The damp dungeon reeked of decay, and drops of water carrying the stink of rust dripped from moss-covered cracks in the stone.
Drip.
Drip.
Flames flickered in Murder's hand. Once he had conjured the imitation flames, visibility outside the cell improved noticeably.
He had to admit, this scene had been recreated far too convincingly.
If he hadn't destroyed an illusion through slaughter earlier, he never would have connected his current surroundings to an illusion.
The pitch-black surroundings also brought an overwhelming sense of pressure. Murder dared not act rashly and kept his hearing sharp.
The only sound in the silent room was the crackle of burning flames.
Killer tugged at the hem of Murder's clothes, staying close behind him.
"Uh... buddy? When are we going to find a way out..."
As expected, she couldn't stand the suffocating silence and tried to strike up a conversation with Murder.
"Shh."
Murder pressed a finger to Killer's lips, silencing her.
"...Don't make a sound."
Without explaining further, Murder pulled Killer along and continued forward.
At a time like this, there was usually no need for much communication. Focusing on their surroundings mattered more.
He still didn't know what sort of monsters they might encounter here.
The two continued at their previous pace.
Murder kept studying his surroundings, including the floor tiles, the appearance of the walls, and the stone blocks overhead.
Yet changes within an illusion often didn't follow normal logic.
They were often built upon the bounds of a living being's thoughts.
Just like now, when the change came in an instant.
So fast that Murder couldn't react at all.
The entire setting changed color. At some unknown point, the dark, damp passage had transformed into black-and-white floor tiles.
When exactly...
How had I not noticed a thing?
Murder's confusion reached a