On the screen, the Vice Director Anomaly began to slowly approach Ms. Han Seo-yeon.
[“Next surgery… will begin…”]
With a mangled voice, the surgical tools in the Anomaly’s hands gleamed ominously. Ms. Han Seo-yeon quickly pulled several talismans from her bag.
[“I’ll try exactly as I’ve prepared!”]
As she first threw a purification talisman into the air, it flew toward the Anomaly, emitting a blue light.
*Clang!*
However, the Vice Director Anomaly threw a surgical tool and batted the talisman away. The talisman fell to the floor, its light extinguished.
[“This won’t be enough. Next is…”]
Without giving up, Ms. Han Seo-yeon took a small bottle containing holy water I had sent her from her bag and splashed it at the Anomaly.
*Sizzle!*
Smoke rose from where the holy water touched, but the Vice Director Anomaly only paused for a moment before continuing to approach.
[“The holy water’s effect is minimal. It’s a powerful Anomaly, but the effects seem to vary by type. As I expected, conventional methods won’t work.”]
Tension was evident in Ms. Han Seo-yeon’s voice. The Mental Contamination gauge displayed in the upper right corner of the screen was slowly rising.
[Mental Contamination: 32% → 38%]
“Will she be okay?” Aria asked in an anxious voice.
“Ms. Han Seo-yeon prepared a lot, so it’ll be fine.”
I answered like that, but in truth, I was also anxious. On the screen, Ms. Han Seo-yeon began rummaging through her bag again, pulling out other tools.
[“There’s still a way. I’ll try creating a barrier with the White Light Salt I got from the village!”]
Ms. Han Seo-yeon took white salt from her pocket and began to draw a circle around the Anomaly. But there was no way the Vice Director Anomaly would just stand by and watch.
*Clang!*
The Anomaly swung a surgical tool, scattering the salt barrier she was drawing. Ms. Han Seo-yeon quickly backed away.
[“I expected this much resistance.”]
Having distanced herself, Ms. Han Seo-yeon threw two talismans at the same time. They looked much more elaborate than the ones she had pulled out first.
[“One is a sealing talisman, and the other is a binding talisman. I obtained them with great difficulty.”]
The binding talisman bound the Anomaly’s feet, and taking advantage of that moment, Ms. Han Seo-yeon stepped forward and stuck the sealing talisman onto the Anomaly’s forehead.
“She’s brave to get that close.”
“She really is.”
[“Good! I stopped its movement, even if only for a moment!”]
However, the Anomaly began to break through the binding with powerful force. It certainly felt like the final boss of this incident.
*Cr-crackle… Snap…*
[“It won’t hold for long. Now’s the chance!”]
Ms. Han Seo-yeon began placing the victim list and the candlestick she had taken from the altar in front of the salt barrier. When she lit the candle and burned the incense, blue smoke began to rise.
[“Oh souls sacrificed in this hospital…”]
Ms. Han Seo-yeon began reading the names on the list, turning them page by page.
[“May you find peace.”]
*Kuaaaaagh!*
The Vice Director Anomaly let out a painful scream. Every time a victim’s name was called, dark energy escaped from the Anomaly’s body.
[“It’s working!”]
Ms. Han Seo-yeon continued to recite the names. Once all ten names were called, the Vice Director Anomaly’s form began to blur.
*Clang!*
Driven to desperation, the Vice Director Anomaly suddenly erupted with power, as if exploding.
*Crackle! Snap!*
The binding talisman tore, and the barrier shook.
[“Oh, n-no…”]
The Vice Director Anomaly struggled frantically to break out of the salt barrier. Then, forcing its way through, it immediately swung a surgical tool and attacked the altar.
*Clang!*
The candlestick fell over, and the incense burner rolled across the floor.
[“Patient… must be treated… Surgery… continues…”]
The mangled voice became even more intense.
[“No! The altar…!”]
Ms. Han Seo-yeon hurriedly tried to set the candlestick back up, but the Vice Director Anomaly’s attacks grew more violent. It specifically targeted the candle flame.
*Whoosh!*
The Anomaly blew out the candle.
[Mental Contamination: 38% → 45% → 56%]
Ms. Han Seo-yeon fled into the hallway and began heading for the ground floor. The Vice Director Anomaly slowly pursued her.
“Guardian, isn’t something strange?”
“What is?”
“Even if it’s basement level two, isn’t it weird that a hospital doesn’t have any windows?”
“Huh?”
Hearing Aria’s words, it certainly seemed so.
“And the surgery room was strangely dark. You could barely see anything without a flashlight.”
“That’s true… and even when it attacked the altar…”
I rewound the screen. When the Vice Director Anomaly destroyed the altar, it had specifically put out the candle first.
“Does it hate light?”
“Maybe so!”
I hurriedly sent a message to Ms. Han Seo-yeon via Super Chat.
— Ms. Han Seo-yeon! Shine the flashlight directly at the Anomaly! It seems to hate light!
Ms. Han Seo-yeon checked my message while running.
[“Light?”]
Ms. Han Seo-yeon turned the flashlight toward the Vice Director Anomaly.
*Hiss!*
The Anomaly flinched, covering its face with its hands. It was a crucial moment.
*Gao.*
A sound similar to a sleepy voice was heard. Mago was stumbling out of the room after opening the door.
“Mago?”
*Gao.*
Mago rubbed her eyes and tugged at the hem of my clothes.
“Not now!”
Aria spoke urgently, but Mago didn’t care and continued to watch me.
“Gao! Gao!”
“Hey, I’m watching something important right now.”
But Mago grabbed my arm and wouldn’t let go.
“Gao~ Gao.”
“Ugh, fine! Just a moment!”
I hurriedly opened my inventory and took out one magic crystal. It was one of the small ones among the crystals Leon had sent.
“Here, take this. Eat it and stay quiet!”
*Gao!*
Mago’s eyes sparkled as she accepted the crystal. Then, with a happy expression, she began to suck on it.
*Phew…*
I tried to focus on the screen again. But then.
[“Kuaaaaagh!”]
A scream was heard from the screen.
[“It hit!”]
However, the light from the flashlight was weak. The Anomaly soon began to adapt.
[“The flashlight… is too weak!”]
The Vice Director Anomaly was cornering Ms. Han Seo-yeon. At the end of the hallway, there was no place left to retreat.
[Mental Contamination: 56% → 65%]
Ms. Han Seo-yeon’s hands were shaking violently. The phone camera also began to tremble.
“Right. The camera!”
— Ms. Han Seo-yeon! Set off the camera flash on the phone you’re holding!
[“Yes!”]
Ms. Han Seo-yeon checked the message and, without a moment’s hesitation, pointed the phone toward the Anomaly.
*Flash!*
The camera flash, bursting at maximum brightness, briefly turned the dark hallway white.
[“Kuaaaaagh!”]
The Vice Director Anomaly let out a painful scream, as if its eyes had been pierced by the flash.
[“N-now’s the chance!”]
While the Anomaly was faltering, Ms. Han Seo-yeon quickly threw her body to the side and ran toward the center of the hallway.
[“Phew… I’m alive! It’s thanks to the Rocket Store!”]
The Anomaly recovered from the pain shortly after, but Ms. Han Seo-yeon had already distanced herself.
[“…Surgery… continues…”]
Just then, someone tugged at my hand. It was Mago, who had gorged herself on the crystal.
*Burp!*
Mago let out a small burp and then spat out a transparent crystal about the size of a fingertip. I reflexively stared at the jewel. The jewel was transparent as if absorbing the surrounding light, but at the same time, it was emitting a powerful, sacred light.
“Guardian! That light, I can feel the power of purification! It’s incredibly strong!”
“Exactly! This crystal came from Ceres. It was already a jewel that possessed holy and healing powers.”
I sent the jewel to Ms. Han Seo-yeon via Rocket Delivery without delay.
— Ms. Han Seo-yeon! Shine this light or throw it at the Anomaly right now! It’s a purifying light dozens of times stronger than the flash!
[“What?”]
Ms. Han Seo-yeon expressed confusion, but as soon as she saw the intense light the jewel was emitting, she turned toward the Anomaly.
[“Take this!”]
When Ms. Han Seo-yeon threw the jewel at the Vice Director Anomaly, instead of exploding, the jewel passed right through the Anomaly’s body.
*Flash!*
A golden flash exploded where the jewel had passed. It was a flash of purification so powerful that the previous flash couldn’t even be compared to it.
[“Kieeeek!”]
The Vice Director Anomaly writhed in pain as if its entire body were melting. The Anomaly could no longer pursue Ms. Han Seo-yeon and fled to a corner of the hallway.
“Wow! We succeeded thanks to Mago! Mago is the best!”
“Feeding her that earlier was a masterstroke! Good job!”
I stroked Mago’s head.
“We’ve bought some time. Now it’s time to send the real thing.”
I sent a Saintess’s Blessing Scroll to Ms. Han Seo-yeon via Rocket Delivery. On the screen, a box appeared with a parachute in front of Ms. Han Seo-yeon.
[“What is it this time?”]
— It’s a blessing scroll containing the power of a Saintess. If you unroll and tear it, a sacred light will come out. It will likely be able to purify the Anomaly.
[“A Saintess’s Blessing Scroll…? Understood!”]
Ms. Han Seo-yeon quickly unrolled the scroll. A brilliant golden light erupted from it.
*Vwooom!*
A ripple of sacred light filled the entire hallway. This time, the situation was reversed. Ms. Han Seo-yeon chased the Anomaly, and the Anomaly fled. The Vice Director Anomaly let out painful screams and retreated. However, when they reached a dead end and Ms. Han Seo-yeon tore the scroll, a change occurred. As the light hit the surgical scrubs, they began to burn, emitting smoke.
[“T-this is…”]
Ms. Han Seo-yeon also looked surprised, but she didn’t miss the opportunity. She quickly pulled out the final talisman from her bag. In the sacred light created by the Saintess’s Blessing Scroll, the talisman displayed even more powerful force. The Vice Director Anomaly’s body slowly began to turn into light. Soon, it turned into particles of light and vanished.
[Quest Complete: Purify Vice Director Anomaly]
Ms. Han Seo-yeon slumped to the floor and let out a long breath.
[“Phew… really… that was close.”]
[Mental Contamination: 65% → 28%]
Her Mental Contamination also dropped sharply.
[“I succeeded thanks to the items sent from the Rocket Store. Thank you so much!”]
Ms. Han Seo-yeon bowed her head toward the camera. A moment later, a private message arrived from her.
[“These are some of the spoils I obtained after defeating the Vice Director Anomaly. I have no use for them, but I’m sure the Rocket Store could use them more effectively!”]
A small box arrived via Rocket Delivery.
“Guardian, what arrived?”
Aria approached curiously. When I opened the box, it contained a set of worn surgical tools and a small bottle.
[Mental Stability Scalpels]
Grade: Rare
Effect: When used as a material, specialized in treating mental abnormalities. Reduces fear, confusion, and mental contamination by 15%.
Description: Surgical tools used by the Vice Director. Originally meant to treat patients, they became distorted when he became an Anomaly. They regained their original healing function after purification.
[Medicine of Oblivion]
Grade: Hero
Effect: Temporarily deletes specific memories upon use.
Description: A purified form of the drug the Vice Director intended to administer to patients. It temporarily erases painful memories.
Since the Vice Director Anomaly was related to lobotomy surgeries, the rewards were also mental-related items. It seemed the distorted purpose had regained its original healing function through purification.
“I don’t know if they’ll be useful right now, but they’ll probably be handy eventually.”
On the screen, Ms. Han Seo-yeon slowly stood up and looked around.
[“Now all the Anomalies in this hospital have been purified. I’ll wrap up today’s broadcast here. To all my subscribers, thank you so much!”]
Ms. Han Seo-yeon waved her hand and ended the broadcast. The screen went dark.
“It’s over.”
Aria cheered.
“Yeah. It ended well.”
I looked at Mago. Having unexpectedly played a major role this time, Mago had finished eating the crystal and was laughing at me with a satisfied expression.
“Mago, you did a great job too.”
“Kyoo?”
I smiled as I stroked Mago’s head. Just then, Mago let out a small burp. She yawned with a content look, as if she had finished all her work.
“Gao—”
Then, she climbed onto my lap and curled up.
“Going to sleep again? You just woke up.”
But Mago had already closed her eyes. Before long, the sound of her rhythmic breathing could be heard.
“Eating and sleeping really is everything for her.”
“I heard that’s how young Guardian Beasts are.”
Aria covered Mago with a small blanket.
“And she’s cute, isn’t she?”
“Well, I’ll admit that much.”
I carefully moved the sleeping Mago onto a cushion. Since Ms. Han Seo-yeon’s problem was resolved, now only the final tasks for opening the branch remained.