Chapter 397: Looking Up at the Ground (3)
Chapter 397: Looking Up at the Ground (3)
Calavera was continuing his conversation with the body I had recovered.
Since I didn't possess the ability to hear the voices of souls, I had no way of knowing what kind of dialogue was passing between them. However, just by listening to the tone of Calavera’s voice, I could tell he was being remarkably considerate of the other party.
Based on the context, they were clearly exchanging words that had nothing to do with the information we were seeking. But since this was Calavera’s way of doing things, I waited in silence. Before long, a change occurred.
As Calavera stood up, signaling the end of the conversation, the corpse—which had been clumsily maintaining its shape as if in response—collapsed back onto the ground.
For some reason I couldn't quite grasp, I found myself staring blankly at the spot.
“…What the?”
I saw something unbelievable, and the words slipped out of my mouth instinctively.
At the final resting place where the body had crumbled—the proof that a person had once existed—a single light remained.
Regardless of the chaos surrounding it, a small light shone loftily in that spot.
As the sun rose, casting its brilliant glare down upon us, that small, weak cluster of light—which looked as though it might flicker out at any moment—was asserting its existence right there.
It held such a faint glow that it seemed impossible to even perceive within the greater light of the sun, yet the cluster began to defy the sunlight and soar toward the sky.
It was an incomprehensible phenomenon.
A light that weak should have been buried and rendered invisible by the sun’s rays.
Yet, as if proving it was truly there, the faint light ascended slowly, never losing its presence even against the backdrop of the sun.
I stared up at it, mesmerized, as if possessed.
Even though the thought crossed my mind that watching it was a waste of time because it rose so slowly, I couldn't tear my eyes away. I was captivated by that light.
A flurry of thoughts rushed through my mind.
What kind of person had they been?
Why had they acted that way, putting their trust in me?
What were they thinking in their final moments before they died?
Thoughts about the end of a person who had vanished so fleetingly.
And amidst those thoughts about a single life, another thought intertwined—one I couldn't explain, one I didn't know why I was having, and one that kept resurfacing no matter how hard I tried to push it away.
That light… I feel like I’ve seen it somewhere before.
It was a small, simple light.
Pure white, with nothing special about its hue. Its shape was exactly what one would imagine when thinking of a generic "small light."
That was why I tried to dismiss the thought.
But time and again, it flashed through my mind.
As if it were something important.
In the end, however, I failed to recall it. I simply watched until the particles of light vanished into the far reaches of the sky, beyond the limits of my vision.
Having seen the small light off on its long journey, I lowered my head.
“Can you see it?”
Calavera had approached me at some point and thrust his face close to mine as he asked the question.
“Whoa! Fuck! Dammit! What the hell?”
Startled by Calavera’s bizarre behavior, I jumped back and let out a string of curses.
Calavera didn't react to my swearing at all; he just stared at me intently.
“….”
Silence hung between us for about thirty seconds, his sharp gaze pinned on me.
Then, Calavera slowly moved his hand, pointing a finger to his right.
“Can you see them?”
At his question, I narrowed my eyes, wondering if there was something there.
But as expected, I saw nothing.
“There’s nothing there.”
“Hmm. You were chasing the soul with your eyes, so I thought you might have developed the talent, but I suppose not.”
Wait, what?
“I had a feeling, but… was that particle of light really a soul?”
No, seriously?
“It was a soul. And right now, there is another individual standing beside me. Though it seems you cannot see them for some reason.”
While I was reeling in shock at his words, Calavera naturally moved his hand and began shaking hands with something in the empty air.
Of course, since I couldn't see who he was shaking hands with, it just looked like Calavera was performing a pantomime.
But Calavera wasn't the type to joke about such matters. It seemed those particles of light really were a soul.
The fact that I could see a soul was theoretically understandable.
If I had gained the vision to see souls as a reaction to witnessing that strange Blue World, it would make sense.
Usually, with eyes that see such strange things, the first time is the hardest; once you’ve seen it once, it often becomes easier to see afterward.
This kind of "vision opening" phenomenon was a clear fact verified by the Management Bureau.
They said that once you see it, a new thought pattern for processing that information is formed.
Apparently, the way each person processes that specific information is so different that it’s impossible to standardize the data into a protocol.
Regardless, the existence of the phenomenon itself was a proven fact.
The problem was that while I could see the particles of light just fine, I couldn't see whoever was standing next to Calavera.
…What was the difference?
I stared blankly at Calavera as he continued his strange antics, trying to follow the logic.
Yeah, I have no clue.
That’s just how I am.
It felt like something important, but on second thought, it was probably a trivial phenomenon, and since I had no comparative data to verify it, I couldn't be sure.
Having reached that conclusion, I shoved the thought into a folder in the back of my mind labeled 'Bothersome Mysteries with Zero Solution' and spoke to Calavera.
“So, did you get the information?”
“He told me.”
Calavera was hunched over, drawing something strange on the ground, but he gave me a proper answer.
Setting aside his weird behavior, I was glad we got the intel.
I wouldn't have to call Prohibition.
What a relief.
“So, what did he say?”
“He didn't know who they were or where they fled, either. However, he did provide an answer to one question.”
Calavera paused, looking down at the ground, before straightening his back again.
“Why were all of their souls extorted? It was because of the drug.”
Calavera continued, brushing the dirt off his hands.
The content was quite shocking.
“…Drug?”
“Yes. A drug. He said that the more they took the medicine provided to them, the more violent his comrades became, and their thoughts turned extreme. He also said that at the moment of death, unlike himself, their souls were torn away to somewhere else.”
Calavera’s tone as he calmly delivered the information was still half-mechanical, but a dark emotion was etched onto his face.
…What the hell is that?
A drug that extorts your soul when you take it?
And it changes your personality?
“Don't they realize their personalities are changing? According to the Management Bureau’s records, these guys haven't even been settled here for more than a few months.”
Their personalities changed drastically in such a short time, and they didn't notice the side effects?
Startled, I asked him back quickly.
“He said only those who did not take the drug noticed. Those who took it supposedly harbored no doubts about it.”
If that information was true, this was incredibly dangerous.
It was dangerous enough that I wondered if we should go public with this information, even at the risk of exposing the existence of the Factory Deep Underground.
A drug that changes a person enough for even me to find it cruel, just by oral ingestion.
And even worse, the person taking it doesn't realize they are changing.
Perhaps the drug even has a mental manipulation effect.
An effect that destroys psychological autonomy, making them believe that whatever the Doctors who gave them the drug say is absolute truth.
The man who gave us the information couldn't have known everything.
He was just one person belonging to the organization.
So, it was highly likely he didn't know certain details.
Even if such an effect didn't actually exist and the drug only did what he described, it was still extremely dangerous, and the situation remained horrific.
What if that drug was spreading through the underworld?
If the Management Bureau was missing information on the drug just as they had missed information on the Doctors…
It was a worst-case scenario, but if it were true, the small risk of exposing the Underground Factory was no longer the priority.
Of course, the secret of the underground must never be revealed to the outside world, but failing to inform the Management Bureau because of that small risk would be a total failure of priorities.
The conclusion was reached. Now, it was time for swift action.
“Calavera! We’re heading back! We need to report to the Management Bureau immediately—”
I shouted and turned toward Calavera, but…
“Not yet.”
He was staring quietly at the ground, making no move to leave.
What do you mean, not yet?
We’re already running late as it is.
Anger flared at Calavera’s strange behavior, and I marched over to grab his arm.
“I don't know what you’re trying to do, but do it later. We have to warn the Management Bureau first—”
“I am going to summon an Ancestor.”
….
I stopped.
Because I knew exactly what the words coming out of Calavera’s mouth meant.
And only then did I realize what Calavera was doing.
The small skulls embedded in the dirt and the geometric patterns.
He had been preparing to perform this from the very beginning.
Calavera’s S-Rank Technique.
El Día de Muertos.
Summoning an Ancestor from the land of the dead.
Proof of the feat of resurrecting the deceased—something impossible for an ordinary necromancer.
Even though he couldn't communicate with the resurrected being, and it only lasted as long as Calavera’s power held out…
It was the only technique that made the resurrection of the dead—which every other necromancer declared impossible—at least unstably possible.
The problem was…
“This isn't a combat situation or a world-ending crisis. Do you think they’ll even answer the call?”
Calavera couldn't decide if the summoning would actually happen.
Calavera merely appealed to the land of the dead.
An appeal for them to lend their strength so that we might overcome the harsh present.
The quality and number of those who appeared in response to the appeal were extremely unstable.
Yet, Calavera had to pay the price regardless of whether the summoning succeeded.
First, a massive number of souls were required to reach the land of the dead.
That was already a heavy price, but the true cost of this technique came after its effects ended.
Having come into contact with death, Calavera must inevitably accept death himself.
Even if it was a false death rather than a true one.
A state of suspended animation where all healing is rejected due to the thick scent of death clinging to the body, and no one knows when he will wake up.
No one knew when he would wake, or if he would wake at all.
That was why, despite being usable whenever he had enough souls, the number of times he had used it was extremely low.
Calavera’s S-Rank Technique.
The fact that Calavera was saying he would use it now…
Was proof that he viewed the situation as even more serious than I did. I looked into his eyes and spoke.
“Is there any guarantee an Ancestor specialized in detection will descend?”
“Naturally, there is none.”
“Then let’s call Prohibition. She’ll be here in no time.”
“I cannot.”
“…Call the Management Bureau’s intelligence team. There’s a risk of exposing the underground, but we have to take that into account.”
“I cannot.”
“…Let’s use the treasure in The Core. I’ll handle the cost on my end.”
“I cannot.”
What do you mean, you can't?
“Are you really going to risk your life for something like this?”
“It is not 'something like this.' The mass extortion of souls is an act that must not be permitted. As a necromancer, I have a duty to stop it. And, I have prepared a safeguard.”
As he spoke, Calavera glanced down at his feet.
A skull much smaller than usual.
Perhaps he thought that since the scale of the summoning was small, the returning penalty would also be small.
Yes, that was likely true.
But even so.
Death is death.
The probability of returning might increase, but there was no guarantee he definitely would.
“You’ve picked the wrong place to risk your life, you crazy bastard.”
“It was you who said our lives are lighter than anyone else’s.”
I choked on my breath at Calavera’s words.
A single sentence that left me flustered.
My reaction to hearing it manifested as a moment of hesitation.
And in that brief moment of hesitation…
Vwooom.
Mana vibrated.
A white light began to spread outward from Calavera.
These were clusters of light with more mass than the soul that had ascended to the sky.
The souls Calavera possessed, visible even to eyes that couldn't normally see them, began to scatter in all directions, shedding light.
The activation of El Día de Muertos had begun.
It couldn't be stopped now.
A sudden activation, taking advantage of my brief moment of bewilderment.
There was nothing more I could do to interfere with this phenomenon.
So, I just stared blankly at Calavera.
At the bridge of pure white bone being formed by the gathering of countless lights.
I watched Calavera as he made his silent appeal toward the other side.
I etched the image of him—which might be for the last time—into my memory.
Right, he’ll come back.
I had worried every time he used it, but hadn't Calavera always returned?
Moreover, he wasn't using the technique with a desperate, life-or-death resolve this time.
So, let’s push the worry to later.
What was needed now was something else.
What I had to do now.
“Hey, you bone-headed moron!”
I shouted at Calavera.
With a voice that carried the hope that this wouldn't be The End for my friend.
“If you die, I’ll find a way to resurrect you just so I can send you to The Afterlife with my own two hands, so don't you dare die!”
Resurrecting the dead? I’d find a way.
I had a crazy necromancer inside me who could summon a literal hellscape.
If he died just to catch two mad doctors, I’d bring him back as many times as it took just to kill him myself.
At those words, Calavera, who had finished his appeal to the beyond, turned his head and reacted.
A slight smile.
Calavera said nothing.
He simply did what had to be done.
“Death is but a new beginning; I call upon the Ancestor who shall cross the bridge of bone from the land of the dead to watch over us!”
A small skull rose from the ground.
An Ancestor was rising.
Whether it would be a success, no one knew.