Chapter 26

4 A few minutes later, I was back inside Dongguk University Station, munching on ground rat meat. This was to treat my skin, which had been contaminated by the poisonous fog. It would take a while, but the meat of a subterranean species was enough to cure this level of affliction. Have you lost your damn mind? Do you have any idea what you’ve done?! Bihyeong’s outraged tirade was ringing in my ears. “Be quiet.” This isn’t something that can just be brushed off! You vandalized the idol of a constellation! Are you trying to ruin my channel? What are we gonna do if Bald Leader of the Peasants’ Army starts spreading the word about what you did…? An idol of a constellation. There are constellations in every world, including on Earth and in Korea specifically. Still, “Bald Leader of the Peasants’ Army”? I thought it was an extremely disrespectful epithet for a revered figure in Korean history, but I also realized that I was the last person who had any right to complain about that. [A constellation wearing a robe is furious about your desecration of his idol.] [Constellation Prisoner of the Golden Headband is giggling.] [A very small number of constellations are amazed by how shameless you are.] Every idol was different, but each of them contained the power of the constellation sealed within it. By properly undoing the seal, an incarnation could obtain a fragment of the constellation’s power, such as an item or a skill. But undoing the seal by normal means was a long process, and I couldn’t be sure I’d obtain the skill I wanted. I glanced down at a passage from TWSA on my phone. “But the statue of the Great Monk Samyeong must’ve been sealed. How did you get the skill?” “There’s an old saying that goes, ‘If you meet the Buddha on the road, kill him.’” “What? Wait, don’t tell me you—” “Ha-ha. I thought I’d try it out, and what do you know? It worked! Besides, it’s just a bronze statue, right? It’s a false idol.” In order to get through the final obstacle before Chungmuro Station, I needed a certain skill from the Great Monk Samyeong. And the surest way to get it was to destroy his idol. I mean, yes, I could also buy it from the Goblin Shop… But I had to save coins whenever I could. “How was your pilgrimage? Where’d you go anyway? A Buddhist temple? Or a cathedral?” I quickly turned off my phone. Huiwon and the others were gathered in front of me. “I have something for you guys.” “What is it? If you’re handing out crosses or something, I’ll pass. I’m not religious,” Huiwon said jokingly. I laid out the items I’d obtained. Luckily, the statue had spewed out not only the skill I needed but some items as well. [Prayer Beads of the Great Monk Samyeong] [Robe of the Great Monk Samyeong] A long robe that was little more than a tattered rag and old, worn-out prayer beads. My companions looked skeptical. I could guess what they were thinking, but in this world, items that looked old and worn were more likely to be the truly valuable ones. “They may not look like much, but these are very good items. They once belonged to a historical figure, after all.” “A historical figure?” “Do you know the Great Monk Samyeong?” [A constellation wearing a robe perks up at your words.] Huiwon looked clueless. “……Who’s that?” [A constellation wearing a robe is floored by incarnation Huiwon Jeong’s ignorance.] “Oh! I know!” Luckily, there was someone who knew. Of course, it was Sangah. “I read about him while studying for my Korean history certificate. He was a Buddhist monk who lived during the Joseon Dynasty, right?” “Yes, that is correct.” “He led a militia of martial monks and fought to defend Korea from Japanese invaders during the Imjin War…… He played a key role in the battles of Nowonpyeong and Ugwandong!” Sangah never failed to amaze me. I’d studied Korean history, too, but I didn’t know about those details. [A constellation wearing a robe is deeply touched by Sangah Yu’s words.] I nodded and continued, “Anyway, these items are infused with his power.” “…Really?” “Whoa, you’re right!” Huiwon and Hyeonseong exclaimed after checking the items. “Dokja, how did you know where to get these?” “I just happened to spot his statue and thought I’d offer a humble prayer. Then these items fell from the sky.” “No way…” Even as I was saying those words, I knew it must’ve sounded like total rubbish. But when people spout such obvious nonsense, there’s usually a good reason. I looked directly at my companions and switched to a more serious tone. “I believe they are gifts from the Great Monk, who cares deeply about the future of Korea.” “Ah……” Those “Ah”s spoke volumes about how my companions really felt about my spiel. But I tried my best to ignore them and continue. This wasn’t for their ears anyway. “Just as he saved the country during the Imjin War, he bestowed his relics upon us to help us protect Korea. After all, we are going through a national crisis right now.” [A constellation wearing a robe gets misty-eyed listening to your speech.] And in such times of crises, swindlers and charlatans thrive. “…I suppose we’ve seen stranger things happen in this world. The Great Monk Samyeong might even be a constellation, don’t you think?” Surprisingly, Sangah was the first to appear convinced. I was sure she was just trying to spare me the embarrassment, though. The funny thing was, once Sangah voiced her agreement, the simpleminded Hyeonseong completely accepted it without a hint of doubt. “Great Monk Samyeong…” His eyes were so full of patriotic spirit that I half expected him to start reciting the soldier’s creed. Gilyeong also looked amazed. Only Huiwon shot me a sidelong glance to let me know she wasn’t buying any of it. [A constellation wearing a robe reveals his epithet.] [Constellation Bald Leader of the Peasants’ Army forgives your transgressions.] I looked up, as if to say, “There. All good, right?” Bihyeong was staring at me, speechless. A constellation’s power and wealth were directly tied to their fame. That was why every constellation loved being mentioned and having their story propagated. And here we were, openly praising the Great Monk Samyeong. How could Bald Leader of the Peasants’ Army stay mad? “Sangah, you should get the prayer beads since you knew about the Great Monk Samyeong.” “Really? Is it okay for me to have them?” “I’m sure he’d be pleased if you used them.” To be honest, those prayer beads weren’t that great, considering they were once worn by a constellation. Not every item once owned by a constellation was a constellation artifact. Besides, the Great Monk Samyeong wasn’t exactly a figure who was renowned around the globe, and that probably affected how good his items were. But it was still a B-grade item that granted increased recovery of magic power, as well as resistance to all things evil. Huiwon looked at her enviously. “Must be nice, Sangah, being so knowledgeable. I don’t know much history because I skipped school all the time.” “Ah…I…Um…” “Relax. I’m just kidding. Stop making that face. You’re making me feel bad.” I turned to Huiwon, who was pouting a bit. “I have something for you, too.” “You’re not talking about that old rag, are you?” “I am.” “No thanks. I wouldn’t wear that no matter how desperate I was.” “Come on, try it. It’ll be better than nothing.” Huiwon hesitated for a bit, then tentatively draped it around her. She tried to figure out a way to make it look stylish, but no matter what she did, it looked like a beggar’s tattered rags. [A constellation who likes monopolies criticizes your actions.] [A constellation who likes friendships approves of your actions.] If it had been the constellation artifact “The Great Monk Samyeong’s Bamboo Staff,” I’d have kept it for myself. But I didn’t need those two items at this point. For a while, Huiwon turned left and right in front of a glass door to check out her reflection, then looked back at me with a complicated expression. “It’s hard to explain but…I feel some kinda energy flowing into me.” The Great Monk Samyeong’s Robe was an item that increased an incarnation’s sense of justice and willpower. I had little need for it, but to Huiwon, who was passionate about everything she did, it could be quite useful. “Great Monk Samyeong, was it? I’ll remember his name.” [Constellation Bald Leader of the Peasants’ Army looks on with a pleased smile.] [You have received 100 coins as a donation.] “Why don’t you go offer a prayer? Who knows? Maybe the Great Monk will give you more gifts,” I told her jokingly. I was just kidding, but Huiwon actually went to pray in front of the statue and got herself contaminated by the poisonous fog. As she heartily munched on a chunk of ground rat meat, she shot me a look. “By the way, someone had completely vandalized the statue. It wasn’t you, was it?” “……” “…Dokja?” “Anyway, let’s prepare ourselves. We’re almost at Chungmuro.” I instructed my companions, keeping my eyes on the pitch-black tunnel ahead. We had been traveling for twenty minutes, slowly but safely, relying on Gilyeong’s “Interspecies Communication.” Considering the distance between Dongguk University Station and Chungmuro Station was less than one kilometer, it could appear at any time. [A new sub scenario has arrived.] Right on cue. “Everyone, stand back.” <Sub Scenario - Illusory Prison> Category: Sub Difficulty: D-F Mission: Escape the Illusory Prison within the time limit. Time Limit: 1 hour Reward: 300 coins Penalty for Failure:??? [Sub Scenario - Illusory Prison has begun.] Even Junghyeok Yu must’ve struggled quite a bit here. After all, this scenario was one of the most dangerous traps for the Regressor. Sangah sounded apprehensive. “Illusory Prison? What could that be?” She would find out soon enough. “It’s coming. Everyone, brace yourselves.” Even before I finished my sentence, a thick fog appeared out of nowhere. Before anyone could react, the fog filled the tunnel and obscured our vision in all directions. I couldn’t even see the others who should’ve been right next to me. All I could see was a heavily distorted scene, as if I were hallucinating on some kind of drug. “Ugh…I feel sick.” Huiwon screamed. She was probably seeing something different from what I was seeing. Dokja. A voice I didn’t want to hear. A voice I had forgotten about. It called out to me from somewhere within this fever dream. If it was like this for me, the others would be going through much worse. “…I feel weird. Dokja! Are you there?” “Dokja! Dokja!” My companions’ voices were growing distant, fading into the distorted scenery. Illusory Prison. A dimension in which people are forced to relive their traumas until they are driven mad. Dokja, you didn’t see anything. Do you understand? My vision grew blurry, and then the face of someone I knew shimmered to the surface. I glared at the empty space in front of me, then let out a bitter laugh, as if to deny that this was happening. [Exclusive skill “The Fourth Wall” has been activated.] [Your skill grants you immunity to the effects of Illusory Prison.] I felt myself relax as the unnerving sensation faded away. [Constellation Secretive Plotter is impressed by your mental fortitude.] [You have received 100 coins as a donation.] [A curious constellation is sad they didn’t get to peek into your memories.] As the power of Illusory Prison weakened, I was able to sense the others nearby. “Everyone, calm down and take a deep breath.” The victims of Illusory Prison lost all awareness and lashed out at their surroundings, slaves to the madness filling their minds. That was why the greatest danger in an Illusory Prison came from your own companions. This was likely one of the reasons why Junghyeok Yu had decided to act alone. “Th-this is Private Hyeonseong Lee! It’s my fault, sir! I misheard the orders!” “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry, Mom!” “G-get away from me, you sick bastards!” …Was it too late? I could hear my companions’ agonized screams. But not everyone was trapped in their trauma. “…Dokja?” Sangah emerged from the fog. The Prayer Beads of the Great Monk Samyeong were shining radiantly on her wrist. Good. It worked. I approached her and said, “Please cover me. I’m going to destroy this space now.” Sangah looked nervous, but she quietly nodded. [Exclusive skill “Dispel Evil” Lv.1 has been activated.] “Dispel Evil.” It was a stronger version of “Banish Evil,” which could be bought with coins. The reason I went as far as to destroy the Great Monk’s statue was to obtain this skill. [Exclusive Skill “Dispel Evil” Lv.1 nullifies the Illusory Prison.] As expected of a skill used by the Great Monk himself, it worked right away. If I’d settled for purchasing “Banish Evil,” this would’ve taken one minute at least. The fog began to dissipate, and I could make out my companions. “O-our oath! One! We are the soldiers of the Republic of Korea who loyally serve our country and our people!” “Ugh…Mom…no…” I could guess what kind of trauma each of them was being forced to relive. Hyeonseong had his head on the ground and his hands behind his back, as if he were being punished by a superior officer. Gilyeong was trembling with his head buried in his knees. Sangah rushed to their sides. “Hyeonseong? Gilyeong! Everyone, snap out of it!” Suddenly, a sword blade came flying at me from behind. Luckily, it wasn’t too fast, so I was able to dodge it in time. “…I’ll kill you all.” Huiwon was holding up her sword, glaring at the empty air in front of her with crazed eyes. My heart sank when I saw a red glow seeping into her pupils. A sign of “Demon Slaying.” This is bad. Whack! I struck the back of her neck to knock her out. Thankfully, her body went limp, and she collapsed to the ground. I’d given her the Robe of the Great Monk Samyeong because I’d anticipated this might happen, but it seemed her mental state was even worse than I’d thought. “Sangah, please look after Huiwon.” “…Of course.” “It’s not over yet.” [The condition to clear the sub scenario has been fulfilled!] [You have obtained 300 coins.] As soon as the clear message came up, monsters appeared in front of me. Oddities with bizarre, shimmering bodies resembling ectoplasm. A level-8 ghost species, specter. They were the ones that had created Illusory Prison. I activated Blade of Faith with “White Star Weapon Aura.” Kreee! Thankfully, it wasn’t a difficult battle. Once Illusory Prison was dispelled, the specters themselves didn’t pose much of a threat. With a bone-chilling screech, they were destroyed. [Specter’s Spirit Stone] The specters dropped an item. It could come in handy later, so I picked it up. Thanks to Sangah, the others were quickly coming back to their senses. “Is everyone okay?” The first to recover was the simpleminded Hyeonseong. When he heard what had happened, he sighed and bowed his head. “…Thank you. I could’ve done something terrible if you hadn’t stopped me. I owe you again, Dokja.” “Don’t mention it.” “My head hurts…” Gilyeong kept tapping his head. I quietly placed my hand on top of his little head. He was pretending to be okay, but this boy had no doubt suffered the worst trauma of everyone here. I could see a faint light ahead of us. Sangah pointed it out. “Dokja, it looks like we’re almost there.” I hesitated for a moment. Huiwon was still unconscious, and the others were in no shape for a confrontation. Is it safe for us to enter the station in this state? However, my concerns were addressed by someone else. A blade appeared out of the darkness, but it was only a warning with no intention to harm. “Who are you people? Don’t you know this is our hunting ground?” Framed by the dim light at the end of the tunnel, a young girl was facing us, a long sword in her hands. She looked to be around seventeen years old and was wearing a familiar school uniform. She had a zipped-up hoodie over it, as if to cover up her name tag, but it didn’t cover her face. “Wait, that girl…!” Sangah’s keen eye recognized her right away. Of course, I also knew her very well. After all, she was a major supporting character in TWSA. The sole survivor of Taepoong Girls’ High School, Jihye Lee. She was one of the reasons Junghyeok Yu had made a beeline to Chungmuro Station. “…You defeated the specters?” Jihye looked astonished when she saw the Specter’s Spirit Stone in my hand. “But how…? Master is the only one who can deal with those things.” I activated my skill right away. [Exclusive skill “Character Profile” has been activated.] <Character Profile> Name: Jihye Lee Age: 17 Sponsoring Constellation: God of Naval Warfare Exclusive Attribute: Scarred Sword Demon (Rare) Exclusive Skills: [Blade Proficiency Lv.3], [Demon Slaying Lv.1], [Perfect Senses Lv.2], [Ghost Steps Lv.1] Stigma: [Naval Warfare Lv.1], [Command Army Lv.1] Total Stats: [Stamina Lv.13], [Strength Lv.12], [Agility Lv.13], [Magic Power Lv.9] Summary: She became a “Scarred Sword Demon” by killing her best friend. This character’s sponsoring constellation is favorably disposed toward your group. *A “Starter Pack” is currently in effect. All according to the script. God of Naval Warfare. As I expected, Jihye Lee was matched with that constellation. She would be indispensable in the naval battles to come. [Constellation Bald Leader of the Peasants’ Army is overjoyed to reunite with an old comrade in arms.] [Jihye Lee’s sponsoring constellation heartily greets Bald Leader of the Peasants’ Army.] Even though there were no subway trains running, I felt a light breeze. Looking at Jihye Lee’s hair swaying in the wind, it hit me. [Main Scenario #2 - Contact has ended.] [Rewards are being calculated.] Yes, I’ve finally arrived at Chungmuro.