Chapter 24
Chapter 24
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 24
Chapter Title: Reader-nim's Second Museum Event Recommendation: Egyptian Mummy
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Han So-young picked up the letter with eyes full of eager anticipation.
She seemed convinced there was some incredible secret hidden within.
"......No. Let's not."
I snatched the letter from Han So-young's hand.
For a split second, she wore the expression of a child who'd just had her favorite toy taken away.
"Huh? Why all of a sudden?"
"I think the boss monster might be nearby. We should deal with that first."
As long as I didn't know what effect the letter might have...
I wanted to secure at least a baseline level of safety before checking it.
'Besides, I'm not even sure it'd really be okay.'
Opening the letter through a third party like Han So-young.
In theory, it seemed fine.
But I didn't have any solid confidence that it truly would be.
'It might be too convenient a line of thinking.'
Barring some accident or mistake...
If I had her open the envelope on my instruction...
What difference would it make from using scissors myself?
I wouldn't know until I tried.
But I couldn't ignore the risk of failure.
'Better to hold off for now.'
The letter I'd been searching for was finally in hand.
I could take my time pondering how to handle it.
At the very least, I should ask Yuri about it first.
Until then, I'd set it aside.
"For now, let's focus on getting out of here."
I pressed onward through the basement.
Was this unique to this dungeon?
Fortunately, I encountered no monsters on the way to the end.
Then, an iron door appeared before us.
"Is this the boss room?"
Truth be told, there was no need to suspect otherwise.
Malevolent energy seeped through the closed door.
Even standing still, the aura radiating was profoundly evil.
Given the nature of this place...
It wouldn't be some pushover opponent.
'Might as well make some minimal preparations.'
Instead of opening the door, I activated a skill.
Thanks to entering this new area...
I could now use 'Comment Search' as well.
I didn't hesitate over the keyword this time.
I'd already decided what to search for.
"Keyword: Four Signs Evil-Slaying Sword."
At a time like this...
Nothing beat it.
1. Most recommended comment from Ch. 21
2. Longest comment from Ch. 21
3. Most opposed comment from Ch. 22
4. Comment from (inaccessible info)
'No more trusting inaccessible info comments!'
After getting burned by that weird ad last time...
I'd decided to steer clear of those now.
Honestly, I hesitated for a moment.
But ultimately, I chose the 'most recommended comment'.
It had helped the most before.
And it was most likely to contain key info.
'......Burns her arm?'
More than that, a name I hadn't even considered popped up.
Han So-young must be a character who catches flak in the original story too.
I glanced back at Han So-young, who stood there anxiously.
"W-Why are you looking at me like that?"
"It's nothing."
To sum it up: In the original, Yuri got the Four Signs Evil-Slaying Sword.
Han So-young saw it, stole it, and tried to attack Yuri with it instead.
But as a side effect, Han So-young's own arm burned up.
That was the gist.
'......Han So-young, what a useless person.'
Even now, she was a one-trick charm queen bee.
What would make her any different in the original?
Still, I'd gained valuable info.
At least now I knew using the Four Signs Evil-Slaying Sword meant burning alive.
'If I'd used it blindly, my arm would've gone up in flames.'
Just imagining it sent chills down my spine.
'Comment Search' really was a cheat skill.
Practically foresight.
Though luck played a huge role, of course.
'Anyway, Four Signs Evil-Slaying Sword on hold for now.'
I did have an idea for how to use it.
But it was a gamble, so better to hold off.
I gripped my baseball bat.
And placed my hand on the door, still emanating eerie energy.
"H-Huh? You're going in already?"
"Standing around won't change anything."
If we couldn't clear this place, escape was impossible.
There weren't even any other paths.
Freezing up out of fear would just raise our odds of dying.
"Ugh... At least give me a moment to prepare... Ack! Wait!"
I ignored Han So-young and stepped inside.
The moment I entered the room, a chilling atmosphere spread.
'Why is this place so huge?'
What unfolded was an endless black void.
This was the museum basement?
It blatantly defied the laws of physics.
And looming right in front of me was...
'A coffin?'
Not just any coffin—a golden one evoking images of a pharaoh.
It soon creaked open with a heavy groan.
"Uwooooooh!"
A mummy wrapped head to toe in bandages burst forth.
It looked about 2 meters tall.
Glinting eyes peered through the bandages.
The boss mummy looked anything but ordinary at first glance.
'......But why's an expensive mummy in a city museum?'
The skeleton earlier even wielded the Four Signs Evil-Slaying Sword.
What did that have to do with an Egyptian mummy?
The author must've written the plot with their feet.
Next thing you know, a T-Rex would pop out since it's a museum.
"Ugh! Waaah! I hate this! All I do is get beat up! I followed you and all we meet are monsters! I hate it!"
"Ah."
That's when Han So-young bolted backward.
She was apparently trying to flee the dungeon.
"Kwehk!"
But you can't leave during a boss fight.
Han So-young slammed into an invisible wall mid-run.
Then she crumpled unconscious to the floor.
"......I'm seriously going insane."
I sighed and raised my baseball bat.
I hadn't expected anything from Han So-young anyway.
-Paat!
I gripped the bat tight and kicked off the ground.
Player's Victory!
'A mummy should be similar to those first dolls I fought.'
Right now, Pharsa's Amulet was attached to my baseball bat.
The boss would take bonus damage too!
"Kreaargh!"
The mummy thrust out its hand.
I dodged it effortlessly.
Then swung the baseball bat right away.
-Puk!
The mummy's body was pushed back slightly.
A acrid, burning smell filled the air.
'It's working!'
Probably the amulet's effect.
The mummy's body began to scorch faintly.
"Kreaaaargh!"
The mummy swung its hand again.
But with my stats boosted so much, it couldn't touch me.
I swung the bat once more.
-Puk! Puk! Paak!
One hit, two, three.
I battered its body in rapid succession.
Full Power Heavy Hit
50 Mana consumed.
-Kweeeeng!!
I unleashed Full Power Heavy Hit, which had even felled the bear.
The mummy's body flew back and crashed into the wall.
'This is manageable?'
I'd worried about the hidden boss being dangerous.
Now I wondered if the bear hadn't been tougher.
Then the fallen mummy abruptly stood.
It slammed its hand on the floor.
Hands burst from the floor!
Followed by identical mummies crawling out.
But not just one.
Dozens—no, maybe hundreds—poured out.
"......For real?"
Were the villains facing Naruto's shadow clones feeling like this?
I should've realized something was off when the room was suspiciously vast.
But even so, this was ridiculous.
"Kuhahaha!"
The mummy burst into laughter.
As if utterly confident of its victory.
'No way I can beat them one by one.'
I didn't think I'd lose in a fight.
But stamina was the issue.
With my combat style requiring individual beatdowns...
Overwhelming numbers made it hopeless.
'......No choice, then.'
My gaze drifted to the Four Signs Evil-Slaying Sword at my waist.
An idea I'd had since the first clue about this sword surfaced.
'What if this sword is the same type Yuri uses?'
It was just a passing thought.
I hadn't expected to test it so soon.
"If I'm gonna die anyway, might as well try."
I drew the Four Signs Evil-Slaying Sword without hesitation.
-Puuung!
At the same moment, blue flames erupted from the blade.
The fire didn't stop at the sword—it devoured my arm as well.
My hand burned away in the erupting flames.
Pain like my brain was cooking spread through me, but there was no issue.
Metafiction reacted in real time, dulling the pain.
It still hurt, of course.
But now wasn't the time to worry about that.
"I already know because I've seen it! Whether you acknowledge me or not! A sword can be used as long as it's gripped!"
The flames began fully engulfing my arm.
But my hand didn't let go of the Four Signs Evil-Slaying Sword.
At the same time, something flowed into my mind—or perhaps my soul.
Maybe because I'd experienced it once before.
I instinctively realized it was the sword speaking to me.
"It brings down the vital energy of heaven and raises the spirits of earth, assuming the images of sun and moon, forming the shapes of mountains and rivers."
⟨ Four Signs Evil-Slaying Sword ⟩
The sword probably didn't recognize me as its master.
It just wanted to burn the 'wraiths' before its eyes.
That karmic fire was burning even me, the wielder.
Pain like my body was being torn apart.
The sensation of burned skin dying.
I could feel my soul aflame.
Without Metafiction, going mad wouldn't have been surprising.
Ignoring it all.
I surrendered my body to the energy flowing from the sword.
At the same time, certainty filled me.
The immense power in my hand right now...
Could incinerate any foe before me.
"It repels great evil and mysteriously cleaves to set things right."
⟨ Four Signs Evil-Slaying Sword ⟩
The moment those words ended.
I swung the sword.
-Hwarrrruk!
Blue flames surged forth.
Flames like a massive wave laced with lightning.
The sword's energy, meant to eradicate all demons—in the sign of the Tiger—
Instantly engulfed the foreign mummies.
"Kroooooh!"
"Kraaaaaah!"
The mummies caught fire and began burning.
They went up in horrific screams.
I swung the Four Signs Evil-Slaying Sword freely.
Until every enemy before me was reduced to ash in these flames.
The mummies wrapped in fire vanished completely.
"Kreaaargh......"
Soon, the flames subsided along with the mummies.
I slowly raised my head and looked ahead.
Only a single charred mummy remained.
Standing there all alone.
"It's over."
And even that mummy crumbled away.
"Hoo! That was really close to death this time."
Before I knew it, my completely burned arm had regenerated.
Monster Devour and its derived ability, Bio Revival's effect.
It was a gamble betting a boss drop would yield an essence.
But it barely paid off.
'Still, couldn't do it twice.'
Even with Metafiction reducing the pain...
It wasn't an experience I'd want to repeat.
Though it had been worth it.
Level ups, items.
And coins to boot.
Bosses always delivered solid rewards.
'Without the Four Signs Evil-Slaying Sword and Comment Search, I'd really be dead this time.'
-Pasaak!
Suddenly, a cracking sound rang from the Four Signs Evil-Slaying Sword in my hand.
The blade soon crumbled to powder and scattered.
'......Durability finally hit zero.'
I'd suspected as much from the start.
And now it was destroyed.
Of course, I couldn't use it again anyway—burning my arm repeatedly wasn't feasible.
Still, losing an S-grade item stung.
But then, the sword's particles suddenly gathered on my baseball bat.
Soon, a faint blue glow emanated from the bat.
"......Huh?"