I Became A Ghost In A Horror Game-Chapter 81: Awakening! Alice’s Reincarnation

Peter Pan gazed at the devastated Neverland.

Rage boiled up to the top of his head.

The people who had been stripped of their drugs, hallucinogens, and alcohol were consumed by fury and confusion, turning on one another in violent clashes.

Among them, groups armed with menacing blades had already begun to form.

What started as fights between individuals quickly escalated into full-fledged battles between factions. At this point, it was nothing short of war.

It had been a long time since he had been this angry.

"Clockwork Crocodiles, find the Captain Hooks of this world. There are four of them."

From all directions, the Clockwork Crocodiles emerged.

Terrified, the citizens of Neverland rushed to their homes, desperately seeking refuge.

The uniformed crocodiles began scouring the entire city.

Shin Ha-rim was waiting for someone on the rooftop of a building.

She wasn’t bored.

After all, the wreckage of Neverland was stimulating in more ways than one.

Click. Clack.

A man in military boots approached from afar.

As Ha-rim turned around, Peter Pan was standing right in front of her.

"You’re the last one, Shin Ha-rim."

"Nice to see you, Uncle Peter."

Ha-rim’s casual greeting made Peter Pan’s insides twist with fury.

He clenched his teeth like an unstable man on the verge of losing control.

"Neverland isn’t a perfect world, but it’s not something you brats can destroy so easily.

Your actions are meaningless.

This place is an utopia—one that exists and yet does not exist.

If it were so fragile as to crumble over something like this, it would have vanished long ago."

"Is that so? What a shame."

Ha-rim sighed as if she were genuinely disappointed.

Peter Pan’s arm erupted with small scars.

"You really went too far.

I never expected you to go around setting fire to the factories that produce drugs and alcohol.

And so nonchalantly at that. Are you insane?"

"And yet, the people of Neverland, who instantly turned on each other the moment their supply was cut off, are perfectly sane?

For the people of Neverland to survive in this world, their brains need to be soaked in pleasure.

If they remain sober for too long, they’ll either be exiled and suffer withdrawal for the rest of their lives or disappear entirely, consumed as fuel for this world."

This chapter is updat𝓮d by freēnovelkiss.com.

Ha-rim recited the words as if reading from Peter’s own book, then took a sip of tea from the bottle she held.

"If not for this mint-flavored tea, that is."

Peter Pan couldn’t hold back any longer.

"You even took the books and the medicine with you? You damn wretch.

Fine. I get it.

A lunatic like you needs to be taught a proper lesson."

"Kyaa!"

Peter Pan grabbed Ha-rim by the nape and stepped onto the edge of the railing.

He stretched out his arm, as if he were about to drop her at any moment.

If he let go, she would fall to her death.

Ha-rim could feel the terror tightening around her throat.

"I will kill you, Shin Ha-rim.

But if you admit your sins and go home right now, I won’t take your life."

"No."

Peter Pan didn’t understand.

Was ◈ Nоvеlіgһт ◈ (Continue reading) this resignation? Or was she planning something?

A person’s life is ultimately their most precious possession.

Before death, everything else becomes insignificant.

And in this situation, there was no possible way for her to escape.

"Are you not afraid of death? Then you are ignorant.

You must be speaking like that because you have no idea what true fear is!"

"No!!"

Ha-rim refused once again.

"...That’s the fourth time you’ve said that."

In the blink of an eye, Peter Pan teleported.

They were now in a theater.

Peter Pan flung Ha-rim onto the stage.

She landed harshly, groaning in pain.

"Urgh!"

Ha-rim took in the scene before her.

The crocodiles sat in the audience, staring at her intently.

In the corner, her club members sat with their eyes closed, drenched in cold sweat.

"Kyung-min! Eun-jung! Soo-ho!"

They only groaned in distress, as if trapped in a nightmare.

"Do not worry.

They are simply recalling their memories.

Since Alice erased them, they forgot even their own fears.

I will return that terror to them all at once."

Peter Pan seized Ha-rim by the head, forcing her to remember.

"...!!!"

Ha-rim felt as if her brain were being boiled alive.

Blood trickled from her nose, and though she clenched her teeth in an effort to endure it, she eventually let out a piercing scream.

"Aaaaaaah!"

"Fear it, Shin Ha-rim!

Stop walking forward and return to the safety of your walls!

If you do that, you will never have to be afraid again!

You won’t have to face landmines and bombs that could detonate at any moment!

You won’t have to live in fear of bullets fired from the shadows!

You won’t have to deal with reckless Captain Hooks who throw lives away like garbage!

Go back to a place where your future isn’t a constant gamble with death!"

"......."

Ha-rim lay there, silent.

She was still breathing, barely twitching—so at least she was conscious.

"Good. Finally, you’ve calmed down a little.

Don’t worry. You’ll survive."

Peter Pan let a small dose of stimulant seep into her.

As life returned to Ha-rim’s eyes, he grabbed her and forced her to stand.

"Now, stand on this stage, Shin Ha-rim.

You only need to say one thing:

‘I don’t want to live in fear anymore.’"

Peter Pan stepped back behind the curtain.

A spotlight illuminated Ha-rim.

The crocodiles in the audience waited for her to speak.

The crocodiles let out low, menacing growls.

It was a threat—if she didn’t speak soon, they would tear her apart.

With difficulty, Ha-rim parted her lips.

"I—I mean... I’m not some weirdo.

I get scared too, you know.

I’m scared of being chased by monsters.

I’m scared of watching my friends get hurt.

I’m scared of being alone.

I’m scared of facing situations that can’t be undone.

All of it! I’m scared of all of it!"

Peter Pan smiled.

As expected—humans were truly fragile beings.

This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight.

"How about it, Alice? Isn't this delightful?

I granted your wish, so now, take the power you desired."

"..."

Alice wore a sorrowful expression.

Her head hung low as she prepared to transfer this power to Peter Pan.

But Ha-rim was not done speaking yet.

"I'm still drenched in cold sweat.

My hands and feet are trembling so badly they're going numb.

Getting hurt is unbearably painful!

And yet...

—Why did I keep running, even while getting hurt?"

Suddenly, Shin Ha-rim pulled back the curtain behind the stage.

The Clockwork Crocodiles let out their ticking sounds as they moved to stop her.

Ha-rim gritted her teeth, enduring it, and called out to Alice.

"Because I believed I could overcome it!!

Ella—no, Alice! Here you are!

I've been looking for you. I remember everything!"

"Ha-rim..."

"What?!

How did you know Alice was here?!

The backstage should have been completely soundproofed—no traces, no presence!"

Ha-rim ignored Peter Pan’s question.

Her eyes were locked solely on Alice.

She had regained her memories.

She knew that the girl before her did not look exactly like Ella from her memories.

But she was certain—Alice and the Ella she remembered were the same.

"Alice! I remember everything.

I understand what you were afraid of.

I get it!

I’m scared too when my friends are in danger!

But Alice—

We’re okay.

No matter how dangerous it gets, at the very least, we...

We want to be with you!"

Alice’s pupils trembled.

Her heart wavered.

The children in the audience had begun to wake, joining their voices with Ha-rim’s.

"That’s right!"

"Alice, stop being so stubborn!"

"Waaah! Alice, come back!"

Alice still looked uneasy.

She needed certainty.

She looked at the children and spoke hesitantly.

"No. This fear...

It’s beyond what anyone can handle.

This threat is too much!

Everything has changed now.

My power, their power—both are far too strong for you to stay near me!

If a whale and a shrimp fight, the shrimp’s back will be broken!

...We can’t go back to how it was before!"

This was no longer a game.

There were no strategies, no walkthroughs.

If she left the children in this unpredictable, dangerous future, they would die.

Ha-rim’s expression darkened with anger.

Alice flinched in surprise, her eyes widening.

"Idiot! Alice, you’re such an idiot! Hup—!"

Summoning strength from who-knows-where, Ha-rim tore herself free from the crocodile’s grasp and held up a red floral necklace before Alice.

Alice recognized it immediately.

"Do you see this?

This is proof of us—something we made for you.

Alice, remember. Think back to everything, from the moment we first met until now."

"Memories...?"

Alice began to recall.

...

...

"Was there ever a time when things weren’t dangerous?

Did I always believe we could handle everything?

No, Alice.

Nothing has changed.

I still feel joy when I overcome my fears with my friends.

And at the end of that fear, I still believe you’ll be there with us.

Even though it’s terrifying, if we try—if we keep trying—we can overcome it.

You were the one who taught me that.

Look!

Back then, you vanished into light, but now, you’re right here in front of me!"

"Even if we can’t outrun the monster...

Even if we’re slower than it...

Even if we’re too weak to wound it...

If we’re together, we can definitely win!"

Ha-rim reached out, offering Alice the necklace.

"Take my hand now, Alice!

You’re the only one I need. Just you."

Ha-rim hadn’t changed.

The children hadn’t changed.

Alice had grown stronger than before, yet she had spent all this time afraid—afraid that she wouldn't be able to protect them from threats beyond their control.

Afraid they would die, caught in the crossfire of her battles.

She had tried to lock them away behind walls.

She remembered when she had lost her power.

Even as she lay wounded, Ha-rim had smiled at her.

The children, too, had rejoiced when they found her and Ha-rim.

Even with their memories erased, they had still thrown themselves into danger they couldn’t be sure they could handle.

They had found courage.

They had tried.

They had fought.

The one who had truly forgotten all of this...

"...Was me."

Alice reached for the red floral necklace.

"Like hell I’ll let that happen!"

Peter Pan lunged forward to stop it.

But he failed.

Because Ha-rim’s body erupted with light.

"This... This is divine power?!

You trusted Alice, and from that, you gained divine power?!"

Alice accepted the red rose.

BOOOOM—!!!

"Guh!"

The impact sent Peter Pan flying out of the theater.

Alice followed, stepping forward with confidence.

Her body was overflowing with energy, her hair gleaming with radiance.

Most striking of all—ethereal, translucent demonic wings had unfurled from her back.

She reached toward the sky.

"Now I can summon it!

The conditions have already been met!"

A colossal mirror began to form, expanding until it filled the sky of Neverland.

It was so massive that even Peter Pan instinctively stepped backward.

"We were sworn enemies, but...

You’ve grown on me. How about lending a hand?"

In the game Alice had come from, there was a monster.

A great demon that only appeared in the bad endings, the protagonist’s fated adversary.

Yet—

A monster that had never actually appeared in the game.

It existed, but did not exist.

It could only live as game data, longing for the bosses that did appear.

"It shows itself in the bad ending, yet never appears in the main game.

Just like a certain creature from a fairy tale."

In Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, there was a famous dragon.

A monster more terrifying than any beast.

And yet, it was never truly in the story—only mentioned in a poem written by Lewis Carroll.

"So I gave it the name of that fairy tale’s dragon."

A monster that existed in the ending, but not the game itself.

A creature mentioned in a poem, but absent from the actual story.

To summon such a special entity, the location had to be a world that existed yet did not exist.

"Bring the end to Neverland—the bad ending!"

The enormous mirror shimmered ominously.

Something began to emerge, starting with razor-sharp claws—slowly, as if a hatchling breaking free from an egg.

"Jabberwock!"

The black dragon of calamity fully descended upon Neverland.

Its very presence caused the world to tremble and collapse.

Cracks spread through the sky.

"This... This is impossible! Impossible!"

Peter Pan was horrified.

Alice couldn’t help herself—she burst into laughter.

"AHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

The situation had flipped entirely from how it had begun.

Realizing that made her laugh even harder.

Ah, today was truly a wonderful day.

When was the last time she had laughed like this?

She was happy.

Right now, happier than anyone in the world.

"Hehehe..."

But she had to calm down.

It was time to end this.

Alice steadied herself and looked Peter Pan in the eye.

"Now then..."

"Shall we bring this to an end?"