Chapter 18 – Glitches [2]

All power in the Mall was redirected to protect the shelters. The flying disk and all hologram screens, except those that showed ways to the shelters, were shut down with nothing powering them.

So to reach the first floor, Rai needed to go through the emergency stairs located right beside the food court. But due to the massive size of the food court, it was as if he needed to walk toward the end of a football stadium before he could even find the emergency stairs.

"Finally…"

Locating it was also a bit hard as the hologram screen that was supposed to show the exit sign had changed into a red arrow pointing at the nearest shelter.

He descended the floor with his hands inside his pocket. The stairs made a U shape; it was a long walk before he arrived on the first floor.

[You're going in?]

Ossa's voice rang in his ear. The call was still connected, mainly because Rai wanted to ask the spirit something in case of an emergency.

"That's the plan. I want to observe their fight, and it's a bit impossible to see it clearly without going in."

Rai knew the danger the Glitches hid inside. With his unbaked ability and power, he could always mess up and be put in a disadvantageous situation anytime.

While he didn't plan to fight, it could happen anytime. But his body was trapped in curiosity, ready to risk everything for a sliver bit of fun he didn't often experience back in his original world.

A little or big danger would be worth it if he was satisfied. Rai's Aspect was Darkness and Weapon. He knew his roots, and he knew his desire.

Darkness came in many forms. As for Rai, it was his desire to have a little bit of fun and chaos in his life, away from mundane daily life. If he was such a pure man, he would probably gain Light Aspect instead.

Unfortunately, his desire was a bit twisted due to his excessive love and affection toward Magical Girls. That obsession gave birth to dark desire within him and led him astray.

So…

"I don't want to miss the time that Magical Girl fights against the Invader. Though she probably can't transform yet, a female Guardian is still a Magical Girl, no?" He chuckled as he stopped in front of the warped space.

If he stepped any further, he would enter the Glitches and keep inside until either the Invader was defeated or the time limit was over.

Rai extended his hand, trying to reach out to the space in front of him. But before he could even raise it, Ossa's voice stopped him.

[I need to warn you about something.] The spirit said in a serious tone. [You will be alone inside that Glitches. Within that space, all signals are disturbed, rendering long-distance connection useless. So I won't be able to give you advice or something.]

"I see." Rai nodded calmly. "It will be fine. I can manage it alone."

[Alright. But if you don't return after a few hours, I will send Miss Clown to your location. Just follow the arrow.]

"Sure. I'll be right back."

Saying so, Rai took a step forward confidently. Nothing scared him anymore since he arrived in this world. While he still had a conscience and held back at something, his morals and way of thinking had changed.

Once he stepped inside, he felt like he had passed an invisible wall. The sensation was familiar, and he tried to remember where he had felt it before.

"Oh, the Mall's entrance." He exclaimed in realization.

His vision changed. The surroundings suddenly looked bright, and various cracks around the space emitted bright light. Even though he was in the Mall's lobby, the strange surroundings that looked like a maze just made him sure he was inside WSP.

Stretching his hand toward the light, he reached out toward the crack in front of him. It didn't stop his hand, and it passed through. However, his hand looked weird, as if he looked at it through a cracked mirror.

Pulling back, he looked at it curiously and smiled slightly.

The earring that was connected to Ossa's call buzzed. No voice could be heard, only a static sound. Just as the spirit said earlier, the call was interrupted by this space. So Rai decided to end the call instead of hearing this constant static sound in his ear.

"Now… this space is bigger than I thought."

When Rai looked from the outside, the Glitches only appeared to cover a small area. But it seemed like the space inside WSP wasn't only warped with a kaleidoscope of color but was also enlarged and didn't follow the rules of science.

"I can only say it's due to magic."

How else would a 50 sq meters space turn this wide? He expected to meet the Guardians and the Invader immediately once he entered, but it seemed like he still needed to navigate through this maze of color before he could arrive in that red portal.

Fortunately, he had a hint from Ossa on how to proceed.

"Where is the arrow?" He muttered, looking around.

It didn't take long for him to find the said arrow. Rather, it was so clear that it would be impossible to miss.

"Is that it?"

In the sky, within the dome-shaped WSP, a big arrow was pointing at a certain location. The arrow changed color every second, from blue to red, red to yellow, and yellow to green, before turning to blue again like a disco ball.

The sound of battle echoed from afar. Beam bullets were flying into the air, leaving a visible pale blue trail. Once that bullet made from an energy beam touched the ceiling, it burst and scattered, unable to leave the barrier.

"Ooh? The battle has started?"

That was quick. And it also meant that this maze was short, considering the Guardians had already met with the Invaders, and Rai had entered the same place as them to catch up.

"Let's get going then. I can't wait to see their fights. What kind of power does the Invader have? How strong is he? And the Demons… I wonder what they can do against those justice workers."

Rai's smile slowly turned into a grin as excitement roused inside his body. He took a step forward, activating his transformation application. His short stature instantly turned tall, and his clothes turned into a luxurious suit with a black fur coat.

His grin also turned into something sinister, the darkness inside him expelled in the form of black fog.

The black cane that appeared in his hand looked solid. He tapped it against the ground, creating a loud noise.

*Pang!*

"Today, I am a spectator."