At the center of the mist-shrouded Plaza stood a door of flesh and blood.
Misshapen White Bones formed its frame, while flesh and tendons served as its doors. If not for the faint traces of a human shape still barely visible within it, no one would have thought that its original form had been a person.
"Is this the Researcher we brought back then?"
Frowning slightly, Bai Zhi turned to look at the Pink Haired Girl beside him.
"That's right. Ever since he came to the Underworld, bizarre changes began occurring to him. In an extremely short time, he literally grew into this freakish state."
With a yawn, the Pink Haired Girl's voice was full of laziness.
"And not just him—the others from the Mechanical Empire were the same. If we hadn't sealed these creepy things away in time, who knows what might have come running out from behind those doors..."
Shrugging slightly, the Pink Haired Girl turned to look at him.
"There's an extremely malicious Curse in all of their bodies. It directly affects both their souls and flesh, making it impossible to guard against."
"...Let's go."
After narrowing his eyes and staring at the door of flesh and blood for a while, Bai Zhi rubbed his forehead and replied.
Several minutes later, Bai Zhi returned to the Real World.
Because he had spent a little extra time in the Underworld, the moon was already high in the sky when he returned to the Real World.
At this hour, Lin Xiaoyi and the others had already returned from the Shadow World with Chihou Chiyuki and gone to sleep... though they had left an extra light on for him.
After washing up casually, Bai Zhi took a can of Herbal Tea from the refrigerator and sat down in the courtyard.