Chapter 58
I'd braced myself to some extent.
But I didn't expect it to be like this. What a pain.
"That thing out there... it ain't human, right?"
"They all went into the other rooms. If it were human, it'd have to hang out alone in the hallway with that Ruler."
"Yeah, that makes sense."
Who in the world would have the guts to breathe the same air as Mephistopheles all cozy-like?
Anyway.
-Honey...... Honey......
The repeated sobs.
Choi Kangshik shuddered in disgust.
"Doesn't even sound like it's just calling out. That priest-looking bastard packs some serious power."
"Could be a type of anomaly that inflicts special effects on those it's enchanted."
"You think that anomaly Mephistopheles is mimicking a human?"
I shook my head.
"Rulers can't directly interfere with the gate."
"But back in the COEX Gate, that golden goblin tussled with him, didn't it?"
"That's a bit different. I made the proposal, and the golden goblin agreed."
It was a duel made possible by mutual consent.
"So it was allowed because it was a confrontation within the rules."
"We haven't had any such talks with this gate's Ruler."
"R-right."
As I said, Rulers have to follow the rules even more strictly than us intruders—no, than us humans.
The stars are watching.
Let me use a streaming broadcast analogy.
If the stars are the viewers, we're the awakened stars of the show, and the Ruler is the manager making sure we don't stray from the main storyline.
From the viewers' perspective, how boring would it be if the manager arbitrarily toyed with the rules? The 'star' viewers want to see us participants struggle within the bounds of those rules.
I brought up the globally smash-hit drama Squid Game as an example. Even the skeptical Choi Kangshik got it right away.
Perfect. I was wondering how to share my status window info—visible only to me—without it feeling too out of place.
Using a mega-popular reference like that makes it easy. I'll have to use it more often.
After a moment to collect his thoughts, Choi Kangshik hardened his gaze.
"So that sleazy golden mask isn't that anomaly, right?"
Tap— tap— tap—
Meanwhile, the
entity
outside the door kept sweetly calling out. Since the professor wasn't responding, it had started knocking too.
"Fucking creepy monster."
"It's probably less a monster and more an anomaly or phenomenon. One that induces terror."
Tap— tap— tap—
The knocks grew heavier.
With each one, impatience started to creep in.
Kangshik groaned, his eyes flicking between the door and my Surprise Texture Mask.
"We're fine 'cause you're a hunter and I'm an awakener, so we could fend off that priest guy. But the others? They're just civilians with awakener tags...."
Sharp observation, impressively so.
Time to ease his worries.
"If you're concerned about the people in the other rooms, they'll be fine."
"What's your basis for that?"
"I specifically chose room 4, didn't I? We're probably first in line."
Let me dip a little into my future knowledge.
Anomalies or phenomena like that have a much stronger effect when focused on a single target. They could hit multiple at once, but the payoff drops off sharply.
Most effective when pounding just one.
The power that had entranced the professor had briefly surpassed even me, a hunter, and Kangshik.
Tap— tap— tap—
...That damn thing had apparently marked the professor in room 4 as its prey, not us two.
"Ah. So you deliberately picked the 'death' room, huh, bro?"
"...Sorry for dragging you into this. But you're the only one I can trust."
"Don't say it like that, man."
Kangshik slapped my back with a hearty whack.
This tough, reassuring feel.
"If you hadn't called me, I'd have grabbed you by the collar later. We're sworn brothers! We might not have been born the same day, but hey? We go out together!"
The same solid encouragement from when we first met.
"Right. Liu Bei, Cao Cao, Sun Quan."
I chuckled. The mask didn't filter out the laugh.
"But we won't both die."
"Damn straight. You got a plan, right, bro?"
"Something like that."
As I replied, I approached the TV stand and righted the fallen picture frame.
The glass was cracked, a diagonal fissure splitting the space between the professor and the woman I assumed was his wife.
"By the way."
Kangshik nodded toward the door.
"How do we deal with that spine-chilling woman's voice?"
I idly wiped the frame with my thumb and set it down.
"Uncle, you ever seen an exorcism movie?"
"In shorts? Why?"
"What's the first thing exorcists do when trying to catch a demon?"
"Call out the demon's name... Ah?!"
Enlightenment achieved.
※ However, if you uncover the identity of the Inner Whisper ○○○, you may open the door!
Upon learning ○○○'s true name, the abstract concept becomes physically capturable.
The top-priority condition for clearing the final stage had been relayed to my ally without distortion. Time to take action.
"Just need to learn its name?"
"Yes."
"But... how the hell do we...?"
Kangshik muttered, then suddenly stared right through me.
"Bro, you don't mean..."
Spot on.
I smiled silently.
Sensing the threat, perhaps?
Tap— tap— tap— tap— tap— tap—tap— tap— tap— tap— tap— tap— tap— tap— tap— tap—tap— tap— tap— tap— tap— tap— tap— tap— tap— tap— tap— tap— tap—tap— tap— tap— tap— tap— tap—tap— tap— tap— tap— tap— tap— tap— tap— tap— tap— tap— tap— tap— tap— tap—tap— tap— tap—
The knocks thickened until the living room vibrated. The temperature plummeted in real time.
-Open. Open. Open. Open. Open. Open. Open. Open. Open. Open. Open. Open. Open. Open. Open. Open. Open. Open. Open. Open. Open. Open. Open. Open. Open. Open. Open. Open. Open. Open. Open. Open. Open. Open. Open. Open. Open. Open. Open. Open. Open. Open.
No matter how much racket it made, I wasn't anxious. I wasn't the homeowner, and its impatience was my weapon.
I spoke.
"I know what that thing really is."
I had two weapons.
One was the status window.
The other was future knowledge.
Both special perks tailored for me, specialized in 'pre-studying.'
While Kangshik was handling the commotion in the hall, I'd wrung out every bit of usable knowledge I had.
And finally pinpointed the identity of that velvet phantom(?).
"As expected of you, bro...!! Then let's go right now!"
"No."
Not yet.
Even if we'd identified the anomaly.
With my combat power showing a golden die roll of 1, it's impossible.
In exorcism rituals, just naming it makes the demon cower and flee.
But the Abyss isn't a movie—it's reality.
I looked down at the collapsed professor.
Judging by his status, he'll wake up in a few minutes.
Better prepare before then.
I raised my eyes.
Red threads pierced through the living room walls, linking opposite sides.
Good.
I'd been worried each room might be a separate gate.
Thankfully not.
My bonds with my two subordinates remained intact. Because it was an apartment hallway setup.
Lucky break.
This makes it possible.
I can achieve two goals at once.
With two perks, let's catch both rabbits we couldn't normally snag.
First: Turn the professor into an ally.
Second: ...
Capture the Ruler, Mephistopheles.
That's the ultimate goal for this ∅∅-grade Abyss.
The status window didn't suggest it. No special rewards either.
This is purely my own goal.
No clear extra profits.
It's sheer whim on my part. If other hunters saw it—like Han Biyeol, Jeong Hamin, Namgung Hyuni...
What a killer lineup.
Tap, tap, tap, tap.
My mind nearly wandered, but the knocks snapped me back. I shook my head and focused my eyes.
Let's do it.
What's the harm in trying, Wonseok?
By some views, it'd be utterly pointless and unproductive. Probably the consensus.
Still, I planned to go for it. I'd willingly wield this double-edged sword—one that offered no promised rewards or gains and could turn to poison in the worst case.
Why?
Because last life's Seo Wonseok lived passively.
Getting into Korea University Medical School? With my brother's full support, hitting top scores on the CSAT felt like owning the world.
But.
That was just the product of rote education.
The moment healer awakeners emerged and med schools shuttered.
I did nothing. I'd only ever done assigned tasks, after all...
Before I knew it, my one pride was gone, and by the time I tried to catch up, I was way behind.
A person who didn't know how to set their own goals.
That was me.
No.
"......"
I gazed at the professor lying on the sofa. Kangshik had scooped him up and moved him there.
It hadn't even been two years since I'd last seen his face at this point in time.
Yet it had aged a full decade.
...You and I are the same.
Never taken the initiative, got left behind by the era's flow.
This life will be different.
Another precious chance at life, granted once more.
I won't be swept along.
I clenched my fist.