Chapter 39
Chapter 39
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 39
Chapter Title: Possessed Marcel
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Marcel.
Marcel's mouth ripped open wide. An utterly unreal sight. It was just like someone had torn it with their fingers.
"...!"
And.
At the same time, a deep purplish energy began seeping out from Marcel's body, bit by bit.
An ominously sinister power. Marcel's eyes shifted to purple.
Crack, crack.
He cracked his neck and stared at me.
👁️ ABYSSAL VOICE 👁️ [How peculiar.] The voice echoed in all directions. The peculiar one was me, I thought.
'What the hell is this guy?'
This was a power I'd never seen before. A monster that slipped in from the Labyrinth?
All sorts of thoughts flooded my mind.
The thing we'd seen right before escaping the Labyrinth—Nokgolma.
Had that bastard done something to take over Marcel's body?
- ...That's not it.
Rishiel said with furrowed brows. She seemed to have some idea of what it was.
- That's a dangerous existence. But it's strange, too. How is that thing here?
'What do you mean?'
- It's...
Before Rishiel could finish.
"Whoever you are."
Ermé swung the champion's sword in a wide arc.
"Die."
👁️ ABYSSAL VOICE 👁️ [With that puny power?] A sneering voice.
As Ermé swung her sword with all her might, Marcel swung the staff in his hand.
Boom!
The sword was blocked by the staff. Ermé cried out urgently.
"Teresa, Rozenta!"
I calmly watched Marcel.
Was Marcel truly dead?
'Doesn't seem like it.'
A bizarre sensation whispered to me. The same sensation that had told me that wasn't Marcel.
I had no idea how it worked.
But right now, I had to trust it.
I drew my sword and charged at the thing.
👁️ ABYSSAL VOICE 👁️ [You're peculiar indeed. Can't be level 2 anymore.] "What happened to Marcel?"
👁️ ABYSSAL VOICE 👁️ [Strange. The vessel's disgustingly vast. How'd it stack so much restraint?] As I swung my sword, Marcel swung his staff wide.
Claaang!
An unpleasant screech of metal on metal. I was the one pushed back.
'...What the hell is this feeling.'
My raw strength was superior.
But somehow, I kept getting overpowered.
'Technique... maybe.'
A gap in swordsmanship levels? But had Nokgolma ever used swordsmanship? It puzzled me.
👁️ ABYSSAL VOICE 👁️ [Can't quite figure you out. You feel completely different from the others...] The thing kept eyeing me, observing.
'Creepy bastard.'
Arrogant gaze, as if it held overwhelming superiority. A stance claiming advantage even in the Adventurer's Guild.
It all grated on me.
"What happened to Marcel?"
👁️ ABYSSAL VOICE 👁️ [He's alive.] "... "
If Glasses was alive, that was enough.
'Lucky.'
There were a few silver linings.
This thing had hijacked Marcel's body.
And it hadn't fully seized Marcel's body yet.
Which meant.
'There's a way.'
I glared at it.
But people were everywhere. The moment we clashed, eyes locked on us from all sides.
"Something's off. Feels like it only knows a little about the outside world."
"...Pretty gruesome."
Adventurers closing in slowly.
The thing possessing Marcel's body just laughed, amused.
"Hah, everyone's off their rocker. Newbies fighting, and no one's lending a hand."
Boom.
A man clad head to toe in armor stepped forward.
"Sorry, sorry. Your friend's blocking too damn well."
A man winked at me. Alex.
Still alive, huh.
"That guy's acting weird."
"Someone's taken over his body."
"Terrorist types?"
"Maybe Nokgolma."
Ermé said in a trembling voice.
"Oh yeah, that Nokgolma you saw at the entrance vanished at some point... A special type that steals bodies?"
"Gotta capture it first. Magic Tower pays top coin for 'em."
"Heartless talk. Don't sweat it. Won't kill it."
But no promise to return Marcel.
👁️ ABYSSAL VOICE 👁️ [That the plan?] "Monster spawn talking human, world's gone nuts."
👁️ ABYSSAL VOICE 👁️ [Hmm... From our side, you lot are the weird ones.] "Capture alive, no exceptions. Might unlock Labyrinth secrets."
"Everyone, attack!"
At Alex's call, countless rays of light hurtled toward Marcel.
Mostly spells, but debilitation effects.
"Strong magic resistance. Classic Nokgolma trait."
"Gonna have to pound it physically."
I focused calmly.
Marcel's alive. So I can save him.
...With Plunder (S).
'How though.'
Yanking Marcel's soul out is risky. No telling what happens to the body.
And if Nokgolma fully claims it, things go south fast.
'Best to rip out its soul.'
But that's tough.
Plunder conditions unmet—it flat-out refused.
15th-floor boss.
Smarter than others, body-snatcher type.
'Minimum level 6.'
Level 6s are rare even in the Guild.
No matter how good I am, beating it? No shot.
Bridging that level gap.
'...Not right now.'
So what then?
📜 MAIN QUEST - CHAPTER 2 📜 You have encountered an abyssal existence.
He possesses the qualifications of a centurion. Kill him or retrieve Marcel.
⏰ Reward: Marcel's body + ???
❌ Failure: No penalty
The quest chimed right on cue.
I curled my lips in a bitter smirk.
'You bastard.'
Been feeling it awhile—no penalty on failure just rubbed me wrong.
'Whatever.'
Can't fail.
Had to succeed. Its patterns suggested failure meant my death somehow.
Eh, didn't matter.
Glasses was coming back either way.
I charged at it.
"Rookie, this ain't your turf. Too soon for you."
Suddenly.
Volkan blocked my path.
"Can you capture it alive?"
"No guarantees. Don't know its tricks. Differs from Nokgolma traits."
👁️ ABYSSAL VOICE 👁️ [Hah! Haha! You lot pack some punch!] The thing rampaged in Marcel's body.
It was turning the tables on the adventurers.
Did it know they wanted it alive? It weaved through lines, dismantling the Guild's forces.
"...Got a sound-blocking skill?"
"Clever idea, eh?"
Volkan flicked his hand up, and all sound around us cut out.
Some mana barrier thing.
'Saw it once, I could mimic it.'
More importantly, I stated my piece.
"I can steal just its soul."
"Steal? Its soul?"
Volkan's eyes went wide, like he'd heard nonsense.
- Steal a soul...? Wait, your power... No, impossible. A devil's forbidden art like that exist?
Rishiel's pupils shook.
Devil's forbidden art. It was just theft.
"Can't read your abilities. Soul theft... Even that thing couldn't."
"Who is it. Anyway, weaken it."
"Demanding, aren't ya."
Volkan's gaze was odd.
Wondering where I crawled from.
'And a hint of fear?'
Nah.
That old coot fear me at level 2? Doubt it.
'Gotta surpass him someday.'
But now, level 2.
"You doing it or not?"
"Damn right I am."
Volkan grinned fiercely and advanced.
"Hey, you."
👁️ ABYSSAL VOICE 👁️ [Ho, a human this strong?] "Spot my strength, monster with sharp eyes."
👁️ ABYSSAL VOICE 👁️ [Pfft. Arrogant for your skill.] "What are you?"
👁️ ABYSSAL VOICE 👁️ [Was gonna say no, but a hint's fine.] Marcel giggled as he spoke.
👁️ ABYSSAL VOICE 👁️ [Want answers? Come to floor 25. I'll be waiting.] "Floor 25. Soon enough."
👁️ ABYSSAL VOICE 👁️ [Ah, you're the ones who got near us lately.] Marcel's eyes curved in delight.
👁️ ABYSSAL VOICE 👁️ [Thanks to you, one restraint broke—I could slip out.] "... "
No way—that was why it escaped?
But something felt off in its words.
Like it was weaving truth to hide lies.
"In other words, sans you, the rest can't reach."
👁️ ABYSSAL VOICE 👁️ [...] Marcel eyed me.
With bizarre intensity.
👁️ ABYSSAL VOICE 👁️ [Sharp one, huh. Here, the real pain's you, not him.] Marcel's gaze hardened.
Resolved for something.
'Just what I wanted.'
Volkan lunged. The thing possessing Marcel met him head-on.
Kaboom!
Sounded like a bomb blast. Volkan's fist sank into Marcel's gut.
👁️ ABYSSAL VOICE 👁️ [Guhk...!] It slammed face-first into the floor.
Marcel's body shuddered violently, then went limp.
"What? Over already?"
Volkan sounded baffled.
But I saw something eerie.
Jet-black, abyss-like something peeled out of Glasses' body.
'...What.'
Yet familiar. A sensation like...
'...Rishiel.'
Just like first glimpsing her soul.
It closed in on me.
👁️ ABYSSAL VOICE 👁️ [I'll burrow into your soul... and shatter it slowly.] A chilling tone.
And right then, I.
Reached out.
My hand plunged into somewhere—a bizarre suction—then gripped something solid.
👁️ ABYSSAL VOICE 👁️ [...You—how do you wield that devil's forbidden art?!] Devil's forbidden art my ass.
I snorted and yanked my hand free. A black, stone-like lump in my fist.
[Nokgolma's Soul Stone] ⚡ PLUNDER (S) ACTIVATED ⚡ Acquired: Nokgolma Soul And the Nokgolma's soul-form shimmered into view.
Crunch.
I clenched with all my might. The soul stone crumbled.
👁️ ABYSSAL VOICE 👁️ [Kraaak! Kraaaaaak!] Nokgolma's agonized scream rang out.
And soon.
👁️ ABYSSAL VOICE 👁️ [How... how does a mere human have that power...!] A final, shrieking wail.
And.
White specks of light swirled around me.
Level-up herald.
But something mattered more.
'...Glasses.'
Was Glasses alive?
I hurried to him.
Glasses' eyes fluttered open slowly.
"...I owe you one."
"Memories?"
"Bits and pieces. Soul felt tainted."
Glasses gripped my hand as he spoke.
"Thanks, friend. Your doing let me shake the illusion... and finally sleep..."
His voice quavered. Nothing like before. Like a man facing his end—
"Bastard forced my body—backlash...? Kinda cold. But glad you're the last thing I see. Was I any help?"
"...Yeah. Thanks."
"Good."
Glasses smiled and closed his eyes.
"Ma-Marcel!"
"Marcel!"
I stopped Ermé and Teresa from breaking down.
Simple reason.
'Bastard's just dead asleep.'
He'd truly dozed off.