Chapter 24
Chapter 24
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 024
Chapter Title: Ghostbuster (8)
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Following the news that the Response Special Task Force was coming to investigate,
to relocate the workshop.
The ranch employees grumbled as they prepared to pack up the underground equipment.
"The people we kidnapped today haven't been disassembled yet, so we're leaving the operating room and sorting the other areas first."
"When are we supposed to move all this?"
"You're not the one hauling everything yourself."
It was a job that required a lot of manpower, but Kim Mireh's monsters made it manageable.
The ghouls, controlled through a copy of the grimoire Cultes des Goules that she possessed—
"Groooar..."
Monsters called ghouls, with dog-like faces and humanoid bodies, carried the luggage under the employees' orders.
"These damn things are so slow. Hurry up!"
One of the employees lashed out, kicking a ghoul.
"Graaah..."
The ghoul, dominated by the grimoire, simply took the hit and kept moving the cargo.
And then, at some point.
Kim Mireh, the owner of the Cultes des Goules copy that controlled the ghouls, died at the hands of Grizzly, who had just woken up.
"—!"
The ghouls' eyes all widened, their bodies trembling.
"Groooar— Ah!"
The control over the ghouls, treated like slaves, was released.
The ghouls lunged straight at the ranch employees, tearing into the nearest ones first.
"W-What?! Aaagh!?"
"Damn it, what's going on?! G-Get the guns!"
The employees who quickly grasped the situation fled while the ghouls were busy with the others.
Like wild dogs instinctively gathering around corpses to fill their bellies.
Crunch— Crunch—!
The ghouls devoured the flesh of the employees who couldn't escape, stuffing themselves.
Once their bellies were full, the largest ghoul, the leader, stood up and let out a roar.
"Aaaah—!"
Roughly: We won't be slaves anymore! We'll become the masters of the world!
"Raaargh!"
The ghouls followed their leader's cry and poured out into the underground corridor.
"Grroo...!?"
They froze in instinctive terror, staggering back.
The thick scent of the mage who had enslaved them made their dog-like noses twitch.
An empty corridor. But something was there.
Something terrifying stood right in front of them.
"Grooo...!"
Judging that they couldn't stop here, the leader ghoul ignored its instincts and stepped forward with a mighty howl.
"Gaaar—!"
And the Transparent Vampire.
"Gya?"
Grizzly swung his arm at the prey blocking his path.
Bam— Splat!
The leader ghoul's head tore clean off and smashed into the corridor wall, bursting apart.
"........."
The ghouls watched the scene for a split second before turning tail.
"Grrr!"
And savagely charged after the humans who had fled earlier.
The employees, having grabbed their smuggled illegal firearms, fought back.
"Is it okay to use these?"
"No time to worry about that! Someone check on the lady!"
Bang! Baaang!
A desperate battle for the fate of the underground workshop erupted between the ranch employees and the ghouls.
In any case.
Grizzly glanced around at the branching corridors, confirmed his direction,
"Gya!"
and happily cried out as he sensed Yohan's presence growing closer, hurrying along.
The unique environment of a mage's underground workshop.
And the gunshots and beastly roars growing louder and louder.
Yohan and Sion moved cautiously down the corridor.
One step behind, I glanced at Sion's profile—a mix of calm and tension—and quietly spoke up.
It wasn't something I necessarily needed to ask right now, but there might not be another chance.
"...Was that iron grate smash earlier like some wuxia martial art technique?"
Sion gave a wry smile at my comparison.
"Martial arts... Yeah, something like that. But nothing flashy like sword qi or palm winds from wuxia novels."
"It's a special breathing technique. It temporarily boosts physical abilities."
My eyes darkened at her answer.
Of course it is...
No fireballs in magic, no sword qi in martial arts. Nothing proper at all.
Still, it piqued my interest.
I looked down at my empty hands.
Ritual magic takes time and preparation, and without summoning Grizzly via the grimoire like now, I'm basically just a normal guy.
No combat ability. Not even for bizarre incidents.
If two or three people gang up and beat me, I'm done for.
So even a temporary physical boost from martial arts sounded appealing.
Not just for fighting—great for a quick escape too.
And as I was thinking that.
Bang! Graaah!
The gunshots and sounds of combat grew louder with every step.
Sion pressed against the wall at a corridor junction, peeked out, then said with wide eyes,
"...Mr. Yohan, fall back."
But we were already too close, so I saw what she saw.
Ghouls.
In fantasy, they're often known as sturdy undead, a step above zombies.
But their origins trace back to Middle Eastern lore—a demon that devours humans.
Superhuman strength, magic use, shapeshifting into humans to hide, highly intelligent and versatile monsters.
And beyond undead or Middle Eastern demons,
there's one more race called ghouls.
The ghouls from the Cthulhu mythos.
According to lore, worshippers of Mordiggan, the Great Old One, the merciful Lord of the Graveyard, the Great Ghoul.
Dog-like heads on humanoid bodies, they lurk underground away from human eyes, feasting on corpses.
Of course, not just corpses—when hungry, they'll eat humans, kin, anything.
Just like now.
A ghoul with a shoulder pierced by bullets charged through the gunfire,
bit the employee's neck, twisted, and pinned him down.
"Gaaargh!"
"Aaagh!"
Other ghouls joined in, tearing into the employee alive.
The guns worked decently—plenty of ghoul corpses—but there were still more ghouls than humans.
As Sion and I tensed at the grotesque sight of one burying its head in a man's gut to rip out his entrails,
someone playfully poked my shoulder from behind.
'.........!'
My eyes flew wide. A chill crawled up my spine.
Sion was right in front of me. No one behind.
I slowly turned my head... and
nothing. Just an empty corridor.
Haa...
Tension easing, I let out a silent sigh of relief.
A sticky tongue happily licked my face.
Obviously Grizzly.
I glanced at Sion and stroked Grizzly's head.
First goal accomplished: rendezvous with Grizzly.
No more combat power issue.
Wish I had the grimoire here too, but...
As I looked at my palm, thinking of the grimoire,
"......?"
The space above my palm rippled.
It's coming. I knew instinctively. If I call strongly, it comes.
The grimoire's teleport function. It answers its master's call.
"...Mr. Yohan?"
I didn't respond, so Sion turned to me.
I quickly shook my hand, canceling the summon.
"Sorry... Got startled."
Yeah, really startled.
No way... It comes when called?!
Safety-wise, better to carry it in my bag anyway.
Why didn't it tell me about this function?
All that effort carrying it around by hand...
...And in the room where Kim Mireh died.
The grimoire, in the room with the limbless corpse, buzzed happily to respond to the summon,
only for it to cut off suddenly.
Bzzz— Bzzz—!
It vibrated in dissatisfaction.