Bloody Odyssey

Chapter 67: Scriptures Of Rooms.

The air grew stale, thick with a strange pungent odor mixed with the sharp smell of fresh paint. Ryker wandered through a tight corridor.

The path ran straight ahead, but he couldn't see its end—no matter how far it stretched into the gloom.

"Such a strange space," Ryker muttered. He glanced back, only to find the same endless hallway staring right back at him.

Could this be some sort of domain? He twitched his wings, causing them to glow with golden light.

From his core, a soft ripple spread outward, wrapping around his body like a protective dome.

Suddenly his face twisted in deep horror. Disconnected from God? Fury ignited inside him.

"Reveal yourself!" Ryker screamed into the darkness.

Only empty silence answered.

Enraged, he slammed his hand against the wall. It rippled like liquid under his palm. I will find that child and kill that devil spawn. Maybe my lord will fix the problem caused by that devil.

Suddenly the hallway began to shrink.

"Bastard," Ryker hissed, teeth clicking together. He transformed into a streak of light and surged forward.

My God, how big is this place? He flashed down the long path like lightning, but the walls kept closing in.

Noticing how dangerously close they were getting, he split into hundreds of tiny light particles.

In that desperate moment, his speed surged. "I see some sort of light," he said, a flicker of excitement breaking through.

When he reached the hall's entrance, a larger, more spacious room opened before him—hundreds of pillars stood in every direction, each one rippling softly.

Very ominous. He scanned the area carefully.

"Ahhh!"

A woman's dreadful scream pierced the air. Her voice felt oddly familiar.

Realization struck him like a blade. In a blink, he turned into a streak of light and rushed toward the sound. Uncertainty clawed at his chest.

When he arrived, his golden eyes dilated in utter terror.

"Get away from her!"

At the center of the hall, Gali knelt on the floor, one arm stretched upward toward the ceiling as though reaching for an invisible sky. Around her, Backrooms entities clung to her garments, pulling and tearing at her.

Her glow flickered weakly, almost gone.

"Gali!" Hearing the familiar voice, she turned her head toward him.

Seeing Ryker in the distance, a broken thought crossed her mind. How long has it been? I can't believe he's still here.

"Why… are… you here?" she asked. Her tone was shattered, heavy with an indescribable sadness.

Blood leaked from her eyes. Suddenly the skin-peelers began clawing their way into her flesh and bones.

A bulky one forced its way to her chest, aiming straight for her heart. Her skin parted open as though it obeyed the creature's will. Then it touched something solid.

"Hic!!" She screamed in utter dread, jolting as the peelers violated her very being. More entities poured out from the walls and pillars.

Enraged, Ryker moved with single purpose—to save Gali.

"No one should have to go through this," he growled.

"Longinus Spear."

A silver-gold ornamental halberd appeared in his hand. Strange runes glowed along its blade, and a silver flood dragon coiled around the metallic handle.

He sliced through the entities surrounding him with ease. "Oh weapon of judgment, heed your master's call. These vile things look down on us."

The spear glowed as if agreeing. Go save her. He launched it toward the demons covering Gali.

In its blazing path, hundreds of entities burned—but they didn't falter. The ones behind chased after the weapon, trying to seize it, only to burn as well.

Once again he burst into particles. Now he rode the spear itself.

Just when he was a hair's breadth away, the distance between them stretched impossibly further.

Some sort of space magic? …No, no—it can't be. There's no mana in this space.

I've never heard of this. He bit his lip, straining to reach the ever-changing room. Behind him, a black feminine mannequin and a mimic appeared, trailing the angel.

The mimic twisted its body, copying the angel as he cut through his fellow anomalies.

In a blink it was behind Ryker like a shadow.

Sensing the imminent danger, he pushed his speed even higher.

"Angel Code: 433," Ryker whispered.

Thousands of golden eyes manifested across his wings and every light source in the vicinity.

In that moment, Ryker could see the entirety of his surroundings—even Gali perfectly, despite the growing distance.

Behind him he saw the mimic and another figure chasing through the chaos.

Why is it killing its allies? In another blink, it was right behind him. Slender, long limbs with skin like silver. Its face resembled a child's painting of the sun.

Every movement was bizarre, yet it mirrored everything—every turn, every motion—with perfect precision.

I sense no mana from this thing, yet it copies my moves. This is no illusion… I feel a very strange energy from it.

"So eager for death," Ryker roared in anger.

He cut toward the creature. It mirrored the motion exactly.

Clash!

The impact blasted it straight into the wall, but Ryker wasn't untouched—he was shaken. In that split second, the black mannequin figure erupted from beneath him.

It seized him with impossible speed and pulled him downward into the rippling floor of the Backrooms.

Softly his legs were swallowed, leaving only his torso and head exposed.

From behind, massive mannequin figures wielding clubs began hammering his skull. They moved fast—each one stronger than the last.

With haste and immense anger, he burst into particles and escaped. Looking below, he saw the endless void sealing shut.

"What nonsense! I will kill you all—you dare play with the power of God!"

Hundreds of light particles took a fighting stance—one palm pointed forward, the other fist drawn low.

He punched, unleashing a dangerous light ray that wasted the entities of the Backrooms.

"Angel Arts: Blitz King."

The light flickered. With every flicker, he vanished and reappeared, slaughtering the entities around him.

These bastards are endless. I can't stay here any longer.

He vanished again, racing toward Gali.

In the distance he heard soft footsteps.

Through Angel Code 433, he saw a strange man in tattered red robes and long black flowing hair.

The man held a book. Bold letters on the cover read: SCRIPTURES OF ROOM.

He flipped through the pages, nodding in agreement.

"Vos?" he said, stopping a few meters from Gali.

His lips parted. "I am Kakarai of the Backrooms…" A voice deeper than any demon rumbled from his throat.

He touched his throat in utter amazement. "I can talk." He cleared his throat. "Umm… wonderful."

He turned his gaze toward Gali.

"I shall be your executioner."