Dark.
Stifling.
And utterly silent.
Perhaps those three words were enough to describe Hans's current state.
Amid this endless darkness, he drifted aimlessly, without direction.
All he could do now was stare at the black ceiling, filled with anxiety.
Haah… where exactly am I right now?
Is this the afterlife? Or maybe… not?
By the way, how long have I been here?
It feels like several days have passed since my death.
Even the wounds on my body have completely healed.
In the midst of his confusion, Hans suddenly began to experience something strange.
The face of his mother—whom he had not seen in a long time—appeared before him.
She gazed at Hans with joy, smiling warmly.
It was the same expression she had always shown him since long ago.
Haah… why is my mother's face appearing before me? Am I hallucinating right now?
By the way, what is my mother doing right now? Is she doing well? I hope she hasn't opened my computer.
With a calm heart, he continued to gaze at his mother's face, until the sound of a child's humming echoed from behind him.
"Naaaa… na na na… na na… naaaa… na na na…"
Hmm… maybe it's just my imagination, or maybe it's real. It sounds like a child's song. Could it just be—
"Naaaa… na na na… na na… naaaa… na na na…"
No… I heard it again, from the same direction. Hmm… I should check it out.
Driven by curiosity, Hans tried to stand up and walked toward the source of the sound.
"Hey, is someone there?"
"I need your help."
"Can you hear me?"
Hans shouted loudly as he walked forward.
However, his voice received no response at all.
Ahh… damn it. Looks like I really need to go closer.
With a nervous and anxious expression, he continued walking until his steps were halted by a black curtain blocking his view.
Hmm… what is this curtain?
Is the singing coming from inside?
Swallowing hard, Hans pulled aside the curtain and stepped forward.
"Haah, alright. Let's see what's actually behind this curtain…"
He froze in shock at what lay before him.
A massive theater stage with a thick wooden floor stood firmly in front of him.
"What kind of place is this? How can such a large theater exist here?"
The stage was decorated with intricate carvings along its sides, with several bright spotlights shining toward its center.
Behind the stage, a beautifully wrapped red curtain with golden trim draped elegantly.
Not only that—directly in front of the stage were rows of audience seats, neatly arranged on both sides.
He was utterly awestruck by the sight before him.
His face was filled with admiration he couldn't hide.
Yet at the same time, everything before him felt strangely familiar.
Hmm… for some reason, this large stage reminds me of the one I used back when I performed in a play at the age of ten.
Back then, I was cast as an extra in a class play titled The Prince of the Golden Isle.
Honestly, I was really happy at the time—it was my first time performing in a play.
But that happiness didn't last long.
A massive fire suddenly broke out and destroyed everything.
Luckily, I survived the incident, though my body suffered several burns.
But what I regret the most is that I could only stand there, frozen, watching my friends die as they were consumed by the flames.
Truthfully, I feel deeply guilty and regret my actions back then.
If only I had been braver… would all those nightmares that still haunt me have disappeared?
With tense steps, Hans walked toward the audience seats and sat down.
He stared at the stage again, reminiscing about his past.
"Hey, Hans. How do I look? Do I look good?"
"Hmm… I think you look fine."
"Oh, sir. Please give this young man a glass of water and a piece of bread. What do you think, Hans? Does my dialogue sound good?"
"Uh… I think you could raise your intonation a bit at the end."
"Hey, can you tie my hair in the back, Hans?"
"I'm sorry, miss. But my mother told me never to touch a woman's hair because it's very impolite."
"Hey, stop joking around, Hans…"
"Ahh… alright, I get it…"
Images of how they spoke and how they expressed themselves replayed vividly in his mind.
Their voices seemed to tickle his ears.
He could never forget that extraordinary experience.
But as Hans was lost in his memories, an unfamiliar voice suddenly spoke from his left.
"Isn't that quite a fine stage?"
"HAAAAAHRGHHH—!!!"
An old man with large ears and gold piercings in both ears suddenly appeared beside him.
He was dressed entirely in white and spoke with a childlike tone.
"How are you feeling? Are you doing well?"
"HAAAH— W-WHO ARE YOU, AND HOW ARE YOU EVEN HERE?!"
Hans jolted in shock and panic upon seeing the old man.
"Calm down, Mr. Hans Neumann. I know my appearance surprised you, but you don't need to be afraid. I'm here to help you."
"The fact that you even know my real name just makes me more scared…"
"Oh, come now. I'm just trying to be friendly. Don't overthink it, you know…"
"Ah… o-okay. I'll try…"
With anxious and uneasy feelings, Hans tried to make sense of his situation.
"By the way, how do you feel after your first death, Mr. Hans? Do you feel better… or worse?"
"It was the worst experience I've ever had. I can't even put it into words."
"Haha… your face tells me everything."
"Still, after going through everything, I've realized something. The world I lived in was only a small part of the vast universe. I never even imagined that a life like this could exist in a distant world."
"I see… you seem quite mature in how you perceive things."
"I'm not so sure about that…"
Even though we just met, somehow we spoke like old friends reunited after a long separation.
That old man felt as if he could see something hidden deep within me.
I think it's been a long time since I last had a conversation like this.
"Hey, by the way, haven't you still not answered my earlier question?"
"Ah… you're right. Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Orion Texter, the guardian of the Void Space, Floor 212—the place you're currently in."
"Void Space…? So this isn't the afterlife?"
"Of course not. This is one of the Void dimensional spaces connected to your subconscious."
"What do you mean by that…?"
"I mean that you are not truly dead yet. You currently exist between life and death."
"In other words, your existence is standing on the boundary between life and death."
"So… what should I do now? Should I wait here?"
"That is something you must decide for yourself, starting now."
"Whaaat—?"
The moment the old man finished speaking, the bright lights above the stage suddenly went out.
This was followed by a loud rumble from below and the collapse of the stage in front of him.
Damn it… what just happened?
The scenery around Hans completely changed.
He now stood upright, facing a man he recognized all too well.
Jonathan Bartos…
The man was dragging Johan's corpse toward an underground door.
Hans was stunned by the sight before him.
"Mr. Hans Neumann… can you see the fate that lies ahead of you?"
The old man's words echoed softly.
He gazed at Hans with a deep, piercing stare.