Genji was approaching a new town when he suddenly heard the soft tinkling of wind chimes. Genji looked around for the source but saw nothing. This lasted until Astros tugged at his collar and pointed at a tree. The ferret's beady eyes had a confused tint as if asking why Genji was looking around so much when the source was right there.
Genji quickly realized what was happening and asked, "You can see that?"
Astros tilted his head, not understanding what Genji was getting at.
"I can't. What about you, Bruce?"
The nightbane shook his head and rubbed his eyes with tentacles.
"You said this was by the tree?" Genji asked, aiming his rifle.
"Yip yip," Astros replied, helping Genji adjust his aim until the barrel aligned with the target.
Upon pulling the trigger, a gleam of red manifested, followed by a crisp chime. Bruce fetched the object, revealing a metallic dreamcatcher snapped diagonally through the middle. Strands of cursed energy leaked from the fissure, exposing its origins.
"Tell me if you find more of these," Genji requested. While he didn't know what the dreamcatchers were for, he knew they couldn't be good since their creator hid them like this - better to get rid of them while they could than regret it later.
Astros raised a paw to his chest, indicating to leave everything to him.
They entered the town and Astros immediately alerted him to another dreamcatcher. Genji inwardly sighed and began aiming. But before he could fully locate his target, someone darted out from around the corner and crashed into him.
"Hey, watch it! Don't you know better than to stand in the middle of the street?" The person rudely barked.
"Funny of you to say that," Genji bit back. "Aren't you the one who ran into me?"
"Huh? What did you say?" The person clenched his fist and stomped toward Genji, trying to appear intimidating.
Genji ignored the clownish behavior and pulled the trigger, startling the newcomers who dashed around the same corner. The man flinched but quickly recovered his tough guy act when he realized he was unharmed. "What's the matter, big guy? Can't endure a little provocation and need to resort to firearms?"
Genji shot him a dismissive side-eye, muttered "Idiot" under his breath, and started walking away.
Furious at the remark, the man lunged out to grab him. "Hold it right there! You're not leaving until you apologize properly!" But before he could react, he was slammed to the ground, his arm twisted painfully behind his back with a sharp pop as it dislocated. Genji firmly pressed his knee into the man’s waist, ready to break it if necessary.
The newcomers realized what had happened and surrounded Genji. "You better let him go before anyone gets hurt," one person foolishly threatened with a knife.
In response, Genji applied more force with his knee, prompting a sharp yelp from his captive and leaving the group uncertain about their next move. His silent threat had been more effective than their empty bravado, proving that the bite is always worse than the bark.
The standoff lingered for a moment until a furious roar shattered the tension. "You’ve got a lot of nerve causing trouble in my town! Do you think I’m just here for show?"
Moments later, a man wearing a wide-brimmed cowboy hat, a dark green vest, and a light yellow undershirt stormed over. As he approached, the sunlight receded from the bronze star pinned proudly to his chest, revealing the word 'Sheriff.'
Genji released his hold and got up to explain himself. "In my defense, they started it. I think I had the right to retaliate."
"Shut it. You're all coming back to the office with me. If I hear another word out of you lot, I will shoot!" The sheriff brandished his revolver to emphasize his point and waved a pair of handcuffs.
Genji mentally sighed and held out his hands. The sheriff slapped on the cuffs before turning his gun to the troublemakers. "Now get moving!"
As this was happening, Bruce met Astros's gaze and shook his head, wondering why there were so many wackos in this town. It had only been a few minutes, yet they’d encountered more oddballs than during their entire trip combined. That’s saying a lot, considering this group includes the medicine peddler and the machine-obsessed mechanic.
'It's like they all have a few screws loose or something.'
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When they reached the sheriff's office, the sheriff threw them into three musty cells and resumed his patrol. Genji waited a few minutes before knocking out his cellmates and using his energy to construct a key for his handcuffs. Then, he let himself out and sat at the sheriff's desk to review the documents.
At a glance, Genji immediately noticed the abnormally high number of cases. It would make sense if this number were from a large town, but not a place as small as this one. And these didn’t even include the petty cases the sheriff was too lazy to record, like breaking up a fight.
'Something is definitely up with this place. And I suspect part of it has to do with those dreamcatchers Astros found.'
Genji looked through a few more documents before leaning back and interlocking his fingers behind his head, ignoring the troublemakers' spiteful glares.
An hour later, the sheriff returned. Upon seeing Genji at his desk, he instantly drew his revolver and demanded Genji to put his hand up.
"Sorry, but I don't have time for this," Genji said, suddenly appearing behind the sheriff and patting him on the shoulder. "You can deal with them, but I have other things I need to do. It was fun while it lasted." Then he walked out, waving his witch hunter badge.
The sheriff instinctively wanted to pull the trigger but quickly reined in that impulse once he registered the words on Genji's badge. Instead, he redirected his attention to the troublemakers and unleashed a fiery scolding. "You freaking nimwits! Why the fuck do I always have to deal with you? Can't you behave for once in your life?" Following that, the impact of knuckles on flesh sounded along with cries for forgiveness.
'Highly irritable and maybe sleep deprived as well. The job seems to be causing him lots of stress,' Genji observed. 'Can't blame him though. Any normal person would feel the same way, though I can't say there's anything normal about the job.'
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Later that evening, as Genji waited for his food in a restaurant, the sheriff sat down across from him. His anxiety seemed to have faded slightly, but his eyes were just as bloodshot as before. He waved to a waiter and asked for the same order as Genji.
Strangely enough, the waiter also seemed exhausted, with dark circles under his eyes and a constant stream of yawns. In fact, nearly every guest in the restaurant seemed that way, with many slumped over in their seats as if on the verge of collapse.
After placing his order and thanking the server, the sheriff turned back to Genji and asked for help. "As you can see, the town's been through some rough times. But this doesn't even begin to cover the whole story. I'm running out of ideas and need some help. Things are getting bad."
"Tell me about it," Genji replied.
"Thank you. It's a long story. We suspect it's the doings of a witch, but we just can't find her no matter how we try. It all started a month ago. At first, it was insomnia and nightmares, but we didn't think much of it. It's normal to get a bad night of sleep now and then. But then things got strange. Body parts started showing beneath people's floorboards. Mind you, these are people who couldn't be more innocent. They would never do such a thing. Hallucinations soon followed. Ghosty figures began wandering the streets at night and fruit baskets became indistinguishable from dried skulls. Many other disturbing occurrences also, but I won't mention them now. We tried sending someone out for help, but they just went in circles around town. It's uncanny."
"That does sound bad. I thought the town was too gloomy."
"I’d like to retort, but the situation speaks for itself," the sheriff said with a sigh. "Let’s eat first, and then I’ll tell you everything I know." He gestured toward the waiter, who was approaching their table with two plates in hand.
However, what entered Genji's sight wasn't a delicious meal, but a rotting tomahawk steak full of live maggots. Yellow pus coated their wriggling little bodies, a scene that would induce nausea in anyone. But the sheriff acted as if everything was normal and dug in with relish.
Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.
He shoveled large chunks into his mouth as if it were the best meal he’d had in weeks. In a way, it might have been, given the relief of finally sharing his worries with someone—if only the meal was normal.
Genji observed the scene with an unreadable expression, while Astros wrinkled his nose in clear disgust. This scene lasted for several minutes until the sheriff noticed the gaze and nonchalantly asked, "What? Is there something on my face?"
Genji quietly reached across the table and snapped beside the sheriff's ear, using his energy to amplify the frequency.
"Argh!" The sheriff's head rang like a church bell and he tumbled off his chair. The commotion attracted all the patrons, but they returned to their activities when Genji announced that everything was fine.
The sheriff steadied his dizzy head and gradually stood up with his hand covering his ear. Blood trickled down the side of his face and fell onto his shirt, staining it.
"What was that for," he demanded with a harsh glare.
"Are you awake? Can you see better now?" Genji asked back.
"See what? My vision is fi-" At that moment, he realized what he'd been eating and collapsed again. "W-wh-when did it become like that? Oh, I get it. It must be another one of my hallucinations. Y-yeah, that must be the case. T-there's n-no way t-the restaurant w-would s-serve s-such an atrocity."
"Sorry to burst your bubble, but this is the truth. What you saw was the illusion."
The sheriff hurriedly covered his mouth and gagged hard. Ragged breaths tried to suppress the retching but quickly failed as he recalled his meal and how he had eaten with such gusto. Then everything came back up in a vile, never-ending stream. Amid the thick bile, Genji could see some maggots still wiggling about, as if mocking the sheriff's foolhardiness.
Genji gave the sheriff time to calm down before suggesting they go elsewhere to talk. They'd already attracted enough attention and didn't need any more. 10 minutes later, the sheriff could be seen frenetically gurgling on water as Genji nibbled on energy bars.
"I don't understand how you can still eat after seeing that," the sheriff asked.
"Food's food. I'm not going to stop eating just because of one bad experience or I would have starved long ago."
"Ugh, I envy your mental state. Anyway, that should tell you how bad it has gotten."
"I know. Everyone else was as despondent as statues, despite me pointing out the problems. They didn't even care that they were eating the same thing."
"Stop! Stop!" The sheriff rapidly waved his hand. "Can we not bring up that incident anymore? I'm trying to forget that trauma."
"Okay, I'll get started on the case. I'll reach out to you if I have any questions."
"You're not going to hear what I've found so far?"
"Doesn't matter. Since you haven't caught the culprit, I doubt your findings are that helpful. I'd rather conduct my own investigations than be blindsided by faulty conclusions."
The sheriff realized Genji was correct and dejectedly sent him off. "Thank you then. I'll be in my office if you need anything."
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Once Genji was far away, he messaged Celine for a divination. Since there were no leads, he might as well let the professional create one. It was better than blindly searching for clues. While he waited, he would get rid of as many dreamcatchers as Astros could find. Two hours later, he received a pair of coordinates.
Celine: My ability says to start there. There's a strange, casual connection between it and the town. Also, I noticed we're quite near each other. Can you come over to Socorro Town once you're done? There's a bad omen looming in the air, and I could use some help defending this place.
Enigma: No problem. Is there a hard deadline?
Celine: The event starts in around 3 days.
Enigma: Okay, I'll try to wrap my side quickly.
Genji exited the app and made his way toward the destination. After going around the town, he arrived at an abandoned section a small distance away. Genji walked down the street and inwardly counted the houses. 'Four, seven, nine, 13, found it.'
Genji kicked down the door and began searching the dusty building. After some effort and a bit of luck from Astros, he uncovered a trapdoor that revealed a rusty ladder that descended into the ground. Genji strapped a gas mask to Astros and climbed down.
A neglected passage filled with large cobwebs, old candles, broken shelves, and numerous insects greeted him at the bottom. Genji brushed the dust off his hands and cautiously followed the hallway. After a few turns, human remains came into view, along with faded books.
A woman's scream suddenly sounded from deeper within, followed by a glimpse of a humanoid monster running by. Genji remained unperturbed and continued at his own pace.
When he entered a larger section, spikes suddenly emerged behind him, sealing off any retreats. The same monsters from before charged at him, brandishing their mechanical claws. These were the dreadnaughts, monsters modified by witches using mechanical knowledge to endure the suns' rays.
Compared to their nightly counterparts, these dreadnoughts were superior in every way, reaching mini-boss-level stats. The only downsides were the excessive materials needed to make these modifications and the hard-to-come-by knowledge behind it.
Genji's eyes grew serious as he summoned his daggers. Cutting intent and shadow flames wrapped around the edges as he stepped forward with a glaring slash. His dagger cleaved right through the arm, followed by him lopping off the head. The body kept running, unbothered by the fatal injury for several seconds, before Genji kicked it away. Only then did it lose its combat effectiveness.
'A strong body, but no fighting skills. This will be easier than I expected.'
Genji twisted his body and cleaved through the remaining dreadnaughts with several dagger arts. In the end, only piles of scrap metal and tar-like blood remained in the corner. The spikes receded and Genji continued onward.
Along the way, he was besieged by several more waves, but he swiftly dispatched them after some effort. Eventually, he reached a large cellar with large barrels and numerous crates obstructing his vision. Shadows darted around these obstacles, positioning themselves for ambush.
Genji shot a barrel, and spoiled wine poured onto the ground. The splattering of liquid helped locate the hiding figures, so Genji broke the remaining barrels. Amid the trickles of wine and the splashing of puddles, the cold tap of metal boots on stone reached his ears.
Turning toward the source, Genji spotted a figure dressed in a white coat, thick brown jeans, and a plague doctor's mask. The figure was fully covered and could easily be mistaken for a human—if not for the purple tubes protruding from its neck, which contained distorted souls silently weeping in pain.
[Dreadnaught of Forbodance]
Health: 62,750/62,750
Liquid Agony: 3,300/3,300
Con: 71
Str: 65
Dex: 56
Int: 66
Spc: 39
Skills:
- Boss (Passive): +35,000 hp
- Mechanical Existence (Passive): Fatal points have been removed. Stats can be increased with the corresponding parts. Damage can be repaired by a specialist after a battle. +24 Defense.
- Soul Corrosion (Passive): Injuries you inflict will suffer a double corrosion from Agony and Curse attributes.
- High Density Body (Passive): Reduce all incoming damage by 30%. +10,000 hp. +10 Defense.
Forbodance swung his arm to the side, and a rod slid out of his sleeve. Upon grasping it, a long scythe blade popped out, followed by Forbodance charging aggressively at Genji.
*Ding*
Genji parried the strike and slashed at the extended arm. At the same time, Forbodance swiped out with his other hand. In a split-second decision, Genji abandoned his attack and jumped back, narrowly dodging a deadly arc.
Genji lashed out with a cutting wave of his own, but the attack dissipated harmlessly on the torso. Blood swirled around Forbodance, attempting to infiltrate the joints, but he pressed forward without slowing.
They clashed again, but neither party obtained the upper hand. Suddenly, Genji heard a series of splashes around him. Without wasting another moment, Genji conjured a large cocoon and activated Berserk.
His cloak also boosted his speed, allowing him to burst forward to confront Forbodance, who had just smashed the cocoon. Immense force tore through the biomechanical creature's defense, warping his weapon and sending him flying.
As the remnants of cutting intent faded around him, Genji gathered and channeled a tremendous amount of energy. A conical force coalesced around his dagger, swiftly forming a lance.
Genji leaped at the soaring Forbodance and stabbed out, nailing him into the wall. A deafening explosion echoed within the narrow chambers, flooding the room with waves of dust. Genji slashed down with his other hand, unleashing a deadly Stealth Dagger in conjunction with Lighting Inspiration.
Forbodance hastily raised his arm to block the strike, but the effort made little difference. In an instant, the arm was severed and crashed to the ground, unleashing a powerful shockwave that swept away the surrounding dust. As a mechanical being, every part of Forbodance's body carried immense weight and was fully capable of crushing an elephant.
Genji launched off the wall and landed on the ground. Moments later, Forbodance stumbled forward with a deep cylindrical hole piercing through his chest. The wall behind him had crumbled completely, unable to bear the brunt of Genji's attack.
Additionally, a deep gash ravaged Forbodance's neck, with one of the soul pipes being severed. Purple liquid jutted out in erratic bursts along with deformed souls, staining the ground a deep shade.
Genji twirled his daggers and gradually approached. Forbodance matched his pace and clenched his remaining hand into a claw. His eyes gleamed a foreboding green as his energy concentrated within his palm.
Meanwhile, the outline of twin vortexes formed around Genji's daggers. With each step, the aura from both sides spiked rapidly, as if it could break away and unleash a devastating rampage at any moment.
Their strides gradually grew longer, their pace faster, and the danger they emanated soared like a rocket. Until finally, they broke out into a sprint and passed each other. Both parties briefly paused before Forbodance's head slid off and his glowing eyes dimmed.
[You have slain: Dreadnaught of Forbodance]
[Your maximum energy has increased by 65 points.]
[You have obtained 543 realm coins.]
[You have obtained: Soul Infused Scrap Metal]
[Soul Infused Scrap Metal]
Rarity: Epic
Type: Material
Quantity: 8 tons
Description: An unusual material that contains the soul essence of the tormented. It might not seem much, but its weight surpasses expectations. Depending on how well one utilizes souls, this can either be a source of nightmares that chips away at your sanity or a precious metal with desirable qualities.
Along with Forbodance's downfall, the other dreadnaughts also plopped to the ground, each bearing numerous blood javelins. Bruce had finished the cannon fodder around the same time.
Genji collected his loot and followed the flow of wine to a hidden passage in the corner. He kicked open the entrance and entered a room that radiated with resentment. At the center of the room was a dark crystal hovering above a bloody ritual circle.
Genji shattered the crystal with a bullet and the ritual circle dimmed. As a cautious measure, he washed away the outline with water before extending his perception. It felt much clearer as if an obstructing film had been removed.
'That should be the end of it.'
Genji backtracked, picked up the spectating Astros, and departed with Bruce. They rode back to town and headed for the sheriff's office. Along the way, Genji spotted several dreamcatchers, which he promptly shot down. Now that the cover had been destroyed, these strange tickets stood out like a sore thumb.
After the 7th one, Genji gave up and increased his speed. Upon reaching the building, Genji gave the door a few harsh knocks. A groan sounded from upstairs, followed by a silhouette fumbling downstairs. Moments later, the door opened and a sheriff in pajamas greeted him. "What do you need?" He asked with a yawn once he recognized Genji.
"The investigation's done. Now it depends on your efforts."
The sheriff stared blankly for a few seconds before finally reacting. "Huh?!?!"