No…
Rather than being afraid of me, they were afraid of something else.
Arthur pondered this with interest as he approached the little fairies. Only after crossing the yellow warning line and standing directly before them did he finally pull the damp pendant from his chest.
"Is it… this?"
The moment the item was fully exposed, the bloodshot eyeball embedded within it began to rotate slowly. The air it swept across grew faintly cold. Finally, its pupil locked onto the little fairies.
"!!!"
Under that eerie gaze, the fairies began trembling uncontrollably.
This was pressure born of absolute hierarchy, mixed with the instinctive terror any living creature feels toward the unknown and the grotesque.
"Ugh…"
They began clawing desperately at their own mouths. Flesh and half-digested organs spilled from between their sharp teeth, splattering onto the floor. Then, prostrating themselves, they pushed the pile of vile offerings toward Arthur with their thin limbs.
In the past, this act had been reserved solely for the Fairy Queen.
Seeing this, Arthur silently confirmed his hypothesis.
Just as the description stated:
All living things gazed upon by it are filled with dread.
As a Terraria BOSS—and a fragment of the ancient god Cthulhu—the Eye retained its deterrent power, no matter the world it existed in.
"Arthur! What are you doing?! Step back behind the warning line immediately!"
The Training Department control room erupted with warnings over the intercom.
Arthur ignored them.
Some EGO Accessories have hidden effects…
If I use the Eye… perhaps certain low-risk Abnormalities won't dare provoke me.
…
Thirty minutes later—
[Work Completed]
[PE-BOX Energy Collected: 10 / 10]
[Work Result: Excellent]
Standing at the containment room entrance, Arthur couldn't help but feel that this "Instinct Work" had turned into something closer to suppression through presence.
Still… the results spoke for themselves.
But Arthur's thoughts were already racing ahead.
If a single Eye of Cthulhu has this kind of effect…
Then what about accessories—or even equipment—from other Terraria bosses…?
He chuckled softly and shook his head.
I really am losing it after staying too long in this place.
I died just facing the Eye once. If it were Plantera or the Empress of Light… that'd be WAW-class at minimum. Maybe even ALEPH.
And who knows if I'd get another reset like this.
Pfft.
The pneumatic gate connecting to the corridor finally opened.
And the moment it did—
Security personnel flooded in, pinning Arthur to the floor without hesitation.
"Hey—what are you doing—"
Arthur remained calm despite the cold floor pressing against him.
"Arthur, we must conduct an immediate psychological evaluation. Please cooperate."
"You don't need to restrain me," Arthur said evenly. "I'll comply."
This, after all, had been his goal from the start.
A mandatory leave.
No more training newcomers—for now.
Training Department — Psychological Counseling Room
"Oh? What a rare guest," the well-dressed man behind the desk said with a grin.
"Arthur, what brings you here to reminisce with me?"
"Hill," Arthur greeted flatly.
"I'll leave him to you," one of the guards said.
"Don't worry, don't worry!" Hill waved them off cheerfully. "Drinks later!"
Only after the guards left did Hill reveal his true colors. He pulled out two cans filled with green liquid from beneath the desk.
"Want some? This dose feels just right."
"You brought endorphins to work?" Arthur frowned.
"…Undo my restraints before you drink."
"Tsk."
Hill unlocked the cuffs and slumped back into his chair, cracking open a can.
"You're so boring, Arthur."
"Drink less of that," Arthur said coldly. "What Minister Hod distributes isn't for abuse."
Arthur had never touched endorphins in three months—despite their addictive nature. Many relied on them, but seeing them consumed openly at work still disgusted him.
"Heh… don't worry about how I live…"
Hill's laughter turned uneven, his head drooping.
"Anyone who ends up here has some kind of mental illness. Don't kid yourself—you're no exception!"
"And don't twist the Minister's intentions! Her plan is about freedom! About happiness!"
"Long live Minister Hod!
Long live Lobotomy Corporation!
Long live death!!!"
"…."
Arthur watched in silence.
What he felt wasn't anger—but pity.
In this place, where death and Abnormalities were daily companions, perhaps chemical bliss was the only warmth some people could grasp.
Still—
Arthur took out the Cthulhu's Eye.
The chill in the air deepened instantly.
Hill collapsed to his knees as Arthur poured the remaining endorphins down the sink.
"What the hell are you doing?! Do you know that's a monthly ration?!"
Arthur turned toward the exit, rolling his wrist slowly.
"I'm not like you, Hill. I won't go insane here."
Then, pausing at the door, he added:
"One last piece of advice—from a colleague."
"Don't go to the Information Department today."