Chapter 26: This body appears (forced)

30 minutes before Yoon Sihyun was forcibly (?) dragged away.

“It feels kind of strange being alone in the office.”

Just moments ago, the guild building was bustling with people, but as soon as the full deployment order was issued, it instantly turned into a ghost office.

“This is why it’s good to be considered completely talentless.”

Anyone who’s had even a little bit of social experience would agree.

The moment you say, “I can do this~ I can do that~,” you become a pushover!

“I hope I can keep living the good life like this in the future.”

Yoon Sihyun, the only non-combatant and non-awakened, had only been instructed to stand by at the guild.

–Bzzzzzzzz.

However, outside, the emergency alarm was still blaring.

‘What was it again? Something about an eclipse and a rumor, I think.’

Perhaps because of that, it wasn’t time for the sun to set yet, but it was gradually getting darker outside.

“If it’s an eclipse, it must be the Eclipse from the novel. It’s a pretty strong entity, I wonder if everyone will be okay?”

Eclipse.

An existence that forcibly causes darkness, granting power to entities and fear to humans.

‘But that’s strange. In the novel, it was sealed.’

Although it’s an entity that controls eclipses, the Eclipse is ironically vulnerable to pure moonlight.

In the novel, a shrine maiden sacrificed herself to seal it, so it was no longer mentioned, leading me to believe it had been dispelled.

“Is sealing not considered dispelling, then?”

Just then, he felt something slowly creeping up the back of his hand.

A faint black mist-like energy.

“What is this? Am I dreaming?”

Oh, come on. I guess I’ve been working too hard lately.

‘Diligent commutes and even taking care of Luna. I must be accumulating fatigue, haha.’

He rubbed his eyes, denying reality for a moment.

–Swoosh.

Now, the black energy was spreading from his fingertips all the way up to his forearm.

“Whoa, whoa?? Wait a minute, this is definitely weird!”

He rushed to the bathroom and looked in the mirror.

“······Ah, damn it. What is this, really?”

In the mirror, his pupils were gradually turning black.

“Huh? The sun hasn’t set yet??”

The black energy wouldn’t disappear, no matter how much he rubbed his eyes.

‘F-first, let’s calm down. Understanding the situation comes first.’

It was still a long time until sunset, so he probably wasn’t turning into a Phantom, but then what was it?

“Oh, please stop screwing me over. It was nice having nothing happen recently, but what is it now, seriously?”

At that moment.

Ding!

[Sihyun-nim! Sihyun-nim!!]

“Damn it, you startled me!”

[···After a long time without greeting, you say ‘damn it’···?]

“Ah, sorry, sorry. It’s because you appeared so suddenly.”

The notification window, which had been silent for a long time, reappeared and started sending messages.

“No, more importantly, can you talk again?”

[Ah, well··· Sihyun-nim got a ‘Fragment of Story’ last time, so I was able to connect in a hurry! I can’t do it for long, though···.]

‘It’s been over a month since I got that, and it’s only now connecting?’

How many times did I call out to you during that time!

Look at it, suddenly appearing now after ignoring me all that time.

“······So?”

[Yes?]

“You barely managed to connect, and your first words are ‘Sihyun-nim’? Did you just call me for nothing?”

[Ah, no! It’s not that···!]

“Then what is it? What’s the reason for this sudden call?”

Let’s see what amazing reason it called him for.

‘The timing’s a bit off, but it can’t be another weird incident, right?’

[Detecting a physical change in Sihyun-nim···!]

“Wait. The sun hasn’t even set yet, so why have I been changing since earlier?”

[It’s because the entity is forcibly causing an ‘eclipse’!]

“Wait, was an eclipse also included as a transformation condition?”

I thought only nightfall was the trigger, but it’s affected by this too?

I didn’t expect this.

“So, now I can transform even in the daytime if the sun is just covered?”

[Well··· um, that won’t be the case!]

“Phew. Really?”

[···Probably.]

“···Are you sure you really know what you’re talking about?”

What am I supposed to do if the one who gave me the beginner’s package doesn’t know?

‘For a GM not to know the functions, this is a trash game, even for one.’

“Anyway, is that why you’re making such a fuss and calling me?”

[No. That’s part of it, but··· a very strong ‘Fragment of Story’ is being detected nearby!]

“Huh. A Fragment of Story?”

‘Is it the one I got after saving Laura last time?’

If the notification window was directly telling him, it was likely to contain even more important memories than the last time.

“There’s another Fragment of Story related to Luna? Where is it—”

A sudden thought flashed through Yoon Sihyun’s mind, and his briefly excited mood quickly cooled.

“Wait a minute······ if there’s a Fragment of Story, that means.”

[Yes.]

“It means there’s a ‘strong entity’ nearby···.”

[That’s right.]

Soon, Yoon Sihyun reached an answer he didn’t want.

“And I have to go there···?”

[As expected of Sihyun-nim! You understand quickly!]

“No, I didn’t want to understand!!”

****

[Guidance on Obtaining Fragments of Story]

Hello. This is GM Notification Window.

You can obtain Fragments of Story by beating up strong entities!

Good luck! GOOD LUCK!

****

‘This is really shitty, isn’t it?’

I almost died with Laura, and now I have to do that again?

I’m not doing it! No, I can’t do it!!

“No matter how much I read the novel to the end, isn’t this too much—”

[Then let’s go right away! Sihyun-nim!]

“Huh?”

Like at Bosingak, surely not again··· right?

‘Hahaha. Surely not. Even if it’s a thuggish notification window, it wouldn’t do that again, would it?’

However, a single word from the notification window thoroughly shattered Yoon Sihyun’s hopes.

[Shadow Movement Activated!]

“Wait!! I’m not going! No, even if I were to go, I’m not mentally ready yet—”

Whoosh!

However, against his will, black energy swirled around his feet and began to envelop his body.

“Hey!! Please, at least give me time to prepare—!”

[Don’t worry, Sihyun-nim! I’ll help you!]

“It’s good and I’m grateful for the help, but please just listen to me···!”

[Here we gooooo!]

“You’re really going to get it, youuuuu—!”

****

A noble silhouette forcefully broke through Eclipse’s underworld.

A man of jet-black, appearing to be the master of all darkness.

“It’s the Phantom··· A real Phantom has appeared!”

Icy black energy and a pure white face.

Black eyes that seemed to pierce through everything, visible through his fluttering jet-black hair.

An entity of at least Calamity-tier, perhaps even higher, had finally manifested here.

“Is that truly the Phantom?”

Until now, Leon had found it hard to believe that there was a Calamity-tier entity that transcended the Ruin-tier.

‘Just a Ruin-tier puts the survival of not only cities but entire nations at stake, and there’s an entity that surpasses that?’

He thought it might just be a misconception born of fear in Korea.

However.

Tremble, tremble—

‘What is this sensation··· Am I feeling··· fear?’

The jet-black darkness he exuded made his entire body tremble just by looking at it.

“I have no choice but to admit it. An existence of calamity··· transcending ruin.”

At that moment, Ren, with his red eyes gleaming, rushed towards the Phantom.

“Ren, the Phantom is a top-tier entity. Don’t provoke it rashly!”

“The Phantom has never attacked humans. I believe I’ll be fine.”

Ren knelt before the Phantom as if collapsing, pleading.

“I heard Tsuki call you Lucian. But I don’t know that name. It doesn’t matter now whether you’re the Phantom or Lucian. I can tell by your overwhelming aura, the darkness that seems to swallow everything. You are the only one who can grant my wish!”

–Thud!

Ren began to beg, slamming his head on the ground.

“I lured you here. I will pay for that sin with my life! Instead, please save her from Eclipse··· save Tsuki.”

“Ren! Are you out of your mind, proposing a deal to an entity? What if there are side effects you can’t handle?!”

“I don’t care. I’d rather die here. As long as I can save Tsuki···!”

“Ren···.”

A man’s desperate struggle for the woman he cherished.

However, the jet-black being seemed to have no pity for one who dared to try and use him.

–Rumble, rumble, rumble.

The Calamity energy surrounding the Phantom suddenly surged violently.

“The entity’s energy is··· too strong···.”

“I··· can’t move at all······.”

“I··· can’t breathe······!”

The Phantom had only exerted a slight amount of power, but all the humans around him felt a strong threat to their lives.

“I··· understand your anger··· but please bear with just me—Gah!!”

–Clench.

The Phantom very slowly grabbed Ren’s neck and lifted him.

“Ughhh······! Yes··· if killing me will quell your anger, then by all means··· but please··· just Tsuki···.”

[How contemptible. Did you think I wouldn’t know?]

“Wha··· what···?”

At that moment.

[KRAAAAHHH!!!]

Eclipse’s manifestation, hidden in Ren’s shadow, couldn’t withstand the Phantom’s energy and was flung out.

[H-how did you know I was hiding here—]

[Let me ask you in return.]

–Crack!

[Gahhh!! P-please save me···!!]

[Just when did you delude yourself into thinking you could deceive me?]

[Y-you mean from the very beginning—]

CRASH!

The Phantom, as if the words of such a lowly being weren’t even worth hearing, instantly annihilated the manifestation with a single gesture.

“He wasn’t trying to kill Ren···!”

“Was that an act to catch the entity hiding in the shadows off guard? The Phantom isn’t just powerful.”

‘Overwhelming might and intellect. Above all, everything in the report was true. The Phantom is··· he is not our enemy.’

He had merely appeared here to save humans suffering from entities.

“There really was an entity that uniquely pitied humans, despite being one.”

The Phantom, shrouded in jet-black energy, uttered a low word towards the crumbling manifestation of Eclipse.

[You’re slow. Even in disappearing.]