It seemed that the man called Krai Andrich had almost no sense of self-preservation.
In the darkness, the young man obediently followed the smartphone-guided directions without a shred of doubt. The way he walked straight through the Phantoms that appeared along the way without even questioning Mary's guiding voice was a sight that—even if this Treasure Hall continued to gather fear from here on—would never be seen again.
This Treasure Hall contained numerous areas, all designed to instill fear. Yet no matter which area Krai walked through, his emotions consisted entirely of admiration—not a trace of fear or wariness. How much would you have to trust the text of a message to end up like this?
To make matters worse, Krai even took a break along the way.
In a hospital room decorated solely to stoke terror, he sat eating a chocolate bar he'd produced from seemingly nowhere. It was the kind of sight that gave you a headache just watching.
The first thing Lady guided him to was the taboo switch in a corner of the abandoned hospital area.
Among the countless hospital rooms, this one was clearly different.
Beyond multiple metal doors lay a laboratory designed to produce individuals with special abilities.
Outside the room, the word "WARNING" was painted in large red letters. Sealed inside was a man whose brain had been modified to develop special abilities. Lady only had the intelligence reports, but as the price for his power, the man had lost every ounce of the ethics a human being should possess—and he had reportedly killed over ten thousand people using those abilities.
Releasing the man, who was frozen in cold sleep inside a special capsule, was simple. All you had to do was press the buttons in order. And yet the seal had never been broken before, for the simple reason that no one had ever pressed a button labeled "DANGER! ABSOLUTELY DO NOT PUSH!"
In fact, Lady had assumed that because it was so obviously dangerous, no one would ever push the buttons—so she had never let anyone in here before.
Krai entered the room without any hesitation, his eyes going wide at the glaring warning colors and ominous equipment.
"Hey, I'm Mary. I'd like you to press the buttons over there in order."
"Huh? This one?"
Krai began pressing the large buttons obediently.
The sheer lack of hesitation in pushing buttons clearly marked with "DO NOT PUSH" made Lady nearly scream for him to stop.
Krai was technically a Hunter, so how had he survived this long with such a complete lack of caution? She genuinely couldn't understand.
Could he not see the "DO NOT PUSH" labels? The other companions were equally dumbfounded.
Without a moment's pause, Krai executed every step needed to release the killer. His hand never once stopped pressing buttons. If anything, Lady was the one reeling. She was genuinely getting a headache now.
One by one, the restraints came undone, the door locks disengaged, and the cold sleep termination sequence initiated. Given time, the superpowered killer—Cold A—would begin to move.
It was an almost absurdly anticlimactic release.
Cold A was less Lady's ally and more one of Monster Digger's kind. If Krai was left here, he would be killed without ceremony.
"…Have him release the other seals too."
How many could he manage to break? At this point, fear was starting to outweigh anticipation.
That said, it wasn't exactly fear—it was more like anxiety. Honestly, Lady would have been perfectly happy if he stopped releasing seals altogether.
Whether it was Saya or Krai, extremes never ended well.
Just then, Mary raised her head.
"Hey, it's Mary. Someone's trying to test a rumor."
"!?! Again?!"
There was only one rumor circulating about this Treasure Hall right now—the one Krai had used.
She checked the time. The clock read 4:44.
Krai managing to enter before the designated time was an exception among exceptions—the result of special accommodation from Mary and the others.
Normally, the gate was supposed to open at this time.
Why was a rumor that had never been tested before now being tested twice in a row?
What kind of idiot was going to try it this time?—When Lady looked to check, what came into view was a group standing before the mirror, smartphones in hand—including the two who had been kicked out earlier.
Saya Chromiz and Lucia Roje. Along with several Hunters who appeared to be Lucia's equals.
She felt a small measure of relief that two consecutive idiots hadn't appeared, but frowned at the fact that Saya was apparently still alive.
In any case, it went without saying that she couldn't let them all in.
The aberrations had betrayed them, true, but Saya was strong, and the others radiated considerable power. They certainly wouldn't be afraid of Monster Digger or Lady. She was so sick of this.
The only one among them who could be allowed into the Treasure Hall was Lucia.
"Mary, let Lucia in. No one else."
Normally, the Spirit Snare activated automatically as long as the conditions were met—it would automatically invite everyone who qualified, so it wasn't possible to exclude just one person.
But when Lady herself was present, things were different.
Right now, she could prevent even those who met the conditions from entering. If she excluded everyone but Lucia, then only a timid Mage would walk into the Treasure Hall.
Moreover, the person Lucia feared losing the most—her older brother—was currently inside this Treasure Hall. And Lucia herself knew it.
There was no condition more perfectly designed to stoke fear.
"Open the gate for just an instant. Whatever you do, don't let Saya in."
The aberrations who had been serving Saya were all inside the Treasure Hall.
Even if Saya got in, they probably wouldn't lose at this point, but the fewer complications the better.
§ § § A call came in on Citry's smartphone, and the large mirror blazed with intense purple light.
The mirror's glow lasted only an instant. The light faded and their vision returned.
Before the mirror stood an excited Liz and Luke. Anthem, who had transformed to roughly the same size as the other members. Citry, smartphone in hand. The mysterious life-form Kirukilu—and Saya.
Lucia, who had been with them moments ago, was gone!!
Citry, who had been holding the phone to his ear, smiled awkwardly.
"Well, this is… Someone's selecting targets here. The conditions should have been met, but only Lucia got pulled through… It might be the Phantom that Saya-san mentioned."
"Dammit!! Let me in too!! Kraiiii!!"
Luke began hammering on the mirror with increasing force.
But looking at the mirror, it seemed the gate had existed for only an instant.
Even Saya's abilities couldn't pry it open now. She'd been naive… they were completely on guard.
"Tch. What a cheap trick… Well, if this is the best they can do for 'instilling fear,' that says something about the opposition."
"Mm-hm."
"That's right. Special gimmick-type Treasure Halls aren't necessarily that difficult."
But unlike the anxious Saya, the others' reactions were entirely unhurried.
A single companion had been snatched away—and they knew she was up against an opponent she was weak against, yet they showed no concern whatsoever.
"Aren't you worried about Lucia? Lucia is—"
In that space, Lucia had clearly been off her game. Walking through that Treasure Hall alone in that state was practically suicide.
Saya didn't understand what it felt like to fear Phantoms, but she knew that among Hunters, there were some who were particularly vulnerable to specific opponents.
Apparently, Lucia was weak against Phantoms and Monsters with that kind of ghostly appearance.
And that fact was something Lady—the Phantom—was aware of too. At this rate, Lucia probably wouldn't come back.
Was there another route into the Treasure Hall? But the rumors spread throughout this Imperial Capital were vast, and if Lady could seal the gate, she would shut down any route they found.
To the anxious Saya, Citry's eyes went wide and he clapped his hands together.
"Ah, no need to worry. Saya-san, you still don't understand Lucia."
"Even Phantoms are stupid, honestly. Of all people to drag into there, just Lucia."
Liz laughed with an exasperated expression.
She still didn't understand? Did Lucia have some hidden power?
Saya looked at the mirror again. The mirror that Krai had apparently just purchased was flawless—nothing reflected in it but her own bewildered expression.
§ § § Alright, it worked!!
Lady pumped her fist in triumph. Amid all the unnecessary worries about Saya and Krai and the aberrations, Lucia Roje—who was genuinely terrified of Lady and her kind—was their one source of solace.
The more terrified Lucia was, the stronger Lady and the others became. If anything, they could even give her a guest-level room. Lucia was that precious—a person who possessed power yet still feared them purely and completely.
The companions who had developed a taste for the previous scares began gathering. There wasn't a shred of interest in Krai left among them. The only ones absent were Mary and the others handling the phone operations.
They'd probably come asking for a share again.
That was fine. Lady had discovered just hours ago that the fear Lucia displayed was more than enough to heal them all.
"Don't let those aberrations notice. If they kill Lucia, we're done for."
Saya's aberrations were different from Lady's kind. They existed for the purpose of invasion and violence—they didn't need fear the way Lady's group did. Lady and the others wouldn't be quick to turn on them, since losing their support would mean having to rely on Saya again to exert power. But those aberrations were certainly eyeing the Treasure Hall's management rights with covetous interest.
Eventually, a hierarchy would need to be established. Until then, they had to build up strength.
"I'll go in first. Krai is in the Treasure Hall right now."
At Lady's words, the other Phantoms began booing, but this was one thing she couldn't yield on.
Krai was Lucia's weakness. No Phantom other than Lady could exploit it effectively.
Lucia looked around in confusion, noticing that the companions who should have been with her were gone.
Scaring her in her current state would be easier than crushing a newborn.
Lady slipped quietly behind Lucia and touched her neck.
"Kyah!?!"
Lucia shrieked and twisted around to look at Lady, her expression contorting.
An indescribable sense of fulfillment washed over Lady. She smiled from the bottom of her heart and spoke.
"Big Sis Lucia, you came to play again? I thought you'd escaped—Lady is so happy."
Along with terror, she whispered directly into Lucia's mind. Lady's methods were sophisticated—the only damage she inflicted was mental.
Watching the color drain from Lucia's face in an instant, Lady felt herself growing happier.
She kicked off the ground, hovering in the air, and brought her face close to Lucia's.
"But you can't run away anymore. I'll never let you escape."
"!?!?"
Each time she shook her, high-quality energy flowed into Lady. This was how things were supposed to be.
If only every person in this era were like Lucia… As she entertained that thought, she continued, intent on delivering further despair.
"After all, your precious big brother is in here right now."
Being able to exert power for someone else's sake—that was both a strength and a weakness.
For Krai's sake, Lucia would not be able to run. She would wander this Treasure Hall, terrorized the entire time.
Lady shifted her face, curving it into a crescent moon smile.
And then she delivered the threat most likely to terrify Lucia.
"Wanna play? How about hide-and-seek? You find your big brother, okay? If you don't find him quickly, I might just kill him—"
"…Excuse me?"
A voice like ice. Lady, still wearing her smile, froze for an instant as Lucia's hand reached for her neck.
The fear that had been on Lucia's face moments ago had vanished in an instant. Impossible.
Lucia, who had been so terrified of Lady, was reaching out toward her.
Lucia's fingers couldn't actually make contact, but the palpitations wouldn't stop.
Cold. Freezing, even. Was that because of Lucia's magic, or because Lady herself was afraid of Lucia?
"Um… big sis?"
"What did you just say?"
An icy gaze. A voice loaded with power. The magic that had filled her body erupted as a freezing gale.
Lady thought: This one… is bad.
She'd stepped on a tiger's tail. The emotion Lucia was feeling right now wasn't fear.
This was—rage. She hadn't realized. Lucia wasn't someone to be trifled with.
To Lucia, Krai Andrich was—like a dragon's reversed scale.
Without warning, the corridor was wet with water. Not ordinary water.
Water spirits. In this sealed-off Treasure Hall, there was no way to summon spirits, and the time lag was far too short—she must have been carrying them stored in something.
Normally, doing so would enrage the spirits. But Lucia had managed it.
Fear. The anger of a girl who, just moments ago, had been cowering and entertaining Lady—now that anger was terrifying.
Not understanding the situation, the impatient companions charged toward Lucia all at once.
Some on all fours, some floating through the air, some using teleportation—but Lucia directed her freezing gaze at every single one.
Magic was refined in an instant and manifested as phenomena. The world was wrapped in ice.
Ordinary attacks were almost entirely ineffective against Lady and her kind.
But this was no ordinary attack.
Rage. The cold killing intent that declared: I will never let you escape.
The refined passion woven into her spell became a storm that descended upon Lady and her companions.
Lady—and probably her companions too—realized in a single instant: They could never defeat Lucia Roje.
The floor froze over, and the woman who had been approaching on all fours let out a shriek. The Ghost Orchestra froze and crashed to the ground, pulled down by gravity.
At the very least, Saya's offensive capabilities without her aberrations were limited. But Lucia was different.
Her arsenal was vast and limitless. Lady remembered the epithet Lucia carried.
"All Phenomena at Will"—a Mage who freely manipulated every conceivable phenomenon.
Looking at the Phantoms who, just hours ago, had been chasing her desperately while she fled for her life—Lucia's expression didn't so much as twitch. Lady hurried to try reasoning with her.
"I-I was joking, big sis! I wouldn't actually kill your broth—"
"Shut up."
"!?!?"
The reply came in the form of a massive icicle. The enormous shard passed through where Lady's face had been and, without losing momentum, slammed into the floor, scattering freezing air and flash-freezing the entire area.
The cold didn't stop. It wasn't just killing intent.
Little by little, the magic was being calibrated. Tuned to inflict maximum damage upon Lady and her kind.
Lucia Roje intended to eliminate anyone who tried to kill her brother.
The Man-Eating Blue let out a roar and charged at Lucia. Swimming along the ceiling, the Demon Shark lunged to tear her head apart.
But before either of them could reach Lucia, they were flash-frozen and immobilized.
Lucia cast a cold glance at the two Panic Monsters that clattered to the floor with rigid thuds.
Surprise attacks were meaningless. A shark that was merely big was no threat. Even Monster Digger wouldn't be able to get close.
Lady spun around and sprinted at full speed, screaming as she fled. A sharp, intense cold followed, freezing everything in its path.
"Everyone ruuuuun!!"
At this rate, the entire Treasure Hall would be frozen solid. She had to find Krai quickly and get Lucia back to him!