[Chapter 127: Another Rule Ghost]
Daniel watched her retreating figure until she was out of sight before finally looking away. He wasn't exactly a bleeding heart; he didn't dole out sympathy indiscriminately, nor would he ever compromise his own interests for someone else's sake.
But people like Francia were far too rare these days. Daniel felt she deserved to live.
Though he couldn't make money off Francia, dealing with Sadako -- no, Samora -- would still earn him a generous amount of Merit points. Samora's Merits had to be considerable.
To face Samora, he had to prepare thoroughly. She was definitely not someone to be taken lightly.
...
In the blink of an eye, it was already the evening of September 24th.
Francia sat alone on a chair. In front of her was a tall stool holding a television, which was turned off at the moment; its power cord dangled loosely, unplugged. The room was an unused storeroom, bare except for these few items. All reflective surfaces inside had been covered with black cloth.
Francia sat, staring at the TV, her expression tense and nervous. She repeatedly glanced to her left and right, swallowing hard and fighting the dryness in her mouth.
Time stretched painfully, each second feeling like agony.
Then, from Francia's point of view, after what seemed like an eternity, the unplugged television suddenly flickered on by itself. The sudden glow startled Francia so much she almost toppled off the chair.
Static filled the screen at first, then the image flickered, and a well appeared in the center of the screen.
Francia recognized the well from the videotape.
Her nervousness surged. Cold sweat broke out across her skin, and her body trembled involuntarily. She felt a sudden, desperate urge to urinate, and her mouth grew bitter.
She couldn't even begin to process how the TV, unplugged and lifeless just moments ago, could now show an image.
Suddenly, a hand reached out from the well's edge.
Then a head appeared, shrouded in thick, tangled black hair that obscured its features. It slowly crawled out, inch by inch.
The figure continued toward the camera. Normally, moving too close to a camera would slowly push someone out of frame. But Francia saw the figure, dressed in a dirty, tattered dress, slip right past the screen's edge, and then stretch its hand out directly from the television itself...
Even though Mr. Cross had warned her this would happen, preparing her mentally so she wouldn't be too frightened, seeing it now made Francia's eyes go wide with terror.
Her heart jumped into her throat, feeling as if it might burst from her chest at any moment.
As the hand extended, more of the figure emerged until its entire body crawled out of the TV and into reality.
Since the television was perched on a tall stool, the figure should have fallen to the ground, but it didn't. It hovered in midair, completely unaffected by gravity.
Then the figure suddenly rose to its feet. Its hair shifted slightly, revealing a single blood-red eye glinting with malice, locked on Francia.
At that moment, Francia lost control of her bladder; wet warmth spread through her lower body.
Just then flames burst forth from her in sudden spurts.
'Those must be the Seals Mr. Cross gave her!'
Francia realized the Seals were protecting her life, but they were limited, she hadn't been given many, and at this rate, they would soon burn out completely.
The blood-red eye narrowed in confusion, as if puzzled by why Francia was still alive.
Suddenly, the figure flickered and vanished, reappearing instantly at another spot.
Where she had disappeared, the tip of a consecrated ashwood sword appeared.
The sword was gripped firmly by a man, none other than Daniel.
Daniel looked at Samora, who had teleported to the side, and smirked. "Quick on your feet."
He kicked the television off the stool casually, smashing it into shards.
"Split and go!"
In his hand, a copper coin sword materialized.
With a soft shout, Daniel caused the sword to explode into 365 tiny blades that shot toward Samora.
Samora flickered and teleported again with ease, dodging the blades effortlessly.
At that moment, several Seals drifted down like falling feathers.
Light rises in the east, thunder and flame held in restraint.
By sealed authority, evil is suppressed; by consecrated steel, ill fortune is cut down.
"Suppress!"
Boom after boom!
The Seals flared into flames and vanished rapidly, but their power condensed into a force that struck Samora hard.
Samora's body froze in place, immobilized.
Daniel summoned a fresh Dominion Rod in his hand.
He swung it, commanding, "Fall!"
A bolt of lightning crashed down on Samora.
"Ah!"
A piercing scream echoed through the storeroom.
Hearing the shriek, Francia's eyes rolled back, and she fainted.
Daniel felt a sharp headache pulse through his skull.
The scream hadn't been aimed at him, but its piercing shrill still injured him somewhat, forcing his Dominion Rod's movement to falter briefly.
In that split second, Samora flickered and vanished.
"Gone?"
Daniel scanned the room, but there was no sign of her. He couldn't sense any energy, only residual dark aura lingering faintly.
Daniel's gaze fell on the shattered TV on the ground.
"It's broken, and there's no other reflective surface. How did she escape?"
A headache bloomed in his mind.
This Samora was a master of escape.
"This is going to be tough."
Samora, Slender Man, and the One Missed Call ghost, they were all Rule Ghosts.
Before, Daniel had ignored their rules, so he could strike without fear of retaliation. Samora didn't dare counterattack.
Only the Seals protecting Francia had burned out repeatedly, holding off Samora's assaults.
Daniel himself was unharmed.
But now that Samora had fled, drawing her out again would be next to impossible.
Thinking it over, Daniel understood how Samora could teleport instantly into other TVs.
Millions of people had watched her videotape.
For this, Daniel had prepared as well. Soul Suppressing Seals and his Dominion Rod were ready.
But Samora's speed was just too fast, Daniel was only one beat too slow, and she seized the opportunity to escape.
Damn it.
Daniel cursed under his breath.
He stepped over to Francia, immediately catching an odd scent.
Seeing her soaked pants, he understood what had happened.
Placing a hand on her, Daniel transferred a trace of magical energy.
Soon, Francia's eyelids fluttered, and she woke.
*****
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