Chapter 79
Chapter 79
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 79
Chapter Title: The Hungry Mansion (3)
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Something with claws sharp as blades had raked across the car's bumper.
Judging by the spacing and size, it wasn't humanoid.
A beast with massive front paws.
There wasn't a single animal native to Korea's wilderness that could leave tracks like this.
"Well, a mutant could manage it, I suppose."
[Cthulhu World] was a deranged realm where monsters and aberrant creatures roamed freely.
Half-baked common sense or biology knowledge would only deepen the mysteries.
"Whatever it was, it's a bit early for it to pop out."
Jang Hyun-deok's voice came from inside the car.
"W-what is it?"
"Hey, get out and take a look at this."
Jang Hyun-deok shook his head silently at first, but when I scowled and glared at him, he made these pathetic whimpering noises like "hng" and "kyeong" before stepping out of the car.
"Hey, your face. Huh?"
"I-I'm scared, man..."
"Fine, just look at this. Was it always like this?"
"Ugh! My car! Sniff... No, it was fine when we set off..."
"I see."
Jang Hyun-deok seemed to have shaken off some of his fear now that he was facing the very real terror of car repair bills.
He'd refused to budge a single step just moments ago, but now he was pacing around the bumper, pulling a miserable face.
"Oh no, my poor baby..."
"I'll cover the repair costs separately, so cut it out."
"But my baby Bungbung..."
"Wizard."
"Yeah?"
"But what kind of claw marks are these...?"
Jang Hyun-deok must have found them odd too.
"Claw marks."
"Monsters. So there really were monsters."
"Looks that way."
"See? What I saw wasn't human after all."
"If it wasn't human, isn't that better?"
"It wasn't human... Wasn't human..."
Jang Hyun-deok's complexion changed.
'Oh no. The madness is flaring up again.'
His breathing grew ragged, his body trembling.
"Ah, damn it."
I'd suppressed the symptoms for a bit, but that was all—just holding back the outbreak.
The madness itself lurked deep in his psyche, ready to resurface at any moment.
"Hey! Calm down. Stop thinking nonsense! Deep breaths, deep breaths!"
I channeled mana into Jang Hyun-deok's body, reactivating the enchantment I'd placed on him earlier.
"Hah... Hoo... Heuk..."
He seemed a little calmer now.
"Let's get back in the car for now."
"Y-yeah..."
Jang Hyun-deok staggered back to the driver's seat.
It might flare up again later.
Truth be told, madness severe enough to cause mental breakdowns couldn't be cured this easily. For an ordinary guy, he had impressive resistance. Was it because of his medium traits?
The moment he sat in the car, Jang Hyun-deok started talking again.
"It really wasn't human..."
"Drop it."
Jang Hyun-deok was probably done for. Best to send him back now.
"Weird, that weird woman. It was definitely a woman."
Jang Hyun-deok kept going, his body shaking.
"Th-that thing... It looked human enough. But... was it really human? The e-eyes, they were..."
Unable to hold back his fear, he clutched his shoulders with both hands and curled up.
"The eyes were pitch black, way too big. Nothing should have been there, but..."
"It just appeared out of nowhere, right?"
"Yeah..."
A wraith from the [Hungry Mansion].
Normally, incorporeal wraiths couldn't ram into cars or claw at bumpers.
Especially not outside the mansion?
"The grounds outside the mansion were usually a safe zone."
Rumble... KABOOM!
Lightning crashed outside the car.
And the downpour still raging.
Pitch darkness where not even the moon was visible.
The thick, damp yin energy blanketing the entire mountain.
The stench of death wafting from the spirits.
I could guess what had happened.
"Looks like we picked the wrong day."
No, the client had set the appointment date.
If I'd prepared, so had the enemies.
'And on top of that...'
[Feast's Offering].
The penalty trait that raised the odds of encountering abyssal entities.
One of the abyssal beings fixated on me was lending power to the wraiths.
"If they're attacking from here on out, that's a different story."
An abyssal entity's intervention had altered the game's flow.
I glanced at the bag in the back seat.
A duffel bag from a famous sports brand.
I'd bought it because my backpack couldn't hold everything I'd prepared.
'I've come loaded for bear, so it should be fine...'
"Anyway, Jang Hyun-deok, you head back from here."
"Huh?"
"Plans changed. I'll get out here, so you go."
"B-but..."
"I've deposited the fees—request money, repair costs, everything—with Tudor. Claim it from him when you get back."
"Th-that..."
I pulled out one of the items I'd prepared.
A large sheet of yellow paper scrawled with red writing.
A classic consumable artifact design.
A talisman.
"Here."
"What's this?"
"Can't you tell? It's a talisman."
I pulled out a few more and stuck them to the car windows.
"There, that should do it."
"Really?"
"Probably?"
"..."
"Ah, no, it'll be fine. Don't worry. As long as you don't get out of the car or respond to any ghosts, you'll be good."
"..."
"And don't look back for no reason. You might get lured if you do on the way out."
"Wait, hold on! Just a sec!"
"Ah, what? Most of them will chase me anyway, so don't sweat it. Just U-turn, close your eyes, and floor it straight."
They were drawn by the [Feast's Offering] effect.
Even without that, the mana overflowing from me was irresistible bait for wraiths. They'd follow me, not Jang Hyun-deok.
'Tch, pity. It would've been way easier if he'd stuck with me longer.'
"No, that's not it. I'm not going back."
"What?"
"I don't know what you think of me, Wizard, but I'm a pro."
Come to think of it, there was a change in Jang Hyun-deok's eyes.
The fear and mental shock hadn't vanished.
But resolve, determination, and pointless stubbornness had mixed in.
"I've been driving through this insane city dodging bullets for six years now."
"So?"
"My job is to get the client where they asked. Don't interfere with my work."
"Hmm..."
What nonsense is this guy spouting?
I don't need you, so scram. It's more hassle dragging you along.
'...Can't exactly say that.'
Still, if Jang Hyun-deok came along, things would go much smoother.
"Ah, whatever. Do what you want."
"Yes!"
...He's way too excited.
"Fine. Let's get ready then."
It wasn't that far anyway.
The building was already visible over the hill... Five minutes? No, about ten?
On a proper road, it'd take under three.
But who knew what might jump out...
I poured more mana into the distortion field still enveloping the car.
[Spell Enhancement: Maximized]
Vrooom...
The distortion field's range expanded to about five meters radius.
Then I activated detection spells.
[Mana Detection], [Sound Detection], [Life Force Detection], [Spirit Detection], [Curse Detection], [Temperature Detection], [Invisibility Detection]...
"Headache."
This quest had a few patterns.
The most common: ghosts, as in incorporeal mind-spirits, showing up first.
Otherwise: possessors inhabiting human flesh.
Faint cries from distant wraiths echoed.
- Kaaaaah...
- Together... together...
- Die with us... So lonely...
For now, it was the ghost pattern.
Unpleasant-willed wraiths writhed in the darkness beyond sight.
'Had we stopped here without scanning, it might've been dicey.'
Seemed like every wraith from guests who'd died on the mountain, beast spirits, and local stray spirits had swarmed.
'Last time, a spot for one or two zombies spawned over thirty, plus a giant one from a totally different area.'
"No helping it."
"S-something wrong?"
"Looks like every wraith on this mountain's gathered up."
"What do I do?"
"Just focus on driving carefully."
[Beacon of Iven Gaji]
Fwoosh-.
A hazy, burning orb of light flared up in front of the car.
"I'll handle anything that charges."
A spell to reveal the forms of incorporeals.
Low-level ones couldn't even approach.
It prevented surprises like the earlier invisible thing slamming into the car.
'And a few more besides.'
[Guardian's Prayer]
[Protection Circle]
[Repulsion of Dominion]
"This should cover it."
"G-good!"
Ah, one problem left.
If Jang Hyun-deok lost it at the wheel, it'd be a total wreck.
The car started moving.
'No helping that.'
Even I didn't have a spell to block hallucinations.
Was there no spell to instill blind courage?
Cultists had rituals like that.
But those were berserker delusion spells, really.
Not suitable now.
The car rumbled over the bumpy path.
Faint wraith laughter seeped through.
Crackle... Zzzzzzt...
The radio turned on by itself.
Eerie shapes writhed in the pitch-black void.
"Turning into a proper horror flick."
The closer we got to the mansion, the thicker the paranormal activity.
[System: Penalty trait 'Feast's Offering' has activated.]
You activated ages ago? Quick notice.
Bang! Thud... Ratatata!
Crimson handprints began smearing the windows.
"Uwaaaaaah...!"
A bizarre noise leaked from Jang Hyun-deok's mouth.
"Focus on driving! They can't get inside anyway!"
"Th-that, that!"
- Where you going!
- Come with us!
- Together! Forever together!
Ghastly clamor outside the windows.
The red handprints multiplied.
Tap, tap! Tatatatatatatap!!
Dozens of wraiths clung to the car, blocking the view.
They couldn't enter anyway.
Dozens—maybe hundreds—of eyes glared at us.
Undead filled with hatred and envy for the living.
"Ah, get lost, you bastards!"
[Shell of Tindalos]
Whirrr-.
A dazzling magic circle formed around me.
A 2nd-circle defense spell.
A transparent barrier like a turtle's shell repelled the wraiths.
- Kaaaaaaaah!
An unsettling shriek, human or beast unknown.
Those who'd tasted death couldn't cross this barrier.
"Front! Jang Hyun-deok, front!"
The moment visibility cleared, trees and earth came crashing down ahead.
Vroooom!! Screeech, Vroooom!
Jang Hyun-deok's hands and feet danced.
He sped up even, swerving acrobatically past every obstacle.
"Uwaaa... Told you I'm a pro?"
Jang Hyun-deok trembled but held his own.
"Yeah, man, you're doing great!"
Thud! Crunch, crackle!
A grotesque impact hit from behind.
"Behind! B-back, back back behind!"
"I know!"
I flung the Beacon of Iven Gaji backward.
It revealed the things chasing our rear.
Beast-shaped ones bounding after us.
Eight... no, nine?
- Awooooo!!
- Grrrr!
- Yap yap!
"Wild dogs! Wild dogs!"
"Watch the front, idiot!"
Not wild dogs.
Even on this road where you couldn't hit full speed, could normal dogs keep up with a car?
Wraiths wearing beasts' hides.
They pursued with insane momentum.
"The ones who clawed the bumper earlier?"
"Uh, uhhh... What do we do!?"
"I told you to drive properly!"
This much was simple.