Chapter 16
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 16
Chapter Title: Unexpected Spoils
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“Groooaaargh!”
A massive hunk of flesh let out a roar that threatened to tear eardrums.
The stage 1-1 final boss, the Corrupted Amalgamation formed from tangled corpses, swung its arm, smashing nearby stone coffins to pieces without effort.
Boom! Kraa-boom!
But that was nothing.
A nose-assaulting stench poured out, accompanied by a blast of highly toxic gas from its body.
“Yumin! Now! Light it up over there!!”
“Yes! Hyaah!”
Park Yumin hurled a fireball at just the right moment.
It devoured the toxic gas in an instant, then exploded, sending flames shooting sky-high.
The backlash made the thing lose its balance and stagger.
That brief opening was my perfect window to strike.
Kra-crunch!
I kicked off the ground.
Bursting through the smoke with my accelerated body, I plunged straight into its chest.
Buried among the jumble of corpses, its core glowed red.
“Die already, you bastard.”
The Wraithblade sliced through the soft flesh like tofu.
And at the end, the sensation of shattering its hard core transmitted through my hand.
Pang—!
Stage 1-1 boss, 'Corrupted Amalgamation', has been defeated.
Stage Clear!
At the same time, a pillar of intense light shot up from my body.
A flood of massive experience poured in.
A thrilling euphoria wrapped around my entire body, and options appeared.
1. Power Up (Normal)
2. Speed Up (Rare)
3. Magic Power Up (Normal)
“Nice!”
Rare again. Speed, no less.
No need to think twice. I selected 2 without hesitation.
Speed Up (Rare) has been selected.
Neural response speed reaches its extreme limit.
The whole world would feel slower, sharper.
I clenched and unclenched my fist to test the sensation.
With specs like this, the next stage should be doable.
“Whew.”
I sheathed my sword with a heavy exhale.
Park Yumin collapsed in relief, but I dove straight into checking the loot without a break.
Where the corpse had melted away, items were gleaming.
“Let's see.”
The first thing that caught my eye was an ordinary-looking leather backpack and belt set.
Explorer's Magic Bag & Belt Set (Rare)
- Processed with subspace magic, allowing twice the visible capacity.
- Wearing the bag and belt together reduces the bag's final weight by up to 70%.
“Ha, finally, I can breathe easy.”
My lips curled up on their own.
There was a limit to lugging stuff around like a pack mule.
I hadn't realized in the game with its inventory click, but in reality, this bag was more essential than anything.
I immediately opened the new bag and swept the rest of the loot inside.
Skill Card: Mud Bog Creation (Normal)
- Uses magic power to turn a 3m radius into a mud pit for 10 seconds.
“Just trash-tier. No damage, and the bind time's too short.”
But I kept it. Perfect gambling fodder for a Karma Crystal later.
Incense Burner of the Lost Soul (One-time use)
- Attracts vengeful spirits within a 1km radius when used.
“Suicide bait? Eh, maybe useful for luring mobs later.”
I'd grabbed everything worth taking.
Only then did I straighten up and take a moment to look around.
A blue return portal was opening nearby.
Time to part ways.
“Big Brother!”
Park Yumin came scampering over.
She hugged my arm like a puppy reluctant to see its owner go.
A heavy, soft sensation pressed blatantly against my arm through the leather armor.
Hanging off my arm, she looked up at me with pleading eyes.
“You really... really have to come find me? You remember the address I told you, right? What about school? You absolutely can't forget my number?”
Words tumbled out of her without pause for breath.
The one lifeline who had protected her in this hellhole.
The fear that letting go meant never seeing him again made her even more talkative.
“Once we're out, I'll treat you to something really delicious! Steak! No, omakase! I'll get you whatever you want, so you have to contact me, okay?”
Her eyes glistened with moisture.
Just survival instinct? Or the bridge effect illusion?
“Got it, so back off a bit. You stink of sweat.”
I shook her off my arm like she was a nuisance.
“Eeeek... You're so mean.”
Park Yumin pouted openly, not hiding her sulkiness.
But sensing she might get hated if she clung more, she glanced back wistfully and walked toward the portal.
“You promised! I'll be waiting for your call!”
Finally, the softie vanished into the blue light.
“Haa...”
I let out the sigh I'd been holding.
She really was high-maintenance.
What a pain in the ass.
Somehow, I'd ended up partying with her.
At first, I figured meat shield and pack mule, but she wasn't half bad.
Cowardly as hell, sure, but she did what she was told without complaint, and her firepower support was decent.
I've invested in her, and ditching her now would be a waste.
I stared at the empty portal for a moment.
“Hope you find better company.”
Now it was just me and the elf.
I started a final check.
Scanned the bag again to make sure I hadn't missed anything.
Only Soul Vault-registered items could come back to Earth.
The rest saved as data for next summon.
“Hm?”
Then it happened.
A glass vial caught on my finger in the bag's corner.
Blessed Holy Water
Oh, this?
An early-game hidden piece I'd snagged.
Saved it for undead bosses or status ailments, but never needed it.
Hmm...
I fiddled with the vial, then glanced at the elf cowering in the corner.
Our eyes met, and she flinched, bowing her head.
The more I saw, the more I sighed.
How badly had they tormented her?
I walked straight toward her.
“Hey. Open your mouth.”
“Y-Yes...?”
The elf startled and backed away.
“I said open.”
“Ah, yes! Aah...”
I forced the holy water down her throat.
She choked and didn't swallow it all, so I dumped the rest mercilessly over her silver hair.
“Ugh...!”
At first she winced in pain, but soon her face relaxed in comfort.
Sssizzle—
Gray smoke rose, and the scars on her body vanished clean away.
Her grimy skin gained a healthy sheen.
“Ah... Master... thank you...”
I sent a party invite via party leader privileges instead of replying.
A blue window floated in the air.
“Accept.”
“Me? Ah... yes?”
“Who else? Gotta party up to meet in the next stage. How else would I find you?”
“Ah... yes. A-Accepted.”
Party formed successfully.
“Alright. See you next time. I'm out.”
“Eh? Ah, M-Master...?”
The elf called out in confusion, but I turned and stepped into the portal without lingering.
See ya. Catch you next summon.
Fwoosh!
3:20 AM.
Park Yumin's room.
A blue flash lit up above the bed, and Park Yumin thudded down.
“......”
Silence.
Park Yumin slowly rose.
Stark naked, without a stitch on.
All gear stayed in the dungeon.
Tick-tock, tick-tock.
In the quiet room.
Her gaze lingered on the bedside table.
The pajamas and underwear she'd been wearing up to the summon, neatly folded. And the note.
[Yumin, Mom knows. You'll come back healthy for sure. So when you do, at least make some noise to let me know you're home.]
The moment she saw her mom's handwriting on the note.
“Uu... Hic...”
Park Yumin's shoulders began to tremble faintly.
The bubbly act she'd put on for Han Yujin was nowhere to be seen.
Thick teardrops fell from her lifeless, unfocused eyes.
She hadn't said a word.
But Mom knew.
That her daughter was dragged somewhere every week, fighting for her life and returning.
“I survived...”
Park Yumin hugged her knees and curled up.
“This time too... by acting dumb... playing along... I survived...”
Leeching off the strong, pretending to be clueless to trigger protective instincts.
That was the only survival method the scaredy-cat had found.
“Hic... Mom... I'm so scared...”
In the quiet dawn.
The naked girl sobbed quietly in her room.
Fwoosh!
I opened my eyes to the familiar studio apartment ceiling.
The fluorescent light was blinding.
“Whew.”
I flopped into the desk chair.
The gear I'd worn was gone; my baggy training clothes were crumpled under my butt.
My body still felt light, but mental fatigue crashed in.
“Still, solid haul this time.”
I held out my hand, summoning the card.
The soulless Leader's Qualification card smoothly appeared in my palm.
The only one registered in the Soul Vault to bring back.
“This could fetch a nice price if played right...”
I examined the card this way and that, then shot up from my seat.
“Time to wash up and down some cup ramen.”
Heading to the bathroom, that's when it hit.
A system window popped up before my eyes.
“Wh-what? Why here all of a sudden...?”
Forcing summon of 'Possessions' bound to the soul to the current dimension.
“......Huh?”
Possessions?
I hadn't registered anything in the Soul Vault slots besides the Leader's Qualification card?
Hummm—
Surprise!
Suddenly, space warped in the cramped studio apartment.
“What? What the? No way, a monster isn't spawning, right?”
I kicked back the chair in tension.
Reaching for the cutter knife on the desk—
Flash!
Dazzling light exploded, then faded.
And what remained there.
“......”
“......Huh?”
A silver-haired woman plopped on the floor, eyes wide round.
She'd cleaned up nice with the holy water, but still skin-and-bones, hard to look at without pity.
My first and only slave appeared before me, buck naked, without a thread.
She blankly alternated between my computer, fridge, and cup ramen packs, then met my eyes.
“M-Master...?”
I stared down at her in a daze too.
Brain frozen, couldn't process.
Then, the helpful system message appeared.
Slaves bound by the Blood Oath Stone are classified as 'Possessions' and move dimensions together.
“......Ha.”
A ridiculous puff of air escaped my lips.
No, possessions included... slaves too?!