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“Wow! Did all that happen while I was gone?”

As I ran toward the exit, I quickly explained the situation to Yu Da On, who widened her eyes and muttered in disbelief.

“What was it like for you inside the picture, Da On?”

“Ah, well…”

Yu Da On smiled awkwardly, her expression one of discomfort.

It’s the kind of smile people make when they’re hesitant to share something.

“I guess I had a bad dream?”

“A bad dream?”

“Like a nightmare, you know.”

Yu Da On mumbled as she gazed ahead.

“Oh, isn’t that the exit?”

“Ah.”

Following Yu Da On’s words, I looked forward and saw a frame with a hole in the center.

“That looks like it, right?”

“Looks like it.”

Hurrying toward it, I reached out to the frame—

Thud!

The solid material of the frame made contact with my hand.

“I thought this would happen, but still.”

A sigh escaped my lips.

“…”

Jang Chae Yeon released her hands, while Yu Da On energetically jumped about. Song Ah Rin was lost in thought, pondering something as she placed a hand on her chin with her eyes closed.

“A-Rin?”

“Yeah.”

She opened her eyes and looked up at me.

“What are you thinking about?”

“How to land a punch on that annoying mannequin’s head, maybe?”

Song Ah Rin shrugged her shoulders, making eye contact with me.

“Got any good ideas?”

“Well…”

Right, what good ideas do I have?

I avoided her expectant gaze and fell into thought.

Thud! Thud!

A noise started echoing from a distance.

Seems like it’s about time for the mannequin to break free from the debris.

“Let’s figure out a way to deal with that first.”

“How?”

“I have no idea.”

There’s not a single Critical move available. It just means that all the strong techniques I can use are out of the picture.

“…Hmm.”

Nothing ingenious came to mind.

It’s truly a deadlock.

The escape routes were blocked, and ahead of us, a creature that turns people into pictures was chasing after us, while I was flailing about, unsure if this was a dream or reality.

I had a few methods in mind, though.

“First, let’s try to handle that thing chasing us.”

Song Ah Rin was right.

We can’t just keep taking this.

I needed to fight back in my own way.

“Shall we split up for now?”

“Huh?”

At my suggestion, Yu Da On tilted her head in confusion.

“Are you saying we should divide the team?”

“Exactly.”

“How are we going to do that?”

“…”

Yu Da On looked at me, and Jang Chae Yeon matched my gaze.

“A-Rin, and Da On.”

“Yeah.”

“Okay!”

“You two should go together.”

“Wait, just the two of us?”

Yu Da On pointed to herself and Song Ah Rin, then to me and Jang Chae Yeon.

“Yes, exactly.”

“Got it!”

“…Ugh.”

Yu Da On nodded, while Song Ah Rin sighed and looked at me.

“Okay. What are the two of us supposed to do?”

“It’s something only you two can handle.”

I took out a butane gas canister from my pocket and handed it to Song Ah Rin while making eye contact with her.

“Listen closely. What you two need to do is—”

*

“…Is that really alright?”

After informing Song Ah Rin and Yu Da On of their task, Jang Chae Yeon gazed at me with a worried expression.

“If it’s not, there’s nothing we can do.”

“…”

Jang Chae Yeon looked at me, and let out a small sigh while smiling.

“Yeah, that’s the way to be you.”

“I’m not sure what you think of me, but thanks anyway.”

I gave a slight nod to Jang Chae Yeon before moving toward the source of the sound.

Bang!

With a sound of something collapsing, the mannequin jumped out.

Perhaps it was crushed by the stone debris, as its wooden body was covered in scratches.

Its still pixelated face stared at me.

Crackle! Crackle!

“…Chae Yeon.”

“Yeah.”

Jang Chae Yeon, unable to tear her gaze from the mannequin.

“Honestly, tell me. Your sister, she’s not just an ordinary person, is she?”

“…The isolation team can’t be ordinary people.”

Jang Chae Yeon muttered as she looked at me.

“Right. She’s not ordinary.”

“…”

“There were people from the isolation team who had to infiltrate as well.”

Jang Chae Yeon mumbled, shifting her gaze back to the mannequin.

“Your sister can change her face at will. She could become someone from their memories.”

“…”

“So when they infiltrated the art museum, she was the one who went in first and opened the door.”

Jang Chae Yeon’s attention was on the mannequin.

As if recalling something, her gaze moved beyond.

“But when the door opened, it was already too late.”

Jang Chae Yeon muttered, lowering her eyes.

“Everyone except for me and my sister died.”

Crackle!

The mannequin raised its voice, straightening its posture and letting out a noise that echoed like a wail.

“I see.”

“And then, my sister decided to save me.”

Crackle!

The mannequin surged toward me with an unknown sound.

Who was that mannequin supposed to show, anyway?

“But is that really all there is to it?”

As Jang Chae Yeon swung her arm, something invisible swung with it, sending the mannequin flying.

“That doesn’t provide conclusive proof that the mannequin is your sister.”

“No.”

Bang!

The mannequin slammed against the wall, and Jang Chae Yeon looked at me.

She wore a bittersweet smile.

“I’m the only one who knows her true face.”

*

“Is this how it should be done?”

“It better be right, so hurry up!”

Yu Da On and Song Ah Rin were running around shaking the butane gas canister.

‘Burn the picture.’

Song Ah Rin recalled the man’s words.

‘Are you really okay?’

‘It’s fine. Just burn the entire picture. Just, leave one out.’

“They said if you hold the cap toward your face, flames will shoot out.”

“And if you shake it too much, it’ll explode in the opposite direction, so do it moderately.”

“Right.”

Yu Da On shook the butane gas canister, while Song Ah Rin watched.

“That should be sufficient.”

“Yeah.”

Then, Yu Da On faced the opening of the canister toward the picture—

Whoosh!

Opening the cap, flames soared upwards setting the picture on fire.

The smell of burning wood wafted through the air, accompanied by an even more unpleasant odor that invaded both of their noses.

Song Ah Rin frowned, while Yu Da On nodded as if unfazed.

“It’s warm!”

“…Is this really okay…?”

With a worried expression, Song Ah Rin gazed at the burning picture.

“What if burning the art museum makes that crazy containment object go even more insane?”

“Are you worried?”

Song Ah Rin looked at Yu Da On.

The flames cast a scarlet glow on her face.

“Don’t worry.”

Yu Da On smiled gently, looking at Song Ah Rin.

A paternal smile.

It just didn’t sit right with me, as always.

She and Jang Chae Yeon didn’t get along well either.

Though they might appear to be rivals, at least she didn’t have all that fondness for Jang Chae Yeon.

In stark contrast, it was different with Yu Da On.

As Song Ah Rin’s gaze shifted to Yu Da On.

They were distant with each other, and at some point, that penetrating gaze of hers became something Song Ah Rin deeply loathed.

Of course, she had a grasp of what kind of person Yu Da On really was.

But despite that, she didn’t like the way Yu Da On treated her.

It felt like it was impossible to grow closer.

And unlike with Jang Chae Yeon, the way she seemed emotionally closer to that guy really bothered her.

At any rate, it was unappealing.

Muttering those thoughts internally, Song Ah Rin clicked her tongue.

“Ugh, let’s get going. That guy told us to do something, so he must have some plan.”

“Right. Shall we hurry?”

Leaving the wretched smell of the burning picture behind, the two of them walked away.

*

Bang!

Jang Chae Yeon kept launching attacks at the mannequin while I took out my gun and shot the joints to slow its advance.

Before we realized it, the area around us had thickened with smoke.

“…That should do it.”

Jang Chae Yeon turned to look at me.

“Sounds good.”

[Coordinate Tear: 1 round left]

Words weren’t necessary.

The world transformed into a grid as Jang Chae Yeon swung her hand wildly.

The sound of space being torn echoed as the mannequin crashed back down.

“Let’s go.”

“Where to?”

“To the masterpiece of Aestheticism.”

We quickly moved alongside Jang Chae Yeon.

Yu Da On and Song Ah Rin were already hiding amidst the rubble, waiting for us.

“Did we keep you waiting?”

“No, we just got here too.”

Yu Da On nodded and turned her gaze ahead.

In the thick smoke and vile stench, there was only one painting left of Aestheticism.

And in front of that painting stood only Aestheticism.

Amidst the dense smoke, Aestheticism stood before the painting.

A translucent window rose before my eyes.

[Name: Self-Portrait]

[Age: Created 17 years ago]

[Specialty: Awe]

[Talent: Awe]

[Background: By the time she decided to leave behind her own image, a long time had already passed. This painting is proof that she is still alive, and although her painting skills may be poor compared to now, she still loves this painting dearly. It bears her true feelings.]

[Weakness: Just burn the picture. But I wouldn’t recommend it.]

“Here.”

Drawing my gun, I gripped the butane gas canister given to me by Yu Da On.

“Chae Yeon.”

“Yeah.”

I shook the butane gas canister madly.

Not looking back, I shook it so hard my arm felt pained.

Then, with all my strength, I threw the butane gas canister toward the painting.

Jang Chae Yeon reached out, and the canister launched straight toward the painting.

I drew my gun, recalling its weakness.

Burn the picture. But I wouldn’t recommend it.

Why wouldn’t I recommend it?

Was it because this painting held great significance for Aestheticism?

No.

Bang!

I pulled the trigger.

“You…!”

Aestheticism looked at me, reaching out, and—

“Cough!”

A sharp pain pierced through my chest.

“Jae Heon!”

Even as the pain struck me, my gaze remained fixed on the painting.

A bullet hit the butane canister,

Boom!

With a tremendous sound, flames erupted, setting Aestheticism’s self-portrait ablaze.

Woosh!

The massive painting blazed, the smell of burning wood stinging my nose.

“Cough, cough…!”

“Jae Heon…!”

Yu Da On took me in her arms, fiddling with the area near my heart.

“Blood, blood…!”

Yu Da On’s face went pale as she muttered.

I looked down at my chest.

There was an opening in my chest, resembling a hole, from which blood flowed.

But I felt no fear.

“…I’m fine.”

I said calmly, reassuring Yu Da On as I looked ahead.

The art museum now resembled a hellscape.

Flames erupted everywhere, and the pungent smell of burning chemicals and protein filled the air.

Normally, it would be lethal.

Why was I not dead?

The notion that if you die, you wake up from a dream is quite a vague statement.

If I shot my head in this dream scenario, would that be considered death?

Ultimately, that gun would have been created within this dream as well.

I was thinking the wrong way.

I recalled the manual’s words.

To wake up from a dream, one must dive deeper into the dream.

Right, it wouldn’t be easy to wake up from a dream like this.

I straightened myself up.

“…H-how…? I-I have a hole in me…”

Yu Da On muttered, gazing at me.

Ignoring the dull pain in my chest, I took aim with my gun.

“Now, only two works remain.”

“…”

“There can only be one masterpiece.”

Aestheticism looked at me.

“You’re just too perceptive, which is annoying.”

As Aestheticism muttered,

Bang!

The mannequin charged Aestheticism, sending her sprawling to the ground.

‘Don’t worry. You are my greatest work.’

Greatest work.

If we assume this is a dream, what stands before me is not the ‘real’ thing.

The real one cannot exist in a dream.

So, with all paintings burned up, what remains are two works.

Jang Chae Yeon’s sister and Aestheticism’s ‘Aestheticism.’

Two masterpieces cannot coexist in one place.

“You said it was a masterpiece with your own mouth, so now you must take responsibility.”

In the flames, Aestheticism squared off against the mannequin.

The fire that should have felt hot felt surprisingly warm instead.