merely cruel. Once two or more people recognize each other, their coordinates are fixed. Even when alone, the force is applied gradually, giving one some time. I suspect it is a grace period intended to allow one to leave the room the moment they notice something is wrong."
Does that mean they had some conscience left, as expected of those who built the Demon Train?
To leave enough time for even a grave robber coming to defile their tomb to escape.
And the way to bypass the trap is a bit strange, but… whew…
"What do you want to do? Now that we know the trap, should we go get some more help?"
If being perceived by others is the means of protection, the more the merrier. We have Un-ho, and Grix too.
That way, even if something unexpected happens, someone will be able to perceive the others.
"No. Two is best."
"Why now?"
Based on your explanation, more people should be better.
"What do you think would happen if Un-ho and I were both here?"
"Uh… I'd think that you and Un-ho are both here?"
"Normally, yes. However, the moment you perceive us as a group rather than individuals, a problem arises."
Grin.
Al’shel smirked.
"Of course, it is not a concept that strips away one's ego, so even if you thought that for a moment, it would likely just end with our spatial coordinates overlapping…"
Wait… spatial coordinates overlapping?
"Are you saying you'd fuse together?"
Good god, a fluffy-haired, octopus-headed Al-Un-ho. The moment such a being was unleashed upon the world, I’d probably be judged for the crime of hastening the apocalypse.
"…Such a bizarre phenomenon won't occur. Simply put, the moment you overlap, your physical structures will fail and you will be torn apart."
Ugh. That’s better than Al-Un-ho, but it’s still pretty gruesome.
Still, I got the point.
"So we just have to wander around as a pair and find where your kin are buried?"
"In theory… yes."
Listening to Al’shel, I looked out over the vast, metallic landscape.
Over there, and right here. An infinite land where everything looked exactly the same.
"…Can we find it within thirty days?"
With the terrible penalty of having to stick by Al’shel the whole time?
"You need not worry about that. Perhaps to further disorient the mind, the flow of time inside here has been significantly slowed. In our case, the trap has actually become an advantage."
Al’shel spoke as if it were somewhat amusing, but a different thought dominated my mind.
In other words, even if it's an advantage for the plan, doesn't it mean I have to be stuck with this Al’shel guy for more than thirty days?
"…How about you go look with Un-ho instead of me?"
Since you're both from the Otherworld, it seems perfect.
And since this 'erasure of self-identity' thing seems to be modeled after the Otherworld anyway.
I'll just spend the remaining time cracking jokes with Zess.
"Regrettably, I do not believe Un-ho is the type of talent who would keep me in his thoughts constantly."
"Then what about Grix…?"
"Regrettably, he lacks the level of reliability that you possess, Lee Ha-ram."
Grit.
I clenched my teeth and threw my final card.
"Zess is…"
"Do you really think she would come?"
"…."
Even I didn't think she would.
Then, by process of elimination, I was the only one left.
"…How about we just give up on everything right now?"
"We cannot."
Fine.
* * *
How long had it been since we started walking through the grass?
Everything in this place seemed fixed; the sun, casting a twilight glow, hung over the horizon without moving an inch.
The wind also blew continuously from the same direction with the same intensity.
If it were at least hot or cold, the irritation might cause some emotional shift. But without even that, it was so peaceful it was agonizing.
"Is this what a peaceful hell is like…?"
I’d rather an enemy jump out at us.
"I was thinking the same thing…"
Al’shel replied in a weak voice, as if he were exhausted too.
I wanted to tell him not to bother if he was going to give such a useless answer, but this was the rule we had set.
To not forget each other. To answer no matter what the other person said.
Having acknowledged each other like that, I continued my thoughts, keeping the fact that Al’shel was there in a corner of my mind.
When I first arrived, I thought this place was modeled after the Otherworld, but experiencing it firsthand, it was something else entirely.
If the Otherworld is a place that makes you forget yourself and uses constant change to confuse you so you can't find yourself…
This is a place that forces you to constantly perceive yourself and others.
Without any change. Without any stimulation. Just… perceiving the other person.
"Are you still alive…?"
A sudden question.
"Yeah, I'm still alive…"
Following the rule, I threw the words back.
Right.
As long as we keep moving like this, it’s fine.
This place is different from the Otherworld.
There is a way to escape, and there is someone to interact with.
And there is a clear objective.
Finding The Tomb of the Star Race.
Whether it was buried somewhere in this grass, whether a building would suddenly appear, or whether some bizarre phenomenon would occur.
I knew nothing, but with that as my only goal, I continued to push through the grass and move forward.
"…Do you think Zess has ever seen The Tomb?"
"She had quite a few acquaintances, so she likely saw it at least once. Before things turned out like this, of course…"
"Then I should have asked her what it looks like…"
I wish there was some kind of marker.
"Given Zess's personality, she would have told you if you asked… but she's probably laughing right now, commemorating our suffering."
Hearing that, I imagined it for a moment.
Zess sitting in her chair, laughing joyfully as she thought of our misery.
I could imagine it so clearly that I let out a small laugh.
"That sounds exactly like her…"
"Doesn't it? Haha…"
Al’shel also laughed briefly, as if the mental image of her was funny to him too.
It was just a minor occurrence, but that laughter was good for bringing back my fading consciousness, and we continued to walk.
* * *
Again, how much time had passed?
The sun was still casting its twilight light.
Accordingly, the sharp sunlight continued to invade my eyes, but just as I was getting used to even that.
"Hey…"
The word suddenly escaped my lips.
"Yes…"
Hearing the even shorter reply, I continued to move my legs.
Really, how long had it been?
To keep perceiving the other person, I couldn't even sleep; I just moved my body like a machine.
Even the Otherworld gave me time to sleep, so what kind of mess was this?
I used to say I didn't need to sleep, but I regretted saying those words.
Even if my body didn't feel the need for sleep, as long as I had a human ego, I realized only now how precious it was to be able to rest my mind for a while.
I want to sleep.
The moment that thought occurred to me.
"…Should we take a break for a bit…?"
I tossed the question to my companion.
At this rate, I didn't think taking a break would change anything.
"…I don't think the will to start moving again would arise after resting."
I wanted to argue against Al’shel’s words.
But my inner self already agreed that he was probably right…
"…I want to disagree, but you're probably right."
Once this was over, this experience would likely be etched deeply into my brain.
Wandering through an infinite space without a single stimulus. Without a tangible goal in sight.
This, too, was a form of torture.
I’d heard on the internet that companies treat employees who want to quit like this.
I didn't know it would be this hard.
"…No sleep. No food. No water…"
"…I forgot to explain, but even those needs have been suppressed. A life-support spell is active."
Ah. Really? I just thought my body was exceptionally sturdy.
No wonder I had thoughts of food but didn't actually feel hungry.
"Gaaaaah."
Just as I was about to force my legs forward while letting out a bizarre groan.
Lust for blood.
I might have been dulled by this peace, but my combat-honed reflexes reacted to it.
I immediately leaped backward.
And then, a bronze giant appeared before my eyes.
A being with eight arms, holding numerous weapons.
Deva.
However, since it looked like a mannequin without detailed features, I didn't think it was the real person.
"What? Did you come to get revenge…?"
I threw those words out energetically, invigorated by the long-awaited stimulus.
"…."
The fake Deva remained silent and swung its weapons toward me.
"Hup."
It really is a fake.
Too slow.
I swung my hammer toward the being that was far too slow compared to the original.
Whoosh.
I expected the exhilarating sensation of The Hammer’s head connecting with the fake Deva as it cut through the air.
Whoosh.
"Huh?"
The bronze giant vanished from before my eyes without any warning, just as it had appeared.
What?
What just happened?
I pondered for a moment. And just as I was about to think deeper.
Ah. Right. Octopus Head.
"Hey. Al’shel. You there?"
No answer came back.
"…Stop joking around."
Still. Silence.
"Hey! Answer me!"
I looked around in all directions, searching for him.
But before me, there was only the infinite, empty plain.