[System: The unique trait Madness of the Abyss has been activated. The effect of the nightmare has been nullified.]

Ugh

A week had passed since I completed the quest at the abandoned hospital of Gamaksan.

After delivering what needed to be delivered to Tudor that day, I spent the following week ignoring any contact from Tudor while lying down and passing the time.

I tried my best to recover for the next quest, but it was difficult to get proper rest due to the horrific and bizarre nightmares pushed into my mind by those abyssal beings.

I never knew that not being able to sleep properly could be this painful

During last nights nightmare, I made eye contact with Cthulhu.

In the game, characters often suffer from the penalty of continuous nightmares or events like [Recurring Nightmares] or [The Call of Rlyeh], but the situation Im experiencing now is beyond that.

The [Feast Offering] trait has brought in the evil influence of the beings of the abyss every night, forcing me to endure unsettling nightmares sent by the great old beings.

As a result, my body failed to properly recover, and the mental strength and focus I possessed as a mage continued to erode. Despite having brought back a grimoire from the laboratory, my physical and mental exhaustion prevented me from even considering delving into it.

Isnt there some innovative way to defend against this?

It seemed nearly impossible to block.

No matter how powerful a mage I may be, those were divine beings that would be hundreds of millions of times heavier than me if I were to compare them on a scale of weight.

Even if you master magic, there are limits since the power of magic itself is often intertwined with them.

Ah, maybe if I block it with something other than magic, it might just work.

There were indeed some quite impressive abilities, although not perfect.

Perhaps among my unique abilities or unique traits, there might be something worth trying

Drawing upon my experience from playing [Cthulhu World], a few ideas came to mind, though there werent many that I could try right away.

To sustain a spell of that nature continuously, an artifact of corresponding form was necessary. Yet there were no places where such artifacts could be found for that purpose in the vicinity of Paju.

If I wanted to find something with a similar effect, Id have to go at least as far as Gangwon Province

Considering the small size of the Korean Peninsula, any destination could be reached within a day. However, apart from the physical distance, the psychological distance was quite far, and the idea of leaving my cramped and vulnerable studio apartment to travel such a distance was unsettling.

I fear some unexpected and bizarre quest might appear while Im away

Thus, the plan for a long journey was postponed until the security of my base could be firmly established.

Tch, does that mean Im utterly at the mercy of the nightmares sent by those abyssal beings

No, when I think about it, there is no reason to insist on finding an artifact that is already complete.

Last time, I had a rough time after meeting the [King in Yellow] in Tanhyeon, but as a result, a new ability was added to Carcosas mask.

[Madmans Dexterity: You can unlock the hidden abilities of an artifact or attempt modifications to bestow other powers. You get a +100% success rate in invention, repair, research, and development.

However, each use of this ability requires a sanity check. Failure in the check will result in a random mental illness afflicting your mind.]

Originally, it was a rare trait that only alchemists, technomancers, or craftsmen classes could possess.

Of course, it wasnt possible for me to just insert any ability I desired into any artifact, but enhancing the power of something with a similar effect was certainly worth a try.

Beyond merely warding off nightmares, a few artifacts and abilities came to mind that could prove useful. With some luck, I might even be able to create an artifact that could improve health or strength.

Indeed. I should have thought of this sooner.

Alright, Ive made up my mind. Today, I need to go out, even if its a bit of a stretch.

When I tried to get up, I heard a creaking and cracking sound coming from my body.

Ugh Lying down and resting isnt always the best approach

While Im out, it might be a good idea to drop by Vasilisa to check on the latest news of Helistic and, if Im lucky, to check out Curtain Call.

Ah, but first, I need to eat something.

I carefully navigated through the room cluttered with various items, artifacts, and treasures scattered around like trash and made my way to the cramped kitchen.

When I opened the refrigerator, I was greeted by biological tissue samples from the laboratory and flesh samples that were a by-product of life creation magic nestled among the chilled groceries.

Jars floated with bizarrely shaped pieces of flesh. Some were adorned with dozens of eyeballs, others sprouted unpleasant hair, and some formed organs resembling fingers larger than their own bodies. To the average person, this sight could induce not just a loss of appetite but outright distress. However, it had no effect whatsoever on my psyche.

Among the flesh samples, I found a half-eaten head of cabbage, a split carrot, and some sausages.

I guess I could whip up a sausage and vegetable stir-fry.

I cooked and then ate my meal in the cramped confines of my home where only the bare minimum space for survival remained.

After finishing my meal and stepping outside, I noticed the sun was already setting.

It had been over two months since I last saw the sun properly.

Isnt it said that a lack of sunlight can lead to health issues?

Originally, I had started wandering the streets at night because wearing a mask during the day was troublesome.

But that problem has already been resolved.

By using second-order magic, I could either overlay an illusion on my mask or completely hide my presence before moving around.

Despite this, I still found myself moving through the darkness and hiding in the guise of this bizarrely shaped mask.

Now, I might use the excuse of a reversed sleep pattern, but thats not the real reason. I had an inexplicable aversion to overlaying illusions on my mask.

It seems like my mask obsession is unconsciously applying a psychological brake here

Because it was a feeling of aversion that was difficult to explain properly, it wasnt easy to think of a way to fix it. Likely, Ill continue this way until the current situation leads to a bigger problem.

While I was lost in these thoughts, I eventually arrived at Vasilisa.

Vasilisa remained a place where the extraordinary unfolded in the usual ways.

The sight of rugged mercenaries and scarred muscled fixers sitting face-to-face, sipping on iced Americanos and caramel macchiatos, was enough to make ones head spin.

Do these guys have nothing better to do than lounge here all day while sipping their coffees?

And at Vasilisas counter, a peculiar barista with a large monitor for a head was polishing cups. Today, Curtain Call was also seated nearby.

This place was neither a pub nor a traditional bar. Yet, Curtain Call seemed to naturally take a seat in front of the counter while chatting away with Orb as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

Hey, Curtain Call.

Ah, Kim Shin-hwa has arrived? Hey Orb, did you know I went to Gamaksan with Kim Shin-hwa last time?

Curtain Calls gaze lingered on me for about a second, perhaps? After a brief acknowledgment that hardly qualified as a greeting, her attention shifted back to Orb. It seemed futile to try and engage in conversation this way.

As I pondered whether to attempt another approach or wait for a better opportunity, Tudor, who had been chatting with a customer further inside, gestured for me to come over.

Thats right, I didnt come here for Curtain Call today.

I sighed and left Curtain Call who was preoccupied with Orb behind before I walked over to Tudor.

I was just talking about you; good timing.

About me?

Tudor flashed a sly smile and nodded towards the person sitting next to her.

Ah, so youre the new face mage that Tudor has been boasting about lately?

A gangster?

The thought Is he a gangster? came to mind. And not without reason. Given this middle-aged mans rough-and-tumble appearance.

His shirt was provocatively unbuttoned at the top with four buttons undone and the elaborate tattoos peeking through the fabric.

Outdated large sunglasses, a beard covering his chin, and a scar around his mouth.

He was a familiar face. Like most people I had recently met, he was a character from the game [Cthulhu World].

I wanted to see the person who had neatly taken care of what our guys couldnt handle. Fortunately, I got the chance. My name is Ko Gyeong-soo, from W.G.S.

Go Kyung-soo maintained his swaggering demeanor as he handed me his business card.

This old-fashioned card bore his name and the companys name in gold lettering.

W.G.S.

Wild Guns Security.

On the outside, it was a private security firm offering security and bodyguard services.

But in reality, it was a mercenary group called Wild Guns and a private military company (PMC) that specialized in deploying firepower and suppressing bases. Not that it did anything particularly remarkable. It was more like an expanded version of the typical muscle-for-hire youd find in the real world.

And Ko Gyeong-sop nicknamed Wild Dog.

He was the leader of these thugs-for-hire.

I informed Ko Gyeong-soo with an indifferent expression on my face.

I dont really have a business card or anything like that.

Kuhuhu Well, it doesnt matter. If I need to contact you, I can always go through Tudor. Do you have any idea how much this lady has been boasting in the industry thanks to you?

Im aware shes been quite diligent.

If you ever crave the real thrill that Vasilisa cant provide, feel free to reach out. We could use someone like you, coug

Tudor abruptly jabbed Ko Gyeong-soos thigh with the menu.

Oh dear, Mr. Ko Gyeong-soo, were you about to say its time to head home?

No, this woman If exchanging business cards is off-limits, why bother boasting then?

Thats jealousy for you. I allowed the exchange of business cards, but I wont tolerate any further flirting.

Ko Gyeong-soo was an NPC performing a role similar to Tudors.

While the broker Park Kwang-lim I met previously wasnt worth considering, Ko Gyeong-soo was a different case.

He was an NPC worth contemplating a deal with, depending on the situation.

He was as trustworthy as Tudor and there were quite a few quests that could only be accessed by dealing with him.

If you signed a contract with him, you would be provided with basic weapons and could exclusively engage in more direct combat missions. It was less about being a fixer and more about becoming a mercenary.

The difference with Tudor was that he also led a military organization and was actively involved in its operations. This allowed for a different kind of interaction than with Tudor.

They might find themselves competing for the same target or even engaging in direct combat as enemies.

His team was large, indiscriminate, and willing to dabble in any affair that could be settled with guns and explosives.

If one chooses not to deal with him, they might end up facing him as a competitor or enemy.

Ive killed Ko Gyeong-soo in the game was it three times? No, four times before.

What would happen this time?

Ko Gyeong-soo tossed the ice cubes from his glass into his mouth and crunched them noisily.

Have you received any messages from Cure?

What was this sudden, out-of-the-blue remark about?

Cure?

It seems you havent received any communication from them yet? Im talking about Cure Biotech. Hmm its the rival company of Helistic.

No, Im aware of that. But what does Cure have to do with me?

Ko Gyeong-soo hummed thoughtfully and scratched his beard for a moment before continuing.

Cure mentioned something about a basement.