SHAMAN PROTOCOL-Chapter 126: What Do You Think?

Eron’s quiet whimper echoed in the unused room of another building on campus. His entire body shuddered, sweat breaking profusely across his forehead and back. His shaky eyes swept the floor, his face crumpling at the sight of his friends lying motionless.

"Ugh..." one of them grunted, making him turn his head.

The second he did, he locked eyes with his lackey, who was trying to crawl away. The boy reached out in Eron’s direction as if begging for help. But then—

STAB!

Something massive plunged deep into the student’s back. Eron’s breath hitched, watching as his friend shriveled up—not just drained of blood, but of life essence, energy, everything that monster could take.

STAB!

He jolted as he heard another bone cracking, turning his head to his other friend. Just like the first one, something massive plunged into his back. Then, another stab rang out, and another massive shell—like a gigantic black crab claw, but more horrific.

Eron could only watch as the students who had come with him—the same ones who had helped him unleash the metal box he’d received not long ago—were slaughtered one by one. This wasn’t what he had planned. This shouldn’t be happening. But it was.

I have to run, he told himself. I have to run, I need to—

His thoughts halted as his body froze. Those massive pincers pulled free from the withered corpses, and as if to taunt him, one claw tapped the body he’d been staring at. Like magic, the corpse crumbled instantly into sand.

"Hak... hak... hak..."

Eron’s breathing faltered as he stared at what was left of his friend. In the background, that thing was laughing.

"No..." he whispered, shifting his dilated eyes to the others, who were already turning to sand as well. His mind blanked completely, unable to process it.

Just now, not even ten minutes had passed, and those guys were full of life. And now, what was left of them was... dust.

Slowly, his gaze dragged upward.

The massive black figure loomed across the room, easily occupying several meters of its space. Its laughter echoed low, layered, as though a crowd were chuckling at once. Eron gulped, unable to find its eyes, but he could feel its ridiculing gaze at him.

"Pl—please..." he stammered, trying not to, but he couldn’t stop himself. "Do—don’t kill me, please."

His mind screamed at him to run, but his body refused to move. He remained rooted to the floor, paralyzed by a fear he had never known. His pleas cut short when a claw lunged at him.

It was so fast he didn’t even have time to blink. Wind blasted his damp hair back, his breath hitched, heart leaping to his throat, eyes wide as the glint of a massive claw stopped inches from between his brows.

"Hak... hak... hak..."

The monster laughed mockingly, tapping its claw against his forehead before withdrawing. Still laughing, it slithered out the door like some grotesque octopus.

Eron remained frozen, watching it go. He didn’t even flinch, not even when the warmth soaking his thigh told him he’d wet himself. All he knew was that he had unleashed this thing on campus... and it knew him.

*****

[Present Time]

"Was it that thing’s fault for what happened?" Eron asked himself for the umpteenth time. "No, probably not. Otherwise, they would’ve said something."

Or rather, the Agents from Zone Zero would not be this relaxed. If they knew anything about that thing, the campus would already be a battlefield.

"Damn it." He hissed, running his hands through his hair as he paced back and forth. "Fuck it, fuck it, fuck it!"

He paced faster, sat on the bed, then shot back up, too restless to sit still. The presence of that thing meant danger was close—far too close.

"Fuck it! I need to tell the headmaster at least," he huffed and marched toward the door. But when his hand gripped the knob, he stopped. 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝒆𝔀𝒆𝙗𝓷𝒐𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝓶

Grinding his teeth, he hissed, "Fuck..."

Slowly, he let go and leaned against the wall of the entryway, sliding down until he slumped to the floor, face buried in his palms.

Fucking hell...!

If he told the headmaster, expulsion would be the least of his concerns. The Dray Clan’s leader would kill him for sure. And that was more terrifying than the thought of more students dying once that thing unleashed its power.

"Shit," he muttered, dragging his hands down his face. "How the fuck could those useless agents not notice it?"

He had hoped Zone Zero’s agents would sense its presence. After all, hunting such entities was their job. But they remained clueless.

"I need to get out of here somehow," he whispered. "I don’t know that thing, but I know it hasn’t left yet."

He wasn’t an expert, but he could feel it in his bones; the thing was just waiting. Waiting for the perfect time to strike. Maybe once the agents left. Maybe once the headmaster wasn’t around.

"Damn it," he groaned into his palms. "Damn it!"

*****

Meanwhile, on a bench by the school oval, Mr. Nocty and Jake sat drinking cartons of milk from the headmaster, breathing in the cold night breeze.

"This place’s night air is always chillier than anywhere else," Jake mused, finishing his carton.

Mr. Nocty just stared at him with a complicated look. His mouth opened, but no words came. In the end, he could only smile bitterly and look away.

The headmaster had left it up to Mr. Nocty whether to tell Jake about the changes in the present. But he had also warned him of the consequences. Because here and now, everyone believed Jake was alive. And from the days he’d spent with him, Mr. Nocty knew Jake carried memories of all these years as if he had truly existed.

"Jake," Mr. Nocty called, staring ahead. "What do you think?"

Jake furrowed his brows and turned. "Think of what?"

Mr. Nocty cocked his head back, staring at the sky. "I’m thinking of quitting teaching... and living a normal life."