The situation was troublesome, but more than anything, it was interesting in its own way. In his many years, Osvald had never dealt with someone as crazy as the one in front of him. Even those who were higher ranked than him in the organisation weren’t as crazy.
He was something else.
But craziness wasn’t enough.
It just... made them a little bit more unpredictable.
"...How should I handle you?"
Muttering the words once more, he stood face to face with the pig. The pig didn’t move, observing him in return as its blood-red eyes fluctuated. The silence between them seemed to stretch on, yet it lasted less than a second before the pig’s eyes deepened to an even darker red and its entire body cracked once more.
Its neck cracked at a weird angle, and its body started to enlarge before Osvald’s eyes.
’He’s still growing stronger?’
A strong scent of bloodlust lingered in the air as Osvald frowned.
He had previously assumed that the knife had reached its limit. After all, it was just an item. Not only that, but the human body had limitations, too. Especially for someone like Seth who was merely at the Fourth Order.
Yet⎯
Cra Crack! Cra Crack!
Hearing the loud cracking sounds, Osvald understood that he had underestimated the situation.
Cra Crack!
Once more, loud cracking sounds echoed from the pig as its movements began to speed up despite the restraints around it. Osvald watched it all before glancing over his shoulder to see what the Team Leader was doing.
Making sure that he was doing his job, he shifted his attention back to the pig as he retrieved several flags from his pocket and planted them around the pig.
Cra Crack! Cra Crack!
The cracking sounds grew even more powerful, but Osvald didn’t let the situation affect his mind as he planted the set of flags around the pig.
’I didn’t expect myself to use these, but I guess I’ve got no choice. Considering what I’m dealing with, it’s the bare minimum. And if I catch him, I’ll also be able to leave a good impression. In a way, it’s a good investment.’
Despite the calmness with which he handled the situation, in truth, he had no choice but to remain calm, as his mind was slowly growing exhausted. He was using multiple nodes at once, and the strain it placed on him wasn’t easy.
He was also keeping his guard up as an eye appeared right behind his head, observing everything that was happening with the Team Leader. This put an even greater toll on his mind.
But it was necessary.
Cra Crack!
Taking note of the cracking sounds that were growing louder and louder, he set up the flags around the pig, arranging them in a perfect square. Once he was done, he looked back up at the pig before taking a deep breath. Sweat trickled down the side of his face as he reached up to wipe some of it away.
"Well, that’s enough."
He pressed his foot forward.
The moment he did, the flags began to flap all at once as multiple triangles formed on the ground where the pig was standing. The entire sequence was incredibly quick, and the moment the triangles formed, they began to overlap as a large, opaque cube took shape around the area where the pig stood.
In just a fraction of a second, the pig was enclosed within the large walls of a cube that stood between the flags. The cracking sounds that were once loud fell silent as Osvald stared at the scene in front of him, taking several small breaths.
"....."
For just a moment, the surroundings turned silent.
Osvald stared at the massive cube, then pressed his hands together as it began to shrink. At the same time, his nodes churned even faster, his face turning pale. He was using every means possible to contain him.
’If I don’t put my all into it, I don’t think I’ll be able to contain him.’
Clenching his teeth, Osvald ignored the strain in his nodes as the eyes surrounding the cube enlarged, with several more appearing. The cracking sounds from within the cube grew even softer in that moment, as the eyes seemed to be doing a very good job of holding it back.
Being of the Warden Decree, he was very good at restraining things. It was for this reason that he was a sort of ’enforcer’. But even that had its limits.
Cra CRACK!
The cracking sounds that had quieted moments before grew louder again, the shadow of the figure within the cube twitching and twisting at unnatural angles. Despite being restrained, the oppressive aura emanating from the pig continued to rise.
Within seconds, it had reached a point where the entire cube had started to shake.
Rattle! Rattle!
Osvald’s expression changed as he forced his nodes to churn even faster, all eyes surrounding the box turning a deep shade of red as the figure within the cube twisted further.
’Ah, this is really starting to become troublesome. What sort of item is this!?’
This situation...
It had flown completely out of his expectations.
At the same time he was doing this, Osvald was using the other eye to check on the Team Leader. He had to make sure that everything flowed well on that side, too; otherwise, things would really be troublesome.
He was pleasantly surprised to see the Team Leader handling the anomalies well. Although the conductor-like creature was still playing music in the air, its actions were impeded by the Team Leader, who seemed to have taken control of the teenage girl.
While she did resist his control, he was still able to use her to stop the Conductor. There also seemed to be a few other anomalies at play. Just how many were under him?
Nevertheless, the situation seemed under control.
’Hmm, I guess he’s not too useless.’
Osvald started to think that maybe he could have some use. However, the thought merely lasted a second before his attention shifted back to the cube. The rattling seemed to have completely stopped, the surroundings falling into a state of complete silence. For just a moment, Osvald thought that the pig had tired out.
...Or at least, that his nodes and restraints had worked.
But⎯
CRA CRACK! CRA CRACK! CRA CRACK!
It all happened in less than a second, the figure within the cube twisting in all sorts of ways as its body broke and restricted itself over and over. There was no sound besides the cracking, but Osvald could feel the pain with each twist. Then he heard a soft ’thump’ from deep within as the pig pressed its hand against the surface of the cube, almost as if it were begging him to let it go.
Tok...
To Tok...
To Tok To Tok...
To...
It all grew silent as the knocking ceased completely, along with the cracking, as the pig stopped moving altogether. Even the noise behind him had stopped completely, with him no longer hearing anything.
But Osvlad had no time to look back or even use the eye to look back.
"...."
Subconsciously, he took a step back.
Step!
And then, he took another.
Step! Step!
Followed by two more.
Step! Step! Step!
Before he knew it, he found himself taking more and more steps back, his eye never leaving the figure standing within the box.
Why...?
’Why am I even doing this? Why...?’
He was on the other side of the corridor before he realized. The entire time his eyes never left the box.
And yet, he couldn’t stop himself from moving back. Something within him prevented him from stopping as he continued to take one step back after another.
Ba... Thump! Ba... Thump!
A loud, almost unmistakable drumming sound pressed against his head with each passing moment, growing louder by the second. He wanted to make them stop, but it just wouldn’t stop. As his gaze lingered over the distant box, he could feel the beat grow fast.
Louder!
And then⎯
CRA CRACK!
He heard it.
The familiar cracking sound.
But this time, the sound didn’t come from the figure within the box.
No...
Cra Crack!
It came from the box itself.
Cra Crack! Cra Crack! Cra Crack! Cra Crack! Cra Crack!
Cracks began to form one after another, each spreading like a spiderweb as Osvald’s face turned pale under the immense strain on his nodes. He tried to fight it back! Getting rid of all useless thoughts, he churned all six nodes at once. Despite this...
Cra Crack!
He found himself completely helpless as the eyes surrounding the box turned bloodshot, veins pulsing around them.
More cracks spread across the box, spiderwebbing outward, and before he had any time to react or do anything, it happened...
BANG!
The box exploded, and a terrifying pressure burst.
One strong enough to make the entire space tremble as a pair of bloodshot eyes found him.
Osvald’s next break never came.
"...Maniac."
For his entire body tingled at the sight before him.
"He’s a complete... maniac."