[What is it that you want from me?]

Ranen couldn’t find the answers to those questions—perhaps because the information he had now was still too limited. So, he continued to follow Albert, observing his campus life.

In a way, he was indirectly experiencing life at Miskatonic University himself.

Since that conversation with Aldous, Albert’s daily routine hadn’t changed much—at least, not on the surface. But in secret, as a double agent for both the Inspection Bureau and the Outsider, Albert had already started living a busy life.

On the surface, he still followed Soren’s instructions diligently, studying under Aldous in the lab. But since he was a beginner who didn’t understand much, Aldous didn’t let him anywhere near the real core of his work. This gave Albert some freedom to slack off, and during the short gaps between classes, he spent almost all his time immersed in the university’s library—studying valuable knowledge and quietly investigating information about that dog.

What he had previously learned from Soren—that the man was wary of a dog—had deeply surprised him. In Albert’s mind, it was unimaginable that a powerful and mysterious cult leader like Soren could be afraid of a mere dog. There had to be more to it.

He tried every possible way to dig up clues about the dog from people around him, but unfortunately, very few even knew about the “dog of Miskatonic.” Most of the students, when asked, simply looked puzzled and replied with something like, “Wait, the university keeps a dog?”

Indeed, Albert had searched all over Miskatonic University’s library, and even in other departments and labs, but he hadn’t heard of any place keeping a dog.

There were no barking sounds on campus either, which made him begin to suspect—could the “dog” Soren mentioned be a metaphor for someone or something else? At the very least, he hadn’t seen any actual dogs around the school.

But a turning point soon arrived. One day, while borrowing books from the library, Albert noticed a stranger sitting at the front desk.

The person’s hair was messy and unkempt, and the pale skin on his arms and jaw matched the popular image of a Miskatonic eccentric—someone who spent so much time buried in a lab they barely saw sunlight. He was sitting at the desk, engrossed in a book. Beside him stood a flustered student, whom Albert recognized as the usual library clerk.

What is going on?

Albert glanced at the eccentric’s name badge and was surprised to see that he was a teaching assistant at Miskatonic, even though he looked about the same age as Albert himself.

The name is… Chris Chapman?

Albert placed his books on the counter, waiting for them to be checked out. The man set down his own book and looked at Albert with interest. “Hey, I heard you’ve been asking around about the ‘dog of Miskatonic’?”

Albert paused, narrowing his eyes. “Did you come here specifically to find me?”

“Bingo.” The TA snapped his fingers and lazily jumped down from his seat. He was fairly tall—over 1.8 meters, half a head taller than Albert—but his habitual slouch made them appear closer in height. “I just happen to be curious about that legendary ‘Miskatonic dog’ too. So I thought I’d ask if you wanted to help me track it down. I’ve already got some leads, but I need someone fast on their feet.”

The younger student beside them was desperately making eye signals at Albert, clearly trying to warn him. But Albert was tempted. He genuinely wanted to know more about the dog—or rather, anything that might help him defeat Soren. He was eager for any intel.

Still, he was a little wary of the man’s use of the phrase ‘fast on your feet’. “I’d like to hear what you know about the dog—and your plan—first.”

“No problem. Let’s go somewhere else though—the library isn’t a place for chatting.” Chris yawned and gestured for Albert to follow.

They moved to a quiet spot, and Chris shared what he knew.

“That dog was supposedly raised by a professor a long time ago. It’s served as the guardian of the library ever since. During an invasion incident, it reportedly killed some kind of mysterious being, and the creature’s blood caused the dog to mutate. According to legend, it’s been alive for over 200 years.”

Albert asked, “Then why have I never seen it?”

“Hold your horses—I’m getting to that.” Chris grinned. “The professor left the dog behind to guard Miskatonic. It’s said the dog is extremely sensitive to certain special presences, and only appears when the university is facing an invasion. Since you’re a student, it normally wouldn’t show up in front of you. But—I have an idea that might let us test it.”

“What kind of idea?”

Chris licked his lips, excited. “It’s part of my current research project. Professor Horace from Monster Studies and I managed to collect some monster blood. We think we can use it to disguise you as an anomaly—make it seem like a strange creature has appeared at Miskatonic. That might lure the dog out.”

“Oh, right. I remember your advisor is Aldous, isn’t it? You could try asking him for a stalk of phantom grass. Its scent, combined with the monster blood we cooked up, should totally fool the dog’s nose!”

“…And what if the dog actually attacks me?” Albert asked darkly, staring at the gleam of excitement in Chris’s eyes—finally understanding why the younger student had mouthed run at him earlier.

‘So I’m just a pure, disposable test subject now? How has this guy made it this far in life without getting punched?’

“Don’t worry,” Chris tried to reassure his victim. “As long as you show your student ID, it should be fine. There haven’t been any reports of the dog attacking students.”

“…And has anyone ever tried faking an invasion at Miskatonic using monster blood before?”

“Hahaha, of course not!” Chris puffed out his chest proudly. “No one’s ever succeeded in collecting monster blood before. See, monsters exist somewhere between dream and reality, and very few people can even perceive them—let alone gather their blood or manifest them in the real world. This is groundbreaking research! Our understanding of anomalies is about to level up!”

Watching the TA go off-topic again, bragging about his research, Albert couldn’t help the metaphorical dark lines appearing on his forehead. ‘Who cares about any of that? I care about my own safety!’

‘But giving up…’ Albert thought about how the otherwise flawless leader of the Outsider had, for the first time, shown a hint of fear. That expression had left a deep impression—and it made him unable to walk away from this lead.

“…That phantom grass you mentioned earlier—what is it exactly?”

Chris, sensing Albert’s change of heart, smiled slightly. “It’s a special herb. Only Aldous’s lab cultivates it. Supposedly, it’s one of the key ingredients for brewing a rare kind of magic potion. Just carrying it on you increases your chances of stepping into the space between dream and reality.”

“The space between dream and reality?” Albert blinked. ‘Why does that sound so familiar?’

“Exactly, sounds like that place, doesn’t it?” Chris adjusted his glasses. “With the phantom grass on you, you’re more likely to sense the Dream Rift—at least in the early stages.”

“Anyway, no more chatter. Let’s meet at the library tonight,” he said. “I know the guard patrol schedule. You won’t get caught.”

Albert agreed.

‘The dog of Miskatonic, huh…’

He thought to himself: ‘If I could see it in person, maybe I could gather more information about the Outsider’s leader… or even find a way to lure him into Miskatonic…’

Nightfall came quickly. Albert tucked the herb he’d previously retrieved from Aldous’s lab into his pocket and headed to the library to meet Chris.

When Chris saw that Albert had actually shown up on time, the curve of his smile deepened. He grinned and said, “Relax, I already led the security guard to the other side of campus. He won’t be back here for a while. Let’s get started.”

He pulled out a bottle of clear liquid. Noticing the confusion in Albert’s eyes, he explained, “This is monster blood. We did some experimenting to materialize it, which made it transparent. Don’t worry—it doesn’t smell bloody, or rather, any scent it has is undetectable to human noses.”

“But for that dog, it shouldn’t be a problem.”

Albert pressed his lips together and extended his hand. Just then, Chris suddenly pulled the bottle back. “Are you sure you’re ready for this?”

Albert looked up and scoffed, “We’re already here. You’re not backing out now, are you?”

“I’m just giving you one last chance to reconsider. After all, none of us have actually seen that dog.” Seeing the determination on Albert’s face, Chris narrowed his eyes and handed him the bottle.

Albert took it and opened the cap, sniffing it. Sure enough—nothing. If Chris hadn’t explained, anyone might’ve mistaken it for plain water. Catching the amused look on Chris’s face, Albert poured some of the liquid onto the edge of his coat.

“That should be enough.” He had also tucked the phantom grass into the inside pocket of the same coat—if anything went wrong, he could ditch the jacket and make a run for it.

He was here to see the dog of Miskatonic, not die for it.

“That’s good. It should be alr—” Chris’s words were cut off when Albert suddenly raised a hand to silence him.

“Shh. I hear something.”

From the bookshelf area behind them, faint sounds echoed through the quiet library. It didn’t sound like human footsteps—they were too light. More like… something animal.

‘That nose really works. It’s already here?’

Albert turned to call Chapman, but the guy was already gone. A quick glance around revealed him crouched in a far corner of the library, giving Albert a big thumbs-up.

‘Good luck!’ Probably what that meant.

A vein pulsed on Albert’s forehead. Gritting his teeth, he turned his focus back to the approaching noise. A shadow crept into view—grotesque and massive, like the mythical three-headed hound of hell, radiating an overwhelming aura. The blond youth swallowed hard, Adam’s apple bobbing, eyes fixed on the shadow, every muscle tensed to bolt at any moment.

The shadow shrank as it drew nearer… until finally, a dog stepped out from behind the shelves.

Albert exhaled instinctively when he saw it.

It was just a regular dog. Sleek black fur, large size, ears drooping like a Labrador’s.

All in all, completely ordinary—nothing like the terrifying legend. ‘Maybe that rumor really is exaggerated?’

Feeling conflicted, Albert looked down at the curious dog and muttered instinctively, “Good boy… come here.”

The dog took two steps forward, nose twitching as it sniffed the air. After a moment, its gaze locked onto Albert.

And in an instant, the shiny black eyes turned blood red.

At the same time, alarm bells were blaring in Albert’s mind. In the next second, to his horror, the previously “normal” dog opened its mouth—inside, layer upon layer of jagged fangs spiraled inward. Its fur stood on end, and it let out a threatening growl like a hellhound straight out of the underworld.

Albert didn’t hesitate—he turned and ran.

At the same moment, the dog lunged and landed right where Albert had been standing a second ago, its claws gouging two-centimeter-deep marks into the library floor.

Albert glanced back and bolted even faster.

‘This isn’t a dog! More like a monster wearing dog skin—isn’t this some kind of canine-type anomaly?’

Suddenly, a chill ran down his spine. Albert’s instincts kicked in, and he dodged to the side.

*CRACK!*

A grotesque maw shot past him, punching straight through the nearby wall. Cold sweat broke out on Albert’s forehead. Just the killing intent radiating from the dog behind him—he didn’t even need to look to feel it.

‘This is bad. Really bad!’

‘Chris has better be done recording all this by now.’

Albert sprinted from the first floor to the second, then back down again, his evasive moves growing clumsier and more desperate. Finally, he couldn’t take it anymore—he yanked off his coat and flung it aside, bolting in the opposite direction. He looked back.

‘That should do it, right?’

Wrong!

The dog didn’t even hesitate—it pounced after him, without a flicker of doubt. Albert hit the floor with a messy roll to dodge it. A sudden chill struck his left arm—he looked down and, just as he feared, the sleeve had been ripped open by the dog’s fangs.

‘Isn’t this thing supposed to never attack students!?’

Albert didn’t even have time to curse Chris—he just bolted toward the library exit.

Beyond the door was the hallway. Albert had hoped that getting outside the library would stop the dog—but that was too naive. He sprinted down the corridor, the monstrous dog right on his heels.

In this life-or-death moment, his mind started racing, recalling fragments of what Chris had told him.

The dog was highly sensitive to anomalies and beings from the Dream World. Just now, they’d confirmed that—he poured monster blood on his coat, and the dog appeared. Which meant… the reason Soren feared this dog…

‘Is Soren also an anomaly? Or… is he from the Dream World too?’

‘The Dream World… or rather, the world of dreams. The Outsider…’

A flash of insight struck Albert like lightning—he suddenly grasped the core purpose of the Outsider organization.

It was highly likely that this group had been built by Soren… as a force to help him return home!

‘I have to get this intel to the Bureau!’

That was the instinctive thought racing through his mind.

But first—how was he going to shake this dog off?

He’d already thrown away the coat soaked with monster blood, and the phantom grass was in it too. So why the hell was the dog still chasing him?!

Behind Albert—where he couldn’t see—the dog’s eyes were locked not directly on him, but rather… on the space beside him.

Ranen was running right alongside Albert. As he ran, he curiously glanced over his shoulder. He couldn’t shake the feeling that the dog was staring at him.

‘No way, right? Haha.’ He’d already tested it—no one in this Dream Rift could see him. No one… except Albert during that one strange moment.

Eventually, fatigue started catching up with Albert. The hallway lights had long since gone dark, and in his exhausted state, he made a mistake—he didn’t watch his step, tripped over some trash on the floor, and fell beneath a hallway window.

Bathed in the dim light spilling in through the glass, Albert saw what had tripped him.

An empty soda can.

‘Who the hell just leaves trash in the hallway like this, damn it?!’

The dog was right behind him now. Its grotesque maw dripped saliva onto the floor in thick, steady drops. Albert stared at the creature in horror, his hand instinctively reaching into his chest.

There—a gun.

Just as the dog pounced, Albert’s gaze sharpened. He cast aside all fear and hesitation, swiftly drew the gun, and pulled the trigger.

*Bang!*

The bullet struck the charging dog instantly—but the beast didn’t slow down. Even wounded, it lunged straight at Albert. The monstrous fangs grew larger in his vision, and he reflexively squeezed his eyes shut.

One second. Two seconds.

Pain didn’t come.

Instead, the sound of shattering glass rang out, followed by a monster’s anguished howl. Albert’s eyes flew open. He turned his head—and was stunned.

The dog had crashed through the window, now locked in a savage attack on the lawn outside. Between its fangs, it held a humanoid monster in its jaws.

Standing beside him, Ranen had seen it more clearly. Just as Albert had shut his eyes, a humanoid creature had burst through the window—a hairless, rubbery-looking thing with jet-black eyes. The dog hadn’t been aiming for Albert at all. It had leapt at this thing!

‘Is that a D-level anomaly? A ghoul?’

Ranen’s gaze grew heavy as he looked outside—only to realize this “ghoul” didn’t resemble the ones they’d seen before. The ghouls they’d encountered had been like bald corpses in skintight rubber suits. But this one… it was far larger—easily over two meters tall. Its body bore more cracks, and its claws and the occasional green mist it exhaled seemed to carry corrosive properties.

No—this wasn’t just any ghoul.

It was a C-level anomaly: a Ghoul Lord.

Ghoul Lords were far stronger than ordinary ghouls. The most troublesome part? They had rapid regeneration, venomous attacks, and intelligence far beyond their lesser kin. They almost never acted alone.

And sure enough, as the dog and the Ghoul Lord fought in the grass, the faint sound of rustling surrounded them. From the darkness, five or six more ghouls emerged, encircling the area.

The dog tore at the Ghoul Lord’s neck while staying alert to the surrounding ghouls. The Ghoul Lord thrashed wildly, its claws flailing across the dog’s body—but it couldn’t break through that deceptively soft-looking fur. Not until its claws landed on the dog’s only wound.

The dog whimpered in pain.

The Ghoul Lord had found its weak spot. It launched a frenzied assault on that area, its corrosive claws digging deeper into the wound. At the same time, the other ghouls leapt onto the dog, and it was finally forced to let go and wrestle with them instead.

Seizing the opportunity, the Ghoul Lord broke free from the dog’s attack and stalked toward Albert.

Albert gripped the gun tightly and, suppressing his fear, fired again and again. Muzzle flashes lit up the dark—but the bullets that had once pierced the dog’s hide couldn’t even dent the Ghoul Lord’s defense.

The anomaly was nearly upon him.

Despair flickered in Albert’s eyes.

“What will you choose?”

Ranen watched curiously, murmuring under his breath. In his mind, since the dog could attack the anomaly, this must still be a memory from someone else—right?

So then what came next? Did the dog defeat the anomaly? Or did Miskatonic University have some hidden force protecting its students? Either way, Albert clearly survived this ordeal, so he must’ve gotten through it somehow.

But then—

Just as Ranen whispered those words, Albert suddenly turned his head, and his heart nearly leapt into his throat.

‘It is here again.’

‘That thing I saw as a child.’

Albert had no idea when it had arrived—he simply turned and found it standing beside him: a mysterious figure in Western court dress, its face shrouded in mist.

The Ghoul Lord was still closing in—less than two meters away now. One more step, and it would be within reach. Albert had been about to run, but Ranen’s sudden voice had startled him so badly his legs went weak, and he nearly collapsed.

‘What did he just say?’

‘“What will you choose?”’

In that instant, memories rushed back—his mentor’s words about how this mysterious being might not be an anomaly at all… and the memory from his childhood, of the figure who had killed the Paradise Butcher.

‘If it’s not an anomaly… then could it be…’

Albert was no longer that clueless boy. His training at the Inspection Bureau had taught him a few things. And now, one word surfaced in his mind like a lightning strike: Evil God.

‘Why… why would a being like that appear beside me?’

There was no more time to think. The Ghoul Lord was already within reach. Albert’s survival instincts took over entirely.

He blurted out, “…Please help me.”

—-

‘Oh, wow.’

Ranen jumped when Albert suddenly turned toward him. But seeing the terror in his eyes—Ranen understood immediately.

Just like last time, this was another moment when Albert could see him.

The Ghoul Lord was nearly on them. To Albert, it looked like the monster was after him. But to Ranen—it felt the same.

After all, he hadn’t forgotten the look of murderous intent the Paradise Butcher had once given him.

So without hesitation, Ranen acted.

This time, he didn’t even make contact with the anomaly.

Honestly, that mangy thing looked way too gross to touch.

A red seed flew through the air—Ranen had thrown it at the Ghoul Lord. Under Albert’s stunned gaze, the seed exploded on contact, sprouting thick, gnarled vines that shot out and coiled tightly around the Ghoul Lord, wrapping around it again and again like a giant python constricting its prey.

The Ghoul Lord howled in agony.

From the tree’s bark oozed a milky white sap that touched the ghoul’s body and began to corrode its tough hide. Not a single drop of blood spilled—because the tree didn’t let any escape. Its bark, like a living maw, gnawed directly into the creature’s flesh.

The C-level anomaly, the Ghoul Lord, was being eaten by the tree.

Outside, the other ghouls had already been torn apart by the dog. With the tree devouring the C-level monster, the threat was finally gone.

Ranen turned to look at Albert—only to see him stumbling backward in terror, his face filled with regret.

Albert was now cursing himself for what he’d just said.

‘You must never seek help or strike a deal with beings like that!’ That was one of the rules clearly stated during inspector training. Yet somehow… he had.

He couldn’t even explain it himself. The words had simply burst out of him in that moment of desperation. But now that it was done, the mysterious, mist-shrouded entity slowly turned its head—as if focusing its gaze entirely on him.

Albert braced himself, then forced out a question:

“W-What do you want from me in return?”