Memorize

It was likely that we had already entered the ruins of the laboratory the moment we stepped through the entrance. However, looking around, it was difficult to tell whether we were still within the forest or standing before the laboratory itself.

Rather than clearing the forest to make way for construction, it seemed the building had been designed to minimize damage to the surrounding nature. Perhaps because of this, the ruined laboratory gave off an atmosphere akin to a natural fortress.

Ahead, a tightly shut iron door came into view. Without a word, as if drawn by some unseen force, the group began walking toward it.

As I pushed against the massive-looking door, rust flaked off in clumps, scattering to the ground. Along with it, an unpleasant creaking sound echoed through the air. I left the door open just wide enough for a person to pass through and took a step inside.

And then—

The moment the others followed me in, they all stopped in their tracks, holding their breath at the sight before them.

"…The light magic is still active?"

"It's not perfect. Judging by how it flickers intermittently, it's nearly at the end of its lifespan. More importantly, Su-Hyeon…"

At Jung Ha-Yeong's explanation, I snapped out of my thoughts and turned my attention forward once more.

A wide, white corridor, reminiscent of a hospital hallway. Faintly glowing light stones still clung to the walls, struggling to maintain their illumination. Yet, time had taken its toll—the entire laboratory was visibly aged and crumbling. The eerie chill in the air made the others huddle closer to me.

Then, it happened.

"…Huk… Huk…"

A faint, weak voice.

It came from a little distance away, but it was unmistakably human.

The group fell silent. The hallway was deathly still.

I wasn't the only one who had heard it—everyone's faces had turned stiff with unease.

"…Oppa, could it be like last time…?"

At Yun-Jung's uneasy voice, I shook my head.

It wasn't a Lamic.

Spreading my senses forward, I detected the presence of a humanoid figure. However, something about it felt… off. Subtly but unmistakably alien.

After a brief moment of hesitation, I decided to move forward. Standing here forever wasn't an option—getting closer was the only way to find out the truth.

I felt someone gripping the hem of my clothes tightly from behind, but I took the lead and began advancing, step by step.

"Huk… huk… are you…?"

The hallway stretched on endlessly, a single long passage enclosed by aged, rusted walls.

As I moved forward, the weak voice became clearer.

"Huk… huk… you've come?"

Huk. You've come.

Now that I was closer, I could finally make out the words. A trembling, sob-like voice. And yet, despite the meaning of the words, the tone carried no trace of welcome—only a chilling hostility.

A little more. Just a little more.

Even though I hadn't said anything, the group behind me was visibly tense.

I could tell from the way they had already drawn their weapons, eyes locked ahead in wary anticipation. They were scared—terrified, even.

This was a fear born not from an immediate, physical threat but from something far deeper—psychological terror. The kind that unsettled the mind and gnawed at the soul. It was the same fear that gripped people when watching horror films back on Earth—an instinctive, primal reaction to the unknown.

Of course, I was an exception.

Having plunged into the depths of Hall Plain on my first time, most ghosts and grotesque creatures barely fazed me anymore. Compared to what I had seen back then, this was… almost amusing.

But even so, just recalling that past sent a faint chill down my spine.

The moment my expression stiffened at the memory, I could feel the unease in my companions intensify. They must have misunderstood my reaction, but I had no time to explain.

Step by step, I continued closing the distance toward the source of the voice.

And then—

At last, we could see it.

A vague figure, barely visible under the flickering lights, kneeling silently in the corridor.

There was still some distance between us, but in that dim, unreliable light, the silhouette was unmistakable.

And at that very moment—

A pair of arms wrapped tightly around me from behind.

"Sol?"

"Don't… go…."

"Sol, calm down."

Sensing something was wrong, An-Hyun quickly stepped in to console Sol, but her trembling only grew worse.

No, this wasn't just simple whining.

At this rate, she might go into a full-blown panic attack. Without hesitation, I placed my hand on her head and channeled my mana.

"Ah…"

As my energy seeped into her, I could feel the rigid, frozen flow of her own mana.

Slowly, carefully, I enveloped it with warmth, soothing and untangling the knots.

Little by little, her body began to respond. I didn't stop—I kept focusing, kept calming her down.

Finally, a bit of color returned to her pale cheeks.

But the fear still lingered.

She didn't let go of me.

For a moment, she simply held on, letting my mana circulate through her. Then, her trembling voice broke the silence.

"…Such immense malice… It's just… so blind…."

Everyone frowned at her words.

They didn't understand.

Even Sol herself seemed desperate to explain but couldn't quite find the right words.

Only Jung Ha-Yeong remained an exception.

"I feel the same," She said. "Mages and priests are naturally sensitive to the flow of souls and minds. And that figure ahead… it's overflowing with pure resentment. Honestly, I even feel like shuddering."

At Ha-Yeong's explanation, Sol frantically nodded.

Shin Sang-yong seemed to share their sentiment as well.

An-Hyun, though less aware of the specifics, was clearly uneasy—his hesitant steps betrayed his discomfort.

Watching them, I spoke in a calm, almost casual voice.

"It's still just another monster within Hall Plain. In the end, we have no choice but to move forward. Don't be afraid. Let's get a little closer."

And then—

"O…ra…beo…ni…."

"O-Oppa…."

And then—

—Shrrrk.

The sound of something shifting against the floor.

Before we could react, the figure twitched.

A single, unnatural movement.

At that instant, an overwhelming, suffocating sense of dread flooded the air.

Yun-Jung and Sol had been staring at me with pleading eyes moments ago, but now, gripping their weapons with stiff, resigned hands, they simply braced themselves.

The arms that had been holding onto me loosened, and once again, we advanced.

And as the distance between us and the figure shrank, its presence—both the eerie voice and its unsettling form—became clearer.

The figure, at a glance, appeared human.

A long, white lab coat draped over its frail frame—aged, faded, and tattered.

Long, unkempt hair spilled down its back, tangled and lifeless.

Kneeling, its back turned to us.

From our position, all we could see was the back of its head.

Then, just as we drew close—

The sobbing stopped.

Abruptly.

As if it had never been there in the first place.

An icy silence fell between us and the figure.

No one dared to breathe too loudly.

I stepped forward, placing a hand on my sword as I subtly signaled to the others. Then, in a calm but firm voice, I spoke.

"Are you someone connected to this laboratory?"

"..."

No response.

I tightened my grip on the hilt, exchanging a glance with the group.

Then—

A whisper, barely above a breath, drifted through the stagnant air.

"…How… did you… come here…?"

The moment before a battle, when every nerve in your body is on high alert, when the anticipation coils like a spring—that was the moment the voice reached us.

It made us freeze.

Someone behind me swallowed audibly.

I maintained a composed expression as I replied,

"We came across this place by chance. But if you can speak, we hope you'll answer our questions. Who are you?"

Silence.

Then—

"…How… did you… come here…?"

The exact same words.

The exact same tone.

A hollow, monotonous echo, like a broken record.

The repetition sent a shiver through the group.

I exhaled slowly and sharpened my voice.

"If you continue to avoid answering, we will consider you a clear enemy and act accordingly. This is your last chance. What is your connection to this laboratory?"

Silence.

A stillness so deep it gnawed at the mind.

And then—

"This place..."

—Crack!

A sickening snap. The figure's neck twisted unnaturally.

"How..."

—Crrrack!

Was that the sound of bones grinding against each other?

The neck bent even further, halfway to snapping.

"Did you come here?"

—Crunch!

With one final grotesque noise, the neck twisted a full 180 degrees.

Though its body remained kneeling, its head was now completely reversed—facing us.

And only then did we finally get a good look at its face.

Hollow, lifeless eyes.

A sunken nose, barely more than a cavity.

Loose, rotting gums where teeth should have been.

A nightmarish, skeletal visage—one that could only be described as a ghost.

And from that twisted face, malice oozed like a thick, suffocating fog.

"Kyaaaaaah!"

Sol finally snapped.

She screamed.

Behind her, Yun-Jung hurriedly clamped a hand over her mouth, trying to stifle the noise.

All around me, I could hear my companions' breaths growing erratic, shaky.

They were terrified.

And the figure—it knew.

As if reveling in our fear, it began tilting its head back and forth.

Then, suddenly—

Its vacant eyes curved into eerie, crescent slits.

And it laughed.

"Hihihi! How did you come here? Hihihi! Hihihihihi!"

"Su-Hyeon!"

At the sight of the hysterically cackling figure, some of the group fell into outright panic.

They couldn't handle the psychological terror.

Jung Ha-Yeong's desperate cry rang out, just as the hallway's light stones began flickering violently.

Darkness.

Pitch-black void.

And then—flashes of dim, unstable light.

Like a dying fluorescent bulb, the stones flickered erratically, casting brief glimpses of the corridor.

And in those fleeting moments of illumination—

The figure moved.

Each time the lights blinked on, its posture had changed.

First, it rose.

Then, it dangled its limbs.

Then, it thrashed wildly.

And then—it charged.

Like a series of still images stitched together, its movements were disjointed, unnatural.

It was like watching an old slideshow.

Click.

Click.

Click.

Each flicker of light brought it closer.

And then—

It lunged.

Its gaping maw opened unnaturally wide, rushing straight toward me.

Without hesitation, I extended my right hand.

Something sharp clamped down on my palm.

The sensation was… off.

Not human teeth.

Something beast-like.

But I had no time to think.

Gripping its jaw tightly, I squeezed.

"Gkk! Kkkeeeeeek!"

"Light!"

The sound of something ripping echoed through my fingers.

At the same moment, Jung Ha-Yeong's magic erupted—flooding the hallway with brilliant white light.

The sudden brightness banished the suffocating darkness, revealing everything.

Exhaling, I turned my gaze back to my companions.

They were all frozen, weapons drawn, staring at me like they were ready to attack.

I raised an eyebrow.

"...What, is this a betrayal?"

I joked lightly, hoping to ease the tension.

And only then—did they react.

"H-Huh? No, I swear, that ghost was just—"

An-Hyun, who had been frantically looking around, finally focused on my hand—and froze in shock.

I let out a quiet chuckle and casually dropped the object I was holding.

Clatter.

A severed jawbone tumbled to the ground, rolling across the dusty floor until it came to a stop—right in front of the figure.

The creature, now lying on the ground, clutched its own mutilated mouth, trembling.

My companions stared at me in utter disbelief.

I simply shrugged, then crouched down, eyeing the creature with amusement.

The once-menacing figure, which had dramatically charged at us just moments ago, was now writhing in agony, its body convulsing.

See? This is what happens when you try too hard to act scary.

It was just a monster, nothing more.

And for daring to frighten my precious Gold and Silver (Kumdong and Eundong), I might've been a little rough with it.

But honestly? I didn't feel guilty at all.

Wiping the dark red blood off my hand onto its tattered gown, I finally took a moment to examine it properly.

Yeah, it looked grotesque.

But compared to the things I saw?

This was nothing.

"Sshhh... eeee..."

A pitiful, deflated wheeze escaped from the creature's mouth.

I ignored it.

There was only one thing I wanted.

Information.

Reaching out, I grabbed a fistful of its long, tangled hair and yanked its head up.

The once-aggressive monster weakly followed my pull, its hollow eyes unfocused, its broken mouth hanging open.

I tilted my head slightly, looking down at it with a gentle smile.

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