IPE-2 [Julbawi].
The location of Paju Central Hospital is Bongamri, Paju-eup, Paju City.
The characters bong for beacon fire and am for rock combine to form Bongamri.
Before Paju Central Hospital was built in Bongamri, these pure white rocks you see before you now were lined up along the road.
“Because rocks were lined up, they called them Julbawi. Over time the name shifted to Jura-wi, and then to Jurawi.”
That word is still used today as a place name in Paju City.
In any case, it was originally called Julbawi.
In the reality I lived in, there’s also a folktale associated with Julbawi.
One day, in a woman’s dream a rock appeared in the form of Maitreya and said, ‘If you set me upright I will grant your wish.’ When the woman hurried out and examined between the rocks, sure enough one lying there bore the shape of a human.
Believing it to be the stone Maitreya, she set it upright and made offerings—
“...and they say her wish came true.”
Such legends aren’t important. The problem is the insane setting of [Cthulhu World].
After the Great Collapse, some abyssal entities pried into real-world landmarks and made them their sanctuaries.
And this Jurawi is the very medium on which [One Who Waits in Silence] left its mark.
With something like this beneath the hospital, even without rituals, offerings, or mediums, it could exert such absurd power.
“It should be here somewhere.”
I sought out among the rocks the most special one—the rock shaped like a human... and found it.
Here it is.
The rock shaped like a human.
The madness embedded in my mind once labeled this as a doll. Because of that, I couldn’t recall that this existed here.
“Damn. It turns out I fell for effectively the same pattern.”
But now my doll phobia is gone.
Thinking back on what happened at Paju Samneung, I’ll probably get new madness once I leave this hospital.
In any case, this is the moment when I can act most freely.
“Huh, but this is weird.”
Normally, just my approaching would have triggered an uproar.
“Huh, yet even though I’ve come this far there’s no reaction?”
Has another bizarre trap been set?
I formed magic circles around me for protection, defense, and ambush response, but nothing was activated.
‘There’s nothing.’
In the end I extended sensing mana and traced the rock with my hand. From the surroundings, slowly, to the rock most resembling a human...
Perhaps I’m overly tense, but given what that bastard put me through this isn’t enough.
After careful analysis, I discovered why there was no reaction.
“Ah, you {N•o•v•e•l•i•g•h•t} disgusting bastard. You really exhausted every drop of your power to fuck with me?”
According to my memories, Julbawi should bear the influence and traces of [One Who Waits in Silence].
But that’s all there is.
Not a single drop of mana remains.
He used his power so frugally and meticulously just to drive me mad.
‘If even one medium, ritual, or offering had remained, it would have been even more dangerous.’
If I hadn’t preemptively cut off their preparations by deploying Yang Seohu, their plan would have succeeded.
“In the end, I owe Yang Seohu a debt.”
Well done, Kim Sinhwa. Excellent judgement.
And though abyssal influence remains, the mana in Julbawi is spent—
“Heh heh heh, I can use it however I like, huh?”
No mana remains, but that’s fine.
The lingering influence on these rocks—I can harness it.
By using Julbawi I can create weapons or magic more powerful than ever before.
Not just against [One Who Waits in Silence], but against all things tied to [Mountain Predator].
[System: Penalty trait ‘Feast’s Offering’ effect has activated.]
Rrrrrrrumble—
The lined-up rocks begin to tremble.
Tirrrr— tirrrr—
Grotesque wormlike shapes crawl out from between the rocks.
“What is this? A final gasp?”
Pitifully weak. Far too feeble to be called an abyssal mobilization. It’s utterly decayed, incapable of real resistance.
Snap—
I snapped my fingers and cast toward the approaching worms:
[Holy Flame]
Flaaaaare—
White flames of exorcism burst outward.
Tirrrr— skreeeeeek!
If Paju Central Hospital hadn’t been here, I couldn’t have dealt with this so easily.
If the true form of [One Who Waits in Silence]—[Mountain Predator] or another avatar—had appeared to lend power, it would have been far harder.
“Alright, you bastards. You really were vicious.”
But now that the hospital’s barrier is restored, there is no one to lend them power.
In other words, it’s my turn.
“This time I’ll show you how persistent and terrible I can be.”
[SSS-Rank Accessory ‘Remnants of Bukraksamun’ unique function ‘Trace of Extreme Flame’ activates.
// Trace of Extreme Flame: All fire-type magic effects are increased by 100%.]
[Flames That Purify Sin]
[Enveloping Flame]
[Burning Wrath]
[Evenbranch’s Beacon]
Flaaaaare—
Combined with the pre-cast [Holy Flame], five colored flames shine.
The same method I used to seal [One Who Laughs]. The five-colored flames I conjured suppress its influence and sever all connections to other avatars.
“Hmm, casting here won’t be easy but—”
New magic circles flare up all around.
This spell isn’t normally so difficult to cast, but here—deep within Paju Central Hospital’s barrier—and me far from optimal condition, I had to force half the incantation.
KWAANG!
An explosion sounds from outside.
“Damn, it’s been breached already? I need to get out fast.”
Battling a throbbing headache, I completed the final spell:
[Gate Creation]
Krrreeeek—
A small hole opens in midair. From beyond it I hear...
“What the hell? Kim Sinhwa? What are you doing?”
It’s the voice of Cheongho—no, [One Who Laughs].
“Hey! Catch this!”
Zzzzzt—
I extended mana, converted it to force, and shoved the rock shaped like a human—the core of Julbawi—into the hole.
“Using me— using me as trash again!”
Though [One Who Laughs] complained in Cheongho’s voice, it responded to my will and did as I commanded.
Clack, creak, rattle, crunch, crunch, crack.
Black shadows and bones reaching through the hole begin dragging Julbawi in.
Shhrreeee—
Though the hole was under an inch wide, the sizeable rock was sucked in. Thanks to [One Who Laughs].
The gate that swallowed the rock... is contracting rapidly. A side effect of overcapacity? Before it closed completely I called to [One Who Laughs]:
“Good! Be nice to your new friend!”
“Kim Sinh—!”
I don’t know what [One Who Laughs] tried to say, but the gate closed before I could hear the rest.
“Don’t move! IPE-1789!”
“Don’t you dare move!”
“What the hell are you doing here!”
A suppression unit of Paju Central Hospital nurses surges in. Wait—come to think of it—
“Hey, I figured something out: if you’d safeguarded this, I wouldn’t have gone through all that trouble!”
“What did you say?”
“So I took it to manage it for you. Got it?”
“Don’t be fooled by her illusions! Just attack!”
“Huh? It’s not an illusion.”
In any case, it’s time to escape.
I pulled the white mask from my clothes—the small buffalo-bone skull mask: [Reckless Destruction].
Rat-tat-tat-tat!
[Distortion Field]
“Hey, attacking before I transform is cheating.”
“My bullets aren’t working?”
“Move aside! Time for melee!”
Pushing past the gun-wielders, I turned to those with abilities.
“Ah, hold on!”
I removed the size-reduction magic from [Reckless Destruction] and donned it.
[S-Rank Accessory ‘Reckless Destruction’ unique function ‘Craving for Violence’ activates.
// Craving for Violence: For N minutes, Strength, Constitution, and Agility stats +5 (+N). Additionally increases attack power and massively raises understanding of melee combat. (N is randomly chosen from 1 to 10.)]
[Performing luck check to determine N...]
[Check complete N = 9]
Black shadows envelop me and my height increases.
“Oh? Ohhh—?”
“Th-that is....”
Startled by the sudden change, the nurses hesitate. Feeling a light thrill and excitement, I said calmly:
“Alright. I’ll break through in nine minutes.”
[Bull’s Headbutt]
[Lion’s Courage]
[Bear’s Willpower]
Last time I couldn’t control that strange thing writhing in my mind, but not this time.
After days of dreams I bound it so it couldn’t move.
[Protect Barrier]
The nurses rushed to restrain me, but I, too, was wrapped in the barrier as I charged them head-on.
KWAANG!
They flew outward.
“Aaah!”
“Get away, you bastards!”
After scattering their ranks, I cast spells all around.
[Fear Injection]
[Limb Atrophy]
[Vision Deprivation]
Simple but effective disabling spells. And then—
[Create: Clear Water Generation]
[Surging Current]
KWA-KWA-KWA-KWA and SHOOOOOSH!
A massive wave surged in the narrow corridor. They’re tough enough that a bit of rough treatment won’t kill them.
KWAANG!
There was more resistance, but no serious obstacles.
[Craving for Violence effect has ended. Cooldown: 86 400 seconds]
Exactly nine minutes as declared.
I looked up at the sky: a mesmerizingly beautiful moon.
I’m finally outside the hospital.
The effect has worn off, but I still wear [Reckless Destruction] and ride my skateboard.
“Phew— did I make it out?”
When you’re strong, brute force can overcome any plan or trick.
“Right. Intelligence is overrated. Health and strength are everything.”
No, no— I mustn’t let my guard down yet.
[Mirror Image]
[Spell Augment: Multi-Cast]
[Spell Augment: Range Increase]
Illusory doppelgängers of me sprang up around and began running at incredible speed. Of course I can’t move that fast.
“There they are!”
“Chase!”
From afar came grim shouts.
Other nurses who’d joined late. They look stronger than those I faced earlier. Are they the main force?
“Whew, they’re no joke either.”
Thanks to I Haseo and Gong Isu’s pre-setup, I escaped easily.
I increased the skateboard’s speed to put as much distance as possible between us.
[You have...]
“Ugh, it’s started.”
A message window obscured my view.
[You endured horrific ordeals at Paju Central Hospital. You survived the worst disaster and madness wrought by abyssal entities, and even involuntarily lived as a patient in the closed ward for a time.]
“Yeah. That bastard made it hell.”
[But with help from newly made allies, you overcame every trial and secured weapons to resist abyssal entities, then escaped the perilous closed ward of Paju Central Hospital.]
Allies? Aside from Gong Isu, does it include I Haseo too?
[You have escaped the ‘Closed Ward of Paju Central Hospital.’ Experience gained.]
[You have gained sufficient experience to advance. Level +1.]
Experience begins pouring in. I really did take down so many enemies this time. I anticipate substantial rewards.
