Chapter 12: Guess Who? [Arc.1] (10)

"Irene! Miya! What happened here?!"

When Cozbi and the other's got back, all they saw was that the door was completely broken and both Irene and Miya were sitting on the floor that seemed to be in daze

Miya then thought of something and said "I-It's the monster!"

"The monster...?"

Miya vigorously nodded as she said "It was a dark figure- I don't think it's human...it was tall and slender but- i-i can't feel it being alive!"

Miya was sweating trying so hard in her lies but she thought to herself that they really needed to inorder to find the real imposter

Alex and the other's frowned thinking of the terrible things the monster might do

Cozbi narrowed his eyes as he observed Miya's expression, then he turned his gaze to see Irene's baffled expression that seemed to be surprised by Miya's words

He thought 'She's lying?'

'But why would she lie about something like this?'

'And where is my clone? Did they kill it?'

Cozbi has numerous questions in his mind at this moment that he couldn't focus on Miya and the other's words

Nathan then turned to look at Cozbi as he asked "Cozbi, what does the monster that you fought with look like?"

Cozbi was still busy contemplating that he didn't hear this

Nathan frowned and thought 'Why is everyone acting strangely?'

'What's more, the wound that Cozbi received was by a knife I'm sure of it and yet he said it was by the monster's claws?'

'Miya on the other hand said that it's figure was slender and tall which made me think it has a human figure, but is it really like that?'

Nathan then once again spoke but this time much louder as he said "Cozbi!"

Cozbi finally snapped out of it as he looked at Nathan

Nathan: "I asked what does the monster you foughted with look like?"

Cozbi cussed 'Fuck' inwardly as he also lied about being attacked by the monster when he hadn't seen it yet

But luckily he saw a glimpse of it's figure from the video of the previous game of the elite player

They said that it was a ghost in white dress.

"Just like miya said, it has a slender figure, I think it was wearing in a white dress"

Nathan quickly countered attack it as he said "But Miya said the figure was dark"

Miya flinched at this which made Cozbi pleased since he knows that it would be impossible to get out of this situation after her lie

But fortunately, Nathan seemed to notice the strangeness in both of them as he asked "Is it possible that there are more than just one monster?"

It was then Cozbi's turn to flinch as he said in an unsure voice "Maybe..."

Nathan then shook his head as he said "Whatever we'll talk about it tomorrow. As for the imposter...*Sigh* let's just also talk about it tomorrow"

He looked at everyone and they all reluctantly nodded

Cozbi then thought 'Fuck, was this guy a prosecutor or something?!'

Cozbi then put on his facade look as he said "Agreed."

***

Night time

Because the room's door is broken they were forced to go to separate rooms for safety precautions

Or so what they thought...

Actually the real reason is because Cozbi, Irene, and Nathan suggested this saying that if they are all together then it might be much more easier for the monster to finish them all up in one blow

Jean and Alex were a little bit displeased about this but eventually agreed

Miya had no choice but to also accept this

That's when they were surprised with the arrangement

Cozbi and Irene

Miya and Nathan

Jean and Alex

They weren't surprised about Jean and Alex being paired but it was not the case for others especially that it was male and female

But Cozbi and Nathan just said that they can sleep on the floor

In the previous room there were two bunk bed and a two person mattress so this would be their first time sleeping on the floor

About Alex and Jean on who is to sleep on the floor and bed?

Well they can fix that themselves

They thought that Irene and Miya were gonna refuse but was surprised when Irene suddenly agreed without hesitation

Miya had a bad feeling about it but can't do anything.

[2:24am]

Nathan sat up from the floor as he looked at Miya on the bed who has her back facing him

He then said "Hey"

Miya: "..."

Nathan sighed as he said "I know you're wake so no need to pretend"

Miya still didn't answer or move.

Nathan: "I know you were lying about what happened earlier. Can you tell me what really happened?"

"Look, actually I'm not on Cozbi's side...Well, I'm not on anyone's side"

"Whatever you're hiding might help me in creating the right decision so that I know who I should help"

Miya clenched her fist as she opened her eyes and said still without turning her face to Nathan

"Why are you not on Cozbi's side?"

Nathan finally sighed in relief that she finally spoke

Nathan: "It's because he was lying"

Miya: "Lying?"

Nathan nodded and said "Remember when he was severely injured after you both got separated?"

"While I was bandaging his wounds I asked what happened to him when the monster attacked and he said that the monster used it's claws, but..."

Miya: "...But what?"

Nathan: "My sister used to bring me to her work and I saw that she also healed someone that was wounded with a knife"

Miya: "So you're saying-"

Nathan: "Yes, I think- no, I'm certain that it was caused by a knife, probably a fruit knife"

Miya finally sat up as she had her eyes widened, she muttered "T-Then, was he lying to us the whole time?"

Nathan: "I'm not sure, but he is probably hiding something"

"That's why, Miya"

"I need you to tell me the truth"

Miya trembled and bit her lower lip as he clenched tightly on her quilt

Opening her eyes she said "Promise this will only stay with us?"

Nathan nodded and said "I promise"

Miya was still hesitant so she asked "What about Jean and Alex?"

Nathan shook his head and said "I won't, they do have some doubt on Cozbi but I think they won't change their mind easily about it"

It took about 10 minutes before Miya finally settled her mind and decided

"Okay"

"The truth is-...it was not a monster..."

Nathan didn't speak and listened carefully

Miya continued "I'm not sure what it was but, it had the same looks as the brown haired boy"

"It wanted to kill Irene but-! Fortunately, t-the kid! He, he saved us..."

Nathan: "Kid? You mean the one that has a strange red eye color?"

Miya nodded and said "He said that, it was a clone that was copying the brown haired boy"

Nathan: "Clone...?"

He then suddenly remembered his previous question to Cozbi regarding about the players having a special advantage

Cozbi said that there were no such thing and only items are available

'So he was lying huh'

"Please don't tell anyone that you know it, he said that I can't tell anyone about it"

Miya pleaded as she lowered her head

Nathan sighed as he said "Rest assured I won't say it"

"Atleast now we know that Cozbj can't be trusted, though I'm still not sure if that boy really isn't the imposter"

Miya could only hum as a response

"Then, let's go back to sleep, sorry to disturb you"

"N-No, it's fine...I-I wasn't asleep actually"

"Alright, sleep well"

"Yeah, you too"

***

In another room, Cozbi and Irene were sitting face to face each other

Cozbi then said with a gentle voice "Is there something you want to tell me?"

Irene held her breath before she said "Miya lied!"

"What?"

"She lied about the monster attacking!"

Cozbi pretended to frown as he asked "What do you mean...?"

"I- I...I don't know what it was exactly but-! It had the same face as the boy with brown hair!"

"Same? You mean it's not him?"

Cozbi deliberately stared at Irene as if she was suspicious to make her more nervous

"I-It's true! Believe me, after that disappeared the boy with the brown hair appeared behind it-...a-and seems to be also surprised...but! Maybe, he's just pretending!"

Cozbi squinted his eyes thinking 'How did he know? Was he there intentionally or was it only a coincidence?'

'Either way I don't think he should be able to beat my clone even if it was a surprise attack unless he is used to killing or knows the vital spots to take one's life'

'Something is missing...'

"Is he the only one there?"

"Ah, no- no, t-the kid was there also, he was the one that killed it!"

"Kid...?" 'That boy with the red eyes?'

"He had a knife in his hands at that time, a-and he killed it with one shot on the chest..."

"Then, why did Miya lied?"

Irene's pupil shrank at this words and she lowered and shook her head saying "I-...I also don't know"

Cozbi had a guess as he muttered "She's doubting me and chose to side with them"

Irene didn't speak but agrees in her heart

Cozbi sighed as he said "I'll take care of this, thanks for trusting and telling me about this"

"I-It's nothing"

"If it wasn't for you we might be until now clueless and dies while being stabbed in the back"

"Irene, you did a good job"

Irene didn't know why but her cheeks and ears suddenly flushed red in embarrassment as she muttered "I-It's r-really nothing..."

Cozbi thought 'Yes, you did a good job, now I know who I should finish'

'So the reason why that kid keep staring at me strangely like that was because he already suspected me hah'

'Not bad for a kid, but you think a low life like you cab beat a veteran like me!'

'Hah! Pity all your efforts will be in vain'

"Alright, let's keep this a secret for now got it?"

"I'll take care of it, you just need to pretend that you're still on their side okay?"

Irene nodded her head.

"Let's sleep for now"

Cozbi's system watched the scene unfold as it looked to another direction

There were two red orbs watching them from the shadow at the corner of the ceiling

It then looked at the direction of the system and emitted a malicious gaze before disappearing

The system could only thought at this moment 'This was set up'

***

After the mother ghost listened to the conversation of Cozbi and Irene, she went back to Eru's room only to be stunned at what she saw

Her baby was comfortably sleeping in his embrace

Normally her baby would cry whenever he was held by someone else other than her

But now...

She wanted to be happy but at the same time not as she thought 'Why this man? Out of all people...why?'

She was then woken up from her thoughts when she heard the familiar cold voice

"Are you just gonna stand there?"

Ah-

The mother let out a gasp sound as she look at Eru

Eru then said "Are you not gonna take him?"

The mother furrowed her eyebrows before going forward to Eru and took the baby to her arms

Eru stretched out his stiff and sore arms

The baby's weight is no joke almost as if holding a big cold rock

"Now then, what did they talk about?"

"The girl confessed to the boy that it was all a lie and that there were no such monsters that appeared but instead it was the boy with the brown hair"

"She said it was Austin?"

"She was not certain, she said it looked the same as him"

Eru nodded and asked "What was Cozbi's reaction and decision?"

"He seemed tobe deeply contemplating about it but didn't seemed surprised at all. He also said he will take care of it"

"That's all?"

The mother nodded.

Eru thought 'He's probably gonna try to get close to either Miya, Austin, Samur and also, if he remembered me, he will definitely target me if he ever sees me'

"Alright then, you can leave"

After saying that, Eru went to sleep

It was obvious he was cold now that he doesn't have any quilt because of the blood

What's more, he's skin turned slightly blue as if he would freeze and turn into an ice

The mother stared at Eru's back that was facing her before her hold on the baby tightened slightly and left

After Eru confirmed that she left, he finally closed his eyes and fell asleep.

***

When Eru woke up, he was surprised to see himself covered in a large and long thick quilt

He thought 'No wonder it was slightly warmer last night than usual'

'But who-...'

Sitting up, he looked at the surrounding and saw nothing

He thought 'It's probably her'

'Well, it's not like she was a bad person in the first place, it's just that after she died she had no other choice but to follow the game's rules and order'

Whoosh

Eru thought 'Just wait, I will find a way to break the bind'

'After that, I will beat the game'

'Free my companions from the game'

'See the end of the game'

'And finally-

.

.

.

.

.

.

- have my wish granted'

***

In a black empty space, a man wearing full black clothes and has his face covered with a smiling mask was seen watching something from the huge blue screen infront of him

In the screen, a youth with yellow-hazel hair was seen folding his quilt

It wasn't visible but underneath the mask, the man squinted his eyes with displeasure

Beside him was another thinner blue screen as it said;

[Don't tell me you're gonna make a move just because of this?]

The man replied with a cold and dangerous voice [(What nonsense are you saying?)]

[(Why would I need to do anything about it?)]

[(Either way, there's nothing that can be done, he will eventually fail no matter how hard he tries yo change his fate)]

The blue screen beside him then said [But, is that really what you want to happen?]

[(...)]

Seeing the man silent, the blue screen had an ominous feeling as it just realized it's words

It wanted to disappear but before it could even so, a foreboding pain entered and malfunctioned it's program

It felt very horrible, it only lasted for seconds but it felt like an eternity not to mention the dark and suffocating surroundings

The man then said without turning to bat an eye at it [(Know your place)]

The blue screen then disappeared without it having to do or say anything

System1001 sighed as he said [Are you gonna wipe out all the system that ever gives you hope?]

[System1001: You know even though it is like this, it actually might not be a bad idea to have some expectations on this Eru]

[(Pathetic)]

The man only spoke one word but it could already give all the meaning and emotions it had

The way he said it was flat and nonchalant but it could already give away the deep emotions it had

Despair, hatred, sadness, loneliness

All of the negative emotions it had felt

The man thought 'If only there is such hope then until now I wouldn't be here'

'Then...I would've already seen, even just one, just a single one glimpse of light from this dark place...'

'It's pathetic for the old me to ever think of hoping'

The man focused his gaze once again on the screen Eru was seen

It reached out it's hand on Eru's neck but it passed through it.

Eru suddenly felt something on his neck as he turned around sharply to the direction of the feeling

There was nothing...

He didn't sense any living being, not even ghosts or monsters

He thought 'Was it just my imagination?'

Eru suddenly felt as if there was something above him

Someone or something that can control him

Eru doesn't know what to call this feeling but...what he does know is that he does not like it

Being controlled-

That was something that never came in to his mind

He then pondered who it could possibly be

The food chain should be like this;

> Players

> Constellation

> System

> System Origin

He thought about it and it is not possible for it to be the System Origin as it has it's limits on who it can target and how much it can abuse it's power

'Then who-?'

He then remembered the smiling mask man that appeared out of nowhere in his life

That man knew his identity, his life, and the novel, the man also said that it can even make him a God

As he thought about it, that man never existed in the novel

He never recalled such an entity like that and what's more, the thing he mostly wants to know is what was his connection with the protagonists of the novel?

Eru stopped thinking about it and focused on something else as he thought that dwelling on something that has an impossible answer for now is just a waste of time

Looking at the yellow screen that has it's task and game, Eru thought 'It's almost time'

'Just a couple of days more then I can finally rest for a while'

***

Author: Omg I'm almost finished with the first arc wow~

Also I might do a fluffy story novel since yeah I do admit this story is kinda deep because of the tragic and suicidal thoughts just incase you wanted to have some nice and cute story

I'll update you all on one of my chapters if I ever do a fluffy story ;)