101. The Real Illusion.
Running wildly through the empty streets, Karolina remained intensely focused. Though everything around her seemed normal, as if it were the real world, she knew that in this crimson-shrouded world, nowhere was truly 'safe.' She had no idea who or what might be waiting for her at the next corner—friends, family, superheroes, or supervillains.
Karolina had once pondered whether she had already died and that this was the afterlife, which would explain the recurring illusions. However, she recently felt a sharp, real pain—not from her injuries but from her 'body,' signaling that she was still alive outside, being treated and saved by someone.
Understanding that she wasn't dead, Karolina sighed, knowing she was trapped in this place. If she couldn't find a way out, she would remain in a vegetative state until she died. She refused to accept that fate; she had unfinished business.
Determined, Karolina visualized Deadpool, standing atop a pile of superhero corpses, including her teammates. "I haven't avenged you yet," she murmured, her expression hardening. "How can I fall here and continue to sink? No matter what this place is, I will find a way out! I must!"
Suddenly, she heard urgent footsteps from around a corner, followed by a Hydra squad charging out. They wore masks, hiding their faces, but it didn't matter to Karolina.
"There she is, grab her!" commanded the Hydra officer as the soldiers raised their guns.
"Try it," Karolina smirked coldly, raising her hand to unleash a massive rainbow-colored beam. The light tore through the Hydra soldiers' defenses, and despite the barrage of gunfire, Karolina advanced instead of retreating. She glowed brilliantly, streaking through the air and breaking through their lines like a shooting star.
Barely out of the street, she saw a massive building suddenly appear before her—the legendary Sanctum Sanctorum. Startled, she realized she couldn't slow down in time, so she braced herself, accelerating and colliding forcefully with the Sanctum.
Crash!
Instead of a violent impact, she heard the delicate sound of shattering glass and found herself thrown forward by inertia, landing on the ground. Raising her head, Karolina was astonished to find herself in a school corridor. Looking back, she saw a pristine white wall with no sign of damage.
"Another shift," she muttered, staring at the wall in a daze. She had experienced this before, after killing her friends' illusions and nearly breaking down. In this world of countless fake places, Karolina was the only 'real' thing left, struggling to hold on.
She had once chosen to leap from a towering building, expecting an end but finding herself in another place upon hitting the ground. The locations varied, but they all shared one constant: the crimson glow.
Walking down the corridor, Karolina peered into empty classrooms. Each desk had books and backpacks, and some blackboards still bore chalk writing from recent lessons. It was as if everyone had vanished suddenly, leaving no trace.
Licking her lips, Karolina entered a classroom, moving past the podium to a desk in the front row. On it lay an open textbook, a workbook, and a pen. Curious, she glanced at the textbook.It was an English language book used in many schools, including hers. The open page featured a printed story titled "The Storyteller."
The room was eerily silent, with only Karolina's breathing audible. As she read, a drowsiness crept over her. Red and blue lights flickered around the room, distorting the colors and dividing the blackboard into several sections. White liquid slowly dripped from the walls, revealing black goo beneath.
Everything was losing its original color, but Karolina didn't notice. She couldn't tear her eyes away from the book, now entranced by the text.
...…
📢20 advanced chapters on p@treaon📢
For advance chapters: p@treon.com/Uchiha_Itachi007 (replace @ with a)
102. Cognitive Contamination.
103. Worms!
104. Punisher and Doctor Strange.
105. It.
106. The Wound.