Chapter 160: The Pyramid Head

[Ding! Mission Six has been assigned: Break the curse of Silent Hill. Completing the mission will grant 3000 Penalty Points. Failure will result in no new missions being issued in the current world (Current progress: 0/1).]

Upon entering the eerie town of Silent Hill, Jon was greeted by the familiar sound of the system's notification ringing in his ears.

He treaded across the bleak landscape under a sky from which ashes perpetually descended. The air was filled with a thick fog, obscuring his view of the surroundings almost completely.

From his pocket, he retrieved a haunting painting he had discovered earlier in Rose's car. It depicted a school, enveloped in a chilling atmosphere.

The backstory involved Rose and her daughter, Sharon, experiencing a series of unsettling events on their journey to Silent Hill. Initially, Sharon's artwork radiated warmth. However, after Rose inquired about Silent Hill at a gas station and then returned to their vehicle, she was shocked to find that Sharon's drawings had transformed. They now mirrored the dark and ominous style of the painting Jon held in his hands.

"The first thing I need to do is locate the church. It's got to be around here somewhere," Jon thought to himself.

He had assumed that, armed with the Ghost Rider's formidable abilities, he would swiftly confront the main adversary, pass judgment, and bring the ordeal to a swift conclusion. In his mind, the most straightforward approach was to follow the narrative of the movie: find the church in Silent Hill and persuade the congregation to guide him to Alessa.

Moreover, Jon held a deep-seated disdain for the individuals associated with the church. After resolving the situation with Alessa, he intended to return and eradicate the malevolent faction that resided within the church's walls.

However, Jon was at a loss for the church's exact location amidst the eerie expanse of Silent Hill. Despite its appearance as a modestly sized town, its sprawling layout made locating a small church akin to finding a needle in a haystack. He had stumbled upon a map posted on a signpost upon his arrival, yet frustratingly, it offered no clues to the church's whereabouts.

This dilemma left Jon scratching his head. With only a vague plan and scant details, he decided to take a chance on the school as his starting point.

It was at this moment that Jon halted abruptly, his ears catching the ominous wail of an air raid siren.

Familiar with the narrative of the original movie, he understood the significance of this alarm. The locals referred to it as the descent into darkness, marking the terrifying transition from Silent Hill's normality into its sinister, alternate reality.

"Ah, we're entering the otherworld again, are we? What an inconvenience," Jon remarked with a sigh.

Under different circumstances, Jon would revel in the opportunity to unleash his wrath on hordes of creatures, a prospect that would normally thrill him. However, Silent Hill's denizens were unique in that they could not be traded for Penitence Points. As lifeless manifestations, they lacked the inherent sin required to quench the Spirit of Vengeance's thirst.

The logic was simple: a knife, despite being used to commit numerous murders, is not in itself sinful; the guilt lies with its wielder, the one who employs it as a tool for killing. Thus, the sinister deeds carried out by these creatures were attributable to Alessa, the metaphorical hand wielding the knife.

As Jon mulled over these thoughts, darkness swiftly enveloped him, the fog and ashes that once filled the air vanishing, swallowed by an all-consuming shadow.

A chilling hum grew louder, signaling the approach of grotesque, twisted beings. As they caught sight of Jon, they surged towards him with the ferocity of a swarm of bees.

"Let's do this. Even if there are no Penalty Points to gain, it'll serve as a decent way to blow off some steam," Jon declared, drawing a state-of-the-art rifle from the system's dimensional storage.

Just as Jon prepared to open fire on the approaching horde, the menacing creatures halted in unison, their advance stopping as abruptly as it had begun. The unsettling hum that had filled the air vanished, replaced by an oppressive silence that seemed to weigh heavily on the abandoned streets of Silent Hill.

Surrounded by the motionless crowd of grotesque beings, Jon found himself in a surreal standoff. The narrow streets, previously teeming with monstrous forms, were now eerily quiet, the creatures standing as silent sentinels.

His curiosity piqued by the sudden change, Jon was soon startled by a new, jarring sound.

Screech, screech, screech~!

The noise was grating, reminiscent of a massive metal object scraping against the ground. This cacophony was accompanied by the heavy, deliberate footsteps of something unseen.

The creatures, as if obeying an unspoken command, parted, creating a clear path through the middle of the street. It was evident to Jon that these beings were not acting on their own volition but were instead being directed by a presence far more formidable.

The source of their obedience soon became apparent.

From the path they had cleared, a figure emerged, exuding an aura of sheer terror. This being stood roughly two meters tall, its form vaguely human but cloaked in a filthy, blood-soaked garment that hung in tatters. Its most striking feature, however, was not the large, rusted sword it dragged behind—responsible for the ear-piercing screeches—but its head: a giant, metallic pyramid that seemed to fuse with its body, giving it a nightmarish appearance.

This entity was known as Pyramid Head, a symbol of terror and punishment within the Silent Hill universe, recognized and revered by fans for its chilling presence.

In the lore, Pyramid Head served as Alessa's executioner, a relentless force of vengeance at her behest.

Confronted by this iconic figure, Jon did not hesitate. He aimed his rifle and fired a concentrated beam of energy towards Pyramid Head.

Bang!

The moment of impact left Jon stunned. The laser, capable of cutting through nearly anything, was effortlessly blocked by the swing of Pyramid Head's gargantuan sword.

Jon's surprise was palpable. Pyramid Head's near-invulnerability was a well-known trait, yet Jon had expected his advanced weaponry to make a difference. The Silent Hill 2 narrative had demonstrated Pyramid Head's defeatability, hinting that conventional weapons might have an effect. Why, then, did his far more advanced rifle fail to make a mark?

Before he could dwell on this anomaly, Pyramid Head launched into an attack, its massive sword raised high for a devastating blow.

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