Chapter 105: Is This A Joke?
Liam remained motionless in the center of the testing area, with Lydia on his shoulder in her small slime form.
In front of them was the creature that James’s sensors had deemed the "suitable enemy."
Liam blinked several times.
’’What...?’’
He couldn’t believe what he was seeing.
It was a small pixie.
But it wasn’t Pix.
Her hair was completely black, and she wore a small blue dress that seemed to be made of some kind of shimmering fabric. Her wings were similar to those of a butterfly, although they had a combination of blue and black that made them look much darker than Pix’s.
The small creature floated calmly in front of them.
Lydia shifted on Liam’s shoulder.
A message appeared in front of his eyes.
[Lydia: What are we supposed to do with a creature of the same race as Pix?]
Liam sighed.
"I have no idea."
He looked at the small pixie.
"I don’t even know what kind of abilities pixies have."
The creature stretched in midair and then yawned.
It looked as if she had just woken up from a nap.
Liam raised an eyebrow.
The pixie finally opened her eyes and looked at him.
"Hmm..."
She tilted her head.
"I can sense one of my own nearby."
Liam froze.
’’Can she sense Pix?’’
Before he could respond, another message appeared in front of his eyes.
[Pix: Be careful! If she has the same abilities as me, she can play with your mind.]
Liam stared at the message for a few seconds.
Then he smiled.
"Thanks for the advice."
He paused for a moment.
"But I think I can do something about her. After all, this is just a simulation."
Liam pulled out his pistol and aimed it directly at the small pixie.
"Let’s see what you can do."
The creature smiled.
"How fun."
And she disappeared, leaving behind nothing but a simple trail of confetti and sparkles.
Liam pulled the trigger.
BANG!
The bullet tore through the spot where the pixie had been floating.
Nothing.
Not even a shadow.
Lydia extended a small tentacle from her body and pointed around them.
[Lydia: It doesn’t look like there are any traces of her inside these walls.]
Liam looked to both sides.
Nothing.
Then he heard a laugh.
"Hehehe..."
Liam turned around.
The laughter seemed to be coming from behind him.
He spun around.
Nothing.
Then it sounded from above.
Liam looked up.
Nothing.
Then from the left.
Then from the right.
"Hehehehehe..."
The little pixie was playing with them.
Liam gritted his teeth.
’Stay calm.’
His gaze shifted toward the tinted windows on one of the walls.
’She’s playing with my mind.’
He remembered Pix’s message.
He couldn’t let that creature’s tricks make him nervous.
"Lydia."
The small green mass moved.
[Lydia: Yes?]
"Stay alert."
[Lydia: Understood.]
Liam kept his pistol raised.
He waited for a few seconds.
Then...
A shadow appeared above him.
Liam looked up.
A huge white eagle was diving straight toward his face.
"Now!"
Lydia reacted immediately.
One of her tentacles extended toward the bird.
It caught it instantly.
Or so it seemed...
The moment the tentacle touched the eagle...
POOF!
The creature exploded into a shower of confetti and tiny sparkles.
Liam widened his eyes.
"What...?"
The pixie’s laughter could be heard again.
"Hehehehehe..."
Liam looked around.
’’Another illusion.’’
Then they began to appear.
Dozens of mice.
Tiny mice appeared from everywhere.
From all four walls.
Behind Liam.
Some even seemed to emerge directly from the floor.
They began running around his feet.
Liam stepped back.
Lydia sent another message.
[Lydia: Shoot the floor! Or kick the mice!]
Liam shook his head.
"No."
[Lydia: Why?]
"Because that’s exactly what she wants."
The mice continued running.
Liam carefully observed each one.
’’She’s trying to get us to react.’’
The laughter echoed again.
"Hehehe..."
Then a voice spoke from somewhere within the area.
"You guys really are boring."
Liam raised his head.
The small pixie appeared, floating a few meters away.
"Don’t you want to play with me?"
Liam stared at her.
"We didn’t come here to play."
The pixie pouted slightly.
"You’re no fun."
"Face us head-on."
The creature crossed her arms.
"Then I guess I’ll leave."
Liam narrowed his eyes.
"What?"
"I’m going to play in another dimension."
The pixie smiled.
"I’ll let you continue with your test."
Liam felt a chill run down his spine.
"Wait."
But the creature raised one hand and snapped her fingers.
CLACK!
The entire area filled with confetti.
Colorful sparkles floated through the air.
Liam had to cover his eyes.
"What the hell?!"
Lydia clung to his shoulder.
Then...
They heard a roar.
Completely different from the pixie’s laughter.
Liam froze.
The sparkles began to disappear.
A message appeared in front of his eyes.
[Danger]
Liam felt his heart begin to race.
"What...?"
A creature emerged from the shadows in front of them.
An enormous black wolf.
Its body was muscular and covered in dark fur. Its eyes glowed with a savage intensity. Foam dripped from its mouth, and it looked completely rabid.
The animal bared its fangs.
Liam took one step back, and another message appeared.
[Danger]
Lydia immediately sent a message.
[Lydia: Now that looks like the creature we’re supposed to fight.]
Liam stared at the wolf.
The creature growled.
Grrrrrrrr...
The sound made the floor tremble slightly.
Liam slowly raised his pistol.
"This is..."
He looked around.
The pixie was gone.
So were the mice.
The eagle was nowhere to be seen.
The confetti had disappeared.
Only the wolf remained.
"All of this is really strange."
Liam looked up.
"Pix."
There was no response.
"Is this the real enemy the machine simulated?"
Liam frowned.
"And what happened to that pixie who was playing with us?"
Nothing.
He waited a few seconds.
"Pix."
Again, there was no response.
The system message continued appearing in front of his eyes.
[Danger]
[Danger]
[Danger]
Liam felt that something was wrong.
’’Why isn’t Pix responding?’’
The wolf lowered its head slightly, and its legs tensed.
It was preparing to attack.
Lydia seemed to realize it as well.
Her body slowly began transforming on Liam’s shoulder.
Her small form grew larger.
Tentacles began to emerge.
Liam aimed his pistol directly at the creature.
But something still bothered him.
The pixie.
Her behavior.
Her disappearance.
And above all...
Pix’s absence.
’’What’s really going on with this test?’’
The wolf growled again.
This time, much louder.
And it lunged directly at them.