Ding dong!
<Morgue’s Magical Warehouse, you have entered the ‘Safe’ zone!>
The black fog surrounding the area lifts, revealing a familiar sight.
A spiral staircase stretching endlessly downward, damp and gloomy air, faint screams mixed with pain echoing dimly.
By worldly standards, this place is anything but safe, yet today it feels incredibly welcoming.
Just a few hours ago.
The events at Bupyeong Station underground shopping center still give me a headache just thinking about them.
“Ha……. Why is life so damn tough, seriously.”
There’s no spot on my body that doesn’t ache, and my eyelids are so heavy I could pass out any second.
Nevertheless, the reason I visited Morgue’s Magical Warehouse is one.
Ding dong!
<Procure the corpse of an A-rank magical beast. …… (0/1)>
<Procurement deadline: 3 days 4 hours 49 minutes 15 seconds>
To deliver(?) the item requested by Morgue’s Magical Warehouse.
Soon, I took out Cerberus’s upper body from my inventory.
Kuwoong!
The space rippled for a moment, and then the massive body dropped to the warehouse floor.
Cerberus’s body, covered in short, pitch-black fur, was cleanly severed below the waist.
Its tongue lolled out from between its jaws, and bubbling saliva boiled between its sharp teeth.
At that instant, Morgue’s Magical Warehouse began to vibrate intensely.
Drrrrrrrr-!
…No, more precisely, it was wriggling like a living stomach.
“W-What? An earthquake……!?”
At the same time.
Creaaaaak!
The ceiling of the warehouse split open left and right.
“……!”
It looked like a gigantic maw had opened wide.
Through the gap, bloodshot red gums and countless teeth were visible.
But there was no time to be shocked by the bizarre sight.
The ceiling’s maw swallowed Cerberus’s corpse in one gulp.
Crunch! Munch munch! Crack! Crack! Slurp slurp slurp! Gulp!
Chilling sounds began to fill the warehouse interior.
Soon, all sorts of messages popped up one after another.
Ding dong!
<Morgue’s Magical Warehouse has absorbed Cerberus’s flesh!>
<Morgue’s Magical Warehouse has absorbed Cerberus’s organs!>
<Morgue’s Magical Warehouse has absorbed Cerberus’s hide!>
<Morgue’s Magical Warehouse has absorbed Cerberus’s blood!>
<Morgue’s Magical Warehouse has absorbed Cerberus’s bones!>
At the same time.
Daaaa daaaa daaaa daaaa daaaa daaaa-
A distinct change began to occur inside the warehouse.
Cracks in the floor that had been broken here and there were restored to their original state, thin fissures in the walls were filled in, and the blackened, rusted iron bars transformed as if brand new.
So this is how the warehouse repair work progresses?
A moment later.
From the entrance of the warehouse to the beginning of the Safe zone, it had been remodeled so cleanly that it was unrecognizable.
Grotesque murals, patterns, and monster statues had appeared in various places—probably things that had been there originally but were lost.
As soon as the changes inside the warehouse stopped, a new message appeared.
Ding dong!
<Morgue’s Magical Warehouse Exploration Rate increases! – 0.000001% UP!>
<Morgue’s Magical Warehouse has been repaired by 0.000000……0000001%.>
“Repaired…… I guess it did get repaired?”
An absurdly minuscule value.
Just how vast is this Morgue’s Magical Warehouse?
At that moment, an enormous number of messages began popping up one after another.
Ding dong!
<Magical power surges inside Morgue’s Magical Warehouse.>
<The warehouse’s magical power affects the Warehouse Keeper.>
<Warehouse Keeper’s Strength has increased by 1!>
<Warehouse Keeper’s Stamina has increased by 1!>
<Warehouse Keeper’s Agility has increased by 1!>
<Warehouse Keeper’s Intelligence has increased by 1!>
<Warehouse Keeper’s Mental Power has increased by 1!>
Stat increases that are common in games.
They were actually happening in my body right now.
I’ve never heard of an Awakener growing like this.
Awakeners can use the abilities, wisdom, and items of the synchronized figure.
In other words, the concept is ‘borrowing’ the power of another.
There are cases where the way of handling the borrowed power or techniques gradually develops, but an Awakener’s own stats growing is far too unusual.
I swallowed dryly and clenched and unclenched my fist.
I can feel it.
From muscle strength and reflexes to brain processing speed, mental fortitude, and more.
All stats had increased overall.
Of course, that doesn’t mean I suddenly became strong like a superhero.
But I’m certain I’m one step stronger than I was a few minutes ago.
…If I clear the warehouse’s quests, I can grow even more from now on?
It was clear that as Morgue’s Magical Warehouse regained its completeness, the Warehouse Keeper would also be affected.
At that moment, Jeanne’s voice came from behind me.
[The more I look, the stranger this place is. It feels like wandering inside the body of a living creature.]
Jeanne, who had been stroking the restored wall, soon looked at me and continued.
[To so easily reconstruct a structure made of such bizarre magical power. As expected of you, Master.]
By the way, looking at the Cerberus fur rolling on the floor suddenly reminded me of something.
“Let me see……. Should I check this one more time?”
I took out an artifact from my inventory.
Flap!
A dark crimson leather cape materialized in my hand.
A strange heat sizzled and radiated from the surface of the cape.
At that moment, Featherback’s logbook unfolded, and a dazzling page appeared.
Ding dong!
-<Cape of Sulfur Hell> / Cape / A
A cape made by processing the back hide of Cerberus, the watchdog of the gates of hell.
Since the hide contained sulfur flames, it can easily repel ordinary flames.
-Defense +1350, Fire Resistance +50%
-Skill ‘Flame Sprint (A)’ available
Flame Sprint: For 30 seconds, movement speed increases by 50%. Sulfur flames are generated in the wearer’s wake. (Cooldown 5 minutes)
The defense was impressive, but 50% fire resistance was truly an insane option.
In simple terms, it could completely nullify fire magic up to what a B-rank hunter uses.
Moreover, the item skill looked extremely useful.
Now I understand why A-rank items come with astronomical prices.
I put Cerberus’s cape back into my inventory.
Then, I recalled the events at Bupyeong Station underground shopping center once more.
If Jeanne hadn’t been there, I would have died to the Hellhound, let alone Cerberus.
This won’t do. At this rate, I’ll die before I can even build my reputation.
…I need more usable artifacts or skills.
Awakeners use weapons suited to the power and abilities of their synchronized figure.
Those synchronized with swordsmen use swordsmanship, mages use magic, archers use bows and arrows.
And my weapon, as the Warehouse Keeper, is the warehouse itself.
More precisely, the artifacts and summons sleeping soundly inside the warehouse.
I need to explore deeper inside today.
The area I’ve explored so far is truly just the tip of the iceberg.
Only the entrance to the Safe zone of Morgue’s Magical Warehouse.
There must be incredible treasures hidden deeper inside.
Ding dong!
-Morgue’s Magical Warehouse Exploration Rate
Safe: 0.05% <UP↑>
With the exploration rate increasing, additional pages in Featherback’s logbook had become readable.
I slowly began flipping through Featherback’s logbook.
Flip- Flip- Flip-
“Let’s see……. ‘Whip of Frozen Roses. Causes frostbite and bleeding simultaneously in the struck area.’ It looks decent, but I’ve never used a whip, so pass……. Next is ‘Pill of Abundance. Eating one pill prevents hunger for a week.’ Oh, this is good!? Wait……. ‘Caution. It only prevents the sensation of hunger; if no nutrients are consumed, you will starve to death’? What is this. Is there nothing else…….”
As I checked the newly updated Featherback’s logbook and took a step.
Splat!
A greenish liquid flew from somewhere and landed right in front of my shoe.
At the same time.
Ssssss-!
The greenish liquid that fell on the floor began to boil, emitting white smoke.
It was acidic solution.
“Uwak!?”
I quickly looked in the direction the acidic solution came from.
At the same time, my eyes met those of the Immortal Pseudo-Dragon glaring at me as if to kill.
[Krrk- Krrrrk- Krrrrrrrrk-!]
The Pseudo-Dragon twisted its body violently and growled.
It looked strangely furious.
Wait, why?
I didn’t even take it out this time because of the cooldown.
Regardless, the Pseudo-Dragon thrashed about, splashing acidic liquid everywhere.
[Krrrr- Kraaaaaak-!]
It seemed to have something it wanted to convey.
Of course, I couldn’t understand a word.
“What are you saying? Speak in Korean, Korean!”
At that moment.
Sssss-
Featherback’s logbook unfolded, and a blank page flew up into the air.
Soon, elegant handwriting began to etch itself onto the page.
[Krrrrrrrrk…….]
-Warehouse Keeper…….
The Pseudo-Dragon’s growling was being translated in real time.
What, it can do this too?
Soon, more text continued to appear on the page.
-Keep your promise, Warehouse Keeper.
“Promise? What promise?”
-Are you going to pretend ignorance and dodge it? As expected, humans are utterly hypocritical and shameless!
……?
I have no idea what it’s talking about.
To begin with, this is the first time I’ve even properly spoken to this guy, let alone made a promise.
At that moment.
[Kraaaaaaaaak-!]
The Pseudo-Dragon let out a roar filled with rage.
-Did you not promise! Every time I serve you! And every time I respond to your summon! You said you would reduce my sentence by one year through legal transaction!
I had no idea such a clause existed.
It wasn’t written separately in Featherback’s logbook.
Wait.
How many times have I taken this guy out so far?
..Two times? No, three?
I don’t remember exactly, but it was around that.
Bang bang bang bang bang-!
The Pseudo-Dragon began thrashing inside the iron cage.
The iron bars that had just been repaired were about to break again.
Screw it.
Whatever.
“Fine! I took you out three times, so I’ll reduce your sentence by 3 years! Okay?”
Only then did the Pseudo-Dragon begin to laugh roughly, as if satisfied.
-Kahahahaha! Good, excellent. The moment I leave this place, I will turn this world into a sea of fire and chew every human to death. All of them!
Truly a terrifying momentum.
It sent chills down my spine.
…By the way, how much sentence is left?
At that moment.
Flip flip flip-
As if it had been waiting, Featherback’s logbook unfolded and revealed the remaining sentence of the Immortal Pseudo-Dragon.
……This!?
I couldn’t help but be shocked.