One week into the experiment.
Fortunately, after losing taste, smell, and one eye, no new side effects were discovered. The blinded left eye socket had turned black, and his body had weakened to the point where his muscles trembled even with slight vigorous movement, but everything else was normal. At least his heart or brain hadn't developed abnormalities, so it was a not-too-bad situation.
*Crunch.*
Kenji chewed on a piece of bread while clenching his empty fist tightly. His weakened body screamed in protest from just that. Muscles convulsed, and a pain as if being poked with needles was felt in every finger joint. But even that pain was welcome. It was proof that at least he hadn't lost the sense of pain.
"...Huh."
And the fact that he could only think like that about the current situation was so pitiful and absurd that Kenji unknowingly let out a hollow laugh.
Kenji shoved the last piece of bread into his mouth and got up from his seat.
Despite the desert environment making it impossible to be cold, he felt a faint level of chill. Was this also the experiment's influence? Whatever. Unless an entire limb disappeared, he no longer felt any emotional change from most side effects. He stared out the window for a moment, then put on his roughly hung coat and headed to the testing site.
On the way, he met Black Suit. The man brushed sand off his clothes, then slightly bowed his head towards Kenji.
"Are you heading to the testing site?"
"Yeah."
"Let's go together. Your physical condition isn't good, so I can support you if needed."
"Get lost."
Kenji spat out with a click of his tongue. Black Suit shrugged his shoulders, then firmly pressed the elevator button for Kenji. The elevator door slid open sideways, and the two entered. The elevator descended as soon as their weight was applied.
Silence drifted around the two. Black Suit fixed his tie disheveled by the sandstorm, and Kenji lightly tapped his left eye covered with a bandage. The eye was completely blind, but the eyeball remained intact. The sensation of the pupil rolling was still felt.
Actually, there was no need to cover the eye with a bandage. Although the eye socket had turned dark, that alone didn't affect the surroundings. But both Kenji and Maestro were concerned about what might come next. The worry that with each continued experiment, the side effects might worsen and affect the surroundings. So they covered the eye with a bandage.
It was uncomfortable, but that much had to be endured. Anyway, since his dominant eye was the right one, it didn't cause major disruption to daily life.
He decided to think that way.
"By the way."
Black Suit broke the silence. He stared at Kenji with his single white pupil. Kenji also looked at him with his single black eye.
"Today is the last day of the experiment."
The experiment that lasted a total of 8 days, including the first experiment and today, would end today. The seed had already budded, leaving only the final bloom. If the experimental data so far was correct, today's injection would likely make the seed fully bloom.
"Aren't you nervous?"
"Why would I be."
Kenji answered with an expressionless face. Watching the rapidly decreasing elevator numbers, he continued.
"Still gotta do it."
"...I suppose so."
Black Suit rarely removed the smile from his face as he said that. Then he lightly patted Kenji's shoulder.
"Good luck."
"..."
Instead of answering, Kenji stared at him intently. Meanwhile, the elevator arrived underground. Black Suit stepped out first, and Kenji let out a deep sigh and followed. Maestro had long since settled in the testing site. *Creak*, his head turned. A head with painted eyes stared straight at Kenji.
"Today is the last day, Nameless One."
"...What, are you going to give me well-wishes?"
"A masterpiece of the ages is always born from an artist's pain, hardship, and effort. Even if not, an artist always wishes to receive someone's applause. I'm no different. I wish for you to live as my work. Losing you here would be an immeasurable loss."
"I have no intention of dying either."
"Good."
Maestro nodded. Kenji stared at him intently, then snorted a laugh.
Damn bastard. Everything that bastard just said was sincere, but it didn't come from worry or concern. Like an artist wary of mud staining his work, that guy was wary of the filth called 'death' being poured on the work named 'Kenji'. He was a guy whom the term 'crazy bastard' suited more than anyone.
Whatever. On the contrary, since he knew he could die, even the negligible worry was welcome.
Kenji smiled lowly and staggered towards the experimental table, lying down on it. The black ceiling entered his single field of vision.
The fear circulating in the pipe screamed as if urging to be thrust into his blood vessels quickly. The fear contained in his heart synchronized with that movement. His heartbeat intensified, and blood circulation sped up. As if adrenaline dominated his body, his entire body entered an excited state.
It was a familiar sensation. It had always been like this since the third day of the experiment.
Kenji turned his right eye to stare at Maestro. Their gazes collided in mid-air. No words were needed. Maestro tilted his head with a creak, and Kenji twisted the corner of his mouth. With a series of movements, he inserted the needle into his forearm. Simultaneously, Maestro opened the pipe.
*Gurgle.*
Ink-like liquid poured through the tube. The instantly transported fear clung to the blood cells in Kenji's blood vessels. Like carrying oxygen, the blood cells circulated and crawled into his heart.
And so they met. The fear that had budded in his heart greedily devoured the flowing fear. The root-like tendrils scraped together the fear residue attached to the blood cells, making it nutrients. The feeling of the bud gradually opening was felt.
"...Hoo."
Black smoke clung to his exhaled breath. The bandage covering his left eye turned black. Like tears. Thick ink flowed sideways. There was no time to wipe it. Like a thorny rose, the flowing fear refused the hands of anyone except Kenji. If Maestro or Black Suit tried to wipe it, the ink would instantly change shape like sharp blades and threaten them.
But they weren't the only ones being threatened.
As the bud gradually opened, Kenji felt pain to the point where he couldn't even groan. Agony as if each petal became a blade and gutted his insides. He gritted his teeth to somehow endure the pain, but his molars pressed down on his gums, causing blood to seep out. However, his lost sense of taste couldn't detect the blood's flavor.
"Ggr..."
A suppressed groan escaped between his teeth. The blood vessels in his eyeball burst, and his pupil turned red from the blood. Un-shed bloody tears pooled at the corner of his eye.
The bandage was irritating. Kenji ground his teeth and grabbed the bandage with his left hand, tearing it off. Between the bandage and the eyeball, a thick liquid mixed with blood and fear connected like a solid line. Then, *plop*, it broke off. Almost simultaneously, the bud fully opened.
Bloom.
A flower painted entirely in black, from roots to stem, leaves, and petals, bloomed from his heart. Kenji felt the shape of that flower in its entirety. And what influence it would have from now on.
"...Ah."
With a short sigh, a handful of blood refluxed up his throat. The splattered dark red blood soaked his clothes and the experimental table. Instantly, Maestro and Black Suit hurriedly closed the pipe and reached for the life support device. But the fear that flowed through his eyes pierced both their wrists.
"...!"
"..."
White smoke surged from Black Suit's pupil, and wood fragments scattered from Maestro's wrist. Fortunately, the fear didn't go further and vanished after piercing their wrists.
That didn't mean it was safe. The ink that flowed from Kenji's left eyeball had long since formed a puddle. If they approached, thorns would surely shoot up madly from that puddle.
There's no way to interfere. Thinking so, Black Suit took a step back and watched the situation with a calm expression.
Anyway, things had happened, and they had to prevent the worst outcome. Fortunately, since a rampage was already anticipated, there weren't zero countermeasures.
"Maestro."
"...As an artist, I don't wish to lose my work, but."
"We can't just leave it. We should at least take measuresㅡ"
The moment he spat it out, a loud noise came from the puddle where fear had pooled. The two's gazes instantly turned toward the source of the sound.
A sunken puddle. Something was being dragged out from beneath it. Black Suit, rarely clicking his tongue, grabbed Maestro and pulled him far back. Almost simultaneously, a giant capsule shot out from the floor where they stood.
*Kwaang!*
The ink binding the capsule threw the capsule against the wall. With a crushing sound, the capsule shattered. Black Suit let out a hollow laugh and watched the spectacle.
A capsule made using the technology of the 'Unnamed Priests'. A capsule that even withstood the 'Anti-Halo Bomb' created by Golconda, shattered so futilely. Even with the Unnamed Priests' technology, is resisting fear impossible? Black Suit released his grip on Maestro's collar and turned his head toward Kenji.
He was covered in fear from head to toe.
*Pop*, a flower bloomed from his chest. A flower containing not a single bit of beauty. The flowing black stem writhed as if symbolizing ominousness, and the sporadically cut leaves symbolized discomfort.
"Kehuk."
Black smoke, breath, and blood simultaneously burst from Kenji's mouth. Beneath the bloomed flower, the roots that spread throughout his body invaded his organs and injected fear into everything constituting his body—bones, organs, everything—to dye them in its own color.
Resistance was impossible. How could a mere human resist a concept that constitutes the world? He strained to endure as much as possible, but his consciousness gradually sank below the surface of sleep. His single vision flickered like lightning, and his thoughts cut off midway.
The pain that had been tearing his body apart gradually intensified. His brain matter boiled fiercely, and agony as if his bones were being horribly splintered was felt. Organs were crushed, smashed, torn apart—the fear repaired them. Everything constituting his body thrashed as if infected by parasites.
*Pop.*
His left eyeball burst like a balloon. And was instantly healed. Both the sclera and pupil turned black, becoming eyes that appeared only like 'black jade'. His vision reversed. All colors of the world changed to the extreme colors of white and black.
Only then did Kenji realize.
Ah.
I'm going to die.
The moment that thought came, a sensation as if someone grabbed his brain and burst it was felt. His ongoing thoughts instantly cut off.
Bloody phlegm boiled in his mouth, and bloody tears poured from his eyes. His pupils rolled upward. The muscles all over his body convulsed wildly, then abruptly stopped. His limbs went limp, and Kenji's head turned to the side. Like a corpse. He showed no movement. Only the black flower blooming on his chest proudly maintained its form.
*Thump.*
The flower's stem swayed with the sound of a heartbeat. Both Black Suit and Maestro confirmed that sight. The man took a step toward Kenji with a tense expression.
It was then.
*Kwarrrr!*
The flower's roots shot out, piercing Kenji's abdomen. The roots wrapped around Kenji's body before the two could do anything. Thus, thin threads completely covered all parts except the flower. It looked both protective and like a predator swallowing its prey.
Approaching was.
*Kwajik!*
'Indeed impossible.'
Black Suit confirmed the thorn that landed right above his instep and clicked his tongue. He turned to Maestro with an expression of being in a difficult situation.
"What will you do?"
"...We leave it for now."
Fortunately, he was bound while wearing the vital sign monitor. Since life signs were still detected, they shouldn't make a rash judgment.
But when those life signs disappeared.
"We must also consider a plan to bury this place entirely."
Even so, could they bury 'that'? Neither Maestro nor Black Suit were certain.
*
*Thump.*
The sound of a heartbeat was heard. Not through the ears, but that noise directly knocking on his brain brought back his lost consciousness. Even so, it was only a little. To the point where the consciousness he had grasped would fly away with the slightest gap, Kenji's mind was not normal now.
His pupils lost focus and rolled wildly. Distinguishing whether what flowed from his gaping mouth was blood or saliva was impossible. Whether his lower body was attached, no, he couldn't even tell if his limbs were attached in the first place.
*Thump.*
The beating sound came again. This time it was a bit louder. The regained consciousness gradually strengthened. Nerves returned first, followed by touch, smell, and taste in that order. His vision, which had been only darkness, was also gradually becoming clear.
"...oo."
A faint voice was heard. A voice so quiet one couldn't hear it without concentrating. Kenji instinctively realized he had to grasp that. He forcibly connected his breaking thoughts and thrust his head toward where the voice came from.
"...ke up. ...ji!"
His heart beat along with the voice. The faint voice became clear.
"Wake up, Kenji!"
"Kehuk, keheuk!!"
His breaking thoughts returned to normal. Both eyes flew open, and all senses revived.
His breath caught in his throat from the sudden breathing. Intense pain was felt in his eyes as if he had stared directly at the sun. Kenji desperately rolled his head while repeating exhaling and inhaling.
'Kenji. Born on Earth, fell into a game. There, met Mika, Nagisa, Seia...'
As he continued his thoughts, his breathing gradually improved. Kenji forcibly calmed his trembling hand and let out a long exhale.
Fortunately, there seemed to be no confusion in his memory. Then what about the current situation? The last memory ended with sensing death. Since consciousness cut off after that, that was surely his final memory. Then, where is this place now? Was he taken somewhere? It's absurd, but could this be the afterlife?
He scanned his surroundings quickly with slightly calmed eyes.
This place was inside a vehicle. A car driving on a road, to be precise. A situation adding substance to suspicions of kidnapping or movement. But this alone made it hard to grasp the situation, so he slowly turned his head and cast his gaze toward where the voice came from—the front seat.
Thus their eyes met.
"A-are you okay?! Why are you like this all of a sudden?! You're making me anxious!"
"...Yeah."
Kenji's eyes trembled. The more they did, the woman who met his eyes distorted her face. The man sitting next to her, reflected in the car's rearview mirror, did the same. But Kenji's face was equally distorted.
What? Why? What situation is this now? Car? Parents? Road?
Questions linked together in a chain. But he unknowingly spat out in a voice of disbelief.
"Moㅡ"
*Kwaang!*
The words didn't continue. Precisely, couldn't continue. Because a truck that swerved from the side slammed into the car Kenji was in.
His body floated away from the seat. His head hit the ceiling. Shattered glass fragments deeply cut and tore his arms and face. Blood splattered, and his right arm bent at a grotesque angle. Pain followed.
But Kenji had no room to feel pain. Because this situation felt all too familiar.
The moving car. The colliding truck. The woman with a broken neck. The man with his abdomen pierced by a large glass fragment. The drunk truck driver. The child who survived but would have been better off dead. All of that dug up the past he had struggled to bury.
Right, this was the past. The memory of when his parents died.
The memory of my first near-death.
The memory of feeling both the fear of death and the terror of loss together.
Damn, fucking memory.
*Kwa-jijijijik!*
The car that had floated in the air scraped the ground as it was pushed away. Kenji's body shook here and there, then fell face-down on the ground as the car stopped. Noise came from the surroundings. Curses and shouts, cries to call an ambulance, screams, etc. All those sounds grabbed and shook Kenji's brain.
But his nerves weren't directed there. Through his half-closed vision, he saw a black flower blooming on the asphalt road. As if it had eyes, the flower also twisted its stem toward Kenji.
Thus for a few seconds.
*Gurgle.*
The flower subsided into the ground. Along with it, the entire space turned ink-like, then sank into the floor. Just before his body melted away, Kenji stared at all that scenery and twisted the corner of his mouth. Because he realized the fear's intention.
"Damn, you bastard, kehuk, playing tricksㅡ"
*Whoosh!*
Kenji's body disappeared.