Game of Higher Hands - The Man in the Black Scarf

21Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWqM6gRIyMJ

The map glows again.

This time, the light stays.

No flickering.

No disappearing.

Just one clear direction.

I look at it for a long time.

Then I smile.

“Well… here we go again.”

The world outside is different now.

Two months ago, people went to work.

They worried about exams, money, and boring things.

Now?

People worry about surviving.

The streets are quieter than before.

Many shops are closed.

Some buildings have broken windows.

There are government warnings on walls.

Avoid dangerous areas.

Stay indoors after dark.

Report unusual creatures immediately.

A police car drives past me.

Not fast.

Slowly.

Like even they are tired.

I see people carrying bags and food.

I see parents holding their children's hands tightly.

I see fear.

Everywhere.

The world is still standing.

But only barely.

I put the map back into my pocket and start walking.

The glowing mark keeps pointing forward.

So I follow it.

I walk through busy streets.

Then smaller roads.

Then empty roads.

The number of people becomes less and less.

The buildings become older.

The air becomes quieter.

After almost an hour, I stop.

The map feels warm.

Very warm.

I look up.

And freeze.

A giant castle stands in the distance.

Made completely of sand.

Huge walls.

Tall towers.

Like something from an old story.

Except it should not exist here.

The sunlight hits the sand, making it look golden.

Beautiful.

And very, very wrong.

I slowly take a step forward.

Then another.

"That's definitely a forbidden zone."

No question.

No doubt.

I hide behind a broken wall and observe.

Then I notice something else.

Someone is already here.

Far away, near the giant sand castle, stands a person.

Tall.

Around one hundred and eighty centimeters, maybe more.

Black hood.

Black scarf.

A long sword on his back.

He is standing completely still.

Head lowered.

Thinking.

I blink.

"...Who is that?"

Not the government.

No soldiers.

No equipment.

No team.

Just one person.

He doesn't move for a while.

Then suddenly—

he starts walking.

Not toward the front gate.

He walks along the side wall.

I narrow my eyes.

Interesting.

Very interesting.

I crouch down and follow.

Keeping my distance.

Moving from one pile of sand to another.

I feel like a spy.

A terrible spy.

But still a spy.

The man reaches the back of the castle.

Then he stops.

I carefully peek from behind a sand pile.

And finally see what he is looking at.

A back gate.

And several monsters guarding it.

The creatures are ugly.

Grey skin.

Long arms.

Too many teeth.

They move slowly around the gate.

I look back at the man.

What is he going to do?

Wait?

Sneak inside?

Take the shard?

Then—

everything happens at once.

His hand moves.

The sword leaves its sheath.

A flash of silver.

A black crack suddenly appears in front of him.

Not a door.

Not a portal.

A tear.

Like someone cut space open.

I almost fall over.

"What?!"

At the same moment—

another black tear appears.

Behind the monsters.

The man steps forward.

And disappears.

A second later—

he comes out of the second tear.

Right behind the monsters.

Slash.

It is too fast.

Far too fast.

One monster loses its head.

Another is cut in half.

A third turns around—

too late.

The sword flashes again.

The creature falls.

Less than three seconds.

Every monster is dead.

I stare.

Mouth slightly open.

"...No way."

The man calmly shakes his sword.

Some disgusting liquid flies off the blade.

Then he spins the sword once and lowers it.

As if he just finished a normal task.

I slowly look at my own hands.

Then back at him.

Then at my hands again.

I thought I was getting stronger.

Apparently not enough.

Not even close.

Then—

a sound suddenly explodes through the air.

BWOOOOOO—!

A loud horn.

Long.

Heavy.

Almost shaking the ground.

I nearly jump.

"What was that?!"

The man turns around immediately.

Back facing me.

Looking toward the castle.

I think for a second.

Then realize—

An alarm.

That has to be an alarm.

The entire castle suddenly changes.

Sand begins to move.

Windows open.

Dark shapes appear.

The man looks into the castle's depths.

As if he sees something I cannot.

Then monsters start rushing toward him.

The first wave.

Fast.

Too many.

He doesn't panic.

He takes one step.

Raises his sword.

Black tears appear again.

One.

Two.

Three.

Five.

Ten.

He disappears.

Appears.

Disappears again.

Every time he appears—

a monster dies.

A head falls.

A body splits apart.

Another creature collapses.

The black tears keep opening and closing.

Like space itself is obeying him.

He moves through them continuously.

Like he is dancing.

A deadly dance.

I stay hidden.

Watching.

Unable to look away.

The first wave is destroyed.

Completely.

The man raises his head.

Looks deeper into the castle.

Then—

takes one step backward.

I blink.

Why step back?

A second later—

I understand.

More monsters.

Many more.

Far more than before.

The entire castle seems alive.

Creatures are pouring out.

Running from every direction.

The man lowers his body slightly.

Like a runner preparing to sprint.

Then—

he disappears again.

Black tears open one after another.

He rushes into the castle itself.

Slashing.

Killing.

Moving.

Again and again.

I quickly follow.

Keeping my distance.

Never too close.

Never too far.

I jump behind another pile of sand.

Then another.

The sounds of battle continue ahead.

Roars.

Crashes.

The sound of steel.

Who is this guy?

Why is he here?

Is he also after the shard?

I don't know.

But one thing is certain.

He is ridiculously strong.

Stronger than me.

Much stronger.

I continue following.

Carefully.

Quietly.

Then—

I hear something behind me.

Footsteps.

A lot of footsteps.

I freeze.

Slowly turn around.

Someone is coming.

Not one person.

A group.

Running this way.

I narrow my eyes.

Trying to see through the sand and dust.

And then—

I hear voices.

Very familiar voices.

I suddenly have a very bad feeling.

The footsteps grow closer.

Closer.

I stare into the distance.

And wait to see who appears next.21Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡURyjolMN1d

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