The red blood trickling down its lips and jaw.
A long tongue, crawling out of its fang-filled maw, laps up the blood at the corner of its mouth. Its grotesque movements make the tongue seem like a creature of its own.
The blood, sloshing as it mixes with saliva.
The blood, gathering to be eaten by it.
The blood, pouring from the corpse of the fake Dueoksini.
In other words—the thing is drenched in blood.
“Gghh—”
An unbearable groan escapes from deep in my throat.
The Judicator of the Gourmet Expeditionary, Seonbu, eyes the size of billiard balls blinking as he said,
“Hmm, a regurgitative reaction.”
What is he talking about?
“We know all about meals. You feel nauseated, yes? Do you feel like you’re going to vomit?”
That was true. I felt as though I would be sick.
“This won’t do! You’re nauseated from watching my meal?”
Seonbu flounced about theatrically.
“Shake off such petty revulsion! Think of the future! The future! You can’t survive by being picky about food! Foolish humans are already polluting our precious Earth, destroying the environment! Global warming! Culinary disruption! Alien invasion!”
“What the... utter nonsense.”
“It’s not nonsense! Look at this!”
Seonbu hoisted the fake Dueoksini’s corpse.
Cradled carefully in his gigantic fingers, only the torso remained of the once-massive creature.
“This is the path our leader has given us to save ourselves! Dueoksini! Once it becomes this, even those without faith can eat anything!”
He sounded like a madman preaching, but he was earnest.
His face flushed with religious ecstasy as he continued his speech. I was hoping he would wrap it up soon.
“Human, alien, monster, yokai, beast! Without the ability to eat anything, humanity will perish!”
Schraaak!
Without hesitation, it tore the Dueoksini corpse apart.
Blood spattered everywhere.
[Too much blood. Blood covers everything in your vision. Worse, your perception has already determined what’s inside that fanatic’s body.]
Fuck. It’s begun. More blood than my sanity and the buff from Seocheonseul can handle.
[Your intelligence has already predicted what will happen when you strike. The moment you deal sufficient damage, that fanatic’s fifty servings of blood will flood this area.]
Fifty servings? That’s more blood than the number of people killed here. They must have slaughtered elsewhere too. How much do they carry around?
[You can no longer endure this situation.]
[System : “Madness – Hemophobia” is triggering.]
[Attempting a Willpower check against disorientation... Success!]
“...?”
What? I succeeded?
The check passed.
I did not fall into delirium. The blood still disgusted and terrified me, hindering my actions and judgment, but it did not trigger hallucinations, auditory delusions, or amnesia.
‘So this is optimal? I just need to take down that elephant-headed oaf?’
By all previous patterns, yes. If I defeat that thing, I can overcome my blood phobia. Clenching both fists, I said,
“Finished talking?”
“Not yet, not yet—our Gourmet Expeditionary wants to tell you all about our efforts to improve the world’s food culture!”
“Shut up, you lunatic.”
Seocheonseul swung his golden staff to shove the Dueoksini aside and stepped closer.
“Mr. Kim, is that really you?”
“At least he’s human.”
“But he has an elephant head.”
“He absorbs the power and characteristics of whatever he eats.”
“More Dueoksini-like than the Dueoksini.”
“He ate a Dueoksini, so he should have its power too.”
“Haaa—”
All members of the Gourmet Expeditionary share that ability.
Beyond that, they each possess unique powers depending on what they’ve eaten.
“Oh—was it you? The one who roasted and killed our Ban-gong. Your name... um, what was it again?”
At the Masquerade, the Gourmet Expeditionary’s boar-mask was named Ban-gong. It was probably a title, since ban-gong means “rice maker.”
“Oh, right. Ho Sang-hyun?”
“.......”
“Huh? Not Ho Sang-hyun?”
“Let’s correct that first. My name isn’t Ho Sang-hyun—”
Another false name, and not even my own.
Let’s skip needless detail.
“It’s Kim Sinhwa.”
“Ha ha ha—Sinhwa? Ridiculous name.”
“Your naming conventions are funnier.”
His name was Seonbu—using the hanja for “meal”.
“Hmph. Mocking another’s name, how impolite. In any case, we work for humanity’s grand future, so don’t interfere.”
How rich, the pot calling the kettle black.
He stroked his trunk-like nose as he said,
“Our leader says now is not the time to fight. Your meddling reduced the meat supply. We need more fresh offerings.”
Their “leader” wasn’t a guru.
It referred to the Abyssal entity, [Predator in the Mountains]. It seemed to have given them a revelation.
“Ssssiiip!!”
When Seonbu pretended to draw a breath, the nearby blood sucked back into him at incredible speed.
“Blast, Chungeum Captain! That thing’s trying to escape!”
“Hey?!”
“Don’t just say ‘hey’! Captain Chungeum, move!”
Damn it, if it gets away I can’t conquer my phobia!
[Hwa Jeol Pyeon]
[Spell Boost: Multi-Cast]
Shraaak—
Dozens of magical chains of flame flew toward Seonbu.
Damn, but he has fifty servings of blood inside him?
The sudden thought shattered my focus.
“Ha ha ha—fear grips your body!”
As he taunted, Seonbu hurled the Dueoksini corpse he was holding.
A golden flash obscured my vision.
Kwaaang!
Seocheonseul leaped out and struck the corpse away.
“Hey, Mr. Kim! Where do you think you’re going!”
Seocheonseul gave chase.
“Tu-jang! Stop them!”
“Kyaaaa!”
The Dueoksini that had been battering Seocheonseul clung to him with desperate strength.
“You miserable Dueoksini!”
Seocheonseul swung his staff, but the creature wrapped itself around it like a snake and spewed flames.
“Damn!”
His staff was trapped. Seocheonseul brushed away the fire with his empty hand, but he needed to stop that writhing Dueoksini.
There was no time to help him. I unleashed spells upon Seonbu.
[Gwaengyeom]
[Noe Jeon Pa]
[Mangja ui Sonagwi]
“Pyeongjang!”
“Kyeeoooot!”
From beneath the ground burst the real Dueoksini, as fierce as the one called Tu-jang. Pyeongjang had buried its lower body and formed a pact, oozing sticky slime from its maw.
Shraaak!
The slime solidified into a web across the entire wall, blocking the flames. But what about the electricity?
Pzzzzt!
“Kyeeeek!”
It seemed intelligent? It simply took the strike on its body.
But I had one spell left.
Chirrrr—
Hundreds of hands emerged from the floor, coiling around Seonbu’s body.
“Uuugh—Pyeongjang, you idiot!”
“You’re next!”
This place was soaked in death. Grudges were plentiful.
[Agui ui Judungi]
Above Seonbu’s head formed a massive mouth shaped by the resentful spirits of the dead.
Crack!
“But you’re still consumed by fear!”
Seonbu clutched the mouth, which tried to bite his head, with both hands and shouted,
“Ho Sang-hyun! You can’t stop me with power born of hesitation and fear!”
Rrrrrrr—
True brute strength.
Seonbu twisted the mouth formed of the dead’s grudges and reached the hallway’s end, still entangled in ghostly hands.
Glub-grrr-grr—
The moment his hand touched the wall, crimson foam seeped out.
Shzzzh—
The wall split open, revealing an impossible void.
It was a portal-creating spell. We must flee!
I hastily formed a seal to empower the spirits clinging to him.
[Bukmangsan ui Dokbaem]
Shraaak!
The ghostly hands became vicious, toothed serpents that began gnawing at his flesh.
“Ugh—damn you, Mr. Kim Sinhwa!”
“I told you—I’m not Ho Sang-hyun!”
“Who dares show their back to the Chungeum Captain!”
Kwaaang!
A golden flash as Seocheonseul flew in.
[System : “Sacrificial Feast” trait activated.]
Kikikikikik—
From beyond the portal came a horrific laughter that weighed upon the soul itself.
“Captain Chungeum, stop it! No, defend!”
“What—?”
But it was too late.
A colossal tentacle, its tip like the maw of a lamprey, burst through the portal. Not just any tentacle—one imbued with Abyssal presence!
“Krk!”
That massive limb struck Seocheonseul without hesitation.
[Protection Circle]
[Spell Boost: Range Increase]
[Spell Boost: Maximize]
Kwaaang!
Pzzzzt!
Unbelievable force. Overwhelming power.
The tentacle shattered the Protection Circle I’d formed and sent Seocheonseul flying off in a defensive stance.
Kraaaang!
Damn, that power—
He was knocked through the wall, ricocheting outside the building.
Kikikikikik—
The ominous laughter returned.
Somehow that repulsive tentacle, like an elephant’s trunk, coiled around Seonbu’s body and yanked him back.
This wasn’t a full manifestation of an Abyssal being. Yet these fanatics had gathered enough fresh offerings to channel a fraction of such power.
“Oh! Leader! Thank you! With the blood of our offerings, we’ll proceed there!”
Damn it! Focus! Focus, Kim Sinhwa!
And fuck! Think about something other than blood! Grab him! Kill that bastard! Only then can I overcome «N.o.v.e.l.i.g.h.t» this fucking hemophobia!
[Jeungo ui Chujeokja]
I barely completed the spell, but the portal slammed shut.
“Ah, damn it! Fuck!”
I spat curses vaguely, but it was too late. I’d missed my chance. My fear of blood prevented me from making the right choices and using my full power.
“Pathetic Mr. Kim! We’ll finish you off!”
“Kyee-ho-ho-hot!”
The battered Tu-jang and the electrified Pyeongjang charged me.
“Ha, damn it. Blood, blood, blood. Fuck.”
“Poor Mr. Kim. No more Captain Chungeum to help you now!”
“Kkikkeukkeuk!”
“Hey, you lot don’t carry extra blood with you, do you?”
They exchanged puzzled looks at my question.
Once oni, now yokai that lost their true selves after drinking human blood, gaining cruel yokai powers.
They even bow their heads to Abyssal entities known as [Predator of the Mountain], [Silent Watcher], [Sacrifice-Bearer], or [Blood Demon King], receiving blessings and wielding malevolent powers.
They slaughter and drink the blood of dozens.
Pyeongjang and Tu-jang laughed cruelly, their mirth edged with sadism.
“Ah—got it. This guy’s head is full of money, huh? No wonder—witnessing a fragment of our leader’s power must’ve broken your mind.”
“Kyee-ho! Kyaaheh!”
“Don’t worry, Mr. Kim. Soon you’ll join us and serve the leader.”
I pointed at the charging Tu-jang and unleashed another spell.
[Nogaenaelineun Saljeom]
“What—what did you do?”
Sssssss—
The flesh on Tu-jang’s face began to melt. The slithering gore covered his face and clogged his breathing holes.
“Ugh—ugh! Gghh!”
“Kkikkeukkeuk!”
I twirled my finger at the panicked Pyeongjang and cast the next spell.
[Dwieongkineun Gotong]
Crunch—snap—
“Kyeeek?! Gghh—?!”
Pyeongjang’s limbs lengthened, then twisted and entwined around themselves like knotted ropes.
“Ugh! Ugh ugh!”
“Quiet.”
I added yet another spell to Tu-jang’s body.
[Monghwan ui Yeomjeung]
[Geurijooreun Waeppal]
“Gaaah—augh—”
Tumors and inflammations sprouted grotesquely from Tu-jang. Pus poured forth, and nightmarish plant-like forms erupted.
His left hand transformed into a maw studded with teeth.
Rrrr—
The monstrous mouth chewed on his right hand.
“Ugh ugh ugh! Ugh ugh!”
“And you’ll squirt out squid.”
[Simhae ui Tikkeul]
“Kraaah—”
Shraaak— shraaak—
From Pyeongjang’s mouth spilled pale, squid-like forms. They weren’t squid but translucent white creatures that wrapped around him and—
Bam!
A golden staff flew, knocking the pale tentacle-monsters aside.
“Mr. Kim, this is overkill.”
Seocheonseul’s voice.
“No, just a little more.”
I hadn’t finished venting.
“Hey. Kim. Sinhwa. Stop it!”
Seocheonseul grabbed my head and forced me to turn.
His face, smudged with dust and wild hair, stared back at me.
I looked at his face for a moment and said,
“Your hat. You’ve lost it.”
The hat I always wore was nowhere to be seen.
“Hmm, where could it’ve fallen? Anyway, can’t you stop now?”
“All right. Captain Chungeum, clear them out.”
I tossed the net I’d been carrying to Seocheonseul.
“Phew—”
Seocheonseul sighed, hoisted the net, and looked down at the sprawled Tu-jang and Pyeongjang.
“You foolish goblin bastards. Was the blood outside Chungeum Hall that sweet?”
He scooped the corrupted goblin-yokai into the net and, with a cheerful expression, said,
“Now, Mr. Kim. Tell me our next plan.”
