Alfie walked deeper into the forest, his mind still occupied by everything that had happened.
I can't believe Master is trusting that Sasaki guy. The way she spoke earlier... that really was her. But why? Why would she do something like that?
He pushed aside a few branches as he continued along the path. Then, without warning, he stopped.
His eyes widened.
"This... is strange."
He glanced around, struggling to understand what he was seeing.
Master and that Sasaki guy nearly destroyed this entire forest during their fight. So why does everything look brand new?
Alfie turned around, only to find that the path behind him had vanished. Thick bushes and towering trees now covered the area where the trail should have been.
"What the hell? The forest has returned to normal? This isn't right..."
A sense of unease crept through his chest. He immediately turned around and ran back the way he had come, but the deeper he ventured, the more unfamiliar his surroundings became.
The trees grew taller and denser, their enormous branches blocking out the sky. Before long, the forest no longer resembled the place he remembered. It looked more like an endless rainforest.
"MASTER! REBEKAH!" he shouted as he ran. "Where the hell are you guys?"
No answer.
Suddenly, Alfie skidded to a halt.
A mountain ridge stretched out before him, with a river flowing beneath it.
He stared at the unfamiliar landscape, completely bewildered.
This isn't the same forest. Where the hell am I?
Before he could take another step, the ground beneath him exploded.
A gigantic caterpillar burst out of the earth, its enormous mouth opening to reveal rows of razor-sharp teeth.
Alfie's eyes widened. He immediately leapt backward, barely escaping its snapping jaws.
What the hell is that? I've seen plenty of Darkside Spirits, but I've never seen a creature like this.
The monster let out a piercing screech before charging straight at him.
Alfie jumped aside as its jaws snapped shut, narrowly avoiding being swallowed. But before he could regain his balance, the creature swung its massive body sideways and slammed into him.
"Ugh!"
The impact sent him crashing to the ground.
Alfie struggled back to his feet, glaring at the monster.
"Stronger than an Alpha Darkside Spirit? You've got to be kidding me..."
The caterpillar's six legs suddenly began to stretch, growing longer and thicker. Its massive body lowered toward the ground as it prepared to charge again.
Before Alfie could react, it lunged.
He ducked beneath the first strike, rolled away from the second, then jumped over another leg as it smashed into the ground where he had been standing.
The attacks came faster than he expected.
Alfie barely managed to avoid them, but with every movement, the space available to escape grew smaller.
Damn it! I can't keep dodging forever!
He tried to summon his Renshi, only to feel nothing.
Why can't I use it? Is this because of the second seal, or is this place doing something to me?
The caterpillar lunged again.
Alfie twisted aside, but one of its legs caught his shoulder and sent him tumbling down the rocky slope.
He rolled several times before grabbing a protruding stone and managing to stop himself.
"Shit!"
A deep rumble suddenly shook the mountain.
Cracks spread across the rocky ridge as the ground began to collapse. Huge slabs of stone broke loose and tumbled toward the river below.
Alfie released his grip and jumped onto a falling boulder. Without hesitation, he sprang toward another as the rocks crashed into the water.
The caterpillar followed, lunging through the falling debris with its jaws wide open.
Alfie threw himself sideways at the last moment.
The monster's jaws slammed into the boulder beneath him, shattering it into pieces.
"Not this time!"
Alfie grabbed the creature's body and climbed onto its back. He raised both fists and hammered them against its thick hide.
"I won't let you have your way with me..."
The caterpillar thrashed violently, trying to throw him off. Alfie clung tightly to its back as they plunged into the river.
The impact drove them beneath the surface.
Alfie struggled against the powerful current, kicking toward the light above. Behind him, the caterpillar swam through the water with frightening speed.
He finally broke through the surface, gasping for air.
The current dragged him downstream. Somewhere ahead, the distant roar of a waterfall grew louder with every passing second.
Wait... a waterfall?
Before he could think any further, the caterpillar burst out of the water beside him. Its legs came crashing down, forcing Alfie to dive beneath the surface.
He resurfaced beside a floating tree trunk and grabbed hold of it, using it to keep himself above water.
The monster attacked again.
Alfie abandoned the trunk and swam desperately to avoid its jaws, but the current was too strong. No matter how hard he struggled, he couldn't escape its pull.
The waterfall was getting closer.
Damn it! If I can't get away from this thing, I'm going over the falls with it!
The caterpillar caught up to him, its enormous jaws opening wide.
Alfie thrust both arms between them, desperately forcing its jaws apart to keep its teeth from crushing his head.
Its teeth pierced his arms.
"GAHHHH!"
A sharp wave of pain shot through his body as blood spread through the water. He struggled to keep the monster's jaws open, but his arms were trembling and his grip was beginning to slip.
Damn it... just a little longer! If there's a waterfall ahead, maybe I can use the current to my advantage!
His gaze shifted toward the creature's gaping mouth.
A fierce grin slowly spread across his face.
"No..."
He tightened his grip on its jaws.
"I refuse to lose to some low-life monster!"
With a furious roar, Alfie pushed one side of its jaw away while pulling the other in the opposite direction.
His muscles strained as he poured every ounce of strength into the movement.
"AAAHHHHH!"
The creature thrashed wildly, but Alfie refused to let go.
Then, with a sickening crack, its mouth split apart.
Purple blood burst into the water, splattering across Alfie's face. The caterpillar convulsed several times before its body finally went limp.
The current swept both Alfie and the dead creature toward the waterfall.
You're kidding me...
A moment later, they plunged over the edge.
The impact at the bottom knocked the air from Alfie's lungs. He struggled beneath the water, his wounded arms barely responding as the current dragged him around.
He forced himself toward the surface and gasped for breath before swimming desperately toward the riverbank.
After several failed attempts, he finally caught hold of a rock and dragged himself out of the water.
His entire body ached.
Ahead of him stood another towering forest, its trees disappearing into the mist.
Alfie staggered toward the nearest tree, leaned against its trunk, and slowly slid down to the ground.
His chest heaved as he struggled to catch his breath.
I've never felt pain like that before...
He lowered his gaze to his hands.
Then his expression changed.
Wait... why doesn't it hurt anymore?
He carefully examined his arms. The wounds had disappeared, and his skin was completely unmarked.
Alfie stared in disbelief, turning his palms over as though expecting the injuries to reappear.
"The hell? Am I... healing?"
He remembered Sasaki's strange ability to recover from injuries.
Don't tell me I'm turning into a monster like that Reaper guy too...
Shaking his head, Alfie forced himself to stand.
"Master Lu! Rebekah! Is anyone here?"
His voice echoed through the trees, but no one answered.
Thick fog began creeping between the trees, gradually swallowing the path ahead.
Alfie frowned and moved forward cautiously.
This fog is bad news. And why can't I use my Renshi? In a world blessed by the Father of Renshi, how is this even possible?
He clenched his fists.
Something is seriously wrong with this place.
Suddenly, a sharp sound came from behind him.
Whoosh!
Alfie immediately ducked.
A blade sliced through the air just above his head.
He sprang backward and turned toward the direction of the attack, but the fog was too thick to make out anything.
"Tch! I can't see a damn thing..."
Footsteps echoed around him, shifting from one direction to another.
Alfie turned repeatedly, trying to track his opponent, but the sounds seemed deliberately misleading.
That sword strike... I know that feeling. A Darkside Spirit.
His eyes narrowed.
But how can one exist here when I can't even use Renshi?
Another attack came from above.
Alfie reacted a moment too late.
The blade cut across his chest, sending him crashing to the ground.
"GAAHHHH!"
Before he could recover, another slash came from the side.
He rolled away, but his attacker immediately followed with another strike, then another. His body jerked with every impact as the blade tore through his clothes and skin.
Blood stained the ground beneath him.
"Hah... hah..."
Alfie struggled to breathe as he stared at the wounds covering his body.
Why... doesn't it hurt?
He could see the blood. He could feel the blade cutting into him. His body reacted to every strike, yet the pain he expected never came.
Then why am I shouting...?
Suddenly, Alfie stopped moving.
His eyes widened as something clicked in his mind.
Then, slowly, he began to smile.
An illusion...
He raised his head.
So that's what this is.
The Darkside Spirit lunged again, bringing its sword down toward his head.
Alfie didn't dodge.
Instead, he raised one hand and caught the blade with his bare fingers.
Blood ran between them, but his expression remained unchanged.
The creature immediately swung its second sword, driving it into Alfie's chest.
Alfie barely reacted.
Instead, he leaned forward, staring directly into the creature's face.
"Sorry, moron. I'm done playing along."
Before the Darkside Spirit could pull its sword free, Alfie slammed his forehead into its face.
CRACK!
The impact sent the creature flying backward into the fog.
Alfie dropped to one knee, breathing heavily as he watched the shadow disappear.
Gradually, the fog began to thin.
The surrounding trees came into view, revealing an ordinary forest once more.
Alfie cautiously looked around.
Gone? Just like that?
He examined his chest and hands. There were no wounds, no blood, not even a scratch.
Fake Darkside Spirits. Fake pain. Fake wounds...
He clenched his fists, his expression growing serious.
This entire place is an illusion.
He remained still for a moment, trying to make sense of everything he had just experienced.
My father once told me about hallucinations. A dreamlike world where the mind could mistake what it saw for reality.
Back then, I thought it was nothing more than a fairy tale.
But now...
"...Something is starting to make sense."