The Core of Evil
Come close
"June..."
"I get. Take care of Jay while I make sure it's at the front door"
Damnit. What the hell's going on? Why must it be impromptu like this?
We don't even carry infrared goggles to detect the presence inside the darkness...! This is gonna be so hard!
There can't be any hijackers. The guards on board this spacecraft are as well trained as us the OPS who handle Malefic. They would not lose just like that, let alone considering their quite significant number inside here
Did Malefic infiltrate? But that's impossible too. Malefic can breathe even in space, but they are no more intelligent than animals. They wouldn't want to be in an empty, uninhabited place like this
One thing is for sure, this ship is under attack and is now floating in space. We should be grateful that the oxygen provider is still on in this place, but how much longer?
I was able to breathe in space due to the Maledict factor in my body, but Jay and Jun would definitely die in a few minutes
...
Factor... Maledict
...
Oh my...
"June!"
Just as I was warning Jun who had just opened the door, an aura of existence suddenly ambushed my entire body until Jay frantically called out my name
Jun who heard that came closer to find out what was going on. He had trouble seeing the effects of the lights that were dead, so he needed to be as close as possible to make sure of our situation
"What's up, Jay?"
"I don't know! You just opened the door, Azure suddenly suddenly convulsed and shook like this!"
"K-K-K-There is-He-"
'`Later I found you...`'
Wh-!
Who's that-?
Who just let out that echoing voice-?
Why does this aura feel so thick and nauseating?
"June! We should-!"
...!
Just one second after we both saw Jun, we realized, up close, he looked surprised at something
Something he could hear just now...
"Hectors..."
Our eyes were both wide-eyed in disbelief hearing Jun's brief mutter
'`True old friends. I'm on this ship right now, talking through the wall to you three`'
S-That sound...!
Is it Hector's??
So-so
Do we have to face the Malict of Terror??
The power of each Maledict is different. For example, like mine, which is capable of making a virus spread and deadly, destroying everything in its path of spread as if they were burning paper
Then there's this one again. A very difficult opponent for a person who has never faced it or is not mentally strong. The Malict of Terror
The original strength of this Maledict was mind control. He gave off an aura of a deadly existence that could even kill a timid person just from feeling it for a second
And worst of all, he could mentally assault that person further by making them hallucinate about the thing they least want to face. In fact, if it was their greatest fear, Hector could put it into reality and make it real
He was a Maledict who knew exactly the depths of one's heart by spreading fear. The worst possible successor you could face
"Grabbing around you! Make sure that no one moves and don't let your guard down!"
"Well, Venia Jun!"
The information about Hector is in a secret database that can only be accessed at the rank of Centurion and above. However, Jay and I happened to be able to read it because of Jun's help
It was written that Hector always used one way when fighting. Hiding in a complicated place and not easily broken through
As long as it was within the range of 100 meters, he could affect people with his aura. And measuring this spacecraft, it might be estimated that the length and height is 100m x 70m x 20m
This room is in the middle, among other VIP rooms. And the VIP room is closest to the control room but the farthest from the machine room
The possibility that Hector is in the engine room right now is the biggest. Almost all large transportation equipment like this has a large and complicated machine room
"Engine room, Jun"
Without warning, Jun immediately nodded as we slowly tried to walk there while continuing to cling to the wall
"Azuren. Are you okay in the back?" Jay called me in a whisper
"It's okay. You are also the weakest when it comes to close combat. So protecting you in the middle is the best tactic"
"alright. But don't call me weak"
He was protesting!
"Don't be afraid of children. If you're afraid, he'll just devour it as his strength"
"I know! But what we're dealing with is a Maledict, so-!"
*tap!*
...
A heavy step suddenly sounded from the direction in front of us, leaving the three of us instantly shocked
A shadow of someone suddenly approached from behind the darkness, approaching the three of us who were ready to pull out the weapon
"The chairman said that I just need to handle Venia..."
That guy's voice indicates that he's a guy my age and Jay's
And he said he had to deal with a Venia...
Don't say-!
"You're the one who worked with Hector...?"
That person only laughed for a moment at my question, making us a little surprised and taking one step back
"really. More precisely
I'm also a Maledict~"
That person suddenly shot towards us with his fist
Jun who was already on standby also pulled out a sword from his waist pad. A sword that emitted a light bright enough to blind his opponent for a moment
He swiped the sword towards his opponent, until it managed to precisely slash his right arm
Our unknown opponent took a step back when he realized that his arm had been neatly cut off
"Well! To a Maledict, you are quite weak and not clever!"
...
But Jun's pleasure ended instantly...
By the time he realized, that the arm of his opponent he had just cut off had grown back...
"Listen. I told you I'm a Maledict. You should immediately find out which Maledict I am before attacking and look sad like that"
Thats impossible...
His arm...
Growing back...!
But his severed arm is still here. Then why does his being behind the darkness show that he has his arm back...?
"Sad. Turns out you're that Maledict..." Jun clucked
"The Maledict of Eternity..." Jay muttered
"Huh?"
"You don't know Azure? This Maledict was once our quarry in an impromptu way when I was a new soldier
This fellow. He could not die in an unnatural way. Even if you obliterate his entire body from this world, he will continue to regenerate at lightning speed
This one Maledict can't die, no matter how we try to kill him"
"And this is the first time I've faced this Maledict..."
Even Jun was overwhelmed by that explanation
An opponent who can't die?? What kind of joke is that?!
And he's working with our opponent??
"Hmph! You guys talk like we're some kind of dangerous species! In fact, we are not much different from you other living beings
In fact, that one Maledict is hiding behind you two isn't it?!"
!!!
He knows I'm a Maledict...?
The information about my true identity can only be known to the Venias and the people closest to me. Hector who disappeared before the information about my identity was there was no way to know about it
How could they obtain such confidential information??
"This must be a joke..."
But we don't have time to think too much and stall any longer here
"Yes! Venia Jun!"
"Take Jay to the engine room and catch Hector Misleif! It's orders!"
Urgh...!
"Good! Ready-to-do!"
I have to finish this. Fighting that one person would be a waste of time even if the three of us attacked at once
"Oh yeah? You think Hector's there?"
Our opponent laughed as if he was mocking us
But when his laughter stopped, his red eyes could be seen blazing clearly as they faced us and said,
"Please try it while I'm on THIS ONE!!"
Jun was again attacked by her, but was successfully repelled by the reflexes of my amazing teacher
"Go!!"
He who shouted that sentence also spontaneously made us both run as hard as we could towards the other direction towards the engine room of this spacecraft
"You know the floor plan??" Jay asked me as we ran
"In the meantime, I'll try to retrieve the data in this place"
It is not too complicated to solve general data, especially if it is displayed in every corner of the place
But since the lights are off now, which means that if the map on the wall we can't see at all, Jun's laptop light is the one I have to use to find the fastest way there. Jay had to be willing to guide me not to bump into anything while continuing to look for that map
All right, this is pretty easy. A little more and-
*!!!*
AGRGHH!!
What kind of sound is that!!??
Spontaneously we both closed our ears because of the sound, so I accidentally dropped Jun's laptop
That voice made my ears hurt...!
"Jay, are you okay?"
"It's okay! Let's keep running!"
...
Heh?
Wait-wait
"Jay"
*!!!*
AARGH!!
Urgh...!
Cursed be that voice...!
"Jay! Where are you!?"
No one answered behind the darkness
There aren't...
What the hell just happened? Jay's missing!
He followed someone who had my voice!
That guy mimicked a voice exactly like mine and managed to trick Jay into abandoning me, amidst the loud noise that kept bothering it
And from the looks of it, Jay should have been able to see that person's form
Is that person also able to imitate my entire body shape?
'`Finally we are alone, O-2507`'
!!!
His voice sounded again in my head. And seeing that I was the only one left in this area, I gave up. He must know exactly where I am right now
"Hector Misleif..."
Ye...
"What did you do to my friend...!?"
'`Please yourself, friend. I came in peace`'
"Not funny jokes! I know exactly you just want to destroy this place right now!"
You were rumored to disappear and lose control, how could I just believe it when you said you came in peace...?
'`I really don't lie. After all, lying is indeed the thing I hate the most
I'm not Amitha, O-2507. I never lied to someone'`'
Huh huh?
What does Amitha have to do with all this?
"You must have drunk 10 glasses tonight to talk to me here and there..."
'`I also hate wine, stupid. So just listen to what I have to say...!`'
...
'`It finally calms down too. We'd better start by getting away'
As he let out that sentence, a figure appeared from behind the shadow before me, moving as slowly as possible
Someone's in the priestess's dress at Terra's temple. And from the reflection of the light on his face, it seemed like he was wearing glasses
'Follow the woman who walked up to you that. We'll meet face-to-face afterwards`'
Huh huh?
He's not really kidding, is he...?
"You're going to hand over your location to me? I could've killed you if I wanted to"
'`I doubt it. But if you do have the determination to do it`'
!!!
That woman-that woman
In a flash. I'm sure my eyes keep staring warily at him, but in an instant...
Somehow, he was already behind me now, poking me with something sharp
"Now moving. Hector-sama doesn't like to wait too long in an affair"
His cold, stiff, yet smooth, soft voice gave me goosebumps. It was as if he was the gentlest person in the world, but if I switched, he could kill me at any time as if he were a machine made just for killing
'`So, don't underestimate us. The chairman had already taken into account all the possibilities, and he couldn't possibly let me die just like that'
The chairman?
I realized that the person we were dealing with also mentioned the chairman. But I think that person is Hector
But it turns out I was wrong. There is still another mastermind behind this crime. Hector is just his man
...
I have to find out, even if the odds are not possible
And the only way is to get close to Hector directly
...
But first...
"Let me take that laptop"
"moving"
"I told you -"
"moving"
...
...
'`Let him take that laptop, Flair...`'
"Understand, Hector-sama"
The complicating woman...
At least he's not picking me up anymore now
Just grab that laptop, get up, and-
...
For some reason, it didn't take me how long to take the laptop and stand up, I could immediately feel something sharp again on my back...
"moving"
"All right! But don't stick that thing on me!"
I also couldn't grab her hand easily because she was behind me...
