Chapter 443: Proof of Existence (31)

0% It had been several days since our last encounter.

Perry looked just about the same. His robust physique appeared refreshed, seemingly untouched by fatigue, and his skin was so flawlessly clear that it made him look as if he’d just returned from a leisurely vacation.

But one thing was unmistakably different from before.

His face was so parched, it bordered on desolate.

The man standing before me now wore a countenance cracked like parched clay deprived of all moisture. The cause, however, required no probing; it was obvious.

Engraved upon the young merchant’s body was a mark of a pact with the Dark Order.

His voice, devoid of inflection, greeted me.

“Young Master Ian, have you ever heard the saying? That a dreadful premonition always proves correct…?”

Awkwardly, Ria dragged herself backward on her hips. As she drew near me, tears welled up in her eyes. Her slender fingers, trembling violently, soon pointed straight towards Perry.

Then, a desperate, tear-soaked plea burst forth from her lips.

“O-Oppaaa… Hic! T-That man… something’s off about him. He’s not human… He’s a monster!”

I chose to remain silent instead of answering.

All I did was fix my hollow gaze on Perry’s back.

His eyes were locked onto the blood-red sun hovering in the sky, as if he were an artist gazing reverently upon the masterpiece of his lifetime.

Whether Ria burst into tears or not, the man showed not the slightest concern.

If anything, Perry’s tone grew even more relaxed as he continued to speak to me.

“I had my suspicions, and it turns out I was right. Everything lined up just a little too perfectly. You joined our caravan on purpose, then split from the group at just the right moment…”

“You noticed?”

“To an extent.”

His emotionless gaze flicked back over to me. His pupils were now devoid of light, making it abundantly clear that he was no longer in a normal state of mind.

I’d seen eyes like those before.

It was the same vacant look I’d witnessed when one of the faceless assailants who’d ambushed me and the Saintess in the city became possessed.

Realizing this, I furrowed my brow slightly.

I had expected this, but that didn’t make it any less unpleasant.

“……Seems like we’ve met before.”

At my words, a dry chuckle rasped from the man’s throat.

His voice held not a speck of any emotion–calling it noise would be more fitting than a chuckle.

“Of course. You have no idea how long I’ve been watching you.”

As he slowly turned to face me, Perry began to speak with a mocking edge in his voice.

“I didn’t expect we’d be speaking again so soon… Ah, I never did introduce myself, did I?”

“Were you watching me even back then?”

I didn’t bother responding to his words. I just simply pressed on with what I wanted to know.

Perhaps taken aback by my abruptness, the man stared at me, visibly dumbfounded.

Regardless, I pressed on.

“Back in the city–you kept staring at me, didn’t you?”

“Aha, you mean then? Of course I did.”

He gave an exaggerated shrug, his tone as theatrical as that of an actor on stage.

“Was my gaze a bit too intense? Hahaha, I hope you’ll understand… Not that it matters much now, does it?”

Immediately after, his lips twisted into a cruel smile, then–

Snap.

With the flick of his fingers, all light and sound vanished in an instant.

But it lasted only a moment.

WOOOOOOOO

A low, mournful sob-like sound tickled my ears. The soft, yet ominous sound brushed past my eardrums, and then, just as suddenly, the light returned.

In that brief span, the scenery around us had changed dramatically.

Dozens of dark shadows were now staggering upright all around us.

And yet, neither I nor any of my companions showed the slightest hint of panic.

Only Ria, terrified, clung to the hem of my pants and whimpered.

“O-Oppaaa…”

One by one, the shadows that had stepped on the ground began to assume forms of blood and flesh. Their crushed features and grotesquely wrinkled skin unmistakably revealed them as the ‘Faceless assailants.’

No wonder I hadn’t felt their presence earlier.

With their true nature being mere shadows, of course I wouldn’t detect the breath of a living being from them. I almost let out a bitter chuckle at the secret that had finally come to light.

Perhaps he was satisfied by finally eliciting some reaction from me…

A flicker of emotion stirred awkwardly on Perry’s face. The thrill washing over him twisted the man’s facial muscles into a grotesque grimace.

Then, he bent himself at the waist with an exaggerated bow–a gesture whose mocking intent was obvious at a glance.

“To commemorate this rare encounter, I’ve prepared a simple game. The conditions… let’s see. How about you find my main body hidden among these puppets?”

“Your main body?”

“Yes. As you can see, I can freely control these puppets. Meaning, I can move through these dolls as I please. But of course, a game isn’t fun without a prize…”

Clap.

The moment his palms met, another anomaly occurred.

Fwoosh–as the lights flickered back on, the blood-red sun began to stretch its tentacles between them. A low, droning hum started vibrating through the air, laced with faint, agonized screams.

AAAGHHH! UGH! AAAAAHCK!

These weren’t just random noises.

The voices formed a strange sort of rhythm. A majestic, strangely upbeat, yet sinister melody filled the darkened room.

It was revolting.

Creating music from agonized cries.

Against the backdrop of this horrifying symphony, blood-red tentacles emerged.

Bursting forth from the blood-red sun, the tentacles swiftly wrapped around the body of an unconscious girl. Soon, the grotesque creature cocooned the girl’s body and began to pulsate ominously.

“How about using this girl as the prize? Either way, it’ll make for an interesting wager. If you’re quick enough, you might save her life. But even if you end up being far too late…”

Kuk kuk kuk, a sneering laugh slipped from the man’s lips.

“…she’ll be a marvelous gift. That, I guarantee.”

“So, do we start right away?”

Despite his blatant provocation, my voice remained perfectly calm.

Apparently, Perry didn’t like that at all as he clicked his tongue in annoyance, but there was nothing he could do. He simply sighed and shrugged his shoulders.

“Huuu, you’re surprisingly dull, aren’t you? Doesn’t this thrilling wager excite you even a bit? Fine then, let’s get started–!”

Whack.

Before he could even finish his words, my kick made contact with something. An unidentified figure flew through the air, and the man’s wide eyes fixed on me.

It was a complete surprise attack.

No one dared speak. Except for the figure sprawled on the ground, groaning.

Only after several seconds did the silence finally break.

As fragmented words spilled out from Perry’s throat.

“You… what are you…?”

“Didn’t you suggest the bet? ‘Finding your main body,’ wasn’t it?”

Saying that, my indifferent gaze shifted to a specific point–towards the girl gasping for breath, sprawled on the ground after receiving my unexpected kick.

Her golden eyes, clouded with disbelief, stared straight at me.

Perhaps the sudden blow had been too much–her hand trembled as it clutched her abdomen. Tears welled up and slipped through the corners of her tightly shut eyes as she writhed in agony.

Hah… heuck…

Having been struck in the abdomen, even her breathing was ragged. No matter how much she tried to steady herself, the pain refused to subside.

It was a heartbreaking sight.

At least, it would have been until recently.

“…Am I wrong?”

“H-How…”

Panting, Ria spat out a voice filled with resentment and betrayal.

Her hand, pressed to the ground, clenched tightly, leaving smears of blood on the floor. Blood was flowing out heavily from between her broken fingernails.

Tears pooled in the girl’s golden eyes.

Drip, drip.

Each tear that fell landed with a sorrowful, final sound.

As if she couldn’t understand, a choked sob spilled from the girl’s lips.

“How…?”

It was the reaction of someone confronted with a reality they simply could not believe.

Though my heart wavered for an instant, I quietly endured.

The girl’s bloodied fist repeatedly struck the ground with dull thuds.

“How, how, how, how, how… Howwwwww…!”

Crying, sobbing.

The girl screamed, her voice filled with anger and despair, resentment and self-blame.

When her cries eventually muffled to the point where even her breathing became faint,

The trembling that had shaken her pale shoulders finally eased, and she slowly began lifting her head.

And the moment our eyes met–

As if I’d expected this outcome, I couldn’t help but smile bitterly.

“…How did you know?”

With a wickedly mischievous grin, the girl traced the corner of her mouth upward with her index finger.

Leaving a chilling, blood-red arc in its wake.

“Ehe.”

Then letting out a sweet giggle that was entirely out of place.

She winked playfully, poking her tongue out slightly–a gesture overly whimsical for this situation.

At that moment, I thought:

Today’s battle was going to be a tough one, after all.

The hands of fate had begun to move once more.