Chapter 562: Swaying Bodies [3]

The blade continued to press over my neck.

Everything happened so fast that I hardly had the time to react. But I was quick to snap out of it as I stared at the figure standing before me.

I recognized him with a glance. How could I not when he was one of the highest ranked Paragon’s participating in the Congress, and the person who ranked right after me during the First Trial?

"Are you not speaking?"

"...That’s not it."

The words flowed out of my mouth with unexpected ease.

"I’m just trying to process why you put your sword over to my neck."

"Didn’t I say why?"

Leon smiled, staring at the fog around us. After which, he returned his attention to me as his eyes gleamed.

"I felt a strange connection between the fog and you. Hmm. Wait..." He suddenly frowned, looking around. "How strange. I no longer feel that connection, but I’m almost certain that I did feel it."

My heart sank.

Something like this can be felt...? What sort of monster was this guy? Thankfully, I had already severed my connection with it.

Otherwise—

"Did you sever your connection with the fog?"

This guy...

"...I didn’t."

I continued to deny it.

Despite the sharp tip of his sword still resting over my neck, I maintained a strange cool as I continued to make eye contact with him. He looked back at me, and for just the briefest of moments, neither of us said a thing.

That was until a certain voice shattered the silence.

"Are you saying this bastard was the one controlling the fog?"

Oh, great...

I didn’t even look back.

"That would make sense. Things have been rather strange ever since he’s come."

"Oh?"

Leon raised his brow, shifting his attention towards Drake.

"Tell me more about it. What happened while he was with you?"

"One of our team members killed themselves. Or at least, that was how it appears to be, but I’ve got a nagging feeling that this guy is involved. There are just too many things that are suspicious about him."

"Is that so?"

Leon shifted his attention back to me, his lips pulling upwards slightly.

"Is there more?"

"He said that the reason for our team member killing themself is because of this place. That it slowly eats at your mind. Even now, I’ve not felt a single thing. I think he’s full of shi—"

"Well, I guess he’s cleared for now."

Contrary to everyone’s expectations, Leon removed the tip of his sword from my neck, putting it away as he looked around.

His sudden actions caused Drake’s face to stiffen slightly.

But before he could get any words out, Leon turned his attention towards me.

"I’ve noticed this as well. There’s something about this place that drives someone to commit things that they normally wouldn’t do. I’m not surprised that you’ve managed to figure this part out, considering your performance in the first trial."

"It wasn’t much."

I glanced to the side while answering. Without much needing to be said, Drake’s face was a piece of work at the moment. It looked like he had eaten a pile of shit.

I wanted to smile, but Leon’s next words prevented me from doing so.

"But that’s not all."

His words brought the attention of all back to him.

"While it is true that this place drives someone to kill themself, the most troublesome aspect of it all is that even if you kill yourself, you probably won’t realize it."

"What?"

Leon’s words made everyone pause, including me. As if sensing my shock, Leon smiled as he mumbled, ’So you weren’t able to notice this part, huh?’

He proceeded.

"It’s just like I said. Even if you end up dying, you’ll probably never notice it. You’ll keep following the group like nothing has happened, not even realizing that you’re already dead. You and your group will only realize this once you find your body, and by then, you’ll eventually disappear."

"How is that possible?"

Drake’s words came out rather loud as he found himself unable to hide his shock. I didn’t even blame him, for I was just as shocked as he was.

If what he said was true, then...

"Mhm."

Leon nodded.

"There’s a good chance that either one of us is already dead and we don’t know it yet."

The silence that followed the statement felt incredibly heavy. I wanted to deny his words. I could feel my nodes and my connection with the Conductor and the other anomalies. I was almost certain that I wasn’t dead.

But...

But what if...?

What if I had truly...

"There’s no need to be too shocked. This is merely something that I found out through some observation. I’ve experienced it myself, and what’s most surprising is that the person who is dead will have all of their abilities working without any issues."

"But if that’s the case, maybe they weren’t dead? Maybe—"

"No, they were dead."

Leon spoke over Drake.

Pausing for a moment, he tapped on his temple.

"...You see, I rarely get these things wrong. I’m certain about what I saw."

His words were met with silence. Drake wanted to argue further, but stopped himself.

For some reason, it felt hard to argue with him. His words sounded a little arrogant, but when taking into account just who was saying it, then he had the reputation to back up his statement.

And—

’I have a feeling that he’s not wrong. Especially after what I heard coming from the group from Melson Sanders. They did mention something about their group member being with them until they found the body.’

But that begged the question...

How would one know if they were dead or alive?

"Oh."

Suddenly, Leon’s head turned. Not long after, several figures began to appear through the mist, eventually arriving before Leon. Wearing the same crisp uniform as him, they all lined up in front of him without making a single sound.

’Looks like his team members are here.’

Leon looked at his team.

"Have you found anything?"

"Nothing."

A man stepped forward. He had a rather long nose, while his dark hair was neatly parted to the side. Although he wasn’t a Paragon, I had an idea of who the man was. He was rather famous.

"Mhm."

Leon looked at the group.

Then—

Swoooooosh!

In a motion my eyes couldn’t follow, he slashed in the direction of the one who had spoken, severing their neck at once. The expressions on everyone’s faces changed drastically, everyone’s body tensing at once.

"What?!"

"Squad Leader...!?"

"Y-you...!"

But not me.

Looking at him and then the severed head, I noticed something.

His calmness.

It was a little too strange.

And sure enough.

"I guess that proves it, huh."

He smiled, lifting his head to look at me while my gaze remained fixed on the head as it slowly merged with the fog, gradually disappearing.

"Would’ve been really embarrassing if I got that wrong."

He laughed.

But his laugh didn’t make me or anyone smile.

All I felt were chills.

"You really can’t tell the difference between someone who is dead or who is alive. They’re almost identical. I’m glad that I was right. But..."

As his laughter died down, his gaze scanned over our group.

The chills that I felt intensified.

"...I wonder just how many of you are truly alive."