CH 182

Inside the damp and dark building, Shin Haru was walking quietly.

“….”

As she stepped on the sticky black substance on the floor, she kept moving forward.

Thus, she passed the escalator that was originally there and went down to the basement.

The space that was originally bustling with people was now transformed into something like hell.

The place was half in darkness, with flickering lights.

The familiar place that was usually filled with people was now empty with not a single soul in sight, which was eerie enough in itself, but this time it was even worse.

Black substance wriggling on the floor.

Not only the floor, there was something that could not be identified on the walls and the ceiling.

As if they were alive.

The sight of this wide space being completely consumed by the black tentacle-like things was terrifying enough for an ordinary person.

Shin Haru just frowned for a moment and said nothing.

‘…These black tentacles remind me of the day I was with Egostic. I think it’s called… Behe something.’

She was even lost in the thoughts about the past for a while.

Of course, as this place was in the middle of the enemy camp, she quickly shook off such thoughts and got back to work.

The purpose of this expedition is to eliminate as many monsters as possible and kill the villain who caused all this.

Of course, capture would be the best, but it was decided because the opponent looked too dangerous.

‘…This villain has a different trajectory than the previous villains in that he seems to be able to erode a large area and create other life on his own. In a similar case in a foreign country, this kind of villain, we don’t know what would happen after more than a week of this erosion…’

Reflecting on the expert’s words, she soon continued to move her foot further inward.

And as she went deeper and deeper, the gruesome the sights got.

The underground department store-like space, like an ant cave, is also covered with something sticky and black.

Shin Haru’s expression got worse as she watched the horror-movie-like scene. Especially, she heard that there was some kind of strange creature, but it was rather scary because she couldn’t see anything in this empty space.

Slowly feeling something strange, she picked up a little more speed and moved quickly.

…She feels like she’d rather fight anything alive.

So Shin Haru went slowly further down.

And the further she went, the more wacky the sights that were seen began to twist.

“….”

Unlike the original map, spaces have completely deteriorated.

Now between the black stuff that ate everything without leaving a single gap.

One by one, there were disparate objects that could only be used in the Middle Ages.

Old-looking mirrors, candlesticks, and bizarre-looking portraits.

The rare and heterogeneous hangings have slowly made the atmosphere unusual.

Soon Shin Haru, who was flying between the corridors with her face stiffened, finally saw it.

Crackling-

‘They’ were rising out of the black liquid.

They looked like little Demonz. Little heads, two horns on the line, and wings. However, the difference is that there was no face at all, perhaps because the whole body was made up of sticky and black things. They don’t even have eyes.

They looked like little people, wandering around in the place. Black and sticky things eat up the space, only in that place where even the light is dim. 

And the black liquid that swells suspiciously on one side.

In front of it, something like a strange black bump rose, and an arm of black tentacles sprang out of the bubbling liquid.

In a grotesque sight.

As she took a step closer.

Whip-.

At that moment, to her chills.

All together, the faces of the devil-shaped tentacles turned to her.

“….”

And, at that very moment.

-Creeeeeeeeek!

All Demonz in the room, they jumped to her.

“Tsk…”

At the same time, Stardus clenched her fists and stepped forward.

Yeah, it’s better to fight like this.

Because the actual enemy is better than the unclear fear.

With that, she blew the devil’s head with her fists.

***

“Huff… Huff…”

How long has it been since then?

Shin Haru gasped, looking up and around.

The enemies were no longer in her sight.

And the chaotic surroundings.

Soon after, she sighed and shook off the black stuff on her hands.

…They were stronger than she thought, but she held out.

She felt gross as they looked like ghosts, but since they were actually like an organism, and of course, they collapsed after her punches.

Of course, they were something like tentacles and even stronger than she thought, and it was hard for a lot of them to rush in and deal with it at the same time. However, she got pretty stronger compared to the old days, so they were worth dealing with.

However, the problem is that no one knows how many more of these things are here.

“….”

With that in mind, Shin Haru looked around again.

The black Demonz that fell earlier disappeared into the liquid as if they were absorbed.

After confirming it, she headed to the place where the black liquid had been bubbling over there since earlier instead.

What she could see there was something like a black tumor, and a horned head that was almost half formed in the black puddle below.

“Tsk.”

Soon she kicked it and blew it away, and she looked there for a moment and analyzed it.

…It seems that Demonz are born in front of this bulging black, wiggling like a heart.

After making that judgment, she just kicked the devil’s heart with her feet.

The tumour was smashed with a bang.

And the puddle in front of it.

-Boiling. Boiling.

With that sound, it stopped boiling.

Only after confirming that no other devil was coming up like that, Shin Haru took a moment to rest.

“Phew…”

…Are we done with this area somehow?

She wanted to sit somewhere because she was exhausted, and of course, she gave up neatly after confirming that the whole area was covered with black tentacles.

Shin Haru was left alone in a dark empty space with only blinking light without anyone again.

Only then did she double-check where she was.

There’s a large meeting square underground with some kind of fountain.

Of course, it was all covered with black tentacles, but it wasn’t difficult to guess that this place was once crowded with people. The upper floor was open, so it was a space where you could see the second floor.

She looked around, saying, “Maybe other things will come out if they hear any sound?” and when no one came, she stood still alone and lost in thought.

“…..”

Then, her face stiffened naturally.

…The conclusion that she had after coming here by this time, and even fought those devil-like things was

This is a lot bigger than she thought.

‘…The power this guy has.’

So far, she’s had a lot of rough space.

And all of those spaces were covered with something black.

All of this was made by one person, overnight.

And the devilish stuff.

I didn’t take her much time take care of them, but they were pretty tough to deal with.  Even though Stardus herself was the strongest among all the heroes in Korea to start with.

But those things multiply on their own.

How many of those proliferating monsters might lie in this vast underground?

Stardus, for a moment, got goosebumps.

…How strong is the villain who caused all this?

At the same time, a kind of lamentation.

Why and where does this kind of villain keep appearing?

Was South Korea cursed to not have any peace?

“…First, let’s take care of the spots that make those Demonz as much as I can, then deal with the villain… And it’ll all be over.”

So she murmured so to herself in an empty space. As if to persuade herself.

Of course, no response was returned.

Only her voice is echoed in the empty space.

…Let’s keep going.

So she stretched out her arms for a moment and loosened her muscles, and then again went deeper.

With such blue eyes, with a slightly uneasy look, she went deep, but she didn’t know until this time.

There was a pair of eyes watching this whole process of hers.

***

…Hmm. She fought well, but I can still feel her anxiety somehow.

Should I grab the final boss and force this event to end now.

[…No, Da-in. It was you who said that you needed to grow her stronger or the world would be ruined, right?]

An absurd voice echoing in my head.

I mean, I know that. But it hurts to see Stardus suffer in front of my eyes.

Somewhere underground in the Trade Center.

Hiding behind the black pillar there, watching Stardus, I sighed.

A strange machine is floating next to me.

There was a monitoring machine that looked like a jellyfish, Egosearcher, made by Seo-eun, with me.

‘…But looking at the battle earlier.’

It feels like she was fighting better than the original. Surely there might be a little chance of winning this time.

But that’s that. No, shit. I’m scared to death. It’s full of black liquid monsters everywhere.

As I was actually in the place where I complained about what kind of horror special episode it was in the original, I got a little nervous. 

[Haha! This place feels like home! Before I escaped from the underworld…]

…Of course, unlike me, Death Knight old man was humming with excitement in the ring. Listening to his words, I sighed again.

It’s already been hours since I managed to convince the EgoStream members to come down to this basement.

I came down to this Demon’s Castle as if I were testing my courage alone with an anxious heart, and I kept hiding and looking after in case Stardus would die. 

Well, I think she fights pretty well. In the original comic, she got hurt fighting with Demonz earlier, but she didn’t.

Yeah. Fortunately, maybe at this rate, I don’t think I’ll have to step up!

I thought positively.

At that time.