Chapter 78: Song of the Faceless Ones (2)
Chapter 78: Song of the Faceless Ones (2)
Shatter.
Space began to crack.
The remnants of the shattered protection magic scattered over my body like shards of glass, the tiny fragments glowing and vanishing the moment they touched my skin.
As I took a single step forward, cracks began to spiderweb across the barrier that divided the world. Starting from The Hole I had forcibly breached, fine fissures spread rapidly in every direction.
Zzzzzzt.
Perhaps it was because so many vibrations overlapped, but the barrier let out a sound like the chirping of insects as it broke apart.
I didn't even need to swing my hammer. It was a barrier so fragile that I could break it just by walking through. It was almost laughable that I had been toyed with by such pathetic magic.
When I looked up, the culprit behind this entire situation revealed itself.
Collapsed buildings.
Evidence that humanity had once lived here.
Between the hideously twisted steel frames and concrete, I saw something interesting.
Steel wires were strung between the buildings, and laundry fluttered in the wind, draped over them.
Ruins and laundry.
Quite the stereotypical image, isn't it?
Proof that people still lived here.
"W-Who are you?!"
And, as if to support that thought, a human voice rang out.
As I thought, this was the work of humans.
"Otherworld Erosion. Bring out the one using it."
I turned my head and looked at them.
A gun made of living, pulsing red flesh; a bow and arrow fashioned from steel frames and vines; a plain-looking gun that spat green sparks like something out of a sci-fi movie.
The items they held were peculiar, but they were definitely human.
"...Identify yourself first!"
A man stepped forward and raised his voice—likely the leader.
As he walked out, I saw his hands tremble, the muzzle of the gun he had aimed at me dipping toward the ground.
Did he lack combat experience? It was a massive opening; if I were a villain here to attack them, I could have taken his head in an instant.
I watched him for a moment longer, but the muzzle remained unsteady.
No matter how I looked at them, they just seemed like civilians. Why did they trigger an Otherworld Erosion?
As I racked my brain over this incomprehensible combination, a single hypothesis came to mind.
"By any chance, do you know someone named Irua?"
The moment I spoke, they all lowered their weapons and stared at me blankly.
Was that a hit?
But the silence didn't last long.
"What is your relationship with Irua!"
Perhaps because his name had been mentioned, their hostility thinned for a moment, but they still seemed to perceive me as an enemy.
Well, beating up civilians isn't really my style, so I should play this normally.
"Irua, who was transporting supplies, got caught in your Otherworld Erosion and is currently rolling around on the ground. I'd appreciate it if you'd resolve this quickly."
That seemed to be the clincher.
The men, who appeared to be the guards of this district, lowered their guns and began to deliberate.
"What should we do?"
"Shouldn't we report to Sirin first? It's not for us to decide..."
"How do we know who that guy is?"
"Didn't you see earlier? He destroyed the barrier just by walking. We can't stop him anyway."
"He knows Irua's name. Maybe he's not hostile?"
They were trying to keep their voices down, but they couldn't fool my ears.
Regardless, based on their discussion, things seemed to be moving in a positive direction.
After about two or three minutes had passed...
"I'll ask one thing."
The man with the living gun, who had stepped forward first, questioned me.
"Anything, as long as you decide quickly."
The two back there would be fine even if left for hours, but I could tolerate a few more minutes.
"You said earlier that you were caught in an Otherworld Erosion... Is that true? Was an Otherworld Erosion deployed around here?"
Something was off.
"...Wasn't it you guys who deployed it?"
"I can't answer that. Answer the question."
"...Ha."
Thump.
I stomped the ground hard, pouring power into the stride.
Lowering my head once a day is more than enough.
"Was breaking through the barrier not enough for you? I could wipe you all out if I felt like it. Should I just kill everyone and find the one who caused the Otherworld Erosion myself?"
Just from me stepping on the ground, stone fragments fell from the top of a distant building, and nearby piles of rubble collapsed, sending thick clouds of dust billowing into the sky.
I heard people scream. Thinking I might have gone too far, I gave the ground one more short tap as a warning and then bolted the door on my emotions again.
"Now. Shall we talk again?"
Perhaps gripped by fear after facing such immense power, the men who had aimed their guns at me were all trembling, their muzzles pointed at the dirt.
Well, not all of them.
One man.
The one who held the living gun and had been speaking to me was watching me with an intrigued expression.
"Do you intend to do more?"
"...No. I'll stop."
He lowered his gun, extended his left hand toward me, and spoke.
"I am Resaku, the captain of the guard for this survivor settlement."
A left-handed handshake.
I glanced at his right hand and extended my own left hand.
"I am the Hero, Lee Ha-ram."
The brief handshake ended.
"Then, I'll ask again. Did you guys deploy the Otherworld Erosion? Or do you know something about it?"
"We didn't deploy it. However..."
"However?"
"I have an idea of who might have."
As he said this, he looked toward a certain direction.
"And I intend to guide you there now."
"You certainly made up your mind quickly."
If you'd done that from the start, I wouldn't have had to resort to threats.
I let my sarcasm fly with everything I had.
"This decision is unprecedented for us as well. We have no way of stopping you anyway, and if Irua is truly involved, we can't ignore it."
Whether he didn't catch the sarcasm or was simply ignoring it, he replied calmly.
"Good call. The sooner this ends, the better."
Well, regardless, it's not a bad thing that things are moving fast.
Even for me, having tentacles squirming around earlier was bad for my mental health; I can only imagine what Han A-bin and Irua are going through right now.
Urging the guard captain on, I followed him quickly through the ruins.
As we walked for a bit, the screams I had caused faded away, and various bright sights and sounds began to tickle my eyes and ears.
Children laughing as they had sword fights with steel rods. People standing in an orderly line in front of a tattered tent, chatting as they received rations of canned food.
These were all scenes of people living their lives.
I think I understand what Dong-hun meant now.
‘A Contaminated Zone is also a place where people live.’
Looking at these bright faces, it was an easy thought to have.
And at the same time, it was just as easy to see how impoverished they were. In a vacant lot I glanced at, I saw people mixing soil with flour.
"...Is our way of life strange to you?"
Perhaps my looking around bothered him, as the guard captain asked.
"Something like that. I'd heard stories, but I didn't know how you actually lived."
"'Heard stories,' huh? That's a bit strange."
He said that, then stopped walking and leaned his face toward mine.
"Why do you show no reaction to our appearance?"
Pain, hatred, and despair were mixed in his voice.
Perhaps all the emotions regarding everything they had endured were blended into his tone.
Bloodshot eyes glared at me.
He was demanding to know—why are you, why are you different from the others?
Give me the answer.
Unfortunately for him, that question wasn't very difficult for me to answer.
"Huh? What's the big deal about having a few tentacles on your face, three eyes, or an arm fused with a gun? One of my friends has a body that's literally made of tentacles."
He stared at me blankly, seemingly lost for words.
They're a bit different, but shall we try to find some common ground?
"How old do you think I am?"
"Ten... no, you wouldn't ask that. Twenty."
"I'm nearly fifty. My appearance is just as ruined as yours. So shut up and keep guiding me."
"...I can't believe it. Everyone said that at first. Even those bastards from the United Nations..."
Ah, so you have some emotional trauma? But what can I do? I didn't come here to persuade you.
"Whether you believe it or not is up to you. I don't have a shred of prejudice regarding looks, so just hurry up and keep leading the way."
"...There's no way..."
Ignoring him as he muttered something behind me, I stepped toward the direction he had been heading.
If I go ahead, he'll follow on his own.
"...Hey! Who told you to move as you please!"
As expected, after I'd walked a few steps, he came running toward me, aiming the gun attached to his hand.
"After you."
After stepping aside to let him lead, I continued to follow him.
Upward. Further up.
Taking stairs, climbing ladders.
He and I, walking through the concrete jungle, continued to head toward the top.
* * *
"We're here."
I looked around.
Atop a towering building, the only remaining skyscraper. In the middle of the void, where even the blue sky looked like a nauseating color due to the physical distortions unique to the Contaminated Zone.
"Who the hell lives in a place like this?"
Certainly not a normal person.
An ordinary person wouldn't reside in such a high place.
Even this guard captain fellow, who seemed relatively sturdy, took about ten minutes to climb up here.
I could understand if there was at least a decent building standing, but all I could see was a dilapidated military tent flapping in the wind.
"..."
While I was lost for words at the wretched sight, the guard captain just stood there, staring at me.
"...Can I go in?"
"As you wish."
He brings me all this way and then says 'as you wish'...
Since there was no other way anyway, I started walking toward the tent when a voice came from behind me.
"...If it's you, who didn't feel disgust even after seeing me, I suppose I don't need to worry, but..."
"If you have something to say, why don't you say it clearly?"
The entrance to the tent was right in front of me.
"...Please, don't have any prejudices."
"I'll consider it."
With that answer, I pulled back the fabric of the entrance and stepped inside.
Damp air, a dark room.
Feeling a strangely musty smell of mold, I walked forward.
"Don't you even treat your guests here?"
Of course, I was a trespasser, but wasn't I also a victim caught in the Otherworld Erosion? This was my right as a victim.
Perhaps responding to that boldness...
"I have been waiting for you."
A viscous voice rang out. When I turned my head toward the source of the voice, I saw something shimmering in the middle of the dark room.
"I see why that guy earlier told me not to have any prejudices."
"You are more composed than I expected, Lee Ha-ram."
Is there a reason I should be flustered?
For me, I'm more surprised by how you know my name.
"How do you know my name?"
"Because this district is in the palm of my hand. Every person. Every intruder. Even the Otherworldly beings. I can see and hear them all."
Total control over the entire area. This fellow is more impressive than I thought.
"Now, since you've asked a question, may I ask one as well?"
"As you wish."
I have things to think about too.
"Why... may I ask why you aren't surprised to see me?"
That's simple.
"Because I know someone who looks exactly like you. Though the gender seems to be different."
An Octopus Head with tentacles swaying here and there, and a slender human body attached beneath it. And that race-specific electronic wave that makes everyone around them feel unpleasant.
Definitely the same race as that guy.
Octopus Head is going to love this.
When he finds out his kin is in this world—and that she's female, no less.