Chapter 141
Chapter 141
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 141
Chapter Title: Masquerade Collapse
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The scale of this incident is way too big.
This isn't a life where I only live for today. It's about time I started worrying about tomorrow's Kim Shin-hwa.
I've gone and pissed off three hundred cultists, after all.
Dogo Gyeom especially...
"Dieee!!"
It was more like he erupted in a storm of rage.
Kwarung!
He wrapped his body in a massive tempest and flew around in all directions, slaughtering the Shantaks.
"No one's escaping!!"
Kwarurung!!
Whoa, what the hell is he doing indoors!?
Enormous lightning bolts discharged around Dogo Gyeom's body. Massive bolts of lightning that traced swastika patterns in every direction.
They looked like a giant dragon with four heads!
Krwarung!!
A four-headed dragon made of lightning. The Shantaks devoured by it crumbled to ash in an instant.
"Whoa, that's no joke."
Yeah, no joke at all.
How's this mess gonna end?
No idea, but that includes Dogo Gyeom and three hundred cultists. Plus tens of thousands nationwide.
"Ah, not me, of course."
They'll probably start scouring this whole major Masquerade event right away to hunt down the guy who ruined it.
"Sorry, Sang-hyeon, but you're gonna be the prime suspect."
More precisely, [Super Rookie Heo Sang-hyeon] of the Starving Manor.
If Dogo Gyeom or the Masquerade cultists have any brains, they'll go after Heo Sang-hyeon and the Starving Manor first.
Of course, that doesn't mean I'm throwing Sang-hyeon to the wolves and washing my hands of it. His cooking skills are way too precious to me.
"Anyway, time to prep some help for Sang-hyeon. Let's see..."
Perfect. There's a suitable guy right there.
"Uwaaaak!"
A scream from some random extra cultist whose name I don't even know. He's running blindly to dodge falling rocks.
"That guy's just right."
He's even wearing a pretty nice mask. Horns curved every which way on the forehead. Devil mask, I guess?
Pajijik!
"Grk...!?"
I zapped him with electricity to knock him out.
Then I swapped my monocle mask for his devil mask. Wait, no—stealing this guy's mask doesn't mean anything. Gotta act fast and cast the spell.
[Plundered Identity]
A spell that steals appearances.
I tweaked the method this time and cast it as an 'exchange' instead of one-sided theft.
Keeeng!
In an instant, our appearances completely swapped.
That said, this no-name cultist didn't become [Troubleshooter Kim Shin-hwa]. He wasn't here in that form to begin with.
In other words, [Super Rookie Heo Sang-hyeon].
Anyway, if the cultists gathered here want to go after Sang-hyeon, they'll track down [Super Rookie Heo Sang-hyeon], right?
"Hey, snap out of it."
"Ugh..."
Still groggy? Perfect timing. I cast a spell to imprint a compulsory command into his mind.
[Voice of Dominion]
A spell that dominates the mind of someone weaker than me.
『This place is dangerous. Take the surviving sacrifices and escape as fast as you can.』
"Th-this place is dangerous! Gotta take the surviving sacrifices and escape as fast as possible!"
The cultist parroted my words like a parrot.
Good, good. You're doing great.
『Yeah, see that door over there? Live sacrifices are locked inside. Take them and escape.』
"That door over there? Yeah, that's where the live sacrifices are locked up! Gotta take them and escape!"
『Good call. But troubleshooters will be swarming outside. So take the sacrifices to a safe zone, then ditch 'em and run solo.』
"Can't shake the troubleshooters while dragging sacrifices. Better take 'em to a safe zone, then run solo!"
『Right. Go. Move like your life depends on it.』
"Uwaaaaaah!!"
The no-name cultist, now [Super Rookie Heo Sang-hyeon], bolted off at full speed. I watched him go for a bit and whistled.
"Well, with any luck, he'll live."
I did the same to a few more guys. Created some fake Sang-hyeons.
Targets were the unconscious cultists scattered across the event hall floor. This building's about to collapse completely soon. Can't just leave 'em to die, so might as well give 'em a job.
No need to turn these into fake Sang-hyeons, though.
『Alright, you guys go too.』
"Uwaaaaaah!!"
"Gyaaaaah!!"
"Chaaarge!!"
"Kyaoooo!!"
And the masks I snatched from those cultists I roused. My mask obsession keeps messing with my priorities. Annoying.
Wish I had more, but time's short, and I'm hitting the limit on spells I can maintain at once.
"Wonder if I can save 'em?"
The live sacrifices prepped for the Masquerade afterparty.
Couldn't do anything for the ones sacrificed during the event, but I'll save who I can.
"Tch, no EXP for rescues like this."
If I don't save 'em myself and make someone else do it, no EXP. How does that even work?
[System : The 'Enhanced Vigilance' trait activates.]
Kwang! Kwang! Kwakwang!
The ceiling crumbled more, raining debris. No more time to slack off.
"Ee-ya-ya-ya!"
[Magnetic Control]
I activated magnetic control to position a treasure chest from far away right over my head. Solid cover with that damage-immune object overhead. Not perfect, so a few more layers.
[Protection Circle]
[Distortion Field]
I moved through the falling debris... and cast a spell.
Targets were decent-sized debris chunks. Six in total. The effect? Well...
"Turn into treasure chests."
[Shape Transformation]
[Spell Enhancement: Multi-Cast]
Keeeen...!
Six fake treasure chests appeared.
Of course, the real treasure chest is enchanted, so perfect disguise isn't possible. But in this chaos, a brief fool's eyes trick works fine.
Plus, who's even sane here right now?
"Kraaaaa!!"
That was Dogo Gyeom's roar.
"Please stop!"
"Uwaak!"
"Th-that lunatic!?"
Dogo Gyeom finally grabbed a Shantak and hurled it.
What's the problem?
Kwaaaaaang!!
"The wall! The wall's collapsing!"
"You lot stop that crazy pig Dogo Gyeom!"
"W-we can't either!!"
Not just the other cults' inquisitors—even Mansuil Church cultists were busy fleeing.
Now walls had massive holes too, not just the ceiling.
Kwarurung! Kwaang!
Ugh, that Shantak punched through the wall, went berserk, and wrecked part of the next building.
"That looks like a government office?"
No time to worry about the next building.
Warururung! Urrrung! Warururuk! Kwaaaang!
About ten minutes since the Shantaks showed up? Nah, maybe twenty?
This massive public sports facility, retooled into a mad feast hall by the cultists' schemes, still held its skeleton and shape.
But not for long.
Way too cramped for dozens of Shantaks with 12-meter wingspans. Every flap or tail swipe wrecked walls and ceiling.
'The building won't even keep its shape soon. Total collapse incoming.'
Sticking around means death.
At least the inquisitor-level guys were actively scouting escape routes.
"This place is done! Escape now!"
"Dogo Gyeom, you mad bastard!"
"This way! Follow me!"
Some with their wits intact were even leading others out—pretty cool.
"Kyahaahahaak!!"
"Kiheeheehek!!"
And the Shantaks. They couldn't handle Dogo Gyeom's demon-like attacks and started fleeing outside too.
My turn to bail.
[Chains of Dominion]
Chrarararak!
The six markings I'd kept up.
More precisely, I contacted the six magical marks and forcibly manipulated the bodies of those branded.
Some dead, some alive. Doesn't matter—this works on corpses too.
'Hm? Only four responding.'
Too bad, two of the six marks got no response. Makes sense, things were hectic. Those two must've slipped away.
Oh well, four's plenty. Not a big job anyway.
Kkaduduk! Chwaaak!
[Leap]
[Spell Enhancement: Multi-Cast]
[Spell Enhancement: Range Extension]
Forced four cultists into compulsory leaps.
Ta-at!
Four unconscious cultists shot upward.
Their destinations...
The backs of Shantaks trying to flee from Dogo Gyeom.
At the same time, treasure chests leaped up and latched on individually.
"Kyaaaaak!"
The four Shantaks freaked out at the sudden baggage on their backs, but dodging Dogo Gyeom was priority one.
"Still, looks convincing enough, right?"
From a glance, it looks like cultists riding Shantaks away with treasure chests.
"Alright, Achilles. Your turn."
I signaled Achilles.
[S-grade magical tool 'Beacon Wand' unique function, 'Binding of Fire's Kin' activates.
// Binding of Fire's Kin : Grants the owner the ability to summon and control kin of the 'Living Flame'.]
Fiery masses suddenly plummeting from the sky.
Not just fireballs. Kin of the [Living Flame]. Vast numbers of blazing beings flew in with deafening roars!
"Uhryyyyyyyyyy!!!"
"Uhraaaaaaaaaa!!!"
Walls and ceiling were already gone anyway.
The blazers circled the collapsed gym a few times, luring surviving Shantaks into the sky.
And for anyone smart, there's an obvious causal link.
"Th-that's, that's, that's! Servants of the [Living Flame]!"
Dogo Gyeom's shout.
Means his suspect list just got a major reshuffle.
Someone summoned Shantaks to wreck the event?
Now [Living Flame] servants are luring them away?
And coincidentally, no [Living Flame] worshippers showed at this event?
1+1+1=3?
"Fomalhaut's bastard spawns!!!"
Madman's epiphany—or rather, Dogo Gyeom's bellow.
'Fomalhaut's descendants get all my apologies, every time.'
No excuse if they ask why it's always us.
"Time for me to go too."
I leaped onto a suitable Shantak's tail. Of course, the real treasure chest with the masks came with me.
Glanced back at the collapsing event hall—masks strewn everywhere.
What a waste.
[Invisible Hand]
[Spell Enhancement: Multi-Cast]
Ugh, what am I doing? Dozens of masks flew toward me.
"Kyahaahahaak!!"
The Shantak I'm on screeched. From its view, a horde of masks chasing it. No wonder it's panicking.
Pudduk! Kwaaak!
A few wingbeats and the view shifted instantly. Whoa, insane pressure!
"You won't escape!!"
Dogo Gyeom's thunderous voice from afar.
Kwarurung!!
Huh?
A massive lightning bolt incoming!?
Kwajijik!!
Ah... A Shantak flying near me got roasted and plummeted.
And tumbling down with the giant Shantak roast: a half-dead cultist. The one I hung on its back.
Mongolian death worm BBQ fan from the Gourmet Expedition Squad, boar mask. Ah, he targeted the Shantak with the cultist on it?
"Ugh, had a one-in-five shot at hitting me?"
Kwarurung!!
Second bolt charging. Damn, now one-in-four!
Stick around and I'm toast.
'[Plundered Identity] release.'
Keeeng...
Only the [Shadow Decoy] from the Night Mantle Wingrobe effect remained. Now I'd look like a shadow-covered black silhouette.
[L-grade clothing 'Night Mantle Wingrobe' unique function, 'Heavenly Demon's Wings' activates.
// Heavenly Demon's Wings : Auto-casts 'Flight' spell.]
Padduduk!
Sound like a bird's wingbeat.
The silhouette robe billowing in the wind.
I instantly detached from the Shantak and dove downward.
Destination: that apartment complex. Apartments looming huge at high speed.
Lights. People. Roads. And a call van with a gaping hole in the rear roof big enough for people. Yeah, that's the spot.
'Told you I planned for the hole too?'
I got sucked into the van's roof hole like a magnet and plopped right into the back seat.
Kwang!
Jang Hyun-deok's pale face. Huh? Why the deathly look? Sorry, no time to coddle him now.
"It's me! Floor it!"
I yelled at Jang Hyun-deok and looked up.
The huge hole in the van's roof. Black crow swarm of incoming masks, and treasure chests holding them. My new spoils of war. I guided their flight and said,
But the van didn't move.
"What're you doing? Full speed, escape!"
Every second counts.
Gotta get out of this place—Sejong City—now.