Chapter Fourteen: Vast Differences

[Prompt: You have completed the hidden quest "Little Bob's Revenge" Stage One.]
[Prompt: "Little Bob's" favorability toward you has risen from "Indifferent" to "Friendly."]

Although he hadn't heard a direct response, the system prompt had already given Ash the answer he wanted.

As eight fierce figures broke through the darkness and stepped onto the floating island, Ash gently tossed the Nightmare Invitation into the abyss.

Admittedly, his decision might have been somewhat reckless—he still had the Wish Matches on hand—but after hearing Old Bob's story, he wished to test his theory in real combat. The early maturity of the Bloodvine Bracelet also bolstered his confidence.

A humming sound...

It was as if time stood still at that moment. Everyone present was frozen in place by the inexplicable hum. The members of the Giant Tree Research Institute, unaware of the situation, wore expressions of vigilance, while Ash and his companions watched as the Nightmare Invitation fluttered down like a leaf, only to be devoured by a bloodvine rising from the sea.

Jingle, jingle!

With a shake of bells, the sea churned. A Nightmare Pumpkin Carriage drawn by a nightmare steed suddenly emerged from where the invitation had disappeared. The lithe nightmare steed, wreathed in ghostly blue flames, galloped through the air, circling the floating island before shaking off the bloodvine that clung to the carriage and descending slowly before Ash and his companions.

...

Anomaly Name: [Nightmare Pumpkin Carriage] (Small Vehicle-Type Anomaly)
Danger Level: Unknown
Faction Affiliation: Unknown
Energy Level: Unknown
Life Rank: Unknown
Special Function: Unknown
Additional Notes: Unknown

[Prompt: The target's information has not been recorded by the Foundation, and your perception level is insufficient to activate "Eye of Inquiry" and obtain additional data.]
[Prompt: Your discovery can likewise be recorded in the Foundation's database, aiding the perfection of the "Eye of Inquiry."]

...

If Little Bob hadn't explicitly named it the "Nightmare Pumpkin Carriage," Ash would have thought even the anomaly's name would be listed as "Unknown." He patiently observed, while the Giant Tree Research Institute members grew restless, for none of them had known that something so bizarre lurked beneath the bloodvine abyss. One, less composed than the rest, began to shout loudly—only to be instantly incinerated into ash by the nightmare's ghostly flames. After that—

All was silent.

Ash couldn't help but marvel; it truly was worthy of crawling out from the bloodvine abyss—utterly uncanny.

Jingle, jingle!

The ringing bell broke the suffocating silence once more. The carriage window slowly slid open, darkness seeping out. Even Little Bob, whose perception was highest among those present, could not see clearly at a glance. Suddenly, the darkness receded a little, revealing a masked profile. The person inside the carriage kept their shoulders still, but their head turned in an unnaturally smooth circle, until the eyes hidden behind the veil fixed upon Ash's.

"Are you the one who wishes to replace the witch and accept punishment?"

The voice sounded like an iron shovel being dragged across concrete, intolerable to the ear. Ash, brow slightly furrowed, found himself free to move again. He nodded, replying, "Yes."

"Heh, that woman has already become a ghastly creature, yet there are still so many fools willing to suffer in her place!"

The masked person's cold laughter was increasingly unsettling. Ash noticed something odd and quickly produced the witch's remnant soul, probing, "So you mean the witch's previous identity wasn't truly the witch?"

"You remind me of someone I met not long ago—always asking questions, always annoying. If you weren't holding that woman's remnant soul, you'd already be dead." The masked person's tone was hostile, but he nonetheless explained, "That woman was once a lofty fairy. Later, when the nightmare descended, she became a witch. Unable to accept reality, she secretly fled, and eventually turned into a living corpse."

The masked one revealed the answer, prompting Cup of Wine to sigh heavily. Empathy stirred; to fall from a holy fairy to a wicked witch—such a tremendous reversal could drive anyone mad. Yet the witch's refusal to accept reality led to an even more tragic end.

"Judging by your appearance, you’re here for the Sun Staircase as well? Don’t kid yourself. So many powerful beings failed to achieve it, and you bunch think you stand a chance?" The masked one let out a harsh laugh. "Very well, to shatter your unrealistic hopes, I’ll end your lives with a nightmare."

With those words, the nightmare steed stamped the ground, and its ghostly flames surged, causing the bloodvine abyss around the floating island to erupt!

The darkness cleared instantly, revealing a scene that left everyone dumbfounded.

Countless bloodvines intertwined, transforming within the nightmare's illusory flames into earth, into forest, into a black sky devoid of sunlight, into a nondescript woodland path.

Jingle, jingle!

Before the surging ghost fire fully engulfed the Nightmare Pumpkin Carriage, the door swung open, and a gaunt, gray-skinned werewolf with glowing eyes stepped out. It grinned at the terrified crowd, exposing shrunken gums devoid of fangs, and cackled hoarsely, "Consider yourselves lucky. This damned nightmare left me without a single rotten tooth; now I can only swallow you whole."

He then shook his head and sighed, "But I’ve been starving for far too long. If I eat you all at once, I won’t digest you quickly enough. You don’t seem to be a single group, do you? Perfect—let’s play a game. Whoever loses, dies!"

At these words, the Giant Tree Research Institute members erupted in outrage. Not only had their spoils been snatched by Ash and his companions, now they were being dragged into a deadly game for no apparent reason? They glared angrily at Ash’s group, itching to strike early, but Ash, the instigator, was unconcerned by their hostility. His gaze locked onto the gray-skinned werewolf, eagerly anticipating the game’s format.

"As long as I secure one favorable condition, I have a fifty percent chance. If it fails, I still have the matches as backup."

Ash calculated silently, then saw the gray-skinned werewolf gesture toward a stone house that had transformed into a wooden cottage, addressing everyone, "Little Red Riding Hood's grandmother has a poor appetite lately and craves delicious cake. All you need to do is go to the other side of the forest, have Little Red bring the cake, and let grandmother eat it—then you pass the game! But during this, no one may look back. Don't blame me for not warning you: whoever looks back, dies! Of course, you can turn around—I won’t force you to walk backward, ha!"

"Come, line up in a row, everyone stand straight. Don't worry about anyone gaining an advantage, and don't fear I'll break the rules—I'm a fair and principled werewolf!" The gray-skinned werewolf spoke with conviction, though few believed him. He drew a horizontal line behind the group with his claw, chuckling, "Grandmother wants to eat cake soon; anyone who dawdles or tries to slack off—well, you know what happens."

Nearly everyone noticed the werewolf’s action, and especially that the line turned into a straight bloodvine once formed. Clearly, the bloodvine would move along with the group, and if anyone were caught by it, the consequences would be dire.

"You seem to have much to discuss, so out of the kindness of my heart, I’ll give you ten seconds. After ten seconds, we begin. But, grandmother needs rest, so keep quiet."

Whoosh!

Seeing this, Ash swiftly secured a favorable position and took a deep breath. He clenched his fists, thinking, "Heaven is on my side! With these rules, my odds aren't just fifty percent—even seventy percent is an understatement. With such high chances, I can risk it and preserve the matches! As long as their value is truly worth risking my life!"

With his mind made up, Ash glanced at the Giant Tree Research Institute member beside him, noticing the man was looking at him as if he were already dead.

The lineup order was self-determined. Ash and his two companions, taking advantage of their proximity, claimed one end to avoid being attacked from both sides. The Institute members didn’t mind, confident in their overwhelming strength. After a brief gestured discussion, they placed a burly, battle-hardened warrior next to Ash.

Compared to the confident Institute members, Ash’s other two companions seemed anxious. Cup of Wine, unable to distance herself, now truly feared being eliminated instantly—the enemy’s skills were deadly, and a single mistake could mean elimination, prompting her to consider using the matches. Little Bob still harbored doubts about the nightmare challenge; though he had chosen to follow his father’s path, he kept questioning whether he could be as brave as his father.

Feeling the difference in atmosphere on both sides, Ash gave Little Bob and Cup of Wine a steady look, subtly signaling them with a movement for action, then pounding his chest and nodding firmly, reassuring them of his judgment.

Little Bob and Cup of Wine fully understood Ash’s intent. With the disparity in strength, their only chance to overturn the situation was to exploit the challenge’s rules.

But how easy was that?

When Ash decided to act, would the opposing side not respond? In fact, the Institute had placed the burly warrior next to Ash precisely to use the rules to their advantage. Two figures standing side by side—one strong as an ox, the other unremarkable—no one would believe Ash could win a contest of strength. Thus, the Institute’s group grew more confident, while Ash’s side appeared increasingly defeated.

Yet Ash’s resolute gaze bolstered Little Bob and Cup of Wine's fighting spirit, for this was the only opportunity they could imagine to turn the tables. Summoning the Nightmare Pumpkin Carriage was part of their purpose; since Old Bob and the Gardener had used the Nightmare Invitation to reverse their fate, why should they be doomed to fail?

Victory cannot be achieved by sighs!

Thud!

As Ash was signaling Cup of Wine not to hastily use the matches, his body suddenly lurched to the side—his shoulder had been struck hard. Turning, he saw the burly warrior’s provocative stare and disdainful smile. The collision proved to the warrior that Ash's strength was unimpressive, so he made a throat-slitting gesture, signaling his intent to kill.

Enjoy your last moments, boy from Paradise World!