Got Dropped into a Ghost Story, Still Gotta Work

trigger warning: blood, gore

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The ‘teacher’ reached its deformed hand, fused with a chalkboard, through the gap, tearing apart the metal door itself.

CRRRK-CRACK-CRACK

The door crumpled and fell away.

And there it stood, revealed—

AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!

A massive humanoid figure.

But only a silhouette.

It looked as though multiple teachers had been crumpled together, stitched, and forcibly shoved back into a mold resembling a human.

A fleshy monstrosity with arms on its head, heads on its shoulders, and shoulders on its knees.

Walking into the auditorium with disturbingly deliberate steps…

StepStepStepStepStep

Chalkboards, textbooks, student rosters, chalk, and glasses haphazardly attached to various body parts swayed with each movement.

Standing on the opposite side of the stage, I observed its grotesque form.

All I felt was boiling determination.

If I could overcome this, I could return home and fill up the Collector…

‘That’s right.’

This situation didn’t require fear but relentless tenacity.

The tattoo on my neck burned hot, fueling my guts, heart, and mind.

‘Ah.’

Now I understood.

The tattoo sticker’s effect was—

‘Euphoria.’

An overflow of adrenaline.

A surge of exhilaration, driving me to pursue any goal with ferocious intensity.

And paired with the strange perception that turned everything into tomatoes…

‘I can do this.’

Without hesitation, I grabbed the auditorium microphone and stared ahe

S L A S H

I dodged.

Well, I was hit, but instead of losing my head, just half of my right hand was severed.

I was a little surprised, but there was no pain.

No mental shock! It felt as if I were watching a tomato being crushed.

The courage to let reason triumph over instinct.

And a burning determination.

‘I’ll succeed no matter what.’

…Did you know?

This horror game isn’t action-based.

While basic gaming reflexes are necessary for chase sequences, the core gameplay revolves around puzzles and deduction.

As the player progresses through the game, they acquire various abilities to use in the final chapter.

To counter the teacher’s attacks, the player must solve puzzles and endure at the microphone until the graduation song concludes.

But as an explorer, such progression was impossible for me.

‘I only borrowed a uniform. I’m not a real student.’

However.

‘I can handle it like this.’

I pulled out my glass handgun and fired.

AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!

The transparent, small-caliber weapon I received from a Disaster Management Bureau agent worked with decent effect.

A bullet struck the teacher’s shoulder, eliciting a pained scream.

But it didn’t seem to inflict significant damage.

‘Well, it wasn’t exactly top-tier equipment.’

It didn’t matter.

‘The goal was to throw off its aim…!’

S L A S H

The rusty chalkboard slammed into me, severing my left foot.

Still, I didn’t move. I just stood there, clutching the microphone.

Blood gushed from my wounds, soaking the stage.

Right. With human strength alone, it was impossible to evade or overpower that monster’s attacks.

After all, I wasn’t Chief Lizard.

But that didn’t mean there was no way.

‘I just have to stop caring.’

Thunk.

The rest of my right hand disappeared up to the wrist.

Unbothered, I aimed the glass-handled pistol with my left hand and fired again.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

LISTENTOYOURTEACHERAAAAAAHHHHHSITDOWNTHISISTHEGRADUATIONCEREMONYIAMINCHARGEAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

And again.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

My left thigh exploded.

I held on.

S L A S H

Both legs were now gone.

‘I’m out of bullets.’

I slid downward, still gripping the standing microphone.

S L A S H

The left hand holding the pistol was severed, but I clung to the microphone stand with the rest of my body.

S L A S H

Using my remaining left elbow, I climbed up the microphone stand.

Blood splattered violently.

And then…

Huh?

The graduation music has stopped.

‘Now!’

Just as the ‘teacher’ raised its grotesque chalkboard-hand to strike again.

I shouted into the microphone:

“Congratulations on your graduation!”

……

At that moment.

The auditorium filled with a pixelated holographic shower of flowers.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH

The monstrous teacher let out a final scream before melting away.

The grotesque shapes that had overtaken the auditorium vanished as if consumed by flames.

Even the chairs that had trapped the students…

WAAAAHH!!

The now-liberated third-year students exploded out of the auditorium, racing toward freedom.

Tears of joy and relief streamed from their eyes.

In the original ‘Bad Ending’, they would have all turned into the teacher’s zombified minions, killing any remaining explorers…

‘But this time, the ending is different.’

I looked up.

The curtains of the auditorium drew back, revealing soft yellow and red light streaming in from outside.

Dawn had arrived.

A popup appeared.

Happy Ending 02

: Graduation of Liberation

So, this is the ending.

Next, an evaluation of my performance during the final chapter appeared below.

Happy Ending 02

: Graduation of Liberation

Score : A

I checked the Dream Essence Collector.

Golden liquid sparkled inside, rich and dazzling, as vibrant as during the Tuesday talk show.

– Grade A or higher.

‘I did it.’

A thrilling sense of accomplishment washed over me.

As I swallowed the last fragment of candy lingering on my tongue, my consciousness began to fade, a smile curling my lips.

Now I would wake up.

No, I would return to myself lying in bed, having successfully cleared the ghost story and escaped!

‘Good.’

I would drift into a restful sleep and wake up in the morning…

……

……

……

…Am I back?

Huh?

The manual’s still inside my tattoo inventory, it seems! Should I take it out?

Hold on.

Since when have I been hearing this voice?

No, it’s not that I’m hearing it…

I’m the one speaking.

……

Since when.

Has the manual been in my tattoo this whole time?

Why have I been casually brushing aside the teacher’s intrusive thoughts, treating them as natural?

Why did I suddenly feel indifferent about visiting the Fox Counseling Room after the next exploration, despite previously being concerned about side effects? 𝘳

Why do I now think of the eerie, incomprehensible entity I once called a ‘Good Friend’ as my most comforting confidant?

Without any inherent unease or sense of caution?

……

……!!!

‘No.’

I can’t allow myself to be consumed now!

But already, my doubts were fading.

As the Nostalgia Candy’s effects wear off, the present version of me was reclaiming its place.

The contamination is creeping in…!!

In the hazy sensation of floating on the edge of wakefulness, I struggled.

‘Kim Soleum!!’

Remember.

Remember!!

You are being contamina…

* * *

“Huuuhk!”

Whoa.

“I thought I died.”n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om

I woke up drenched in cold sweat.

A deep sigh of relief escaped my lips.

‘Anyway, I made it.’

But at the same time, a faint chill of unease lingered, as if I’d forgotten something……

– ……

– You’re awake…, Friend.

……

…!!

‘AAACK!’

In a panic, I bolted upright and rescued Braun from beneath my pillow, just before he was about to get squashed flat.

‘That was close.’

“Sorry!”

Then, I flopped back onto the bed, arms spread wide. Exhaustion and comfort overlapped as a grin spread across my face.

Anyway… it seems I’ve made it back safely!