Anomaly: Nightmare Singer

Thud--

A dull splash.

The orange taxi crashed heavily onto the sea's surface, the immense impact instantly making Soga Ishikawa Kiyomi feel like her chest was about to shatter.

Tearing pain spread through her limbs.

However... what filled her with even greater dread was the icy seawater quickly flooding the car through the gaps in the windows and doors.

"I don't want to die--"

"I don't want to die--"

Soga Ishikawa Kiyomi's consciousness had never been so clear.

The driver in the front seat, who had taken the full impact, had lost consciousness and slumped limply over the steering wheel.

Soga Ishikawa Kiyomi struggled to control her limbs, unable to move due to the intense pain or fractures, trying to push open the taxi door.

Clearly--

Newton's legacy was still very much alive in this world.

As the taxi sank deeper into the abyssal bay, before the interior was completely filled with water, due to the water pressure... Soga Ishikawa Kiyomi's efforts were utterly futile.

The icy seawater submerged her neck, pouring into her nose and mouth.

Looking at the deep, dark seawater outside the taxi, Soga Ishikawa Kiyomi felt death was closer than ever before.

"I..."

"I don't want to die."

Gurgle gurgle... the words she tried to speak turned into churning bubbles.

Despair spread through the girl's heart.

Along with that despair, the Black Gear that had slipped from the taxi driver's hand began to spin at an insane speed.

Finally... it spun and cut into Soga Ishikawa Kiyomi's chest.

The shallow cut on the girl's chest, inflicted by Su Youzi earlier, began to glow in the dark, abyssal seawater.

Her long, orange-dyed hair started to turn the color of white snow from the tips.

Her slightly ill-fitting school uniform was also swallowed by the dark aura.

Finally... it transformed into a Black Koi Skirt that clung tightly to the girl's skin, outlining her graceful figure.

The girl's cleavage was partially revealed.

Her inner curves and well-defined abs were completely exposed to the seawater.

However... what was most captivating was the thin, red line that stretched from the meeting point of her collarbones all the way down to her lower abdomen.

It was a mark of shame--

And an Imprint.

Dark gold vertical pupils opened in the deep sea.

Boom--

The roof of the orange taxi shattered with a roar.

She looked up at the sea's surface.

In that instant, she felt as if she had seen the truth of the world.

Just as the taxi driver had said.

This was a power originating from the beginning of the world.

This was a power that could glimpse the true nature of this world.

What she saw... was the truth that allowed Humanity and Anomalies to stand firm in reality.

And now--

She would build her own future upon the foundation of reality.

Her hand, wrapped in delicate black silk, clenched.

Her snow-white hair bloomed like a Flower of Evil.

The crimson line on her chest radiated light.

At this moment, only one name remained in Soga Ishikawa Kiyomi's heart--

"Su... Youzi."

--Anomaly·Full Manifestation--

[Beep--]

[Warning... Warning...]

[Entering Instance.]

[Entering Instance.]

If Su Youzi were awake right now, she would definitely be able to see it.

Just like before, the bright red "Warning" notification was flashing constantly in front of her.

[...]

[Instance Opened.]

[--Anomaly: Nightmare Singer--]

Across from Su Youzi's room.

Scarlet eyes suddenly opened in the darkness.

Kujo Ryuko frowned, looking in the direction of Su Youzi's room.

"Is it..."

"My own illusion?"

For a moment, her Blood Hounds seemed to have caught the scent of an Anomalous on Su Youzi, a scent that she deeply detested.

But... that scent then hid itself in the darkness and disappeared.

Fastening the buttons of her pajamas, Kujo Ryuko stood up and opened the door, standing in the hallway.

She looked at Su Youzi's door.

Holding her breath, she listened intently to Su Youzi's steady breathing and heartbeat from inside the room.

No "Calamity Domain."

No scent of an Anomalous.

Everything... felt as if she were dreaming it all.

Her hand, which had been on Su Youzi's door, slowly retracted.

After hesitating for a long time, Kujo Ryuko huddled down and sat by the girl's door.

She reached out her hand.

A ferocious beast's head emerged from the shadows, its scarlet eyes warily scanning everything around.

"Stay with me for a while."

"But..."

"Be quiet, okay?"

She couldn't disturb Miss Youzi's sleep.

The pitch-black world seemed to be on the verge of collapse.

A girl wearing a black evening gown-like koi skirt walked on the sea.

She looked up at the sky.

The gray sky was constantly shedding unknown gray debris.

As these fragments approached the sea surface, they seemed to ignite, burning and turning into countless falling sparks.

This place is a dream—

It is also a "Calamity Domain."

A Calamity Domain belonging to a Dream-type Anomalous.

It is also the Calamity Domain hidden in the deepest, most undetectable part of the darkness.

Once... a Seventh Sequence Calamity Beast, the Nightmare Deer Spirit, descended silently. Like the Grim Reaper wielding a scythe, it reaped Humanity's lives in swathes.

In the end, it was the Witch who crawled up from Hellish Famine who sacrificed herself to perish with it.

Together, they entered eternal death.

"Su Youzi~ So~ Yu~zu~~~" The girl hummed a song-like, lingering melody.

She was in the Dream Domain, tracking Su Youzi's presence.

After stepping into the "Anomalous state."

Soga Ishikawa Kiyomi's Ability had been raised to Level 20, officially entering the domain of a Second Sequence Anomalous.

But... this also meant that Soga Ishikawa Kiyomi, in her deeply Anomalous state, had completely lost the right to return to Humanity's side.

However—

The black and purple eye-shaped totem drawn on the girl's lower abdomen glowed.

Did she care about those things?

Soga Ishikawa Kiyomi might have cared.

But Anomalous Soga Ishikawa Kiyomi would never care.

She had only one objective now.

That is revenge, revenge against Su Youzi.

"Found you--"

Pale lips curled into a grin.

The Second Sequence Anomalous's attire was no longer the monotonous black silk covering their bodies. Even their mouths and noses were covered by black silk-like anomalous material, as if wearing a mask or a respirator.

The attire of Second Sequence Anomalous had, to some extent, begun to develop its own characteristics.

However... the koi skirt, like an evening gown, on Soga Ishikawa Kiyomi was still an exception.

Moving her legs, which also stepped in black silk, Soga Ishikawa Kiyomi slowly closed in on Su Youzi.

The distance of several kilometers in reality took only a few steps in the dream.

An attack from a Second Sequence Dream-type Anomalous.

Unless Su Youzi was protected by a Mental Ability User of Second Sequence or higher, it would be impossible to defend against.

As for Kujo Ryuko.

Judging by her scarlet eyes, which were completely different from the Soga Family's crimson eyes, and the lingering scent of blood on her, the probability of her being a Mental Ability User was extremely slim.

"Su Youzi~~~" Soga Ishikawa Kiyomi affectionately called out Su Youzi's name.

Then... the girl froze.

Suddenly, a pitch-black crack appeared in the dream.

It was as if a colossal monster was trying to force its way into her mental domain through the rift.

Soga Ishikawa Kiyomi's body trembled. She shivered, trying to resist... but she was like a weak little girl whose limbs were all soft. Her wrists and ankles were grabbed, and she was pinned tightly against the wall.

"Ughhhhhh!!!!!"

A near-helpless, sorrowful cry.

Her dark gold vertical pupils were filled with terror, and her irises reflected black... a colossal Thorn Throne entwined with countless dark chains.

A naked girl sat on the throne, her bare white legs swinging and bumping against each other.

It looked down at her.

"I'm so hungry."

[Ding--]

[Second Sequence Anomalous · Nightmare Singer activated "Calamity Domain · Erosion Domain".]

["Guardian of Domination" ▇▇▇ activated.]

[Judging...]

["Guardian of Domination" ▇▇▇ activation successful.]

[...]

[Second Sequence Anomalous · Nightmare Singer has been defeated by you.]

"Level.4-Reverse Logic Hand" EXP up↑↑↑

"Level.4-Reverse Logic Hand" → "Level.7-Reverse Logic Hand"