Chapter 70: The Crying in the Morgue
The moment Asuna's words fell, the Special Infected in the hoodie shrieked.
A piercing scream tore through the lobby. Its body coiled, muscles snapping tight, then it launched forward like an arrow loosed from a bow, pouncing straight for Asuna.
Clang!
Asuna swung. Her blade collided with the creature's sharp nailed hand, and the impact rang out like metal striking metal. She forced it back, but the recoil still shoved her nearly half a meter across the floor.
"This one's not just fast," Asuna said, eyes locked on it. "It's strong too."
Blood and black red grime caked its hands. Its nails were long, jagged, filthy. Compared to the bloated bile type, this thing was clearly built for killing.
"Necro," Asuna called.
"Understood."
Kotoko moved instantly. She covered her prosthetic right eye with one hand. A strange light flickered in her dark purple left eye as she stared straight into the Special Infected's gaze.
"Curse Gaze."
"Roaaar!"
The creature swayed. It clawed at its head, staggering as if something invisible was drilling into its skull.
Asuna didn't waste the opening.
She surged forward, Exorcist Longsword flashing. The first thrust pierced straight through its brow. Before its body could even slump, she followed with a horizontal slash that took its hands and neck in the same sweep.
Thump. Thump thump.
The headless body toppled, and the severed head rolled across the floor.
Only then did Asuna exhale, the tension finally loosening from her shoulders.
"They're both Special Infected, but this one is way more dangerous than the bile type. Its hands are mutated, and they're hard like metal. An ordinary Player couldn't kill it."
Kotoko nodded lightly. "My Curse Gaze can instantly kill ordinary zombies, but on this thing it only caused interference. Looks like Special Infected have much higher mental resistance than the normal ones."
"…Um. I'm sorry." Megumi lowered her eyes, lips pressed together. "Because my presence is low, Necro became the target. I'm really sorry."
Asuna chuckled and shook her head. "What are you apologizing for?"
Kotoko smiled as well. "Exactly. You didn't activate your talent on purpose and lure it to me. Your presence is just naturally low, and mine is naturally high. That's not your fault."
"You don't need to keep putting yourself down," Asagiri added, his tone warm with amusement.
"Everyone on a team has roles, strengths, and weaknesses. That's normal."
Then, as if flipping a switch, he changed direction.
"Besides, you were picked by the great Leader, Violet, and Necro at the same time. You joined the strongest strategy group as a high level Player called Phantom."
His smile sharpened just a little.
"So don't say things like that again. Otherwise, aren't you questioning the judgment of the three of us who chose you?"
Megumi blinked, then the corners of her lips lifted. Her eyes regained their light, and she nodded firmly.
"Okay. I won't say that anymore."
Asuna and Kotoko both felt their hearts jolt.
It was the first time they had seen Megumi smile with that kind of genuine happiness.
The way this was going felt… dangerous.
Was it really okay?
"What do we do now?" Asuna forced those thoughts down and looked to Asagiri. "The map doesn't show any research labs. We don't even know where the antibody reagent is stored. Which building do we search first?"
Asagiri didn't answer immediately. Instead, he turned to Kotoko.
"Top priority is finding the wandering spirits your hint mentioned. Where do you think they're most likely to be?"
"If we're looking for wandering souls…" Kotoko studied the hospital map, then tapped a spot with her pale index finger.
"In a hospital, the place where confused souls gather most often is the morgue, right? Both Inpatient Building One and Two have morgues on B1."
She didn't hesitate.
"Let's start with Building One. It's closer."
"Agreed. Let's move."
Kotoko and Asagiri set off at once, not the slightest bit delayed. If anything, they looked eager, like they were heading to a picnic instead of a morgue.
Megumi paused, a strange thought rising in her mind.
Could it be… those two were normal, and she was the weird one for feeling scared?
Asuna seemed to read her immediately. She patted Megumi's shoulder and sighed.
"It's fine. We're the normal ones. The way those two think isn't something ordinary people can understand."
To be honest, Asuna was relieved Megumi had joined.
Finally. A normal person.
Back in the last Dungeon, when it was only her, Kotoko, and Asagiri, she had started doubting herself too.
When those two heard crying or faced a Banshee, they didn't hesitate. Sometimes they even looked excited. Asuna had wondered if fear was just her weakness.
Now, seeing Megumi react the same way, Asuna finally felt grounded.
Being scared was normal.
The abnormal ones were Asagiri and Kotoko.
Asagiri treated the Dungeon like a game in the truest sense.
And Kotoko, for all her sweet smiles and ridiculous comments, was still the God of Wisdom, someone who dealt with the supernatural even in the real world. Whenever something mysterious appeared, she didn't shrink away. She lit up, hungry for the truth.
In short, two divine beings.
…
A few minutes later, they reached the stairwell in Inpatient Building One leading down to B1.
Maybe it was just the air underground, or maybe it was something else, but a faint cold draft slid up the stairwell. Every so often, an indistinct sound drifted from below.
Asuna led the way, Exorcist Longsword tight in her hand. Step by step, she descended cautiously, ready to react the instant danger appeared.
Kotoko followed close behind, positioned so that if a Special Infected jumped out, she could catch its eyes and fire Curse Gaze immediately.
Megumi, without direct combat ability, stayed third.
Asagiri covered the rear.
They reached the entrance to B1.
A heavy fire door stood before them, shut tight.
Asuna let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding.
Then she heard it.
From behind the door came a faint, trembling sound.
"Wuwuwu…"
Asuna's expression tightened.
"This is… crying?"
Her first reaction wasn't panic.
It was to turn her head toward Asagiri, voice low and firm.
"Calm down. Don't rush in again."
It was the same kind of moment as last time.
In the hotel Dungeon, when Asagiri heard the crying of the Banshee on the seventh floor, he had summoned his Persona and suppressed the red clothed ghost so fast that Asuna hadn't even finished running down one floor.
This time, they couldn't afford that kind of recklessness.
"Another Player?" Kotoko stared at the fire door and moved closer, then shook her head. "No, impossible."
She listened carefully, then spoke again.
"There's no strange aura behind the door. It doesn't feel like ghosts or anything similar. That leaves Special Infected."
"The problem is…" Megumi studied the door, brows drawing together. "It opens inward. If we pull it open, whoever's crying could attack immediately."
Her voice stayed calm, but the caution was real.
"Getting hit at point blank range by something that's mutated… that's not a safe move."
"Then it seems we can only…"
Asuna looked to Asagiri, then stopped herself mid sentence and corrected course.
"No. That won't do. Your ability consumes too much. Unless it's a situation where you have to use it, we should conserve your physical and mental strength."
She tightened her grip, thinking fast.
"…So what do we do?"
"I'll do it."
Megumi raised her hand.
"I can activate my talent and open the door."
Asuna's eyes widened slightly. "Phantom…"
"As long as the door opens and Necro can make eye contact with whatever's inside, she can use the curse," Megumi continued, gentle but steady. "Then while it's vulnerable, Violet can deliver the finishing blow."
She looked at Asuna, meeting her gaze.
"That's the safest approach, right?"
"It is, but…"
Megumi shook her head, her tone soft, yet unyielding.
"To clear the Dungeon, we have to take risks. I'm part of this team too. I should contribute."
She took a slow breath.
"Don't worry. Even if the Special Infected has sharper senses than ordinary zombies, once my talent is active, it won't detect me immediately."
Her eyes stayed calm.
"Letting me open the door is the safest choice."
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