Chapter 18: Carcosa’s Stuff


    I had no intention ofpletely destroying them.


    They were rare items that were difficult to find elsewhere. I nned to trap them and then preserve their power as much as possible.


    Even if I couldnt apply such power right away, once my skills improved, I could use it directly or indirectly it would prove to be quite useful.


    First, I opened the lid of the ss bottle containing the wriggling slime. As the oppressive spell that had confined it was lifted, the slime trapped in the ss bottle began to agitate violently.


    I gestured slowly, guiding the slime.


    Now,e here, this way.


    The slime, drawn by my hand movements, slowly rose and entangled with the magic circles I had prepared.


    Yes, good. Thats where you need to go. You want to rest, dont you? I have prepared a cradle for you.


    Commands infused with magical power gave the slime new desires and directions.


    Thats right, its this crystal. Go inside it.


    <em>Fizzz</em>


    A brief spark flew due to the recoil of the magical power but it wasnt a major problem.


    Before long, the slime had settled inside the purified crystal.


    I slowly lifted the crystal.


    The crystal enclosing the ck slime droplets somewhat resembled a small column of ice.


    Now, this slime couldnt leave the crystal unless I allowed it.


    In the same manner, I sealed the [ck Goats Body Fluid].


    Since the [ck Goats Body Fluid] was white, a crystal imprisoning white droplets soon materialized before me.


    Phew this is somewhat tiring.


    I took a short break by massaging the back of my neck.


    It didnt take long thanks to my ridiculous magical talent, but it was by no means an easy task.


    Anyone could destroy or incinerate something, but this task was beyond the capacity of an ordinary mage.


    Anyway, these two can no longer cause any trouble.


    I thought for a while about where to ce the two crystal pirs, but in the end I just put them on the bedside.


    Although it was something I had to do eventually, this was merely a preliminary step for the tasks ahead.


    <em>Now lets examine the mask.</em>


    I took the mask out of my backpack and ced it on the table.


    Even on a second look, the masks bizarre shape was striking.


    Texture and color of natural wood.


    Twisted and contorted features.


    And four eye holes pierced through it.


    Jeong Eun-taek had dismissed it as a trivial object with no notable origin or history, but I could sense magical power faintly oozing from this mask.


    Alright, shall we take a proper look at whats inside this item?


    There was no need to repeat the purification process.


    I had created plenty of magic circles to serve as safety measures.


    I drew the floating magic circles closer, preparing for any unforeseen circumstances, and ced my hand on the mask.


    [?? Mask (??-rank essory): A mask of unknown origin. Research or appraisal is required to determine its nature.]


    It was an item that even a professional appraiser like Jeong Eun-taek couldnt appraise.


    Someone had deliberately sealed it.


    To appraise such an item, one would need special artifacts or magic.


    <em>But the problem is, the seal on this seems to be anything but ordinary.</em>


    As a test, I activated a first-order appraisal spell.


    [Identification]


    <em>Whooosh</em>


    [System: Unveiling the veil surrounding ?? Mask.]


    [Unveiling Judgment in Progress]


    [Insufficient caster level results in a penalty to the judgment.]


    <em>Ping!</em>


    [Judgment Failed.]


    Just as I expected.


    The seal on the mask couldnt be broken with a first-order spell.


    <em>If a first-order [Identification] could have broken it, then Jeong Eun-taek would have been able to appraise it as well.</em>


    Perhaps the fourth-order [Foresight]. or at least the second-order [Insight] would be necessary.


    My own magic order was a mere one.


    A first-order mage like myself couldnt break the seal with the spells at my disposal.


    Of course, I hadnt prepared all this just to end things in such an anticlimactic way.


    Hoooo.


    I closed my eyes for a moment and exhaled.


    After all, the orders of magic were merely artificial distinctions.


    I had already created and used magic that transcended these tiers.


    Focusing intensely, I concentrated highly tuned magical power and then slowly opened my eyes.


    My masked face was reflected in the mirror hanging in the corner of the motel room.


    The visage of a mage donning a skull-shaped mask.


    All of a sudden, my eyes were adorned with dazzling golden magic circles that were shining brilliantly.


    The world as seen through my eyes hadpletely changed.


    Magic circles orbiting around me, and the flow of magic influenced by these circles.


    What usually appeared as a mere stream or a gas of magic now manifested as a cluster of shining particles and endlessly repeating lines.


    My magical sensitivity allowed me to intervene even in these minute particles and lines of magic.


    I looked at the mask again.


    The sinister magical power pooled within it.


    And then there was the colorless veil concealing it.


    <em>This must be the work of a being of the abyss.</em>


    There was no doubt about it. While the origin of the mask remained unknown, the seal itself was unmistakably crafted by a being from the abyss.


    <em>Very intriguing.</em>


    An item sealed by a divine being that governed otherworldly realms, the underworld, darkness, and the deep abyss.


    What kind of power might it hold?


    I concentrated again and created new magic circles.


    These circles embodied the concepts of dposition, analysis, pration, severance, and release.


    Magic particles and magic lines that resonated with them were concentrated at one point.


    The sound was like the screeching of gears.


    <em>Giggigigigeek!</em>


    It was akin to the action of opening a lock with the movement of magical power alone, without a spell.


    But this was forcibly twisting and opening the seal of an unknown origin.


    It was an absurd action that was a thousand times different from merely unlocking a simple lock. But <em>I.. can do it.</em>


    The strongest mage that could be realized in the game of [Cthulhu World].


    Transcending the limitations of the game and its systems, I could be more than that.


    Strange noises started to fill the air.


    It was a loud, unpleasant sound, like dozens of flying insects squishing their wings at the same time.


    [System: Unveiling the veil surrounding ?? Mask.]


    [Unveiling Judgment in Progress]


    [Insufficient caster level results in a penalty to the judgment.]


    Get lost.


    I had no intention of conducting a probability-based judgment.


    It swirled like a screw, a drill, or a de.


    A force and pure will crafted to prate and dismantle magic and magical power. This very essence twisted, pierced, tore, and shook the veil covering the mask.


    <em>Buzzzzzzzz!</em>


    [System: An error has urred. An error has urred. An error has]


    <em>Fizz, Fizzzzz!</em>


    ck smoke began rising from the mask.


    <em>Its unveiling.</em>


    The veil started to tear. At the same time, the information about the mask hidden behind the veil was revealed.


    [Ca?cosas Mask (?? essory): Used by? Old ruler? King in yell??? status??]


    I tried not to hurry as I slowly removed thest fragments of the veil.


    <em>Scrape  Swoosh.</em>


    The eerie sound of magical lines being cut filled the air.


    What had once been like a de, screw, or drill in its magical form was now moving in a delicate and precise manner, like a scalpel and tweezers.


    <em>Creak, creak</em>


    <em>sh!!!</em>


    A blinding sh of light.


    A sh so intense that it obliterated the shapes of everything in the room.


    <em>Ive done it.</em>


    I managed to release the seal ced by a being from the abyss using nothing but my own magical control and sensitivity, without the aid of any existing spell.


    Where the sh of light had disappearedthere still remained the bizarrely shaped wooden mask.


    A sinister mask with four eyes.


    But now, my eyes could read the new information about this mask.


    [Carcosas Mask (L-rank essory): Used by the Great Old Ruler, He Who Must Not Be Named, the mighty [King in Yellow]. Those not of equal status cannot fully harness its power.


    Yellow Sign: The mighty [King in Yellow] takes an interest in you.


    :  Inactive as conditions have not been met.


    :  Inactive as conditions have not been met.


    :  Inactive as conditions have not been met.


    Yellow Madness: Your mind is imbued with Mental Illness  Return to Carcosa and a random delusion.


    Oath of Carcosa: You may approach the side of the great [King in Yellow]]. Take the oath. You can be a being greater, wiser, and stronger than you are now.


    Yellow Dominion: Adds the effect Spell Enhancement: Instill Fear to certain spells.


    Dreamy Blur: Automatically casts Blink spell]


    Damn it what is this?


    [The High Priest of the Sunset]


    [The Lord of Sunset]


    [The Master of Aldebaran]


    [He Who Must Not Be Named]


    [That Which Lies Beneath the Lake]


    [The Great Prince]


    [The Peacock King]


    [The Master of the Festival]


    [The Indescribable One]


    [The King in Yellow]


    All these are names referring to one being.


    The entities of the abyss mostly must not be named by their true names, but among them, [The King in Yellow] is considered the most dangerous.


    How bad must it be to have earned the epithet [He Who Must Not Be Named]?


    Anyway is this one of the Yellow Signs?


    [The King in Yellow] scattered symbols imbued with his power and madness to spread his influence and madness throughout the world.


    Those who encountered objects marked with the Yellow Sign could gain immense power and corrupted inspiration, albeit temporarily


    However, as is often the case with such tales, they would eventually gopletely mad and be servants of [The King in Yellow].


    <em>To think such an item of unknown origin was just rolling around in a pawnshop?</em>


    It sounded ridiculous.


    It was a trap. This was not an item that should havee into my hands without reason.


    Hmm but still


    I adjusted my posture and looked closely at Carcosas mask.


    But couldnt this be useful?


    <em>The protagonist, overconfident in his own strength, ultimately ended up using a forbidden object that should never have been touched.</em>


    <em>It seems like it would be narrated like this if I were to use it.</em>


    However, one effect was too tempting to give up.


    [Dreamy Blur: Automatically casts Blink spell]


    An artifact that grants the blink spell, no less.


    Isnt it a survival skill?


    Ah, fu*k. How can I give up on a survival skill?


    In the extremely challenging [Cthulhu World], survival skills are necessary to avoid the worst situations.


    This is not a matter of choice. Its essential and mandatory.


    I tapped the stic skull mask covering my face with my fingers.


    <em>Its a million times better than wearing such a cheap stic toy.</em>


    Ah, forget it! Just use it. My traits will somehow help out!


    I took off the stic mask covering my face and slowly put on [Carcosas Mask].


    Some kind of information,


    or will, began to flow into my mind.


    It was a strange noise, almost like a voice.


    <strong>|Squish, squish, squish, squish, squish, squish, squish, squish, squish, squish, squish, squish, squish, squish, squish, squish, squish, squish, squish, squish, squish, squish, squish, squish, squish, squish, squish, squish, squish, squish, squish, squish, squish, squish, squish, squish, squish, squish, squish, squish, squish, squish, squish, squish, squish, squish, squish, squish|</strong>


    A disgusting voice with no meaning.


    <strong>|The entangled chitinous, blood-soaked, trembling grandeur of Byaunya Ain Ain Chulu, Cul Kha- Qua Mu the light beyond. The beautiful the beautiful Carcosa.|</strong>


    The voice which had been mere noise started to form meaning.


    <strong>|The enormous pyramid. The yellowed, withered leaves. Thekeside with stagnant, rotten water. The stinking ck masses. The shimmering moon. The ominous yellow light. The squelchy hill.|</strong>


    [L-rank essory The Mask of Carcosas penalty. Invitation to Carcosa is activated.


    // Invitation to Carcosa: Your mind is imbued with Mental illness- Return to Carcosa and a random delusion.]


    It wasnt a reckless decision to put it on. After all, the penalties brought about by the Yellow Sign were rooted in madness.


    <strong>|Crawling insects. Maggotsrger than a human torso. Rolling skulls. Decaying corpses. Eyeballs. Eyeballs. Eyeballs.|</strong>


    <em>Fizzzz-pop-.</em>


    Blue sparks began to fly around the mask and my head.


    [System: The unique trait Madness of the Abyss has been activated. The Invitation to Carcosa effect has been nullified. The madness and delusions that tried to dwell in your mind disappeared.]


    Since mental illnesses already resided in my mind, no new form of mental illness could enter.


    [System: The L-rank essory, Carcosas Mask, is now bound to you.]


    This meant that I could freely use this artifact without any penalties.


    As the sparks vanished, the strange noises that had been echoing in my head alsopletely disappeared.


    Phew Is it done?


    The texture of the wood was softer than I had anticipated, and it felt stable to wear.


    I tried out a few spells as a test to examine the mask and my physical condition but I detected no abnormalities.


    In any case, I felt in excellent condition.


    It seemed safe to continue using this mask in the future.


    Although there was a limit to the number of uses, this mask was equipped with advanced teleportation abilities like blinking. I would have to use it sparingly and wisely.


    Lastly, I picked up the backpack I had thrown in the bathroom and took out some money.


    There were eight bundles of money, each made up of a hundred 50,000 won notes..In total, that amounted to 40 million won.


    At a nce, it seemed like a lot of money, but it was ridiculouslycking for securing a base and stable activities.


    It takes a lot of money to buy safety in the dangerous [Cthulhu World].


    <em>I should rest for a day or two more before meeting Tudor</em>