Midnight Plastic Surgery - "For You, Whom God Failed to Finish" (3)
After wrapping up the interview with the ghost story, we left the five succubi in the operating room under the guise of "interns" and slipped out of the anomaly.
"Do you have a place for me to stay?"
As the white hospital corridor faded away, revealing the palace once more, I asked Serria.
"Follow me. There are plenty of empty rooms."
She guided me to the upper floor of the palace. Unlike the dust-choked lobby on the first floor, the corridor up here was relatively tidy.
Serria opened a heavy mahogany door at the end of the hall.
"Use this one."
"...Oh."
Stepping inside, I couldn't help but let out a sigh of admiration. It was a world apart from the chaos downstairs. Walls clad in gold leaf, thick velvet curtains, and a massive bed dominating the center. At a glance, it was clear this was a lavish guest chamber prepared for honored visitors.
"Is it really okay to give me a room like this?"
I asked, sounding a bit burdened, but Serria just shrugged it off casually.
"No issue at all. These rooms have been sitting empty in this huge castle with no master anyway."
"In that case, I'll gladly take it."
"By the way..."
Serria's eyes drifted to the thin notebook clutched in my hand—the item the doctor had handed over earlier.
"Is that the 'weakness' you mentioned?"
"Yes. It's the rulebook outlining how to clear the ghost story."
"I'm dying to know what's inside. Mind if I take a look?"
Curiosity sparkled in her gaze. As the dungeon's master, it was only natural she'd want to uncover the secrets of the ghost story lurking right in her own backyard.
I nodded readily. "Of course. Let's check it out together."
I approached an ornate desk in the corner of the room and set the notebook down, flipping open the cover. Neat handwriting, etched firmly as if pressed hard with a pen, filled the pages.
[Midnight Plastic Surgery Clinic Rules]
1. Silence in the Premises: Absolute quiet is required within the hospital. Screaming or making loud noises will prompt the head nurse to immediately sedate and transport the offender.
2. No Patient Interaction: Patients are extremely sensitive about their appearance. Never answer questions like "Am I pretty?" Positive or negative responses will lead to horrific consequences. Additionally, using physical force on a patient will cause a spray of potent acidic pus—proceed with caution.
3. No Interference with Medical Staff: The head nurse patrols the ceilings 24/7 for patient safety. Do not kill the head nurse. Doing so triggers Code Gray, summoning medical staff at twice the number of deaths.
4. Respect for Treatment Rights: The doctor's sacred procedure reflects 100% of any damage back at the attacker. To harm the doctor, follow one of these procedures:
A. The doctor's reflection ability only activates in a sterile state. Contaminate them by throwing acidic pus from a burst patient.
B. Place a [Voluntary Surgery Consenter (Sacrifice)] on the operating table to distract the doctor.
5. Exception Clause: Overwhelming force beyond tolerable limits may void all medical rules and reflection abilities. However, the clinic bears no responsibility for resulting structural collapse or burial incidents.
Reading through the rules, I clicked my tongue in disbelief.
Boss, is this really D-grade? Unlike the Watcher, it has way too many rules.
The Watcher had just one simple rule: "It moves if you don't look." But this? A laundry list of dos and don'ts, plus convoluted procedures to follow.
But it's a ghost story that becomes easy to clear once you know the rules.
In other words, without the rules, it'd be C-grade or higher...
The weaknesses were clear-cut, but until you learned them, this ghost story was damn near invincible. Figuring it out through trial and error would cost countless lives.
Earth's hunters didn't even grasp the concept of ghost stories yet. I could already picture them getting slaughtered without a clue.
Serria pored over the rules meticulously before speaking up.
"...The weaknesses are definitely straightforward. But we could obscure them by mixing in seduction and illusions."
"Obscure them?"
"Yes. Those ensnared by a succubus's charm and hallucinations would face relentless mental assaults."
Serria continued with unwavering confidence.
"They wouldn't be able to tell if what's in front of them is a doctor, a monster, or their beloved lover. Figuring out and following these complex rules in that chaos? Near impossible."
"..."
"Even if they did learn the rules, we could use illusions to trick them into the wrong actions."
A chill ran down my spine. The ghost story's unfairness combined with monstrous cunning made this a nightmare with no easy answers.
"Ghost stories really are something else... Of course, I haven't seen their power firsthand, so I can't fully believe it yet."
"You won't be disappointed. No regrets guaranteed."
I replied confidently before asking, "By the way, when do you think the hunters will show up?"
"They usually come every week. The last raid was four days ago, so probably in about three days."
"Three days..."
I smacked my lips inwardly.
Three days of my precious time...
I habitually checked my remaining lifespan out of habit.
...Plenty to spare.
With such a generous buffer, my mind eased. Back in the day, I'd have been pacing over every lost second, but now? Over 1,000 hours of leeway. Three days was an investment I could afford.
"In the meantime, I'll head to Montelli. Got some business there..."
"...Pardon? You're leaving?"
Serria's expression hardened visibly at my words. She clutched lightly at the hem of my clothes, her eyes filled with unease.
"Um... couldn't you just stay here?"
"..."
"I'm still worried if the ghost story will function properly, and the hunters might come sooner than expected... I'd feel better with an expert like you by my side."
Her voice trembled. Even with the ghost story in play, my absence in this do-or-die situation clearly rattled her.
I was planning to scout the market in Montelli...
But ditching a customer when she looked this anxious? Bad for business ethics. Besides, Serria was my prized client. Keeping her happy couldn't hurt.
"Got it. I'll stick around until this is wrapped up."
"Really? Thank you!"
Her face lit up instantly.
"But I have one request."
"Anything. Name it."
"Got any books to read? Idling away the time feels wasteful—I'd rather do something productive."
"Books?"
Serria clapped her hands, beaming. "Perfect! Our castle has a pretty decent library. It's been neglected a bit, but the sheer volume of books is nothing to scoff at."
"Oh, a library."
"This way. I'll show you."
She led the way eagerly. We traversed a long corridor to the opposite side of the castle. After some time, she halted before a massive double wooden door.
Creak—
The doors swung open smoothly, releasing a faint scent of aged paper and ink.
"Whoa..."
I stood speechless before the sight. Towering shelves reaching the ceiling, sunlight streaming between them. The grandeur of the grand library, steeped in the dignity of ages, overwhelmed me.
"This is our family's library," Serria said proudly.
"From magic tomes to demon realm histories and ancient texts—it's got everything. More than enough to keep you busy during your stay."
"Impressive. I didn't expect this much."
"Browse freely. They've just been gathering dust with no one reading them."
She pointed to a call bell by the door.
"I need to prepare the dungeon defenses, so I'll head out. I'll station a servant out front for you. Call if you need anything or when it's mealtime."
"Thank you for the thoughtfulness."
I bowed politely.
"Rest well, then."
Serria flashed a smile and quietly exited the library.
Click.
The doors shut, leaving me alone in the vast space. I rolled up my sleeves and reached for the nearest shelf.
Books crammed floor to ceiling. Written in the demon realm's tongue, but my eyes translated them effortlessly—thanks to the Power of Language.
"Let's see... History or geography of the demon realm..."
I pulled out a book at random. An antique leather-bound volume. Even the title radiated an unusual aura.
The Holy Knight's Fall Happens at Night
"...?"
A bit provocative. Frowning, I grabbed the one next to it.
The Duchess's Secret Double Life
Orc Lord's Tastes: Volume 3
On the Proper Interaction Between Tentacles and Mages
"..."
I quietly slid the book back into place. Cold sweat beaded on my brow. The titles screamed beyond 19+—straight into 29+ territory. She called them magic books and histories? All erotica.
...Can't fight racial traits, huh.
Succubi through and through—shelves packed with adult material. No wonder their kids grew up so open-minded.
Got to be careful.
This place might be far more dangerous than I thought. One slip, and I could end up drained dry—bones and all.
I ventured deeper, hunting for anything that looked wholesome.
All-ages. All-ages...
Then it hit me. A strange aura from a dusty corner shelf, bottom row. Not mana, not killing intent. Something familiar, almost nostalgic.
"...Huh?"
My feet moved on their own, drawn like a magnet. There, wedged at the base of the shelf: a worn black-covered book.
I reached out, entranced, and picked it up. A cold touch met my fingertips.
"This book..."
The cover's characters weren't demon realm script.
Hell Path
"Hell Path?"
The term rang a bell—not the word itself, but the aura emanating from the book, stirring something deep in my soul. An inexplicable pull. As if the book had been waiting for me.
Then—
Hummm—!
The book glowed, letters writhing to life. They burrowed into my mind unbidden.
The Karma Mirror hangs high, reflecting all forms; shadows of sins committed have no place to hide.
The gates of the Yellow Springs unlock, summoning the Six Paths; the wheel of cause and effect turns without cease.
"Urgh...!"
Pain like my skull splitting open. Yet amid the agony, the phrases etched themselves sharper into my brain.
No bottom to the fall, no respite from torment; a fleeting instant becomes eternal eons.
Die and die again to dust, yet the wheel of Avici cannot be escaped.
Majestic, chilling verses. Instinct told me what this was—and how to wield it.
Combine it...!
My gut screamed. The latent power within me, the ghost story merchant's core Power of Collection, resonated with the Hell Path's essence.
It's not just reading. I need to absorb this concept with my power and fuse it.
I gritted my teeth, focusing my mind. Two massive gears meshed in my head: the Power of Collection intertwining with the Hell Path's incantations. Merging, rebirthing into something new.
The Power of Collection integrates with Hell Path.
[Hell Gate] acquired.
Pop—
The invasive light faded from my mind. The skull-crushing headache and chills wracking my body vanished like a lie.
...Insane power.
Hell Path. Among Buddhism's Six Paths, the realm of the most excruciating, merciless punishment. This colossal concept had fused with my unique Collection power.
[Hell Gate]
The power to open the gates of hell itself.
Beyond mere collection of ghost stories—this grants the Deployment ability to store collected ghost stories in the Hell Gate and release them at will, anywhere, anytime.
Doesn't matter if it's inside a dungeon or not.
With this, I could summon ghost stories even in the heart of the real world. A power that could unleash pure catastrophe.
But doubts crept in. Even if it synergized perfectly with my powers, absorbing the Hell Path so seamlessly? Like it was mine all along?
Boss. How did I acquire this so instantly?
No process, no training. Just touching the book, and the incantations crawled into my head on their own. Undeniably anomalous.
You stand at the boundary of death—neither living nor dead.
...Neither living nor dead?
I furrowed my brow.
Then what am I? Not human, but a ghost?
You are human. That's a fact.
However, you are no ordinary living being. A terminal case where lifespan dwindles without selling ghost stories, leading to oblivion.
A parasitic existence sustaining on others' fear, straddling the rift between life and death.
That ambiguous 'boundary' resonated with the Hell Path's nature.
...
Hell, too, is a realm of chaos where life and death intertwine.
So now I can manifest ghost stories not just in dungeons, but in reality too.
Possible.
A firm affirmation. But the Voice added a warning.
But remember: Deployment outside dungeons demands a price on another level.
A price?
Dungeons' 'rules' shield you from consumption inside. Reality offers no such grace.
The moment you open the Hell Gate in the real world, your body's vital energy burns as fuel. Each opening will scrape away massive chunks of your 'lifespan' from the depths of your soul.
...
No such thing as a free lunch. The boon of real-world manifestation came at the stake of my life force.
...A joker card, then.
A forbidden ace to never play lightly. Only for life-or-death crises—the ultimate last resort.
No clue how much lifespan it'll burn.
Misuse it, and I could croak from exhaustion before the enemy drops. Sealed for now.
I quietly closed the book and tucked it into my pocket.