Report
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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 looked at me.
An awkward silence followed.
It probably felt like this when two robbers bumped into each other.
I spoke first.
"It seems like no item dropped just now, so I'll consider it as me yielding the monster I was about to hunt."
The fewer variables, the better.
I wanted to send her away somewhere quickly.
"It's awkward to keep facing each other in a place like this, so shall we go our separate ways?"
The nameless swordsman glanced at my right hand, which was hidden behind my back.
She replied in a low, modulated voice—
"...Yes. It seemed like you were preparing an attack skill, so thank you for stopping in time. I was careless."
We awkwardly nodded a few times.
And then, passing each other, we continued walking into the fog.
【"She was quite the swordsman. You did well to avoid her."】
"Yes, she was. She didn't show a single opening."
Her footsteps, moving in a semicircle, the longsword hanging loosely at her side yet ready to strike at any moment, and most importantly, her eyes that constantly watched me.
They were all evidence of a skilled Hunter.
【"Weren't you curious about who she was? Why didn't you use 'Appraisal'?"】
"If it were before, I would have used it. Back then, I was confident I wouldn't be detected even by most S-Ranks. But if I used it in my current state, she would definitely get a notification."
And in the Awakened society, using Appraisal on someone out of the blue was basically a declaration of a duel.
"I don't think I can win if we fight now."
That swordsman was someone I couldn't guarantee victory against in my current state.
She was also concealing her halo with the 'Ghost Princess's Handkerchief,' just like me.
Hiding one's halo meant it was a halo worth hiding.
In other words, she was a Ranker who had contracted with a Constellation.
"There's no need to push myself when I'm not feeling well. Let's just get 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 5 Dullahans, 3 Ghost Knights, and countless other 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' didn't drop.
"It seems only high-ranking monsters have it."
【"Am I thinking what you're thinking?"】
"Yes."
【"Please, let's not do that."】
"Your predictions are always right, my Constellation. Even the ones I wish you weren't."
I walked towards the lake.
It seemed I had to raid the Ghost Princess's Castle itself.
I had 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 the swordsman from earlier again.
My Constellation sighed.
【"At this rate, isn't she also a Regressor trying to kill you? Let's just use Law of Light right now."】
【"Whether you take the handkerchief from the Ghost Princess or receive it from this swordsman, it's the same, isn't it?"】
I inwardly disagreed.
It seemed like this swordsman had also come because her handkerchief was wearing out.
Setting aside the morality of attacking someone to steal their belongings, there was no reason to do that.
This time, the swordsman spoke first.
"It seems we need to go to the Ghost Princess."
Her voice was low and awkward.
"Indeed."
"Shall we go together? I'm a bit hesitant to go alone."
I also awkwardly asked a question.
"May I ask your class?"
"Ghost Swordsman."
"I'm a Pyromancer."
"Since your synergy is better, I'll give you priority on loot."
"In that case, thank you."
I readily nodded.
I was hesitant to clear this alone due to the aftereffects of the summoning.
And she was even offering me priority on loot, so there was no reason not to go together.
My Constellation warned me.
【"What if she betrays you? As a Ghost Swordsman, she'll have an advantage in close combat. She might lull you into a false sense of security and then stab you in the back."】
Of course, I had a plan.
I muttered softly, just loud enough for myself to hear.
"Am I just any Pyromancer? With the Fire Dragon Sword in my inventory, I won't lose easily. And I can always escape instantly with the Flame Arrow and Descent combo."
The swordsman spoke up.
"Shall we go?"
"Yep."
We, who had passed each other in our first encounter, now crossed the drawbridge side-by-side in our second meeting.
Still awkwardly.
* * *
"---, ---!"
Ghost knights and Dullahans swarmed in.
The Ghost Swordsman let out a ragged breath.
"There are more enemies than I expected."
I first checked to see if the Ghost Swordsman showed any signs of throwing me to the Ghost Knights and running away.
She didn't.
I thought of the mirror in my inventory.
"Once we meet the Ghost Princess, I can resolve this with my artifact."
The Ghost Swordsman channeled her sinister energy.
"Then let's push ourselves a bit further."
Whoosh!
Green sinister energy rose eerily and spread wide, silencing the Dullahans guarding the passage.
I squeezed through the Dullahans and leaped forward.
I dodged a Ghost Knight charging from the side, kicked away another one coming up the stairs, and fired Resonance Wave at the Ghost Knight in front of me.
Ziiing!
The red wave, heating the air, shot out in a fan shape, 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 met in mid-air as we glanced back to make sure the other wasn't running away.
How embarrassing.
"...."
The remaining corridor was only about 50 meters long.
For Awakened like us, it was a distance we could cover in an instant.
But no matter how much we ran, the distance to the door ahead didn't seem to shorten.
Rumble!
The castle walls spewed green fog, generating new bricks.
The corridor was lengthening endlessly.
An Aitel notification window appeared in my vision.
【Infinite Staircase Spell】
【The endless staircase is...】
We didn't even finish reading it and immediately used our skills.
"Lion's Soul-Seeking Sword!"
"Incineration Ray!"
Green sinister energy and a white heat ray pierced the floor.
Mana sparks flew from within the castle floor, and a loud explosion erupted.
BOOM!
The corridor, which had been moving like a walkway, stopped, and we rushed into the Ghost Princess's audience chamber.
Thud!
"Bolt it!"
"Right here!"
After closing the massive door and bolting it shut, I looked ahead.
"...."
A moment of silence passed.
This time, it wasn't awkward.
Even now, when it was overrun by ghosts, the audience chamber was beautiful enough to evoke its former glory.
The jewel mosaics on the floor, the pillars carved with heroes and kings, the dust floating in the stagnant air...
And the soft light pouring in from the stained glass that filled the wall behind the throne.
I realized that even within a terrifying Gate, such beauty could be hidden.
But in the end, this was a den of man-eating ghosts.
I walked towards the throne first.
"Ghost Princess?"
A ghost wearing a gray veil sat there.
Unlike the other ghosts outside, her form was distinct, and sinister energy wasn't swirling around her madly.
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 in her normal-looking eyes and the third eye on her forehead.
Tzzzzt.
We exchanged glances.
I asked first.
"Are you going to kill her right away?"
The Ghost Swordsman nodded.
"I don't want to give only the Hunters responsible for clearing this dungeon an easy time... but yes, we have to. We've come this far, and the handkerchief hasn't dropped, so it seems inevitable. 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 twisted and corrupted."
I inwardly raised my assessment of the Ghost Swordsman once again.
She understood the situation well.
My Constellation spoke in my mind.
【"She's quite capable, isn't he?"】
【"And your eye for recognizing that is impressive too."】
【Your Constellation 'Sunny' grants 'Insight' to your 'Appraisal' skill.】
【"Consider it a gift."】
I couldn't be more grateful.
Thrilled by the overflowing sense of fulfillment, 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 the story behind her words.
She abruptly stood up from her throne.
"Traitor, Traitor, Traitor, Traitor!"
She screamed towards the ceiling.
["Kyaaaaaaaaaaaak—!"]
The entire audience chamber resonated with her scream.
【Ghostly Wail】
【Status Effects: Confusion, Fear, Intimidation, Reduced Sanity, Impaired Judgment, Decreased Accuracy...】
Thump!
We both leaped back simultaneously.
【"How dare you..."】
【Your Constellation 'Sunny' has effectively blocked the series of status effects!】
I caught a glimpse of the white, ring-shaped halo above the Ghost Swordsman flickering green before returning to normal.
It seemed her Constellation had also blocked the status effects for her.
Mine probably flashed red in the same way.
We exchanged glances and smiled awkwardly.
"Let's finish this quickly. This awkwardness is killing me."
"Yes."
And with that, we each raised our flames and sword, splitting off to the left and right.
Thump!
The Ghost Princess, her wailing ceased, raised both hands.
Swoosh!
Green energy surged forth.
The entire audience chamber trembled.
The gaps between the bricks widened, and fog seeped into the chamber.
【Warning! Warning! Warning!】
【The opponent's power level is rapidly increasing!】
The Aitel alarm blared loudly.
The Ghost Princess opened her third eye wide.
Countless hands emerged 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 her limb.
We had to separate her from it.
I channeled mana into my Ring of Gap and shouted—
"Ghost Swordsman!"
"Yes!"
"Are you confident you can win a one-on-one fight against that ghost?"
"Yes."
A confident answer came back.
She was definitely a Ranker chosen by a Constellation.
"Alright."
I took out an artifact from my inventory.
【World-Reflecting Mirror (Legendary → Heroic)】
It was a mirror that was originally much larger but had shrunk to the size of a hand mirror due to the debuff.
I channeled mana into the artifact.
From what I had tested at home, this mirror was optimized for dealing with control-type mobs like this.
【The mirror reflects the world.】
【Copying...】
【Materializing...】
Aitel notifications appeared in my vision.
The scene of the audience chamber was reflected all around in the mirrors.
["No one escapes!"]
The Ghost Princess waved her hand.
The green hands rising from the floor doubled in size.
It looked like 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 Ghost Swordsman shouted while cutting down several hands.
"Almost done!"
I answered, keeping my eyes on the notification that said "Materializing."
The Ghost Princess shouted.
["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 descended as if to crush the Ghost Swordsman.
Slam!
Just before the hand could squash the Ghost Swordsman's fedora...
【Materialization complete.】
["What?"]
All the hands that had filled the audience chamber disappeared at once.
Fizzle!
The third eye on the Ghost Princess's forehead also closed shut.
In an instant, the audience chamber returned to its tranquil state from a few minutes ago.
The only difference was that the stained glass no longer showed any color.
["Wh-What's happening?"]
The Ghost Princess was bewildered.
The Ghost Swordsman also looked at me in surprise.
"How did you do that?"
I put the World-Reflecting Mirror back into my inventory.
"It's a kind of mirror world. I severed the connection between the monster and the dungeon."
The Ghost Princess tried to force open her third eye with both hands, but it wouldn't budge.
The Ghost Swordsman stepped forward gracefully, twirling her longsword.
The movement was somehow similar to Ryu Haneul's.
"Then please leave the rest to me."
* * *
As expected, the Ghost Swordsman was an exceptional Hunter.
The Ghost Princess vomited all the souls she had consumed and struggled fiercely, but the Ghost Swordsman ultimately pierced her third eye and defeated her.
The following artifacts were dropped:
【Ghost Princess's Scepter (Heroic)】
【Ghost Princess's Tiara (Heroic)】
The Ghost Swordsman said—
"There's no handkerchief."
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HELHEIM SCANS
[Translator - Hestia
[Proofreader - Kaya]
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