CH9: Celestial Game Hunt
739 Words
**Chapter 9: The Whispering Mask**
Yuuto sat in the corner of a forgotten alley, knees tucked close to his chest, his hoodie soaked in rain and blood. Not his own, thankfully. The creature he had fought—no, barely survived—still echoed in his mind. It had no face, only a mask that whispered lies.
"You are not worthy."
He had stabbed it through the chest with a glowing spear summoned by instinct rather than skill. The app called it a "Celestial Blade Lv.1." The corpse had melted into stardust.
[You have defeated: Masked Wraith]
[EXP Gained: 180]
[Level Up: Level 3]
[New Skill: Voice of Truth Lv.1]
[Hidden Trait Unlocked: Will of Rejection]
The notifications didn’t thrill him anymore. They only reminded him how real this world had become. This wasn’t a game. Each step forward left someone—or something—dead.
He pulled out the feather from his jacket pocket. The once-brilliant glow had dimmed. Faint golden cracks now lined its shaft.
“Why are you breaking?” he whispered.
The feather didn’t answer.
From the other side of the alley, a faint shimmer of light emerged. Lyra.
She didn’t walk so much as glide, her boots barely scuffing the pavement. Her silver hair was tied back now, and a long scratch cut across her cheek. She’d been fighting too.
"You’re pushing it," she said, kneeling in front of him. "The app—our system—it’s meant to awaken us gradually."
He looked away. “And what if I don’t have time to be gradual?”
She tilted her head. "You’re afraid. That’s human. But fear used properly is power."
Yuuto met her gaze. “You knew about the Masked Wraith.”
She nodded. “I left it for you.”
Silence stretched between them like a tightrope.
“You used me as bait.”
“It was either that or you’d never unlock your hidden trait. And you did. ‘Will of Rejection’ is a rare one.”
He clenched his fists. “Don’t gamble with my life.”
Lyra’s eyes softened for the first time. “I’m sorry.”
The words came unexpectedly, and they unsettled him more than the fight had.
Before he could respond, another ping buzzed in his mind.
[Urgent Quest: Locate the Whispering Mask before midnight. Failure Consequence: Attribute Lockout]
Lyra stood. “It’s started. Come with me.”
---
They arrived at the ruins of the old theater on the edge of the city. Long-abandoned, the wind howled through broken windows and crumbling stone. The stage had collapsed years ago.
The mask waited there—identical to the one the Wraith had worn.
[Item Detected: Whispering Mask | Status: Sealed]
Yuuto stepped forward, then hesitated. "What is it, really?"
Lyra didn't answer immediately. Instead, she walked up beside him and knelt. “This mask belonged to the first Celestial Hunter. He was driven mad by whispers—so much so, he began to kill other Hunters.”
Yuuto’s breath caught. “Why bring it here?”
“Because the system wants to test if you’ll listen to the voice or to your own will.”
[Optional Choice Detected: Wear the Mask | Reject the Mask]
He stared at the prompt.
“What happens if I wear it?”
Lyra turned to him, her voice hushed. “You’ll gain power quickly. But if you’re not strong enough inside, it’ll twist you.”
He thought of the Wraith. The stardust. The lies.
Yuuto reached out—and rejected it.
[Choice Selected: Reject the Mask]
[Reward: +5 Will | Celestial Affinity Increased]
The mask cracked. A ghostly scream split the air, and the ruins trembled.
“Nice,” Lyra said, smiling faintly. “You passed.”
The mask exploded into light. From the remnants, a fragment of crystal floated toward him.
[Item Acquired: Memory Core Fragment - Lyra]
He turned to her. “Why is your name on this?”
Lyra’s smile faltered. “Because my past is locked. And the system wants you to uncover it.”
He felt his heart beat faster. “So I’m not just hunting Celestial relics. I’m hunting your memories?”
She nodded. “Every hunter has secrets. Mine are just harder to hide.”
As they left the ruins, Yuuto held the fragment close.
Somehow, everything had gotten more personal. And more dangerous.
But one thing was clear:
He wasn’t hunting alone anymore.
- Writer
