Soon, a new development occurred.

Thud!

A dull sound like something falling over came from beyond the basement door.

Hmm

In truth, I already knew what was in the basement.

I could simply storm down there and smash everything to bits

It seems as if its urging me to enter the basement? Am I wrong?

[System: There are still unexplored areas within the base. Investigate the entire mansion to obtain the remaining rewards.]

Heh That just makes me not want to do it even more.

I still dont understand the operating principle behind this message window.

Usually, it appears as a neutral device that dryly lists the current status and situation. However, occasionally it engages in subtle manipulations or displays messages that seem to prompt me to take certain actions.

That thing cant be completely trusted either.

But the information from the message window marked a significant distinction between the NPCs living in this world and myself.

I always had an advantage over the other NPCs because I understood and could use the concepts of stats and quests.

Moreover, my body was weaker than that of an ordinary human being.

I didnt possess the robust health typical of an action-game hero.

I certainly didnt have the stamina to engage in action twice a day.

Should I just block it off and deal with it tomorrow?

But as if responding to my thoughts, there was another noise from the basement.

Thud, clank, thud, rumble

No, it wasnt just a noise; it was getting closer to the basement entrance.

Ah, what a hassle. Really.

I had planned to handle it as slowly as possible because it was so annoying, but it seemed like if I left whatever was in the basement alone, it might cause some trouble.

As if to encourage such thoughts, the message window was displayed again.

[System: There are still unexplored areas within the base. Explore the entire mansion to obtain the remaining rewards.]

Alright, alright, I get it! Just stop blocking my view and stay quiet!

Yes, there was still an enemy left in the basement.

Since it was an entity that operated independently of the Hollow Lord, it could not be controlled simply by defeating the latter.

This guardian protected a gift bestowed by [He Who Comes from the Darkness] as a reward for the Hollow Lords long-time devotion.

So it was either that I go and smash it to pieces, or I get smashed.

One way or another, a conclusion had to be reached.

It was akin to a bonus stage, and how I defeated this creature would greatly influence the rewards.

Clank, clunk, thud! Rumble, rumble, rumble

A noise as if something dull and heavy was violently shaking.

The danger level was rising; I could feel the vibrations through the floor near the basement entrance.

I guess I have to clean up the basement before I can sleep.

Turning my head to look out the window, I saw that the night sky had paled considerably.

If I delayed any longer, the sun would begin to rise.

Alright. If were going to do this, lets do it quickly.

I slowly opened the basement door while stretching my neck joints.

Downward the dark staircase stretched before me.

As I descended the stairs, I activated a spell with each step I took.

[Foxs Agility]

[Bears Willpower]

[Cats Elegance]

[Eagles Eye]

[Bulls Charge]

[Lions Courage]

I dont know what variables the [Feast Offering] trait might cause

I couldnt afford to be careless.

A bizarre problem could arise at the most unexpected moment.

Below me, a thick wooden door had been reinstalled at the base of the basement stairs

Creak Thunk.

Strange noises came from beyond it.

I stopped and stayed still for a moment and then it became quiet again. I could sense not even the slightest hint of a creature trying to hide.

Oh, how cute, so very cute.

Creeeeak

The heavy wooden door creaked open, emitting an unsettling noise from the hinges.

I held onto the door and peered into the room.

Its dark in here.

Like any other place in the hungry mansion, the basement was extremely dark.

For the moment, I couldnt see what was inside.

So the first thing I noticed was the strange smell.

I had encountered a similar scent before.

It was the smell of chemicals used to prevent decay.

However, there was an even more unpleasant odor, worse than the harsh chemicals.

Even someone who did not understand what this smell implied would feel discomfort enough to be on guard.

Had I still been living in the peaceful reality of my past, I might not have recognized it but I had already encountered this smell twice before.

Once in the Helistics secret facility, filled with zombies,

And again at the abandoned hospital of Gamaksan Mountain where horrific deeds were committed by Je Mu-Gyeong.

It was the smell of blood and decaying corpses.

Probably the dreadful residue of hundreds, perhaps thousands of deaths over a very long time.

I activated my magic to enhance my vision.

[Moonlight Vision]

As the magical sight that could pierce through darkness activated, the interior of the basement began to reveal itself.

Although it was a space that could only be called a basement, it was not cramped.

Unlike other floors divided into rooms, this was a large open space, almost like an auditorium with no walls separating it.

The vast area was filled with ominous objects.

Old bloodstains, piles of bones on the floor, hides of beasts, and unpleasant remnants of some creature that were unidentifiable as to which part they belonged.

Shelves were stacked with samples and chemicals, walls hung with bizarre tapestries and unidentifiable ritual tools, and bookshelves filled with magical tomes.

This place was an altar where the Hollow Lord conducted blasphemous rituals and simultaneously a magical laboratory where evil experiments were performed.

I turned my head again to further inspect the inside of the room.

The Hollow Lords research was of no concern to me.

Of course, there were many things to take care of and examine but those were issues for the future.

Right now, there was only one thing I needed to inspect.

The altar.

It was an old altar located at the very back of the room.

It was about the size of a small bed and stood taller than a persons waist.

It was a heavy object that was carved from a single large block of granite.

It was sufficiently large to perform rituals for [He Who Comes from the Darkness] or to disassemble captured sacrifices.

There was also an altar in the basement of Unjeong Station for the [Living Flame].

The rituals performed there must have been full of fire and smoke, but here, the rituals would have been more direct and provoking.

Blood splattered, flesh was cut away It was a ritual of slaughter.

Next to the altar, there was an awkwardly placed large chest.

Unlike the other furniture and equipment that were neatly aligned with each other, this large box was out of place and askew.

No, it feels awkward to call it a chest or a box.

Since it was made of stone, it should be called a stone coffin.

Whether it was a chest or a stone coffin, it was a very large item. Although smaller than the adjacent altar, the stone coffin was still large enough to easily contain a person if necessary.

I slowly approached the stone coffin and bent down.

In the center of the stone coffin was a groove that allowed it to open vertically.

There was also a huge hinge attached to the back of the stone coffin.

And on the surface, there were intricate and beautiful patterns engraved.

These patterns were not mere decorations.

They were magic circles that were intricately etched with extreme precision and advanced technology.

This isnt the Hollow Lords handiwork.

When I played the game, I had never been interested in the origins of such things.

I had seen decorations and craftsmanship but I lacked the capacity to understand them.

Now, the world appeared differently to me.

With a surreal perspective and heightened analytical skills, I could immediately grasp details that I didnt at all during gameplay.

It was an ancient object.

It existed on this planet long before the human race had learned to handle fire.

Just as I was slowly reaching out towards it

Bang!

The lid of the stone coffin suddenly opened.

No, lid is not the right word.

It was the mouth of the stone coffin.

Clatter, crash!

The stone coffin which was unmistakably made of rock shook its bulky and rough body violently as it charged towards me.

It tried to engulf me with its gaping mouth!

Fu*k. off!

[Leap]

Whoosh!

I activated a leap spell and jumped back dramatically.

The stone coffin snapped viciously at the space where I had just been.

Craaash!

The impact was tremendous.

I could almost see the air trembling.

The stone coffin that was made of a huge raw stone possessed a force far greater than its immense mass.

Since I had anticipated it, dodging was not difficult.

Had I been caught off guard, my body would have been completely crushed within its gaping maw.

This bastard!

The stone coffin did not stop.

It was nothing more than a large mouth and a heavy body, yet this artifact was powerful enough to possess a will of its own.

I could feel the emotions it harbored: anger, wariness, confusion, and killing intent.

Riding the momentum of its previous charge, it attacked again.

Bang!

I dodged the brutes attack and scanned the interior of the basement.

Boom! Bang!

But there was simply no time to do anything.

The stone coffin attacked with the ferocity of an enraged wild animal.

Ah, come on! Just stay still!

[Grasp of the Dead]

A magic circle with sinister light illuminated the dark basement.

At the same time, the trait [Proof of Slaughter] embedded in the Butchers Hooks activated. The necromancy magic circle I summoned was infused with even more malice and madness.

This was a third-order necromancy spell. The spirits of those unjustly deceased that lingered nearby were drawn to my magic circle and generated greater power.

Gooooooooooo!!!

Hundreds of skinny arms extended from the magic circle and wrapped around the stone coffin.

Crack, crack, crack, crack, crack, crack.

Hundreds of grotesque fingers attached to the arms scraped the surface of the stone coffin.

Each arm harbored deep resentment.

No matter how strong the stone coffin was, it couldnt easily escape.

Crackle crunch

Despite its battered state, the stone coffin was not at all diminished in spirit.

Though it lacked a face, I could tell that it was extremely angry.

Crack, crackle

Each slight movement of the creature caused dozens of arms clinging to its body to burst.

However, the number of arms, each filled with the resentment of the terrible deaths that had occurred here, was overwhelming. For every ten arms destroyed, twenty more attached themselves.

The effect isnt bad.

If I had summoned a massive force to compete in a test of strength, the outcome would have been uncertain. But by confronting it with endless numbers, I was able to prevent that stubborn monster from fully unleashing its power.

But these spirits were merely a temporary measure.

They could stop it but not defeat it.

I summoned my magical power and reached out to one of the tools lying in a corner of the basement.

Shrrrrriek

The line of magical energy I sent from my fingertips entwined around a tool I had been eyeing from the start.

It was a hammer with a heavy metal head, likely used for crushing the bones of specimens or splitting magic stones.

I projected my magic and will toward the distant hammer and that force transformed into artificial telekinesis to realize my will.

Whirrrrr!

The hammer flew through the air and cut through the wind.

And then it landed precisely in my hand.

This should do.

Hand-to-hand combat isnt my thing but

Considering the stone creatures resistance to magic, this was the most efficient method.