Chapter 7: The best thing to do not get rid of it is the best!

The plaza was still a crucible of chaos.

The survivors were slumped on the ground, crying, their faces filled with terror, unable to fully comprehend the scene unfolding before their eyes.

The Collector held Phantom tightly with her small body, not letting go as if she had been waiting for him for a long time.

People watched the scene, unable to utter a single word.

Just then, two injured men slowly began to walk from afar.

Dojin and Jihun, who had been incapacitated by a single gesture from the girl.

The two blood-soaked men swayed as they walked into the plaza.

Dojin, clutching his shattered shoulder, gritted his teeth, and Jihun’s ragged breathing was heavier and more profound than his blood-soaked clothes.

Their fingertips trembled, and perhaps from internal injuries, their chests heaved with every breath.

However, their eyes were filled with the determination to see this situation through to the end.

“What in the world happened?”

Step by step, they approached the center of the plaza.

Countless gazes followed them.

Their destination was singular.

Phantom.

Jihun spoke first.

“What is your identity?”

“Are you the ‘Phantom’ we know?”

Dojin immediately followed up on Jihun’s question.

“Why are you here? Why did you suddenly appear?”

“What is your relationship with her?”

A barrage of questions followed.

Anyone in this situation would have been the same.

The man with black energy had suddenly appeared, brutally annihilated everyone, and was now holding a destruction-grade creepy story.

Countless questions were tangled in their minds.

What exactly is this being?

Why did a destruction-grade creepy story approach him first and embrace him?

Why did he not waver even amidst this entire situation?

Is he human, or not?

Phantom gave no answer.

He heard the questions but stood without any reaction.

His deep, deep eyes simply held darkness quietly.

He just watched them, to the point where it seemed as if he was intentionally not answering.

At that sight, Jihun and Dojin’s expressions subtly hardened.

“Does that mean you have no intention of speaking?”

While dealing with creepy stories, there was one fact they had realized.

‘The stronger the being, the less easily they speak.’

It was natural for those who lacked self-belief and were empty inside to be all talk.

For this reason, his silence made Phantom even more mysterious.

Just then, a being appeared that broke the silence.

“Don’t come closer.”

A cold voice was heard.

It was small and clumsy, yet strangely echoing.

The Collector, while embraced in Phantom’s arms, slightly turned her head.

Looking at the two men, she spoke briefly and decisively.

“Don’t come closer.”

At the same time as those words,

—KWAANG!!!

Dark red energy spread explosively, and an invisible force surged through the space.

People momentarily couldn’t breathe.

The air grew heavy, and their hearts felt crushed.

What they felt was clear murderous intent.

“…!!”

Dojin and Jihun’s bodies instinctively recoiled.

—KWANG!!!

An incomprehensible force surged like a wave.

Their chests tightened, and their lungs felt crushed.

No, it wasn’t just a feeling.

This was a power that actually crushed the body.

“Ugh…!”

Dojin tried to resist by putting strength into his entire body, but,

—CRACK!

“…!!”

An invisible pressure twisted his bones.

A pain as if his very existence was being denied.

A sensation as if his entire body was being forcibly contorted.

Even Jihun lost strength in his legs.

“Haa, haa…!”

They couldn’t even draw a breath.

Not to be arrogant, but they had thought themselves quite strong, yet what in the world was this girl’s power?

The ‘absolute influence’ emitted by a being of destruction-grade.

A power that crushed the will to survive and simply forced them to their knees.

“Mine.”

The small voice filled the space.

The moment those words fell, the entire space split with a ‘shhhk’.

From the gaps in the dark space, an alien energy surged forth.

A deep, deep darkness that swallowed all light.

‘This… is not a being we can contend with.’

The same realization arose in the minds of the two men.

No matter how powerful the creepy story’s strength they possessed, they were ultimately human.

They could never exert the same power as the creepy story itself.

This was not a fight from the beginning.

It was despair, no different from simply waiting for destruction.

A person simply takes a step indifferently, but ants are crushed under that step.

Everyone in this plaza right now couldn’t help but realize they were those ants.

Before that overwhelming power, humans could do nothing.

The Collector’s incredibly intense murderous intent.

Just then.

—SWISH.

A hand imbued with black energy was slowly placed on the girl’s head.

And gently, softly, stroked the Collector’s head.

“…!”

The girl slowly blinked her eyes.

She was surprised as if it was warmth she was experiencing for the first time, and soon raised her head to look up at Phantom.

His expression was still unwavering and serene.

That serene face, those deep, dark eyes, were looking at her.

Soon, a very low but deep and resonating voice was heard near her ear.

[Collector.]

The girl quietly looked at him.

His touch, his voice, were calling her.

[Stop.]

That one word, that single word, quelled the entire space.

The Collector, under his touch, slightly parted her lips.

“…Mmm.”

As the girl nodded her head, the surging energy subsided.

All the people remaining in the plaza could finally breathe again.

The scene just now completely changed everyone’s perception.

His one word, his one gesture.

‘He’s even quelling a destruction-grade creepy story.’

People looked at him and fell into even deeper awe.

****

My body feels heavy as lead.

No, the heaviness of my body isn’t the problem; my head feels like it’s going to explode!

Before my eyes, an enormous being, a destruction-grade creepy story, is embracing me, and around me, humans are mistakenly thinking it’s a meeting between destruction-grades…

From afar, the blood-soaked Head of the Measures Department and the Guild Master are interrogating my identity.

‘What is this, really?’

What did I do wrong to end up like this?!

No matter how much I try to understand the situation, I just can’t.

But what’s certain is that if I stay here long, it’s bound to get troublesome.

“What is your identity?”

“Why are you here?”

“What is your relationship with the Collector?”

As I heard the pouring questions, all sorts of thoughts flooded my mind.

‘I want to ask that!’

What should I really answer to this?

I’m just a normal human?

But if they ask if I’m really human, what should I say…?

My appearance is already too far from human.

Besides, a creepy story is embracing me; who would believe me if I said, ‘I’m actually a human!’?

Actually, I want to say something, but my mouth won’t move.

‘…This is truly crazy.

Words won’t come out.’

No, setting aside whether words come out or not, what in the world should I do?!

My mind was so complicated that I couldn’t say anything, but this again created a very plausible atmosphere.

People were staring at me with increasingly strange looks.

‘Oh please, don’t look at me with those eyes.’

At that moment, a murderous aura seemed to crush all the air.

“Don’t come closer.”

The Collector’s small voice.

That quiet single word spread heavily, like an order resounding through the entire space.

—KWAANG!

A storm-like energy began to engulf the plaza.

‘No, why are you doing this too!’

Even if I don’t do anything now, it’s complicated enough to kill me; what if you make things worse?!

I know it’s too late to turn back since the Collector already said ‘mine,’ but,

at least don’t make the situation worse!

As if crushing my desperate wish, the girl’s eyes shone dangerously, and the space distorted as if tearing apart.

At this moment, no being could move carelessly.

They couldn’t even breathe.

Everyone around recoiled in terror.

The entire plaza was dominated by the destruction-grade creepy story’s energy.

‘Ah, I really feel like I’m going to throw up.’

[Please save her.]

Why at a time like this do that damned notification window’s words come to mind?

Even in this situation, is there something I have to do?

Right, I can’t escape anyway right now.

If I just stay still, nothing will change.

‘I have to do something…!’

As soon as I thought that, my hand moved without me realizing it.

—SWISH.

A hand imbued with black energy was slowly placed on the girl’s head.

Gently, very carefully.

‘Ah, can I really do this…?’

But my hand was already up, and the Collector raised her head, looking slightly surprised.

Her golden eyes, now mixed with a sense of bewilderment, were looking at me.

‘I have to say something.’

At the fact that I was stroking a destruction-grade, my head had already gone completely blank.

It couldn’t be helped, because this situation right now was like,

playing catch with a bomb that could explode any moment?

or sprinting with my eyes closed in a field full of landmines?

‘Anyway, it means it’s a completely screwed-up situation.’

Nevertheless, I had to do something.

Otherwise, I couldn’t endure this atmosphere any longer!

‘Right… I need to stop this first.

Calm down!’

The moment I thought that, I began to speak in a very deep and low voice.

[Collector.]

At the low, spreading resonance, the girl silently looked up at me.

[Stop.]

‘No, since a while ago, it feels like my words and actions are moving on their own.’

As I was thinking that,

“…Mmm.”

The girl nodded her head and stopped the surging energy.

The murderous aura that had been pressing down on the plaza disappeared as if nothing had happened.

‘This works?’

I slightly lowered my gaze and looked around.

The blood-stained ground, the terrified faces of the survivors, and the fallen Dojin and Jihun.

And the Collector, still tightly clutching my lapel.

‘I have to escape from this crazy place right now.’

…But how do I get out of this tremendous situation?

People have just started to be convinced that I’m a destruction-grade creepy story, so what if I suddenly say, ‘Well then, I’ll be going now,’ and leave?

They definitely won’t just let me go.

“…. ”

Can I teleport like before?

Carefully, inwardly, I try to call up the notification window.

‘I’m sorry for trying to curse at you earlier, oh Notification Window, could you please save me…?’

There’s no reaction.

‘Hey, Notification Window?

I’m really going to quit everything?’

At that moment, black energy slowly rose up from under my feet.

‘…This works too?’

I can’t understand how it works, but one thing is certain.

The only way to escape this situation right now is this!

The black mist enveloping my body gradually thickened.

Perhaps sensing that I was leaving, people’s eyes widened.

Amidst the steadily rising black energy, I thought.

‘A conclusion, I have to make a conclusion!’

While the desire to abandon everything and run away was still overwhelming, I couldn’t accept a messy conclusion.

‘If I started a story, I should finish it… Not finishing it properly goes against my principles!’

Right, let’s say something!

I’m not a bad creepy story!

No, I’m not even a creepy story to begin with!

I’m human, human!

A human!!

As I thought that and opened my mouth, a serene voice resonated through the entire space.

[I am not your enemy.]

‘Truly, until the very end, my words are coming out on their own.’

In the middle of the chillingly cooled plaza, my deep and low resonating words seeped into everyone’s ears.

People looked as if they didn’t understand what they had heard.

Hahaha, I don’t know either!

Even if I were to say, ‘I’m actually human,’ now, it wouldn’t fix anything, so I don’t care anymore!

If I saw myself now, I’d doubt myself, so I’m just going home!

Hoping today’s events were a dream, I entrusted my body to the surging black energy.

****

Even after the black energy enveloping Phantom completely cleared and he disappeared, people couldn’t move from their spots.

His last words, deeply ingrained, appeared as red text before everyone.

[The story of the destruction-grade creepy story [Collector] has temporarily stopped.

However, remember that stopping does not mean it’s over.]