Chapter 6: Death Mist

Hey, everyone! I have some freshly baked cakes. You want some?

Thanks, Anna.

Thank you, Anna. I'd like to have one, too.

Anna's cakes!!

Oh, I live again! Nothing is more refreshing than Anna's cakes. Wow, I'm sure I can make a new record right now! Leader, let's play another round!

Good to know you can change your mood so quickly...

That's one of Great Hero Nina's biggest strength!

Alright, I know you were crying last night. Now, stop crying.

I'm not! I...

Yeah. You did your best.

Ann said that she appreciated our help. I believe that girl was happy she could make new friends like you. On top of that...

So, everyone's here?

Mr. Berial? Haven't seen you for a while.

Right... I was investigating the last two incidents. And I discovered something unusual...

Unusual?

Yes. You know when the Nightmare Lord is removed, the dream would usually wither. But it didn't happen to the last two dreams. Instead, they are forming some kind of barriers...

But I haven't figured out the connection between those two dreams. I'll need some more time. And then there's something else...

Hey... Hold on...

L-Look outside, everyone!

What's going on??

Mr. Berial! What is this?

As expected, the Nightmare Lords have reappeared...

My investigation shows that Nono's lens was special. It can empower or alter certain Radiants, converting them into Nightmare Lords.

I knew they might create more Nightmare Lords, but this is much sooner than I expected. Muscipula Operation Squad, time to move out!

Roaaaaaaaar!!!

What are you doing?! We must get out of here! It's not looking good for us!

I have no idea. But I'm sure they are also in this dream. We have to find a way to regroup with them.

Roaaaaaaaar!!!

Damn it! We are exposed!

What should I do to...

Nothing. Stay behind me. And stay close!

The Nightmares stopped? Wait...

The Radiant with this art... Could it be...

Well, you guessed it right.

It's me, Detective Assistant, Eileen!!

Huh? Shouldn't you be investigating the Spirit Away incidents with Charlotte?

Fufu!!

Charlotte!

Huh? You are not talking about me?

It's been a while, Saya.

And nice to meet you, Leader of Muscipula Operation Squad, ${playername}.

I'm Charlotte. Eileen and I will try our best to help you with the Nightmare Incident this time.

So, it will cause people to faint in reality this time.

Everyone...

Where are you going?

I'm worried about them. Mr. Berial, please let me enter the Dream World this time.

No worries, they can handle it. After all, the power of the Elementium is awakening. We have to take care of a more important matter, Anna.

The connection between the amusement park and the giant whale... And the dream barriers they left... Haven't you felt it?

Barriers... Ah! Could it be...

Yes. They haven't shown any attributes now. But my instincts tell me they will show it eventually!

And the abrupt appearance of those special lenses. This is not a coincidence. Someone... is probably behind all of this.

But that project was canceled a long time ago. Would someone really implement it?

Those are merely my guesses. Our next step is to find out what's going on behind all of this. If there's really a mastermind, then we will have to face even more in this imperfect world...

I didn't expect such a heavy mist in the dream. It feels like London...

We are indeed in London. Try not to breathe in too much of this mist. It's the reason Victoria wasn't teleported here together with you guys.

Is that so? Thank goodness Charlotte and I wasn't separated. I knew we were destined to be together.

Not the same person you are thinking of. But not that much different, either. Charlotte is known as the Omini-Detective Girl.

She provides useful information to Muscipula. Remember the amusement park? It was she and her assistant who helped us figure out who the Nightmare Lord was.

That's my job. By the way, I won't take any ordinary cases.

Huh? Don't you know me?

I'm the world-first intelligence pro, exclusive assistant of Detective Charlotte, and the manager of our agency, Eileen!

Charlotte and her assistant provide useful information to Muscipula.

Remember the amusement park?

It was them who helped us figure out who the Nightmare Lord was.

Fufu... That's right!!

...

Charlotte, Leader doesn't look like Berial at all!!

Please don't mind her. She can't remember any male's face apart from Berial.

Sigh...

Why does it sound like I'm stupid?

Don't think too much.

Are you and Nina the same psychological age?

Let's get down to business. What are you doing here, Charlotte?

I remember you are working on the Spirit Away incidents... Is it connected with the abnormality this time?

That's right. And we are here to confirm it.

Spirit Away refers to people's mysterious disappearances that can't be explained. I thought it was just another urban legend, but...

One day, I found a video clip online shot by a surveillance camera. A male was first reading a book under a street lamp and then disappeared into the thin air...

The video caught my attention, so I asked Eileen to investigate it. It turned out similar incidents have never stopped since last January, with almost a thousand people gone missing.

Our further investigation showed that similar events also happened before the Doomsday Battles. But we are not certain if they are connected or not.

Apparently, neither science nor logic can explain those. And that's why we called them Spirit Away incidents.

I'd prefer not to answer that.

GOOD LUCK.

Charlotte?

It's not even a secret.

GOOD LUCK is the name of a game that Eileen and I were forced to play in high school. All participants disappeared after that game, except for us.

I know what you want to ask, but this is not the time. I have good reasons to believe GOOD LUCK is a part of the Spirit Away incidents.

And that's why we have to investigate it. It's our original sin.

Huh? I've been hearing some strange noise for a while... Am I thinking too much?

Roaaaaaar!!

Look out!!

${playername}!!

Damn it! Stop!!

Let it be, Saya! The mist is too heavy. We won't be able to catch up!

Are you alright? Did you get hurt?

Alright, he's probably fine.

That hit probably reopened the old wound.

What was that, Charlotte?

The Ripper.

Leader, are you okay?

That cut was shallow. And the Elementium Lens is already healing it. I knew it was something worth studying.

Charlotte!

Cough... Have you ever heard about the legend of Jack the Ripper?

Hold on, why do you mention it now?!

It's just a story among Radiants. Rumor has it that 200 years ago, there was a doctor named Jack. He was kind, generous, and respected by many in London.

However, Jack's wife became seriously ill while pregnant. And Jack became crazy because of it...

He was removing organs from his young female victims, trying to transplant them for his wife...

Even after her death, Jack's madness did not stop. He was still wandering in dreams, hunting his next victim...

Who's there!!

Stop right there!!

Eileen...

Haha, I got you. I took a picture of you. There's no way you can get rid of me! Just surrender!

Die!

You young people are full of energy. I miss the days when I was fighting the Ten Saints...

Saya, wait a minute. She's not our enemy.

I know her... She's an agent of Liberos. Yuffie Gregory, the Witch of Reincarnation.

That breaks my heart, little one.

We are at best neutral if we have to take a stand. Longing for a free life is nothing but human nature.

I'm here to look for someone. A little friend of mine went missing in this city two weeks ago.

Went missing?!

Right. It was shortly after the explosion at Muscipula.

It seems many things have happened recently. I have a bad feeling about this.

We never heard about any missing Radiants. Charlotte, can you relate?

Eileen, it's a critical mistake to reason before we have all the evidence. It would only lead to biased conclusions.

Yuffie Gregory, how do you know your lost subordinate is here?

A mother can always find her children.

In addition, I saved a dying kid not long ago. And I learned something very important from her.

Roaaaaaar!!

Look out! It's coming!

Hmph!

Jack the Ripper...

Did you catch it, Eileen?

No, it was too fast. My camera couldn't follow it.

Ms. Yuffie Gregory, was that your little friend? Radiant of Jack the Ripper, Hersey. Then please take your responsibility.

That being said, I don't know what happened to him. There's nothing I can do unless he attacks me.

But I can lock him into a smaller area. Would you mind saving the little cutie for me?

(Is she playing dumb?)

Well then. This abnormality is affecting my investigation of the Spirit Away incidents. So...

Saya, Leader, please listen to me. I can pull him out of the mist, but we only have one chance. Do you want to give it a shot?

Smart choice.

So, you'd prefer a safer move? Interesting.

Read his action patterns.

Roaaaaaar!!

(His moves are strange... almost like a beast. Has he lost his consciousness?)

(And how can he move so fast without being able to see much...)

(He's probably using his hearing instead. If that's the case...)

Eileen, Leader, follow me! Saya, please buy us some time. I've figured out a way to defeat him.

Leave it to me!!

It's fine. I have faith in Charlotte's plan.

If I only need to buy you some time, it shouldn't be a problem.

I said I'm fine.

Clock's ticking, Leader. I need your power to set up a trap.

Just go. There's no time to waste. By the way...

It's okay if I just knock him down, right?

Yeah, I get it.

He's acting more like a Leader now, isn't he?

Jack the Ripper!!!

Roaaaaaaaar!!!

Coming!

I won't let you escape this time!