I played [Cthulhu World] thousands of times, but this was the first time I found myself saving someone in this place and at this moment.

To say I wasnt excited would be a lie. What events and developments would this action spark?

Hey, come on, hey, snap out of it.

I extended my hand towards the woman burying her body among the corpses.

Eeek, Huwaaa. Monster! Monster! Die!!! Dieeeee!!!!

Ah

Right, the mask was the problem.

The woman was already in such a fragile state, so the sight of my mask sent her into utter panic.

I glanced briefly at Kwak Dae-yong who was a few steps behind me, but his face was hardly reassuring either.

Tsk. Im here to save you. Just be quiet for a moment!

But it was no use.

Arrrrgh! Gyaaaah!

Squish! Squish!

Even the two other survivors nearby began to tremble in response to her screams.

Eventually, I concentrated magical power into one hand and clenched it into a fist.

[Kas Golden Sand]

Ssssss

As the spell activated, faintly glowing golden sand began to softly pour from between my fists.

It was magical sand imbued with the power of sleep.

Even though this was a space devoid of any wind, the sand slowly rose into the air and showered over the faces of the survivors. The people who had been going crazy and rioting soon fell into a deep sleep.

I called out to Kwak Dae-yong.

Team leader Kwak Dae-yong, quickly gather your men and take care of these people.

Y-Yes, understood.

I had eliminated the ghouls and the unknown ghoul shaman who had summoned them, and I had even rescued three survivors, just as Moon Seung-hee had requested in the sub-quest.

Yet the reason the reward hadnt appeared yet was

[<Hunting Quest: Guests from the Underworld>

Ghouls have appeared in the underground of an apartment building under construction.

Defeat the ghouls and make the underground parking lot safe.

Remaining targets: 167/67

Reward: 350,000 XP (+ the monetary reward promised by the broker is separate.) Failure: Hostile relationship with Yeonam Construction.]

Is it because its not yet considered safe?

The situation was very different from the quest I experienced in the original game, so I found it difficult to intuitively grasp the clear conditions.

While I was thinking and observing the security team members in motion, Kwak Dae-yong approached me.

Why does he keep bothering me instead of taking care of his men?

WellAfter taking a quick look, it seems all the missing people were gathered here.

I see.

Is there anything else we should be cautious of? This place was under the influence of some cultist. and Im hesitant to have my men check directly.

Hmm

Just when I thought he was being needlessly friendly, it turns out he was trying to use me.

With the quest completion notification still pending, I decided to play along for now.

It may be an empty parking lot, but with columns, curved walls, and space for elevators and stairs in the middle, there are blind spots no matter how well you light it.

I decided to use my spells to scan the unexplored depths of the underground parking lot.

[Remote Detection]

[Curse Detection]

[Trap Detection]

[Magic Detection]

[Detection Complete.]

Indeed, as Team Leader Kwak Dae-yong said, there were still matters left to address.

Ugh, so there was something after all? Good thing I asked.

No, its nothing too significant. After all, the team leader has seen it before.

Seen it before?

Yes, that.

Kwak Dae-yong shone a light in the direction I was pointing.

Near a pile of bodies there was a hazard that remained unaddressed. A special place that had never appeared in the game before.it likely emerged due to the intervention of a being from the abyss.

Ugh, that?

A giant mural painted on the outer wall of the underground parking lot.

It was a product of madness that felt even more sinister due to the lack of proper lighting.

Right. The mural itself is imbued with magical power, so leaving it alone could cause problems in some way or another.

Problems like what?

Well, its also serving as a kind of portal. Ghouls could pour out through that red circle again.

Ugh, please do something about it! I mean, can you?

Hmm maybe? But just so you know, this will cost extra money.

I-I understand. I get it.

Good. No changing your tune later.

Hurry up. Im sick of ghouls.

Kwak Dae-yong made a face of disgust, which I brushed off with a laugh as we started walking toward the mural. But then he made a groaning sound and hesitated.

Wont you be fine on your own?

That subtle tone in Kwak Dae-yongs voice. This bastard, he intended to shove the responsibility onto me after I went along with his bullsh*t earlier.

What are you talking about? Come on.

Ugh okay.

Unlike before, Kwak Dae-yong was now completely compliant.

Though he was a regular employee of a corporation, at his core, he was no different from the fixers of Paju.

Knowing whom to follow in the field to ensure ones survival is a skill. Thats the secret to extending ones life as a fixer.

I walked inside with Kwak Dae-yong leading the way.

I am a mage after all. In places where the unexpected might occur, isnt it common sense for the sturdy vanguard to take the lead?

The distance between the mural and the pile of bodies wasnt far, but as I approached the mural, I could feel where the oppressive atmosphere filling this underground parking lot was emanating from.

A malice so thick that the air felt sticky, and the smell of decay that seemed to be coming from the abyss itself.

Unlike me, who has an innate resistance and affinity for magic, Kwak Dae-yong seemed to struggle with each step he took. This short walk must have felt to him like sinking into a bog hundreds of meters deep.

With no intention of tormenting Kwak Dae-yong further, I grabbed his shoulder at an appropriate moment to stop him.

This is as far as you go.

Ugh, I can go further.

No, theres no need.

Leaving the pale-faced Kwak Dae-yong behind, I walked a few more steps forward.

What the hell is this? Ive never seen anything so horrific in my life.

It was a symbol of the abyss, drawn with human blood, guts, and flesh.

Snakes, maggots, whirlpools, corpses, death, and ghouls.

First, I explained to Kwak Dae-yong who was gaping and hesitating what this was all about.

Its nothing extraordinary. Its just borrowing the power of a great ancient being to summon ghouls.

To be used as a ritual offering So, thats why people were brought here?

It seems so. To summon as many as a hundred ghouls, a ritual of this magnitude is necessary.

Wait, something doesnt add up. The ghouls were the ones who kidnapped people in the first place. What about the ghouls that appeared before using the kidnapped people to summon more? Could there be another tunnel somewhere else?

While it was a valid point, that wasnt the case.

No, this mural is the end. Though it appears to be a single painting to the human eye, it was actually painted in several stages.

I pointed to a part of the mural and continued.

This section, in particular, was clearly painted by someone else. The magic contained is different, and the quality is inferior. Likely it was done by a cultist who infiltrated as a laborer or by brainwashing a few laborers.

At first, a handful of ghouls were summoned through a simple spell to create chaos, and during this turmoil, captured individuals were offered as sacrifices for additional rituals. After explaining the circumstances, Kwak Dae-yong clenched his teeth in frustration.

Damn it If we hadnt waited and just stormed in from the start, we could have avoided all this trouble?

Thats one way to look at it. Speaking of which. can this apartment ever be sold normally?

So many people had died. No matter how much they tried to hide it or deal with it, it was impossible for rumors not to spread.

Hmm Maybe if we hide it well enough No, the higher-ups will probably handle it.

It wasnt Kwak Dae-yongs decision to make regarding the sale of the property anyway, so asking him was pointless.

Right, theyll find a way. Its not like theyre a large company for nothing.

More importantly, hurry up and take care of that mural.

Yeah, I understand.

I responded appropriately and examined the mural. Even though the conductor of the ritual had died and the father of all ghouls, the source of the magical power, had lost interest, the patterns and murals had not yet completely lost their power.

What would be the best way to deal with this?

Should I use that spell again? I recalled the spell I had first used a month ago.

[Flame that Burns Sin]

Whoosh!

Pure white flames that deny, erase, and extinguish the feats, gifts, and miracles of gods began to envelop the wall.

The bright white light that blossomed forth momentarily dispelled the sticky darkness pooling in this underground parking lot and created a bright illumination.

Chrrrrrrrr

The bloodstains and patterns writhed, emitting bizarre noises as if they were living beings with their own will.

But it was merely a brief struggle.

Soon, the patterns were completely erased.

By the time the last tiny spark had vanished,

[You have defeated the ghouls lurking in the basement, the conspiracy, and a priest of the Demonic Cult. It was a long, long fight? You made great sacrifices and overcame your fears? But astonishingly.]

A chaotic message suddenly emerged in my field of view.

It seemed that the output got tangled due to the defeat of the ghoul shaman who shouldnt have appeared here in the first place. This outcome was unrelated to the quests original storyline.

[The quest has been completed!

<Hunting Quest: Guests of the Underworld>

Ghouls have appeared in the underground of an apartment building under construction.

Defeat the ghouls and make the underground parking lot safe.

Remaining targets: 167/???

Reward: 350,000 XP (+ the monetary reward promised by the broker is separate.)]

[You have accumulated enough experience to advance to the next level. Your level increases by 1.]

[You have defeated ghouls (167). Your understanding of ghouls has increased.]

[You have defeated the CultistGhoul Shaman of the Demonic Sect. Your understanding of ghouls has significantly improved.]

[You have accumulated enough experience to advance to the next level. Your level increases by 1.]

[Achievement Unlocked! You have surprised the father of all ghouls and killed the ghoul shaman.

You have obtained the Rare Achievement: Ghoul Slayer.

As a reward for the achievement, the Ghoul Expert trait is replaced with Ghoul Slayer and you will gain additional experience points.]

[You have accumulated enough experience to advance to the next level. Your level increases by 1.]

This brought me to level 19.

***

Kim Shin-hwa

Class: Mage Gazing into the Abyss

Level: 19

Magic Order: First Order

Mental Illness: [Mask Obsession], [Triskaidekaphobia]

Strength: 5(+3) (Corrupted Ring of Flame)

Health: 6(+2) (Slurping Gloves)

Agility: 8

Intelligence: 30

Mental Strength: 14

Charm: 17

***

It was a pity that I didnt reach level 20 where second-order magic would be unlocked.

However, at this pace, it wouldnt be long before I could reach level 20.

It seems my work here is done.

nothing else would pop up unexpectedly, right?

Before the operation began, he was all bravado, claiming he knew everything. Now, his spirit was completely dampened.

After all, the priest, or rather the ghoul shaman we encountered earlier, is dead, and weve destroyed any trace of the ritual, so there shouldnt be any issues.

I see

If you want to thoroughly cleanse this place of any lingering negative energy or malevolent spirits, it might be best to call in a shaman or an exorcist for a proper purification, especially if you plan on selling these apartments.

Understood Ill make sure to report that.

I was about to turn and leave when I noticed the security team members rescuing the survivors from among the piles of bodies. I addressed Kwak Dae-yong once more.

But who is that woman? One of your employees?

Lee Seon-bin-ssi? Hmm well shes just a, uh, a female employee.

Kwak Dae-yong was visibly flustered and he tried to evade the question with an awkward explanation.