How does it feel to step into a B-grade horror game? - 6

Episode 6.

“Uh, are you okay?”

“Mmmm…….”

Fidelis looked at the stamina in front of him with a look of embarrassment. Only 1% was filled. He didn’t know when the killer who had fallen down the stairs would jump up and attack again. I couldn’t stay here all the time to recover. Fidelis looked at Russell, wondering what to do.

“You know. I have a favor for you, is that okay?”

“Yes! I’ll listen to what I can do!”

Russell, who wanted to help her sister who had been protecting her all along, nodded enthusiastically.

“Can you give me a hug then?”

“Good.”

Russell slipped into Fidelis’ arms and embraced her. Fidelis hugged him and felt Russell’s warmth. I felt like my breathing was calming down and my mind was relaxing. His strength was regaining faster than usual. Halfway up, Fidelis picked up Russell and hurried away.

“Sister, blood on your feet….”

“It’s okay.”

With a faint smile, Fidelis glanced back and walked briskly down the maze of corridors. If I ran blindly and another murderous demon popped out, I didn’t have the stamina to run away, so I had to minimize my energy consumption.

‘Oh, by the way, there was a lion’s face.’

When I was chased, I couldn’t think of anything. No, even if he had thought about it, he would have been too scared to shout in front of him. I went down just in case, but I couldn’t because it was still covered by a transparent membrane. But I didn’t want to go upstairs. If I got stuck again and couldn’t get downstairs, I would just get to the front door.

[…….]

“…?”

He tilted his head at the faint sound in the distance, and Russell looked around anxiously.

[… Uh….]

“Uh, sister, can’t you hear what?”

I wanted to pretend I couldn’t hear it, so I wanted to run away in the direction of the sound, but I was distracted by the sounds echoing in all directions. Fidelis stopped, hugging Russell tightly, trying to find a direction where he couldn’t hear the sound.

[… Where are you?]

This time, it was clearly audible.

[Give me, give me the child, I’m going to tear you to shreds, give me the child, give me the child…]

It was definitely audible. I could hear it closely, but I couldn’t see it. Fidelis tightened his arms around Russell and looked around.

“Do you see anything?”

“Oh, no.”

“Give it to me, give it, give it, give it!”

He wanted to cover his ears from the shrill noise, but he couldn’t relax his arms around Russell.

Boom!

“Aa

Someone grabbed Fidelis by the ankle. Fidelis jumped up in surprise at the chill in his ankle, but the one he had caught did not go up, and the lion’s eye did not trigger despite his loud screams.

Gasping and lowering her gaze to the floor, the face of a ghost crying tears of blood followed her, and her eyes widened. As if the floor had become water, the ghost floated with only its face and arms.

Goosebumps sprouted all over his body, and he stood on edge. Fidelis was keenly aware of what it meant when he was so frightened that he didn’t scream.

Suddenly the demons swirled, and Fidelis wondered for a moment if he had to protect Russell from these ghosts in order to clear the game. His mouth twitched in surprise, but the ghost’s eyes moved to look at Russell.

[Give him the child.]

“Yes, yes?”

[Then you live.]

Russell shook his head, clutching Fidelis around his neck like a lifeline. I could feel the child’s desperation not to throw it away.

“Uh, sister.”

Wiping away Russell’s tears from the corners of his eyes, Fidelis took him into his arms. She had no intention of giving, of course. She crumpled her face in a single blow and stepped on the face of the ghost below.

“…….”

[…….]

As an eerie silence envelops them, another arm tightens around her neck, this time coming from nowhere. The icy cold touch gave me goosebumps all over my body.

“Ugh!”

He didn’t even have to look back. The ghost that had been strangled and turned its head out of the way had the same face as the ghost before. The only difference was that the strangled ghost had empty eyes where they should have been, and his whole body was covered in scars.

The ghost facing Fidelis said nothing. The ghost didn’t care about Fidelis, who was squealing, and grabbed Russell with the other hand. As he hugged Russell tighter, as if not to be taken away, he heard a sinister voice from below.

“If you give me a story, I’ll save you.”

“I don’t like it… Ugh!”

Strangled, Fidelis managed to utter a word of refusal.

As the ghost’s grip grew stronger, Fidelis hurried with one free foot and slammed it hard into the shin. I thought it would hurt my toes from being hit by a hard bone, but instead, the ghost’s leg cracked and broke.

“Skill: Iron Feet. 」

Fidelis was stunned. However, for a moment, Fidelis liked that the skill appeared at just the right time. He lifted his foot again and kicked the ghost in the side as it staggered from its broken leg, and it slammed helplessly against the wall and fell to the floor.

As he looked down, a chilling glow, the ghost’s pupils clutching his ankles twitched slightly. Fidelis decided to talk to the ghost for a while. It’s the most unshakable ghost I’ve ever seen, and it speaks clearly.

“Hey. How do I get out of here? Can I go out the front door?”

[Let’s make a deal, give him the child, and let him go.]

Fidelis gasped, dumbfounded.

“What do I believe!”

“The words of the ghost are true. Will you hand over the child and die?”

Fidelis’ pupils shook violently at the sound of the voice.

You can go home if you just hand over the child?

Fidelis looked at Russell, and the child was staring at her, shivering. I was thrilled. No matter how scared I was, I couldn’t let go of my personality.

“An…!”

One minute. Fidelis pondered, his mouth shut. Wouldn’t it be okay to do the opposite? Instead of handing me over to this ghost, could I send Russell back?

“What about me, not Russell? I’m going to give it to you, and you’re going to send this kid back?”

[No, just him.]

I don’t think it’s the other way around. Fidelis bit her lip. I hadn’t played the game, but I wondered what if it was a high-level psychological warfare. But right now, Fidelis didn’t have time to roll his brain.

“Go before you crush your head with your foot. I’m not going to hand him over.”

I couldn’t sleep, I was hungry, and the situation was getting worse and worse, and I was talking a little harshly. The ghost didn’t do anything wrong, so it wasn’t as scary as it was at first. Maybe it’s because I’ve only seen monsters that don’t make sense before that, so I feel that way in a relative way.

Fidelis effortlessly brushed off the ankle and resumed her walk with the child in her arms. I was in good shape, but I didn’t seem to be able to recover mentally. Fidelis was growing tired. In particular, my heart and mind were getting weaker.

“You refused the offer to return home and chose a child. 」

It was a shame. Honestly, it’s huge. He wanted to go back right now, but he couldn’t give Russell to the demon who said he was tearing him to shreds. Even if given the same situation, he wouldn’t give Russell a pity.

“In return for rejecting the ghost’s offer, one of the ‘Back Home’ items has been lost. 」

“What?”

“There is only one ‘Home’ item now. 」

So surprised that Fidelis asked as he walked. Russell puzzled and called to her, but there was no answer.

‘Where’s the guy who says yes there!’

I was so dumbfounded that I wanted to cry. But there was still one left. There was hope. Angry, but she didn’t regret her choice. Fidelis gnashed her teeth at the sound of a voice ringing in her head again.

“This is the last question and the last chance. Will you send Russell home, or will you return home yourself?”

It was clear that this game was desperate to bully me. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have tormented people in this way. Fidelis let go of Russell’s head as he looked worriedly at him.

“Sister…?”

“Now let’s go back.”

“… What?”

“I want you to go home.”

“You chose the former. Player Fidelis has successfully cleared the event game theme ‘Protection’. At the same time, the last remaining ‘Back Home’ item was completely destroyed. 」

I can’t believe this was the last item. I felt like I was about to cry at the futility, but I held on. There were no regrets. I didn’t think I would be at ease with Russell after I left.

“Thanks to you, the child will be able to become a Buddha in peace. 」

“… Holy Buddha?”

With that, a bright light gradually gathered around Russell. Fidelis couldn’t help but blink in embarrassment. Isn’t Holy Fire used for the dead? In the midst of his confusion, he heard Russell’s cheerful voice.

“Thank you, sister!”

“… Huh?”

“Thanks to my sister, I’m a Buddha! See you!”

Fidelis took the child’s hand, smiling brightly. It’s so warm, but why?

“Aren’t you human?”

“Yes, I’m sorry to deceive you.”

Russell’s eyebrows drooped uncomfortably.

“It’s so warm…?”

“Everything here is alive but not alive, except for the people who came in here.”

Fidelis simply nodded at Russell’s smug words. I had forgotten for a moment, but this was the game. I had experienced so much in such a short period of time that I wasn’t surprised by Russell’s words. Fidelis asked, the corners of her mouth slightly lifted and she smoothed Russell’s little hand.

“Did you know the ghost would ask for you, then?”

“No… Most of the time, when they encounter a monster, they either run away from me or lose their lives… It’s the first time I’ve made it this far!”

The child’s words pierced my heart.

“I was almost giving up, but my sister protected me and saved me until the end! It was really cool!”

Fidelis’ face was innocent, and his face relaxed involuntarily. Whatever it was, Russell just needed to be happy. It was enough to have no backstabbing.

“I’m glad I did. Rest in peace now.”

“You’re an angel! Thank you!”

Fidelis waved until the child disappeared surrounded by bright light. Just seeing Russell’s big smile was fine, Fidelis said he would never regret his choice.

* * *

“I don’t think I’ll miss the warmth of people just because we’ve been together for so long.”

Oh, it wasn’t a person.

Fidelis muttered as she slowly descended the stairs. As I cleared the event and approached the stairs, the transparent curtain that had been firmly blocking me was long gone. Even if I wandered around for a long time, the ghosts didn’t jump out randomly like when I was with Russell, so I was able to move around much more easily.