Regressor In A Strange World

"Did you manage to catch him?"

"No."

Dean shook his head, frustration etched on his face.

"The bastard managed to slip into the crowd."

A grim expression crept onto my face.

Now that the shapeshifter knows we're onto him. He will undoubtedly become more ruthless and more desperate with his actions.

'And that equates to- more deaths.'

I inhaled deeply, trying my best to calm my rapidly beating heart.

"Ma'am. Can you please tell us how it happened?"

My words seemed to have agitated her tears as they came rushing out once again.

I knew she was trying to calm herself, but… it wasn't working.

I could relate.

But still,

"...Only in this way can we hope to put the culprit behind bars."

I had to put in the words that she needed… words that she wanted to hear.

'Just like any other human in her shoes.'

My words seemed to reach her.

Slowly, her tears showed signs of subsiding.

Sniffling, she eventually managed to speak up after a couple of seconds:

"...H-e he suddenly came home unexpectedly, saying he wanted to see his twin brother. But, my husband wasn't at home. He said he knew and he would wait."

With tears welling in her eyes, she continued:

"I-I didn't think much of it.

"...I was in the kitchen when he suddenly grabbed me. In my attempt to free myself, we crashed into the counter. Glass shattered everywhere and some pieces cut into him. I-...I tried to run, but then-"

She broke off, trembling lightly.

"Take your time."

I said softly.

She swallowed hard, tears streaming down the corner of her eyes.

"He... he picked up a kitchen knife and struck me with the blunt side. When I woke up, I was tied to a chair. I-...I tried to scream, but he gagged me."

Her voice showed signs of cracking as a quiet sob broke out of her chest.

Thump... Thump...

The details sent a chill through me.

A vivid scene slowly unfolding in my mind:

The dimly lit room, the chaos in the kitchen, the desperate struggles.

'...To the room where it all ended.'

My foresight ability.

'It all now made sense.'

Exhaling lightly.

I managed to calm my agitated mind.

Shifting my gaze towards the sobbing young lady, I spoke up:

"Did your husband once say anything about any sort of beef with his twin brother?"

"No," Shaking her head, "None that he spoke of."

She said while using the back of her hand to wipe off the tears that fell from her eyes.

"...H-e he did say."

She stuttered.

"What did he say?"

Klaus questioned calmly.

"...He said they did something to her?"

"Her?"

My brows arched upward.

"Who does he mean by her?"

Klaus questioned with a light frown.

"I-...I don't know."

My gaze slowly shifted towards a picture in the living room.

It depicted a lot of people and as I gazed at the picture.

It slowly started to dawn on me.

Realization slowly crept in.

Thump… Thump…

I got to my feet.

"...You have our condolences ma."

I bowed slightly.

Klaus also followed suit.

Although he didn't understand why we were living so early. He knew there must have been a reason for that.

So he did what was logical:

'...He played along.'

The young lady forced a nod and got to her feet, escorting us out of the house.

Under the crimson rays of the moon, we could hear her sobs even as we moved farther away from her residence.

Sighing lightly.

Tok-

Tok-

Our footsteps resonated in the still night. The suffocating darkness pressing in on us from all sides.

Getting into the car.

Klaus cast me me a sidelong glance.

Even without saying anything, I knew what he was demanding for.

Brotherly bond- you may call it.

"Well, how do I explain? Hmm… You do know about the systems."

He nodded.

"My innate abilities- well one of them anyway- was unlocked ahead of time. And it grants me the ability to see into the future."

"Hmm."

He was quiet at first but then, he slowly nodded.

"I guess that explains it."

"Yeah."

"...All except for one."

"Hmm?"

I had a raised brow.

"...Why did we leave so early? Weren't we supposed to probe for more information. Or you already got them from your "oracle" ability?"

With a wry smile, I scratched the back of my head.

"Of course not."

But, 

His gaze still bore a hole through me.

I knew he was being skeptical.

"Fool," I said with a derisive laugh, "There was a picture in the house and guess what?"

His brows arched upward.

And it was as clear as day that he was in no mood for guessing.

Lightly shaking my head, I spoke up:

"All the victims of the shapeshifter or to be more precise, their husbands were all colleagues with that young lady's husband."

"And,"

Seeing that I had managed to fully garner Klaus's attention, I continued:

"When I had the dream- if it could be called one. I heard the shapeshifter saying they did something to her."

"Hmm…so are we dealing with a cursed spirit?"

I shook my head.

"Not likely."

"True. The system made it clear- we're after a shapeshifter."

And just then-,

A notification popped up.

[You are one step closer to finding the truth]

"Talk about the devil."

Klaus muttered.

And I had to restrain myself from letting out a light laugh.

Shaking my head, a light frown crept up my face.

"...I think I know just where to uncover the truth."

"Oh-"

Klaus raised a brow.

"And where's that?"

"Aisen college."

"Hmm?"

"The picture."

Klaus gave me a skeptical look, eliciting a light laugh from me.

"I'm telling the truth."

"...Who knows."

Still giving me that eye.

He slowly started the car engines and with a light laugh from both of us, the car sped into the distance.

Vrooom!

With Klaus showcasing his drifting skills, and improved racing skills, we made it to Aisen college in no time.

Ahead of us.

A towering structure could be seen in sight. Its surroundings were dark but I could make out one, two…hundreds of overgrown weeds. And there was an iron barricade. One that stood grand and imposing, blocking all those who sought to enter its ground. 

And the black door of the iron barricade was locked with weird runes. 

'...Hmm if the security companies have made it to this place. Why did they leave it sealed? Was it something they couldn't deal with or what?'

I mused under my breath.

But Klaus was already out of the car anyway.

Probably because- this isn't the first, nor would it be the last time that we would be breaking into a locked down environment.'

With a light sigh.

I stepped out of the car, watching as Klaus loaded salt bullets into the guns.

Without being awakened or transcenders, the only thing we could make use of- in case we did end up meeting a cursed spirit- was a gun imbued with salt bullet.

Of course if we were transcenders of the luminary pathway. We could simply do our charm and the purifying light would get it done with. But alas, we weren't.

…At least not yet.

With skillful precision, Klaus summoned a dagger. 

"Hmm?"

My brows arched upward.

"Where did you get that from?"

Based on the memories I had, Klaus never had that dagger with him.

"From the system."

He simply replied.

"Oh- that explains it then."

I muttered, more to myself than to him.

Piercing the lock or to be more precise the runes with the dagger, a surge of electricity erupted from the dagger, and added with the paralyzing effect of the Thunder Fang dagger. 

It was more than enough to allow us to climb over the iron barricade without setting off the alarm imbued into the runes.

But,

If I had to guess.

"We have-."

And just like I guessed.

"Only twenty minutes."

…There was a time limit.

I didn't know if I should laugh or run even faster.

Tok-

Tok-

Before long, we made it to the main entrance that led to the school's hall. With the pin hole opening technique taught by the old man. 

The door opened with a subtle creak.

Creaaak!

Whoosh!!

A chilling wind swept past us and a grating sound that made my heart lurch to my throat echoed through the stifling silence.

Right before us-,

The entire hall was dark and desolate with cobwebs growing at various parts of the room.

Exhaling sharply.

I managed to calm my rapidly beating heart.

"Now where do we even head for?"

Klaus muttered softly, as though speaking to himself than to me.

'...Should I use it?'

I contemplated using the pocket Marauder's compass. The limitation to it was too… heavy to be ignored.

Thump… Thump…

...Biting onto my lower lips.

Tick-

Tick-

I eventually came to a decision.

Summoning the compass.

A bronze pocket compass with no cardinals and with only a single black needle suddenly appeared in my hands.

Ingesting my spirituality into it.

Before Klaus could even speak.

"The system."

His mouth twitched, but he said nothing.

Letting out a light laugh, he shook his head.

"So…what does it do?"

"Well we're about to find out."

Ingesting my spirituality into the mystical item. I started moving through the stifling quiet.

Tok-

Tok-

Klaus immediately followed suit and I could almost hear the rather "subtle" echoes of our heartbeat.

Thump… Thump…

Before long-,

Tok-

And as we moved further down the halls, moving past various classrooms.

An idea suddenly crept into the walls of my mind.

I blinked.

It might actually work.

A light smile crept up my face and then-,

Amidst the suffocating quiet that pressed in on us from all sides.

I spoke silently:

"The motive behind the shape shifter's action… in relation to her."

I repeated it seven times.

And I could feel my energy rapidly draining away from me.

My vision blurred but I simply bit harder on my lower lips.

Hard enough to keep the flow of blood in my mouth.

And then-,

A soft glow illuminated the contours of the desolate dark surrounding. 

But my eyes weren't drawn to this.

Rather-,

They were drawn to the needle erratically spinning in all directions.

Slowly…it came to rest on a single spot.

And-,

Gazing ahead.

It was pointing towards an office.

And-,

Thump… Thump…

I suddenly had a bad feeling about this.

"Hum!"

Taking in a gulp of saliva that managed to drown the suffocating quiet, even if it were just for a mere fleeting second.

I took my first step towards the office.

And then-,

Tok-

I took the second.

Tok-

Then the third.

Before long, I made it to the office and right beside me was Klaus who gripped his gun even tighter.

Scanning the room while standing on guard.

I moved towards a desk. 

"Hmm."

I caught a glimpse of a lock.

Bending down.

I came to face a drawer locked with a bundle of runic chains.

But luckily enough-,

"Hand me the dagger."

It could be broken by the dagger.

"...It might alarm them."

I warned though.

"Hmph. The old man will take care of them. They are definitely hiding something and for the security companies to join in the fray- I can bet a hundred bucks that it has to do with one of those noble houses."

Sighing lightly.

I could only do as he said.

'Just like the old man says: Go on with the business. I will handle the consequences.'

And for years that has been the rule we have been abiding by. 

Click!

Succeeding in breaking open the lock. 

'...They probably don't expect anyone to break into this place. That will explain why the lock could be so easily broken. Not that they'd care anyway.'

I shook my head.

Bringing out a pile of files.

A few minutes later-,

We got the whole gist of the matter.

And it was quite an unpleasant one.

"So…it's safe to assume that a few students from noble families raped the shapeshifter's girlfriend. He supposedly reported the case to the school officials. But-,

With a light laugh, Klaus shook his head:

"How could they be punished? Did he even consider the fact that the headmaster of the Aisen college is just an insignificant member of the Tulane family."

I shook my head.

'...That will explain why the shapeshifter is going after them. Since they are from noble families, unlike transcenders or Arcanist families. There are chances of a few of them not Awakening. Hence why the shapeshifter was confident enough to take laws into his own hands."

With a light sigh, I dropped the pile of files onto the desk.

"...If I were in his shoes. I would probably have done the same thing."

Klaus nodded.

"But still, he's disturbing the peace of the society. 

"...So, we have no choice but to stop him."

Sighing lightly, I forced a nod.

'...It wasn't like we had any other choice anyway.'

Getting onto my feet.

"We should probably get going."

"Yeah."

Klaus nodded.

Knowing fully well that a powerhouse of the Tulane family could appear, any moment from now.

This only prompted us to urgency, the deafening sound of our heartbeats echoing through the stifling quiet.

Thump… Thump…

And just as we made way to leave-,

A notification flashed before my eyes.

[Congratulations on completing a side quest.

[Every action has a motive. 

Find the motive behind the shapeshifter's actions.]

[Reward is being generated:

[...You have been granted the mystical item:

[Ethereal Bell of Subtlety!]

***

Klaus tilted his head.

Staring at his system's screen.

He directly skipped the useless "rants" and went to the main deal.

Gazing downward.

A smile slowly crept up his face.

[...You have been granted the mystical item:

[Momentum Ring!]

"Talk about timing."

Klaus muttered.

Tok-

Tok-

I didn't allow the notification to slow me down, though.

We needed to get out of here, and at that, this very moment.

And just as we stepped out of the office-,

Zzzzrrrr!!!

Whooosssh!!!

Click!

The surroundings suddenly went dark. 

It was previously dark, but we could still manage to see within the darkness.

But-, 

T-his darkness.

This darkness was different.

…This darkness sent cold chills slithering down our spine.

Along with the subtle almost imperceptible change in the atmosphere came the flickering of lights.

Click!!! Click!!

Fading on and off.

My heart raced against my chest, its sound akin to deafening thunderclaps in the stifling quiet.

—----------

The flickering of lights.

The sudden frigid coldness.

We both glanced at each other, eyes wide open in fear!

"A cursed spirit!"

We both shouted in unison.

And then-,

Badump! Badump!

A bloodied figure appeared at the end of the hall.

With messy, long black hair that flew haphazardly in the air. Blood ran through her private part, a thickened, dark blood that pooled around that spot, to the extent of turning into a monstrous bloody face that screamed and roared… its pain, anger evident even from miles…meters away.

At that moment, it was as though we had suddenly lost the ability to move.

I felt as though numerous invisible hands were holding onto me, grounding me to a single spot. And worse, it was becoming increasingly difficult to breathe.

'...A-almost as though numerous unseen hands were tightly wrapped around my neck!'

"Huff… Huff."

And just then-,

Ba-dump! Ba-dump!

Her face slowly moved upward.

Her deep black pupil devoid of any life or warmth slowly locked onto mine and-,

Ba-dump! Ba-dump!

I felt a cold chill slither down my spine.

Trembling.

A paralyzing fear gripped me.

And just then-,

Tok-

Tok-

She started moving.

Rapidly approaching us at an inhuman pace.

"Run!!"

Klaus's voice cut through the stifling quiet.

But,

Thump… Thump…

I couldn't move.

Tok-

Tok-

I wasn't able to.

As the cursed spirit inched closer and closer to us.

My eyes widened in fear.

And-,

Thump… Thump…

I could feel it now.

Despair.

It was slowly crawling its way towards me.

I-...it was slowly coiling and tightening around my chest, like an iron vice.

I-t...it was slowly trying to consume me.

Thump….Thump…

Without hesitation, Klaus grabbed my arm, yanking me forward as he bolted with every ounce of strength he could muster.

Tok-

Tok-

His footsteps echoed sharply, growing louder as he blurred past offices and classrooms.

The cold grip of fear tightened around me, freezing my thoughts. And I had to bite hard on my lower lips until the metallic tang of blood filled my mouth.

The sharp pain was just barely enough to snap me out of my paralysis.

Clear-headed at last, I needed no urging. I pushed my legs to their limits, sprinting after Klaus with all the strength I had left in me.

Tok-

Tok-

We tore through the dark corridors, the college's entrance coming into view.

Tok-

Tok-

Our steps echoed through the stifling quiet. 

Each step propelling us into the distance.

But-,

Tok-

Tok-

It wasn't enough.

She was still rapidly closing in on us.

Flickering in and out of reality, she moved through the endless darkness. 

And each time she reappeared-, 

BAAANG!

BAAANG!!!

Two consecutive gunshots would shatter the suffocating quiet.

But apart from making her momentarily recoil, they did nothing.

Tok-

Tok-

If anything, they seemed to irritate her. She surged forward, her speed becoming even more terrifying.

Thump… Thump…

The lights flickered as she moved, a rotten smell wafting through the air as her grotesque form phased in and out, like a nightmare barely tethered to reality.

And as she rapidly approached us.

I could feel it creeping in again- Fear.

I-...it was slowly crawling its way towards me.

But I shoved it down just as it came, burying it beneath with nothing but sheer willpower.

Biting harder on my lower lips.

I could see it now.

The door.

We were just a few steps away.

She seemed to realize this too.

Tok-

Tok-

In two swift steps, she disappeared from view.

And then-,

Thump… Thump….

She flickered back into exietence-,

Right in front of us!

Ba-dump! Ba-dump!

My heart leapt into my throat as her gaping mouth- with tentacles writhing hungrily within- lurched towards me.

Dean grimaced, his fingers tightening on the trigger.

Baaaang!!!

Baaaang!!!

The salt bullets streaked through the air, easily piercing through her forehead.

Booooom!!!

Her form erupted into a cascade of dark, colorful lights, but the brief reprieve only made our hearts pound harder.

Faster.

'...We didn't need to be told to know she would return.'

But-,

Tok-

Tok-

I could care less about that, right now.

With one final leap.

I dove through the doorway, tumbling across the cold floor with a skillful ricochet. 

Dashing out of the cold hallway, Klaus nodded, giving me the go-ahead to close the door.

With a surge of adrenaline, I slammed my body against the cold metal door just as she reappeared.

Thump… Thump…

I felt a cold chill slither down my spine, but that fear only spurred me on.

It only urged me to use even more force.

Drawing from every ounce of strength contained in my feeble muscle, I forced the door shut, her wriggling tentacles trashing futilely against the frame.

And then-,

Thud!

The door closed with a resounding thud.

And once again-,

The cursed spirit was back in an endless, suffocating quiet.