Victim Number Seven:


    The old man gazed into the mirror as it gazed back at him. It showed nothing more than the monstrosity he had created—himself. He kept watching, motionless, for what seemed like hours before finally turning away, an air of disappointment hanging over him.


    He walked over to the large bag holding his newly bought PC. Pulling out the box, he placed it on the table with determination. It didn''t matter to him if his end goal landed him in jail for the rest of his life; that was inconsequential.


    After hours of grueling work, he found what he was looking for: a hidden file containing a forbidden video.


    As he clicked on the file, a warning flashed across the screen:


    "Warning: This video has been forbidden by the Demontagnac FBI department. Anyone who is not a government official, part of the police department, or does not have official permission can and will be severely punished for watching it."


    The warning faded, replaced by a grand title that read:


    The V.E Effect.


    The Violet Eyes Effect is a rare condition found in those who possess any variation of violet-colored eyes. It is extremely rare; however, those who have it claim to perceive magical and spiritual beings better than the norm.


    The screen went black for several moments before cutting to an image of two men in a dimly lit room. One wore black button-fly jeans and a blue dress shirt, his nameplate reading Joseph. The other, a man in his early fifties, sat in front of him, dark circles underlining his irritated red eyes.


    "Could you please give me more details about your encounter with this ''entity''?" Joseph asked.


    "O-of course," the man stammered. "It was last week. I was asleep at the time, so I have no idea how it got inside. I-it wasn''t until I heard some strange music that I woke up."


    "Some ''music,'' you say?" Joseph squinted, his pen scratching the surface of his notebook.


    "Y-yes, it... it came from my computer. I-I can''t recall what it sounded like, however. When I arrived at the lounge and found my PC, the music became loud static. And at that moment, when I looked up from my PC, I saw ''it.''"


    "Are you absolutely positive that you locked all your doors and windows?"


    "Yes, officer, I did."


    "Okay, then. Do you remember what it looked like?"


    "Yes. I''m afraid I couldn''t forget it even if I wanted to."


    "Did it look like anyone you knew?"


    Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    "No, sir."


    "...Wait, what?"


    "In my entire life, I have never seen anything that looked remotely close to it."


    Joseph paused, looking away from the man, his expression unreadable. The tired man shifted uncomfortably.


    "O-Officer? Is something wrong?"


    "Mr. Miller," Joseph began hesitantly, "can you tell me when exactly you saw this ''monster'' for the first—"


    The video glitched abruptly, fast-forwarding about 30 minutes. When it resumed, a nationwide warning filled the screen:


    Dear citizens of Demontagnac, reports from the East Block''s local police headquarters have given us an update on the shape-shifter''s true identity.


    The shape-shifter, as mentioned in previous reports, is said to be a six-meter-tall, half-man, half-black figure with tentacles emerging from its eye sockets and spikes surrounding its feet and belly.


    If you see any figure resembling this description, refrain from looking directly into its eyes or responding to any of its noises. If it comes after you, ignore it. Any interaction with the threat will result in a slow, gruesome death.


    As the warning ended, a photo of a distressed old man appeared on the screen, accompanied by a description and a vocal message:


    Victim Number 8: Jaiden Miller, the only survivor of the shape-shifter''s attacks so far. He was found in his apartment, crying with a gun pointed at his head. The victim kept repeating, "Get him out," while looking straight at his computer.


    We managed to disarm him, but when we turned the PC off, he screamed so loudly our ears nearly burst. Then he passed out. Whatever that shape-shifter is, it''s far more dangerous than any of us ever imagined, and it must be eliminated as quickly as possible.


    The voice message began playing:


    "I... I couldn''t do anything... I DIDN''T do anything! I just stood there shaking and crying my eyes out as it laughed at me gleefully.


    "I-It''s quite ironic, isn''t it? Me, who once acted so high and mighty. Me, who once thought I was the best of the best, a fearless warrior deserving of a place in the army to protect the country!... And yet... and yet I COULDN''T EVEN PROTECT MY OWN SON!... my own son..."


    "...That doesn''t matter anymore. I now know what I have to do... I have to kill it before it kills me."


    The voice cut off abruptly, and the screen displayed the title The V.E Effect again. A loud screech overlapped with the voice of a young woman:


    "Ever since ''The Great Accident'' eight years ago, the number of people with the V.E Effect has increased to more than 50% of the population, making it the majority. At the same time, suicide cases have risen by 15%, and the number keeps growing day by day."


    The video ended. The man turned off his PC, taking a notebook to jot down his discoveries.


    Satisfied, he went back to his bed and closed his eyes, finally ready for sleep.


    But after what felt like a moment, an unnerving yet oddly soft voice called to him.


    "Wake up... wake up... It''s time to wake up."


    The familiar voice jolted him awake. To his shock, the sun was already rising. Shaking off the grogginess, he brushed his teeth and washed his face. As he lifted his head, his heart stopped.


    Through the mirror, he saw a figure standing behind him. Almost transparent, it was impossible to describe, yet unmistakably there.


    "Go back to your PC, Joseph. We are waiting for you," it murmured.


    Curious despite his unease, Joseph returned to his desk. Booting up the computer, he found a new game installed: T.L.C.


    Opening it, cryptic messages filled the screen:


    Enough games. I know who you are, I know what you''re yearning for, and I know the reason behind that.


    That is why I shall gift you this offer:


    I will help you achieve your goal. In exchange, there is one door in this game that keeps me from being free and finally finding peace.


    Once you achieve your goal, I will grant you access to the game so you can open it. That is all I will ask of you.


    Please, will you accept this offer, Joseph?


    Presented with a simple yes-or-no prompt, Joseph weighed his options. After much deliberation, he decided he had far more to gain than to lose.


    Reluctantly, he clicked yes.