Chapter 15
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Episode 4 - New Record [3] ─────────────────────────────────
An indescribable sensation before an imminent death.
The sensation of being torn apart by the long teeth and claws of an Anomaly.
My mind trembled as my eyes opened and I once again saw the darkness around me, noticing that it had reset.
Still trembling after seeing and feeling death, I used my Supernatural Power and a golden, illusory feather appeared.
"After the death of Sherlock Holmes, he slowly calmed down, returning his mental state to one resilient enough not to fall into madness from experiencing death; however, he does not have much time before the Anomaly returns."
Slowly, my mind began to calm down; the effects of the ability had fallen into a fairly good probability because I had only fixed my mental state.
In addition to adding negative favorability to my situation, such as the Anomaly drawing closer.
'I-I don't want to die again… No, I absolutely won't allow it.'
My mental state was between altered, madness, and stability at its very limit.
I could develop severe trauma if I died again.
I quickly got up from the place where I had appeared.
The first thing I noticed after the reset was that my location had changed compared to the first time.
This time, and fortunately, I was not far from where purchase payments were made.
Taking an expired product and after confirming that it was an acceptable date.
I quickly registered it and noticed that my previous registration was no longer there.
'This is a reset… it would be good if I forgot the moment of my death when I reset.'
After registering the expired product, I quickly took action.
I crouched down and walked silently, very slowly.
Despite my state being almost completely altered, I still remained lucid without fainting or trembling in fear.
Once again, while I was crouching, I wrote.
"Unfortunately, the Anomaly finds Sherlock Holmes; however, due to his previous experience, this time he managed to evade the Anomaly, barely saving himself."
I couldn't write simply mentioning that I reached the warehouse door without any problem.
If I did so, the probability would drop very, very low, failing to make my words real.
After a few seconds, the sounds of running footsteps became evident.
I quickly activated my Supernatural Vision, because the Babylonian Path had an enhancement to Supernatural Vision.
I could see more than any other Path allowed; however, although it was something good, it was also something very bad.
'Seeing more means seeing what should not be seen.'
Looking at the colors that represent Supernatural Power, the approaching ripples indicated that the Anomaly was using some ability that distorted visible Supernatural Power.
Looking at the distortion of the Supernatural Power, I immediately knew where its attack would land.
The distortion was heading toward the lower area of the heart, not far from where the Anomaly had previously torn me apart.
After an unknown amount of time, I placed my right foot against the nearby shelf that was pressed against the wall and pushed.
My body moved in the opposite direction of the position I had been in.
At the same time, long claws brushed past my shoulder, near the elbow, tearing the fabric of my black vest.
'Yes…'
I didn't have the composure to smile; I knew that making one more move would lead to certain death.
Moreover, I didn't even have attack skills; up to a certain point, I had no chance of killing the Anomaly.
'Especially because it's an Anomaly that fights in close combat, and I don't even know how to fight.'
Taking advantage of this opportunity, in which I managed to dodge the Anomaly, I ran as fast as I could toward the warehouse door.
Once in front of the door, which this time was closed due to the reset, since I had previously left it open.
Without hesitation, I grabbed the knob and pulled it, then turned the door toward me and went inside, closing the door.
At the same time, without stopping, I ran toward the metal roll-up door that was open, and a white light that blinded my eyes emerged from the other side.
I quickly crossed to the other side, then darkness came and covered my entire vision.
That meant I had successfully escaped, and with a death.
***
Sitting on the chair where above there were hands holding a crystal, I looked around and then fixed my gaze on Doyle, who had an expression of shock, disbelief, and surprise.
Doyle's mouth opened, but he didn't let out any of his long speeches.
Slowly, cold sweat began to drip down my entire face.
This was because the experience of having died hadn't completely faded yet, but I was sure, and I also felt that I would recover after some therapy.
Taking a handkerchief out of the right pocket of my pants.
I wiped all the sweat covering my face; after some time, Doyle's voice finally came out and said.
"S-sir… how did you do it? This is unimaginable, never seen before. It's a true record, leaving the others far behind; it would even make anyone think that their own records are a joke compared to yours…"
After the series of emotions shown by Doyle, as well as his praise and his comparisons of others' records as a joke.
A few minutes later.
The leader of Dawne School was notified by Doyle that the Record Test had already ended, and he quickly came to see the results.
Afterward, Doyle showed him the results, and the leader of Dawne School opened his eyes for a few seconds before returning to normal.
Emotions and thoughts passed so quickly that I became disconnected; however, he returned to normal just as easily.
Sitting in the seat inside the office of the leader of Dawne School, and next to me was Doyle with a big smile, the leader of Dawne School said.
"Well done. This proves that accepting you into the Black School was a wise decision by the higher-ups and by me."
Nodding, the leader of Dawne School asked.
"How did you do it?"
Doyle had asked me this question many times; however, I didn't give him the answer, telling him to wait until the leader of Dawne School asked.
Automatically, Doyle showed his bright, expectant puppy-like eyes.
"In reality, it's very simple. After walking through part of the store and discovering the door, I thought that I just had to look for a key; however, that wouldn't make much sense because the store owner obviously wouldn't leave his possibly only key to the door, so I went to the warehouse and discovered a list that had dates of the products being sold, and then I discovered the expiration dates..."
I explained my thought process to the leader of Dawne School and also made up how I managed to evade the Anomaly's pursuit every time it appeared.
However, I did not say that I used my ability Probability Phrases because my record would not be valid.
'And even if I cheated, what matters are the results as well as the rewards.'
Aside from the ten thousand Lines that I did not mention having found for fear that my money would be taken away.
There was an expected reward.
"You have great intellect to know how to act and think inside a Passage, even if it is one of the lowest rank."
In reality, this Artificial Passage had such a low rank that a normal human could even complete it.
And this rank was
The other ranks were
After a second, the leader of Dawne School said without any expression on his face.
"The reward is 1,000 Ghost Passes; however, because your record is so overwhelming, you will receive an extra reward of 1,000 Lines."
Nodding, I suddenly felt a tremor in my body and a chill.
Then I looked at the leader of Dawne School and said.
"I still haven't told you that I died once, just before being able to escape, so my mental state is very altered."
Nodding, the leader of Dawne School said.
"No problem. Doyle, take your superior to the psychology room so that he can receive mental treatment."
Straightening his body, Doyle brought his hand to his forehead as if he were a soldier and said.
"Yes, School Leader!"
Then he turned toward me and said.
"Please, follow me, sir."
Leaving the office of the leader of Dawne School, I looked at Doyle, who was a few steps ahead of me, and said.
"Doyle, it's not necessary for you to call me only sir. I feel like you're addressing me as if I were an old man. You can call me Sir Sherlock or simply superior; both are polite forms normally used by the nobles of this city."
Doyle stopped for a second in shock before regaining his composure, then said.
"I-I'm sorry, I didn't take into account the proper way to address you, sir… I-I mean, Superior Sherlock."
"...."
My face clearly showed confusion upon hearing his last words, and deep thoughts emerged once more.
'So he's an idiot after all… no, this guy is intelligent and easily notices anything without being given much information; however, I never told him to call me Superior Sherlock, although it sounds better than my two previous options.'
Shrugging my shoulders, Doyle guided me to the psychology room, where an Anomalous of the Mental Path of Pathway 6 treated the mental aftereffects of other Anomalies.
The Anomalous was a calm old man named Levi, with no surname; he only said that an Anomalous of the Thief Path had stolen his surname.
These Paths had very strange powers; however, despite only stealing his surname, this led old Levi to lose his sanity and almost lose himself, forgetting who he was.
After the treatment, Doyle dismissed old Levi.
My altered state recovered to how it was before dying.
While I was walking together with Doyle in the hallway back to the offices above.
Suddenly, a group appeared in the distance; they seemed to be a School Leader, however I do not know from which School.
Upon seeing its members, there were only three: one woman and two men, of whom only one person was very different from the norm.
Long dark-blue hair and tired eyes as if he hadn't slept for days, the same color as his hair.
He was tall, and his clothing was not the typical noble and elegant suit worn by high society; it was a leather outfit with straps, meant solely for hunting Anomalies.
The man with long hair almost reaching his waist, with a chiseled and well-refined face, wore a faint smile as he passed by my side.
At that moment, we both crossed gazes.
We were the same height, so his eyes passed close to mine, looking into his deep blue eyes.
"...."
After moving away and leaving the hallway, I frowned.
'This feeling is more intuitive; however… it reminds me of Sohel.'
For a moment, I came to think that he was the third transmigrator.