Chapter 243 Chapter242-The Seriousness of Psychic Contamination
When John's figure reappeared in Thousand Streams Cave, Blue Sea and Adam had already finished gathering the Aqua Blue Flower powder and were anxiously waiting amidst the floral tapestry.
Perhaps it was the weight of the prolonged wait; worry clouded their expressions.
They were unsure if John could vanquish a boss of Mammon's caliber.
When they first encountered Mammon, both had secretly cast Detection spells, only to be met with a series of question marks—a clear sign that Mammon's level far surpassed theirs, so much so that even its name and level couldn't be displayed.
It was only when John reappeared that they exhaled in simultaneous relief.
Rushing toward him, Adam blurted, "Galewind, are you alright?"
With a subtle smile, John responded, "Don't worry, what could happen to me? That creature was already gravely injured; fighting it hardly posed a risk."
Blue Sea scrutinized the space behind John, only to find that the terrifying and grotesque Devil Mammon was conspicuously absent.
Astonished, he questioned, "Galewind, you didn't go and kill another deity, did you?"
John slowly shook his head, "No, that one isn't so easy to kill."
A sense of relief washed over Blue Sea; he found it hard to believe John could notch another Godslayer achievement.
Besides, there had been no global system announcement to that effect.
However, before Blue Sea could inquire further about Mammon's current status, John casually added, "Mammon is one of the 72 devils of the Abyss. Killing him here would only grant him an opportunity for a comeback. So, I've banished him, indefinitely."
Blue Sea and Adam were left speechless, their faces a canvas of disbelief and awe.
"Wait a minute, what do you mean by 'indefinitely banished'?"
John replied nonchalantly, "It means he'll never return to the Abyss, never again capable of wreaking havoc on the ordinary people of Godslayer Continent."
Blue Sea and Adam exchanged bewildered glances, at a loss for words.
This was a Devil, for crying out loud!
Though they didn't fully comprehend the standing of the 72 Devils in the grand scheme of existence, anything with 'deity' in its description was bound to be more than just an ordinary creature.
Moreover, from the prior exchange between John and Mammon, it seemed this Devil was, in terms of level and stature, comparable to a bona fide deity.
And John had dispatched it just like that?
Their worldviews were once again shattered, leaving them agape, grasping for words.
"Why so surprised? I told you, Mammon was already grievously injured. Do you wish I'd lost to an injured Devil?" John teased, wearing a light smile.
Their heads shook so vigorously they resembled bobbleheads.
Blue Sea chuckled nervously, remarking, "Of course we hoped you could easily take care of such a creature, Galewind."
"It's just that when it actually happens, one can't help but be astounded. After all, that was a terrifying boss on par with a deity—the most powerful creature we've ever encountered thus far."
Adam chimed in, a shared sense of awe coloring his words, "Yeah, seriously, Galewind. You're kind of a freak of nature, facing off against a creature of that caliber and walking away unscathed."
Suddenly, as if struck by a new thought, Blue Sea inquired, "Speaking of which, that deity you vanquished earlier—don't tell me you also did that solo?"
John answered only with a knowing smile, refraining from addressing Blue Sea's question directly. This silence only deepened their suspicions.
Waving his hand dismissively, John refocused the conversation. "Alright, enough about that. What's the status on the Aqua Blue Flower powder you guys were supposed to gather?"
Seeing that John was keen to change the subject, Blue Sea and Adam decided not to linger on their internal speculations.
After all, in their eyes, John had long since achieved an invincible aura.
Anything outrageous he did now would merely fit into their already expanded understanding of his capabilities.
At most, they'd just marvel at his absurdity even more.
"We've gathered enough Aqua Blue Flower powder. The hatching of the two Cloud Beast pet eggs is just around the corner," Adam said, clearly excited.
"Moreover, there are still plenty of Aqua Blue Flowers left. Blue Sea went ahead and collected these intact ones; such a precious magical plant is sure to fetch a good price on the market."
John chuckled softly, nodding.
No wonder he'd noticed a significant reduction in the sea of Aqua Blue Flowers.
The bags of Blue Sea and Adam were brimming, system-designated in units of ten, indicating they had gathered at least a thousand of these magical blossoms.
John also casually picked some for himself, storing them in his bag, before saying lightly, "Since the quest is complete, let's leave. We've dallied here long enough; there's still much to be done."
Neither Blue Sea nor Adam had any objections.
The trio retraced their steps along the path they had originally taken, making their way back to the entrance of Thousand Streams Cave.
Unable to use Teleport Scrolls due to the combat status imposed by the Thousand Streams Cave, the trio finally escaped the clutches of battle as they passed through the never-ceasing waterfall.
Glancing back at the towering mountains that seemed to pierce the heavens, they wore expressions of deep reflection.
None of them had anticipated that an expedition to a seemingly ordinary hidden realm would embroil them with an Abyssal Devil of such formidable rank.
Adam, only now fully grasping the gravity of the situation, wore a belated expression of dread. "We're lucky to have Galewind with us this time. Had we ventured here just as our own party, we'd probably be slaves to the Devil by now."
Blue Sea rubbed his cheek contemplatively, musing, "Would it really be that dire? If things truly went south, we could just choose to respawn by self-destructing. The most we'd lose is some equipment items."
Adam countered, "What scares me is not even realizing we're under the Devil's mental influence. After all, if Galewind hadn't warned us, we'd have been ensnared without even knowing."
Blue Sea nodded in agreement, "True, this silent psychological invasion is virtually indefensible. I wonder if the effects would still persist after respawning."
Adam snorted, his demeanor carefree. "How could that be possible? We're just players, not native NPCs with just one life. Resurrection means a complete reset of all status."
John listened to their exchange, neither agreeing nor disagreeing.
In his view, Adam was oversimplifying the situation.
If this were merely a game world, perhaps he'd be correct. But what Adam and Blue Sea didn't know was that this was a real world.
Even if the players had extra bodies generated here, their consciousness was still shared with the real world.
The psychic corruption from Mammon could very well extend to their actual selves in the real world, seizing control over them at a mental level.
Contemplating this, John spoke softly, "I have a suggestion for both of you. When you return, head to the Holy Light Church and seek out a cleric of Archbishop rank or higher to perform a baptism for you."
Blue Sea and Adam stared at him, visibly stunned. "What do you mean? Are you suggesting that we might still be contaminated by the Devil's influence?"
John shook his head. "It's merely a precaution. Mammon specializes in psychic corruption, and I'm not an expert in that area."
"If any trace of Mammon's psychic imprint lingers, that would be problematic. Psychic contamination acts much like a virus; if even a tiny fragment is left, it can grow and spread."
Chills ran down the spines of Blue Sea and Adam.
What John left unsaid weighed heavily on his mind.
He worried that if any psychic imprint of Mammon remained in Blue Sea and Adam, the banished Mammon might use it as an anchor point to locate himself from the void.
Of course, Mammon, gravely injured and exiled in the Abyssal Prison, might not have the ability to execute such long-distance tracking. But caution never hurt anyone.
Seeing the alarmed expressions on Adam and Blue Sea, John offered a reassuring smile. "Don't be too anxious; it's just a possibility. The Holy Light Church specializes in combating dark entities. A baptism there will offer you peace of mind, won't it?"
Both nodded emphatically, and Adam spoke urgently, "Let's not delay. We should head back to the main town."
"The elder who helped me complete my class transfer quest is, I believe, an archbishop-level cleric. We can seek him out for the baptism."
John shook his head with a touch of resignation. "There's no need to rush. Even if there were any lingering imprints, they're unlikely to manifest so quickly."
Reassured by John's words, both Adam and Blue Sea seemed to relax a little.
Simultaneously, the three of them crushed the Teleport Scrolls they held.
A flash of white light enveloped them, and their figures vanished from the mountain.
...
An indeterminate amount of time passed.
Suddenly, a swirl of dark smoke materialized in front of the waterfall.
A hunched figure enveloped in shadowy mist quietly appeared, precisely where John and the others had been.
"The scent of life... foolish humans, coming again to provide sustenance for the great Devil."
A raspy, grating murmur emanated from the dark mist before it drifted into the waterfall.
Soon after, the Thousand Streams Cave was filled with anguished howls.
"Who is it? WHO IS IT?! Who took my master away?!"
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