episode_0389

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

– This guide does not guarantee your life or safety.

– Remember. This is a place full of sin.

– This does not mean you are full of sin.

– Not yet, at least.

~~~~~~~~~~

0. This place has been destroyed.

– Be careful. The iron bars are broken.

– The “us” that were imprisoned now roam this place.

– A prison where sinners have escaped—

– Truly, this is a place full of sin.

~~~~~~~~~~

0-1. Do not touch the iron bars carelessly.

– Due to circumstances, the internal hygiene is poor.

– Many of the iron bars are neglected and broken, making it difficult to distinguish between you and the sinners.

– Fortunately, the “us” who were imprisoned here for a long time still unconsciously grab and rattle the iron bars even after leaving the prison.

– To prevent infection, to distinguish yourself from the sinners.

– Do not touch the iron bars.

~~~~~~~~~~

0-2. Do not pay attention to what lies beyond the iron bars.

– Like a sinner who escaped the prison and collapsed after being struck by stones.

– Like a keeper who entered inside “us” only to be devoured by beasts, or a beast that escaped “us” only to be shot.

– Beyond the iron bars was another world.

– Knowing we could never coexist,

– “we” divide our worlds with cold iron bars and live apart.

– No matter what you see beyond them, do not react.

– Do not reach your hand through the bars.

~~~~~~~~~~

1. Prisoner No. 0904.

– The resentment of one who was wrongfully killed.

– It roams the building, searching for “someone” who killed it.

– Unfortunately, it does not remember the face.

– The only answer it gives is, “Their eyes were beautiful when they looked up at me.”

– It would be best not to do anything that could be mistaken as provocation.

~~~~~~~~~~

2. Prisoner No. 4242.

– Formerly a prison warden.

– Overwhelming guilt turned it into a prisoner.

– Even now, it locks itself in a dark “control room,” staring at the CCTV until its eyes bleed, searching for escaped “sinners.”

– Do not confess your sins inside the building.

– The goal of “Prisoner No. 4242” is not to capture escaped sinners, but to fill the empty prison once more.

~~~~~~~~~~

3. Prisoner No. ■■■■.

– One who believes sins are forgiven upon confession to God.

– If you hear the sound of someone confessing love somewhere, avoid it.

– They must be receiving forgiveness in advance.

– Surely it can’t be that confession… (omitted)…

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A guide divided into sections marked by tildes (~), like iron bars.

A structure reminiscent of a prison, perhaps,

or maybe it was just broken into sections for easier reading.

Wish it was shorter.

Creak. Creak…

Hunter Association Central Detention Center.

On the first-floor corridor, where no trace of humans remains, “something” walks.

Creak. Crreeak…

Something dragging a massive industrial hammer along the floor.

The dried blood on the hammer shows it has crushed no small number of victims.

『……Where…』 Creak…

A corridor where lights flicker ominously.

A space barred by old iron windows and doors.

“It” drips blood from its crushed head as it drags the bloodied hammer down the hallway.

Crreeak… Creak…

“That thing” was exceptionally tall.

Whether its bones were broken or flattened like taffy from the hammer’s blows,

even hunched over, its head touched the ceiling.

People would naturally have to look up at it.

『Where… are you hiding…?』

An aberration marked with the number “0904” on its chest.

Even now, it wanders, searching for “someone” who killed it… someone whose upward gaze was beautiful.

Creak… Creak…

How far had it walked?

“My head hurts…”

A woman’s faint voice echoed from afar.

Screech— The thing turned its body, hefted the hammer, and ran toward the sound.

Thud! Thud! Thud!

A body flattened like a pork cutlet under a hammer.

Its crushed head smacked against the ceiling with each step.

Thud! Thud! Thud!

“It” ran.

Toward the voice.

Was it the one who killed it?

Someone with a beautiful upward gaze?

If they look up, smash their skull.

Like what happened to “me,” crush their head with the hammer.

So they can never look up again.

So others can understand “my” pain.

Thud! Thud!

“It’s okay if ‘I’ kill them.”

Because ‘I’ was wronged. Because ‘my’ body was flattened by a hammer.

Even if ‘I’ kill someone innocent,

the wronged ‘me’ will be forgiven.

Thud! Thud! Thud!

“It” ran.

Gripping the massive hammer.

Smiling wide.

Thud! Thud!

Soon, “it” rounded a corner and saw the owner of the voice.

『Fou…nd…』

A woman.

Dressed in black martial arts attire.

Her chest, larger than her head, impossible to miss at a glance.

A beautiful human.

“…….”

She— no, “that”—

with an old handsaw embedded in her head,

blood dripping onto the floor,

Crreeak—

was tilting her head as far back as possible,

staring down with all her might at “it.”

『……..』 “…….”

Was this to avoid looking up?

The human with the saw in her head leaned back further, veins bulging in her neck.

An unsettling sight—

bloodshot eyes glaring down at “it,”

the handsaw slamming against the wall with each twitch.

Thud. Thud.

The saw digging into her skull.

Blood pooling on the floor.

“Who… arrre you?”

『Wrong person.』

Not the one it was looking for.

No— not even a person at all.

Why glare so terrifyingly when she could just close her eyes?

Creak…

Letting the hammer drop, “it”

quietly turned away from the one staring down at it.

…….

“……Huu… that was scary.”

A while later.

On the first-floor corridor, where the giant hammer-wielding “it” had vanished,

the woman— Eunha— finally relaxed and sighed in relief.

What a shock.

There’s a rule not to look up, but who expected it to be a freak with a flattened body whose head touches the ceiling?

If I hadn’t leaned my head back in time, I might’ve looked up without realizing.

I considered just closing my eyes… but staring down felt safer than facing an aberration blind.

It worked.

‘It said it was killed… but now it’s out here killing others too.’

A place full of sin.

Still, it didn’t force anything and just left. Morally, it’s high-tier among aberrations.

If it had been the [Red Lady], she’d have grabbed my head, asking why my eyes were so wide.

『Ah. Grudges pile up.』

A familiar voice, like an auditory hallucination.

Eunha flinched, rubbing her sore back.

‘How do I even get out of here…? The guide’s titled “How to Escape,” but it never actually explains how.’

Truly, a place full of sin.

For now, let’s walk.

Rattle…

The detention center seen through the lens of aberrations.

Eunha thought positively. It couldn’t be worse than where she lived, the “Morning Star Apartments.”

“I finished everything I needed here… what else is there to see?”

Rattle…

The sound of suitcase wheels.

Gently touching the saw in her head, she walked down the dark hallway.

The detention center’s corridor had transformed into something resembling a prison, with cells lining the walls.

Yet, every door and window was barred with broken, rusted iron like fangs.

The cells were empty.

Unopenable windows.

Desolate cells.

The hallway itself felt like one giant prison.

‘It said escaped sinners roam the halls… like livestock grazing.’

Two key rules:

Do not touch the iron bars.

Do not mind what lies beyond them.

My head hurts.

My work here was done, and I still had my shift at the café tomorrow.

Yet, here the aberrations keep me.

Truly, a place full of sin.

‘Hmm… whatever. When else would I get to see this place? Just a quick look, then I’ll leave. Worst case, I’ll call the [Blood Bus].’

Thinking lightheartedly.

There were always solutions.

Humming a familiar tune, Eunha walked on.

Rattle—

How far had she gone down the cold hallway?

“……Huh?”

Suddenly, she noticed “something” sitting inside one of the broken cells.

…….

A prison hallway she’d absentmindedly passed.

Like observing a bird in a cage, or animals in a zoo,

she turned and peered beyond the bars—

『Baa… baa…』

A lamb.

A small lamb with pink wool,

collapsed before a jujube tree, crying mournfully.

『Baa…』

The lamb wept.

Before a lightning-struck jujube tree.

It dug weakly at the roots, but only blood seeped into the soil.

The lamb cried helplessly.

‘……Not Ms. Yangsoa. Why would I see this?’

Something I’ve glimpsed before…

But slightly different.

In empty cells lingered someone’s “sins.”

Hard to watch.

Eunha absentmindedly stared at the weeping lamb.

“……Wait.”

She froze.

Realizing, she stepped back.

Unconsciously, her body had edged toward the bars, drawn to the lamb.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

0-1. Do not touch the iron bars carelessly.

– Many are broken, making it hard to distinguish you from sinners.

– To prevent infection, to avoid blending in.

– Do not touch the iron bars.

~~~~~~~~~~

0-2. Do not mind what lies beyond the iron bars.

– Beyond them lies another world.

– No matter what you see, do not react.

– Do not reach through.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Another world beyond the bars.

A hallucination?

Had she touched them, something worse could’ve happened.

Stepping back, Eunha touched the saw in her head.

‘Haa… one more step, and my chest would’ve brushed the bars.’

Beyond them, in the dark, the weeping lamb.

Forcefully turning away, Eunha strode past the cell.

“…….”

The cells continued.

So did the sins within them.

『……■■… what should I do…』

A pitifully broken light.

A “spider” staring blankly at the flickering ceiling.

Eunha thought of someone expressionless as she passed.

『Our ●●. There’s so much I couldn’t give you…』

『Anything…… I just want to live with ●●…』

A “dog,” hugging an old Shiba Inu, weeping.

The “dog” hated its own helplessness.

Eunha recalled someone bold as she walked.

『……I… wanna lie down here too. I’m tired.』

A “someone” in a detective hat, sighing over new corpses daily.

Dreams shattered against reality.

Rattle…

Eunha wheeled her suitcase past.

‘……A disgusting place.’

Full of sin.

Shrouded in iron bars.

The inner landscapes of hearts, barred by guilt.

A zoo… or museum.

Nothing else fits “prison” better.

Rattle.

She walked on.

Why did this place exist?

What grudge made it flaunt others’ pain so brazenly?

No answer.

“…….”

She felt a vicious malice,

something trying to lure her into touching the bars.

Grip—!

Pressing the saw deeper,

sharp pain cleared her mind.

“Haah… Okay. I’m fine.”

Walking past sins.

『Me, me… who am I…?』

An orange cat suffering schizophrenia.

With nine lives, it split itself after four deaths.

Eunha moved on.

『…….』

A “mouse” collapsed before a broken clock.

Wishing everything would reset, it bit the second hand,

but time marched on.

Rattle…

Secrets kept locked away.

Eunha tilted her head back, staring ahead with bloodshot eyes.

She passed the cells.

Step.

Another.

How far had she walked from the bars?

『……My ■■. Good child.』

She froze.

“…….”

A voice she’d forgotten.

『My ■■… Hunting is a good job.』

Calling a name

no one knew now.

“…….”

A prison holding “someone’s” sins.

Eunha—

turned her head.

“…….”

Beyond the bars—

a dark cell.

Someone stood there.

In “their” hand, a broken soju bottle,

a bloodied ashtray,

the sound of rain,

trash everywhere,

and a scarred girl

raising a weapon at “someone.”

『……You really are that bitch’s daughter.』

Clang!!!

Eunha grabbed the iron bars.

~~~~~~~~~~

0-1. Do not touch the iron bars carelessly.

– Many are broken, making it hard to distinguish you from sinners.

– “We,” long imprisoned, instinctively rattle the bars even after escaping.

– To prevent infection, to avoid blending in.

– Do not touch them.

~~~~~~~~~~

Thud!

A moment later.

In the unnaturally vast first floor,

a harpoon shot from the dark hallway’s end

pierced Eunha’s back.

Thud!!

A long chain trailed behind it.

Piercing her heart, breaking ribs, the sharp tip jutted from her chest.

“Cough…! Hey!! You people—!!”

Eunha spat blood, glaring past the bars.

Her usual smile was gone.

Even forgetting the pain of her shattered heart,

this was a sight she never wanted to see.

“No matter what— I’ll smash this place and leave!”

As if responding,

the chain yanked taut.

Crash—!!

Eunha was dragged down the dark hallway.

Metal screeching.

Her skin tearing against the floor.

Her heart ached.

Not from the harpoon.

Like a hooked fish, she was pulled into the dark.

Toward a staircase descending underground.

“I’ll— I’ll…!”

As she tumbled down the stairs,

a voice thick with resentment

echoed through the silent hall.

Then—

Creak…

From below,

an icy wind blew,

Snap!

Something frozen shattered—

the chain stopped.

The line was cut.

But inertia flung Eunha into the air.

Below, the staircase.

She braced for impact—

Whoosh…!

Then—

a white flash erupted,

grabbing her midair and rolling across the cold floor.

All in an instant.

…….

…….

( 『Then, unni… what kind of people were your parents?』 )

Someday, today.

A question from a “delusional girl” at the hospital.

Eunha couldn’t answer,

but someone whispered:

( 『They’re the ones who stay by your side when it’s hard.』 )

Feelings for another.

A mother’s regret for failing to protect her child.

For the delusional girl, it became truth.

“Miss Eunha! Are you alright?!”

And now—

a mother who was busy with guild work, failing to protect her child,

left another regret here.

“Here you are. I’ve been searching.”

“……Ugh… Guild Master Kim Ha—”

“Address me properly.”

“Mom Kim Hayang. Weren’t you out with the Cat Division Head?”

“I returned. I was worried about you.”

Someone who stays by your side when it’s hard.

True to those words.

Dressed in white,

eyes gently closed—

Kim Hayang, leader of the [Everlasting Sword Guild], held Eunha, inspecting her wounds.

Drip…

Her soft body was battered and bruised.

Blood stained Hayang’s white uniform red.

Still, she didn’t let go.

Letting her clothes soak in red.

“Your wounds… Hm. Can’t see them.”

“Open your eyes.”

“Ah. My apologies. Still getting used to it.”

Hayang opened her eyes.

An “inverse cross” pattern in her iris guarded Eunha.

“The wounds are severe. We must treat—”

“Cough… I’ll heal… Just pull the harpoon.”

“Understood.”

Schlick!

Still holding Eunha,

Hayang ran a finger along the harpoon lodged in her heart.

Friction turned to kinetic energy—

the harpoon shot out like an arrow.

Bang!

The bloody projectile embedded into the wall, shaking the building.

Hayang glared at the chain.

Its midsection was frozen solid.

How cold must steel be to shatter?

“…….”

Shaking off the thought, she checked Eunha.

Already healing, her skin softening.

The gaping hole in her heart sealed shut, leaving only a faint scar.

Incredible regeneration.

Hayang marveled.

‘……Hm? Damp.’

Checking for more wounds,

she groped Eunha’s ample chest.

Her handful was wet—

from blood?

An odd discomfort.

​

“Haah… Thanks. I’ll live.”

“……What’s that in your head?”

“Headache remedy.”

​

Hayang eyed the handsaw with interest.

How was she alive?

​

​

“Hm… Should I pull this out too?”

“Eh?”

​

​

Yank!

Out came the saw.

Blood seeped briefly before the wound closed.

​

“Ow! Why’d you pull it?!”

“My apologies. You said ‘Eh,’ so I assumed consent.”

​

​

Thunk!

Answering “Why pull it?” with another stab,

Hayang apologized while re-embedding the saw.

Fresh pain, instant healing.

Fascinating.

​

“Gaaah…!”

“There. Back in place.”

“Th… thanks… Please don’t touch it again.”

“Understood. Your body is remarkably sturdy.”

“Haaa…… Feels refreshing now. Thank you.”

A place full of sin.

Aberrant and unsettling.

Yet, with someone beside her, it felt easier.

‘……Did Mom Kim Hayang break the chain? How?’

Resting in Hayang’s arms, catching her breath.

Later, Eunha slowly rose, scanning the area.

The staircase underground was nearby, the floor drenched in blood.

The hallway where she was dragged— similarly stained.

Another bloodbath.

Now familiar.

Eunha steadied herself.

“Wheeze…”

How long had she struggled against the throbbing scar?

Forcing her usual lazy smile, she turned to Hayang.

『…….』

Behind Hayang, who sighed in relief—

a “something” loomed, gripping a massive hammer.

The same aberration from earlier.

Drawn by the commotion?

​

Swiftly,

Eunha tilted her head back, glaring down at it.

Hayang, facing Eunha frowned.

“…Why are your eyes like that?”

Mirroring her, Hayang tilted her head too.

Looked odd.

Wait, why copy me?

『Oops. Not human. My mistake.』

Startled, “it” grabbed its hammer and left.

Damn it.

…….

…….

Creak…

Time passed.

The heart wounded by family healed in another family’s embrace.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

– This guide does not guarantee your life or safety.

– Remember. This is a place full of sin.

– This does not mean you are full of sin.

– Not yet, at least.

~~~~~~~~~~

0. This place has been destroyed.

– Be careful. The iron bars are broken…..

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

​

Time passed.

Unstoppable.

Like accumulating snow.

『My child…』

A cold winter arrived.

The furious howl of a “beast” echoed through the dark underground.

A dark winter.

The chain was severed by icy vengeance.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

– This guide does not ■■■■ your ■■■■ or ■■■■.

– Remember. ■■■ ■■ ■■.

– This does not mean you are full of sin.

– ■■■■.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Creak…

Frost settled over the dark underground.

Not mixing—

smothering.

Winter came, claiming all life.

Thud…!

A massive beast’s foot crushed the “something” that had dragged the chain.

『My child…』

A cry mimicking humans.

Wearing human skin,

unsheathing sharp claws,

grinding square fangs,

it embraced a beloved child among people.

( 『They’re the ones who stay by your side when it’s hard.』 )

A failed mother’s grudge.

Finally, finally, vengeance reached its feet.

『Now, rest easy.』

The “beast” recognized Eunha.

Just above, on the first floor.

In the arms of filthy flesh… its child.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

– ■■■■■■ ■■■■ ■■ ■■■■ ■■■■.

– ■■■■. ■■■ ■■ ■■.

– ■■■■ ■■ ■■■■.

– ■■■■.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Snow fell.

Covering everything in white.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

– A worried neighbor.

– Likely checking if you’re doing well.

– Do not panic. Approach the wall and knock back.

– A sign that you’re fine.

– Match their rhythm exactly.

– If the knocking stops, you’ve succeeded.

1. Occasionally, you hear knocking from the next room over.

– A worried neighbor.

– Likely checking if you’re doing well.

2. Occasionally, you hear knocking from the next room over.

– A worried neighbor.

– Likely checking if you’re doing well.

– ■■■■■■ ■■■■ ■■ ■■■■ ■■■■.

– ■■■■ ■■■■.

– ■■■■■■ ■■■■ ■■ ■■■■ ■■■■.

– ■■■■ ■■■■.

– Run.

– Everyone, run now.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Creak.

White frost climbing the stairs,

spreading endlessly.

『My child, please remain human.』

The frost ascended.

What becomes of a beast’s child?

No one knows.

“……Guild Master Kim Hayang.”

End of the day.

Escape the detention center.

With Mom Kim Hayang.

“Address me properly.”

“Mom. Run.”

“Hm?”

“Now!!”

Crash—!!

With Eunha’s shout,

white winter erupted from below.

The frozen building crumbled like crackers.

『My child. Are you hurt?』

The beast wept.