Tatsumi felt dazed, as if his mind had turned to mush. He had no strength anywhere in his body.
It was like a nightmare. Though his mind was relatively clear, his body seemed to have lost control and could not move, as though a huge boulder were pressing on his chest, leaving him unable to breathe.
A fear unlike anything he had ever felt rose from the depths of his heart. He panicked, wanting to move but unable to. It felt as though a hand were tightly squeezing his heart.
Finally, Tatsumi abruptly sat up, gasping for air. His eyes were wide open, sweat streaming down his forehead. It was as if he had just awoken from a terrifying nightmare, and his whole body began to tremble.
"Pant, pant... Thank goodness it was only a nightmare."
Tatsumi let out a long breath, but when he looked around, his pupils contracted.
The room was a complete wreck, covered in blood. Blood had splattered across the gilded walls, the exquisite furniture, and even the soft, smooth carpet bore crimson stains.
Several people lay sprawled not far from him. He remembered that they were the guards of this mansion. When he had first entered the mansion, he had sensed that these people were extraordinary and had even marveled at their strength.
Now, their bodies had been dismembered. Their arms had been severed, exposing stark white bone, and blood was splattered all over the floor.
"What... happened here?"
Though Tatsumi was fairly strong and had slain quite a few Danger Beasts, these were people! Seeing such a bloody scene for the first time, he found it deeply unsettling.
When he reached the doorway, he suddenly stopped. Before his eyes was a headless corpse, with blood scattered everywhere. The once-bright blood had dried, leaving behind