Cruno was a follower of the Goddess of the Night Church and currently served as a missionary.
He had been stationed at the Goddess of the Night's church in Lane Village, Rhode Town, for twenty-one years. His daily routine consisted of reciting scriptures praising the Goddess of the Night, answering believers' questions, and guiding newcomers to her faith. Day after day, nothing changed, but he never found it tedious.
Such was a missionary's life: dedicating his entire existence to the deity he worshipped. Clearly, however, he was no ordinary missionary. He was also an Extraordinary.
Cruno rose unhurriedly, straightened his collar and sleeves, and only then stepped out of the church. He was nearly forty and lived in this remote village, yet he still held himself to exacting standards of appearance.
He represented not himself, but the Goddess of the Night Church.
"This differs from the fluctuations of the response three years ago. It's far more obvious and has a greater effect on reality. This must be a sacrifice. Something like a summoning?"
"There were traces of a curse on the Flekent Couple's bodies."
"The curse wasn't strong to begin with, but its source was extremely close. Otherwise, it couldn't have had such an effect. They may have consumed something specific that further amplified its power."
"So this Extraordinary skilled in curses must be hiding in Lane Village. Or perhaps some summoned being possesses the ability to curse. A summoned being seems more likely. Could its spirituality be too weak for me to detect?"
"But there's no doubt that an Extraordinary must be behind the summoned being, too."
"In three years, Lane Village has seen only this one case of murder by a curse. What exactly does this Extraordinary want? What is she planning?"
"Then what was this summoning for?"
With his eyes closed, Cruno moved along Lane Village's paths. He appeared to be taking a leisurely stroll, but in fact he moved swiftly, heading straight for the northwestern corner of Wayne Manor.
Though his eyes were closed, nothing hindered his steps. This was the Goddess of the Night's gift to her followers.
Inside the small storeroom at Wayne Manor, Jessica's face was pale, but a fanatical smile lit it up.
Her summoning ritual had succeeded.
Before Jessica, a doll in a blue dress floated in midair, shimmering with light.
The summoning and sealing had proceeded in one seamless sequence. Even she had not expected it to go so smoothly.
Jessica did not know what sort of Spirit Body she had summoned, but she could feel the oppressive aura emanating from the doll. It had to be powerful-at least stronger than that vengeful spirit.
In Jessica's room, the Vengeful Spirit Doll discarded in the corner had picked up its fallen eyeball and fitted it back into place. It was struggling to climb onto the door handle to open the bedroom door.
Suddenly, the Vengeful Spirit Doll shuddered and looked out the window in terror. It could sense a powerful force taking shape.
"What did Jessica do? Who did she pray to? Damn it, she dared to do something like that before even becoming a Secret Prayer. She's completely insane! The Night Watchers will discover her!"
What terrified it was not how powerful the Spirit Body Jessica had summoned might be, but how brazenly that Spirit Body radiated its presence. The church would inevitably discover it, and it would surely be implicated as well.
"Leave. Get out of here as soon as possible."
The Vengeful Spirit Doll wrenched the handle down and opened Jessica's door.
In Danvers's room, the dressing-table mirror trembled faintly before finally falling still.
Cruno, who was moving through the countryside, abruptly opened his eyes. He had detected the emergence of a powerful presence.
"An evil summoned into this world. Very powerful!"
Cruno instantly quickened his pace, merging into the night like a black streak as he raced northwest. At the same time, he grasped the silver moon-shaped pendant wrapped around his hand and raised it to his lips.
"Alert from Lane Village! Evil detected! Come at once!"
Inside the little storeroom,
Jessica waited excitedly for the glow surrounding the doll to fade. This was a necessary part of the sealing process. Once sealed, the summoned Spirit Body would be hers to command. The radiance dispersed, and the doll reined in its aura and landed on the ground. It seemed to yawn. A profound gleam shone in its grayish-brown eyes as it stared intently at Jessica, its gaze tinged with amusement and mockery.
"My name is Mondreton, Sixth Son of Dreams, Dragon Lord, Nightmare. Mortal, why have you summoned me?" The doll floated up to Jessica and circled her, examining her closely.
"I want you to help me kill someone."
Jessica lifted her skirt and dipped into a slight curtsy, smiling as she spoke in an exceptionally sweet voice.
"A bloodline of darkness. Mortal, you're interesting. I like you very much." Mondreton chuckled.
"Then let it be as you wish."
An invisible force stirred up a gust that swept through all of Wayne Manor.
Danvers was feeling ashamed of her earlier behavior. She sat on the edge of her bed, unable to make sense of it, when a wave of profound drowsiness washed over her. She collapsed onto the bed.
In Wayne Manor's study.
Bruce had grown tired from reading, his eyes watering and his vision blurring. Even forcing himself to stay alert, he could no longer read, so he left the study, swaying as he walked.
The room Danvers had arranged for him was on the ground floor. Back in his bedroom, he was fast asleep the moment his head touched the pillow.
"Hm?"
Bruce felt somewhat confused. Instead of drifting into the sweet slumber he should have enjoyed, he found himself in a strange manor hall. This abrupt change reminded him of what he had felt when he first crossed into this world. It was very similar, but this place lacked a certain reality. It felt insubstantial, illusory, and hollow.
"Is this a dream?"
Bruce looked around the dark, gloomy hall and took a cautious step. If this was a dream, it was a strange one. He had never had such a lucid dream before.
He tried pinching his arm, but felt no pain.
"Hello? Is anyone there?"
Bruce called out loudly, but no one answered. Instead, his voice echoed endlessly, as though he were trapped in a valley with no way out.
He wanted to explore, but could barely move with each step. He seemed to be trapped here. A trace of fear and unease stirred inside him and rapidly swelled.
He must have fallen under the influence of some mysterious power again.
"Could this be Jessica again? Is she really determined to kill me?"
Bruce grew furious.
I shouldn't have acted as though nothing was wrong. I should have dealt with the problem immediately!
"Breakthrough."
Without hesitation, Bruce activated his Breakthrough ability.
"You are asleep. Your body is still lying in bed, but you have fallen into a carefully woven nightmare. You have sensed the danger. You may die. If you die in the dream, you will die in reality as well. Escaping the dream with your abilities will be extremely difficult."
"The dream's power is formidable, but it has flaws. Your power simply cannot oppose it or detect those flaws. Remember, if you want to live, do not believe you are dead. Even if you are smashed to pieces, do not believe you have died. But that will leave you in an even worse state, suffering a fate worse than death, trapped in the dream forever-unless an outside force wakes you."
The information revealed by Breakthrough filled Bruce with even greater dread. If he died in the dream, he would die in reality too!
This dream did indeed involve mysterious powers, and Breakthrough had told him bluntly that he could die.
There was a way to escape, but it was beyond his current abilities. The only thing he could do was refuse to believe he was dead.
What kind of bullshit solution was that?
Bruce was overwhelmed with agitation.
At the same time, something seemed to change in the dream hall. Wisps of murky mist rose from the floor, and the already dim hall was instantly engulfed in a hazy fog. Danger lurked within, like tigers and wolves on the hunt.
Bruce's heart climbed into his throat.
Judging by this, the danger must already have appeared.
Every muscle in Bruce's body tensed as he braced himself.
Puff, puff, puff...
A faint sound drew closer from the distance...