[Translator - Night]

[Proofreader - Gun]

CHAPTER 269: NULL CITY (6)

Tap, tap.

Someone shook his body, and in a flash-his eyes snapped open.

"Huh? Hey, you're awake... hiiiik!"

In the blink of an eye, their positions were reversed.

The red-eyed Killian pinned the other's arm to the bed, scanning the room.

'A bed? Did I pass out? When? How much time has passed? Where are the others?'

At least one thing was fortunate: the place wasn't dark.

A bright ceiling lamp illuminated the room, and thanks to that, he could see Veronica and Fran unconscious on hospital beds. "Ow, ow!"

The mage beneath him cried out as her arm bent painfully.

Killian growled low, threatening to snap it.

"Who are you?"

"W-wait! We're not enemies. You're with Kiri from the White Tower, right? We're Black Tower mages too, part of the search party. Phonetic code: hotel!" The hotel party-the group that went missing before theirs.

Killian glanced at her comrades lying nearby.

Three of them lay on hospital beds, wrapped in blood-soaked bandages, clearly injured.

He turned his head toward Veronica and Fran.

Neither bore wounds, bandages, nor restraints.

If this woman were an enemy, she would never have left them free.

"I see. My apologies."

Killian released her.

Muttering about how it almost broke, the mage rubbed her arm and got to her feet.

"It hurts, but fine, I get it. You must've been startled."

"Some explanation is needed. Is this a hospital room?"

"That, I don't know. I fainted when we fell, and woke up here."

"Fell?"

"The elevator crash. Didn't your party crash down too?"

They had narrowly avoided it, warned just in time by Oscar.

Killian shook his head.

"We avoided the crash. I was trying to break through the spatial barrier, but lost consciousness. When I woke up, I was here."

"You dodged it? Amazing. No wonder you're unhurt."

She glanced at her battered comrades.

"As you can see, we weren't so lucky."

"Then why are you fine?"

"I had a protective artifact... hey, why are you speaking so informally? How old are you? I'm twenty-four."

"Hm."

Killian answered vaguely.

"I am also twenty-%$# years old. Anyway, have you searched the room?"

"Yes. No windows, just a door over there, but it won't open. I considered blasting it with magic, but thought my comrades' recovery came first, so I didn't try. But really, how old did you say you were?"

"This isn't the time for idle chatter."

Killian dismissed her and went to Veronica and Fran, tapping them awake.

"Ugh, what?"

"...Did I fall asleep?"

They quickly got up and listened to the situation.

"Wait-where's Oscar? Why isn't he here?"

"You mean Oscar Crucian? He never came here."

Veronica frowned.

"He was with us. Only the three of us got pulled here?"

"Maybe because he's Level 6."

"Right. They said mostly mid-level mages were abducted."

Oscar was technically a Level 6 mid-mage, but his strength rivaled Level 7.

Perhaps even the master of this place hesitated to take him.

"This is bad. We have two choices."

Veronica held up two fingers.

"One: stay put and wait for Oscar to rescue us. Two: break down that door and hunt this place's master. Which sounds better?" "Obviously the second."

"No need to think."

They answered before the question even ended.

The Black Tower mage was startled by their certainty.

"W-wait, aren't you being reckless? Who knows what's out there? You could die!"

"We're not being reckless."

Fran shrugged.

"By now Oscar's panicking because we disappeared. Worst case, he could be trapped somewhere worse, alone. Sitting here waiting would be stupid." "Besides, we're his comrades, not burdens to be protected."

"He's right. If we're just waiting for rescue, we're nothing but dead weight."

Their resolve was unshakable.

The Black Tower mage looked briefly flustered, then smiled faintly.

"Well... the Black Tower values comrades too, but your bonds seem even stronger. Almost enviable."

"Ahem."

"Mm."

They looked away awkwardly.

Then Veronica spoke.

"One more thing: what about the injured here?"

"I'll protect them. They're my comrades."

Veronica shook her head.

"Too dangerous alone. One of us should stay too."

"I want to go."

"Same here."

"...Then rock-paper-scissors?"

She raised her fist.

"Loser stays. Rock, paper, scissors!"

Two fists, one scissors.

Fran cheered.

"Yes! Fist for the win!"

"Well, looks like it's decided."

Killian stared at his scissors.

"My scissors can even break rocks. Want to test? Give me your fist."

"No way, you brute. You'd crush my hand for real."

"Not me either. My fist would shatter."

Ignoring him, Veronica and Fran blew the door apart with wind magic.

"See you later."

"Guard the room."

Killian sighed in resignation.

"...Be careful."

***

[Translator - Night]

[Proofreader - Gun]

Outside the ward, Veronica gulped.

She had boldly volunteered, unwilling to seem like baggage—but the hallway radiated a sinister aura.

Fran noticed.

"Want to swap with Killian before it's too late?"

"Are you kidding? Don't treat me like I'm scared."

"....Shouting doesn't count as courage. Maybe let go of my arm first?"

Her grip trembled.

"I-I thought it was the wall...”

She released him, then eyed the hall.

"This place really looks like a hospital, doesn't it?"

"Yeah. Creepy though."

Empty hospital beds lined the corridor.

"Guess we'll have to check the rooms one by one."

"No choice. At least it's not pitch-dark here."

Dim ceiling lamps flickered but held on.

"Let's go."

Their room was at the end of the hall, leaving only one direction.

They opened doors as they passed.

"All empty."

"Not even signs of anyone lying there."

With no windows anywhere, the place felt suffocating.

Finally, they reached the reception desk.

Both froze.

Behind the desk, a nurse sat in uniform.

'What is that?'

'Not human...'

Its face was smooth as an egg, without eyes, nose, or mouth.

Living creature?

Doll?

Mannequin?

Attack?

Observe?

They hesitated.

Veronica nudged Fran.

'You go.'

'Why me?'

'So I can cover you. I'm a fast-chant mage, remember.'

'...Damn it.'

Swallowing hard, Fran stepped forward-

Creak!

The nurse turned its head toward them.

Though eyeless, its gaze was undeniable.

"Patients! You mustn't leave your rooms without permission!"

The voice didn't come from its face but reverberated through the space.

At the same time, the door behind the desk burst open-identical nurses rushed out.

"Seize the patients! Their treatment isn't finished!"

"You mustn't behave this way."

"You need to wait for surgery with the Director."

"His skill is exceptional. Please, return to your rooms."

Holding syringes and scalpels, they leapt over the desk toward the pair.

"Waaah!"

Startled by their speed, Fran screamed.

[Over Craft]

Dozens of magic circles fused before Veronica.

"...Wild Edge."

Slash!

Blades of wind roared past Fran.

Nurses' heads flew cleanly off and rolled across the floor.

"Huff... huff..."

Fran stared at the fallen mannequins, breath ragged.

Their neck stumps bled no blood, just smooth as broken dolls.

Veronica approached.

"You okay? Not hurt?" "Y-yeah."

He thanked her.

"Thanks for saving me."

"Of course. That was the plan."

She frowned at the fallen mannequins.

"...Creepy."

"At least we learned something. There's an operating room here."

Surely the "Director" was the master of this space-an amateur spatial manipulator, according to Oscar.

Fran checked the wall's floor guide.

"We're on the 1st floor. The operating room's... 4th floor. Not too high."

"Let's go."

They raced up the stairs, reaching the 4th floor quickly.

At the end of the hall, a steel door marked "Operating Room."

"...Let's go in."

Determined, Fran pushed it open.

The sharp stench of medicine filled their noses.

"Hmm. So if I cut this thread, this place disappears.... noted."

Snip, snip.

The surgeon, stitching a patient, slowly turned his head.

The moment their eyes met, both froze.

Upon his brow, above the surgical mask, gleamed a small horn- the unmistakable mark of a demon.