『Zero: Before the Memory』
Chapter 3 – ⟪Trial of Sourness: Acidic Memory⟫
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As I passed through the next gate,
a sharp sour scent filled the air.
My eyes stung.
The tip of my tongue tingled.
The Kingdom of Sourness.
An acidic river of emotion flowed nearby,
and lining the banks—
rows of translucent mirrors reflecting memories.
In one of them, I saw myself.
A hospital bed.
Joohee, with her arm in a cast.
And me… silent, head bowed.
> "Why… does this memory sting so much?"
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Suddenly, something surged from the acidic waters.
A creature made of corrosive slime—
Limtar, the Devourer of Memories.
> "Your immature feelings,
your unspoken regrets—
I'll devour them all."
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[Phase 1 – Reconnaissance]
He hurled memory fragments at me like blades.
I tried to counter,
but every strike melted in his acidic shroud.
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[Phase 2 – Pain]
The slime latched onto my leg—
and my skin began to dissolve.
Shhhhzzzt… chiiiik…!
But what terrified me more than the pain
was the erasure.
Joohee's face—
her voice—
began to blur in my mind.
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Then it happened.
Something fell from my waist—
a handkerchief.
The last thing she gave me.
Still carrying her warmth… and scent.
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[Phase 3 – Emotional Awakening]
The moment I clutched it,
a pale blue light burst from my chest.
Emotion Weapon Unlocked – Resonant Acidic Shield
With the shield in hand,
I dove into the river.
> "The memories hurt…
but I won't erase them.
They prove she was real."
The shield absorbed the acidic waves,
and I pierced straight into Limtar's core.
BOOOOM—!!
The sour river receded.
But then—
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📍[Warning: Emotional Energy Overload]
📍[Transferring to Next Trial Automatically]