Chapter 55: Terminal Lucidity


    Curtain Calls habit of announcing her attacks may be because she had a strange obsession. However, the reason she was able to maintain her reputation as a promising fixer was because her opponents would often be cleaved in two as they clumsily defended her attacks.


    Curtain Call demonstrated her incredible skill by slicing Je Mu-gyeongs crude hammer vertically in two.


    However, Je Mu-gyeong grasped the bisected hammer with both hands and swung it fiercely, managing to deflect Curtain Calls assault. He then used his remaining strength tounch an attack on Curtain Call with his other two arms.


    Hwaaaap!


    Letting out a fierce battle cry mid-air, Curtain Call coiled her body and forcefully plunged her zanbato into the ground. She then yanked on the zanbato andunched both herself and her weapon through the air. Such movements showcased an uncanny strength far beyond what seemed physically possible for someone of her weight and height.


    For a brief moment, the battle between these two monsters raged on.


    Curtain Call made use of her small size and overwhelming strength as she started darting in all directions. She looked like a small whirlwind with a huge de attached to it.


    <em>ng-ng-ng-ng!</em>


    Je Mu-gyeong managed to block Curtain Calls attack with his chains, but the assault was far from over. Curtain Call spun around with renewed vigor and repeatedly struck Je Mu-gyeongs chains. The zanbato she wielded was swung not so much to slice as it was hammered down like a cksmiths hammer pounding on an anvil, creating a shower of sparks as it shed with the chains.


    Die, die, die, die!!! Bleed out all your blood and die!!!!


    However, their entanglement was short-lived. Je Mu-gyeongs abilities were not limited to his immense strength and the four arms that moved at will.


    Suddenly, Je Mu-gyeongs figure blurred and then disappeared altogether.


    With her weight shifted too much on the zanbato, Curtain Call swung at thin air, lost her bnce, and her posture crumbled.


    Je Mu-gyeong then emerged from a blind spot with his hammer already brandished in his hand and the huge hammer was now hurtling towards Curtain Call.


    Holy shit. Stop it, brute!


    [Fireball]


    Iunched a fireball towards Je Mu-gyeong in an attempt to protect Curtain Call. The sackcloth made from human skin provided Je Mu-gyeong with remarkable magical defense, but it wasnt impervious to the impact.


    <em>Boooom!!</em>


    I was concerned that the explosion might damage the USB he possessed so the st was intentionally contained. The explosion spread only as far as Je Mu-gyeongs head and this alone was insufficient to inflict a fatal wound on him.


    It seems trying to extract any information through dialogue is now off the table.


    I had been foolish to even attempt dialogue. Wasting energy on such futile stuff was a mistake. It was time to give up and look for another way to clear the quest.


    But how? The magical defenses of the sackcloth he wore remained intact, and until I could seize the USB he possessed, burning, crushing, or incinerating him was not an option.


    And a single mistake would reduce me to just another set of dismembered remains scattered throughout this corridor.


    <em>Ah, dismembered remains?</em>


    There was a simpler way, after all.


    I had hoped to avoid resorting to such measures, but there seemed no other choice.


    I conjured a temporary telekic force and pulled out an artifact from my backpack before I started conjuring a magic circle.


    Dozens of sinister purple magic circles imbued with the malevolent power of theherworld formed and started spreading a chilling mist of ominous energy in all directions.


    <em>Hssss</em>


    [Plea of the Starving Dead]


    An unpleasant sulfuric stench filled the air, apanied by bell-like sounds that seemed almost hallucinatory.


    <em>Ding, ding,</em>


    The corpses strewn across the corridor began to twitch.


    After absorbing my magical power, the artifact I had activated, the silver bell of the underworld defied the establishedws and raised the dead scattered around.


    Feed your hunger, you who died bearing grudges.


    <em> Guoooo</em>


    <em> Kuuuuuu</em>


    Most of the bodies in the corridor began to stir.


    Those crazy bastards had cut them into pieces so much that only a few of them had enough of their limbs intact to stand.


    This spell wasnt the one to conjure the zombies one might typically imagine.


    Creating undead that moved under mymand, like zombies, would require far more conditions.


    These beings would not heed anymand other than to exact retribution upon those who had killed them.


    Moreover, the consumption of magical power was ridiculously inefficient and the duration was far too short.


    <em>But what does it matter? Right now, all I have is magical power.</em>


    [The unique effect of the S-rank magical tool Silver Bell of the Underworld , Pure Silvers Madness, has been activated.


    // Pure Silvers Madness: Grants Mental IllnessViolence to summoned creatures and increases their attack power by 100%.]


    Artificially raised corpses rushed towards their target, driven by immense hatred and hunger.


    Those without legs crawled and those without arms charged forward using their teeth and skulls. Even those who had lost both arms and legs moved towards their target like insects, inching forward however they could.


    A cold-hearted fighter might ignore these creatures and attack me, the summoner, but instead of doing that


    He who has lost his skin cannot stand up!


    Je Mu-gyeong, like a madman, began destroying everything that came his way with insane fervor.


    <em>Shrrrrrrrrrrr</em>


    The sound of metal chains attached to hooks danced through the air.


    Skin that came into contact with the chains was torn, and anything caught by the hooks, be it head or limb, was ripped away in an instant.


    It was like a grotesque storm made of blood and bodies.


    But the fearless undead rushed into that terrible storm of destruction like moths drawn to mes.


    <em>Crushhh, Grjjjjjj!</em>


    The handsaw he held in one hand emitted a chilling sh as it tore through the advancing corpses.


    <em>Crunch!</em>


    Just because a body is not holding a weapon does not mean it is not a threat. The head of a corpse caught in his grip was crushed.


    <em>Thwack!</em>


    With a vicious kick, he sent the head of a crawling corpse flying like a cannonball before smashing into another body and shattering it.


    <em>Gurgle Gurgle.</em>


    Rotten blood slowly poured out from the neck of a decapitated corpse.


    I didnt believe that these hastily assembled corpses would be able to stop him anyway.


    [Entangling Rope]


    [Spell Enhancement: Strength Increase]


    [Spell Enhancement: Multicasting]


    <em>Whooosh!!</em>


    It was a simple spell to manipte ropes but its power was enhanced through spell enhancement And if power was insufficient, quantity wouldpensate!


    Je Mu-gyeong, the bodies of the corpses scattered by that crazy bastard still retain the magical power I had imbued in them.


    Intestines began to slither out from the corpses like snakes.


    The onught of iron chains started to be entwined and restrained by dozens of intestine strands.


    <em>Swoosh!</em>


    Damn it, his iron hook was flying towards me.


    But there was no need to defend. I had already seen Curtain Call moving.


    Heaaaaaad!!!


    It was unclear where the head was on the iron hook, but Curtain Calls sword flew in like lightning and struck down the approaching hook, allowing me toplete the magic I had prepared.


    Arghhh!


    Dozens, or perhaps hundreds, of intestine strands hadpletely entwined around Je Mu-gyeongs body.


    Even with increased strength, could they stop him for more than 10 seconds? No, perhaps not even 5 seconds. He thrashed and iled around like a freshly caught fish.


    But before he could escape the entanglement of intestines found it!


    One of the intestines crawling over his body finally discovered the USB hidden within his grasp.


    Swiftly, the intestines moved to snatch the USB from him.


    Good, there were no more items left to take.


    Hey, have you had fun so far?


    Now, it was my turn.


    The intestines that had been restraining Je Mu-gyeongs movements began to snap.


    But at this point, intestines or such were of no use to me.


    [Cold Explosion]


    <em>Hiss! Crack!</em>


    Waves of ice magic exploded in all directions.


    The blood and bodily fluids leaking from the corpses bodies instantly froze and turned into bright red des of blood.


    <em>Crackle!</em>


    I will strip away your wisdom, your very soul!


    Ah, seriously. What about my skin?


    The ice magic I conjured devoured even his pouring blood before transforming it into crimson des of ice. Despite the tightening grip of these icy des piercing and shing at his body, Je Mu-gyeongs charge did not falter.


    Truly, it was the charge of a madman.


    I too did not stop but constructed a new magic circle. It was a zing red magic circle made up of bright red runes.


    [The unique effect of the S-rank essory Ring of Corrupted me has been activated. Red Element Concentration and Legacy of Fire Knowledge has been activated


    // Red Element Concentration: Increases the effectiveness of all fire-type spells by 50%.


    // Legacy of Fire Knowledge: Enhances understanding of fire-type magic.]


    [Hellfire]


    Whoooooooooosh!


    Roaring mes burst forth like the breath of a dragon, twisting and forming into a massive whirlwind that surged toward him with ferocity.


    <em>Booooom!</em>


    But with a mere wave of his four arms, he pushed back the storm of heat.


    Ah, that damned magic resistance!


    [Ice Spear]


    <em>Crasssssh!</em>


    Spears of blood ice erupted from beneath his feet. Je Mu-gyeong demonstrated his immense strength by shattering the rising ice spears with a kick but at that very moment


    [Thunderbolt]


    A bolt of electricity emitting a pure white sh flew toward him in aplex trajectory.


    <em>Fizzzzzzz! Crackle!</em>


    He was unable to dodge the sudden lightning strike.


    Argh


    It was but a moment of stiffness, yet it created a fatal opening.


    [Invisible Hand]


    A magical hand that exerted telekic power threw an object that had been hidden until now.


    It was Valusias Blue Elixir.


    <em>Whizzzzzz!</em>


    The bottle reached above his head, and at that precise moment, the magic was activated.


    [Arrow of Destruction]


    <em>Bang!</em>


    The bottle was hit by a bolt ofherworld energy and was easily shattered.


    <em>Ssssshhh</em>


    [Valusias Blue Elixir (S-rank Catalyst): One of the potions used by the ancient serpent people. It contains a corrosively potent poison that can be deadly, so its dangerous to use without proper purification.]


    A corrosive poison that was capable of effortlessly dissolving human skin was unleashed on him.


    <em>Chiieeeeeek</em>


    The skin that covered his body began to melt away.


    Aaaargh! No! Stop! Dont do this! My skin! I cant be without my skin!


    Madness, confusion, terror, and despair filled his eyes.


    Any sane person would have stripped off the skin tainted with the corrosive poison.


    But even though the poison threatened to seep beyond the sin and into his very flesh, he did not do so.


    A bitter feeling arose within me.


    <em>Perhaps I could end up like that too.</em>


    This madness and obsession were beyond my control.


    The mask made of human skin that was covering Je Mu-gyeongs face was now gone.


    Although his bare body was revealed after losing the mask and sackcloth, I still couldnt discern his features.


    This was because the corrosive poison had melted away half of his face, along with the mask.


    Anyway, the artifact that had been protecting him was now gone.


    [Burning Spear]


    [Spell Enhancement: Multicasting]


    <em>Shiiiiiek</em>


    Four spears created by condensing mes flew forward.


    And it was at that moment that I saw it.


    The look in his eyes changed.


    Uh Aaah!


    <em>Crack!!</em>


    Je Mu-gyeong screamed as he intercepted the spears of me.


    He swung his saw and arm to knock two aside and twisted his body to dodge another, but it wasnt perfect.


    <em>Crack.</em>


    Thest spear of me he couldnt evade pierced through his body.


    Even the hand that had swatted the spears wasnt unscathed. In the act of batting away the spears with his bare hands, he had nearly lost all the fingers on one hand.


    And Je Mu-gyeong who momentarily halted in that state slowly opened his mouth.


    Keke Quite the strong one you are.


    His way of speaking hadpletely changed. The voice and tone were entirely different from before.


    It felt as though I was listening to a different person speak.


    Was this a moment of terminal lucidity? A brief return to sanity after losing the source of his madness, the skin, and being cornered?


    But even so, that didnt change the fact that now I had the upper hand.