'Page 516...'

I was careful with my movements. I couldn't make any sounds.

Just a little sound, and I was done for.

Swallowing my saliva, I brushed the bottom part of the pages to look for the page number. Unlike the first book I checked, this book was a lot thicker. There were at least over a thousand pages.

'....I found it.'

Eventually, I found the page I was looking for and slowly and carefully pushed the pages aside to get to the page.

I felt the beat of my heart rapidly increase as I did so.

Finally, I was going to find out more about the tree.

Or so I thought.

'This...'

My mind blanked the moment I turned the pages.

Staring at the page in front of me, all I saw was an image. The page beneath it was completely ripped apart.

Gripping tightly onto the side of the book, I tried my best to keep my breathing steady.

'How...?'

What was it that I was currently feeling?

Anger? Frustration..? Or was it a mix of both?

Either way, they both led to a sense of helplessness that didn't seem to go away. Carefully breathing without making any sound, I flipped to the next page. But even then, there was nothing.

I checked the next page, and then the next one, but there was still nothing.

I even tried putting the books upside down in hopes of perhaps finding the page inside of the book, but even that appeared to be fruitless.

'Damn it.'

I wanted to curse aloud with every part of my being.

However, I knew I couldn't.

That would make me a target for the eaters.

'Well, it's certainly a good thing Kiera isn't here.'

Thinking about how she'd fare in this situation, I suddenly had the urge to laugh.

If it was her, she'd be dead in a few seconds.

It would just be one curse after the other. I knew all too well since she had probably thrown every curse in the book at me during the time that I started teaching her.

In fact, there were quite a few that I learned from her

'Fatherless bastard.'

I quite liked it. Rolled well to the tongue.

In the end, I had to take even more breaths to calm myself down and focus on the broken page in front of me.

There was only one image in there.

...It was the image of the tree. It looked exactly like it did in my vision.

Towering ominously, its bark was a deep, unnatural black, and its branches were twisted and gnarled like the grasping fingers of a skeletal hand. The blood-colored leaves seemed to sway in the picture as images of the vision flashed in my mind.

On the bark, several hands were reaching out from it.

I shuddered at the sight.

'....?'

Tracing my eyes down the page, I was able to make up a few words that hadn't been removed from the page.

'Erode the mind...?'

They were only three words, but it seemed as though it opened up a new road for me.

'Erode the mind. Erode the mind. Erode the mind.'

Mumbling the words in my mind for several seconds, I started to get an idea of the situation.

'Could it be that the tree is already in full effect, and is controlling the minds of some of the people in the bunker...?'

It would explain several things.

Like the reason I had been detained and researching the tree. Leon too. That guy... I was starting to miss him. Things would've been much easier for me had he been here. Wasn't he supposed to be the main character of the game?

Why was he so useless at important times?

Where the hell was his plot armor when one needed it?

'Whatever, that's not important.'

I focused back on the three words imprinted on the page before me.

'.....It's not hard to reduce the scope of the culprit behind all of this.'

The Black Hound Guild was certainly suspicious. In particular, the post-leader. While I hadn't met him, I had seen the secretary's memories.

He was the one who had ordered the investigation.

If there was anyone that was suspicious, then it was him.

'He could also be the one that ripped the page.'

It made sense if he was under the control of the tree.

But the real question was...

'Did he do it because his mind has been eroded by the tree, or because he's the one behind the tree...? '

I swallowed my saliva and tried to calm my nerves.

It felt as though I was onto something.

But that sensation didn't last for long.

Creak.

A certain creaking sound startled me out of my thoughts, forcing me to hold my breath. I thought the moment would pass as the eater would leave, but a hot breath ran down the back of my neck.

".....!"

I felt the hair on every part of my body rise.

'Calm. I've got to keep calm.'

I repeated the same word over and over in my mind.

Calm.

Calm.

Clam.

Clem.

Clmi.

Clm.

My hand started to tingle.

I didn't know why this was happening. I had been silent the entire time, making little to no movements.

"Haa... Haa..."

My neck chilled as I heard the heavy breathing of the creature behind me.

I was suddenly gripped with anxiety and my muscles tensed.

I wanted to run away but knew that I couldn't. The creatures were faster than me. The only thing I could do was,

Be silent.

.....I had to remain totally still.

"Haa..."

The breaths continued.

It continued to tickle my neck.

Every second felt agonizing.

The seconds continued to tick, and time seemed to stop. Biting my lips, I carefully wiped any of the sweat that was coming down the side of my face.

I had to be very careful with my movements.

My muscles were stiff, and my heart was beating out of my chest.

The fact that the 'Silent Eater' had yet to hear it was a miracle.

"....."

The breathing eventually stopped.

Creak.

And I heard the floor creaked.

I didn't relax.

Turning my head slowly to face the direction of where the Silent Eater was, I could see its back moving away.

Its figure was lanky and emaciated, the sharp ridges of its spine clearly visible even from a distance. Its entire skin had a sickly pinkish hue, stretched taut over its skeletal frame.

In particular, my eyes shifted towards its unnaturally long nails, extending down to the ground and dragging along as it walked.

Only when its back was no longer in view did I finally relax.

Taking a breath, I turned my head back to face the book when my heart stopped again.

".....!"

Appearing just a few inches away from my face was another Silent Eater. Its wide eyes and grotesque smile looked directly at me.

'When...!?'

Despite my best attempts at trying to keep my breath steady, I was unable to and the creature tilted its head.

Ba.... Thump! Ba... Thump!

Never before did the beat of my heart echo so loudly.

I had hoped.

....Hoped that the creature wouldn't hear it.

But it did.

Opening its mouth wide, displaying the hundreds of different teeth, it lunged at me.

"Hieeeeek"

I crumbled back, falling from my chair.

Bang!

"Hieeeeek"

"Hieeeeek"

"Hieeeeek"

I heard several screams coming from the back, and my heart turned cold. Staring at the creature that was on all four on the table, I hastily moved back.

Creak. Creak. Creak. Creak. Creak.

The ground trembled as I heard several footsteps rush my way.

From the sound alone, I could tell several eaters were coming my way.

The situation felt helpless. I was helpless, but at the same time, I didn't panic. Despite my mind telling me to flee, and my heart beating to the point where it was the only thing I could hear, I didn't make any sounds and hastily reached for my pocket where I felt a round object.

"Hieeeeek"

The eater before me screeched, its muscles tensing as it prepared to lunge at me.

I was seconds away from getting eaten.

But I didn't panic.

Injecting my mana into the small object, I quickly tossed it away.

Tok

The ball hit the ground in the distance, and the creature before me stopped.

For a brief moment, our gazes met. Although I knew it couldn't see me, it did seem like it could.

And then,

BOOOM

An explosion sounded.

"Hieeeeek" "Hieeeeek" "Hieeeeek"

I took advantage of the sound to turn around and leave. As I ran, I didn't bother at all about the sound my footsteps made as all the creatures ran toward where the mana bomb went off.

"Haaa... Haa... Haa..."

I tried to maintain my breath, but it was hard.

Clenching my teeth, I rushed out of the library and headed for the stairs.

Behind, I could still the wails coming from the eaters. My skin tingled, and it served as a reminder to pick up my pace.

"Hoo."

Coming down to the first floor, I stopped my movements and took a deep breath.

It was hard and I could hardly see.

Taking my time to calm my breath, I quietly walked towards the exit of the building. Without knowing what was behind the door, I couldn't rashly make any sound that could expose me.

No, there was no guarantee this was a good move.

Given how loud the bomb was, there were most likely going to be a lot of eaters waiting outside.

For that reason, instead of heading for the main entrance, I turned back and headed for the backdoor exit.

"....."

It was quiet and dark.

If not for the faint luminescent lines marking my path, I would've long lost sight of where I was.

'According to the memories, the exit should be just a few meters ahead.'

Tracing my hand against the walls, I narrowed my eyes to get a better look at the distance.

Walking quietly, I could make out a faint squared outline in the distance. Seeing how the outline was in red, I presumed it to be the light coming from the outside, highlighting the frame of the door.

I hurried my steps and reached for the handle.

Clank

Despite my absolute best attempts at trying to be subtle with my actions, a faint clicking sound echoed the moment I opened the door, and as the heat rushed in, I felt a dozen pairs of eyes fall on me.

"....."

I stood motionless on the spot, at a loss for breath.

'.....And here I thought they'd only cover the entrance.'

It was a miscalculation on my part.

Looking around and staring at the dozen or so creatures surrounding the narrow alleyway, I pursed my lips.

This time...

I really did miscalculate.