Chapter 231: Dream
Chapter 231: Dream
Suzuname and Satsuki continuously tried to leave the town.
They also discovered the bodies of their companions, Mikame and Hanakomachi.
Both of them were killed by the Hunterghost.
Just as the rumors said, Mikame’s body was cut into countless pieces, covered in blood, and extremely horrifying.
Hanakomachi’s death was no less gruesome. She had turned into a blue, dried-up corpse, with all the blood and moisture in her body evaporated. She had shrunk into a fetal position and lay under a table.
This town was clearly a forbidden zone of death.
However, they soon realized that they simply could not leave the town.
They ran to the bridge at the outskirts and found that there was nothing there. The bridge was broken in two, and on the other side was an endless cliff.
With no other choice, the two returned to the terrifying town.
As soon as they returned, even stranger things happened. No matter where they ran, they could see the strange figure in the Red Cloak carrying a sharp sickle.
It was the same no matter where they went.
It was as if there were multiple Red Cloaks in Naomori Town.
The strange figures in red cloaks seemed capable of splitting into countless copies.
They continuously chased and surrounded the two, forcing them to run for their lives. In the end, the two were almost cornered.
No!
This way is no good either.
No!
This place is no good either.
She looked back and saw evil faces appearing on the windowpanes of the houses.
They were the faces of the “Hunterghost.”
From her perspective, she could see pale, ghostly figures standing in front of almost every window, as if they were pressed against the glass.
“…”
Satsuki was speechless, unable to utter a word.
Suzuname, who had turned around with her, stared at the scene with a frozen, stunned expression.
The multiple “Hunterghosts,” with their bizarre faces, twisted in different directions, gazed outside from the windows, staring down at the two girls, sending shivers down their spines.
Their expressions distorted, their faces crumbling, and their mouths twisted into smiles.
Being watched like this, Satsuki felt goosebumps rise all over her skin.
“Let’s go! We can’t stay here.”
The two ran aimlessly through the streets.
They realized that, without noticing, they had reached the end of the town’s street. The surrounding buildings grew larger and taller, one after another, merging into two oppressive rows of structures. At the end of the street, a solitary Catholic church appeared.
Boom!
Not far away, a blazing red light erupted, dyeing the night sky in front of a burning church with an orange-red hue.
Half the sky seemed to be on fire.
In front of the church, which was mostly engulfed in flames, there was a wide plaza.
The two suddenly stopped because they saw a sharp wooden stake planted in the center, with a bloody head impaled on it.
It was the head of Suzuname’s friend, Serizawa. Her head had been cut off and hung on the sharp stake.
“Serizawa!”
Suzuname couldn’t believe what she was seeing. Tears involuntarily streamed from her eyes.
Clang!
The sound of a chain suddenly rang out, and something dragging chains walked toward them from behind.
The two froze. Slowly turning around, they saw that the street behind them was pitch black.
From the other end of the cold, silent, and soundless street, a tall, cloaked black figure slowly emerged.
It dragged numerous heavy black chains along the ground.
The figure moved very slowly, swaying with each step, as if its body were extremely heavy. It was still far from them, taking small, deliberate steps in their direction.
At that moment, a small hand reached out and grabbed Satsuki’s hand.
Nishizuka Satsuki shuddered. Her fingers felt as if they had touched ice, and the cold made her tremble all over.
(Don’t look anymore, that’s the real thing!)
As she turned her face, she saw a little girl holding her fingertips with one hand.
“It’s you!”
Satsuki recognized her. This little girl was the same child she had encountered in the park before.
At that time, she had seen this little girl torturing and killing a small dog.
Now, for some reason, she had appeared before her.
This eerie scene made her feel a chilling cold continuously invading her body.
(Hurry! Turn around, we need to leave this place!)
She took Satsuki’s hand and rushed toward the burning church.
“What?”
Satsuki’s mind was in chaos. She didn’t understand what was happening or where they were going.
(This fabricated thing is getting closer and closer to the true nature of the ‘Hunterghost.’ If we get any closer, it will summon the ‘real thing’ back from the Seal. When that happens, you’ll be truly doomed.)
“Wait, Satsuki, where are you going?”
Suzuname was startled. She noticed that Nishizuka Satsuki was moving toward the church on her own.
(Forget about that woman. It’s already taking all my effort to take one person away.)
The little girl pulled Satsuki and ran forward desperately.
Wait for me!
She reached out and grabbed one of Nishizuka Satsuki’s hands, allowing herself to be dragged along.
However, when she realized Satsuki was charging into the fire, her footsteps naturally came to a halt.
Satsuki turned around, trying to grab Suzuname.
“No, I can’t leave Miss Suzuname alone there!”
But the little girl’s strength was immense, and she yanked Satsuki into the burning flames.
Boom!
She felt her body burning and couldn’t help but scream.
(Stop screaming! Now, think carefully. Is this town you’re in a real world?)
Think carefully!
The clues have been there all along! The hints have always existed!
“The Red Bus,” “constantly changing scenery,” “Bus No. 146″…
Everything pointed straight in one direction.
Yes, this couldn’t be reality at all.
In that instant, the flames consuming Nishizuka Satsuki vanished as she understood.
She looked behind her, then scanned her surroundings. The flames were only behind her now. Ahead stood a wooden door.
The wooden door stood open. Inside, a vague scene was visible, and the sound of a piano drifted from beyond it.
As she drew closer, she heard an old man’s voice.
“This is the newly arrived Father Suzuki. Starting today, he will be in charge of the church.”
“H-hello everyone… I am n-newly arrived Suzuki… I… will h-handle the… affairs of the church…”
Another man, one who looked old before his time, spoke haltingly.
Below the pulpit, the congregation murmured uneasily. This newly arrived priest stammered when he spoke, and he also limped badly on one leg.
He didn’t seem like someone reliable.
…
“Father Suzuki, about that previous matter…”
A frail voice sounded again within the Church.
“I know you pity those children, but you must consider the situation here… the villagers don’t like us interfering too much in local affairs.”
“T-that… I understand too… I just think… what they’re doing!”
“Enough! Let’s not say any more!”
The old man sighed.
…
“Father Suzuki, it’s bad!”
Someone pounded desperately on the church door. A young girl’s voice called from outside.
“The townspeople are coming! They think you have something to do with the children’s disappearance! You have to get away! If you don’t leave now… they’ll kill you…”
“W-why… why would they say that?!”
The priest’s voice still stammered, but it carried deep sorrow and anger now.
Then, after the next wave of jeering shouts and curses… there came one, sharp scream… followed immediately by utter silence.
…
Satsuki’s vision flickered again.
She was back inside the original Church. The surroundings were the same as before… except that flames now engulfed the large door at the rear.
“This is a dream…”
In this moment, all the secrets were revealed.
Satsuki finally remembered the beginning of everything.
(Well, calling it a dream isn’t wrong, exactly… except the place you stand now is connected by dreams to another realm. This place lies in-between dreams and reality…)
The words flowed into her consciousness just as a young girl clad in a red yukata appeared.
It was you!
She thought it instinctively in her mind.
Wasn’t she the little girl from before?
Why was she back in an instant, and why was she wearing different clothes?
“Within the boundaries of the Apartment, my power could still marginally reach you. But you’ve stepped completely beyond its domain. Now, I can’t establish a full connection…”
The girl spoke slowly. Her voice was ancient and raspy, like a very old woman’s.
“I… feel like I recognize you.”
“You could say that. Due to certain circumstances… I have inhabited the ‘Ichinose Apartment’. And I’ve been forced to rely on the Spirit of the young Ichinose daughter to sustain my existence…”
The girl sighed wearily. “You’re like that child, Sayuki. You possess a latent talent… the potential to become a Medium. Normally, this trait might lie dormant your whole life… But contact with the Apartment’s Curse has awakened it. That is both a good thing… and a misfortune.”
Satsuki whispered, “M-may I ask… what exactly are you?”
“That’s a long story. I’m not Human… you can sense that. Even this form… isn’t my true appearance.”
The girl gave a bitter laugh. “I am ‘Nocturnal’. Long ago, Humans called our kind Youkai… or monsters. But now… I’m just the remnant of a Spirit. You may call me ‘Kouri’.”
“Kouri…? A strange name.”
“It was given to me by a certain monk. As one of the ‘Nocturnal’, I possessed no name of my own!”
A hint of wry amusement touched Kouri’s lips.
“Enough of this. We must leave here quickly.”
“But… how exactly can we leave?”
Satsuki murmured, puzzled.
“If this is a dream… then waking should be the way out!”
The girl in the red yukata stated calmly. “Now that you grasp that truth… there’s no need to fear it.”
“Then… can I go back? Can I save Miss Suzuname?!”
“No. I advise strongly against returning. Venturing back across to that other ‘side’… is terribly dangerous. What’s more… it’s likely she has already been dragged into the Deep Place…”
“I… still want to try.”
For some reason, Satsuki felt she might now possess the means.
Right. Just as Kouri had implied… she truly did seem to harbor some kind of innate ability.
She felt she could take control of everything within this dream.
Turned around, Satsuki ran straight towards the burning doorway.
“Wai—”
Kouri started to reach out, her hand poised to stop her… but then let it drop.
“Perhaps… she really can do it.”
“Miss Suzuname! Miss Suzuname!”
Passing through the flaming doorway,
Satsuki emerged into a fog-shrouded, deathly silent town.
The light grew dimmer. The pitch-black night and mist seemed ready to swallow all illumination.
The air within the fog was quiet. No sound could be heard.
She ran through the empty town, her mind racing: How can I find Suzuname?
A dream… this is a dream. In that case… if I concentrate hard on imagining… maybe I can…
Turning instinctively as the thought struck her, she saw Suzuname… her face full of panic.
“Miss Suzuname! Are you alright?!”
“Previously… where did you go…?”
Suzuname was equally astonished. Satsuki had appeared almost out of thin air before her.
“It’s so good I found you.”
Satsuki smiled warmly and took Suzuname’s hand.
“Let’s get out of here together!”
“But… perhaps… it’s already too late for that.”
In that moment, profound loneliness washed over Suzuname’s expression.
Schk!
A sharp Sickle blade burst through her chest from behind, driving her body forward.
Caught completely off guard, Satsuki was also impaled— its lethal tip plunging under moonlight staining her chest red.
“I’m sorry! It looks like… neither of us can leave now.”
Searing pain shot through Satsuki. The blade buried deep! Every muscle quivering beneath its awful pressure.
“No… wrongness lingers! This is a dream… and because it is a dream—”
…then escape remained within her grasp!
Clutching Suzuname’s hands tight… Satsuki focused every scrap of willpower.
White light flooded every corner of her consciousness almost simultaneously.