Chapter 7: (beggining of nightmare of being hunt)
I hurried back to the house, the sunset bleeding across the horizon. My footsteps echoed unevenly on the path, my breath was short and heavy. Something was following me. I couldn't see it, couldn't sense it—but the feeling of being chase by SOMEONE/SOMETHING won't get away.
"System," I said between breaths. "Locate the entity."
[ SYSTEM RESPONSE ]
Scanning surroundings...
Analyzing mana flow...
Warning: Unknown interference detected.
Result: Unidentified presence detected.
Entity classification: Unknown.
Location: Unlocated.
"what do you mean unknown and unlocated? Do your job as a system to help!" I muttered, glancing behind me. Nothing—just the wind, trees and grass.
By the time I reached the house, the last line of sunlight was fading behind the trees. "Finally... I'm home."
The instant I stepped through the door, the sound of footsteps stopped. The night became too quiet.
Outside, the ironbeaked quails were still wandering around the floor like fools, bumping into walls and pecking the air. Their cage was cracked open at the side.
I head inside the house and leaned back against the solid wall, my body feels heavy. The surrounding was quiet, the night deep, and soon my consciousness slipped away.
Then once again the strange dream began.
I was running barefoot through the forest, the ground cool and damp beneath my soles. Trees loomed tall around me, their shadows keep twisting under the moonlight. My breath came out in white puffs. There is... somone watching.
In front of me, was a shadowy figure wearing a white smile. It was holding an old bow, the same bow in the old pillars where the statues carrying.
The shadow drew the bowstring tight, then the arrow snapped free.
twang!!!
And everything went white as it pierced through my forehead.
I woke up gasping for air. My chest feels tight. My body is shaking uncontrollably. It was far worse than before.
⟦ SYSTEM ALERT ⟧
> [Owner, are you ok?]
"Ha… ha… ha… it hurts…" I pressed my hand against my forehead, half expecting to feel warm blood seeping through my fingers. But there was nothing—only sweat.
Then came the sound.
Footsteps. Slow. Uneven. Right outside the door.
"System," I whispered, reaching for the sword beside the bed. My fingers wrapped tightly around the handle. "Who's outside?"
⟦ SYSTEM RESPONSE ⟧
> Scanning…
—
Result: Unknown presence detected.
Data unavailable.
"No idea, once again huh…" I muttered, eyes fixed on the door.
The air grew heavy. My heartbeat synchronized with the faint tapping outside. I waited—every second, i kept staring, waiting for the handle to move… for something to enter.
But nothing did. Not until the middle of the night.
And in that moment, I finally understood why William Vixxon always had that design on his character—a tired, lifeless expression. It was because of nights like these.
I started to feel fatigue. My eyelids started to shut, my grip on the sword hand loosened, and just for a second—I fell asleep again.
But the strange dream came instantly.
Dark figures—humanoid shadows—lunged from the dark forrest. Then suddenly a cold blade pierced my chest. The sensation was disgustingly hurt. I jolted awake again, clutching at my chest.
"Ha...ha... this is the worst night I've ever experienced in my entire life" I said through gritted teeth, the pain still fresh but no wound can be traced in my chest.
Then—footsteps again. But more this time. Two… maybe three. Moving just beyond the door.
"System!" I hissed. "Do you have nothing? Not even an idea what those things outside!?"
⟦ SYSTEM RESPONSE ⟧
> Attempting reanalysis…
—
Result: No data.
Entity classification: Unidentified.
The sound outside suddenly stopped.
The silence that followed was scarier than I expected.
Because, just as my nerves finally began to settle, a soft knock tapped against the window. Then—without warning—a spear ripped through the wooden frame, shattering it apart and driving deep into the mattress. It was the same as in my first dream after coming here… the one where I was stabbed in the eye.
Through the cracked wooden window, I finally saw it— a tall, dark shadowy humanoid figure standing perfectly still. Its face wasn't a face at all, just a white, painted smile stretching widely and two round, white eyes that didn't blink. The moment our eyes met, its head tilted slowly to the side, like it was studying me.
My chest tightened. My voice broke.
"Wh-what… what is that!?" I shouted as panic surged through me.
As I backed away from the window, the shadowy figure's smile stretched wider—too wide—and its lips pulled upward like it was delighted to see me in fear. Then, slowly, its shoulders began to shake.
A low giggle escaped.
"Hee… hee… hee…"
And then it broke into full, twisted laughter.
"Hah… hah… hah… hah!"
More thoughts crashed all at once:
- How do I escape?
- What are they?
- Am I going to die again today?
- Someone… please… help me…
- How do I escape!?
"Sytem! System!! How do I escape!?" I screamed.
[NOTICE — Creature Analysis Completed]
Entity Class: Black Shadow Figures
Identification: Vixxon Ancestors
Curse Tag: The Three-Day Hunt of the Children With Black Eyes
[WARNING]
• Remaining indoors — 100% fatality
• Leaving the house — 85% fatality
• Attempting to avoid entities — 84% fatality
• Recommended Action: RUN — estimated survival: 78%
"What do you mean 85 to just 78 percent!? That's not even half a chance to survive!" I shouted.
Before the system could answer—
CRACK!
Another spear smashed through the wooden window, splinters flying everywhere.
A second shadowy figure leaned in. Its white smile stretched wider, trembling with excitement.
I didn't waste anymore time. I grabbed my sword and bolted out the door.
The forest was already dark, and every step I took drove splintered wood and jagged rocks deeper into my feet, but I had no choice—I had to keep running.
As I pushed deeper into the denser part of the forest, branches whipped across my face, forcing me to raise my hands to push them away. I kept stumbling, and the long grass sliced shallow cuts along my legs. My breath came in shallow, ragged gasps— Ha… hah… ha…
Then I heard it.
THUMP… THUMP… THUMP…
Heavy footsteps echoed behind me, each leg striking the ground. Slow at first… then faster. The sound became clearer and louder, moving toward me.
I didn't need to look back.
Whoever it was or what they are… they were already catching up, and they weren't stopping.
In front of me, one of the shadowy creatures lifted its bow. It drew the bowstring tight, then the arrow snapped free with a sharp twang. The arrow shot forward, hitting me in my forehead.
My vision went white for a moment. I stumbled, my knees giving way, and I slammed into the ground, the rough dirt scraping my palms. Just like in the dream.
SHF-THAK!
Two shadowy figures with swords advanced slowly toward me. Without warning, their blades drove into my back.
GSHKK!
Blood filled my mouth.
As I lay on the floor, I saw the one holding the bow. It grinned wider than the rest… Then it burst into hysterical laughter. "Hee-hee-hee… hah… hah… HAHHH!"
"M-Mngh… who… who are you people…? Why are you doing this to me…? What… what did I ever do to deserve this…? I don't understand… I haven't hurt anyone… I haven't done anything… so why… why…?" I thought to myself.
"Hhhhhh…"
"I'm… gonna… die…" I whispered in my last breath. Darkness flooded my vision. The same darkness that consume me when I died in my own world, after drowning.
And for some reason, the familiar ticking of an old clock could be heard.
[YOU DIED.]