Chapter 183
Chapter 183
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Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 183
Chapter Title: Saingum
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Saingum.
A famed sword said to have been forged in the Year, Month, Day, and Hour of the Tiger—auspicious signs for warding off ghosts—with accompanying rituals.
The blade now gripped by the Team Leader of the Supernatural Disaster Management Bureau's Black Tortoise 3rd Team was completely blunt, crafted purely for ceremonial use.
Yet precisely because of that, it unleashed unparalleled power against supernatural disasters.
"Hup."
Of course, it couldn't be used against every supernatural disaster.
Nor could just anyone wield it.
It only unleashed its full power when the conditions matched as closely as possible.
However, supernatural disasters usually involved entering or getting caught in a怪異's domain.
Conversely, cases where the opponent "invaded" were rare, and even rarer were those perfectly judged as purely wicked.
But.
'Perfect.'
The Team Leader's hand trembled with something like exhilaration.
Because the target had invaded the very area where she, as an employee, was stationed.
And because it had shed its familiar mascot disguise from the theme park!
The conditions clicked together like puzzle pieces, sending a thrill of pleasure through her.
"Ha!"
And so, the sword's pure yang energy surged along half its arc, striking the wicked evil like lightning.
Unmatched in power.
Utterly complete!
Aaahhh!
"Agh!!"
A tremendous thunderclap and vibration shook the ground so fiercely it reached the distant shelter, sending waves rippling outward.
Dirt and debris from the ruins billowed like a fog, briefly obscuring the dark view...
"...!!"
The remnants of the crumbling, burning resort building.
In between, the mangled corpse of the massive Magic Bunny parade cast flickering shadows in the flames, visible for a moment.
And the next instant.
Kaboom!!!
The remaining resort debris collapsed entirely, burying the things inside the red mascot deep into the earth along with the building.
Completely.
"......"
"......"
"I-is it over?"
The Team Leader of Black Tortoise 3rd Team opened the shelter door and lightly hopped inside.
"Agh! Team Leader!"
"Quiet."
The Team Leader sighed, brushed off her clothes, stared intently at the sword for a moment, then nodded.
"...No more wicked presences here."
"Phew!"
The agent slumped in relief.
The employees, who had already guessed the Disaster Management Bureau agents' identities from their appearance and speech but couldn't fathom clashing with them amid the chaos, also sighed in unison.
"Is this what the mascot asked for?"
The Team Leader nodded lightly.
The employees murmured in admiration. So the mascot had a plan all along!
Right. That's why it turned the entire resort building into a trap to hold the mad Magic Bunny, buying time for the right person to strike...
......
Wait a minute.
"Th-then, the mascot...?"
It got hit by the lightning too and was buried in the building.
Silence.
All eyes turned to the Team Leader, but she shook her head slightly.
"I didn't hear anything about that."
"......!!"
Wait.
"C-couldn't we talk to any surviving yellow mascot? It seemed like it could switch bodies..."
"They were all still in the resort!"
Plus, they'd seen from the shelter how the mad Magic Bunny chased and tore apart the last yellow mascot during the parade!
"So... the yellow mascot is... dead too?"
"...!"
At the agent's speculation, some employees panicked.
The field mouse grabbed the collar of an employee who had once been a ladybug.
"Y-you, don't you know anything? Huh?!"
"Contact with the mascot is currently severed! Let's all wait here until the theme park opens!"
"Aaaagh!"
"W-wait a sec. Without the mascot... who'll stamp our cards?? We need those stamps to leave! Who's gonna verify we used the shelter?!"
"Calm down! Just grab one in the blue zone in the morning!"
"You guys can do that! I drew yellow too, so I have to drag out a mascot corpse or something! I can't leave this zone!"
The stronger the mascot, the freer you could move within the zone, but restrictions were restrictions.
To clear the board game without getting hanged, you absolutely needed to stick with it!
...Dragging a dead mascot?
The field mouse—the sole survivor among the yellow horse drawers—paled.
Tap tap.
"......?"
A polite knocking sound echoed.
Turning, they saw the Lizard Section Chief tapping the floor.
"You can come out now."
At that moment.
Creak.
The floor split open with a bizarre noise, and a person burst out from below!
"Gahhh!"
"Agh!"
It was... it was...
"S-security Team!"
A figure in a strange mask, black smoke billowing from its entire body.
Numerous odd horns, eyes like yellow lanterns, and a light source at its waist.
A Security Team employee seemingly bound in human form to a belt of eeriness.
The true body that had been inside the yellow mascot costume.
"...!!"
Facing it in its cute mascot form had made them forget, but the stark怪異 appearance now triggered alarm bells, sending chills down the Daydream employees' spines.
But at the same time, reality sank in.
It's alive!
"Ah-ha! You figured the Magic Bunny wouldn't spot you without the mascot look, right?"
"Ah...!"
Yes. After closing time, the yellow mascot had ditched its costume just like the Magic Bunny.
And while the yellow mascots lured the Magic Bunny at the resort, its true body had quietly hidden beneath the shelter, surviving unscathed. In other words...
Unscathed!
"I-is... the yellow zone safe now? Eek!"
The yellow mascot's true body glanced quietly at the stoat mask and nodded.
"Ah...!!"
In that instant, the shelter filled with relief.
They survived!
They'd made it through the Magic Bunny assault unharmed!
"Aaaah!"
And the Disaster Management Bureau's Team Leader quietly observed the scene.
'Hmm.'
Her eyes quickly scanned the yellow怪異.
Anyway, that must be the real identity hiding inside the cute yellow mascot doll.
'Did Daydream really learn how to wrangle supernatural disasters?'
They'd seemed obsessed with figuring out how the Bureau collaborated with goblins, but maybe they'd developed their own methods.
'...Looks like it's got some kind of restraint too.'
It didn't seem easy, but not all powerful things were evil.
She realized this entity harbored goodwill toward the human employees and tried to protect them.
'Mm. But... did it not consider the fallout if things went wrong?'
What if the Magic Bunny had noticed the true body hiding in the shelter first?
It would've attacked the shelter wholesale, killing everyone.
'Well... if it came to that, maybe it'd think dying cleanly was the better outcome.'
The Team Leader felt a strange dissonance but let it slide for now.
In any case, this intimidating supernatural phenomenon seemed too benevolent to classify as a disaster.
"Ooh, so Lizard Section Chief, you heard the situation from the mascot and signaled with the knock?"
"No."
"Huh? Then how'd you know?"
"I heard a sound."
"Ah-ha."
The mood was fairly cheerful.
And apart from the mascot's true body seeming formidable, the Team Leader noticed its movements lacked vigor, and no eerie spiritual energy prickled her skin.
In yellow mascot form, its presence had been oppressively chilling.
......It had probably taken a fatal blow from the Magic Bunny, and the resort—its origin—being destroyed had weakened it further.
'...Drained of all its power.'
The Team Leader conveniently misinterpreted the costume!
In any event, even in that state, the yellow mascot took action.
"Uh, Mascot...?"
The Security Team's special entity stood quietly, lifting something to where its ear would be under the mask.
It was...
'A receiver...?'
A classic handset with its cord ripped out.
And for a while, it just stood there. Occasionally nodding or shaking its head.
Of course, no sound came from the severed line...
"......"
"......"
What on earth was it listening to?
In the silence, the employees felt an uncanny chill but kept up the hopeful vibe.
"Th-then we just hold out here till morning and head out! We used the facility, and with the mascot here, we can get our stamps...!"
"......"
"R-right...?"
The mascot stared silently at the field mouse.
Then shook its head.
"...!"
"We... can't leave?"
That was when.
The black smoke swirling around the mascot traced patterns in the air.
The dark haze took shape in the yellow lantern light.
Letters.
"Ah...!"
"Pardon?"
"...?!"
And so, in the dead of night.
The yellow zone employees followed the怪異 that had played the yellow mascot, cautiously exiting the shelter together.
Even the shelter itself was flickering unstably due to the yellow zone's decline.
"Well, might as well go see."
"Team Leader..."
Complaining all day about calling her superior, the prized agent wiped away tears.
Some employees prepared to resist going, but since teammates went along, they tearfully followed suit and left the shelter.
Those who drew the same color horses would get hanged if they strayed too far.
And they had no confidence in outlasting the Lizard Section Chief or the elite team's Dolphin Supervisor anyway.
Plus, the most proactive resistor... had already been reborn as a "Flower Golden Resort employee."
"I've been instructed to work in sync with the employees' actions!"
And so, everyone followed the special division entity in Security Team uniform.
The first destination...
The gate, its lights already off.
As the former yellow mascot affirmed the question.
"Hoo."
Breathing carefully, the employees quickly passed through the gate. And...
Locked eyes with the blue mascot.
"...Hup!"
The thing casually placed by the gate still wore its doll mask.
Just without the liveliness of operating hours.
Obviously puppeted by someone inside—a stiff doll mask.
The bizarre former yellow mascot approached it.
And communicated via smoke again.
The one in the blue mascot doll mask quietly rose from its spot.
And began walking as if leading the way.
"......"
"......"
Already agreed beforehand?
The employees swallowed and quietly followed the two怪異.
The blue mascot crossed the closed water park.
Splash.
Each step brought a wet sound.
Midnight, dark water's edge lit only by the yellow lantern from the怪異's body.
An eerie gloom that made one forget this was a theme park... tension crept up some spines.
Then.
"Hey, Blue Mascot. Isn't it stuffy keeping the doll on?"
Gahhh!
"You said unchanged mascots can't cross zones. If you're coming, you gotta ditch the costume, right?"
Yi Seong-hae's bold remark horrified several employees and one agent.
But the blue mascot was silent.
......
It merely stared blankly at the questioner before walking on wordlessly.
Yi Seong-hae tilted her head but soon shrugged and followed.
Soon, they stood before a massive wall.
The wall dividing Magic Bunny's Fantasyland and Blue Dream Water Park.
Reinforced once more, it was thicker and more ornate.
The Lizard asked.
"Smash through?"
The former yellow mascot nodded. But raised a hand.
As if saying to hold.
Staring at the blue mascot, it made the doll-masked one move to the rear.
Step, step.
The employees heard the limp footsteps of the doll mask retreating behind them...
And.
"...!"
The employees staggered.
A deep, abyssal will shook their insides like a tsunami.
Instinct told them: It was fine because it was behind. Don't face it. If you face it.
Don't.
"......"
Ziiiip.
A rusty zipper descended behind them, followed by something dropping the doll fabric to the floor and standing.
Splash.
A wet sound.
The怪異 at the front with the yellow lantern formed words in smoke.
"......"
The employees swallowed hard.
Thus, they set foot into the darkened Magic Bunny Fantasyland.
With something abyssal trailing behind.
The ending was in sight.