Chapter 421: D-16 [1]

Ba... Thump! Ba... Thump!

My heart drummed loudly inside my mind.

’This... is above Fourth Order.’

The moment the thought entered my mind, it refused to leave.

Thinking about everything that had happened to me so far, I was almost certain of it. This was the first time that something like this had occurred, and even now, I was completely and utterly confused by the situation.

Nothing made sense.

My memories.

My concept of time.

My everything...

All of it was messed up.

It was almost as if I was playing in the hands of something extremely sinister.

’Okay, calm down. Calm down.’

I tried to calm myself down. Having experienced many scenarios, I was more accustomed to situations such as these. But...

"S-shit."

Grabbing onto my shirt, I found myself unable to calm the trembling of my hand.

It had been a while since I’d feel such a deep sense of dread, and when I finally took in my surroundings, I realized I was standing in what looked like a library... or something close to it. The lighting was dim, barely enough to see, but the heavy, musty scent of old paper filled the air, confirming what my eyes were seeing.

Tall wooden bookshelves lined the walls, reaching all the way to the top, as a faint dripping sound continued to echo in the air.

Looking around, I saw numerous books.

Enough to number several thousands.

’Yes, this is a library.’

But at this point, a lingering doubt remained.

I no longer trusted anything that I saw or heard.

Clenching my teeth, I turned around. That was where I came from. Or at least, it should’ve been. But instead, all I saw was a brick wall.

"....."

I took a deep breath, forcefully trying to calm myself down.

’Let me check my surroundings to see if there’s some sort of door that I can use to escape this place.’

At this point, I no longer cared about the mission.

I just had one goal.

And that was to escape this place.

’I should’ve never have accepted the mission in the first place.’

I thought I had been ready. I made so many preparations, but... Even after all of my preparations, I wasn’t ready for this.

But just as I took a step forward—

CLANK!

A loud ’clank’ echoed in the air.

".....!"

I flinched at the sudden noise, instinctively stepping back from where it came. When I turned toward the source, my eyes landed on something small and unassuming. It was a single book lying on the floor, its cover half-buried in the shadows.

The sight made me grow extremely apprehensive, nearly forcing me to take another step back, but it was also in that moment that I recalled something.

’Right! Luck Halo!’

I had consumed this right before appearing in this room.

The time limit was five minutes, and such time had yet to pass. All these strings of ’incidents’ were most likely due to the Halo.

’...In that case, should I take the book?’

I only hesitated for a moment.

Knowing that this could be an opportunity, I walked towards the book and picked it up.

The moment my fingers brushed against the cover, I felt its texture. It didn’t feel like cardboard; it was more like leather, but also a bit different. It was warm, a bit pliant, almost as if it had been breathing moments before I touched it.

My eyes lingered on the surface. There wasn’t a title or a name, not even a trace of ink. Only a faint imprint pressed into the material, a circular mark fractured down the middle with jagged lines cutting through it.

The same symbol.

The... one that had been haunting me as of late.

I hesitated for a moment, standing completely still as my grip on the book tightened. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t stop myself. The curiosity, or perhaps something else entirely, guided my hand.

And soon—

Flip—

The pages turned.

At first, they were empty. The parchment was pale and smooth, but as I kept looking, faint lines began to rise beneath it. Letters formed slowly, bleeding through the fibers like veins surfacing under skin.

My breath caught, but my mouth opened.

"Index of the Forgotten."

Words spilled into the air.

The air shifted not long after, and the sound of my own voice came back distorted, like something was whispering it behind me a half-second later. For a split second, I nearly turned back, but my neck...

It wouldn’t move at all!

".....!!"

The air felt heavier, thicker, and I could hear my own heartbeat echo faintly in my ears.

Flip—

The book turned another page on its own, the spine creaking like old wood.

===

[Subject: D-1]

Object: Cognitive Shard Test Theory

Overview: Controlled testing was conducted to observe physiological and psychological responses upon exposure to the Cognitive Shard.

Observations:

The subject exhibited a direct resonant response with the Shard. Preliminary data indicate a measurable correlation between the Shard’s cognitive field and the induced dissonance generated during manual interference. This dissonance appears capable of triggering minor somatic and neurological alterations within the exposed individual.

Result:

Experiment terminated prematurely due to instability. The primary objective, controlled manipulation of the Shard’s internal energy, was not achieved.

Conclusion:

Despite failure to sustain stable interaction, evidence supports the hypothesis that the Shard’s contained energy can be harnessed to induce or generate localized anomalous phenomena. Further testing is recommended under enhanced containment protocols.

===

Reading the contents, I swallowed nervously.

’A report...? A data report? D-1?’

I quickly grasped the situation as my perspective on the book shifted.

This...

This right here was the experimental log of the cult regarding anomalies.

Flip! Flip!

[Project D-2]

[Project D-3]

I flipped one page after another.

Each project contained different descriptions. But with each description, I realized something.

’They’re getting closer and closer to creating real anomalies.’

And then—

[Project D-13]

Object: Cognitive Shard Test Theory

Overview: To reproduce and stabilize the previously observed somatic alterations induced by the Cognitive Shard.

.

Conclusion: Experiment deemed a conditional success. Data confirms the feasibility of inducing controlled hybridization between organic matter and anomalous resonance fields. Further study required to assess long-term viability and containment compatibility.

An image appeared next to it.

It depicted a long figure, its body elongated, wearing a top hat and a sick smile.

’Twisted Man.’

My lips pressed tightly, my hand still moving to the next page.

Flip!

[Project D-14]

Flip!

[Project D-15]

I stopped at the last Project, my heart racing.

I knew what it symbolized.

But...

Object: Cognitive Shard Test Theory

Overview: To finalize the observed data and construction.

.

Conclusion: Experiment on hold pending review by the Ethics and Containment Oversight Committee. Estimated resumption date — Indefinite.

"....."

I swallowed nervously, staring at the data before my eyes.

I knew the reason for all of this.

It was all because of my actions. I was the reason why the experiment had been pushed back.

I licked my lips once more, forcing myself to calm down.

There was only one more page left, meaning that there was one more experiment.

After hesitating for a moment, I flipped to the next page.

[Project D-16]

The last project.

I grew curious about the data and brought the book closer to me so that I could read better.

But—

Object: Cognitive Shard Test Theory

Overview: The final test. To initiate a full synchronization event between Subject D-16 and the Cognitive Shard, overriding prior containment and stability restrictions.

Only two lines.

That was all it said.

Pausing, I brought the book closer to me to see if there was anything else, but there wasn’t.

At least, not until a moment later.

Status: ACTIVE

Status...? Active?

I blinked my eyes in confusion, trying to grasp the situation.

But not a moment later, my expression froze.

Test: Undertaking.