CH 183

I haven’t hated horror movies since I was young.

Of course, I was a little surprised when a ghost suddenly popped out, but I didn’t tremble.

Especially, when I watched a horror movie, it was more fun to be surprised by the people around me than the movie. Last time, we all turned off the lights in the living room at night, and Seo-eun jumping almost to the ceiling in surprise was even funnier than watching the movie.

Anyway, the bottom line is that I don’t get scared by watching a horror movie. On top of that, walking in the midst of monsters in the basement of the last HanEun group, my mental got a lot more tougher.

And now that I think about it, I think it’s a relief.

Why?

This is just like a horror movie set…

A dark underground.

In the middle of some sticky black jelly-like thing sticking all over the walls, I was standing alone.

No, I’m not alone, to be exact.

“….”

With this jellyfish-like machine that floats in the air next to me.

If you’re going to go under this dangerous devilish castle, Seo-eun asked me to take it’s Seo-eun’s request… It is a robot that came with anti-threatening people who seem to cry if they don’t take the fruit.

The point here is that the camera is installed so that our EgoStream members can see the situation in real time…? Of course, she said that there was some weapon installed that could be used for self-defense, but I don’t know.

…For your information, it wasn’t really easy to get here.

I’m not fully recovered yet, so everyone is worried about where I’m going and if I’m going alone and get hurt again. 

Of course, their worries somehow went to a strange direction as they wanted to lock me up inside the house, so I had no choice but to persuade them in a hurry. I mean, I was going to kill that villain first in the first place, but I don’t even know his weakness.

Of course, I understand that they’re worried about this devil’s castle as it has a horrifying visual that looks like the game’s final boss is going to come out, but… 

Especially, Soobin and Seo-eun was worried like I was going to go into a tiger cave alone or something. Well, even Eun-wol and Ha-yul, who always smiled and nodded at my words, opposed it…

Still, after persuading them several times, they managed to let me go. On the condition that I had to take the old man Desik, Behemoth, and this jellyfish robot with me.

“Well… So, where am I?”

[Da-in, take the right turn first.]

“Really?”

That’s how I ended up walking under this Devil’s Castle.

…The floor is sticky and dark, I don’t like it a bit. No, it’s not like it’s scary… but still.

[…Wait, Da-in. Why does it look like a ghost will jump out? It’s scary even on the screen.]

Looking around, Seo-eun’s words are heard from her jellyfish robot.

No, Seo-eun. Ghosts don’t come out. Demonz come out.

Well, they are just called “Demonz”, they are actually biological tissues.

I slowly went inside with that thought in mind.

After crossing the bizarrely twisted terrain, I was finally able to find Stardus.

“…..”

Well, you’re still safe.

So after seeing Stardus in person, I was able to take a sigh of relief. Sigh. I can’t stay still because I’m nervous just thinking about the dozens of times she’s just been on the verge of dying here in the comic. I feel much better to see her with my own eyes.

So I hid myself and went up to the second floor.

And as the original story goes, Demonz appeared on the first floor.

Soon Stardus arrives a little after.

Finally, the battle broke out for the first time.

“…Hmm.”

Thanks to the hole in the middle, I was able to watch the whole scene.

Such a fierce battle for a few minutes ended with Stardus’ victory. 

She’s quietly dusting off herself.

Watching Stardus fight much better than the original, I finally somehow feel relieved. Yeah, at this point, I bet she will safely go through everything before the final boss. 

And to think of it, one thing came to my mind.

“….”

Well, there’s no point for me to come here then?

Come to think of it, I think it was a little exaggerating for me to rush all the way here. I’m sure Stardus will do well on her own.

My rationality came back after I calmed down.

Well, I guess I went a little overboard after the anxiety disappeared. I thought Stardus might get hurt all of a sudden, so I came here with a sudden.

…Shall I go back?

No matter how much I look at it, I think I was overprotective. Stardus would do a great job.

[Da-in? What are you doing standing still?]

After thinking for a while, I decided.

Yeah. But I don’t know what’s going to happen to Stardus, so I’ll have to check. It’s no use regretting it after it happens. I’ll prepare it in advance.

…if you think of it, there’s nothing better than the current solution.

With that in mind, I took the opposite way from where Stardus was headed.

[Huh? Where are you going?]

The jellyfish robot followed my sudden U-turn.

There was a happening in which Seo-eun was relieved as she kept asking if I finally decided to come home as I looked like I was heading home, she said that I did well, but I had to explain to her that I wasn’t and hurriedly solve the misunderstanding… I was a little grumpy, though.

So I walked up the way I had come again. And stepping on those sticky black liquid monsters.

…Gosh. What’s the point of having teleportation? I don’t usually use it well because I have to save it up.

Crossing the empty cultural center devoured by the dark fluid, I took the escalator up.

Hmm. This makes me feel like I’m in the Apocalypse World. It’s a department store without a single person… It’s like a zombie movie.

Having such a silly thought, I soon turned around and chuckled… Obviously, power inflation is really tripe. What the hell is it already? It seems like only yesterday that kids like Monkey Spanner used to run wild, but there are already so many strong ones coming out. As expected.

…But I’m glad every one of them still got their weaknesses, gosh.

With that thought, I returned to the first floor, with my cape flying. Well, now some sunlight through the blackened windows. Yeah, it was too dark earlier.

There’s only one reason I’m back on the first floor.

Now that I’ve seen Stardus doing fine with my own eyes, I can continue observing her at the control center.

Compared to the dreary, protruding basement, the ground floor feels empty. It looks like nothing is here.

Actually, this is a trap.

There’s a control center hidden here.

Walking somewhere in the corner of the ground floor with that thought, I finally found a door that looked as if nothing was missing but seemed faint when I looked closely.

Yeah, here it is.

“Come here!”

I shouted and just kicked the door open.

-Creeek?

Then I could see some strange-looking monsters.

Unlike the devil-like things that Stardus was fighting earlier, this time, there were some golem-like black creatures here.

-Creeeeeek!

As they saw me, they soon rushed at me.

“Holy Punch!”

-Arrghhhhhhhh?

As I swung the Holly-Cross in my arms that was prepared in advance, all of them just melted away.

Phew. The end!

It’s easy, isn’t it?

[…It’s fascinating to see them again. Da-in, what’s the principle of those things?]

“Hmm… A product of science and magic?”

Now that there is no Stardus nearby, I, who spoke comfortably and loudly, searched around and found a chair to sit on.

After wiping the strange black fluid, I feel alive as I sit down.

My Holy-Cross is next to the chair.

In the original comic, the mission finally failed, and Demonz hid in the ecosystem as several were scattered on the market, so they were only caught once a weapon was developed over time.

Of course, I know the principle at some point, so it is a weapon that I went back to the woman who put magic on my diary called Vine Witch in the things I prepared in advance.

Well, it doesn’t have to be a cross, but there’s a vibe to it…

Anyway, there’s only one reason I came in here.

Because this is the control center of this devil’s castle.

And as evidenced by what I said, there were numerous monitors attached in front of me. The video quality is a bit bad… Anyway, I can see all the eroded spaces below with things similar to CCTV.

For your information, this is not what it used to be. It was newly created by a guy named Demonz, who caused all this. It’s left unattended now.

“…He’s kind of a talented bastard.”

I muttered that without realizing it.

Demonz. This guy showed the best impact before the last Wolgwanggyo attack that will happen. He’s a man who has prepared all this shit for the purpose of bringing down hell to this world. Unlike other villains who used their abilities, he’s a smart guy.

For your information, he’s now gathering strength in the deepest part of this place, locked in a seal of his own.

And maybe the day he’s released will be the day hell would fall in Korea, but…

“Well, he failed in the comic anyway.”

Yeah, even in the original, he failed to revive. It was half revived, to be exact, but Stardus and the Association managed to stop it with all their might. Of course, some Demonz were released, but isn’t it okay because they prevented Korea from collapsing?

I leaned my back against the backrest with that thought.

And when I looked for and touched the control panel hidden somewhere, I saw Stardus, who seemed to be walking in the hallway.

[…Hmm, this is good. If you just stay here, you won’t be in danger for no reason]

“Right?”

When Seo-eun’s reassured words, I nodded. Right, I can observe from here and rush down if something happens. And anyway.

‘It’s Stardus’ first day, I will go back once she comes half way down.’

Yes. This event is a big event that takes about a week. Stardus are also very conservative, not knowing what’s ahead. She’ll get tired of the constant fighting.

That means she’ll probably be back in a few hours. So I should be there by then.

That’s how I felt at ease.

After a few hours like that. 

“Wait… Why does she keep going?”

I muttered in shock as I saw Stardus constantly descending on the screen.

No, she’s had a lot of battles since earlier, so she should slowly rearrange. How far is she planning to go down?

I began to feel uneasy.

Tsk. Should we go with plan C?

[Da-in… What are you thinking about? Why do you have that expression…?]

Seo-eun just muttered after seeing me like that.