“There you are!”
KRAZZZZT!
[Fake Kim Sinhwa] shatters in an instant.
I stack the necromancy amplification on the [Butcher’s Hook] with the summons-berserk effect of the [Silver Bell of the Underworld] to send another [Fake Kim Sinhwa] in close.
“So that leaves three [Fake Kim Sinhwa] left?”
I just need you to stall a little longer.
Vvvvvvmmm—
The skateboard carrying me skims through the pyramid’s interior.
“Why not fly?”
“Waste of mana!”
It’s a pyramid, but the layout calls to mind a wasp nest.
“Uuugh—”
“Ghh—”
Intermittent groans from every direction.
One pit per person. People trussed head to toe in bandages lie there.
Living offerings whose senses are sealed, their bodily and spiritual mana siphoned.
Riding the high-speed board, I fan out my detection.
Vvvvvvmmm—
The mana drawn from the people flows one way along conduit lines embedded in the walls.
“Not just from people, either.”
This pyramid wasn’t built merely for theme cohesion. It’s shaped to fit ritual sense—pulling mana even from the local ley lines.
What are they planning with all this mana?
“Come to think, even during the fight earlier, they didn’t use this power.”
Jung Hyunah, after ingesting a portion of the [Scaly Stratagem], already had plenty of mana to spare...
If she’d used this stockpile on top of that, the fight would’ve ended in my loss from the start.
In short, Hyunah—or the [Scaly Stratagem] steering her mind—has something it values more than beating me.
The pyramid’s heart.
Dead center horizontally and vertically.
“A coffin, of course.”
A massive coffin wrought of pure silver.
Every inch of it is crowded with etched magical formulae and uncanny hieroglyphs.
“What’s the use? You didn’t prep this to honor the dead.”
“They’ll follow the standard-but-popular pattern.”
Egypt theme, right?
It’s distorted in the narrow way of [Cthulhu World], but the purpose of making a mummy is ultimately the dead one’s return.
I bent to study the lines cut into the coffin.
Not from this situation, but I’ve seen this piece a few times in [Cthulhu World].
A mess—this only shows up in the final chapter right before a destruction ending.
“And the silver would be used to weave a ward that protects the precious body until descent.”
Wuuuuuuum—
High-density compressed mana seethes inside the coffin.
Yes—compressed to a frightening density.
And silver can serve as a shielding shell to condense and hold focused mana.
“Who is it? Cheongho? Or Hyunah’s mother?”
“Whoever it is doesn’t matter. It’s a lie either way.”
I said that, set my hand on the formulas etched into the coffin, and forced mana in.
Bzzzzzzzt—
Abstract sparks jumped in every direction.
“Gh—solid.”
A magical repulsion. A will that refuses intrusion by any without leave. Thirteenfold composite wards installed to realize that will.
Srrr—
Srrr— chrrrr—
“Kim Sinhwa. Stop.”
The voice of Jung Hyunah—or the [Scaly Stratagem]—out of the dark.
I aimed my words for Hyunah, not the [Scaly Stratagem].
“Miss, this seems a little risky for a high-school hobby piece. Do you know what this is?”
“Ah— Jung Hyunah knows it well. It’s the tool to grant her wish.”
So the [Scaly Stratagem] identity is stronger than Hyunah’s right now.
Srrr—
A presence sliding laterally through the dark.
“Setting up an attack.”
That signature is a feint. With a body ten meters long—and tail-tentacles that can detach—
True to its name, it likes stratagems.
If it strikes, it’ll mix at least three patterns, minimum. Damn it, go make a versus action game.
I need time—and a little more control of the field.
“You’re resurrecting a human—so why stuff an Abyssal’s organs and a shoggoth into the build?”
Whatever’s being made in that silver coffin, it isn’t a person.
I can sense the [Scaly Stratagem]’s lungs—and the shoggoth I threw here last time—inside.
Whoever Hyunah wants back—this result won’t be human.
“That’s not important. Hyunah will get what she wanted, in effect.”
I bared my teeth (not that you can see under the mask).
“So you’re saying you conned her, you trash.”
Once its true body descends, it could revive whoever Hyunah wants—any number of times.
But the [Scaly Stratagem] answered breezily, as if nothing was wrong.
“Are you interfacing with the matrix?”
“Quick on the uptake.”
“How is it?”
“Well made. Hard to tunnel.”
A ritual lattice built by an Abyssal. Of course it isn’t easy.
“Indeed. So long as I remain linked to it, you cannot stop it. And—”
“Hey. Keep it short.”
“What?”
“I’m a sole proprietor, alright? Billable hours. My ten-minute break ends, I’m back on fixer duty. If you’ve got a pitch, don’t circle—spit it out.”
“Kk— kuhuhu—”
Srrr—
A slick laugh, a sly shift of presence.
“If you dislike me granting Jung Hyunah’s wish, then accept my entrails and become my servitor.”
“Hmmm—”
“If saving Jung Hyunah is your aim, this is your only choice. Serve «N.o.v.e.l.i.g.h.t» me. Then Hyunah is unnecessary—I will let her go.”
“You’ll let Hyunah go?”
“I will never harm you. Is going back where you came from your wish? I shall grant it. Do you want greater power? You may have it.”
I lifted my left hand with the hook to scratch my head—
“Ah— almost poked another hole in my skull.”
“The answer?”
“Fine, here’s your answer. First, the initiation where I have to eat your intestines is physiologically gross. Second, you talk too much, your tone is aggravating, your breath is rancid, and you’re ugly. Also your temperament is way too vile to serve as a boss. And most of all—”
“Most of all?”
“As a sole proprietor—I don’t deal with clients who think breaking contracts is cute.”
Your existing client (Jung Hyunah) has paid for this much work, and you’re rejecting all of it to re-contract with someone else?
You ethics-free, appalling demon.
“Subduing is not the only use for a Feast’s Offering. If you will not profit me, I will kill and eat you.”
“Kkyeeeek.”
“Kkyeeeek?”
“Less nagging, more beasting—scream kkyeeeek and charge me. You crocodile-headed freak.”
THOOOOM!
The colossal monster pounded off the stone and lunged.
No kkyeeeek shouted, huh.
Shrrrr—
Tentacles revealing themselves from left and right.
Snake-like shapes—but I don’t have that phobia anymore.
Shraaaa—
An unpleasant thought-wave trying to bore into my mind.
A mental attack? [Abyssal Madness] will auto-block it.
Anyway, as expected—three patterns at once.
Grrrrr— grrrrr—
Cheongho’s men rising one by one.
Ah, there was a fourth pattern. Even better!
I counted in my head—
And cast.
[Blade Wall]
[Anvil of the Thunder God]
[Orb of Winter]
[Delayed Explosion Fireball]
“Pathetic!”
Just whipping its tendrils shatters the blades with a crash.
One—
A lightning blow in the shape of a giant hammer—met by a breath of sand and canceled.
Two—
KRAZZZZT!
Tch, it just shrugs off the cold?
But—the massive fireball compressing flame power remains!
And three!
“Baby, now!”
KRAAAA-BOOM!
“Now!” “Now!” “Now!” “Now!” “Now!” “Now!” “Now!” “Now!” “Now!”
A colossal bundle of tentacles rips down through the ceiling.
Shraaaaa!
The [Child of Darkness], six times bigger from gorging while hidden.
KWOOM!
“Graaaargh!”
The sheer weight of that bulk is lethal by itself.
Chrrrrrp!
Without stopping, hundreds of tendrils lash and cinch the creature’s body in an instant—twisting, tearing, crushing, chewing, pummeling.
“Graaaargh! Let go! Release me!”
Jung Hyunah thrashed, smashing everything nearby.
“Eat! Eat! Eat! Eat! Eat! Eat! Eat! Eat! Eat!”
The [Child of Darkness] clung like a fiend.
Rrrrrrrumble!
A clash of two monsters howling as if they could shatter the world this instant.
Looks like you didn’t foresee this?
While you executed four attack patterns, your focus split trying to counter my four kinds of offense.
If you were a true Abyssal—this level of misdirection wouldn’t work—
But you’re only a fragment of the [Scaly Stratagem].
“Get wrecked!”
Fwoooooosh—
A [Delayed Explosion Fireball] grows stronger the longer you spend concentrating power instead of firing at once.
On top of that—
[Spell Boost: Maximize]
[Spell Boost: Chain Explosion]
[SSS-grade weapon Signchamjeong Sword (Nokzon) unique function, “Heavenfire Aspect,” activates.
// Heavenfire Aspect: All fire-type magic has its effects increased by 100%.]
“B-But the baby is— you’re just going to—!?”
“The [Child of Darkness] is immune to fire, explosion, corrosion, electricity, and poison!”
KAAAAAAAA-BOOM!
Lethal flame painted across everything.
The heat roared so hard my mana-synced hoodie caught fire.
“Enough! I’ll kill you all!”
[System: Penalty trait “Feast’s Offering” activates. “Abyssal Entity: ????????????????” becomes enraged at you.]
Ah, it’s mad.
“Hey, try enduring a little. The one who blows up first loses.”
Shraaaaa!
All the ritual lines feeding the silver coffin swing as one.
Jung Hyunah—no, I can’t call it that anymore.
The [Scaly Stratagem] syncing with the pyramid as a whole and the ley-line lattice of this region.
Rrrrrrrumble!!!
The pyramid collapses.
“Scared!” “Scared!” “Scared!” “Scared!” “Scared!” “Scared!” “Scared!” “Scared!” “Scared!”
Power that even scares the [Child of Darkness] into bolting.
Rrrrrrrrrumble!!
Waves surge in from every side.
Water I spread outside.
With control abandoned, it’s handy mana as-is.
It ends up drinking even that water—shaping a body of liquid and sand.
The [Scaly Stratagem] mutates into a gigantic beast like a snake, a crocodile, or a dragon. No—into [????????????????].
[System: “Abyssal Entity: ????????????????” reveals itself before your eyes.]
Rrrrrrrrrumble!
A size that beggars sense, coiling around the entire pyramid.
A dragon in a revolting, sickening color.
[System: Unique trait of “????????????????,” “Withering of ,” activates.]
[By “Withering of ,” everything within a 30 km radius turns to sand. In addition, madness is forcibly injected into your mind.]
Thirty kilometers?
That’ll reach Incheon. Ah, the Great Perimeter Wall turning to sand is the bigger problem.
The pyramid converts to sand at once and begins to crumble.
“Baby! Help me out!”
“Baby helps!” “Baby helps!” “Baby helps!” “Baby helps!” “Baby helps!” “Baby helps!” “Baby helps!” “Baby helps!”
Shraaaa!
Startled by the Abyssal’s display, the baby had fled—now it dashes back and coils me up in a grip.
And one more thing.
The baby grips a big object with me—and sprints, dodging the rain of sand.
Held in its tendrils, I yelled,
“You idiot crocodile-head! It felt good when you gulped down the water I’d let loose, didn’t it? But guess what? You let go of this thing’s control too!”
What the baby is clutching with me is the huge silver coffin from the pyramid’s center.
And my palm is still set on it.
You get what that means?
[Perception]
