IRNH C82

Chapter 82

“I didn’t see a single item on the way here. How am I supposed to be sure anything is still there?”

“It will definitely be there. I created that space with my skill.”

“Your skill?”

“…Yes. One of my skills creates a space meant for gathering and storing information. If I bend the rules a little, I can store items inside as well.”

So essentially, something like an inventory or a personal storage. As Samayoon hesitated—probably uncomfortable revealing so much about his skills—Sihyeon listened seriously and nodded.

The world they were stepping on now had changed because of the Gate’s eruption, but items themselves had not vanished. That much was clear from the necklace around Taewoon’s neck or the ring on Hajung’s hand. That meant skills might not have disappeared either. In fact, considering all the sensory constructs Sihyeon had scattered had been destroyed by the Gate’s aftershock, the certainty in Samayoon’s tone implied he had some way of sensing the state of his storage.

“It does seem possible.”

“Exactly!”

“Fine, I’ll think about it.”

At Sihyeon’s somewhat positive response, Samayoon brightened, clenching his fists as he began channeling mana. Unlike earlier, when his power trickled out weakly, he now moved with confidence. It seemed he finally intended to cooperate properly.

Sasak.

Just as their conversation fell quiet, something moved swiftly through the shadows scattered around them. Taewoon stopped mid-step and flicked two chunks of concrete—who knew where he’d pulled them from—straight into the darkness without hesitation. Only Sihyeon would have been able to notice such a fast reaction.

“Screeeech!”

“Damn—what the hell.”

A large red rat with peeled skin shot out. Under the light, its exposed muscle fibers glistened with oozing fluid, reflecting the dim glow. The revolting appearance forced Sihyeon to quickly check the condition of the group.

“…Urk.”

It already looked grotesque, but being half-crushed by Taewoon’s thrown debris made it even worse. Samayoon gagged violently, turning his head as he fought the nausea.

Ah. Of course.

Samayoon wasn’t the only one who would struggle with this.

Sihyeon turned belatedly toward the child.

“Huh… I think… I think I can use that as an ingredient for potions.”

“…What?”

The words were unexpected. The thirteen-year-old, still wearing that blank expression, stared at the rat’s corpse before lifting his head to meet Sihyeon’s eyes.

“Can I take it?”

“……”

Sihyeon was at a loss for words. He nodded awkwardly. Mitchell hurried toward the corpse, reaching out.

Hajung, who had also been stunned, lowered the hand covering her mouth and moved quickly toward him.

“Ah—here, I’ll help.”

“It’s fine.”

Mitchell turned to Hajung, smiled faintly, then looked back at the corpse. Blue light seeped into his hands. The bisected rat shimmered, its form distorting before transforming completely. When the glow faded, only a strange gray mass remained.

Sihyeon had only ever interacted with combat-oriented hunters. Seeing the skill of a production-type hunter was a first. The scene felt undeniably magical, stirring an unexpected curiosity within him.

“Then… the thing you were making earlier—what was it made of?”

“The Soul-Withering Extract? Hmm… animal bones, blood, and some strange gemstone…”

“Never mind. I shouldn’t have asked.”

Bones and blood. A sense of disconnect washed over him. At thirteen he’d been crying over his family—this child was calmly making poison.

“Also, this seems to be a monster. My skill only reacts to monsters.”

Silence fell instantly. Sihyeon had suspected as much, but hearing the confirmation forced him to re-evaluate.

If monsters were present, then Gyumin and Yujun—both hunters—actually had a higher chance of surviving. They weren’t exactly weak, and when facing an external threat, ordinary people usually grouped together. Judging by the monster’s state, there was no immediate deadly danger. If anything, the situation was less worrying than before.

Looking at Samayoon, physically fragile, and Mitchell, still weakened by the curse, Sihyeon made a decision.

“You can navigate us toward your hideout, correct?”

“Of course! Absolutely. It’s just off the path we’re headed on—barely a detour.”

“We’ll head there.”

Plans changed. Since it was on the way, taking a brief moment to retrieve equipment would benefit them in the long run.

“Haah… haah…”

Sihyeon kicked aside the mass of rat corpses, carving out space, then turned to the exhausted Mitchell.

The flayed rats—after that first one—now attacked whenever the slightest opportunity arose.

They weren’t hard to deal with, and Mitchell wasn’t exhausted from fighting them. The real issue was his weakened stamina due to the curse.

“S-Sorry… I’m sorry… haah…”

They’d been moving nonstop. Mitchell had followed without complaint, so Sihyeon assumed he was handling things better than expected. But it seemed the kid had simply been enduring with sheer willpower.

Sihyeon scratched his head.

“Let’s rest for a moment.”

“I think… that’s a good idea…”

He wasn’t the only one secretly struggling. Samayoon quickly agreed and slumped down beside Hajung. He nervously touched the few items and protective marks he still possessed, biting his lower lip.

Items had kept him alive so far, but they were running out. His current gear was for emergencies; it wasn’t meant to be used indefinitely.

Samayoon assessed the state of his remaining protections, swallowing a sigh.

“Master, please rest as well. I’ll scout the area.”

Sihyeon glanced toward Taewoon, offering a strained smile. He felt guilty—Taewoon shouldn’t have been dragged into all this. Seeing him step up to handle the dangerous tasks made it hard to meet his eyes. Sihyeon stared briefly at the blood on Taewoon’s clothes before nodding.

And right then, as if waiting for their guard to drop, an all-too-familiar alert popped up before his eyes.

[Offer a Sacrifice! – This space requires life force to be satisfied. Kill nearby humans and supply life force. (2280/100000)]

[Insufficient supply. Warning will now begin!]

“What is that supposed to mean?”

The life-force count had risen significantly—someone else had died. Sihyeon frowned. Even Hajung, who regularly entered and cleared Gates, tilted her head slightly in confusion.

The answer came shortly thereafter.

Hundreds of signatures erupted around them.

“…This damned thing.”

Sihyeon spat the words out, springing to his feet and unsheathing the makeshift rebar sword. The others moved swiftly into their designated positions.

Sasasasak.

The sound of rats crawling drew rapidly closer.

“Right side!”

Crash!

A red wave burst through the wall—rats, swarming together so densely they formed a flowing mass. Sihyeon cursed under his breath. It wasn’t water; it was a tidal wave of fused vermin.

“Raging Flame.”

Hajung’s low voice rang out from the rear. Fire bloomed at the center of the swarm, consuming the rats before they could reach the party.

Sihyeon revised his assessment of Hajung’s combat capabilities. He’d never seen her fight inside the Gate before. Her abilities were stronger than expected—and her skill resembled ones he’d seen in older games, drawing a faint smile from him.

Sizzle—

He sliced cleanly through the left flank, cutting the rats into two with swift strokes. Unlike Hajung’s fire, Sihyeon’s method created a brutal mess of bodies and blood—but it was fast.

Shattered fragments, blood, and sparks filled the air.

Falling debris shattered the flickering mana-lamp overhead, but Hajung’s flames kept the area illuminated.

“Taewoon, behind you!”

The walls were gone, leaving the alley exposed like an open yard. More entry points. Though Taewoon had already sensed it, Sihyeon shouted instinctively and slashed again.

Taewoon lifted a hand and then brought it down.

Thud.

A rain of rats fell from the ceiling—only to be crushed flat as if by invisible pressure, their bodies squelching loudly.

Even as monsters, they were repulsive enough to turn the stomach.

“Urgh.”

Predictably, sandwiched between Hajung, Sihyeon, and Taewoon, Samayoon—huddled with Mitchell—vomited noisily onto the ground.

Then—

Something moved within the darkened shadow.

Sihyeon continued slicing through rats but immediately thrust his blade downward into a particularly deep shadow near him.

“Skreeee—!”

“Damn it—everyone watch the shadows!”

There was no way the rats were the only threat.

Sihyeon ground his teeth, hacking again at the creature emerging from his own shadow, then activated his Insight.

[Agwi (-) – A creature that rides the shadows, endlessly seeking something to devour.]

It was vaguely humanoid but its skin was cracked like dried bark, body desiccated, limbs abnormally long.

“Corpse rats and Agwi. Fitting names for the way they look.”

A clearer idea of the space’s nature began forming. It required life force. And Hajung’s power might soon become a double-edged sword.

Footnotes

Agwi (아귀) — In Korean folklore, an Agwi is a type of hungry ghost or demon eternally starving, often depicted with distorted, emaciated bodies and insatiable hunger.