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HELHEIM SCANS
[Translator - Hestia]
[Proofreader - Kaya]
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Chapter 37
I looked at the nameless swordsman.
The nameless swordsman also looked at me.
An awkward silence passed.
It felt like how bandits would feel if they ran into each other.
I spoke first.
"It seems like no items dropped just now, so I'll consider the monster I was trying to catch as yours."
The fewer variables, the better.
I wanted to send them away quickly.
"It's awkward to be facing each other for so long in a place like this, shall we go our separate ways?"
The nameless swordsman glanced at my right hand, which was hidden behind my back.
They replied in a low voice.
"...Yes. It seems like you were preparing an attack skill, thank you for stopping in time. I was careless."
We awkwardly nodded a few times.
And we passed each other and walked back into the fog.
【"That was someone who knows how to handle a sword. You did well to avoid them."】
"Yes. They were. They didn't show a single opening."
Their footsteps that moved in a semicircle, their longsword that seemed to hang loosely but was ready to strike at any moment, and most importantly, their eyes that were constantly watching me.
It was evidence of a skilled Hunter.
【"Weren't you curious who they were? Why didn't you use 'Insight'?"】
"I would have used it in the past. Back then, I was confident I wouldn't be detected by even most S-ranks. But if I used it in my current state, that person would definitely get a notification."
And in the Awakened society, using Insight on someone out of the blue meant you were challenging them to a fight.
"I don't think I can win if I fight now."
That swordsman was a strong opponent that I couldn't guarantee victory against in my current state.
They were also disguising their Halo with the 'Ghost Princess's Handkerchief', just like me.
Disguising one's Halo meant they had a specific Halo worth hiding.
In other words, they were a Ranker who had contracted with a Constellation.
"I'm already not feeling well, why push myself? Let's just drop the handkerchief and go back."
【"You're finally starting to take care of yourself."】
【Your Constellation 'Sunny' is very pleased.】
I walked into the foggy forest.
For the next two hours, I hunted five Dullahans, three Ghost Knights, and countless ghosts.
My mana increased by about 5, I acquired a few more Ghost Knight longswords, and the 'Dullahan's Gaze' skill stacked a few times.
But the 'Ghost Princess's Handkerchief' did not drop.
"It seems like only high-ranking monsters have it."
【"Am I thinking what you're thinking?"】
"Yes."
【"Please, let's not do that."】
"Your predictions are all correct, even the ones I wouldn't listen to."
I walked towards the lake.
It seemed like I had to raid the Ghost Princess's castle.
I would have to get the handkerchief directly from the Ghost Princess.
And in front of the drawbridge leading to the castle gate.
"We meet again?"
"Huh?"
I encountered that swordsman again.
My Constellation sighed.
【"At this point, isn't that guy also a Regressor trying to kill you? Let's just use Law of Light right away."】
【"Whether you take the handkerchief from the Ghost Princess, or... receive it, or get it from that swordsman, it's all the same, isn't it?"】
I inwardly disagreed.
That swordsman also seemed to have come because their handkerchief was wearing out.
Setting aside the morality of attacking someone to take their belongings, there was no reason to do so.
This time, the swordsman spoke first.
"It seems we have to go to the Ghost Princess."
Their voice was low and awkward.
"Indeed."
"Would you like to go together? I'm a bit hesitant to go alone."
I also awkwardly asked a question.
"May I ask your class?"
"Swordmaster."
"Pyromancer."
"You have the better synergy, so I'll give you priority on loot."
"In that case, thank you."
I readily nodded.
I was hesitant to break through alone due to the aftereffects.
They were even willing to give up priority on artifact drops, so there was no reason not to go together.
My Constellation warned me.
【"What if they betray you? As a Swordmaster, they'll have the advantage in close combat. They might lull you into a false sense of security and then backstab you."】
Of course, I had a plan.
I muttered quietly, so they couldn't hear.
"Am I just any ordinary Pyromancer? I have the Raging Fire Dragon Blade in my inventory, so I won't lose easily. Also, if I use the combination of Flame Arrow and Descent, I can escape instantly."
The swordsman spoke.
"Shall we go?"
"Let's."
We, who had passed each other in our first encounter, crossed the drawbridge side-by-side in our second meeting.
Still awkwardly.
* * *
"---, ---!"
A horde of Ghost Knights and Dullahans swarmed in.
The Swordmaster let out a rough breath.
"There are more enemies than I thought."
I first checked to see if the Swordmaster showed any signs of throwing me to the Ghost Knights and running away.
They didn't.
I was conscious of the mirror inside the ring in my inventory.
"Once we meet the Princess, I can solve it with my artifact."
The Swordmaster drew upon their demonic energy.
"Then let's push ourselves a bit further."
Fwhoooosh!
A chilling green demonic energy rose and spread widely, and the Dullahans blocking the passage fell silent all at once.
I squeezed between the Dullahans and leaped into the air.
I dodged a Ghost Knight charging from outside the window, kicked away a Ghost Knight climbing up from the stairs below, and fired a Replicate Wave at the Ghost Knight in front of me.
Clang!
A red wave shot out in a fan shape, heating the air, and the Ghost Knight was flung away like a discarded toy.
"Now!"
"Yes!"
We left the remaining Ghost Knights behind and dashed towards the Ghost Princess's audience chamber.
Our eyes, glancing back to check if the other was running away, met in mid-air.
Embarrassingly.
"......"
The remaining corridor was only about 50 meters long.
For Awakened like us, it was a distance that could be covered in an instant.
But no matter how much we ran, the distance to the door ahead didn't seem to close.
Creak!
The castle walls spewed green fog and produced new bricks.
The corridor was lengthening endlessly.
Aitel's notification window appeared in my vision.
【Infinite Staircase Spell】
【The endless staircase is...】
We didn't even finish reading it before using our skills.
"Lion's Soul-Seeking Sword!"
"Incineration Ray!"
Green demonic energy and a white ray carved into the floor.
Mana sparks flew from within the castle floor, and a loud explosion erupted.
Crackle!
The corridor, which had been moving like a moving walkway, stopped, and we rushed into the Ghost Princess's audience chamber.
Bang!
"The bolt!"
"Right here!"
After closing the massive door and bolting it, I looked ahead.
"......"
A brief silence followed.
This time, it wasn't awkward.
Even now, when it was overrun by ghosts, the audience chamber was beautiful enough to evoke its past glory.
The jewel mosaics on the floor, the pillars carved with heroes and kings, the dust drifting in the frozen air...
And the soft light pouring in from the stained glass that filled the space behind the throne.
I realized that even within this horrifying Gate, such beauty could be hidden.
But in the end, this place was a den of man-eating ghosts.
I stepped towards the throne first.
"Ghost Princess?"
A ghost wearing a gray veil sat there.
Unlike the ghosts outside, her form was distinct, and demonic energy wasn't burning wildly around her.
A notification window popped up.
【Ghost Princess (B+)】
【She has resided here for a very long time.】
The Ghost Princess slowly raised her head.
Green light flickered from her normal two eyes and the third eye on her forehead.
Tzzzzt.
We exchanged glances.
I asked first.
"Are you going to kill her right away?"
The Swordmaster nodded.
"I don't want to just let the Hunters responsible for clearing this dungeon have all the fun... but yes, we have to. We've come this far, and the handkerchief hasn't dropped, so we have no choice. We can't run away now either."
"Should we try asking her for it?"
"It won't work in a Gate. Everything here is already messed up."
I inwardly upgraded my assessment of the Swordmaster once again.
They knew what they were talking about.
My Constellation spoke in my mind.
【"They're definitely quite skilled."】
【"And your eyes that recognized that are also amazing."】
【Your Constellation 'Sunny' grants 'Insight' to your 'Appraisal' skill.】
【"It's a gift."】
I couldn't be more grateful.
Thrilled with a surge of satisfaction, I looked at the Ghost Princess again.
"You!"
The Ghost Princess pointed a bony finger at me.
"Why did you abandon us! Why, why did you leave us to become like this? Why!"
Her trembling hand hinted at some untold story.
She abruptly stood up from the throne.
"Betrayer, betrayer, betrayer, betrayer!"
She looked up at the ceiling and screamed.
["Kyaaaaaaaaak—!"]
The entire audience chamber echoed with a deafening sound.
【Ghostly Wail】
【Status Effects: Confusion, Fear, Intimidation, Reduced Sanity, Impaired Judgment, Reduced Accuracy...】
Thump!
We both leaped back simultaneously.
【"How dare you."】
【Your Constellation 'Sunny' has effectively defended against a series of status effects!】
I briefly saw the white halo above the Swordmaster's head flicker green before returning to normal.
It seemed their Constellation had also blocked the status effects.
Mine probably flashed red in the same way.
We made eye contact and laughed awkwardly.
"Let's finish this quickly. I'm going crazy from the awkwardness right now."
"Yes."
And we each raised our flames and longsword, splitting to the left and right.
Thump!
The Ghost Princess, who had stopped her Ghostly Wail, raised both hands.
Saaaaaaa—!
A green energy surged forth.
The entire audience chamber trembled.
Gaps appeared between the bricks, and fog seeped into the chamber.
【Warning! Warning! Warning!】
【The opponent's power level is rapidly increasing!】
Aitel's alarm blared loudly.
The Ghost Princess opened her third eye wide.
Countless hands rose from the stone floor.
"-----!"
"---, ---!"
A thousand? Ten thousand? Countless hands grabbed our ankles, trying to drag us down into the stone floor.
As expected, it was a control-type ability.
This entire Gate was the Princess's limb.
We had to separate her from it.
I channeled mana into the ring in my inventory and shouted.
"Swordmaster!"
"Yes!"
"Are you confident you can win a one-on-one fight against that ghost?"
"Yes."
A confident answer came back.
They were definitely a Ranker chosen by a Constellation.
"Understood."
I took out an artifact from the ring in my inventory.
【Mirror Reflecting the World (Legendary → Heroic)】
It was a mirror that was originally a bit larger, but had been reduced to the size of a hand mirror due to a debuff.
I channeled mana into the artifact.
From what I had tried at home, this mirror was optimized for dealing with control-type monsters like this.
【The mirror reflects the world.】
【Copying...】
【Materializing...】
Aitel's notifications appeared in my vision.
The scene of the audience chamber was reflected all around the mirror.
["No one escapes!"]
The Ghost Princess swung her hand.
The green hands rising from the floor doubled in size.
It was as if countless sea cucumbers or anemones were wriggling.
The five fingers at the end of each hand were incredibly grotesque.
"Pyromancer! How long do we have to hold out?"
The Swordmaster shouted while cutting down a few hands.
"Almost done!"
I replied, keeping my eyes on the "Materializing..." notification.
The Ghost Princess yelled.
["I said no one escapes!"]
A giant hand rose from the center of the audience chamber.
Rumble!
It seemed to be over 10 meters tall.
The giant hand fell, as if trying to crush the Swordmaster.
Crash!
Just before the hand could crush the Swordmaster's fedora.
【Materialization complete】
["What?"]
All the hands that had filled the audience chamber disappeared at once.
Fizzle!
The third eye embedded in the Ghost Princess's forehead also closed shut.
In an instant, the audience chamber returned to its tranquil and quiet state from a few minutes ago.
One thing had changed.
No color could be seen in the stained glass.
["Wh-what's going on?"]
The Ghost Princess was flustered.
The Swordmaster also looked at me in surprise.
"How did you do that?"
I put the Mirror Reflecting the World back in my pocket.
"It's a kind of mirror world. I cut off the connection between that monster and the dungeon."
The Ghost Princess tried to force open the eye on her forehead with both hands, but it remained firmly shut.
The Swordmaster stepped forward lightly, twirling their longsword.
Somehow, the movement was similar to Ryu Haneul's.
"Then leave the rest to me."
* * *
As expected, the Swordmaster was an outstanding Hunter.
The Ghost Princess vomited up all the souls she had consumed and struggled fiercely, but the Swordmaster ultimately pierced her third eye and defeated her.
The following artifacts dropped:
【Ghost Princess's Throne (Heroic)】
【Ghost Princess's Tiara (Heroic)】
The Swordmaster said.
"There's no handkerchief."
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HELHEIM SCANS
[Translator - Hestia
[Proofreader - Kaya]
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