"When we first came into the lab, they said it was a research facility for human experiments. But this is just... I don't even know what to say."
"There must've been things so cruel that you can't even put them into words."
Vivienne nodded once and let out a deep sigh.
"Yeah. But it's not just that..."
She paused for a moment, then picked up the report she had set down. Watching her face twist into a grimace again sparked a strong curiosity about what could possibly be written inside.
"The test subjects... It seems they didn't limit themselves to just humans."
"Not just humans, huh... Well, considering the monsters we've encountered so far, they haven't all been humanoid. Are you saying they experimented on animals as well?"
At Shin Sang-Yong's question, Vivienne threw the report to the floor and replied with a look that suggested the idea was utterly absurd.
"If that was all, I wouldn't be reacting like this. The document I read was more like a diary—a report written in diary form by the person who used this room. For a diary, though, it contains quite a lot of detailed information..."
"So, what the hell is written in there that you're dragging it out like this? Just spit it out already!"
As expected, Yun-Jung, impatient as ever, shouted in frustration, her voice sharp with agitation. Vivienne took a deep breath and continued in a calm tone.
"To put it simply, the first floor we're on right now is basically a holding area for failed experiments."
"Failed experiments? That doesn't make sense. Considering people come and go on the first floor, maintaining stability should be a priority. So why would they release uncontrollable failures here?"
At Ha-Yeong's sharp question, Vivienne shrugged her shoulders. Then, realizing who had asked the question, she coughed harshly, almost as if startled. Since Ha-Yeong had joined the group, she had never spoken a word to Vivienne—or even looked her in the eye. It was clear that Ha-Yeong had been deliberately avoiding her. This was the first time she had directly addressed Vivienne, and Vivienne, fully aware of that fact, looked surprised and stumbled over her response.
"Uh, w-well, I don't know that. Unless you were there at the time, it's impossible to understand what those people were thinking. But according to the report I just read, everything we've encountered on the first floor is labeled as a failure. It doesn't mention whether they were originally stored somewhere else or if they ended up here due to some unexpected incident."
"Alright, let's say that's the case for the first floor. What about the second or third floors?"
I asked Vivienne urgently. The failed experiments weren't what mattered right now. What I needed to know was why I had seen that word written in the report. My mind flashed back to my first encounter with demons while operating in Hall Plain during the first life. If something like that were to happen again... A chill ran down my spine.
"I could rant all day about the kinds of experiments they did on humans, but it'd feel like spitting on my own face, so I'll keep my mouth shut. Anyway, the second floor doesn't seem to house failures like the first floor—it's where they keep the ones that showed some level of success. But the important part isn't that…"
Here it comes—the real issue. After a brief pause, Vivienne lowered her voice and continued.
"Among the successful experiments, they selected the top one hundred specimens as sacrifices to summon an ancient demon. That's what the record says. It seems that when their progress slowed down, these bastards even started dabbling in black magic—the kind used by demons, which is known to be the most wicked of all."
"...Demons?"
The others murmured the word as if hearing it for the first time, confusion lacing their voices. But I only let out a low breath through clenched teeth, while at the same time, I noticed Ha-Yeong's face had gone pale. A hundred sacrifices... That was far too many for summoning a mere low-tier demon. Which meant the demon they summoned was beyond that level.
Vivienne, noticing our reactions, spoke again with a cautious tone.
"Yeah, demons. Su-Hyeon, do you know anything about them?"
"...A little. I remember reading about them in the Player Academy's library."
My lips felt dry as I swallowed. In Hall Plain, there existed a realm known as the Demon World. To be exact, you could access it through something called a Portal. The Demon World was home to beings referred to as demons or demonic creatures. Among them, some were considered counterparts to angels—opposite forces of holy beings.
Of course, some demons were just ordinary infernal creatures, while others could be classified as the demonic equivalent of angels. But the odds of encountering the latter were nearly zero. Just like angels, those demons couldn't descend into Hall Plain or directly interfere with this world. The real problem was that even the lesser demons were far from easy to deal with.
Demons created by those who oppose angels—commonly referred to as Mazoku—are incredibly powerful beings. Under certain conditions, these Mazoku can manifest in the Hall Plain. However, they cannot appear with their full power. The stronger the Mazoku, the more their power is restricted when they manifest.
But there is a loophole that allows them to bypass those restrictions—summoning through sacrifices. By offering living beings as vessels, a Mazoku can descend into this world with a greater portion of its power intact. The researchers in this facility sacrificed a hundred extraordinary specimens, ones that had achieved notable success. I couldn't fully grasp what that meant yet, but if it resulted in a demon of Belphegor level or higher, I'd need to prepare myself for the worst.
A sharp pain throbbed in my temples. Just thinking about those infernal creatures lurking deep beneath the earth, waiting for a chance to break through, made my headache. And now, dealing with demons and Mazoku on top of that... The thought alone was exhausting.
I forced myself to clear my mind. For now, the immediate threats were monsters and the ongoing conflicts between players. Large-scale interference from demons or those hellspawn was still a problem for the distant future. Worrying about it now wouldn't change anything.
In a dry voice, I spoke up.
"If they sacrificed a hundred people... just how powerful would that thing be?"
"Mm... One thing's for sure—it's above the lower tier." Vivienne replied with certainty.
Ha-Yeong, her voice trembling, asked, "Then... you're saying it's intermediate-tier?"
"It could be even stronger. Without knowing the quality of the sacrifices, it's impossible to say for sure. But if we're talking about a hundred humans as the baseline... summoning an intermediate-tier demon would be the least of our worries."
Fear flickered across Ha-Yeong's face. Has she encountered a Mazoku before?
I took a step closer to her and lowered my voice.
"Have you faced a Mazoku before?"
Startled by the sudden question, Ha-Yeong looked up with wide eyes. But upon seeing my face, she hesitated briefly, then gave a small nod.
"Yes... I once encountered a low-tier Mazoku by chance."
"And how did you handle it?"
Closing her eyes as if recalling the memory, she paused for a moment before speaking again, her voice quiet and measured.
"I don't remember all the details. The low-tier Mazoku seemed... as if its power was somehow sealed. Plus, a large group of players rushed in and attacked it all at once. We used plenty of holy support magic to weaken it and overwhelmed it through sheer numbers. Even so, I still remember how terrifying its strength was. They're not enemies to be underestimated."
"That said, there's also a report from the southern continent about an intermediate-tier Mazoku appearing," Sang-Yong added. "The surprising part is that a single player managed to defeat it. Mazoku are definitely dangerous, but they're still just one part of Hall Plain's ecosystem. We don't even know this one's exact level yet—there's no need to panic before we know what we're dealing with."
Ah... He must be talking about her from the southern continent.
As Shin Sang-Yong adjusted his glasses and continued where Ha-Yeong left off, a certain blonde female player came to mind.
Well... just part of Hall Plain's ecosystem, huh?
I gave a small nod at the thought, then turned my gaze back to Vivienne.
"Su-Hyeon, don't worry. The only reason I looked so serious was because I despise the act of summoning demons itself—it's not because I'm scared. Whether it's a lower-tier or intermediate-tier Mazoku, I can handle it. Don't underestimate me—Vivienne, the great ancient alchemist and chimera alchemist!"
"Yeah… That's reassuring to hear. Either way, we've gathered some valuable information. Good work."
"Hehe, no problem! I mean, what those guys did in this lab is pretty messed up, but it doesn't have anything to do with us, right? Our goal is just to explore, isn't it?"
"That's right."
As I gave a light nod, Vivienne's voice grew noticeably more cheerful. Somewhere nearby, someone muttered, "Says the one who summons beasts herself..." But that was nonsense. There was a clear difference between summoning contracted, controllable beasts and invoking unpredictable Mazoku.
"So, should we continue our expedition to the second floor?"
At her suggestion, I silently shook my head. The group collectively turned toward me, their faces showing surprise.
"We're stopping the expedition for today. Our initial goal was to clear the first floor, and we've achieved that. It might be a little early, but we'll make camp in this room tonight."
At my firm words, the party members relaxed, understanding my decision as they sat down to rest.
Yeah... Vivienne's right. What was I so afraid of?
I had unconsciously been preparing for the worst-case scenario, but realistically, the chances of something like that happening now were slim.
And even if it did happen, I was confident I could face whatever lay ahead.
With that thought, I raised my hand and summoned the player information window in the air before me.
Name: Kim Su-Hyeon (0th Year)Class: Sword Specialist MasterNation: -Clan: -True Name · Nationality: Master of the Sword · Republic of KoreaGender: Male (24)Height · Weight: 181.5 cm · 75.0 kgAlignment: Lawful · Chaos
(Currently 12 unallocated stat points)
[Strength 94] [Resistance 92] [Agility 98] [Vitality 72] [Magic 96] [Luck 88]
Boss Monster of the Rite of Passage
The Third Eye (Rank: S)
Sword's Heart (Rank: EX)
Close-Quarter Combat (Rank: A +)Last Man Standing (Rank: A +)Mind's Eye (Refined) (Rank: A +)Blessing of the War(Rank: EX)
Compared to my first life, my current strength is beyond comparison.
It wasn't just about increased stats. I possessed multiple unique, special, and potential abilities—powers other players would give anything to have just one of. On top of that, the ancient priestess's tattoo was engraved over my heart, and with my body purified of all impurities, my mana circuits and magic efficiency had improved dramatically.
And then there was Hwajung—the reason I chose this flame attribute stemmed from the Battle of Atlanta. Like the Mazoku, Hell also followed similar summoning rituals. Back then, The Archduke of Hell, known as the Infernal Blaze of Death, had been summoned at the cost of 1,700 forced human sacrifices. I chose Hwajung specifically to counter that duke—
—A flame from the Fire lineage, the only fire capable of standing against the Hellfire.
With that power in my arsenal, even upper-tier Mazoku wouldn't be a problem. I could take them down alone if I had to. I'm strong now. There's no need to keep looking at things from my first-life perspective.
I swallowed and let my gaze darken slightly.
Of course, the best solution would be to prevent the summoning from happening in the first place—but that wasn't something I could control. Exhaling a short sigh, I dismissed the information window with a wave of my hand. The plan was clear: rest tonight, recover from today's fatigue, and clear both the second and third floors tomorrow.
"Oppa, wanna eat? Food, food~!"
"Pig."
"Idiot."
After returning fire with a sharp insult at An-Hyun's teasing, Yun-Jung hopped over and clung to my arm. Nodding slightly, I turned to address the group. Come to think of it, I'd only announced we'd camp here—I hadn't given any orders yet.
Time to get everyone organized.
"Alright, let's get the camp set up. I'll place mana stones around the perimeter to establish a secure zone. Mages, handle the support spells needed for camping. The rest of you, start preparing dinner."
"Oppa, what about the night watch?"
"No exceptions. Everyone takes a shift."
At my response, Yun-Jung slumped her shoulders in disappointment. The others chuckled briefly at her reaction before standing up and moving to follow my orders. As they scattered, someone approached and handed me a backpack. Without a word, I accepted it and reached inside.
I had a feeling I might need to allocate some of my stat points and ability points soon.
Behind me, Yun-Jung was whining, begging to be placed on the last night watch shift. Ignoring her antics, I pulled out a mana stone, its faint blue glow pulsing gently in my hand.
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