Chapter 118: Hwa In (1)

[The unique effect of the L-rank accessory 'Carcosa's Mask', 'Dreamy Blur', has been activated.

// Dreamy Blur: Automatically casts 'Blink' spell]

"G'nash-sivack, g'nash-t'kra?!"

I still don't understand what it's saying, but I can tell the Ashen Wraith is surprised.

[Blink complete. Cooldown time: 864,000 seconds]

As soon as my vision cleared, I sent a new command through the Chains of Domination. The target was the trailer. The command was...

Go!

Booo———om!

With a sound like the air around me was exploding, the trailer flew away. It's the same trick I tried at the abandoned hospital on Gamaksan mountain, the same method that sent someone flying into space just a few hours ago.

No magic, barrier, or defense can stop this speed and power.

The direction... was not towards the Ashen Wraith, but completely the wrong way.

It flew towards another trailer that had stopped mid-rush.

Kabooooooooom!!!

A huge shock that could be felt even from afar.

A huge impact as if a meteorite had fallen.

The ground split and the surrounding trees shattered into pieces.

"G'nash-t'kra?!"

Yeah, buddy, the one who summoned you was over there, right?

I had sensed it from the beginning.

As always, the biggest weakness of summoning magic is the unprotected summoner's body controlling the summoned creature.

The summoner who had been laughing and chatting after sacrificing the bodies and souls of lower-ranking members of his cult to summon that minion, had hidden inside the trailer, which was now smashed to pieces.

The Ashen Wraith tried to reach out and grab me until the last moment, but its body had already transformed into natural dust and smoke before dispersing into the air.

Just before its hand touched me, it ultimately became an entity incapable of influencing reality and vanished.

"Ugh, the smoke doesn't disappear immediately."

My vision was blurred because of the smoke. When I looked toward the mansion, I saw Jeok-du's subordinates who still hadn't figured out the situation and the cultists who had figured out the situation at an incredible speed.

"Why! Why has our judge fallen?!"

"What happened to Master Hwa-In?!"

"What? What's going on? What is it?!"

The temperature around me dropped rapidly. Although the lost moisture wouldn't recover immediately, it would soon be restored.

Now, anyway, let's attack over there.

[Lightning Strike]

[Spell Enhancement: Multicasting]

Rumble, crash!

I cast a lightning bolt for those who still hadn't grasped the situation.

And another attack over there.

[Fireball]

[Spell Enhancement: Maximization]

Boom!!

The sky seemed to collapse with a deafening roar and the ground shook as if it would cave in.

The giant monster they trusted had disappeared and their leader had abandoned them and fled. The mercenaries, who were not Jeok-du's main force but were hired with pocket money, had no loyalty to keep fighting.

Occasionally, bullets flew towards me from those who had lost their minds. Oh, even an axe came flying.

[Gale Strike]

Whoosh!!

Nothing reached me and everything fell to the ground. With it, their morale plummeted. I activated [Sound Wave Shock] and shouted.

"Get out of here right now!!!"

[The unique effect of the L-rank accessory 'Carcosa's Mask', 'Yellow Dominance', has been activated.

// Yellow Dominance: Adds the effect 'Spell Enhancement: Instill Fear' to certain spells.]

My voice exploded in the unobstructed air, creating a thunderous roar that marked the end of this chaotic siege.

"Aaaaah!!"

"Oh, God!!!"

One by one, they began to abandon the front lines and flee.

At this point, there was no difference between Jeok-du's subordinates and the cultists.

The weapons they had carried so confidently clattered to the ground. Everyone was pale and looked as if they might faint at any moment.

"Where? Where should we run?"

However, there was no one to direct them. Everyone was busy running in all directions.

Some lost their bearings and ran toward Cheong-ho's mansion, while others fell to the ground and buried themselves in the dirt amidst their confusion.

"Let's see—"

Though there had been some collapses and considerable commotion,

"—did we manage to hold them off this well?"

The trailers, cultists, and mercenaries they had scraped together from everywhere must have been part of a rather ambitious raid.

Despite their relentless efforts, they had only managed to knock down a single wall and take a few steps into the garden.

They'll probably clean up on their own, so I should go earn some pocket money.

Pitch-black debris remained at the center of a huge crater.

The life responses had almost disappeared, and the small amount of magical power that had been unnaturally gathered was dispersing.

Looks like they're all dead?

Considering the detected information, it didn't seem necessary to check further but this was [Cthulhu World].

There were spells that could evade my detection, and if there was any messed-up alien race mixed in, who knew what kind of variables might arise.

When I began to approach slowly,

[System: The trait 'Enhanced Vigilance' has been activated.]

With a rumbling sound, the debris overturned and a flashing light burst out.

"Huh?"

Whoosh!

No, it wasn't a flash, it was blazing flames. Flames in the shape of a giant bull charged towards me.

[Mist and Dew Spider Web]

I blocked the flames with a magical net woven from mist and dew.

Rumble!!

Is it because the magical power was lent by a being of the abyss? It's quite heavy.

The bull made of flames thrashed with a terrifying vigor as if it were a real, living bull.

The magical net shook as if it would tear at any moment.

But thanks to the ring of corrupted flame, the magical power of the [Living Flame] was familiar to me.

I extended my will and delved into the heart of the flames. As I infused my magical power into the core of the spell, I activated a new spell.

[Evil Gaze]

[Voice of Authority]

Disappear.

Whoosh...

The flames vanished instantly. They left behind only some bizarrely shaped scorch marks on the ground, and it became as quiet as if nothing had happened.

A strange entity emerged.

What the hell? What kind of creature dares to interfere with my grand work?

"Huh?"

It was a flame enveloping a soul. No, it was a flame replacing a body or a vessel forcibly preserving a dispersing spirit.

"Did you force your soul into a summoned creature's body at the moment of death? Quite a talent you have there."

- Talent? Because of you, I... I lost my body!

It was a technique that could only be performed by those of elder status among the servants of the Living Flame. At the moment of death, he trapped his soul with magical fire and became a kind of will-o'-wisp.

"Why don't you just stop? Take your followers and flee to fight another day or die. Your current state hardly aligns with your doctrines, does it?"

Dying for a god was supposed to be the greatest honor, wasn't it?

- You! Were you the one who forced that hideous lump of flesh into the bodies of my subordinates?

"Ah, that was me. Geez, they should be thanking me."

- What? Thanking you?

"Isn't that why they didn't come here?"

- What on earth are you talking about?

"Thanks to me, those friends of yours survived and would inherit your knowledge and... what do you call it in your cult? It must be something like 'the Will of Fire' or 'the Will of Fomalhaut'. Anyway, something with a suitably childish name. So, they should be grateful."

- I'll roast you to death with the divine flame! The curse of the Living Flame will burn your soul!

Whether it was my taunt that angered him, the old will-o'-wisp trembled with rage with flames shaking around his soul. No, calling him the old will-o'-wisp is too long. His name was Hwa In. Well, it was more of a title than a name.

Despite his fiery temper, which matched his appearance, he didn't charge at me right away. Instead, he cautiously expanded his influence and perception as if he were assessing my strength.

But then, at an odd moment, he suddenly recoiled in shock.

- You? You? What on earth are you?

"Me? What am I? A mage? No, a fixer? If you cut off the head and tail and ask like that, what am I supposed to say?"

"Oh, this mask and those other things? Well, it just happened."

It wasn't just the mask of the [King in Yellow].

There was also the robe given to me by King Man-geum.

And the ring of the [Living Flame].

And a fragment of [He Who Comes from the Darkness].

There was also the bodily fluid from the [Black Goat of the Woods with a Thousand Young], though it wasn't something she gave me.

Well, to add more, there was the magical power of the [Blind Idiot God], and perhaps the influence of [Crawling Chaos], specifically a message window with Nyarlathotep's presence.

- Im-impossible! It can't be! Even the artifacts of that evil ancient god? Mixing things that can't possibly blend and using them... what on earth are you?

Another reaction like that.

"What am I? Just a clever mage. Everyone seemed eager to lend me their power."

- I see. You are the offering, the offering foretold by the Living Flame. That's why you were willing to lend your strength to this foolish battle.

Hwa In suddenly started making sense.

But I couldn't fall for this pattern.

"No, no, no, enough! Enough!"

I waved my hand at Hwa In while shouting. Cut, cut, cut! Skip it, skip!

"We're short on time, so stop the useless chatter and get to the 'Gyaaaaaah', already?"

- Gyaaaaaah?

I was tired of him always responding with some cryptic remark when I asked something. Anyway, this old man would raise my expectations and then charge at me with a "Gyaaaaaah".

"You don't really know anything important, do you? So, instead of wasting time, just scream 'Gyaaaaaah' and charge at me. Then I'll say, 'I knew it!' and take you down."

- You, you, you crazy mage!!

Hwa In's face flushed red as if he had never experienced such an insult before.

- I, I don't know? The living flame told me directly what you were made for and why you were brought here! I know!

"Really? You do?"

It seemed he knew something.

- Khehehe... Curious? You must not know. I know why you can contain the opposing magic and still remain intact. It's because you were made for that purpose.

"Oh, really? It's the first time someone has spoken so candidly to me. A cultist of the Judge level is certainly different, isn't it? Is there anything else you want to share?"

- Of course. You see, you are, the feast offerings are...

"The feast offerings are?"

- Perfect vessels for possession! I'll make your body an altar for the living flame!

The will-o'-wisp old man eventually let out a horrific scream and flew at me.

- Gyaaaaaah!!

But since I anticipated this situation, I almost reflexively cast a spell.

"I knew it!"

[Mist and Dew Spider Web]

Hah, I thought he knew something, but he was just rambling. Possession? He was going to possess me?

"Go ahead, give it a try."

- What?

"Possession. Go on, try it."

I intentionally opened the mana line connected to Mist and Dew Spider Web. A cultist like Hwa In would surely understand what this meant.

"You dare insult me to this extent! Do you think I can't do it?!"

Whoooooooooosh!!!

Hwa In's will and soul began to infiltrate my mana line and seep into my body and soul. I could feel his seething anger and terrible obsession.

However.

[System: The unique trait 'Madness of the Abyss' has been activated. The effect of possession has been nullified.]

Crackle!!!

Whooosh!!

His foreign will was instantly expelled from my body.

- What... What are you?!

"You keep asking the same question, it seems you're starting to lose consciousness."

- Stop it! Stop it! It can't be! It can't be! You, you terrible monster! You shouldn't exist in this world! Living Flame! Living Flame! I finally understand your great will! I will use the last chance you've given me to stop this demon!

[System: The penalty trait 'Feast's Offering' has been activated.]

Finally, the Living Flame began to intervene directly. From another world, from the distant galaxy of the lonely star Fomalhaut, a sinister power flowed in.

Hwa In gathered that power and created a miracle.

[Extreme Flame]

Whoooooooooooooooosh!! Flaaaaaaaaaaaaaaash!!!

Tremendous heat and blinding light erupted.

The heat was so lethal that even the [Flame Resistance] trait embedded in my body couldn't fully block it. It was the ultimate flame that a cultist, who had honed his skills and faith for decades, could produce.

That guy was charging with the intent to sacrifice even his soul to the flames.

Pop pop pop!!

At the same time, dozens of magic circles formed around me and started blocking the incoming flames.

Ssssss!!

Huh? This is a bit hot.

The magic was abnormally concentrated, and the heat was outrageous.

This wasn't Hwa In's power. It was a spell created by a being of the abyss using the old cultist's soul as a foundation.

Ugh, if I make a mistake, I might really die.

I poured magical power into the surrounding magic circles and created magical runes with specific properties.

- Fire rune? Are you trying to play with fire in front of a supernova's flame?

"Let's see if it's a game or not."

I drew the Great Justice Tiger Sword and held it horizontally.

Wooooooong......

As if it didn't like the idea of activating magic against evildoers, the Great Justice Tiger Sword trembled with its blade and made a strange sound.

Is this what it means for a sword to cry? Interesting.

What does it matter if a broken guy chooses? Just do as you're told.

Wooooooong......

[The unique effect of the SSS-rank weapon Great Justice Tiger Sword (Nokjon), 'Blessing of Heavenly Fire' has been activated.

// Blessing of Heavenly Fire: All fire-type magic effects are increased by 100%.]