"Where... is this place?" Luke looked around, whispering to himself.
He followed Little Red Riding Hood to a place riddled with cobwebs, pits, and skeletons, with broken crates scattered and half-buried in the dust.
This place looked like a nameless graveyard, a mass grave of sorts, yet everything here seemed to cluster around a sudden, solitary pillar.
It was unusually tall, with a bowl-shaped top that was empty, resembling a giant torch that had long since been extinguished.
Rustle, rustle... A rhythmic creaking sound emanated from the surrounding pits.
"Is something... crawling out?!"
Luke scanned the hollows, his muscles tensing slightly. The dense fog here swallowed the light, leaving his vision murky and unclear.
From within the pits, one dark shadow after another began to crawl out.
The blade in his hand felt a bit flimsy, but Luke did not panic because of it, for he... did not fear death.
The dark shadows gradually became clear; they were pitch black, their massive sharp claws striking the ground in sequence, the fuzz on their joints rubbing together to create a sound that caused a physical sense of nausea.
As the shadows revealed their true forms, Luke discovered that they were actually a group of bloated giant spiders.
These things continuously surged out from their nests, accompanied by faintly audible wails, together performing a melody of despair.
"There are too many of them; let's avoid their frontal assault."
Luke stepped back to Little Red Riding Hood's side and suggested softly.
He wasn't afraid; as an immortal monster, he had already become numb to danger.
He simply didn't want this girl to be caught up in it.
"It's fine."
The girl's voice rang out softly, her face remaining calm as ever. Luke couldn't tell for a moment if it was confidence or indifference, but his heart involuntarily settled down.
Seeing Little Red Riding Hood raise her hand in warning, Luke quietly backed away.
At that moment, wisps of transparent gas appeared around Little Red Riding Hood, which then turned red, fluctuating slightly as they continued to gather.
The gas surged like a tide, with ghosts flickering in and out within it.
These were the undead of this place; they were no longer legends or abstract concepts but possessed 'form,' truly existing in reality.
However, the undead did not belong to the living world; their manifestation meant the collapse of order in this place.
In the mortal world, magic had to be meticulously orchestrated like a stage trick, but here... miracles truly existed.
At this time, Luke felt a strange ripple pass through his body.
It seemed as though something was being drawn out, gathering into a mass, yet held back without being released.
Little Red Riding Hood whispered: "Numbers have no meaning here."
Before true transcendent power, the might of an individual is enough to subvert the entire battlefield.
It was an existence between soul and matter, now truly manifested in the world. It was both the 'method' and the 'result,' an incomprehensible phenomenon.
Soon, flames began to dance around Little Red Riding Hood, spiraling with the wind, as fierce as a tide, sweeping toward the group of spiders, surging and swallowing them all.
Facing this scorching airflow, Luke only slightly covered his face, his eyes wide, unwilling to miss this scene.
He knew that this was absolutely no trick, but true and real magic!
The flames surged and soon came to a halt, leaving charred limb remains scattered around, the smell of burning filling the air.
This was a mass grave, and now it truly was one.
Little Red Riding Hood withdrew her aura and looked at Luke.
"That's how it is. Did you learn it?"
"Eh?"
Luke blinked, then shook his head repeatedly. "You were... teaching me just now?"
Little Red Riding Hood didn't speak; the two of them looked at each other.
Luke eventually gave in; he tried waving his hand just as she had, but nothing happened. In this awkward situation, he could only shift his gaze to the side to look at some flowers and grass.
"I didn't learn it."
Yes, even though Luke was a monster, even though he was once a dreamer, he was still restricted within the framework of what he considered 'normal person' thinking.
It was like how dragons are born knowing how to breathe fire, but no ancient texts would record how they learned to breathe.
To the point that even if one truly possesses power, if one cannot believe or understand it, then one cannot fly.
However, the essence of Luke's thinking was still materialistic; he wasn't unable to accept all this, he just needed time to adapt.
But rashly imitating Little Red Riding Hood's actions was a bit hasty, unless the girl before him also didn't know how to master this power.
"I see."
Little Red Riding Hood's tone was somewhat regretful; perhaps in her view, Luke should have been able to learn it with just one look.
But obviously, there were no such easy things in the world.
She was troubled by this as well; after all, she was only a 'user,' not a 'constructor.'
She could only try to recreate her experiences, hoping Luke would gain some insight in this environment.
Thinking of this, Little Red Riding Hood's gaze as she stared at Luke became increasingly serious.
Clearly, the fellow before her was not one of those unreasonable, unknowable 'Existences.' His weakness was clearly visible, and even if his soul was filthy, it had not truly fallen after experiencing dozens of deaths.
But such an existence was truly too strange.
Did he come here bearing a mission?
Or was it because she had been running away that he appeared to bear it all?
Leike lowered her head. She walked to the front of that pillar, her gaze falling on Luke.
Luke met her gaze and quickly followed her over.
When he reached her, Little Red Riding Hood took his hand. Perhaps because she had just used magic, her palm was very hot.
What an excessively warm hand, as soft as a glutinous rice cake; the girl didn't seem very self-conscious about it.
While Luke was distracted for a moment, his palm was pressed onto the pillar.
Hiss—!
A needle-like pain made his hand tremble.
Black aura continuously dissipated from his body, becoming increasingly thick, and the sky darkened because of it, dotted only with a bit of blood-red.
Ah, ah—
Pain accumulated within his flesh, the black hound within his bones barked wildly, pitch-black fire was lit, and that error was about to repeat itself... "Red Hood... run..."
As always, it was a very flat statement, only mixed with a bit of emptiness and pleading.
"Don't worry about me..."
It was Luke speaking in a low voice. He was in a terrible state, his heart seemingly sinking into a deep pool filled with a filthy stench.
He understood; he was a genuine monster, an 'abnormality' that shouldn't exist in this world. He needed to constantly deceive himself to continue living with a clear conscience.
So he really envied Little Red Riding Hood, because that girl lived in this world as if it were only natural... As for himself, he really should... eternally perish.
This was enough.
"Hey, being too dull will cause trouble for others."
Who is 'Hey'?
A few hints of confusion appeared on Luke's face, but he made no other movements, like a person in a vegetative state who occasionally responds to a call, but in the end, it was just false hope.
"He's not in the previous 'Soul-thirsty' state, and he still has consciousness; he hasn't turned into an idiot. Perhaps his soul is just subconsciously resisting during the sorting process. He's afraid."
Little Red Riding Hood watched from the side. The pillar Luke was touching was constantly trembling and cracking all over. She quickly reached a conclusion.
"He shouldn't be this weak. It's because he hates the power..."
Why?
Red Hood didn't want to investigate; she wasn't close to him, and she couldn't understand that subconscious choice.
Bang!
The pillar finally shattered, but Luke's hands hung down, his eyes lifeless.
His bodily functions clearly hadn't malfunctioned, so the reason was... his soul was collapsing.
It was hard to understand; his very existence revealed a pathological state, but if the symptoms were known, perhaps there was a way to solve it.
But to this, Little Red Riding Hood could just wave her hand and leave, because she knew that Luke would revive after death, again and again... but... if left alone, this guy would be truly pitiful... oh, so this is what pity feels like.
Little Red Riding Hood realized somewhat belatedly what Luke's current state meant.
And with these symptoms, perhaps the two of them were... fellow patients.
"Magic is a law that exists in nature. It doesn't need to be understood; it just needs to be 'obtained' and 'applied'..."
Red Hood spoke in a low voice, speaking to this lost man before her.
She believed this man could do it; she believed the tragedy wouldn't repeat... If you're determined to change something, then pick up your courage and wake up!
Little Red Riding Hood reached out and grabbed Luke's neck, stood on her tiptoes, and brought her face close.
Without the slightest hesitation, she kissed his lips directly.
Spirituality intermingled, and beliefs collided directly; even the underworld could be torn open... Through bodily fluids, an excellent medium for magic, she guided her own magic and beliefs into him. Now, taste this determination!
Such things were also recorded in "Fate Grand Order"... um... for some reason, a sense of suffocation appeared.
That's right; if she were lying in water right now, she might have already sunk to the bottom.
It didn't really matter.
This life didn't matter.
Because he loathed the ending, he would negate the process, and even his initial motivation would be doubted.
The story is fake... negating like this... doubting the meaning of his own existence... "Mmph!"
A dizzying sense of vertigo hit him. Luke kept backing away until he slumped onto the ground, coughing a few times and gasping for air.
"What happened to me?"
Luke wiped the corner of his mouth and felt a trace of moisture.
Could it be... he just fainted?
"It is your thing. Please hold onto it tightly and never let go."
Little Red Riding Hood stood beside him and advised him so.
Luke looked at her blankly.
"What happened?"
He looked up into the girl's eyes. He had many doubts and much confusion; he wanted the girl to explain it clearly to him, but she didn't explain anything and had already turned her head away.
"You have already recorded this magic. You can take a look at the miracle you created."
Luke turned his head to look around him, his face showing a look of surprise.
He stood up, looking at the rings of swirling black flames, and murmured softly.
"This is... my thing?"
"Yes."
Little Red Riding Hood's serious voice confirmed this.
Yes, this was the... hell that he had created.
"Sss—!" A severe headache suddenly exploded.
Amidst this almost fainting pain, the girl's voice rang out at the right time:
"Although I don't know your past, and from an outsider's perspective, I shouldn't criticize anything, please face it. Problems cannot be solved by taking the posture of an escapist."
Compared to the girl's calmness, Luke was deeply lost in confusion.
[What... is she talking about?]
"I'm sorry..."
Luke said softly, his emotions seeming to have calmed down a bit.
"It's okay."
Little Red Riding Hood just gave a light response, then immediately rushed forward and tackled him to the ground.
What!?
Luke was in a state of confusion, and then he heard... a burst of intense horse hooves!
Soon, a tall black knight stepped out of the fog. Holding a sword in one hand, he ignored Luke and the girl, instead heading straight forward to pull a long spear back from the ground.
Facing this giant shadow, Luke found that he actually recognized him!
"What, have you practiced your aim well? My skin wasn't even grazed!"
The girl had already climbed up silently, her figure disappearing from sight, while Luke began to provoke him; this was something he was very good at.
"Ugh!!!"
The Black Knight didn't speak, only continuously making a buzzing sound.
However, his reaction already showed that this mockery was effective.
"It's you piece of trash again. Seriously, that's enough. Any old junk comes to disturb me; look at yourself first!"
Luke sat on the ground. At this moment, one was high and the other was low; his former advantage had become a disadvantage, but his gaze was so hurtful that he still didn't fall into an inferior position.
But in the end, it was just bullying an honest person.
"Ugh ugh ugh ugh! Kill you! I must kill you!"
The Black Knight held a spear in one hand and a sword in the other, charging over with unstoppable momentum!
But Luke didn't care. Yes, he had no strength, but the reason he could be this incessant clown with a clear conscience was only because he wasn't afraid of death.
"I am a calamity! I am a knight! I am Gaul! I am definitely not some junk! I shall kill you for the crime of insulting the four horsemen!"
Gaul shouted loudly as he charged over, pitch-black magic power leaking out, while Luke faced the other's sword calmly, even if he would be torn to pieces 0.01 seconds later.
The tyrannical Red King appeared in an instant, a cold light appearing in her hand—a sharp blade.
This fatal switch between light and shadow caused blood to spray into the air, along with a head.
Luke's sacrifice was not without reward; through it, Little Red Riding Hood completed the fatal blow.
However, in the next moment... a sudden change occurred!
From that severed neck that had already lost its head, liquid sprayed out frantically onto the ground, igniting like oil.
Flames covered the knight's entire body, gradually outlining a skeleton shape on his neck.
And the original head was merely a helmet that had lost its luster.
This made Luke realize that the fellow before him was not a living thing...