[You have encountered a powerful high mental body, a being of immense power beyond human comprehension, soon to gain new strength and ascend as a being of the abyss. The Laughing Ones overwhelming power shakes your soul.]

[Attempting to resist the distortion with your mental strength stat. Mental strength check Failed!]

I shouted at both Cheong-ho and the message window as I cast a spell.

Hey! Stop! Stop it!

[Destruction]

[System: The unique trait Madness of the Abyss has been activated. The result of the check has been changed to success.]

Crackle!

What is this?

Sparks caused by the Madness of the Abyss trait scattered my magic instantly.

Was my spell canceled? Because of the trait activation? At this critical moment?

What the hell are you doing! You damn son of a bi*ch!

A brief gap occurred because the Madness of the Abyss trait was activated.

Due to that ambiguous time loss, I couldnt stop Cheong-hos insane act.

[Those influenced by the high mental body become his slaves. However, the Madness of the Abyss that activated at the right moment protected your mind. With a brief sense of relief, a sudden thought crossed your mind. Ah, maybe I could have ended up like that too.]

Crack, snap, rip.

Rip, squelch

Aah.

He finally tore it off.

The skin, muscles, and thick skull were torn away, revealing what should never be seen.

Above Cheong-hos eyebrows was a glistening gray mass of flesh.

It was uncertain if that flesh really contained the wisdom and power of the abyss. But at least it probably held Cheong-hos memories.

This, this is it. Kim Shin-hwa! This is the gift Im giving you! Eat this!

Thick black blood slowly flowed down Cheong-hos face.

Blood that had long since coagulated and started to decay.

Cheong-ho had died long ago.

The thing talking to me now, the thing with the top of its head torn off, was a corpse.

Should I call it a puppet moving by its masters command?

Khehehehehehe

Yeah, that bastard.

A skeleton shrouded in a black veil. A grotesque being that kept laughing.

That thing was controlling Cheong-hos corpse. It moved Cheong-ho again.

Its still okay. Kim Shin-hwa! Look at this; its not too late. Eat this!

I needed a moment to take a deep breath to calm my anger.

Ill pass. I have dinner plans.

[The human mind, the weak human mind, cannot accept the knowledge contained in that book. What about Cheong-ho? He is no different. His brain has already received great wisdom and immense power. But his weak spirit could not handle it. Poor Cheong-ho.]

And that piece of trash beyond the message window.

He must have dragged me here just to show me this scene.

And he definitely forced my magic to be blocked to create this situation.

Eat this. This, hurry and eat it. This is His flesh and His blood; if you eat this you can become stronger. Eat this. Eat it, havent you already done similar things elsewhere? To become stronger, you tore at others flesh and destroyed others souls. This is no different from what youve already done. Come on, open your mouth. Tear at this flesh and drink this blood! His body will make you stronger and His mind will make you wiser. Hurry, eat this! Eat this! Eat this! Eat this! Eat this! Eat this!

This was just a prank using a corpse. Though it was Cheong-hos voice coming from Cheong-hos mouth, it was essentially no different from a ventriloquists puppet.

Ku, kukuku, kukuku

I heard the sound of a skeleton in a black veil laughing at me.

Really? Laughing?

I see it. I see the future that we, this universe, will reach! I understand where we came from and where we are going! Dignity is just a toy invented by chance, used briefly and discarded! We are merely beasts! Lets kill each other, tear at each others flesh, and defile each others souls! We must break free from the shell of dignity and the illusion of humanity! We must reclaim our true original form and the real power we were meant to have! Its too late for me, but you still have a chance. Kim Shin-hwa, Kim Shin-hwa, Kim Shin-hwa. Foolish Kim Shin-hwa! The revulsion you feel is merely a hypocritical act to pretend to be human. Eat this! Eat the flesh imbued with the power and knowledge of God!

No, this was really annoying.

Whether it was actually a corpse didnt matter anymore.

[All of this happened because of you, Kim Shin-hwa. When you realize that fact, you are overcome by shame, fear, and terrible guilt.]

Stop it, you crazy bastard. Its annoying.

?

Cheong-ho, with the top of his head open, looked at me with that grotesque expression.

The ecstasy and madness were gone.

The expression on his face was one of pure confusion. The sudden seriousness made it even more creepy.

What do you mean?

Dont you get it? Just shut that mouth of yours now.

Refusal? Is it a refusal? In the end, its a refusal? Thats unfortunate. Very unfortunate.

Crack, crack

Cheong-hos body began to decay at an incredible speed.

It seemed that the forced facade was peeling away, revealing the true form.

Now, Cheong-hos blackened eyes rolled back, and his skin turned a sickening purple.

The time to save him or do anything is long gone.

Even in that state, Cheong-ho continued to babble without stopping.

Unfortunate. Unfortunate. Unfortunate. Unfortunate. Unfortunate

Shhh, shhh, shhh

Kukukuk, kuhuhuh kahahahaha!!!

The [Laughing One] burst into an empty meaningless laugh.

Rattle, rattle.

Various forms of skeletons poured out from the shadows. The fact that the spot had once been an ordinary wall no longer held any meaning. Distorting space was a simple task for such beings.

Clatter, creak, crash, snap, crackle, crunch.

They resembled humans, yet were different and bizarre skeletons.

Bones and skulls of mismatched sizes were forcibly connected and formed grotesque shapes.

Huge hands, huge weapons, and huge horns made of intertwined bones all poured in at once.

In the end, this was going to happen anyway. Yapping endlessly. Wouldnt it have been easier for both of us if youd just shut up and attacked with a simple Kkieeek?

Snap, crackle, crunch, snap, crackle, crunch, creak.

Hmm, but there are quite a lot of them. What should I do?

Eh, too lazy to think further.

Ah, forget it. Help me, Living Flame guy!

[The unique effect of the SSS-rank accessory Residual Heat of the North Star, Trace of Extreme Flame has been activated.

// Trace of Extreme Flame: Increases the effect of all fire-type magic by 100%]

[Flame that Burns Sin]

[Ibn Ghazis Beacon]

[Holy Flame]

[Fire that Illuminates Darkness]

[Burning Rage]

Whoooosh!!

Five flames of different colors rose up.

Boom, boom, boom, boom, boom!!

The darkness was instantly pushed away and the approaching bones turned to ash and disappeared in a breath.

A unique being, or a high mental body.

Entities just below the great old ones. They were simply ancient beings.

They go by many names, but this tier includes the [Laughing One].

The recent message window mentioned it would one day reach the abyss, but compared to true beings of the abyss, it was far inferior. It wouldnt stand a chance against the true power of a being of the abyss.

Well done, well done.

The will or spirit of the living flame hadnt descended; only the magic power collected previously had been unleashed.

Despite this, the magic expanded the area with overwhelming firepower, as if it were the power of the living flame itself.

Whoooosh!!

Argh!!

Cheong-ho, or rather the spirit inhabiting Cheong-hos corpse, quickly retreated along with the barrier of darkness and skeletons it had gathered.

If I use the power of the living flame to burn it away like this this place will be completely incinerated and the book itself will escape to another dimension. What a waste.

The opponent had precognitive abilities. It could predict this level of situation.

But why did it retreat so helplessly? What had it been doing underground? It was puzzling. Was there a problem with its precognition? Perhaps this was all part of a larger plan.

You foolish Kim Shin-hwa! Consume the flesh of your kin, accept my spirit, and become my servant! Dont you see its your only way to survive in this world?

What, are you done mimicking Cheong-ho now?

Regardless, it didnt have a personality of its own. Even if it stopped mimicking Cheong-ho, it could only act and speak based on Cheong-hos traits and personality.

You foolish sacrifice! You ignorant monkey, swinging power beyond your control! You have no idea what youre dealing with, what youre wishing for! You mistakenly think the power borrowed from the abyss is yours! Youre clueless about what awaits at the end!

Who are you calling a fool? Ever heard of hard betting?

If everything was doomed to fail anyway, it was better to borrow to the limit and fail spectacularly.

What was the point of submitting to something that wasnt even a being of the abyss?

Only I can save you. Realize that I am the only one who can prevent the future of destruction you will reach!

Wow, you talk a lot. It looks like Cheong-hos body lacks psychic traits or even spiritual qualities and is hindering you, huh? If you have nothing more to show, lets wrap this up.

I waved my hand and gave a new direction to the flames expanding all around.

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!! Fwoosh!!

The flames which had been spreading in five directions now greedily devoured the darkness as they surged toward Cheong-ho.

They couldnt be stopped. Each of these flames possessed the power of forced purification, spirit sealing, evil expulsion, the destruction of supernatural abilities, and the annihilation of surreal entities.

The [Laughing One] who was wrapped in darkness, bones, and Cheong-hos corpse was driven back and back until it was finally cornered in the cramped room.

Just when it seemed like the end.

The [Laughing One] spoke through Cheong-hos mouth.

Yes, youre right. Kim Shin-hwa, theres too much this human body cant do.

Kukukukuku, Kikikikiki, Ihihihihihih.

That annoying laughter echoed once more.

It was the signal that the power twisting cause and effect and distorting the laws of this world was at work.

The wall behind the cornered Cheong-ho split open.

It wasnt like a door opening or a closed box being opened. It was a grotesque sight, like the maw of a beast opening wide.

Beyond the revealed space,

Ma-Mage-nim?!

Aaaaah!!!

It was the first room where Jang Hyeon-deok and Goo Jin-cheol had been waiting.

A living altar! Leaving the highest-rank medium prepared for the descent of a god in my domain, kukuku, what a pitiful foolish act!

Crack!!

As instructed, Achilles moved to secure a retreat route but he shattered into pieces without lasting even a second.

Argh!!

Goo Jin-cheol couldnt accept the situation and erupted into madness. He tore at the bandages wrapped around his face, slammed his head against the wall, and fainted.

Ah

Jang Hyeon-deok realized what the [Laughing One] was hoping for, what he wanted.

More like a living altar than a human, fear no longer existed for him. He merely carried out his task silently.

Ssss

The [Laughing One] evaded the flames rushing toward him and began to seep into the altar prepared for him.

Hey, Im warning you

But it didnt stop. It wasnt something I could interfere with and stop in the first place.

Cheong-hos body spoke to me mockingly.

Its already too late, Kim Shin-hwa. Its already too late. This altar you prepared, the one you cherished, will now be mine.

No, not that. It seems your precognitive ability is broken, right? Youll regret it if you go in there.

You foolish sacrifice! How dare you pretend to be a prophet in front of me!

Just then, I caught sight of Goo Jin-cheol who regretted not listening to my warning.

But he didnt listen.

Finally, the true form revealed itself. The sound of beasts laughter echoed from somewhere. A book made of the fragments of a dying star and empty void. The one who foresees the future and destroys the human mind solely with the truth.

In the end, it possessed Jang Hyeon-deoks body.