Chapter 22: King of Shadow Nightmares, You’re Mine!

The next day, after recovering her condition.

A new message popped up before Edelin’s eyes upon connecting to Continent.

[ The King of Shadow Nightmares Raid has ended. ]

[ The victor is ‘Mage Sua’. ]

[ Some stats have been changed according to Realism Mode. ]

The message window, unseen just before she logged out, briefly caught her interest.

But after reading its contents, she immediately waved her hand to dismiss the window.

Someone else’s raid results.

What did she care?

What mattered was the last message that appeared.

「Special Stat」

[ Nightmare 10 (-10) ▶ Nightmare 10 ]

The result of controlling the Nightmare in reality had affected the game as well.

The penalty on the Nightmare stat had completely vanished.

Edelin focused, attempting to move the Nightmare.

The Nightmare energy squirming within her body manifested faintly at her fingertips.

“It works well.”

Around the time she was checking her body’s condition.

Viewers who had been waiting endlessly with a blank screen open as if camping.

And viewers who flooded in like a tide as soon as they heard Edelin had started her stream.

• ????

• What’s this Nightmare stat now?

• Why is only our streamer playing a different game?

• Wow, starting with a special stat right from Gate 1?

It was natural for the viewers to be astonished.

Special stats in this game were.

Excluding certain specific job classes.

Rare stats obtainable only through extremely serendipitous encounters.

• Well, if it’s our streamer, it’s possible.

• Is this the first or second time something like this happened with our High School Girl-chan?

Perhaps because they had seen so many surprising things so often.

Some viewers just accepted it and were busy teasing the other viewers.

Amidst the chaotic chat window, a new system message appeared.

< Black Sea is hosting you with 2380 viewers! >

• Refugees, welcome~

• Refu-hi Refu-hi~

• Wow, 2380 concurrent viewers!

Black Sea, exhausted from the long Contest Mode, had sent the host to watch the stream while resting.

Edelin’s viewers all welcomed them.

Around the time the buzz from the host settled down.

Another new message popped up.

< Mage Sua is hosting you with 5221 viewers! >

• Refu… hi?

• Nana

• Hih Hih

• Hello

Mage Sua also sent a host to Edelin’s stream.

Having endured a grueling 24-hour raid.

She intended to rest and watch the stream, sharing the same sentiment as Black Sea.

However.

< Sky Penguin is hosting you with 1102 viewers! >

< asd113 is hosting you with 112 viewers! >

.
.
< DontDo is hosting you with 877 viewers! >

An endless flood of hosts!

• Nananananana

• We’ll finish just saying hello, stop the hosts!!

While there were genuine streamers curious about High School Girl-chan’s gameplay.

Most streamers lacked the energy to continue broadcasting due to Contest Mode.

Among the significantly reduced number of active streams, they had decided to drop hosts on the most famous broadcaster, High School Girl-chan.

Thanks to this, a bizarre phenomenon occurred where over 10,000 viewers flocked to the stream the moment it went live.

• High School Girl-chan becoming a major streamer from her third broadcast ㄷㄷ

• The legend is High School Girl-chan having no reaction amidst all this lolllll

• My High School Girl-chan has no such thing as hosting reactions.

With the attention of many streamers focused on her.

Edelin, having finished her check-up, began to act.

What she wanted was information about the Prism Magic Tower.

‘Isn’t there any useful information somewhere?’

Starting with the bookshelf that looked like it might contain information, she rummaged through drawers.

She checked every single document in the room.

But they were merely trivial scraps of paper.

There was a pile of damaged papers, almost as if someone had tampered with the information.

‘The only clue is….’

The corpse of the Tower Master, impaled by a sword.

She searched through the Tower Master’s belongings where items might be kept.

‘This is…?’

She found a carefully folded letter inside his clothes.

…to

… It has been a long time.
… researching … is not a good idea.

Nightmare … for the sake of … is proceeding in our Magic Tower … too dangerous.

Just in case … something that can stop … I sent it together.

Due to its age, some characters were faded and illegible.

But she could roughly tell that research regarding Nightmares had been conducted.

If so, did the Prism Magic Tower fall because the Nightmare research failed?

Only the King of Nightmares held that answer.

“Did you destroy this Magic Tower?”

[ Why should I answer? ]

“If you do not wish to answer, then so be it.
I won’t stop you if you want to live trapped within the sword forever.”

[ …W-Wait ]

Unfortunately, the power dynamic between them was clear.

[ I did not cause this.
This place was already like this when I regained consciousness. ]

“An interesting answer.
You, who filled this place with nightmares while claiming to be the master of Gate 1.
Are saying it wasn’t you?”

[ Is there any reason for me to lie?
I was but a small nightmare.
One day, a voice suddenly came from the sky.
It appointed me as the Gate 1 Keeper. ]

“A voice came from the sky?”

[ That is correct.
After that, an unknown power dominated me.
I was controlled by that unknown voice and merely fulfilled the role of the Gate 1 Keeper. ]

Edelin fell silent for a moment.

Could she truly trust the King’s words?

He was claiming to be a victim himself.

“Fine, you were unjustly controlled.
Then help me.”

[ Why should I!
I am a victim too!
Release me at once!! ]

“And you expect this body to believe that?
If one commits evil deeds, one must naturally perform good deeds to compensate.
If you intend to claim you are good.
Show me the proof.”

The King of Shadow Nightmares fell silent at Edelin’s words.

Due to the racial traits of Shadow Nightmares.
They were a race that could never be good.

A wicked race that favored dark places and lived by possessing others’ bodies being good?

A passing dog would laugh.

Exhausted by his own struggle, the Shadow Nightmare raised the white flag.

[ Understood.
If you promise to release me, I shall assist you. ]

“The contract is formed.”

Edelin had absolutely no intention of releasing him.

The King of Shadow Nightmares inwardly planned to tear humans apart upon release.

An uncomfortable cohabitation began between two beings with entirely conflicting intentions.

• lolololol Thought we were getting into serious world-building lore.

• She just tamed it lol.

• King of Shadow Nightmares! You’re mine!!

• This Nightmare helps for free!

The Shadow Nightmare, suddenly treated like an ego sword by the viewers, would later come to be called Nightmarey.

22-2

Following the path to the exit of Gate 1 reveals two gates.

First, a red gate allowing direct entry into the next gate.

Second, a resting place, like a town or fortress, for preparation before entering Gate 2.

“Hmm….”

Edelin’s unhindered steps halted before them.

[ ◀ Gate 2 ｜ Armel Castle ▶ ]

A crossroads where two gates shimmered with ethereal light.

The fervor of the watching viewers began to intensify.

• Definitely Armel Castle lollll Gate 1 might be okay, but Gate 2 requires preparation.

• Going straight in is 100% chance of death.

• Streamer-nim, you need to relieve your fatigue before going ㅠㅠ

• Going straight to the next gate would be legendary though.

The main stream viewers, anxious that Edelin might choose Gate 2 directly.

“If you’re a man, it’s gotta be Gate 2!”

• So did Black Sea-nim go straight to Gate 2?

• This guy talks like he went lolllllll

• lolllllll The guy who got eliminated immediately in Gate 2 too lolll

• Means High School Girl-chan isn’t a man, so she can go to the town lolll

Black Sea in the relay stream, recommending Gate 2.

“Considering a mage’s personality.
I think she’ll choose Gate 2.”

• Only a mage knows the heart of another mage!

• lolllll For some reason, that statement sounds trustworthy.

• Doesn’t it really seem likely?

Even Mage Sua, meticulously analyzing the situation and presenting her reasoning.

While everyone was predicting her choice.

‘Armel Castle.’

Edelin was contemplating, though it wasn’t much of a dilemma.

‘Was there a Magic Tower in Armel Castle?’

Her sole interest lay in things related to magic.

Thus, whether or not there was a Magic Tower within the town was the most crucial point.

‘According to my memory, there isn’t.’

Edelin, finding even the time to stop by the town to check too precious, decided to trust her memory.

Therefore, the color of the gate she chose was the red gate leading to Gate 2.

• I knew this would happen.

• I, who ordered chicken in advance, am the true winner~

• Prediction successful lolll

Unlike the main stream, which just accepted it.

• lolololol She’s going to her death.

• No, seriously, what guts does she have to go straight to Gate 2?

• Party members where? Where?

The relay streams were in chaos.

[ You have entered Gate 2 ‘Bloody Fortress’. ]

With the sensation of space shifting, a bright light enveloped her.

The first sensation she felt was a horrifyingly thick scent of blood.

Edelin frowned, checking her surroundings amidst the dense, suffocating, metallic air.

Schluck. Schluck.

A bizarre sound reached her ears simultaneously.

A grotesque monster with a human body and a mosquito’s head was sucking on something that used to be human.

A horrifying hybrid monster, leagues apart from the goblins, orcs, and wolves seen in typical fantasy.

Multiple individuals were fighting that single creature.

“Uwaaaah!”

“H-Help me!”

However, even the remaining individuals were not in their right minds.

Steeped in fear, they swung their spears and swords wildly in the air; their attacks had no chance of landing.

The human-shaped mosquito lunged at them in an instant.

“Urgghhh!”

Another person fell before Edelin could even react.

A gruesome battlefield filled with screams and the stench of blood.

In a space where a one-sided massacre was unfolding, Edelin drew her sword and blocked the mosquito’s path.

“!”

The mosquito monster, spotting Edelin, took a step back.

The way it flapped the wings on its back showed it was wary of the new intruder.

Whoooosh!

The highly cautious mosquito monster changed direction and darted away from the spot like an arrow.

Edelin, who was about to pursue the monster.

Remembered there was still a survivor left in that spot.

She judged that gathering information was the priority.

“Th-Thank you.
You saved me.”

“Can you explain what happened?”

“I was under orders, scouting the area… but as you can see, we were ambushed before reaching the rendezvous point.”

The man wore a bitter expression, looking at the destroyed campsite and the corpses of his comrades.

“I apologize for asking this of a stranger, but may I ask a favor?”

“What is it?”

“If you follow this way, there is a garrison where the troops are stationed.
Could you go there, show them this token, and inform them that the enemy will attack tonight?”

Tiring!

=
Q. Recon Soldier’s Request

Recon Soldier ‘Henry’ has acquired information that the enemy will attack soon.

Deliver the information to the commander in his stead.

<<Choose your response>>

1. Accept. ( Leads to Defend the Garrison quest )

2. Refuse. ( Garrison partially destroyed )

3. Attack. ( Quest permanently unavailable )

=

The quest line that officially begins the story of Gate 2.

Edelin readily accepted the recon soldier’s request.

Just then.

“Thank you.
I won’t forget your kindness… Keuk!”

[ Bloody Curse ]

The recon soldier grew more pained as time passed.

Veins bulged on his face.

“Pl.. Please kill me.
Please.. I don’t want to become a monster like them.”

Edelin looked at him with a grave expression.

She thrust her sword, granting him peace.

• This is the horror of Gate 2.

• If you fight mobs carelessly, you become a vampire, it’s a terrible place lolll

• It’s a scary place with no antidote, so you need to get a blessing from the castle, but she didn’t get that either, right?

• Those who haven’t received the prerequisite quest from the temple.
  Shall suffer.

A dreadful place roamed by terrifying vampires that feed on human blood.

Along with the bloody battlefield overwhelmingly advantageous to them.

There was also the ‘Bloody Curse,’ which had a chance of turning you into a vampire upon being hit.

A showcase mandatory trigger demonstrating what Gate 2 was like.

She knew well that this was a game.

But caught in the disparity between rational thought and the emotions she felt directly, she couldn’t help but feel troubled.

“It seems I need to go to the garrison first to understand….”

The direction the recon soldier indicated was full of pools of blood.

A dangerous place where one misstep in the blood-mist could lead to falling straight into a blood pool.

Scattered fragments of broken eggs and bubbling air pockets were visible above the pools here and there.

Based on Edelin’s memory, the ponds signified.

‘It’s likely a spawning pond.’

Falling in would likely carry a high chance of contracting the Bloody Curse contagion.

Having organized her thoughts, Edelin headed towards the garrison.

• But why isn’t the streamer getting infected?

• Explain why she’s fine wandering the field without a blessing.

• I don’t get it…?

The blood scent mixed in the air not only strengthened the monsters.

But also held a curse that turned those exposed to the air for a long time into semi-vampires.

• Maybe she’s blocking her respiratory system with mana?

• If it’s High School Girl-chan, maybe?

• Then how does she breathe lollll

The viewers clamored, unable to understand.

Yeeun, watching the stream, was also curious, so she checked her brother’s status window.

• Manager: A piece of info for all you curious folks~

• Manager: The special stat, Nightmare, has the function of absorbing energy and making it her own.

• ????

• What the fck

• Isn’t that totally broken lolololol

• The snowball from Gate 1 rolls all the way to Gate 2?

There was nothing ordinary about Edelin.