"Thank you for coming."
The one who welcomed us at the reception of the monster processing factory was a young blonde woman with deep blue eyes. Her hair was tied in a flawless bun, and her well-tailored gray suit gave her a professional… almost cold air.
"We should be the ones thanking you for receiving us."
Donna shook her hand with a polite smile, exchanging a few quick formalities. After that, the young woman turned efficiently and made a subtle gesture with her hand.
"Please, follow me."
We formed a single line and began following her through the wide, well-lit corridors. Fortunately, each class would be visiting a different sector, so the flow was calm.
As we walked, she began to explain:
"Many procedures are taken into consideration when dismantling and processing monster and beast corpses. In this facility, we are responsible for handling creatures classified from
She spoke naturally, as if reciting something she had repeated hundreds of times before.
"As most of you know, the stronger the monster, the more difficult the process becomes. Hides and bones grow extremely resistant. Some species develop toxic properties that can kill everyone present within seconds if handled incorrectly."
A few students swallowed hard.
"For that reason, our license only covers creatures between
She continued describing the factory's history, its foundation, technological evolution, protocols…
But honestly? It went in one ear and out the other. I was not interested in the history of this place at all.
...
Bump.
Suddenly, I brought a hand to my chest.
A faint stab in my heart… strangely, it was not pain.
It was… an unpleasant sensation. As if something had pressed against my chest for a second.
What the hell was that?
I looked around, trying to understand. Nothing seemed different. The feeling disappeared as quickly as it had come.
Maybe just a random cramp.
Whatever.
We stopped in front of a large metal door that led to the main processing plant. The young woman turned toward us.
"Before we enter, I need everyone to put on appropriate clothing."
She gave a discreet signal.
Shortly after, five employees appeared. White lab coats, masks, protective goggles. They were pushing a rack filled with protective gear.
"As I mentioned earlier, we deal with highly toxic materials. For your safety and to prevent external contamination, everyone must wear lab coats. Some residues here can be extremely lethal."
It was definitely not the most welcoming speech. But I doubt she was exaggerating.
I picked the smallest coat available. It was still a little loose, but acceptable. At least it did not look like I had stolen an adult's uniform.
While she continued explaining safety protocols, I took the opportunity to observe the surroundings. We were not in the main area yet, but the space around us looked like a small museum.
There were monster mannequins, preserved specimens maintained through advanced conservation techniques. The skin, scales, fangs… everything kept with unsettling realism.
They looked alive. Or rather… they looked like they had died yesterday.
Each specimen had a label at its base describing the species and classification.
It was basically a showcase of what the factory processed.
I saw several students walking around curiously. Ren, in particular, was standing in front of a large, dark specimen.
I approached.
It was some kind of giant crow.
I read the label.
"Looks pretty strong…"
Ren almost jumped when I spoke beside him.
"Huh? Ah… yeah. That's true."
He looked back at the crow, analyzing its rigid wings.
"Those metal feathers would ruin a sword's edge."
"Maybe… but it must still have weak points."
Every creature does.
The conversation continued in that casual, almost automatic tone until the guide's voice echoed through the hall.
"Very well. Since everyone is ready, let us proceed."
Clank.
As soon as the massive metal door opened, the smell hit me like an invisible punch.
It was pungent. Thick. Almost chewable.
The hot, humid air invaded my lungs, instantly fogging my glasses. For a second, I seriously considered turning around.
Beside me, other students reacted the same way, grimaces, wrinkled noses, some covering their mouths with their sleeves.
Clank. Clank. Clank.
The rhythmic metallic sound echoed throughout the facility.
When my vision finally cleared, the first thing I saw were robotic arms moving through the space with terrifying precision. They descended upon enormous monster carcasses, cutting, separating, sawing. Some lifted entire chunks of flesh and carried them onto conveyor belts that disappeared into other sections of the factory.
Every movement was clean. Calculated. Surgical.
Operating the machines were dozens of employees in white lab coats and protective goggles. At first glance they looked like ordinary technicians, but a closer look revealed the faint bluish glow surrounding their bodies.
It was a scene repeated across the entire area. Giant metal tables supported different creatures, each one being dismantled with industrial efficiency.
"As you can see, this is how we process monsters."
The young guide smiled naturally, as if we were observing an ordinary assembly line.
She led us to one of the central tables.
"This beast here is a Steel-Plated Rhinoceros, and as the name suggests, it possesses an extremely resistant outer layer."
I followed her finger with my eyes.
The creature was nearly five meters long. Even dead, it looked imposing. Its legs were as thick as pillars, and the horn on its snout was long and irregular, like a spear forged by nature itself.
Despite its resemblance to a common rhinoceros… there was no comparison. That monster was something entirely different.
Around its body, metallic arms fired ultra-thin laser beams that sliced through the air with deadly precision, striking the creature's outer carapace.
The sound was high-pitched. Almost unpleasant.
Noticing the general interest, the guide explained:
"We are using a high-power laser that fires a single 12-petawatt beam for five seconds per shot. It is capable of cutting virtually any known material, including monster parts… and even diamonds."
She pointed to the machine's cylinder.
"The firing tube is made of titanium-doped sapphire. It is one of the few materials capable of withstanding the generated energy."
Around me, almost everyone was already taking notes frantically in their notebooks.
Luckily… I was free from assignments.
Ah, how nice it is to be carried by your own group.
We moved on to the storage area.
The environment was vast. Enormous hides were hanging or stacked in labeled piles. Bones, claws, horns, everything separated with methodical precision.
Beside the piles, large circular containers held a transparent liquid. A worker submerged each hide for about a minute before hanging it up to dry.
"The bleaching process is extremely important. Guilds use these materials to craft custom armor and equipment."
She winked.
"There is a reason you see so many different designs out there."
Some students laughed.
It was true. Part of the reason for wearing special equipment in dungeons was protection… but design was equally important.
In the end, it was like choosing clothes.
We had already passed through the main hall, the museum, and the fabrication section. This warehouse was the fourth point of the tour. And the place seemed endless.
...
Bump.
Suddenly, I brought a hand to my chest again.
A strange pain surfaced once more, not exactly physical. It was quick, almost nonexistent, but strong enough to make me bend slightly.
A bad feeling… like an omen.
"Are you alright?"
A nearby employee looked at me with concern.
"Yes… I'm fine. Thank you."
And I really was. Even though it felt stronger this time, the sensation faded just as quickly as before… but why did it keep happening?
Tsk… what nonsense. Maybe I really do need to cut back on sugar.
The visit continued for another hour. Technical explanations, occasional questions, polite answers. Until, finally, Donna, who had remained quiet until then, spoke up.
"Very well, everyone. For an initial inspection, I believe this is sufficient."
She checked her wristwatch.
"We still have about an hour. You are free to explore on your own. Take this time to deepen your research and get ahead on your assignments."
She clapped her hands twice, declaring:
"I want everyone back in the entrance hall in exactly one hour. Good luck."
Groups began forming almost immediately. The warehouse gradually emptied.
And, as expected… I was left practically alone.
Argh… this is kind of boring.
No task, no responsibility. I lazily stretched my body.
Maybe taking a walk would not be so bad.
I mean… if taxidermied monsters, industrial lasers, and chemical smells can be considered a pleasant stroll.
I passed through areas we had not seen during the formal tour.
Some production rooms used different methods, perhaps focusing on distinct monster types or something along those lines.
I also found the entrance to a restricted laboratory. It was fairly large, with a sleek white futuristic design and faint blue lights lining the corners. Beside it was a keycard access lock. Two armed guards stopped my approach with nothing more than a look.
Strange… but plausible. Maybe they were researching new dissection techniques or something similar.
Eventually, I ended up in a bone separation room.
The environment looked like something straight out of an industrial nightmare.
Saws spun endlessly. Crushers pulverized bones with dry cracking sounds. A conveyor belt carried skeletons hanging from metal hooks.
Despite that… the place was too clean. White walls. Immaculate floors. Almost clinical.
I was already thinking about heading back to the main hall, about ten minutes remaining, when I noticed a familiar figure near one of the machines.
...
"Hey… what are you doing?"
Melissa flinched slightly, nearly dropping the clipboard from her hands. Unlike Ren, however, she had the irritating ability to maintain her composure even when startled. She recovered in an instant and turned to me with the same indifferent expression as always.
"Oh… it's you, idiot. Do not sneak up on people like that. It's creepy."
She really did look startled, even though it had not been my intention. I had approached at a normal pace. Maybe my presence was just that faint.
"Working on the assignment research?"
I tilted my gaze toward the clipboard. Several organized notes were written there, probably about the bone separation process in this room.
"Obviously. I'm not idle like you."
Melissa stood up. Until then she had been crouched beside a crusher, carefully analyzing its internal mechanism.
"You're the one who didn't give me any task…"
I replied, slightly turning my head, confused. After all, she was the one who had distributed responsibilities and had deliberately chosen to leave me out.
"And I think it was for the best. The chances of you saying something stupid while interviewing a recognized scientific figure were almost guaranteed."
"I see…"
Well, who was I to question that logic? If I ended up without work, there was nothing to complain about. I stretched beside her, appreciating my own luck.
Despite all the inconveniences, things were going… well.
And it was a little frightening to think that. Another world, powers, monsters, near-death situations. I felt like the past few months had been the most chaotic of my life, and understandably so.
Even so… little by little, I was getting used to it.
Though I doubt I would be doing this if I had a choice. Trying to follow the "story," observing characters, measuring my words, training abilities, all at once, was exhausting…
But still…
This world gave back what I considered my most precious treasures. People I thought I had lost forever. I am looking forward to going home and seeing them again.
The silence there was curious. The atmosphere, strangely pleasant. I could barely hear anything around me, not the crushers, not Melissa muttering, not that melody…
...
Melody?
♩…♫♩♬…♫♩ ♩…♫♩♬…♫♩
A soft tune seemed to emerge from the depths of my mind. It grew louder with every second. Relaxing, yet intense. The sound clearly resembled an ocarina.
♩…♫♩♬…♫♩
I recognized that…
It was gentle, yet impactful. As if it vibrated directly against the soul. Gradually… a strange feeling began to take over my body, making my muscles stiffen and my skin prickle slightly.
Requiem of Spirit...
But… who? Where was it com—
Bump.
A sharp pain pierced through my heart. I grabbed my chest tightly, dropping to one knee.
It was that again.
That bad omen.
But this time it was worse. Much worse.
My heart raced as if it were about to explode. I instinctively looked around, searching for help.
But…
Everything was still.
The machines frozen, completely silent. Melissa paralyzed, holding her clipboard with the same neutral expression. The air unmoving. As if time itself had been suspended.
The only thing that continued was the melody.
It filled the space from every direction. It made my head throb.
Argh… what the hell is this?
♩…♫♩♬…♫♩ ♩…♫♩♬…♫♩
The pain intensified. I covered my ears, but it did nothing. Then, suddenly, the melody seemed to converge toward a specific point in the room.
And my eyes were instantly drawn in that direction.
And there it was… slowly emerging from behind one of the crushers frozen in time. A silhouette appeared.
Small. Hard to comprehend. It wore modern, worn-out clothes, an oversized hoodie with the hood casting a deep shadow that completely concealed its face.
♩…♫♩♬…♫♩ ♩…♫♩♬…♫♩
The only visible part was its mouth.
It calmly blew into an ocarina, firmly held by pale hands. Each note echoed through the frozen space.
I could not understand…
Who was that? What was happening?
I observed desperately, trying to catch every hidden detail. Every breath through the ocarina felt incomprehensible.
Then, abruptly, the music stopped.
The figure lowered the instrument. A strange smile appeared on its face.
Ding.
A thunderous notification echoed inside my mind, like a sudden flash of light.
I blinked hard, quickly looking around.
"Are you alright? You look even weirder than usual. Did you hit your head?"
Melissa was beside me, moving normally. The machines were running. The metallic grinding of the crushers had returned.
Everything seemed… normal.
I immediately looked toward where the figure had been.
But there was nothing.
A cold sweat ran down my neck. The bad sensation in my chest remained, tightening.
"Hey. Did you hear what I said?"
Melissa stepped closer, irritated, and pressed the back of her hand against my sweaty forehead, probably checking for fever.
"I-I'm fine… relax."
I gently moved her hand away, trying to compose myself.
That was when I noticed something floating in front of me.
{Hello, traveler.}
A semi-translucent window hovered in the air. Just like the ones that appeared when I first arrived in this world. It had been so long since I last saw it that I thought it would never appear again.
{Congratulations. The Traveler has fulfilled the necessary requirements to initiate the Path of the Sinner.}
Path of the Sinner? What the hell was it talking about? And why now?
As far as I remembered, this did not function like a "system." It was supposed to be some kind of Dream Network or something like that. I never received a single answer about what this thing actually was.
{The Path of the Sinner has been activated. The level of the current scenario has increased.}
What? Wait… that does not even make sense. Hold on—
Poff.
The window disappeared.
...
really?...
I took a deep breath.
Alright. Let's think. This probably does not mean much. I do not know what it considers the 'current scenario' nor what exactly it means for its level to have increased.
It cannot be that big of a deal.
I repeated that to myself, trying to convince myself.
Melissa was watching me with an expression that shifted between confusion and silent judgment.
It will be fine… In a few minutes the visit will end and I will be able to—
BOOM.
A distant explosion echoed through the factory, making the ground vibrate slightly beneath our feet. The lights flickered rapidly.
Melissa nearly lost her balance from the sudden tremor, quickly bracing herself against one of the machines to avoid falling.
"What was that?"
"How would I know?"
We remained silent for a few seconds, trying to process it.
Then an alarm began to blare.
Red lights flashed violently across the sector. And a robotic voice echoed through the speakers.
==========
Attention. Attention.
Irregular bio-mana activity detected in the Processing Sector.
Unauthorized cellular reactivation confirmed in Class C specimen. Instability is spreading to other stored corpses.
Initiating Biological Containment Protocol – Green Level.
==========
POW.
A heavy impact reverberated as the steel door of the sector was abruptly sealed. The sound repeated in the distance several times, indicating it was not the only one.
==========
All external exits have been sealed.
Remote unlocking has been disabled.
Protocol deactivation can only be performed manually at the Central Security Core.
Academic visitors are top priority. Instructors must keep students grouped and away from any organic material.
Avoid contact with specimens. Do not interfere with automated systems.
==========
You have got to be kidding me…