Chapter 56

Chapter 56: The Puzzle of This World

The voice in my head goes silent.

For a moment, everything is still. The strange world around us doesn't move, doesn't breathe. Even the air feels frozen in time.

Then, the dragon tenses. Its golden eyes sharpen, its powerful body shifting slightly—like it's preparing for something big.

The Mad Hatter, usually full of wild energy, just stares at me. His mouth is slightly open, his hands gripping the edges of his coat. He looks… shaken. Not by fear, but by something deeper.

The rabbit peeks out from behind the dragon's leg, ears twitching. "I-Is it over?"

No one answers.

Then, the voice returns.

But this time, there's no threat in it. No anger. Just… curiosity.

"You have power… beyond measure."

The words vibrate in my mind, not just sound but something deeper—like they're echoing through my very existence.

"To call the Shadow insignificant… means you understand far more than this realm allows."

The dragon lets out a low rumble, not in disagreement but in recognition.

The voice continues.

"The true sickness is not a single being. It is not something to be slain. It is a corruption—a wound that has festered for longer than time itself. If you wish to cure it… brute force will not be enough."

The Hatter clenches his fists. His sharp eyes flash with frustration. "But if he can destroy it, why not do it now?! Why wait?"

He steps closer, the desperation in his voice cracking through his usual manic personality. "Wonderland needs saving!"

I don't reply immediately.

Because this isn't just about saving Wonderland.

This isn't just about fighting some great evil.

The corruption here isn't a monster to be slain—it's a mystery to be solved.

The rabbit seems to realize it too. Its little body trembles. "S-So this… isn't just a battle?"

The ancient voice hums again, softer this time, almost like a sigh.

"To truly understand this sickness… is to understand existence itself."

The air around us shivers. Not from cold, not from fear—from something bigger.

"The knowledge you seek… will cost you."

My eyes narrow. "Cost me what?"

A pause.

Then, the voice answers.

"More than strength. It will take patience… and wisdom."

The weight of those words settles in.

This place—the twisted Wonderland, the strange creatures, the shadows—it all connects to something deeper. Something older.

This isn't just a game of power.

It's a puzzle.

And I love puzzles.

I glance at the Hatter, the dragon, the rabbit. Their expressions range from confusion to fear to something close to hope.

The air hums with tension, like the whole world is waiting for my answer.

I exhale slowly, a grin forming.

"Good," I say, my voice steady. "That just makes things more interesting."