Chapter 276: Playing the Game
The blood moon hung heavy in the zenith.
In this distorted city, the night was forever bathed in a bruised, monochromatic
crimson. The streets were vacant, save for the rhythmic, electrical buzz-hiss of
streetlamps that flickered between dim amber and absolute dark.
Bochi tumbled from the warped space-time tunnel. Its springy, gelatinous form
bounced twice against the cobblestones before settling into a narrow alleyway.
"TA-DAAAA!"
The moment its "feet" struck the stone, Bochi hummed its own heroic landing
sound effect—a tune it had shamelessly lifted from a traveling bard back in the
Iron Fortress. Two tiny blue tentacles snapped to its waist, assuming what it
considered a peerless "Protagonist Pose."
The six Shadow Guards followed, rolling out of the rift in a disorganized
tumble. They scrambled up instantly, breaking into a frantic session of rhythmic
applause.
"Lord Bochi is magnificent!" "That landing was a Tier-S maneuver!" "Truly, the
future God of Blobs knows no equal!"
Bochi nodded with profound satisfaction. It was just about to deliver a prepared
speech when a cold, mechanical female voice broadcasted directly into its
sensory nodes.
[WELCOME TO THE ANOMALY GAME: MAMA'S LULLABY]
[PROTOCOLS ARE AS FOLLOWS:]
1. [THE CURRENT SECTOR IS DESIGNATED AS 'MAMA'S ROOM.']
2. [MAMA POSSESSES TOTAL AFFECTION FOR YOU. SHE WILL PROVIDE FOR ALL YOUR
NEEDS.]
3. [EVERY EVENING AT 20:00 HOURS, MAMA WILL ARRIVE TO PERFORM A LULLABY.]
Bochi blinked, its black-bean eyes filling with a thousand literal question
marks. It used two tentacles to scratch its blue head in confusion. It looked
left, then right, only to find the alley occupied by itself and its six
sycophants.
"What in the Blazes is this buzzing?" Bochi tilted its head. "What 'Protocols'?
Who is 'Mama'?"
"I am a Slime. Why would I understand these 'Logic Errors'?"
It waved a dismissive tentacle, choosing to treat the voice as statistical
noise. "Whatever. Ignore it."
It turned back to the silent Shadow Guards, its tone turning authoritative. "You
lot—back into the shadow. The Master said to maintain a 'Low Profile' in new
environments. We are conducting a stealth operation."
The Shadow Guards bowed obediently, dissolving into six streaks of darkness that
slid back into Bochi's silhouette.
With its entourage concealed, Bochi began its undulation toward the mouth of the
alley. It hummed an improvised tune as it moved, its body performing a rhythmic
squish-squash.
"The adventure begins~ Bochi is the king~" "Is there any candy~ is there
anything~?"
Just then, the sound of frantic footsteps echoed from the street beyond.
Bochi's humming died. It recalled a core lesson from the Academy's Tactical
Field Survival course: Upon entering an unidentified sector, first assess the
threat-rating, then formulate a strike-plan.
In the next micro-second, Bochi's springy body compressed and released. It
launched itself like a blue rocket, anchoring itself to the roofline above the
alley. Poking its tiny head over the eaves, it looked down at the street.
And then, it witnessed something that triggered a "Most Displeasing" resonance
in its core.
A woman was sprinting for her life. Her clothes were shredded rags, and her face
was a mask of grime and tears. She looked back over her shoulder with a gaze of
pure, jagged terror.
"Help! Someone help me! By the Gods, anyone!" her voice was a raspy shriek of
despair.
But the street remained a void. No one answered.
Trailing ten meters behind her, a little girl in a floral dress was strollng
casually. She looked no older than seven or eight, her hair in neat twin tails,
her face wearing a wide, innocent smile. But under the light of the blood moon,
that smile was a structural horror.
"Big Sister, why do you run?" The girl's voice was sweet, but the frequency was
unnerving. "Let's play a game together. As long as you follow the Rules, nothing
bad will happen"
The woman shook her head frantically, her pace reaching a suicidal velocity. She
veered into a side-street, diving behind a massive trash bin, her hand clamped
over her mouth to silence her heaving breath.
The rhythmic patter-tap of the girl's shoes drew closer. Closer.
The footsteps stopped right beside the bin.
"I found you~"
The girl's head tilted over the rim of the bin, her grin stretching into a
grotesque, impossible arc that reached her ears.
"Big Sister violated the Rules~" "The Rules say: No Hiding during playtime~"
"Therefore..."
The girl unhinged her jaw. It opened wider and wider, surpassing the biological
limits of a human skull, revealing rows of serrated, needle-thin teeth.
"...Big Sister has volunteered for consumption~"
"NO! PLEASE! GIVE ME ANOTHER—"
CRUNCH. CRUNCH. SLURP.
The woman's shriek was terminated mid-note. The sound of wet chewing was the
only soundtrack to the crimson night.
Bochi watched the entire cycle from the roof. The happy glow in its eyes died,
replaced by a cold, sharp sapphire light.
"Truly... a most displeasing Tier 2 pest."
Bochi's body began to warp. The blue gelatinous mass twisted and reorganized
itself, shedding its slime-shape. Within seconds, a human girl in an Evernight
Academy uniform stood upon the roof. She looked roughly fourteen, her hair
cascading over her shoulders, her face a mask of wide-eyed, artificial
innocence.
In the alley below, the Anomaly finished its meal. It patted its stomach and let
out a satisfied, spectral belch.
"Hic~ Humans are so simple~ A little nudge, and they trigger the violation
protocols themselves~ Kekeke~"
"Oh dear, I've consumed the entire portion. I forgot to bring a sample back for
Mama." She tilted her head, tapping her chin with a blood-stained finger, her
"cute" face a mask of feigned distress. "Oh well. Mama loves me. If I eat more,
she'll be happy for my growth."
She clapped her hands and turned to head home.
And then, she saw her.
An unfamiliar human girl in a strange school uniform was standing at the exit of
the alley. The girl's head was bowed, hair obscuring her face, her hands hanging
limply at her sides.
Seeing zero "Power Signature" from the girl, the Anomaly's eyes lit up with
predatory glee.
"My, my~" she chirped, trotting toward the newcomer. "What a lucky night! Big
Sister, why are you all alone in the dark? Are you lost? Shall I guide you
home?~"
The Academy girl offered no response, standing as still as a statue. The Anomaly
grinned, drawing closer. She began the "Induction Protocol," weaving her web of
rules around the target.
"Big Sister, do you know? There are many Rules here~ As long as you follow them,
the night is kind. But if you violate them..." Her voice hit a sharp,
high-pitched register. "...you get eaten! Kekeke!~"
She let out a raspy cackle, extending a hand to "greet" the paralyzed human.
"Feel the terror! Scream for me! In this sector, no matter how loud you wail,
the Sovereign cannot hear you!~"
The hand was millimeters from touching Bochi's avatar when the human girl slowly
lifted her head.
A smile broke across Bochi's face—a grin far more haunting and predatory than
the one the Anomaly wore.
"I see~" Bochi whispered. "Then this is a most excellent arrangement~"
"Pest."
In that heartbeat, the overwhelming Authority of a Tier 7 Calamity-class entity
erupted from the "schoolgirl."
The pressure was a physical blow. The Anomaly's smile shattered, her frame
beginning to vibrate with an uncontrollable, instinctual terror.
"C-Calamity Class?!" she wheezed. "Impossible! How can a Calamity walk the
streets in a human skin?!"
She turned to bolt, her "Logic" screaming at her to flee, but she was already
too slow.
Bochi's jaw unhinged. It opened wider than the Anomaly's ever could.
CRUNCH.
With a single bite, the Anomaly's reaching arm was erased from existence.
"AAAAAAH!"
A piercing shriek tore through the night. The Anomaly didn't even look at her
missing limb; she transformed into a blur of frantic motion, running ten times
faster than the woman she had just killed.
But Bochi didn't chase. He simply walked, a casual, measured pace, wearing that
same wide-eyed, innocent smile.
"Little sister, why do you run?" Bochi repeated the Anomaly's words back to her,
pitch-perfect. "Let's play a game together. As long as you follow the Rules,
nothing bad will happen"
The Anomaly felt her soulfire freezing. She sprinted into a labyrinth of alleys,
diving into a dark corner, her remaining hand clamped over her mouth.
The rhythmic thump-tap of Bochi's boots drew closer. Closer.
Then, the sound passed by her hiding spot, fading into the distance.
The Anomaly waited. She waited for what felt like an eternity. Once she was
certain the monster was gone, she allowed herself a shuddering breath.
"Hah... hah..." Black liquid bled from her stump. "Dammit... dammit! I need
Mama! I have to tell Mama!"
She scrambled up, stumbling as she raced toward a familiar apartment complex.
Finally, she saw the building.
But as she neared the entrance, a series of long, flickering shadows caught her
eye. She looked up toward the roof.
The Anomaly turned to stone.
Six silhouettes stood atop the building. Their outlines were jagged and
distorted, featureless voids that blotted out the red moon. They stood in a
silent, high-tier vigil.
The Anomaly spun around to flee, but it was too late.
Six pools of absolute darkness erupted from the cobblestones around her,
manifesting into a wall of living shadow that sealed every tactical retreat.
The Anomaly looked around in a state of terminal despair. Only one route
remained open: the apartment entrance.
She gritted her teeth and lunged inside. As long as I reach the room! As long as
I reach Mama! The Protocols will protect me!
She sprinted up the stairs, reached the third floor, and fumbled with her keys.
She threw the door open, falling into the safety of her home.
The moment the door swung, a voice whispered from directly behind her ear.
"So, little sister... you do live here~"
The Anomaly's head turned with the jerky, mechanical clicking of a broken doll.
The Academy girl was standing behind her, her smile more radiant—and more
terrifying—than ever.
"Ma—"
Bochi didn't use The Devourer ability. He wanted to feel the resistance. He
transformed his jaw into a localized meat-grinder, mimicking the biological pain
of the "pests."
CRUNCH.
One bite. The Anomaly was liquidated. Not a single scrap of her existence
remained on the carpet.
Bochi smacked its lips, a look of profound distaste crossing its face.
"Terrible quality," it grumbled. "Not even a fraction as flavorful as the
Sovereign's fish."
☆☆☆
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