Chapter 619: Big Fan [1]

To be honest, I didn’t think much when I grabbed the nurse by the neck and pulled her back. I only wanted answers, to understand what was going on, but the moment I did, my gaze shifted forward, and I found myself staring at two people ahead of me.

"Hm? You guys are not gone...?"

With everyone else gone, I had expected them to disappear as well, but it seemed they had remained.

Strange...

"What are you doing? Why are you...?"

"Oh, this?"

I looked at the nurse in my grasp.

"I believe she knows what is happening. I’m just trying to get some answers from her. Don’t mind me too much."

Although I said this, I was a little worried now. This woman in my grasp knew a little bit too much. I didn’t want her to say something that would implicate me.

Furthermore—

’She’s surprisingly calm despite being in my grasp.’

This didn’t give me a good feeling.

"Okay, I’ll ask quickly since I don’t know if we have much time. What is going on at the moment? Why is everyone gone? What are you planning on doing? Why did you..." I looked ahead and lowered my voice a little, "...kill the Matriarch."

"....."

Silence followed after my questions, the nurse’s head lowering.

I tightened my grip on the back of her neck, pulling her face closer as I considered using the Conductor’s skill to force her to speak. But the moment I caught a glimpse of her face, my expression froze as it began to melt, sliding off her head in a slow, unnatural way.

What the...

"Seth?!"

"Seth...!"

Right after that, I heard Rowan and Zoey shout from behind me, their voices low but urgent as they turned their attention past me, their bodies already moving as if to react to something.

I didn’t even hesitate, swinging the nurse’s body behind me as a large shadow cast over the area I was in.

Then—

BANG!

Blood splattered in every direction as the nurse’s body burst apart, fragments scattering across the floor. In the aftermath, a large silhouette stood revealed behind it, its form looming in the dim light.

’...Shit.’

Standing in the dim light, the creature was difficult to make out, its form blurred by the shadows. Still, there was something about its presence that made it clear it was powerful, and I found myself trying to rationalize the situation as quickly as I could.

’An anomaly. That’s no doubt an anomaly. And given how there’s nobody here, is it possible that I’m inside a Gate?’

No, that wouldn’t make sense.

If I were inside a Gate, I would’ve gotten a system notification.

’Whatever the case is, I can’t make out what sort of anomaly I’m dealing with. The best move would be to run and gather more information on it.’

As of right now, it wasn’t attacking me. It just stood still in the dim lighting, seemingly waiting for something. Maybe sound? Did it react to sound? No...

That didn’t seem to be it.

Then...?

"Why is it not attacking?"

Before I knew it, Zoey and Rowan were at my side, both of them staring at the looming anomaly, their bodies tense and ready.

"I knew something was wrong the moment there was no one left, but... There doesn’t seem to be any signal. I can’t get in touch with anyone."

Tapping the back of her phone, Zoey looked in my direction.

"What the hell is going on? Do you have any idea?"

"I don’t..."

At least, I wasn’t certain.

I knew that this had something to do with a cult or something of the sort, but I wasn’t certain. And that was the problem.

But that wasn’t the most pressing matter.

"I’d say that we should deal with the anomaly ahead of us before thinking about anything else."

Zoey and Rowan tensed further, their focus locking onto the anomaly. Yet even as the three of us stood ready, bracing ourselves for whatever it might do, it didn’t move. It simply remained there, staring at us from a distance, its stillness more unsettling than any action.

’Why is it not moving? Should I attack first...? But I don’t think I’m strong enough to deal with it. Maybe... Should I find some time to run? Should I use the Realmwalker as a meatshield? I mean, it deserves it after what it did to me back then. Hmm, no wait... Zoey and Rowan are here. I can’t expose the Realmwalker.’

Hmm.

This was a rather problematic situation.

As my mind raced, trying to make sense of the situation, something shifted.

Click! Click!

A low clicking sound echoed through the surroundings, spreading in all directions. My head immediately shifted upwards, focusing on a certain black box.

The speakers?

—...Ehm.

A low coughing sound echoed a few moments later, and my expression shifted slightly.

—Check one, two. Check... Check.

The soft voice echoed again, this time louder, as if the very air around us had begun to shift.

—Alright, it looks like everything is working.

The voice sounded happy.

—Honestly... I didn’t expect such

special guests

to find their way here tonight. I do apologize... for not welcoming you

personally

... but you see, that becomes rather difficult... when our guests haven’t been... especially friendly.

The voice appeared to be directed towards me as I continued to stare at the speaker.

’Is he the cult leader... or someone else? If he’s communicating through the comms, then he should be in the communication room. Should I head there...? No... I can tell the anomaly will move the moment I do.’

—Well, I’m a rather nice person, so I won’t blame you too much for what has happened. In fact, I’m rather happy that someone as esteemed as you has come to visit us, Mr... Mad Crown was it?

I didn’t know if the one speaking could see us, but I could almost picture the expression he wore as he spoke through the comms. He was definitely smiling, wasn’t he?

I wanted to smile too, but his next words made it impossible for me to smile.

—Your performance was truly outstanding. To be honest, even I felt shivers when I witnessed your final moments. It takes a certain kind of person to achieve something like that, but...

The voice paused, the air suddenly feeling thicker.

—Compared to your performance in Malovia, I feel like it’s still quite lacking.

"....."

Ba... Thump! Ba... Thump!

A loud, rhythmic thumping echoed in my chest.

Don’t tell me..

—Ah, honestly... That was truly your best performance by far. It’s what made me into such a big fan of you!

The voice almost squealed at the end, the pitch rising with barely restrained excitement.

I could feel Zoey and Rowan’s heads turning in my direction.

I swallowed quietly, looking at the comms.

’He’s probably talking about my actions at the end. After all, that was the point where I first became famous. That’s probably what he’s talking about...’

—The way you killed so many p-

Flick!

Without hesitation, I cut off the communications using Mr. Jingles. I hadn’t even realized my breathing had grown heavier until then. Turning my head, I looked at Rowan and Zoey, both of them clearly confused.

Zoey’s lips opened, "What was he talking about...? Se—"

"Ehm! E-ehm..."

My entire body froze as I turned, my gaze locking onto the distant anomaly.

Its arm lifted, not smoothly. Joint by joint. As if it were remembering how a human body was meant to move.

Its hand reached its mouth, and it cleared its throat.

"As... I was saying, ehm..."

Its voice was broken, brittle, as if it might crack apart at any moment.

But I could hear it.

We could hear it.

And as it opened its mouth again, my expression changed.

"I’m a big... fan."

Its lips pulled into a smile.

One that made my stomach churn for the first time in a while.

"M-r... Jester. I’m a big... fan."