Chapter 10
Chapter 10
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 10
Chapter Title: Night Parade of One Hundred Demons
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⚙ True Calling ⚙ You have safely enrolled in Ridge Crossing Academy. The academy is a place of learning. But as a half-demon, you have no idea what you should learn. Learn your true calling. *Clear conditions may change based on your choices. "Learn my true calling?"
What did that even mean? His duty as an exorcist... or as a yokai?
It sounded like he had to pick one or the other in the end.
Bihyeong clutched his head, then let out a deep sigh.
"Fine, I'll think about that later."
More importantly, where's my reward?
"You can't just skip handing it over."
He scowled at the empty air for a moment.
As if understanding him, the system's guidance rang out.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ Act 1, Chapter 1 performance evaluation complete. Grade: EX 'Yeah, that's right.'
Seeing the grade made him clench his fist without realizing it.
'Wonder what the reward will be.'
As he stared at the system with bated breath, messages fired off in rapid succession, living up to his expectations.
⚔ REWARDS ⚔ Bloodline selection or 5th Hierarchy spell selection. One line from the story. Key x1 The revealed reward list made Bihyeong's eyes widen.
"5th Hierarchy spell selection? For real?"
If he picked that, he wouldn't have to worry about being underpowered for a while.
'On the other hand, what's the bloodline selection for?'
If it literally let him choose a bloodline,
what options were available, and what were the limits?
He had no data on that.
Because... it was a reward that never appeared in the game.
'Hold off on the first one for now.'
More importantly, what was this key?
The moment Bihyeong claimed that reward, a golden key dropped into his hand.
A message rang out simultaneously.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ You may now access the 'Warehouse'. Bihyeong's eyes bulged.
"Warehouse?"
In Solo Biography, there was a unique feature: items and resources from previous playthroughs could be stored in the warehouse for use by characters in subsequent runs.
Players could start with fully upgraded gear for emperor-tier growth,
or store spirit pills and elixirs for later use.
Bihyeong had done the same.
'Is this that warehouse?'
Curious, he immediately checked the system.
A new interface labeled 'Warehouse' had opened.
One key grants 1 hour of access time. Bihyeong couldn't hold back and shouted.
"This is it!!"
A chance to claim all the miscellaneous items he'd stockpiled in the warehouse so far!
All his efforts from past playthroughs were finally paying off.
"No timer ticking down, so I can enter whenever I want."
That meant he could check the next reward leisurely.
"One line from the story has to be OP too, right?"
With eager anticipation, he claimed the second reward.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ One line from the story has been granted to you. That was it. Nothing else happened.
"...?"
Bihyeong's face soured.
"What?"
Where's my reward?
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ There was no such thing as refunds in the system.
Not that there was a customer service to handle them anyway.
"Tch. Not everything can be good."
Or maybe it was good, and he just didn't get it yet. One line from the story could be valuable.
'If there's hope for this type, it better explode with potential later on.'
Letting out a heavy sigh, Bihyeong picked the first reward. Time to go find a weapon.
He'd wasted too much time mulling over rewards.
'The sooner I finish, the more personal time I get. I can plan the library infiltration then.'
For that, he needed the demon blade.
It wasn't far from here.
That was when it hit him.
"Huh?"
Something pinged on Bihyeong's senses.
'What's this feeling?'
His blood ran hot.
His veins bubbled like scalding water, every sense on hyper-alert for no reason.
'My yokai nature is going wild.'
Why?
Before the thought could fill his mind,
something happened.
Rumble...!
The ground shook like an earthquake.
At the same time, something swam up from below toward him.
'Anomaly?'
Bihyeong kicked off the ground immediately.
'What spawns in situations like this?'
Sinkholes and subterranean demons were prime examples.
'Sinkholes spawn mindless horrors. Can't guarantee half-demon traits will faze them. Worst-case scenario.'
So, farm the nearby demon blade.
Demon blades could damage formless entities by consuming durability.
'This way.'
He twisted toward the remembered direction and spotted a cave entrance.
Stuck deep into the ground at the entrance was a single blade.
Bihyeong yanked it out.
The sword-black blade oozed malice, its aura creeping toward his flesh.
But the moment Bihyeong's gaze fixed on it.
Hum.
It turned docile, like a tamed colt.
His half-demon constitution had crushed the demon blade's trial.
'It worked.'
Preparation complete!
'Come at me!'
Bihyeong gripped the demon blade.
At that instant,
a thunderous voice boomed from beneath the earth.
"A-are you an elder, sir?"
Damn. Subterranean demon type?
And what was with calling him 'elder'?
"Why would I be an elder?"
"W-well... aren't you a 'goblin'?"
Bihyeong's expression chilled.
"What are you?"
He didn't care what yokai showed up.
That casual confidence vanished from Bihyeong's face in an instant.
'How does it know that?'
He should be feeling fear, but his secret was on the verge of exposure.
It was a life-or-death crisis.
Instead, his emotions calmed, his body priming for battle.
At that moment, space warped around him, and 'darkness' surged from the ground.
The darkness took the form of a giant,
and the moment its feet touched the surface, it prostrated itself, trembling.
"E-elder! Please quell your anger!"
Bihyeong wasn't fooled by the display.
'I don't know what it is, but it's striking first.'
He summoned his usable energy.
Hum.
His demon core vibrated, yokai power enveloping the blade.
'Metal.'
Overlaying the demon blade with the basic metal-element spell amplified its rigidity and sharpness.
As Bihyeong swung, relying on his superior physique,
"E-elder!!!"
the dark giant frantically slammed its head into the ground, wailing.
"Elder! I'm a goblin too! Kin to youuu!!"
Bihyeong's blade halted right before the giant's neck.
"...What?"
His eyes went wide.
The giant was just a massive humanoid shape of darkness.
Nothing goblin-like about it.
As if sensing his doubt, the dark giant cried out desperately.
"I'm a lesser goblin, so I don't have a fixed form!"
"Wait... why's a goblin in the academy?"
"W-well... I was born from an ancient relic! But humans suddenly called me a yokai and forcibly subdued me, sealing me here!"
Something clicked for Bihyeong.
'Right, they say old objects house spirits.'
A common ghost story worldwide,
but in Korea, it was goblins instead of ghosts.
'No way.'
This guy was a goblin born from an ancient relic,
and the academy mistook it for a yokai, subdued it, and locked it up?
Still, Bihyeong didn't lower his blade. The darkness summoned its own 'yokai power' to prove it was a yokai.
Bihyeong was dumbfounded.
'What kind of ridiculous setup is this...'
He was too stunned to speak.
Never dreamed he'd encounter a yokai—let alone a fellow goblin—here.
'Even in the game, spotting yokai was like chasing stars.'
It was an exorcist game, yet yokai were rare, popping up only occasionally when you'd forgotten about them.
'And now this.'
Bihyeong sheathed his blade and asked.
"So? Why'd you show up?"
The darkness explained, still shaking.
"I... smelled kin, so I came."
It was overwhelming when he got close.
Impossible not to call him elder.
A question slipped from Bihyeong's lips.
"Overwhelming?"
"Yes. You maintain a form by default, don't you?"
"That's 'cause I'm a half-demon."
"Pardon?"
Now the dark goblin was confused.
"Impossible! You reek that strongly..."
Bihyeong sniffed his arm.
...No sweat, just skin smell?
"What smell?"
"Yokai scent. No, the lingering echo of yokai power in your demon core."
Wait, how...?
Impenetrable Seal should have that covered.
"...Hey. Goblin."
"Yes, elder."
"That echo... can exorcists sense it too?"
"Not at your level yet."
"Then how'd you?"
"Yokai can sniff each other out, even if hidden!"
What, yokai bros? No privacy?
"Good thing only yokai detect it, not exorcists..."
"For now. Later, no. Your yokai power is too potent."
"...My demon core has special traits. Still?"
"Ah, that seal is the trait. But as your demon core grows, so does your presence. Yokai presence instinctively inspires fear and awe in humans. Exposure is just a matter of time."
Emergency!
'They can't detect yokai power, but exorcists might get suspicious?'
What kind of bullshit is this!?
'...What do I do?'
His future looked bleak.
"Goblin. Can you... hide it?"
"Hide your presence?"
"Yeah."
Bihyeong explained his situation.
Half-demon, enrolling in Ridge Crossing to train as an exorcist...
...and getting killed if found out.
The darkness shuddered as it spoke.
"I know! Elder, wear the goblin cap!"
"Goblin cap?"
"I couldn't manifest it as a lesser goblin, but they say it grants invisibility! It should hide your demon core's echo!"
Bihyeong's expression turned serious.
'Goblin cap. Mastering that would kill two birds with one stone.'
The dark goblin didn't know the exact power, but invisibility was mentioned.
Perfect for infiltrating the library too.
But one issue remained.
"I don't know how to use it."
It seemed like a goblin bloodline ability,
but the list from choosing goblin as half-demon didn't have it.
'Not unlocked yet?'
His gaze shifted automatically.
Main story clear reward.
Bloodline selection.
'...No law saying I have to die.'
Bihyeong selected the bloodline option immediately.
The 5th Hierarchy spell was tempting, but whatever.
Hidden pieces usable until the ending could be acquired as bloodlines too.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ Bloodline selection used. Goblin Club. Mimicry. Goblin Cap. Playfield. Four bloodlines excluding his current wager.
Bihyeong chose Goblin Cap immediately.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ Out-of-spec performance confirmed. Race grade linked with Goblin Cap! Bloodline, 'Goblin Cap (EX)' added to list. He felt a new power etch into his blood.
"...This is the cap?"
He summoned it.
Whoosh!
Blue flames flickered above his head, soon forming small horns.
Something flowed into them.
The echo the dark goblin mentioned?
"Oh! Elder, your presence is gone!"
It worked.
"Nice. Thanks, dark goblin."
"Heehee! Glad I could help, elder!"
Bihyeong watched the dark goblin grin happily.
But what to do with it?
'Subdued yokai belong to the academy.'
He knew the full story now.
It was a goblin born from a relic inside a yokai seal.
Leaving it could be risky.
'Butterfly effect.'
If Ridge Crossing found it, they might inspect other yokai seals out of caution.
Then?
'Yokai I left for later might be inaccessible, like the library incident.'
A big variable.
'But wiping it out...'
It had helped too much to stomach.
'What now.'
Then his eyes met the dark goblin's.
It stared at him with sparkling eyes.
A new alert appeared before Bihyeong.
📜 SUBJUGATION REQUEST 📜 'Nameless Goblin' earnestly wishes to be subjugated by you.
'Subjugation prompt here, huh.'
Subjugating yokai involved breaking their will and overlaying spells in their domain, like shikigami for Japanese onmyoji or shrine maidens.
'Well, meeting a goblin is fate.'
Bihyeong was about to accept.
Then.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ You have earned genuine loyalty from a 'yokai'. ⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ Conditions met. 'Unique Story' unlocked. What!
'Unique Story? Already?'
He'd met one condition during the chief student's speech...
And just fulfilled the last one.
📜 UNIQUE STORY OPEN 📜 Night Parade of One Hundred Demons unlocked!