Chapter 184
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 184
Chapter Title: Stockholm Syndrome
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Kiiieeeek...
Thud!
Ur stared at the closed door and spoke.
"Hmm, they've layered on a complex incantation that regenerates the magic circle the instant it shuts."
"A problem?"
"Hardly. If anything, it makes it tougher for them to spot the intrusion. If it were me, I'd rip the whole design apart and start over..."
Kang Seol recalled Ur's feat from when he'd opened the door moments ago and posed a question.
"Ur, what was that ability you just used?"
"Ability? Did I use one?"
"You swallowed the magic circle carved into the door."
"That's hardly an ability. Don't you know the origin of magic?"
Ur was the world's first archmage.
Even Kang Seol in his current state struggled to grasp his actions.
"There are limits, though."
"Limits..."
"All because I've been demoted to your summon. Quick scan says this body's capped at parsing, decomposition, and condensation."
"What does that mean?"
"Simple enough. I can analyze mana-related items or magic itself, then break it down into raw mana."
"And condensation?"
"Compress the broken-down mana into a solid mass."
"What for?"
"To kill enemies, obviously."
"......"
"It's my sole attack method right now. Devour magic, store it, condense into mana, blast it at foes."
"...That's all?"
"Shut your mouth! This is your fault! Had to peel away all my power to summon me because you're so frail! This impotence is torture!"
"Hmm..."
"Besides, my forte was never combat anyway."
"Not combat?"
Ur flashed a lecherous grin.
"Nurturing and refinement. Countless archmages owe their fame to me—you wouldn't know."
"No clue. 'Archmage' didn't even survive history books."
"...A glitch. Something went wrong."
Kang Seol halted the exchange to review the sudden adventure prompt from earlier.
[Adventure 23. Stockholm Syndrome]
Sympathizing with a villain is rare. But it happens.
Malacus, who once cornered you, lost his eyes and family to mystery thugs as a child.
He screamed through life in rage. You glimpsed his past via a letter he clutched.
Brazenly, he begged the letter's finder for vengeance.
Grant it or not? Your whim decides.
Your bond with Malacus is that shallow.
Yet coincidence led you to spot the fiend matching his family's killer's description.
And another coincidence: you've entered their hidden lair.
Fateful day—for you, and the foe who greeted you.
📍 Goal: Uncover the basement's secret
⏰ Time Limit: ~3 days
This is a sudden adventure.
'Yeah, real fateful.'
Kang Seol couldn't care less about Malacus's backstory.
How he'd scraped by, traumas endured—what did it matter?
Somehow, he'd morphed into the avenger role.
'Twisted.'
Bernuil, piloting Ur's body, chimed in.
"Ohoho... Quite the basement sprawl. No ordinary storeroom."
Bernuil typically ceded control to Ur for naps. Old men skipping sleep? Not him.
[Intermediate Discernment Lv. ?]
[Crushed spiderweb traces discovered.]
[Unwiped footprints found.]
[This area was maintained until recently.]
Like a sleuth, Kang Seol poked around and delved deeper.
Fsssh...
A pre-sent crow pinged.
'There.'
No dankness despite the basement vibe.
"Grooo... grrrooo..."
Kang Seol stepped into an isolated chamber.
A man shackled arms-and-legs to the wall drooled, eyes fixed ahead.
"Bro?"
"...Kyung-taek."
"Bro! It's you?"
The man was Jo Kyung-taek.
Gear stripped clean; just undies clung to him.
"Bro... run... gotta run... from here..."
"It's fine now. You're safe."
"......"
"I'm here."
Jo Kyung-taek bowed his head.
"Sorry..."
"For what?"
"Nothing."
Crack!
Kang Seol wrenched the shackles free.
Luckily, no injuries on Jo Kyung-taek.
Just stiffness from prolonged binding.
"You good?"
"Yeah, but... where are we?"
"...No memory?"
Jo Kyung-taek seemed dazed.
Eyes spinning, gazing skyward nonstop, chasing recollections.
"What... happened to me?"
"Walk me through it."
"Comrades' issue—Gatip house servant guided me, I sat waiting... blank after. Woke up here."
"...Body work?"
"Yes, all normal. But you—how?"
Kang Seol laid out the path here, cool and clear. Post-story, Jo Kyung-taek bowed in thanks.
"All this... for me."
"Easier than thought."
"Bro... marks it 'dangerous adventure.' First I've seen."
The sporadic "dangerous adventure" tag.
No sweat.
'Alcatron was outlier.'
Not every dangerous one packs unbeatable odds. Tags hit riskier-than-average for level.
'Level parity's key.'
Kang Seol outgrew such frets. Alcatron survivor, here in Timbrian noble turf basement—no Alcatron redux.
"Don't sweat it."
"Th-then... comrades here too?"
"Time left—let's hunt."
Cheep... zzt...
Rats skittered underfoot; they booted them aside, pressed on.
Kang Seol loaned spares from inventory. Beats streaking.
"...All rare-plus?"
"Wear 'em till exit, comfort be damned."
"...Got it."
Ahem...
Ur messaged from shadow space.
- Blood reek.
'Noticed.'
Kang Seol tensed at the close copper tang.
Corpses? Routine for him. Not for Jo Kyung-taek.
"Kyung-taek."
"Yeah?"
"Blood."
"......"
"Maybe comrades."
"...Fine. Steadying."
Step... step...
Secret nook reached.
"This..."
Corner leather sacks piled, rot wafting thick.
Blood stark on mystery slab—lab? rack?
Jo unzipped one, whipped head away.
"Urp... bleeegh..."
Vomit-splashed, Jo gasped.
"Corpses..."
"...Dig deeper."
Jo's face ashen.
Wakeup shock parade, likely.
Swoosh...
Another room.
"There! My gear!"
"Yeah?"
"Yep! Changing."
Kang Seol nodded.
Treasure trove vibe.
'Nah, relics.'
Prior room stiffs' stuff.
This spot pristine unlike last; sorted piles let Jo snag his fast.
Kang Seol clocked subpar gear quality, eyed elsewhere.
Flip flip...
"Papers?"
Corner wad; Kang Seol grabbed.
Slide...
Slide slide...
Land deeds, asset docs galore.
'Pure loot.'
Murder-grabbed, bet.
Kang Seol seethed at the scum, skimmed.
Then.
"......"
Kang Seol froze clutching a cert.
Sharp memory stabbed.
- No more... wanna go home. Enough, right?
'Nah.'
- Quitting adventurer crap. Homebound farming! Family waits! Dying here? Pass!
'Adelin's land... here—'
Kang Seol map-checked the deed frantic.
Jo neared.
"Bro? Issue?"
"...Out. Verify something."
Kang Seol stashed the dread deed, bounced with Jo.
Prior solo jitters flipped.
They ramped basement sweeps, quicker now. Soon—jackpot: Jo's crew.
"Kyung-taek!"
"Hyo-min sis!"
"Me too!"
"Kang-o bro!"
Two total.
No more.
"...Rest?"
"Uh..."
"Dead! Saw masked pricks slaughter 'em plain!"
Grrrrr...
"Filth..."
Hyo-min and Kang-o unbound.
Covering gear spared blushes.
Hyo-min clocked scene, urged.
"R-run. Kyung-taek! Bail now..."
"Why? All those jerks..."
"No—we overheard. Beyond us."
"Dead ones then!"
"......"
Choice? Not theirs.
"Can't bail yet."
"You who... wait!"
"Bro! Seol bro saved us!"
"For real?"
"Yup! Trust!"
Spotting Kang Seol = morale nuke. Grins exploded.
His follow-up soured 'em.
"Must ID the happenings here."
"B-but..."
"Hyung's call, sis. Solo breakout risky."
Quick convincer; Hyo-min, Kang-o aboard. Hunt redux.
Short-lived.
- Ahead.
Kang Seol nodded, advanced. Iron cages crammed shadows wall-to-wall.
"...Got it."
"God... shadows everywhere?"
"Bro, this cool?"
Kang Seol nosed a cage shadow.
"Urr... urraa..."
Shadow speech-mangled. Cage labeled name.
Forced shade's tag, alpha-sorted cages.
'So...'
Kang Seol name-hunted swift.
'...Gone. Must be.'
Stopped short at one.
"Uwoooo..."
Caged middle-ager eyed Kang Seol, mouthed words.
Instant.
Thwack thwack thwack!
Daggers speared Kang Seol's ex-spot.
Darkness voiced.
"Ufufu... Dodged? Solid moves for ex-top dog."
Kang Seol eyed the cat beastkin entrant.
"...That fishball cat?"
"Sassy... Busted now? Exposed. You're strong-ish... options?"
Hyo-min backend-whispered.
"Way too risky..."
"......"
Catkin keyed on Hyo-min.
"You... in the know?"
"N-nope..."
"Me?"
"Dunno..."
"My boss?"
"Quit it..."
Kang Seol deadpanned.
"Eternal Life Church encore?"
"Ho! Bingo! They got my back. Your move?"
Jo flinched.
"E-Eternal Life Church?!"
"Hahaha... Kid knows?"
"......"
Underground buzz on Eternal Life Church? Jo's mug grave.
Kang Seol blank-faced her.
"They skip this crap. No interest. Brains cult-leader jammed."
"Your intel?"
"Amateur Eternal Life wannabe did it. You type."
"Huhu... Past? Sure. Now? Church evolved."
"...Has it?"
Gaze cage-locked, cat ignored.
She snarled.
"Eyes here! Wait—shadow kin?"
"Nope."
Cage: Rian Kurus.
Once Kang Seol's steed.
Family-returned—why caged?
All have lines uncrossable.
Cross? Inferno rage.
Kang Seol's: his life.
His steed.
"You die here."
"Pff... Do I? Church sits if I drop?"
Line crossed, Kang Seol ignited.
"Annoy? Church dies too."
Vroooom...
Sooty aura bled from Kang Seol's hands.