Nightmare Mythos

Chapter 8: Verge Of Corruption

"You showed signs of being corrupted that's all,"

Cesar froze right in his position as he couldn't help but shiver as a follow-up response. Adding the fact that his tone didn't feel serious enough, it made him think furiously.

'D-did he just tried to make a jest of how I almost turned into a monster?'

Cesar directed his gaze onto Rizz, his face contorting into a frown. At this moment, a seed of hatred formed in the depths of his heart and he was unable to control them. His face was turning into a rage but Rizz quickly put it to a stop.

"An aftermath symptom of almost being corrupted is irascibility. My joke is a way to test if my suspicions are right and this is also part of a protocol given to us to make sure we're right,"

At this moment, Rizz didn't appear giggity anymore, instead, a cold reserved face that almost every soldier that came and out of a battlefield plastered on his face.

For a moment, a hint of fear surfaced within Cesar's raging emotion as the feeling of the seed of loathing formed in his heart faded. There, he looked at Rizz with a slight fear, as if it was natural for him to be like that and be cool with it.

For a while, Rizz remained motionless as he started explaining the situation by connecting the dots himself.

"There are many reasons to think of but most of them have to be ruled out since there's data regarding using this monster's body as a main ingredient. Unless there's a new data that isn't included at all because it's practically hidden or wasn't known,"

He took a moment of pause.

"You know the Nightmare Memoir lessons students know, right? That part that adds a potential risk of being corrupted is inheriting the memories of the monster, right? Well, prying into the memories of the Nightmares is supposed to be great, which they were until they weren't.

"It is some sort of fuel that intensifies the corrupting process when digesting the potion. Yes, we get some, probably, just a moment of their memory but it varies from time to time, and the more unknown it is, the more dangerous it is. The more dangerous, the more susceptible to corruption.

"Heh, after all, knowledge is the origin of power, and sometimes… people hide from it as the truth becomes unbearable. That's probably what happened to you— no, I'm almost certain knowing your case is the first one after many tests of taking the potion with this monster as an ingredient,"

Hearing an explanation didn't console him for a bit but only made his mood worsen. Though, not to the fact that he couldn't control his emotions but just the minimum where he's able to think straight.

'A memoir of the monster almost made me on the verge of corruption… Unbelievable, that's just so unfair… I judged that taking the fourth Facet involves no risk. There are data… a long line of statistics to base from… and even capable people watching over me but still, I almost lost control.

Right… right, there's a probability as well but… I guess there's really a big difference when certainty and being able to count the risk which is the probability are involved…'

Even though the fourth given Facet had a low risk of change and low chances of corruption, it is all but a mere probability. As Rizz had said, there's an unknown factor at play that increases the uncertainty of the result… in return, increases the probability which was deemed to be only low.

He read it from somewhere but he didn't consider it probably because he believed the data that helped him throughout the time he was here consisted of any related to the topic.

His belief was about to change though.

'If I was about to be corrupted, does that mean I incur changes as well?'

Cesar looked around his body trying to spot if he had grown something hideous from his body. So far, looking around and touching his face and head has been worthwhile seeing nothing had changed.

"Mr. Sparrow,"

Suddenly, Baron in the shadows moved forward and kneeled down. He briefly looked at Cesar and spoke solemnly.

"I'll ask the school for an arrangement to meet up with you and ask about what memories you acquired. I ask you wholeheartedly to cooperate. It will be really helpful." Baron paused, "I know it's too much to ask after what you've been threw but this is needed. I hope you understand,"

Cesar gave a short nod after contemplating for a couple of seconds before he stood up from his position. Rizz examined him on some miscellaneous things before he judged he was good to go.

He left the room, his mind completely occupied.

"He's the same child who was also involved regarding Nightmare's True name, isn't it? Without that, we wouldn't have discovered anything related to names at all."

Left in the room, Baron raises up a conversation to Rizz who solemnly nods.

"Yeah, this student is really unfortunate enough to encounter those times. But you know, I'm glad as well. Not because of what happened to him but due to the fact we discovered yet another thing from them,"

Baron chuckled, "Yeah, we thought those titles were just mere words after all. But now, we're definitely sure it is very important to fight off Nightmares,"

Rizz nodded once before he started cleaning up the area with Baron giving a lending hand. Cesar wasn't the only one they were supposed to guide through as there were long lists of students to take care of.

Soon, they were preparing for their next student to direct them through the selection.

…

Cesar found himself idly staring at the dark clouds of the sky, alone on a bench as he sat down. Setting aside his negativity and almost falling into corruption, he focused on the positive result instead.

'Among the three given facets from the fourth Nightmare, I receive the [Sink] ability. This power strengthens my ability to bite things off… Additionally, I can feel my five senses heightened as well. Not too great but not too bad either. It comes to the point where I've reached certain heights of transcending my humanity, becoming a Nightmare instead.'

Cesar closed his eyes for a moment before letting out a soft sigh.

"I've really become a Shaded, huh,"

Shaded are the ones who took the potion and were contaminated by its power. These people might've reached greater heights of gaining supernatural powers, but the veterans, even knowledgeable people, knew they were one step away from being corrupted.

There are ways to lessen such things so situations like that will not occur but due to how unpredictable life is that involves anything about Nightmare, one shouldn't be so sure.

'No worries, everyone who attended the academy knew its challenges. I'm fully aware of it as well. But this much is needed,'

Having his mind reassured about the fact that gaining strength from the creatures he had loath for his entire life was one step to securing his life away from danger, Cesar finally calmed down.

Now that he had received a Facet, he knew this was just the start of a bumpy ride.

The past was already broken, the present even more so, but the future will be way much worse.

'Way, way worse.'

Once he was done pondering about his future situation which is full of uncertainties, Cesar opened his eyes and stood up. He stretched himself, feeling his body cramped due to all sitting.

After a while, he recollected himself and began running around to test if there was any additional improvement he had received from the Facet he was unable to earlier.

…

Soon, changes manifested in the first batch of the selection. All Class 1-A managed to receive their desired Facets and avoid being corrupted by the potion's risks. They received physical changes and supernatural powers they always dreamt of. Some were lucky enough while most were pretty unlucky and could only shake their heads in disappointment at the result.

But that's just not the only changes happened within that day.

"Hahh… Hahh…"

A man draped in a black classical robe was breathing raggedly, his arm was drenched with blood. His face appeared to be ghastly solemnly staring at the grotesque corpse lying on the floor.

It was the corpse of an unknown student that turned into a hideous monster. His skin was charred with black smoke and his face didn't look proper anymore, all of them looked wrong. His body was covered with red pus and black feathers that fell on the floor, not vanishing.

This boy who just devoted his life to the academy for years was lying on the ground, unmoving and dead.

The man picked up a small communicator in his pocket and raised it near his mouth, "This is Vin of the Nightmare Corps located in room 903. Casualty raised. I repeat casualty raised. Need immediate detoxification."

Just a few seconds later, the communicator on his hand turned static before an answer was perceived.

"This is Arnold Virgo in the headquarters. I could hear you, captain. Rest easy now,"