The Doll Courtyard

  A blinding crimson moon hung high above the castle’s towering spires.

  Beyond the castle walls, a vast expanse of thorny roses bloomed amidst the mist. Their blood-red petals scattered across the long, silent path, where an eerie, hollow melody echoed faintly through the air.

  Crunch—Crunch—

  The flower field.

  Footsteps pressed down on the petals, one after another.

  Within the swirling black mist, a group of hunters—humanoid figures with spider-like lower bodies—cautiously advanced toward the heart of the castle.

  “Preparing for the third assault... Hunter Squad 21 in position... Requesting attack order...”

  “Order received... Confirmed... Commence assault.”

  A crimson gleam flickered rapidly across the eyes of the lead hunter.

  The next moment—

  Dozens of hunters charged forward at an inhuman speed, launching a direct assault on the flower field shrouded in mist.

  At the same time, similar squads of hunters, numbering in the dozens, launched a coordinated invasion on the Doll Courtyard from multiple directions.

  They pressed onward.

  Scattered along the path were the wreckage of their fallen kind—silent, broken remnants.

  This was not their first attempt. They had attacked the Doll Courtyard multiple times before.

  Each time, they failed.

  The writhing brambles ahead were hacked apart by their razor-sharp blades.

  “Data transmission... Area Three breached... Distance to target: 500 meters...”

  A hunter’s eyes flickered red.

  Then—

  From within the hazy mist at the end of the path, a silhouette emerged.

  Their vision zoomed in, locking onto the figure.

  It was an exquisitely crafted, life-sized doll.

  She held a black parasol adorned with gold embroidery. A lavish, doll-like bonnet sat atop her head.

  She wore an elaborate gothic dress of black and gold, her long white hair draping over her chest. Her high-heeled shoes clicked sharply against the ground with each step.

  Her presence was unsettling—eerily stiff, utterly devoid of any signs of life.

  Yet, she moved.

  It was this near-human quality that made her terrifying beyond words.

  Ding—ding—ding—

  The hunters’ eyes flickered violently.

  “Target analysis... Identity confirmation in progress... Searching database...”

  “Identity confirmed: Doll Courtyard’s Seventh Puppeteer—Black String Moon... Combat level: Extremely high.”

  “Warning... Threat level: Critical... Engage with full force.”

  In an instant—

  The hunters lunged.

  A whirlwind of red petals scattered through the air, drifting beneath the blackened sky.

  In mere seconds—

  They reached her.

  Click—Click—

  The sound of gears locking in place.

  Then, a bizarre sight unfolded—

  As though time itself had frozen, the hunters who had rushed toward the gothic doll suddenly came to a halt.

  Under the crimson glow of the moon, countless thin, glass-like threads shimmered, stretching across their joints.

  They were suspended—motionless—like marionettes.

  “System restraint detected... Unable to break free... Warning... System locked... System locked...”

  The hunters struggled, their bodies trembling, but no matter how they thrashed, they couldn’t move—not even an inch.

  Within the flower field—

  The gothic doll tilted her head.

  One of her delicate, jointed fingers lifted.

  Schlick—

  A hunter abruptly spun around. The mantis-like blade on his arm pierced straight through the skull of the hunter beside him.

  Schlick—Schlick—

  Again and again, the sound of metal slicing through metal.

  Like actors in a twisted play, the hunters plunged their weapons into one another, their motions eerily mechanical.

  Until only one remained.

  The gothic doll raised her head, her gaze innocent—almost childlike—as she watched the last hunter’s rapidly flickering red eye.

  Raindrops pattered against the surface of her black parasol.

  Then—her head tilted.

  Snap—

  The hunter’s neck twisted violently, his own body breaking itself apart.

  Sparks flickered from his fractured chassis as his lifeless form crashed to the ground.

  Less than a minute.

  Every last hunter had been dismantled.

  “Northern gate invaders—eliminated. Time recorded: 59 seconds.”

  Her voice was mechanical as she turned away, reporting her success.

  At the same time, voices crackled into her ears—each distinct yet synchronized.

  “Southern sector invaders—eliminated. Time recorded: 3 minutes, 51 seconds.”

  “Northwest sector invaders—eliminated. Minor damage sustained. Requires part replacement.”

  “Eastern courtyard invaders—currently engaged. Estimated completion: 5 minutes.”

  “String Moon, how are you so fast? Did the Lady’s engineer install new components in you? You’ve left us all in the dust!”

  “String Moon is a combat-type doll. Of course, she’s faster than us! Stop chattering and finish up—we need to report back to the Lady.”

  Amidst the noise, the gothic doll strode down the path, black parasol in hand.

  Each step was measured, precise. Her gothic dress fluttered faintly in the wind.

  Then—she stopped.

  Her eyes shifted slightly to the side.

  As if she had noticed something.

  In an instant, countless shimmering threads shot into the air—piercing through space itself.

  Buzz—

  Reality distorted.

  A grotesquely shaped Void Turtle was dragged out from the rift, suspended in midair like a marionette.

  “D-delivering... a message...”

  The Void Turtle's eyes bulged as it spoke—at a speed hundreds of times faster than normal.

  The gothic doll tilted her head.

  A few minutes later, within the castle—

  “Blood Saw, your letter.”

  In a grand hall filled with intricate gears, a statuesque woman walked in with elegance.

  Her nearly three-meter-tall figure was a vision of nobility, her form voluptuous yet refined.

  Were it not for her towering height, she could have been mistaken for a medieval noblewoman.

  Across the hall—

  A hulking, battle-worn figure, Blood Saw, leaned against a mechanical workbench, his eyes flickering.

  Around him, dozens of doll-sized marionettes—each with button-stitched eyes—tinkered with tools, tending to the severe wounds on his body.

  “A letter?” Blood Saw rumbled. “Who sent it?”

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  The Doll Lady sat gracefully in a lavish chair, lifting a cup of dark, aromatic coffee. She spoke without concern:

  “My daughters found it in the courtyard. It was delivered by a Void Messenger. The sender’s name is... Lynn. Do you know them?”

  Blood Saw’s expression froze.

  “Lynn? Impossible!”

  He forced himself upright, dragging his massive frame toward the table, reaching for the letter.

  “Who is it?” the Doll Lady murmured.

  “A child I took in two years ago.” Blood Saw’s voice was heavy.

  “He’s been working as my apprentice at the alchemy shop. A few days ago, I warned him the Demon Society might target the Wandering Alley... If he sent this, it means he survived their attack.”

  He steadied himself and tore open the letter.

  The moment he saw the familiar, scrawled handwriting—he knew.

  Only that kid could write this terribly.

  But then—

  He read the words inside.

  And his expression changed dramatically.

  Bloodsaw's Fury

  "Master... I... I'm your apprentice, Lynn... I can't hold on... I'm going to die... My body is bleeding, my brain is spilling out... I'm about to be torn apart..."

  His attention immediately sharpened, his gaze growing heavy as he read on.

  And the further he read, the clearer the rage in his eyes became.

  By the time he reached the final words—Even in your dying moments, you still worry about your apprentice, Lynn. Yours truly.—his hand gripping the letter was visibly trembling.

  This wasn’t just a letter.

  This was clearly a will written by his apprentice!

  "You f***ing Demon Society!!"

  Boom—!

  He roared as he slammed his fist onto the floor. Sparks crackled violently from his entire body, and the ground beneath him shattered instantly.

  His breath came in ragged gasps, his eyes a bloodshot crimson.

  His sudden outburst even startled the nearby Madam Marionette.

  "Bloodsaw, what are you doing?"

  Without another word, Bloodsaw clenched his teeth, sprang to his feet, and stormed toward the door.

  "Madam, thank you for sheltering me these past two days. But I must leave today. If I have the chance in the future, I will return to repay your kindness!"

  He was consumed by fury.

  But just as he was about to step out the door—

  Countless silk threads lashed out with a sharp whoosh and bound his body in place.

  "Have you lost your mind? Your injuries haven’t even healed! If you go out there now, you’re as good as dead!"

  Madam Marionette narrowed her eyes, tightening the threads in her hands.

  "There are hunters tracking you everywhere. I guarantee, the moment you step beyond my courtyard, you’ll be torn apart by the flesh puppets outside."

  Bloodsaw struggled violently, his face twisted in fury as he yanked at the threads binding him.

  "Rather than sit here waiting to die, I'd rather take as many of them down with me!"

  "The Demon Society! I will make them pay in blood!!"

  He roared, his sheer rage snapping one silk thread after another.

  It was clear just how furious he was.

  Madam Marionette frowned.

  Bloodsaw had always been levelheaded. For him to suddenly lose control like this, the contents of the letter must have struck a deep nerve.

  She swiftly flicked a thread, snatching up the letter from the ground. Brow furrowed, she began reading.

  Seconds passed.

  When she finally finished, she looked up with a deep frown. "Your apprentice was..."

  Bloodsaw trembled, his teeth clenched so hard they could break. Veins bulged across his body, and murky tears streamed from his bloodshot eyes.

  "This is my fault as his master. If I had known it was a trap, I would have sent him somewhere safe in advance!"

  His vision swam with imagined scenes of his apprentice writing this letter.

  Bloodied, broken, his limbs in tatters, his head splitting apart—yet still forcing himself to pick up a pen, his trembling hand scrawling out a final message to his incompetent teacher.

  He saw the two dried tear stains on the letter.

  Clearly.

  While writing this, his apprentice must have been sobbing helplessly, weeping as he bled.

  How pitiful.

  How powerless.

  Memories of the past two years flashed through his mind—their days together, the way he seldom spoke, always ordering his apprentice around. And yet, a master is like a father to his disciple. The bond between them could not be erased.

  "AAAAHHH!!!"

  Bloodsaw howled in anguish.

  "Demon Society!! You took my disciple’s life today!! Tomorrow, I will wipe you from existence! I, Bloodsaw, will never share the same sky with you!!"

  Snap, snap, snap—

  The silk threads binding him broke one after another.

  Seeing that he was about to lose control and charge outside, Madam Marionette gritted her teeth and summoned even more threads, locking him in place.

  "Calm down first! Even if you go out now, it won’t solve anything!"

  "And besides, I think there’s something wrong with this letter!"

  Bloodsaw gritted his teeth, his tears splattering onto the floor as he bellowed, "That’s my apprentice’s handwriting! It can’t be fake! Do you think I wouldn’t recognize my own fool of a disciple’s writing?!"

  Madam Marionette, equally exasperated, snapped back, "Don’t let the contents of the letter cloud your judgment!"

  "Have you ever seen someone on the brink of death carefully adding so many dots in between their words?!"

  "..."

  "..."

  A brief silence.

  Madam Marionette exhaled sharply, rubbing her forehead. She waved the letter in front of him.

  "A person about to split apart still has the presence of mind to compose such an eloquent, tear-jerking tragic essay? Use your damn brain!"

  Frustrated, she stormed over and knocked him on the head a dozen times with her fist.

  She pointed at the letter, still fuming. "Look at this handwriting—neat, rounded, every little dot placed meticulously. Does this look like someone on the verge of dying? Clearly, they were relaxed when writing this!"

  "And if that’s not enough for you..."

  She flipped the letter over with a sharp snap and jabbed her finger at a hand-drawn emoticon—°(°ˊДˋ°) °.

  Her voice rose in frustration. "Who the hell has the energy to draw a sad little face while writing a death note?!"

  Bloodsaw’s mouth hung open. He was at a loss for words.

  Madam Marionette let out a long sigh, dismissing the silk threads restraining him. She slumped into a chair, rubbing her temples.

  "Idiot. Just as thick-headed as ever. I swear, your brain is nothing but muscle at this point."

  Bloodsaw slowly got up, clutching the letter with lingering hesitation.

  "So... you’re saying my apprentice was just messing with me? That he’s actually fine?"

  Madam Marionette sighed, rubbing her forehead. "I wouldn’t say completely fine. He’s probably in some trouble, but definitely not as bad as he made it sound."

  "If you don’t believe me, check the Visionary Network. If something really happened to Ghost Alley, people would be talking about it."

  She tossed him a Visionary Stone.

  ...

  Minutes later.

  【Visionary Network】

  As two glowing projections flickered into existence in Plaza No. 900, Bloodsaw’s expression remained tense.

  Beside him, Madam Marionette stood calmly, arms crossed.

  "This should be the Visionary Plaza linked to Ghost Alley. You can check the regional channel yourself. If something really happened, there will definitely be news."

  Bloodsaw muttered, "Even so, I still feel like my disciple is in trouble."

  Smack!

  Madam Marionette whacked the back of his head.

  She inhaled deeply, rubbing her temples. "Hopeless musclehead. Just look."

  Bloodsaw hesitated, but opened the regional channel.

  And the moment he saw the discussion, his expression drastically changed.

  【Regional Channel】

  【Blood Doll】: "Bad news! (Screaming) BAD NEWS!! Something terrifying has appeared outside! Residents of Ghost Alley, DO NOT GO OUTSIDE!"

  【Necromancer】: "What the hell is going on these days?! Every day there’s another disaster! I can’t stay here anymore—I’m moving out!"

  【Bell Ringer】: "Residents of Ghost Alley, shut your doors and windows. If possible, hide in the basement. Whether we survive today is up to fate!"

  And almost at the same time—

  A global alert flashed before the eyes of everyone in Plaza No. 900.

  【Intelligence Alert: WARNING! A Root-Level Entity has appeared near Sin City’s Ghost Alley. Those who can evacuate, evacuate immediately. THIS IS A VERIFIED WARNING. Nearby entities, evacuate now!】

  Bloodsaw's breathing became rapid in an instant.

  Without a second thought, he quickly accepted the incoming regional alert.

  The next moment, a thick, hazy black fog filled his vision. As the scene gradually became clearer, his heart sank—the location shown was right outside his alchemy shop.

  “This… this is…”

  His expression changed dramatically.

  On the screen, the Bloodsaw Alchemy Shop was already in ruins, clearly having gone through a fierce battle.

  And right at that moment, a massive head, shrouded in the black mist, loomed at the entrance. Countless crimson tentacles slithered toward the shop’s interior, like a predator searching for its next meal.

  “My disciple!!!”

  He roared in despair.

  He hadn’t spotted the lapdogs of the Magus Association—but instead, he saw something far more terrifying.

  His mind instantly conjured up a horrifying image of Lynn, barely clinging to life, being swallowed whole by the monstrous creature. He could almost hear the crunching sounds of bones being chewed in its mouth.

  Even the Doll Lady was taken aback by the scene, murmuring in disbelief:

  “This… this isn’t right…”

  “I told you my disciple was in danger, and you just kept blabbering on about nonsense!”

  Bloodsaw’s entire body tensed, muscles bulging.

  Without hesitation.

  His figure vanished in an instant.

  A faint, furious roar echoed in the distance:

  “Hold on, disciple! Your master is coming… to collect your corpse!!”

  “Wait!” The Doll Lady panicked and immediately logged off as well.

  —

  Meanwhile.

  In the attic of the Bloodsaw Alchemy Shop.

  Lynn, who was sleeping soundly, suddenly felt something soft and sticky poking his cheek.

  “Quit it.”

  Half-asleep, he reached out, grabbed the revolver on his bedside table, and fired in the direction of the poking.

  Bang—

  Then he turned over, shut his eyes, and went right back to sleep.

  The tentacle that had been prodding his face froze on the spot.

  Ding! You have shot the Primal Headhunter: Tiny. You have gained 10 experience points.

  Ding! Achievement unlocked: "Braver Than Sense." You have gained 100 base experience points.

  "Braver Than Sense": A special achievement earned by recklessly attacking an overwhelmingly superior enemy. Permanent bonuses granted: Agility +5, Intelligence -1, Happiness +10.

  —

  Lynn’s eyes shot open, hollow with shock.

  The sleepiness was gone.

  Tiny?!

  He bolted upright in bed, eyes wide, and turned toward the window.

  Outside, a massive infant-like head floated eerily, its vacant gaze staring straight at him.

  A flattened bullet was lodged in its forehead, faint wisps of smoke curling up from the impact site.

  Lynn: "!!!"

  Lynn’s SAN value -10

  Lynn’s SAN value -10

  —

  A few minutes later.

  In front of the alchemy shop.

  Lynn climbed a ladder, staring at the deformed bullet stuck to Tiny’s forehead. He carefully pried it off, blew on it, and then reached into his pocket, pulling out an oversized band-aid.

  He slapped it on.

  “Was this… some kind of… welcome ritual?”

  Tiny (?w?) held up its eyeball with a tentacle, peering at him curiously.

  Lynn wiped the sweat off his forehead. “Uh… sure, let’s go with that.”

  He quickly hopped off the ladder, tossed it aside, and put on his best welcoming smile.

  “Tiny! I just wrote you a letter last night, and here you are already. I’m really honored by your visit!”

  Tiny (?w?) wiggled its tentacles excitedly. “I sensed your thoughts—so I hurried over—!”

  Ding! Tiny's favorability toward you has increased by 1.

  Lynn was touched.

  What a respectful guest!

  With such an understanding and adorable visitor, today was practically guaranteed to be a good day!

  If those Magus Association lackeys dared show up, he’d make sure they never left alive!

  “Look at—my teeth—”

  Tiny grinned, proudly flashing its perfectly white teeth.

  Ding—

  The dazzling gleam nearly blinded Lynn.

  “Impressive, right?”

  Lynn gave a thumbs-up, nodding seriously. “They’re in excellent condition! Just as bright as before! Tiny, you’ve been taking great care of your teeth!”

  “Yes—but I haven’t—eaten anything—for three days—”

  “Uh… Well, while that’s good for dental hygiene, you really shouldn’t go without food for so long.”

  “Ehhh—”

  “How about this? Come to my backyard. I’ll whip up some pastries to whet your appetite, and then I’ll give you a full-body care treatment. That way, not just your teeth, but your whole body will be sparkling and radiant! How does that sound?”

  “Hmm—(?w?)—okay!”

  —

  Meanwhile.

  Dozens of kilometers away, behind a small hill outside Wandering Souls Alley.

  Half-hidden behind the hill, a colossal head lurked, gripping a massive telescope with its tentacles, spying on the scene from afar.

  Behind it, the One-Horned Ghost King and his squad of elite guards (;?;:益:;?;) stood motionless, barely even breathing.

  That’s right.

  The moment Tiny left, they had discreetly followed.

  It was the Ghost King’s idea. Because if he hadn’t done this, his elder brother’s sheer rage could have easily leveled his entire base.

  “Big bro? What’s the situation? Did you see that bastard?” The Ghost King whispered anxiously.

  Beside him, the female titan head grinned, her mouth stretching unnervingly wide.

  “Mmm~ he’s a handsome boy—just a little—small—”

  The moment she said that—

  SMASH—

  The titan head slammed the telescope into the hilltop, roaring furiously while thrashing the terrain with its tentacles.

  “That son of a—! I’M GONNA KILL HIM!! A tiny little species like that dares to mess with my daughter?! I’LL (BLEEP)ING SHOW HIM!!”

  “CALM DOWN!! (〃＞皿＜) Don’t you dare ruin this for her! And besides, what does size have to do with it?! You weren’t that big back then either!”

  It took every ounce of effort to hold the enraged titan head back.

  Finally, after catching its breath, the titan let out a low growl, snatched the Ghost Tribe’s custom-made listening device, and focused on the sounds coming from Wandering Souls Alley.

  Very soon—Bloodsaw Alchemy Shop’s conversation came through crystal clear.

  “Do we… really have to do this?” Tiny’s hesitant, slightly resistant voice.

  “Relax. This is a full-service package, so of course, I have to take care of everything! I’m your doctor, trust me—there’s nothing to be worried about.”

  “But—it’s so deep—if you stick it in like that—it’ll feel strange—”