“I'm sorry, sweetheart. I must have frightened you terribly. You know I'd never hurt you. What happened earlier was complicated, but none of it was your fault, alright?” Sitting on the edge of the cliff, I apologized to Otto, guilt heavy in my voice. "I wasn't myself just then; I got too emotional."

  I'd run more than a kilometer from the square, iron-gray building to the cliffside without encountering anyone else. Even Rafe had just stood back at a distance, rubbing his chin, quietly watching me. Only Otto, this lazy, greedy, cowardly dog, stayed close behind—so close that I nearly kicked him in the jaw a few times. The chilly, salty ocean breeze gradually dispersed my rage, allowing me to calm down and carefully sort through what had just happened.

  The dog's big head was buried in my chest, smearing snot and saliva onto my shirt, already colorfully stained by markers and candy wrappers. He whimpered pitifully.

  Just moments ago, I'd been completely immersed in the ecstatic thrill of glimpsing the ultimate. Now that I'd thought it over, I realized I hadn't actually missed out on as much as I'd initially believed. Undoubtedly, those were words surpassing all others—but their power was overwhelming for me. Rafe, reluctant as I was to admit it, had made the right choice.

  “So, how do you want me to make it up to you? How about playing ball all afternoon? Ball?”

  Two mentions of "ball" prompted Otto to slightly lift his head and gently wag his tail, but all four paws remained tightly gripping my body.

  “Why is my baby so cute? Who’s the best dog in the world? Who’s my favorite puppy?” I lightly patted his chubby back, already mentally crafting a weight-loss meal plan for him.

  The soft sound of footsteps approached from behind. I turned around—mostly fearing Rafe would shove me off the cliff—and suddenly felt exhausted and annoyed.

  "Sorry, the tests weren't properly planned." Rafe sat down on Otto’s other side, stroking the dog’s head. With double the petting came double the happiness; Otto’s tail wagged faster. "Actually, both tests were designed to assess the same thing—our perception. Your perceptive abilities are too strong, allowing you to see too much, causing sensory overload. Honestly, we weren't prepared to deal with what you saw."

  "And then?" I dropped my hand from Otto's back.

  Rafe hesitated briefly, stopping his petting of Otto. "The first test involved a music box called 'Newborn Hell,' continuously playing a high-frequency melody humans can't hear. Hunters can't either, but it activates Path and Skill, testing the overall stability of a hunter’s system."

  "Am I stable?" Now it was my turn to stroke Otto’s soft, fragrant head.

  "You slept for seven hours with stable vital signs… You don’t understand; the test duration record is measured in minutes." Rafe stared at me oddly. "Father Brown said he's never encountered a situation like yours, though he'd heard of a similar case when he was your age. He's quite intrigued and is searching for those old records now. The data analysis center suspects I faked the results and has requested internal review of the experiment. Of course, none of this is your problem—I'll handle it."

  That explained Rafe’s extraordinary patience and why he'd chased me to the cliffside just to comfort me. As I watched the sun slowly set over the sea, I finally felt some interest in all this trouble.

  "What about the second test?"

  "After the first test, a hunter’s Skill and Path reach their peak before Hollowing occurs. At that moment, we can see more clearly, closer to Residents’ perception. The stone itself isn't special, but the writing on it is Nowhere language. Very few hunters see it, and each sees something completely different. When you advance further, you'll see those records."

  "I can't discuss others’ results, just as no one except those in the building today and the higher-ups can see yours. I can only say you've achieved several times the usual record."

  Then I'd have to deal with those so-called higher-ups soon. Tuesday and the marine scientist temporarily residing in the ash jar were my only reliable allies. Feeling Tuesday's gift shift slightly inside my abdomen reassured me.

  I sensed Rafe no longer regarded me as a hunter—or even human. He was using his best attitude towards an unknown, albeit friendly, entity. I didn't mind; as long as Otto felt comfortable with me, it was enough.

  "So? What do you need me to do?"

  Rafe visibly tensed. "Well, I need you to know\... everything that happened wasn’t intentional. Please don’t be angry."

  "But you interrupted my transformation. Or are you saying that wasn't intentional either?" Resting my head on Otto’s back, I lay down. Otto didn't seem uncomfortable, smiling slightly with narrowed eyes. "Don't worry; I'm not blaming you."

  "No, you have every right to be angry. Honestly, if it happened to me, I'd be furious." Rafe edged closer, sitting cross-legged with his knee nearly touching my head. "Your Hollowing has always been so mild, almost nonexistent. No one has ever heard of such a case. Your value surpasses even the Life Furnace."

  "So I'm your asset now?"

  Rafe chuckled softly. "That's just your way of putting it. If I described the soul-deep bond between hunters, you wouldn’t listen. You’d just want to throw me off this cliff."

  This man—Otto’s owner—somehow knew me as well as if he could read minds. I found it extraordinary.

  "Obtaining a high-value Collection is complicated. Discovering it is merely the easiest step." Rafe gently touched my head. "Extracting all its value immediately is the stupidest approach. I'd never allow that."

  That sounded reasonable enough. Suddenly remembering something critical, I sat up abruptly. "What's the Ainsworth clade’s real purpose for reactivating the Life Furnace? What further use could that Collection possibly have after activation? It seems absurdly elaborate just to obtain some crude oil."

  Rafe didn't understand Ainsworth’s business operations, yet he wasn’t ashamed—in fact, he proudly attributed it to his "dedication as a hunter."

  "Do you know why I’ve reached this level at my age? Well……That’s not important. It's because I’m focused enough. We must prioritize Nowhere over mundane life."

  "So you're spending unknown sources of money? What if you’ve funded yourself by selling organs from a whole town using Collections? What if your Collections have caused endless trouble?" Feeling reinvigorated, I settled comfortably, resting my head on Rafe’s leg and holding Otto. "Fine, you know nothing, say nothing. But can you at least tell me my next move?"

  You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

  "Two tests and an activity have proven your abilities. You're now ready to finish the task whenever you wish."

  Rafe didn't look particularly excited about his imminent success. "The Life Furnace is out at sea. I'll need to arrange either a boat or a helicopter six hours in advance—whichever you prefer."

  "I hate any water deeper than a meter, so either choice sounds equally terrifying. I’ve rested long enough; let's just get this over with."

  The seaside at night in midsummer was cool and damp. The little dog in my arms was like a warm furnace—no wonder dogs were essential survival tools for drifters. I suddenly felt extremely weary.

  "If I tell you something I don't even fully understand myself, can you promise not to tell anyone else?"

  The thigh muscles under my head tightened briefly, and just as Rafe seemed to understand me, I could sense his own excitement at this moment.

  "I know you're deeply connected to Ainsworth, and if this is difficult for you... I actually don't need to share this with any 'person'."

  Not every attempt yields the desired outcome. Rafe's silence wasn't unexpected, but I hoped it wouldn't deter me from trying to communicate in the future.

  "The clade isn't what you think—it doesn't own hunters. This isn’t a slave society anymore." After sending a text, Rafe threw his phone off the cliff and covered my eyes again. "I have no obligation to live every moment for Ainsworth. Don't worry, no one will hear what you're about to say."

  I unbuttoned my shirt, exposing my abdomen. Using Hoffman's Skill, I removed the skin and flesh from my stomach. The chilly air made my stomach contract slightly, but the crucial part wasn’t what I naturally had, but what I shouldn't have had. This Skill had incredible potential. I’d already come up with a few good uses—just waiting for the time to try them out.

  "And there's also—don’t throw up. During the first test, I saw Tuesday. She gave me this." From within the fatty tissue of my abdomen, I extracted a twenty-centimeter-tall cotton doll—no blood, just clusters of soft, pale yellow fat gently pulsing among the vivid red internal organs.

  "Gosh… you are something." Rafe’s hand trembled slightly against my face, pressing against my eyes until they felt swollen. "I appreciate your honesty, but what exactly are you trying to tell me?"

  "Before I give you details, I need to know exactly what was used in both tests and your experience during your test." I placed the flesh back into position and released the Skill as if nothing had happened. "My Skill and Path have changed."

  "Are you sure it's permanent? That’s new. Yes, relics temporarily change Skill and Path—making Path conditions easier and Skill slightly stronger. At that time, just two bottles of beer could send me into Nowhere, even allowing me to borrow the vision of a fly two kilometers away—accompanied by some hallucinations and headaches. That's my limit in human form, and also the main purpose of the tests—to reveal our potential."

  "You neglected to mention the hallucinations—that's the key point." I sighed, somewhat disappointed. "Let’s change the question: what exactly are relics?"

  "That's common knowledge: Collections that have no active use by humans and no expiration. They're usually kept to help a clade appear less nouveau riche, demonstrating their preparedness to handle problems—very costly to maintain annually. Prolonged exposure has effects similar to those caused by Nowhere, typically requiring vacuum preservation."

  "When you formally join Ainsworth, you'll receive the task of watching over a relic: eight hours a day facing a pile of junk. You can do anything except leave or sleep."

  "Nonsense. It contains messages from Nowhere meant for humans, at least they exist for reasons, I just don’t know yet. Seriously, has no one noticed?" I nearly laughed. "That's language capable of influencing this world. If you genuinely don't know instead of deceiving me, you're even more pitiable."

  Rafe's hand slipped from my face.

  "It isn't his fault. Nobody should know this."

  I froze, sat up, and looked toward the voice's source—the cotton doll I'd placed beside me. Wearing a blue lace camisole dress, the doll stood up, arms folded, her yarn hair fluttering in the sea breeze, pink button eyes fixed on me.

  "Uh…"

  "I see it too."

  Otto tilted his head, trying to approach the doll, but an invisible force suddenly pressed him down. The dog dropped flat, trembling and growling softly.

  "Oh, I would never hurt a little dog." Tuesday lightly skipped over to Otto and buried her entire body into the soft fur of his neck. "What you did was incredibly dangerous; don't ever do it again."

  "It would save you years of waiting—isn't that good? Who knows how long my Hollowing will last—I'm helping you out." I didn't feel guilty; Tuesday was the last person who should blame me.

  Tuesday's twenty-centimeter body relaxed comfortably atop Otto’s head. "Without this little dog, only part of you would remain—the part needed by the saint. To me, that would be no different from death."

  "I don't understand."

  "I know. Nobody understands, not even most Residents. Relics give birth to saints, guardians, part of the rules, the endpoint for Residents. All you need to know is that even I don't wish for it to happen. The words you saw are beneficial—use them only once you fully understand." Tuesday reluctantly rubbed her head against Otto's. "Call my name three times to summon me through this doll."

  "Have fun from now on; like you, I've made a few friends. Goodbye."

  The doll lay motionless on Otto’s head for quite a while. Rafe pinched the doll between two fingers, tightening his grip slowly, seemingly debating if he should throw it into the sea like his phone. Before Rafe could decide, I took the cotton doll into my hand, struggling to keep my expression calm.

  【Tuesday’s First Creation】

  To: Liv

  Rafe was very happy while covering your eyes; he didn't want you to see it.

  Anyway, you can leave messages through this thing; I'll reply as soon as possible.

  From: Tuesday

  Witnessing the birth of a Collection at sunrise gave me deeper insight into Nowhere and made Rafe uncomfortable. It felt amazing—I wish every day could be this wonderful.