Chapter 160: The Mastermind<em>- Squirm, squirm...</em>


    <em>… What the hell is all this, fuck.</em>


    As I approached closer to the mansion''s study, the scene before me continued to deteriorate, losing its structure.


    The surrounding corridors had already been eroded by the shadows, with tentacles squirming and stretching in all directions. And the doorknob on the distant study door was twisted so bizarrely that it was hard to gauge if one could even turn it.


    <em>- Thud...</em>


    <em>… Fucking…</em>


    As I moved a bit further, the study door suddenly flipped 180 degrees.


    At this rate, it seemed impossible to open that door with the body of a cat.


    Does that mean I will have to revert to my human form to open it?


    <em>- Squirm...</em><em>… Eugh.</em>


    However, the tentacles squirming around everywhere were a cause for concern.


    If these dangerous abominations are so docile because they do not recognise me in my cat form, I honestly had no idea what might happen if I reverted to my original form.


    I certainly had no desire to be the master of a tentacle monster at this point.


    <em>… But, I can''t just go back.</em>


    If I were to return now, I wouldn''t be able to find out why the erosion rate had abruptly shot up by 30%.


    Since I had stayed on this world despite having obtained the right to return to my original world, solely to prevent its destruction, I could not allow the erosion rate to increase further.


    <em>Is there really no other way...</em>


    Thus, with a serious expression, I scanned my surroundings and soon discovered something new.


    I noticed that there was a window from which the red evening sunset was bleeding in, particrly where shadows and tentacles were sparse.


    <em>... Is this monster weak to light, perhaps?</em>


    Just then I recalled that, ording to the investigation results published by the London Metropolitan Police Department, Jack the Ripper – a being whose aura wasparable to the monster I was witnessing now – also predominantly operated at night.


    Then, if I could produce light, I might be able to resist this monster to some extent.


    <em>- Poof...!</em>


    <em>- Gyuryuk...?</em>¹


    Realising this, I figured I shouldn’t waste any more time and put my thoughts into action.


    <em>- Gyuryukkkkk, gyuryuk...</em>


    "Ugh, fucking disgusting..."


    So, as my mana was nearly depleted from maintaining the cat''s form for a long time, I reverted to my original body, and, as expected, the tentacles surrounding me began wriggling violently and lunged at me.


    <em>- Fizzle...</em>


    However, their abrupt attack did notst long. The creatures began to retreat as I chanted a spell that emitted light from my hand.


    <em>... Thank goodness.</em>


    Shifting my gaze forward, I frowned at the now visible sight of the tentacles— when the surroundings became brighter, the disgusting appearance of the monster became clearer as well and allowed me to witness the detailed appearance of the monster.


    "... Huh?"


    I then realised that the study door appeared perfectly normal which only served to puzzle me.


    <em>From a human''s perspective, is this how it looks?</em>


    That meant, to non-human beings, it must appear just as distorted as I had seen earlier in my cat form. That knowledge only unnerved me further.


    "... Phew."


    <em>- Click...</em>


    Though I shrank back for a moment, after taking several deep breaths, I finally steeled myself and turned the doorknob.


    I figured that I should at least check if the inside of the room was rtively safe or not. If it was, then I could move along the spots illuminated by sunlight.


    <em>- Gyuryuk?</em>


    "... Guuh."


    However, I btedly realised a blunder only after turning the doorknob in its entirety.


    <em>- Squeak...</em>


    "Ah..."


    A single tentacle that had stealthily approached from behind was now entwined around my hand, which was emitting light.


    <em>- Gyuryukkk, gyuryukkkkk...</em>


    As the lone tentacle threw itself forward, sizzling as it blocked the light emitting from my hand, a grotesque chorus of wriggling horror began to resound all around from the tentacles.


    "Bloody hell."


    In that situation, there was only one choice avable to me.


    "So be it, whatever will happen is bound to happen."


    <em>- Crash...!!!</em>


    Dodging the innumerable tentacles stretching towards me, I hurled myself deeper into the study and hurriedly shut the door.


    "........"


    Having barely escaped the crisis, darkness and silence soon followed.


    "Ugh..."


    In that heavy atmosphere, I, whose arm and hand had been wrapped in tentacles like seaweed, frantically peeled the still wriggling tentacle off me. Free from the abomination, I again emitted light from my hand using a simple illumination spell.


    "........."


    However, I was soon faced with a situation that left me speechless, horrified even.


    <em>- Gyuryukkk, gyuryukkkkk...</em>


    <em>- Gyuryuk?</em>


    "Fucking hell."


    Inside the study, several times more tentaclesy in wait, wriggling in their grotesque ways. And… all of the abominations simultaneously focused on me.


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    .


    "... Hmm."


    An unknown amount of timeter,


    <em>Where in hell...</em>


    As I slowly opened my eyes, unaware of when I had passed out, I realised that I was sitting inside the study.


    <em>… Am I still in one piece?</em>''


    A shiver ran through me as I frantically surveyed my surroundings, fortunately, there were no traces of tentacles anywhere.


    It seemed, thankfully, that the light in my hand, which had not gone out despite my fainting, had protected me from those wriggling abominations.


    "Phew..."


    <em>- Thud, thud...</em>


    "Eh!?"


    Thinking till here, I tried to rise, cautious to not make any sound. However, someone or something seemed to have tapped on my shoulder just then.


    "Wh-Who..."


    <em>- Gyuryuk?</em>


    As I turned around in a hurry, my face turned pale instantly as I witnessed a single tentacle rise from the floor and gently sway before my face.


    <em>- Gyuryuuuk…</em>


    <em>... Wh-What do I do?</em>


    Soon, as the tentacle slowly bent in shape and began wrapping around my foot, cold sweat started leaking from my entire body.


    <em>Burn it with light? No, what if the light goes out like before...</em>


    <em>- Gyuryuk…</em>


    <em>… Should I just stay still then? No, that’s not even an option. Maybe I should just get up right now...</em>


    My mind raced a mile a minute as I desperately sought a solution.


    <em>- Gyuruuuuuu!!!</em>


    ".......?"


    Lost in thought for a moment with a vacant expression, the tentacle wrapping my foot suddenly started to shudder and make grotesque noises.


    "........."


    Despite feeling repulsed, I found myself reaching out and tapping it. Why was that?


    <em>- Tap...</em>


    "It looks kind of cute when it''s like this..."


    As I stared nkly for a while, I realized that the tentacle bobbing its head in front of me seemed somewhat cute.


    What if I just cut a little piece off and carried it around with me?


    Pull yourself together!!!


    "... Let''s see."


    It seemed like a good idea, so I began preparing to slightly tear off the body of the tentacle that had climbed up to my leg.


    I''m sorry. I won''t make you do this kind of thing again.


    "Hehe..."


    Please,e to your senses.....


    But I feel like I’m seeing something in front of me. Why is that?


    <strong>- That is the false prophet standing between you and us.</strong>


    "... I see."


    <strong>- Do not be deceived. Let us be one and enjoy infinite pleasure.</strong>


    "Right..."


    The thought that I just might have missed the opportunity of joyful unity made me pat my chest, and I reached out and dismissed the false prophet that was emitting all sorts of colours trying to do who knows what in front of my eyes.


    It was indeed fortunate that I came here today, for I might have been deprived of uniting with the greater whole.


    But what exactly was this joy of unity? Of bing one with the greater whole? It felt somewhat unsettling, but it did not really matter because everything would make sense after unification.


    {CASE: The Crawling ■■■■■}


    {THE END}


    {To end the world, press on the screen.}


    Let us follow the revtion of the true prophet who so graciously appeared before us.


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    .


    "No, that won''t do."


    As Adler, half-entwined by a tentacle, reached out with a faint smile towards a system window of an entirely new design that floated before him, a familiar voice apanied the tightening grip of the grotesque appendage.


    "Even though you got defeated and gone into hiding, you still dare to raise your head before me again?"


    <em>- Crrrraaaack...</em>


    <em>- Gyuryuuk!? Gyuryuk...</em>


    The tentacles that seemed ready to devour Adler began twisting and deting with a whooshing sound, apanied by that all-too-familiar voice.


    "Ah..."


    As the appendage slowly withered and fell from above, Adler, regaining some semnce of his consciousness, gazed dumbfoundedly at the figure who had burst through the door of the study and muttered absentmindedly,


    "Professor..."


    "... Adler."


    Uncharacteristically covered in severe injuries, Jane Moriarty was clutching her bleeding head with one hand while dispersing grey mana in the surroundings with the other.


    "Fear not..."


    <em>- Gyuryuukkk… Gyuryuk...</em>


    "For I am here now..."


    As the grotesque wails of the tentacles began to echo from all around the study, and the professor''s voice trembled more than ever with worry, Adler’s consciousness abruptly ceased.


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    .


    "Again, another failure..."


    As everything came to an end,


    "... This time I even summoned a higher being, but that damned professor ruined everything again."


    In a dark room of unknown location, a seemingly young girl crumpled up another page filled with densely written letters in irritation and muttered to herself,


    "Should I just summon the original body...?"


    <em>- Crackle...</em>


    "No, no, that would turn Ennd into a hell. I can''t erase such a beautiful country..."


    She then threw the crumpled paper into a trash can already overflowing with other crumpled pages, her eyes heavy with dark circles, as she picked up her pen once more.


    "... It’d be better to just move the monsters."


    <em>- Rustle, rustle...</em>


    "This time, Jill the Ripper and the Phantom Thief Lupin... I should have them join forces..."


    Soon, she started filling the pages again, a sinister smile creeping across her face.


    "... If only I could meet him again."


    <strong>- Reba,e out to eat!</strong>


    "Ah, I said I''m not eating!"


    Startled by a noise from outside the door, the girl quickly shoved the pages into a drawer.


    <strong>- Are you writing that horror story again?</strong>


    "It''s not that!"


    The pen, which had started rolling on the floor, caught a glimmer of light in the dim room and illuminated a signature engraved along its body.


    Reba Phillips Lovecraft<ol>1. Some kind of squirming/wriggling motion. Just think of this as the soundof tentacles wriggling about.</ol>