Dark Fantasy’s Extra Chapter 159

I reloaded my Hand Cannon and fired at Red Hood Karen again.

But once again the bullet was caught, failing to inflict any damage.

Of course.

My opponent is the final boss.

There’s no way an extra like me could land even a scratch.

“Tch.”

This time I pulled out a smoke grenade.

She’ll probably let it hit.

Knowing the overwhelming difference in our abilities, she’ll likely allow my attacks like watching a child’s play.

With that certainty, I threw the smoke grenade.

As expected, Karen didn’t try to catch or deflect it, letting the grenade hit.

The smoke grenade burst, spreading Black Mist to obscure vision.

But… did it seem to detonate just before reaching its target, or was that my imagination?

Or was the curse so dense that even the grenade’s shell couldn’t withstand it?

No, I don’t have time for such idle thoughts right now.

Taking advantage of the smoke cover, I made a wide detour and reloaded my Hand Cannon.

My target wasn’t Karen but Vile, who was transforming into Humpty Dumpty.

“Break…!”

Though Humpty Dumpty appears in Blue Paper Moon, it wasn’t a direct enemy or game mechanic.

It existed merely as an object, an unfinished work in Vile’s final stronghold.

But the explanation about Humpty Dumpty in the research journal remained vivid in my memory.

For good reason – that thing is like a nuclear weapon.

It’s a strategic weapon and reality manipulation device that can blanket an entire city in curses and transform it.

Though its power was never demonstrated in-game, descriptions of launching it with rockets make it essentially a nuke.

The difference is that victims become monsters from the curse rather than dying, and even mid-ranked hunters struggle to withstand its power.

Naturally, lower-ranked hunters have no chance of surviving it at all.

If Humpty Dumpty completes its transformation now, the other lower-ranked hunters and 150 trainees here will…

The compressed silver bullet from my Hand Cannon flew and struck Humpty Dumpty directly.

“…”

And that was it.

Not even a tiny crack appeared.

Rather, even the silver residue stuck to its surface turned black and crumbled away like when Karen caught my bullets earlier.

Without a moment’s hesitation, I drew my pistol and emptied an entire magazine, firing until it was spent.

But there was no change.

I threw all my daggers.

But they lost their power before making contact, their blades corroding and bouncing off harmlessly.

Only the Raven Dagger made it all the way to the target, but couldn’t even leave a scratch.

I threw a white fire bomb but the curse was so dense it exploded before making contact.

“…”

Now I only have one hand axe left.

Throwing it probably won’t make any difference.

What’s lacking is power.

Ranged attacks won’t work.

I need to get in close and strike it down at point-blank range.

Of course, there’s no guarantee that will work either, but…

What choice do I have?

My comrades and trainees are down below.

I can’t let everyone meet an end worse than death like this.

I pulled out my combat enhancer for one last try.

Though I’d sworn never to use it again after Vinears, I’m glad I kept one just in case.

Without hesitation, I injected it into my body.

Cold liquid flowed through me.

“Urgh…”

The chill instantly transformed into heat, pounding through my heart.

Pain subsided as euphoria and excitement made my breathing ragged.

Don’t think about what comes after.

I gripped my hand axe.

“Isn’t that too small?”

Karen spoke.

Then her black axe dropped right in front of me.

When I turned to Karen, she was watching me with an unpleasant smile reminiscent of Blanc.

“I’ll lend it to you.”

“What are you plotting?”

“Is this really the time to question it?”

“…”

I know a silver hand axe won’t be enough.

Normally I’d ignore or refuse, but now… I have no choice.

Or is the drug clouding my judgment?

Whatever.

If there’s a weapon, use it.

Don’t think about what comes after.

“Ptui.”

I spat on the ground once, adjusted my tattered clothes and mask, then picked up the ‘Curse-Cleaving Axe’.

It’s heavy.

Even with the combat enhancer injected, the weight is substantial.

And the overwhelming power it emanates.

Though weaker than a fully upgraded Executioner’s Axe in game terms, it’s the only weapon you can obtain in its complete enhanced state.

Of course, it’s more like a post-game bonus since you get it after defeating the final boss, and equipment resets between playthroughs anyway so it doesn’t mean much…

No, it means everything right now.

It’s a weapon powerful enough even for someone as weak as me.

With this, I might be able to damage Humpty Dumpty somehow.

That’s enough.

Without sparing Karen another glance, I charged toward Humpty Dumpty.

“…!”

The curse is potent.

Though it’s only a few dozen meters, it feels like running a marathon – slow and exhausting.

The air is so thick with toxic curse energy that it’s like running through viscous liquid rather than air.

And the axe is so heavy.

Something acrid and sticky runs from my nose.

My eyes sting.

Tears stream down continuously.

No, is it blood?

Everything looks red.

Where am I?

What was I doing?

No, who was I?

Why am I running?

Why am I carrying something so heavy when it’s this difficult…

Why…?

Why… am I… no…

No, ah… that’s right.

There was something I needed to say.

Something delicate but essential that had to be said.

Belle and Karen said it was a good idea but…

I’m still scared.

Margarete, Bari, Rusalka, Vasilisa… and finally…

Ah, Belle.

What’s wrong?

…

…I’m sorry.

I had no idea you were suffering so much…

“Urgh…! Bleeeaargh!?!”

Something suddenly surged up in my chest and I collapsed, unable to hold it in any longer as I vomited it out.

Clumps of dark blood poured forth.

Ah…

Did I black out for a moment?

The curse is so dense that even with the drug’s power, it’s impossible to endure.

I’m breathing but can’t feel the air.

I can’t even feel pain anymore.

Is this my end?

Is this truly, finally my ending?

If so… let me look up at the sky…

The moon… there’s always the moon at the end…

Ah… Humpty Dumpty is…

…Get up.

“Ngh… Aaaargh!!”

Not yet.

Not yet.

There’s still something I must do.

Though I can’t feel my arms or legs, my vision moved upward so I must have stood somehow.

Wipe the blood with my sleeve and look straight ahead.

Pick up that disgustingly heavy axe and run again.

No, it’s not heavy anymore.

Am I even holding it properly?

If so, that’s enough.

That’s all I need.

“Hahaha!”

Finally I can hold my head high.

After 7 long years, I can finally complete my part.

Don’t think about what comes after.

Ignore the heart that’s clearly growing weaker.

Ignore the chill spreading in my chest.

Ignore the shoulders that are suddenly, impossibly heavy.

“Shatter!!”

And finally, break it!

The nightmare egg!!

The Curse-Cleaving Axe made contact with the egg that was devouring the world.

And…

* * *

The ragged hunter, looking like little more than a walking corpse covered in wounds, charged forward and brought down the massive axe on Humpty Dumpty.

The blade admirably broke through the shell and sank in.

With a cracking sound, fissures spread from where the axe had penetrated.

Then thick red liquid gushed from the cracks.

The essence of curse so concentrated it took physical form.

But interrupted at the final moment, it flowed out meaninglessly without achieving anything.

As the shell completely shattered, a mass of curse energy sprayed toward Eugene.

Eugene had already lost consciousness.

“…”

Just before the curse could engulf Eugene, Karen grabbed him and pulled him back.

Humpty Dumpty’s essence soaked into the ground.

Everything it touched rotted and turned black.

Though Humpty Dumpty failed to complete its transformation to consume this entire area in nightmares, the curse material hadn’t disappeared.

Left alone, the curse leaking from Humpty Dumpty would flow down and devour everything, turning this into a land of death.

However, the brief reprieve Eugene created changed that deadly future.

“Well done.”

Karen approached Humpty Dumpty again and touched the flowing curse.

All the red curse energy scattered around returned to its original master.

The liquid that had spilled from Humpty Dumpty’s shattered form dried up completely.

What remained was something small in fetal form.

“…Alice.”

Even that uttered a death cry before melting away into nothing.

Though it was regrettable that Humpty Dumpty had been destroyed, Vile’s mind would now progress toward becoming a true Beast.

That was enough.

He was already an intelligent and capable human, so he’d manage well enough on his own.

Karen wasn’t worried about Vile.

More importantly…

“Amazing. Truly remarkable.”

Karen approached Eugene again.

Even at a glance, this weak human’s flame of life was clearly fading.

However, to Karen’s eyes, Eugene appeared as one of the strongest… no, the strongest human she had ever seen.

So much that she couldn’t help but look at him even with the massive entity that was Humpty Dumpty present.

Therefore…

“You’re too precious to let go like this.”

Karen bit her thumb and let the blood flowing from it drip into Eugene’s mouth.

Sacred blood.

A true witch’s blood can wash away any wound and push back death itself.

The extreme scarcity of healing items in Blue Paper Moon is because healing potions are made from unsealed witch’s blood.

But drinking it fresh like this is different.

Drinking a witch’s fresh blood transforms one into something close to their kin.

Conversely, when witches acknowledge someone as worthy but not quite deserving of their Mark, they let them drink their blood.

Just as Margarete did with Eugene.

“…Hah.”

Eugene, who had been still, began breathing again.

“Fufu… ah, I really do like you. It’s because humans like you exist that He believed in humans. The darker the shadows grow, the more trash accumulates, the more brightly good humans like you shine.”

Karen lay down beside Eugene and closed her eyes, putting her ear close to his chest.

The rhythm of his heart starting to beat again.

A strangely pleasant scent.

This feeling that puts the mind at ease.

Almost… almost like…

“…Noah?”

Karen’s eyes flew open as she hurriedly pulled away from Eugene.

“Eh…? Ah, no, that’s impossible… Eh, impossible…”

Karen trembled as she carefully reached toward Eugene again.

Then pulled down the mask covering his face.

“…!”

The faint marks remaining on his neck.

The eldest sister Belle’s color.

“El-elder sister…? B-but… but this can’t be…?”

Impossible.

This makes no sense.

“I… saw it. I saw it myself… Surely elder sister… Noah’s neck…”

Noah died.

She saw clearly when Belle cut his throat.

Karen was the sole witness.

“Could it be?”

‘Could it be’ became ‘surely’.

‘Surely’ became certainty.

Karen’s face twisted.

Rage, disgust, hatred, resentment, loathing… her face contorted into a demon’s visage of every negative emotion mixed together as she ground her teeth.

“Elder Sister Belle… you deceived us…!”