Chapter 402: 3. The Second Request - Rescue: The Frozen Forest (5/5)
Chapter 402: 3. The Second Request - Rescue: The Frozen Forest (5/5)
Song Seunggyu’s limbs went limp as he floated into the air. He swayed left and right a few times before soaring over the ice wall and vanishing without a trace.
Is he running away?
I tilted my head in confusion but quickly checked the clan members’ reactions.
“S-Soohyun! I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to…”
Vivian bowed her head in apology.
“Hah… Hah…”
Lim Hanna was panting slightly.
At a glance, most of them seemed calm, but Lim Hanna appeared a little startled. I’d already warned them beforehand, so her reaction suggested she had an instinctive fear of situations like the one that had just occurred.
I stared at her. Lim Hanna tried her best to act unfazed, steadying her breath. For a moment, I thought she looked a little cute.
Perhaps she felt my gaze.
Her eyes met mine, and she offered a faint smile.
“I’m sorry. I was just startled when his neck suddenly twisted… I’m fine now.”
“I’m glad to hear it.”
I gave a clear reply and looked around at the clan members. All eyes were on me.
We should probably get going.
I finally spoke, my voice quiet.
“The request from User Song Seunggyu—to confirm the status of his comrades and rescue them—has been terminated due to unavoidable circumstances. Therefore… as of this moment, under the authority of the Clan Lord, I am disbanding the investigation team.”
I paused for a moment, moving from the middle of the group to the front. Lim Hanna, looking visibly relieved, sidled up next to me.
“We will now begin the exploration of the Ice Tower, located in the center of the Frozen Forest.”
The moment I finished speaking, the clan members immediately changed their formation.
Lim Hanna and I took the lead, Jung Hayeon and Shin Jaeryong were in the middle, and Ahn Hyun and Vivian brought up the rear.
With so few of us, the formation was set in an instant, and we immediately started down the path.
The vengeful spirit of the tower had tried to lure us to the 9th floor.
And I intended to go straight to the 9th floor.
Of course, I knew there would be some kind of trap. But it was far easier to walk straight into the tiger’s den and beat it down than to wander through a maze, getting ambushed at every turn.
Just as the vengeful spirit had said, there was a new staircase leading to the right at the end of the path. We ascended it in one go and found ourselves before a hollow entrance, just like the one on the 7th floor.
This one also had an iron door. However, unlike the one on the 7th floor, which had been shut tight, this one was wide open.
It’s here.
I could feel it instinctively. This was the passage to the 9th floor, and the vengeful spirit was waiting for us.
I heard someone gulp behind me.
The inside of the entrance was pitch-black, so dark that nothing was visible.
Even I could only sense its presence; my vision, enhanced by magic, could only make out a faint silhouette. Some kind of energy within was interfering with my sight.
Before we entered, I spoke up, just in case.
“There’s no need to be afraid. This isn’t the modern world; this is the Hall Plain. The vengeful spirit is nothing more than a monster, and we Users have the power to kill monsters.”
“…H-Hyung’s right. A monster like that is nothing once you get a good look at it.”
Ahn Hyun immediately chimed in. I stared at him pointedly.
I appreciate you backing me up, but could you at least stop your lips from trembling?
“Hyun is right. It’s just a monster with a slightly gruesome appearance. I believe it’s at a level we can handle. Remember, we have a record of taking down Mavolo.”
In truth, I had basically done it all by myself, but what wouldn’t I say to boost their morale?
As I finished speaking, I removed my earring, and ‘Victoria’s Glory’ appeared, emitting a brilliant light. The faint glow from the sword streamed into the entrance, illuminating our view, if only slightly.
“Alright, let’s head in.”
The clan members and I entered the room, which was shrouded in darkness.
We had finally set foot on the 9th floor. The moment we were fully inside, a strange sense of unease washed over my entire body. It was a scratchy sensation, like the feel of a pilled, lint-covered cloth.
It was then.
Crunch. Crunch, crunch.
Amidst the heavy silence, a sound came from the empty air, as if something hard was being chewed.
I turned my gaze toward the source of the sound and saw something long and thin swaying back and forth in the air. Just as I was about to use the Third Eye to get a better look, I heard the heavy sound of an incantation from behind me.
“───. ───. ───.”
Shin Jaeryong had begun chanting a priestly spell, likely intending to secure our vision first.
A sphere of light slowly formed and then floated into the air, emitting a bright glow.
CRUNCH! Crunch, crunch! Crunch, crunch, crunch, crunch!
All the while, the unsettling noise grew louder before finally quieting down a little, just as Shin Jaeryong’s spell activated.
“Holy Light!”
FWOOSH!
As he finished the incantation, the floating sphere erupted with bright light, flooding the room. The burst of light wasn’t enough to illuminate the entire 9th floor, but it was more than sufficient to see our immediate surroundings.
And then, the scene on the 9th floor was revealed.
“H-Heok!”
“U-Uwaaah! W-What is that!”
At the same time, the clan members, who had been holding it together until now, let out shrill screams.
The 9th floor was an empty room, its floor reminiscent of a cavern.
But the floor wasn’t what was important.
A moment later, our eyes were fixed on something floating in the air.
A massive ‘head’ was suspended in the space before us. As for its size, it was about as big as two ripe watermelons put together.
Its exposed face was utterly grotesque.
Cracks ran all over its face, and a blackish-red liquid oozed from the fissures, giving it a stark, blood-red appearance.
Its eyes were disproportionately large, taking up more than a third of its face. The black pupils, which occupied half of the eyeballs, were like staring into a black hole, and its lips were torn wide open, reaching its ears.
That wasn't all.
The moment the sphere lit up the room, I could see with my own eyes what the Third Eye had shown me earlier.
Crunch, crunch!
The long, swaying thing was the client, Song Seunggyu. He was caught in the vengeful spirit’s teeth, being eaten headfirst, piece by piece.
And the scratchy sensation that had brushed against my body was its hair. The hair sprouting from its head was so long and thick it filled the entire room.
Crunch! Gulp!
—Hee-hee-keek! Hee-hee-kee-keek!
Having swallowed Song Seunggyu whole, the vengeful spirit’s eyes curved into crescents as it let out a vicious laugh.
And in that instant.
SLAM!
A loud metallic clang struck my ears. I glanced back to see that the iron door, which had been wide open just moments ago, was now shut tight. It had closed on its own the moment the vengeful spirit laughed.
Trying to block our escape route?
It seemed to have a few tricks up its sleeve. But I had no intention of letting things go its way. I strode toward the door.
I summoned the magic in my circuits. Then, I pulled my right knee up to my chest and kicked out with all my might.
CRASH!
I felt something buckle under the sole of my foot, and the massive iron door shattered so completely that ‘smithereens’ was the only fitting word. The frost covering it must have helped the impact spread through the entire structure.
After confirming the now-open entrance and the shattered fragments, I turned back to face the vengeful spirit.
—Heek?
The vengeful spirit’s reaction was quite peculiar. Its already large eyes widened until they were bloodshot, a stark contrast to the leisurely way it had been enjoying its meal just moments before.
Ssssk…! Ssssssk…!
As its eyes grew redder, I sensed a change. The gently swaying strands of hair suddenly began to move in unison.
I felt an ominous premonition and immediately shouted.
“Everyone, prepare for battle!”
For a second, I considered giving detailed orders, but I quickly dismissed the thought.
It won’t be hard to deal with…
The vengeful spirit wasn’t strong enough to make me nervous. Of course, as the boss of a ruin, it possessed a level of power that set it apart from ordinary monsters, but that was it.
If I used Eternal Flame, I was confident I could finish it in three seconds. Even without Eternal Flame, I was sure I could crush it single-handedly.
By my rough estimate, the vengeful spirit was nowhere near Mavolo’s level; it was on par with, or perhaps even weaker than, the Doom Knight ‘Horrence,’ excluding his regenerative abilities.
However, I decided it would be better to use this as an opportunity to build their confidence in similar situations, rather than just putting on a one-man show.
Just as I finished that thought, I saw the vengeful spirit’s mouth gape open. Countless strands of hair shot out in every direction. Looking at it, I couldn’t help but think it looked like a madwoman.
The vengeful spirit’s attack began.
—Keeeeeeeeeeeeee!
A massive sonic wave that tormented the ears erupted from its open mouth.
The sound waves traveled through the air and slammed into us.
『A sonic attack filled with resentment! This attack cannot be considered a complete magical act! Magic resistance is limited!』
『Magic Power 96! Luck 90! Partial defense has been determined!』
A faint wave of dizziness washed over me for a moment before my head cleared.
“Keuk!”
“Kyaa!”
However, a few of the clan members let out low groans, having taken the full brunt of the attack.
Seizing the moment our formation wavered, the spiky strands of hair began to pour down on us all at once.
But the clan members didn’t just stand there.
“Protect!”
“Shield of Repulsion!”
Jung Hayeon and Shin Jaeryong’s defensive spells, which they must have prepared in advance, erupted simultaneously.
“Under the Covenant of the Blue Moon… I wish.”
“Moon Spirit, Three-Day Crescent Moon.”
The incantations that followed came from one person—it was clearly Jung Hayeon’s voice. I was confused for a second, but then I understood. She was using the ‘Necklace of Glory’ I had given her.
Vwoom!
A large, crescent-moon shape with a bluish glow materialized in front of us. Once it was fully formed, Jung Hayeon shouted fiercely at the incoming hair.
“Divide!”
In that instant, the crescent moon shattered into dozens of pieces, which then began to spin and shoot out in all directions. It was the first time she had combined her specialty, chain magic, with her Secret Class, ‘Mage of the Blue Moon.’
Slice! Slice! Slice! Slice!
The spinning crescent shards flew forward, instantly severing the thorn-like strands of hair. The bluish light cut through them relentlessly, as if showing off its sharpness as it pushed deeper.
But that was all it could do.
Jung Hayeon’s magic was certainly effective, but the sheer number of incoming hairs was overwhelming. Aside from the few strands that were cut and fell away, the rest charged forward, violently stabbing at the two-layered barrier.
CRACK! SHATTER!
“Th-There are too many!”
“At this rate, it’s only a matter of time before the barrier breaks!”
Jung Hayeon and Shin Jaeryong’s voices were urgent.
I glanced back and saw Ahn Hyun, clutching his spear, not knowing what to do, and Lim Hanna, relentlessly firing flashes of light.
And then there was Vivian, standing still just like me. The sonic attack must have really gotten on her nerves, as her expression was quite distorted.
Vivian finally shouted, her voice strained.
“Just hold on a little longer! Just a little, I just need a little more time!”
She was probably trying to summon a magical beast. Seeing her immediately begin the incantation, I let out a short sigh.
I had intended to take a step back in this battle, but…
Well, just buying some time should be fine.
I made up my mind and stepped out of the barrier.
“S-Soohyun! What are you doing!”
“Clan Lord!”
Ignoring their calls, I stood still, lost in thought. Then, an idea flashed through my mind, and I gathered magic in my left hand.
It was at that exact moment that the vengeful spirit noticed me.
—Kee-heet?
The moment it saw me, it blinked a few times, then opened its mouth wide and burst into laughter.
—Kee-hee-hee-hee-hee-hee-hee!
I paid it no mind and, applying the principles of Telekinesis, gathered magic in my left hand. My target was its ‘hair.’
Swoosh! Swoooosh!
There was hair everywhere, so in an instant, I had a full handful. At the same time, the vengeful spirit let out an eerie, ghost-like wail and charged at me, but it was far too late.
With the hair still in my grasp, I swung my arm upward with all my might.
THUD!
—Keek!
Was its hair too long? The head shot up in an instant and slammed beautifully into the ceiling.
Then, I slammed my arm down with all my strength.
SLAM!
—Gek!
I watched as the vengeful spirit came crashing down at the speed of light, its face planting into the floor.
Deciding there was no better way to buy time, I began to swing my arm with gusto.
THUD! SLAM! THUD! SLAM! THUD! SLAM! THUD! SLAM!
—Keek! Gek! Keek! Gek! Keek! Gek! Keek! Gek!
Each time it hit the ceiling and floor, the vengeful spirit added a short scream as a rhythmic accompaniment.
…This is surprisingly fun.
I decided to change things up a bit and tried drawing a circle.
THUD! SCRAPE! THUD! SCRAAAPE!
—Kkeuek! Kkeugererererek!
The space was limited, so I couldn’t draw a smooth circle as it kept getting caught on things.
But every time it got stuck, I just forced it through with my strength, which resulted in the vengeful spirit’s face being dragged across the ground.
In the middle of all this, I noticed it had gotten quiet behind me and calmly turned around. The hair had settled down, and through it, I could see a few clan members staring blankly at me.
I opened my mouth, feeling a bit awkward.
“Well. You asked me to buy some time…”
Just then, Ahn Hyun urgently raised his hand and pointed at me.
“H-Hyung! Behind you!”
“?”
I quickly turned back around and felt a heavy pull on my hand. The vengeful spirit had come to its senses and was trying to break free from my grasp.
I instinctively pulled my hand back, and as a result—Rrrrrip!—I managed to tear out a clump of its hair. I stared at the hair for a moment, then dusted off my hands and faced forward.
—Kee-haaaaaaaaaa!
It seemed quite angry about what had just happened. Though it didn’t show much, the vengeful spirit let out a furious, powerful scream. Then, it opened its mouth wide, as if to launch another sonic attack.
It was then.
Flash!
A streak of light flashed, and at the same time, a thin stream of blood burst from inside the vengeful spirit’s mouth.
Flash! Flash!
The flashes continued two, three more times, and unable to withstand the relentless barrage of arrows, the vengeful spirit was forced to close its mouth again.
But it wasn’t over yet.
“Come! Pierre! The mad, fiery jester who rules the 4th Legion!”
Vivian’s magical beast summoning circle finally activated.
The 4th Legion was one of the top six among the 66 legions, the one Vivian was always boasting about.
Thinking I was in for a real treat today, I watched the emerging magic circle with great interest.
Crackle! Sizzle!
—Hee-hee-hee… Hee-hee-hee-hee… Hee-hee-hee-hee-hee!
A chilling laugh from a dark abyss filled the room. Then, a well-built man, who looked to be about two meters tall, shot up from the magic circle.
I examined his appearance closely.
Cross-shaped eyes, a red nose like Rudolph’s, and bright red lips painted on in a long line. In his right hand, he held a colorful, toy-like stick.
This appearance… yes. He looked remarkably similar to a modern-day pierrot.
“Open your eyes, Pierre! Show the head-monster before you your true might! Pin it down so it can’t even twitch!”
Vivian’s command fell, and Pierre’s closed eyes snapped open. His playful gaze immediately fixed on the vengeful spirit, and he opened his red-painted mouth wide, letting out a laugh that shook the room.
—Hoo-heh-heh-heh-heh-heh-heh!
A thought suddenly crossed my mind, and I quickly looked at the vengeful spirit.
The moment Pierre appeared, the vengeful spirit had gone completely silent. Its earlier intimidating demeanor was gone; it was completely overwhelmed by his presence, trembling uncontrollably.
Deciding it was time to end this, I used Telekinesis again to grab its hair.
“Under the Covenant of the Blue Moon… I wish.”
“Moon Spirit, Three-Day Crescent Moon.”
At the same time, I heard Jung Hayeon’s incantation, and a sharp, blue crescent moon formed around the vengeful spirit.
Its hair was caught.
Pierre was laughing loud enough to shake the room.
A crescent moon brimming with sharp energy surrounded it.
—…….
In this situation, the vengeful spirit didn’t react at all.
It just stared blankly at its surroundings before gently closing its eyes.
Thinking this was the end, I lightly tossed my arm upward.
The vengeful spirit, offering no resistance, flew into the air and then fell in a gentle arc toward the summoned beast.
And Pierre, watching the head fall softly toward him, opened his mouth as wide as a washbasin… Huh?
Don’t tell me he’s going to eat it?
CRUNCH!