The morning sunlight streamed through the window, illuminating the entire room.
Three days had passed since Alice's "birth." Over the past three days, Rian had done quite a lot—designing, creating new devices, and more.
Now, Rian, dressed in an unbuttoned pajama and black sleep mask, sat atop the spacious bed in his room at the Andromeda manor, having slept the entire day since yesterday.
The room itself was half the size of a soccer field, decorated in a modern, minimalist style. The pale blue walls enhanced the serene, sophisticated atmosphere.
Rian stretched his back, a satisfied smile spreading across his face.
"After yesterday's crazy work, sleeping all day really is the best! Especially with a skincare routine… ah… nothing beats it!"
He furrowed his brows, raised his right hand to his chin, and muttered, "Hmm… I wonder where Alice went. She hasn't returned since yesterday after asking permission to study outside."
"Alice's getting more active, huh? Though she's been helping me a lot with creating new devices."
"Well, never mind. She'll come back when I call," Rian said with a faint smile, lowering his right hand. "Besides, why should I worry? Alice is a cosmic AI, after all."
"More importantly…" Rian continued, retrieving a fist-sized Treasure Chest from his Void Ring, "is to open this Treasure Chest, since this handsome man's mood is quite good today."
Rian furrowed his brows again, staring at the Treasure Chest through his sleep mask. "Hopefully, this handsome man doesn't get a 'better luck next time' message."
Without another word, Rian focused his mind slightly and commanded the Treasure Chest in his right hand.
"Open."
[Ding!]
[Herald with serial number 90,000 has opened a Bronze-tier Treasure Chest]
[You will receive a Bronze-tier Item or Equipment at random]
As soon as the notification sounded, the small Treasure Chest in Rian's palm vanished, transforming into a blinding flash of light.
Coinciding with Rian opening the random Treasure Chest, in another universe:
Inside an ancient castle—dark, cold, and covered in dust—stood a silent, ancient altar at the center of the room.
Hovering above it was a large metallic cube, black with deep purple hues, standing out like an alien artifact from another world.
The cube measured one meter on each side. Asymmetrical lines etched across its surface pulsed slowly with a purple glow, mechanical and unnaturally lifelike.
One side featured a slot resembling a CD tray, which, when opened, revealed gears and mechanical components in motion, as if the object itself were breathing.
Its aura was intensely dark: repulsive, horrifying, and overwhelmingly cursed. The room seemed suffused with an invisible pressure, making the air feel heavy and suffocating.
Then, without warning, a white light enveloped the cube. In an instant, it vanished… leaving no trace behind.
A blinding white light slowly faded, leaving behind a large white orb floating before Rian.
When the light completely vanished, all that remained was a bluish-black cube, one meter on each side. Rian stretched out both hands, instinctively catching it.
His eyes narrowed as he stared at the cube, a mix of confusion and curiosity on his face.
"This… a cube?" Rian muttered in surprise. "But why does its aura feel so dark? Could this be a cursed object?"
The next instant, a system notification appeared right before him.
Ding!
__________________
Fear-In-Cube
Tier: Bronze
Type: Weapon
Description: A multifunctional cursed execution device capable of transforming into 32 different instruments of torture. Designed for inquisitions and executions with maximum efficiency.
__________________
As Rian read through the details of the item he had just received, he fell silent for a moment. His eyes narrowed, and one eyebrow lifted slightly.
"…An instrument of torture?" Rian muttered, his tone a mix of confusion and doubt. "It's shaped like a cube… So, do I throw it at enemies? Rub it? Press it? Or do I have to open it first, like some kind of puzzle box?"
Tilting his head, he stared at the dark purple cube in his hand. No buttons. No instructions. Just a cursed aura that would make any ordinary person's skin crawl.
"Don't tell me… this is just decoration?" Rian said half-seriously.
He sighed. "Why do weird rewards always end up in my hands…"
What Rian didn't know was that this object wasn't just any item—nor was it decoration, or even a special reward from the Infinity Room.
This was Worst, a cursed object from the world of C³ (Cube×Cursed×Curious)—the core of its conflict, and the being known as that world's "heroine."
Worse—sometimes referred to as Waas—was an entity or cursed object born from a dark history, one that always brought misfortune to whoever possessed it.
Such objects were formed from the most extreme negative emotions—tragedy, murder, suffering, even despair—accumulated over long spans of time until they gained form and purpose.
Of course, Rian had no knowledge of any of that. He hadn't even watched the anime.
Still puzzled about how to use it, Rian climbed down from his bed. Standing up, he walked to the center of the room while carrying the cube.
He placed it gently on the floor, then crossed his arms over his chest and stared at it intently.
"A cursed weapon, huh? From the Jujutsu Kaisen world?" he muttered. Six Eyes immediately activated, analyzing every detail with precision.
"I don't think so," Rian continued quietly. "There's no cursed object like this in Jujutsu Kaisen."
"If it were the Prison Realm, it'd be different—the shape's too big, and the description doesn't fit a sealing tool."
"Its rank is still Bronze... clearly, this handsome man can't use it yet," Rian sighed lightly.
He began circling the cube, examining it from every angle—top, bottom, right, and left—searching for any hidden clues.
Finally, with a careful motion, Rian reached out and touched the object's cold, symmetrical surface.
"Hyaaa~"
A sweet voice suddenly echoed inside Rian's mind. Startled, Rian froze, then quickly glanced around the room, searching for the source of the voice. But there was no one there—only him.
"It couldn't be Alice, right?" Rian muttered. "I can't sense any trace of her cosmic energy nearby."
"Could it be…" he whispered, his tone dropping. "This cube?"
Rian's gaze returned to the dark bluish cube before him. He raised his right hand and slightly lifted his blindfold. His right eye, glowing a brilliant blue, focused intently on the cube.
A soft chuckle escaped his lips, accompanied by a mischievous smile that slowly spread across his face.
The same hand that had lifted his blindfold now moved toward the surface of the cube.
His fingers traced along its smooth texture, leaving only his index finger to glide gently over the surface — a deliberate, teasing motion.
Moments later, a soft, feminine gasp echoed within his mind, resonating in perfect rhythm with the light motion of his touch across the cube's surface.
"Hyaan~"
"Fuaaah~"
"Kyaa~ S-stop it... B-Bakka! D-Don't touch me there... I-I'm sensitive~"
His smile widened, and his right eye narrowed slightly, as if savoring every reaction echoing within his mind.
Rian slowly leaned down, drawing closer to the cube that seemed to tremble faintly in silence, then bit its corner gently — like a wolf toying with its prey before the strike.
"Hauu~"
And at that moment, a soft mechanical sound echoed. A slit opened on the side of the cube, as if the object had finally given in, revealing a disk-shaped slot on its side.
Rian's gaze immediately fixed on the newly opened disk slot, like a child discovering a hidden secret in their favorite toy.
He stepped lightly to the side of the cube, then leaned down slightly, peering inside.
Behind the slot, a complex circuit pattern glowed in a deep blue light, winding like the roots of stars across the night sky. Each line shimmered softly, like pathways of destiny welcoming curious fingers.
With an amused smile, Rian teased the cube again. His fingers slipped into the disk slot, moving like a spring breeze caressing the petals of a flower.
He traced the inner surface of the slot from top to bottom, gentle yet deliberate in every motion.
"Haaa~ hiii… S-stop. N-no! I said... I beg you… kyaa~ Don't touch me anymore~"
The girl's voice grew increasingly unsteady: restless, spoiled, and shy.
The cube itself began to tremble lightly, emitting a faint red glow across its surface. Warm. Like a body shivering in delight, as if whispered secrets were being carried by the night wind.
And then, a clear liquid started to flow from the bottom of the cube, transparent like morning dew spilling from a goddess's chalice.
Rian stopped his movements. He stared at the liquid slowly pooling on the floor, his expression neutral—unshaken, yet quietly curious.
"…Are you Cumming?" Rian murmured softly.
Additional:
I really like Fear's character. White-silver hair with a bluish tint and red irises is the perfect combination.
But what do you guys think… what could that liquid be? Go ahead, answer! Hahaha…