Chapter 15: Not this?

[What’s your name?]

An eerily echoing voice was heard.

But it was the faint voice of a young girl, too soft to be a ghost story.

“Did a kid sneak into the school?”

“Do you think that makes any sense?!”

“No, I can’t even offer an opinion? I’m just saying.”

“Both of you, stop. Ghost stories sometimes trick people like this, so it’s best to be careful.”

Just then, the door to the empty classroom connected to the broadcasting room began to open on its own.

Creak.

[I want to have a name too.]

The child’s voice echoed from the empty classroom.

“······Is it calling us?”

“It looks like something bad will happen if we go in, just by looking at it.”

But having discovered a strange phenomenon, there was no turning back now.

“Let’s go in there for now.”

Naturally, the classroom was empty.

But a chilling aura could be felt seeping in.

‘······There’s something here.’

Although it appeared to be an empty space to the eye, Han Gaeun, whose senses were highly developed, could feel the unique aura of a ghost story.

But the aura of the ghost story was incredibly faint.

Only a vague sensation remained, as if it existed yet didn’t.

Han Gaeun recalled what Sihyun had said when she first heard about this incident.

–”Don’t forget your name.”

“······Oppa was right.”

She finally seemed to understand a little of what those words meant.

Just then,

–*Scrape, scrape.*

A sound like something dragging its legs across the floor, not footsteps.

“······!”

Some presence was approaching them from the darkness.

“······What is that?”

The ghost story appeared shrouded in a dark crimson mist.

Only its silhouette resembled a girl; a dense aura covered its entire body, making it impossible to discern its true form.

However, its face, studded with multiple eyes, clearly indicated that this presence was indeed a ghost story.

[I’m lonely.]

[Lonely, lonely.]

[Why can’t anyone remember me?]

“······The feeling is strange.”

The moment Han Gaeun sensed an unfamiliar aura,

–*Whoosh!*

Darkness spewed forth from the dark crimson figure, consuming the space.

“······!”

The Underworld (冥界).

The ghost story was beginning to expand its domain.

–*Hehehe.*

A chilling laugh pierced their ears, and they immediately understood.

“This ghost story··· it was hiding its presence.”

“It’s neither an illusion nor a calamity. This is definitely a disaster-grade entity.”

[Unnie, oppa, let’s play together.]

The moment the whisper spread, the rules of the ghost story appeared.

[Memories are beginning to disappear.]

[Those who forget themselves have no right to exist in this world.]

[Soon you will deny, be denied, and ultimately deny.]

An intangible hand seemed to grope their brains, pulling out memories one by one, a sensation that overwhelmed them.

Han Gaeun instantly realized something was wrong and tried to retreat, but

“Ah······?”

It was already too late.

‘······What was that just now?’

‘Why am I······ here?’

–*Hehehe.*

With the ghost story’s chilling scoff, red text appeared before everyone inside the Underworld.

[Disaster-grade Ghost Story [The Forgotten One] begins.]

****

Emergency alarms blared loudly as guild agents moved busily.

“Report from agents controlling the school perimeter! They’ve confirmed this ghost story is disaster-grade!”

“We already knew it when the Underworld appeared, but··· we still hoped it wasn’t.”

[Disaster-grade Ghost Story [The Forgotten One] begins.]

The red text clearly appearing in the Underworld.

The guild response team was already in chaos.

“Additional report! The Underworld is expanding!”

“What?! It’s expanding beyond the initially reported range?!”

“Yes! The Underworld, which started inside the school, is spreading to nearby roads and commercial areas!”

“Damn it······!”

On the virtual map displayed on the situation room screen, a red circle was shown expanding its territory in real-time.

The Underworld’s sphere of influence was steadily growing.

“Why does it keep expanding? Is it really disaster-grade?”

At that moment, three signals displayed on the monitor caught his eye.

“What’s the status of the Awakened inside the school right now?”

“······Well.”

The agent looking at the monitor already had a frozen expression.

“Their life signs are··· growing fainter.”

Simultaneously, an agent reporting from another location shouted.

“The names of the response team agents who were controlling the school perimeter just now have disappeared from the report.”

“······What?”

“Their records are gone. As if they never existed from the start.”

The entire conference room was enveloped in silence.

“What on earth is happening in there?”

****

“······I.”

Her voice trembled faintly, and her vision blurred.

Perhaps it wasn’t her vision blurring, but herself.

A sensation as if her mind was empty, and her entire body was slowly disappearing.

“······That’s strange.”

‘Who······ was I?’

The moment that question arose in her mind, her fingertips grew faint.

She tried to raise her hand to touch her face, but she felt no sensation.

“Sensation···?”

What was that? It sounded like a word she’d never heard before···.

‘My name was······ what again?’

The word ‘name’ felt like it was evaporating in her mouth.

‘Gaeun.’

A word flashed through her mind.

Syllables that felt incredibly foreign. It was incomprehensible, as if written in a language she’d never heard.

‘G A E U N’

‘●□○□■■◇•’

The word gradually disintegrated, then began to shatter completely, becoming unrecognizable.

[Why should only I be forgotten?]

[I wish everyone would become like me.]

The ghost story’s faint whisper became a hazy mist, covering her memories.

Who she was, where she came from, why she was here.

Everything she remembered was disappearing.

“······No.”

“Someone, me······.”

She mumbled faintly, but no one in this space could hear her voice.

A fading existence.

A nameless person.

A human unremembered.

It was natural that such a being’s paltry cry would go unanswered.

“I’m here······.”

A feeling that no one remembered her.

“······Remember me.”

All sensations blurred in the faint, ash-gray world.

The feeling that the moment of complete erasure was approaching.

“Call my name······.”

She desperately, desperately wished.

For someone to remember her.

At that moment.

【Han Gaeun.】

“······!”

A deep, resonant voice pierced through the darkness and echoed in her ears.

Just one word.

The moment that name was heard, her sense of self returned to her mind.

****

Inside the guild, it was still chaos.

“Disaster-grade ghost story detected! Underworld (冥界) formation confirmed in the affected area!”

“The Underworld’s expansion rate is abnormal!”

“All standby response teams must be deployed!”

Yet, even amidst this chaos, my attention was focused on only one thing.

“Disaster-grade ghost story: The Forgotten One.”

The moment that name came to mind, memories flooded back explosively.

The ghost story of The Forgotten One from the novel I had read.

That bizarre tale.

Its chilling abilities.

And even the backstory of how it became a ghost story.

“What good is remembering it now!”

Even if the ghost story deliberately hid itself, it’s too late!

The Forgotten One is a ghost story specialized in hiding and erasing presences.

Since the Underworld had already appeared, Han Gaeun was in danger.

‘It’s too late for regrets, I just have to go!’

–*Thump!*

“Rookie! Where are you going in this situation!”

“Sorry! Sudden emergency toilet break!!”

“Ah, that’s understandable.”

“I’ll be back!”

He had made an excuse and gotten out, but the school was over 30 minutes away even at full sprint.

There simply wasn’t enough physical time.

“Oh, what time is it now?”

Checking his watch, it was almost sunset.

‘Faster······!’

For this moment, he wished for deeper darkness to come.

–*Swoosh.*

Soon, the sun fully set, and a black aura began to rise from beneath his feet.

“Ha. The day has come when I wish to take this form; I’ve certainly lived long enough to see everything.”

‘It’s obvious I’d be instantly obliterated if I went in my normal state, so I have no choice.’

His entire body slowly began to transform.

His hair dyed pitch black,

His pristine white skin glowed as pale as moonlight.

Finally, even his deep, dark eyes.

“This time, I’m counting on that shadow movement or whatever it is!”

–*Whoosh!*

His form was enveloped by darkness and vanished from the street.

****

“Ugh, moving is good, but why is this so dizzying?”

Before his eyes, a distorted space unfolded.

A corridor turned ash-gray.

A classroom unnaturally warped.

And three people who had lost consciousness before the ghost story.

“Quite a mess, isn’t it?”

Dohyeok and Suyeon seemed to have already fainted, and while Han Gaeun was standing, she couldn’t steady herself properly.

‘It seems I arrived just in time.’

The Forgotten One is a ghost story with the ability to erase existence.

Faintly, but the three of them still maintained their forms, so there was enough time.

“Sigh. It was so nice and quiet for a few weeks.”

Originally, he could have just ignored it, but··· he had to repay Han Gaeun for getting him a job.

Although he knew the backstory, he first needed to observe the situation.

If he acted rashly and got his neck chopped off, who would feed Luna?

‘First, I need to wake Han Gaeun up.’

【Han Gaeun.】

“······!”

A ripple spread through her darkened consciousness, and she began to regain her senses.

“Ah···? How did I···?”

Han Gaeun slowly opened her eyes, breathing heavily.

At that moment, the ghost story began to move again.

–*Slide.*

Its movement was strangely stiff, like a mannequin.

As if forcing a body that had been rigid for a long time to move.

[······?]

The ghost story, without a word,

–*Click-clack.*

Rolled its dozens of eyeballs around and then fixed all its gaze on me.

‘Ugh. This guy is truly nightmare fuel.’

Normally, I would have already grimaced, but when I’m Phantom, a poker face is a passive skill!

It stared intently at me, then suddenly the ghost story shrieked.

–*Kiiiaaaaaaak!*

‘Seriously, why do ghost stories act like that only when they see me?’

It was the same at the convenience store before; there are strangely many of them that scream.

Look in a mirror. I’m the one who should be screaming!

The intense scream of the ghost story didn’t bother me at all, but.

*Thud.*

Han Gaeun and the other two, who seemed to be regaining consciousness, fainted again upon hearing the scream.

‘Even better. Their fading existence has stopped anyway.’

They probably wouldn’t recognize me in this form, but it’s still best to avoid encountering them as much as possible.

[······.]

A chilling silence settled, and the ghost story slowly began to close the distance between us.

‘Hey, wait, wait. Why are you coming over here too?’

The ghost story continued to roll its grotesque eyes incessantly.

–*Click-clack-clack.*

It seemed somewhat confused.

Soon, the ghost story’s dark crimson aura swiftly took over the space.

What he felt was definite hostility.

‘Am I screwed again?’

The ghost story’s body distorted bizarrely, and the surrounding space cracked like glass.

‘Hahaha. I’m doomed, aren’t I?’

They say a hollow laugh escapes you in truly screwed situations.

‘Actually, I came here trusting that ghost stories all run away from me!’

What if the one thing I believed in doesn’t work?!

‘Ah, I feel like throwing up for the first time in a while.’

Should I just bolt?

‘But can I even space-travel with three people sprawled out on the floor?’

Oh, wait, time out! Can you please wait a moment, Mr. Ghost Story, while I grab these three and leave?

‘Like you’d actually wait!’

Chaotic thoughts exploded in his mind like a free-for-all.

Yet, externally, he maintained a calm and imposing silhouette.

‘In times like these, it’s really fortunate to be in Phantom’s form···.’

Though sometimes his words and actions go off on their own, which bothers him a bit.

‘First, let’s try to placate it. Peacefully!’

They say dialogue is the best method, right?

Maybe it’s a ghost story that can be reasoned with.

‘Even if I know the backstory, I don’t have the power to fight anyway.’

He took a deep breath and calmly opened his mouth.

‘H-How about a draw?’

It might seem pathetic and cowardly, but he had no choice!

However, contrary to what he thought, the words that actually came out of his mouth were,

【Stop now. Forgotten One.】

‘What the f*ck??’

What··· did I just say···?

‘No, no, not this! Say something like, “Please save me, Sensei—”’

But ignoring his thoughts entirely, the words kept coming out automatically.

【Oh, girl who fell into unreasonableness and forgot herself.】

‘Ah, it’s starting again, this damn auto-play!’

Just a moment ago, it felt like I was in control, but now, of all times, it’s doing this again!!

【I will save you.】

‘Uh-oh, stop, I’m scared.’

Save who? I’m about to die myself, you cursed beginner package!

If it keeps doing whatever it wants, it’ll really become irreversible!

A voice like an overwhelming presence looking down on the ghost story and issuing a warning.

At that moment, the ghost story’s twisted eyes stared solely at him.

‘Uh··· this isn’t what I was trying to say—’

[You··· remember me······?]

The Forgotten One’s voice seemed to tremble slightly.

Somehow, it wasn’t grotesque, but sounded like a delicate young girl.

‘I do remember you because I read the novel···.’

But anyway.

You could talk??