They called it the Red Quarters because no one came back clean.
Ash stood at the edge of the forest, eyes locked on the distant ruins half-sunken into the earth. Cracked stone towers jutted out like jagged teeth. The air smelled of rust, moss, and something older—decay soaked into the bones of the land.
Riven shifted beside him, chewing the inside of his cheek. "They say the whole village vanished overnight. Only thing left was blood—and a bell that still rings at midnight."
Ash glanced at the mission scroll in his hand.
> [Contract Issued: Mossbridge Guild]
Target: Missing Survey Squad (x3)
Threat Level: F to F+
Location: Red Quarters – Exclusion Zone
Notes: Reports of phantoms. Zero magical signature. Exercise caution.
"I don't like that it says zero magical signature," Ash muttered.
Riven pulled his sword loose. "Means whatever's there either eats magic… or isn't alive."
They passed under the half-fallen arch and entered the dead village.
Ash felt it immediately.
Stillness.
Not just quiet—suppressed. Like the world had turned the volume down.
> [System Alert: Mana Suppression Field Detected]
> Auto-boosts disabled. Manual control only.
Passive Trait: Leech Pulse – LIMITED FUNCTIONALITY
Ash exhaled through his nose. "This place hates system energy."
Riven didn't respond. His hand shot up—fist clenched.
Ahead, something moved.
Not walked. Moved.
A shadow peeled from the wall—long-limbed, faceless, dripping with inky threads of blood. Its fingers scraped stone as it glided, not stepped, toward them.
Ash's system flared faintly.
> [LVL 10: Wraith Echo – F Rank]
Type: Undead / Memory Fragment
Weakness: Direct Light, Agility Attacks
"I've got this one," Riven said, darting forward.
He moved like lightning—blade gleaming as he struck low. The Wraith twisted unnaturally, dodging the blow with a boneless pivot, then countered with a screech that hit like a psychic scream.
Ash winced, stumbling. Static filled his vision.
> [System Interference: Echo Feedback Detected]
> Synaptic clarity compromised
Combat assist: MANUAL OVERRIDE RECOMMENDED
Ash clenched his fists. He didn't have a sword. But he had instincts—and he had his body.
He sprinted forward and slid beneath the Wraith as it reeled toward Riven, grabbing a shattered spearhead from the ground. In one smooth motion, he drove it upward into the Wraith's side.
The creature shrieked—blood misting into the air.
> [Passive: Stat Leech Activated]
> Sync successful. Temporary boost: Strength +10, Agility +8
Risk Level: Medium | Duration: 120 sec
Ash could feel it—the unnatural balance. Like dancing on the edge of power and collapse.
He stepped back, dodging a wild swipe, and pivoted around behind it as Riven slashed straight down the middle.
The Wraith disintegrated into dust and crimson threads.
Silence.
Riven wiped his sword. "Okay… that was worse than a goblin den."
Ash nodded. "I hate how good that felt."
They moved deeper into the Red Quarters. Broken doors. Burned cradles. Empty homes.
At the center of the ruins stood a bell tower—charred, still standing.
The moment they stepped into the square, the bell rang.
Midnight.
> [Hostile Presence Detected]
> Threat Level Escalation: D Rank
Sync Possible: Unknown Variant
[Incoming Signature: Host Echo - Compatible Core Detected]
Ash froze. The air around the tower shimmered.
Something… familiar stepped through the shadows.
It looked like him.
Taller. Sharper. Eyes like burning blue glass. A distorted version of himself wrapped in a worn cloak with symbols etched into the skin—symbols that pulsed with light.
It smiled.
> [SYSTEM WARNING: Unstable Host Copy Detected]
> Designation: HOST #05 (Deceased)
Conflict Protocol: AUTO-ENGAGE
Ash's blood turned cold.
He wasn't the first.
And now… the past had come hunting.
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