Creak—
The moment the blood key completed its door-opening function, Maki and Chika had already secretly swapped keys. Chika took the real blood key and hid it on her person, while Maki inserted the painted-red power room key into the lock and mimicked pulling it out.
The power room key was originally paired with this door, so Maki's actions appeared completely normal—even the surveillance camera in the prison block corridor wouldn't notice anything amiss.
This wasn't some grand conspiracy, just a simple trick.
But now, this small trick was enough to serve Takakai's purpose.
Boom!
An explosion erupted from the opened guard post door, collapsing the walls and ceiling of the observation zone. Soldiers and researchers tumbled to the ground, unable to get up.
Takakai immediately sprang into action, rushing past Rixuel and tossing a lit explosive toward the [Great Slide].
KABOOM!
The second explosion was even louder.
The shockwave shattered the rock face above the slide, sending massive boulders crashing down and blocking the water drainage point. With its usual outlet obstructed, the floodwaters now surged overwhelmingly toward the open guard post door, flooding the research base's first floor.
"What are you doing?!"
Rixuel, caught completely off guard, screamed in panic.
But Takakai was already upon him, slamming him against the cave wall.
"That old miner sure knew his stuff. Just a few tips from him, and I knew exactly where to plant the charges. But hey, you don't need to worry about your research base, right? This is just a horror game dungeon—everything will reset eventually. Isn't that great?"
Takakai's gaze locked onto Rixuel's face—or what was left of it.
Distortion.
A grotesque, incomprehensible warping of flesh and bone, far more extreme than even the [Faceless Gang's] mutations. Rixuel's features had completely disintegrated, his limbs twisting at impossible angles, his body collapsing into a writhing mass of meat and fractured skeleton.
The Blessing could no longer sense him.
This thing was no longer human—but not quite an apparition either. All traces of emotion, goodwill or malice, had vanished. It was just living meat, devoid of thought.
What the hell is this?
Takakai summoned the Blood Scissors and snipped off a chunk of the pulsating flesh.
The stench of rot hit him immediately.
Embedded in the meat were tiny black stones, soaked in dark, coagulated blood. Just looking at them filled Takakai with unease.
He reached out and grabbed one.
Instantly, visions flooded his mind—fragments of someone else's memories.
Flashback - The Mad Scientist's Notes
"Non-human entities exist in this world."
A man's voice, dripping with fanaticism.
"They do not decay like us. They do not age. They are eternal—perfect, immutable, divine."
"But where have they gone? No, no… there must be more than just these remnants. I will find them. I will become like them!"
The speaker stood before some unseen object, muttering feverishly.
"The Gentle Slope… no, that's not a slope. It's the Mouth of Sacrifice."
"That fool Austin had no idea what he discovered. What I seek must be here—"
"No… this isn't what I expected. The power has departed. Only traces remain…"
"But traces are enough. I can still use them. Though… I'll need help. Perhaps Mr. Bush…"
The scene shifted. A dimly lit room.
"This is our opportunity—to reshape humanity's future. And naturally, the greatest nation on Earth shall be ours to forge."
A man in a military uniform, medals gleaming, drummed his fingers on a table.
"After ten years of research, all you've produced is a glorified bullet? We need strategic weapons—ways to deploy these phenomena globally. Or better yet, kill targets across continents using their rules."
"That's impossible! We've had zero success replicating the anomalies directly. The Black Blood Bullets alone took—"
"Then what's this new idea of yours?"
"Follow me, General."
The memory ended at the Freezer Zone's door.
Inside, rows of cryogenic pods held… people?
"The key difference between these entities and humans is their immutability. Even after decades, their forms and behaviors remain identical."
"Ancient records show this cave's phenomena have been consistent for millennia. Well, until that man died and we intervened, of course."
"So I propose an alternative approach—merging them with humans. Creating immortal soldiers. Those who can wield their power. Or perhaps… those who can steal divinity itself."
The scientist spread his arms triumphantly.
But in his heart, a single thought echoed:
"I alone shall become a god."
Present - The Truth Revealed
The visions faded.
Rixuel's body had fully dissolved into sludge, leaving only the black stones behind.
"So that's it."
Takakai finally understood.
Artificial life, crafted through a fusion of science and paranormal forces. A being with fabricated memories and personality, unaware of its own nature.
But how?
Rixuel knew about players—had he escaped the research base after it was absorbed into the horror game? Chika's investigations confirmed Rixuel had a verifiable life history… yet these memories proved he was manufactured from the start.
Professor Fernen had discovered Nutty Putty Cave's anomalies long ago. After Andres' death triggered the cave's corruption, Fernen and his backers sealed it off as a research facility.
The Black Blood Bullets were just a byproduct—their true purpose was human experimentation. Fernen sought to merge people with the cave's power, creating something beyond human.
But Maki and Chika had encountered Fernen as a full-fledged apparition. If he'd died and become an entity, how could he retain his goals?
Unless…
"He never intended to escape."
The final piece clicked into place.
The Gentle Slope's significance.
Before Andres' wife Hedal became its core grudge, the Slope had already been a hotspot. People were lured into its crevices—yet no one ever died there until Ferner's interference.
Why?
And General Sheglar—where was he? If dead, why no trace? If alive, why no records?
Unless…
"I've already taken his place."
Takakai's eyes widened.
Just as he'd unwittingly assumed the Corpse Identity in Shirakawa Apartments, perhaps he'd somehow inherited Sheglar's role here.
That would explain why the general was nowhere to be found.
"If I'm right… then entering the research base now will trigger the final countdown."
With only one day left before reset, Takakai charged through the flooding corridors, stripping uniforms off dazed soldiers as he went.
He needed to test his theory.
"This is borrowed."
"Thanks."
"I'll return it… probably."
Now disguised, he sprinted toward the research zone's upper levels, updating Maki through their mental link.
Meanwhile, Maki had finally pried open the cell door—
—and froze at the sight within.
"You're…?"