Mythos Of Narcissus: Reborn As An NPC In A Horror VRMMO

For a while, Kuzunoha would be unavailable.

There was a bottleneck on the process of converting the Qliphoth Object that we captured few days ago into an entity that could be interacted in a civil or atleast intellectual manner, since that was the only thing that prevented me from making any deal with the genderbend Drowned Revenant.

"Don't miss me too much~" Kuzunoha's last words that she said before sending me a flying heart after a kissy face.

Her Affection value for me had been only going up since our first moment of meeting. As great as I was when it came to gaining people's trust and attention, this was not within my border of expectation.

Also, Verina and Lupina were there too when Kuzunoha did that. There wasn't much reaction from Verina, but for some reason, Lupina appeared as if there was an impending doom nearing this bastion.

She did mention that she was able to perceive or hear something that not even a normal human can, so maybe I was also in that category? She definitely perceived something that made her create that horrified face.

Then again, I'm not the most perceptive person as I hoped to be.

"If only I'm as perfect as my face is…"

"Your figure is my type, that's enough," Verina said with her usual deadpan. "Even without your psionic charm, I can assure you that nobody can withstand the curve of that hip."

I know. That's one of the reasons why I stripped my recruited bastioneers from their manhood.

"So, your affection for Narcissus is more lust-oriented, then," Lupina called out.

"At first," Lupina answered without a hint of hesitation. "It is no longer the sole driving force of my love."

"So you're saying that you still see Narcissus lustfully."

"You think I'm the only one who did that?"

"Fair enough…"

Seeing Lupina's face of acknowledgment, I see that she remembered how her first encounter with me went.

I guessed Kuzunoha was the first one to see me without any lust.

Then again, she was the reason why I have two or my private parts becoming Somashift Organs, a part of the body that I could hide within another dimension and draw them into this reality at will.

Does that mean Narcissus was more of a hermaphrodite now instead of a female biologically?

But, the private parts that were stored on a different dimension couldn't function as much and were saved in their latest state of being.

Hmm, what a useless thought to have.

"You seemed to be in a deep thought, Lady Narcissus," Lydia said, since I called her to my favorite wall platform spot for us to talk about the thing that could be improved in our formation, especially when facing a pack of large enemies like the Sandstalkers.

"Worry not, I'm just pondering about something needless."

"I'm surprised that someone like you can possess a needless kind of thought, Lady Narcissus."

"If that's the case, I will surprise you more as time goes by."

The reprieve granted by the Ordeal's hibernation phase was brief. The faint eerie hum that signaled the end of the lull rippled through the air, and once again, we were plunged into the madness of the Dusk.

The bell tolled twice this time—something I implemented lately for clarity sake—a signal for the entire bastion to be on high alert, but not for a direct rally.

It was a method of communication for situations where our enemies were spread across a wider area, requiring split strategies and vigilance.

From the parapet, I could see the faint glimmers of Calamity Objects manifesting in the distance, which was also farther than a Calamity Object normally spawn. Verina floated effortlessly beside me, her Black Wheels glowing faintly as they maintained her position. Lupina's head was strapped securely to her waist, the most practical way to transport the still-animated entity.

"Looks like the next batch is arriving," Verina said, her voice steady.

"More friends to deal with," Lupina quipped, her tone betraying no excitement.

"You say that as if we'll be hosting a dinner party," I replied dryly. "Report, Verina. What's forming out there?"

Her musket lifted, the Black Wheels humming faintly as she adjusted her elevation. Her eyes gleamed with the glow of her observational enchantments. "I see two distinct threats. One of them looks like…" She paused, her lips curling into a grim smile. "You're either going to like this or not going to like this one, Narcy"

It was another thing I noticed.

When it came to opening the information screen of a Calamity Object, there were a couple of criteria that I needed to meet.

Firstly, it needed to be in my sight.

Secondly, I needed to know of its existence, or at least aware of its presence.

There were also two different criteria that didn't follow the first two I mentioned.

One of them was, if the existence of the Calamity Object was within the close proximity of my position, I could blindly open their information screen. This allowed me to just spawn my thoughts and check if there was a Calamity Object near me.

And the last time I checked, this criteria worked when the Calamity Object was somewhere within 12 meters from my position.

"Go on."

"It is a floating mirror encased in ice."

The other last criteria of opening a Calamity Object's information screen was when I had an inkling of their shape and trait within my imagination, while also having their existence felt in the same realm or world as the one I inhabited right now.

—

[

The Frostwrought Mirror]

[

Description Stay connected through empire

: A tall, floating, and moving ornate mirror encased in frost, its surface swirling like frozen mist. Looking into the mirror shows not reflections but alternate versions of the viewer—choices they could have made, paths not taken. Touching the glass pulls the viewer into a frozen wasteland where they must confront these alternate selves. Each moment spent in the mirror saps their warmth and vitality]

[

Hint

: To escape, one must accept the choices they've made, shattering the icy illusions with self-assurance]

—

"Fantastic," I muttered. "Nothing like a dose of existential dread to spice up the evening."

"It's slowly moving toward the southeastern wall," Verina continued. "And there's something else—another one of those towering anomalies. This one's different, though. Tall, but faintly glowing. It appears to be inanimate, and not moving in the slightest."

—

[

The Wailing Clocktower

]

[

Description

: A towering structure that appears in random locations, its bells ringing with an otherworldly, mournful tone. Each chime draws people closer, their memories slowly consumed by the sound. Those who ascend its spiral staircase find their memories carved into the walls, each step erasing more of their identity. At the top, they become part of the Clocktower's mechanism, bound to ring its bells eternally]

[

Hint

: The Clocktower's pull can be resisted by creating a new memory during its chimes, something bright enough to counteract its sorrow]

—

"Hmm, that one might be best if we can destroy it early." I glanced at Verina. "Can you snipe them all from here? It will be better if we don't expose our bastioneers to them."

"I'll try."

Verina proceeded to align her musket and infuse it with a dense stream of arcane energy, before unleashing a devastating prismatic beam that split into two, curving and spiraling, homing to their respectively designated target.

The first projectile was blocked by a faint barrier that was enshrouding the Wailing Clocktower. The barrier appeared to be vast and large, and it seemed like it would just block anything that Verina threw at it, no matter the amount of firepower behind the attack.

The second projectile hit the Frostwrought Mirror right at the center, before being reflected by the tall and giant mirror as the beam-like projectile was redirected to seek the destruction of the surroundings environment.

It seemed like we couldn't bruteforce our way with either of them.

"Shall we divide our forces, or are you planning another one of your clever interventions?" Verina asked, tilting her head in mock curiosity.

"I think cleverness might be overestimating my plan this time," I replied. "But yes, we'll split up. I'll handle the Frostwrought Mirror. Verina, I trust you to lead a smaller squad to deal with the Wailing Clocktower, destroy it when you're inside the barrier and prevent your squad from being affected by the tower's influence.

"As much as I want to send you alone, I need to give some experience to a select few of our bastioneers. You're free to choose whom you want to go with.

"Lupina, your head stays with her."

"Of course, my lady!" Lupina said, happy to see something happening as an audience in the first seat.

Verina gave a short nod. "Understood. I'll take Amelia, Yora, and Lydia. We'll counter the Clocktower."

I gave her a firm nod, then turned my attention to the Frostwrought Mirror. Its encroaching frost had already begun to creep along the ground, sending tendrils of animated ice spiraling outward as the faint outlines of alternate selves began to form within its surface.

"The rest will be guarding the bastion in a moment of sudden invasion. Erika!" I shouted, since she was in close proximity to where I am, signaling her to join me.

She approached with the fervor she always carried, her eyes practically shining with devotion. "Lady Narcissus, at your command!"

I gestured toward the faraway Frostwrought Mirror. "You'll lead my flank. The faster we deal with it together, the fewer casualties we'll have."

"Yes, radiant one!" she said, practically saluting with the same if not greater zeal than the last time we met.

With the forces divided and the strategies set, we moved out.

The closer we approached, the more oppressive the frost became. I could feel its tendrils tugging at my mind, faint whispers brushing against the edges of my thoughts.

And what I meant by tendrils, I also meant it physically, and not only metaphorically.

"Stay sharp!" I told Erika. "Don't look directly into the mirror unless absolutely necessary. Focus on breaking the frost tendrils spreading across the ground."

"I shall pledge my will and conscience for you only, my lord!"

Our Skypiercers hummed to life as Erika and I set to work, as our coordinated strikes shattered the encroaching ice. Despite the cold sapping our strength, we moved with precision and discipline.

It was my first close-look on Erika' fighting style after that report with Amelia, and she was definitely not kidding when she said that Erika's movement was much sharper and more efficient than before.

But should it warrant the allegation that she was able to see the future?

I don't think so.

Regardless of our performance against the eldritch tendrils of ice, the Mirror wasn't idle.

Within its swirling surface, distorted images began to emerge—alternate versions of ourselves, their faces twisted with regret and despair.