Chapter 124 : Chapter 124

Chapter 124 - Taming (1)

Darien Anfeld was, in fact, the most difficult of the main characters you could raise in the game.

That was because, in exchange for the ridiculously overpowered ability to read the minds of anyone nearby, she was a character saddled with every penalty imaginable.

There was a reason I didn’t share a single one of her skills, even though her skill share slots were open almost infinitely.

Let’s take a look at what was in this girl's skill window for a moment.

[Darien Anfeld]

<Skill List>

[ Depression Lv.2 ]

[ Anxiety Lv.2 ]

[ Madness Lv.6 ]

[ Hypersensitivity Lv.9 ]

[ Insomnia Lv.2 ]

.

.

.

Let's... let's stop looking into it...

Anyway, perhaps because she was riddled with such terrifying skills, this girl's ‘Mental Resistance’ was among the strongest in the entire world setting.

Among all the characters, including the EX-rank Climbers, there wasn't a single one other than Darien who could repel the mental interference of the final demon-type boss, the King of Flies, on her own.

So, using that fact, there was a slightly... interesting way to raise her.

“...I doubt it, but.”

Ironclad spoke up, looking at the Blood Reaven I had somehow managed to wrap.

The sinister thing dwelling inside it wriggled as if it were alive.

“With those characteristics, is your plan to hand over that weapon and have her tame it?”

“Can you use mind-reading now?”

“...”

No, I was well aware that showing up like this after not having shown my face even once was a rather shameless act.

But I couldn't just let this precious thing rot, could I? She was the only one who could handle this weapon.

“I mean, even the demon hunters of Mangrave don't even think of handling a weapon contaminated by a demon and just dispose of it. And that thing is...”

Ironclad narrowed his eyes as he looked at the weapon, which was still brimming with sinister energy.

“...it seems to have started to be ‘possessed.’ It’s a weapon far more dangerous than one that's just contaminated. It will start tempting the user the moment they grab it.”

If he said possessed... it meant that the weapon itself had started to develop an ego. There were a few weapons of that kind in the game. It was a phenomenon that occurred when a few special conditions were added to a Unique grade or higher weapon.

In the case of the Blood Reaven, it was probably a phenomenon that occurred because the demon's energy possessed it in a state where... the sheer ‘number of victims slaughtered’ had crossed a line.

And fitting for such a grim prerequisite, the being inside this thing was undoubtedly a dangerous one.

However.

“That's why I brought it.”

“What did you say?”

“On the contrary, if it were just contaminated, I would never have given it to her. I brought it because there's a personality inside.”

As I said before, Darien was a character who boasted a sturdy... no, a terrifying mentality even in the game.

And there was a skill that took that characteristic to its peak.

[ He Who is Near Ink Becomes Black Lv.10 ]

It's a bit... how should I put it.

Just by looking at it, it wasn't a skill name made with good intentions. Yep.

And if you broke down the detailed effects, that meaning became a little stronger.

[ He Who is Near Ink Becomes Black / NPC-Darien’s Unique Ability ]

[ Darien Anfeld was exposed to all sorts of negative elements since she was young. This is a special constitution she acquired during the period she spent befriending various types of mental illnesses. She possesses an abnormally strong resistance to most negative energies. If exposed to this kind of energy, she acquires complete nullification or control through a resistance roll. ]

“...”

Right.

Well, it was written in a complicated way.

To put it simply, it meant that even if someone had a personality as shattered as they come, if Darien declared, ‘I’m the crazy bitch of this district, so you’d better crawl if you don’t want to die,’ they would be overwhelmed by it.

There was a reason why, when she had a scuffle with Lee Si-yeong before, she, who had no proper combat ability, didn't back down a single step.

In fact, the skill effect was quite overpowered, but the reason I didn't share it was also simple.

To use this, you had to scrape up all the various mental illnesses listed in that skill list for it to activate.

So, I brought it because I was confident that a girl with something like this would surely be fine.

“Oh, huh. It's the Avatar. That's strange. Am I seeing things...”

“...”

Correction.

Seeing Darien in her office, looking completely haggard and hiccuping, it seemed that before worrying about a demon's weapon, I should first take care of her health.

What did I mean, fine? The kid was on the verge of dying.

“Hey. What on earth happened to you...”

And as soon as I said that.

“Huh? Eh. Hehee. The Avatar is talking. Hehe. Aii, it can't be the Avatar. There's no way he'd visit someone as useless as meee- He used to call for me when he needed me, but lately he hasn't even done that- I, I'm ready to do anything, anything. Please don't abandon meee...”

A torrent of sentences poured out from the tongue-tied, intoxicated Darien.

Towards the end, she was sniffling with a tearful voice before sinking into her own world.

“...”

“...”

Legendary Dwarf Blacksmith-nim.

Please don't look at me with eyes as if you're looking at trash.

It hurts.

***

So, first, I took various measures to get her to her senses.

I laid her on the bed, made a medicine good for hangovers, and forcibly shoved it into her mouth.

After a few tens of minutes in that state, she fluttered her eyes open.

“...Oh. It’s the Avatar. Am I seeing things.”

“...”

Why was her line the same as when she was drunk, even after sobering her up?

“You're not seeing things.”

“...Ah, really?”

“Yes.”

“...”

The girl, who had been staring at me blankly in silence for a while, soon began to tremble with tremendous force.

“...?”

Why.

Why on earth.

What was there to act like that about here?

“Ho-ho-how should I apologize to the Avatar...?”

“...First, tell me what thought process you went through to arrive at that question.”

“Seeing that you haven't visited me at all all this time, I must have done something wrong, and since you've come now, it must be to reprimand me for it, so...”

“...”

Mr. Ironclad.

Please stop. I beg you.

Don't look at me like that.

“...It’s not really like that. It’s.”

I was about to say I had a favor to ask, but even for me, it took courage to utter such a sentence to a girl in this state.

So, as I was hesitating a little, the girl timidly opened her mouth.

“I’m, sorry.”

“...”

“I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'll do better from now on. Please don't abandon me. I'm sorry...”

She muttered apologies nonstop as if she had lost her mind.

Her aimless eyes wandered here and there, and her expression was full of anxiety.

Seeing her trembling all over like that, really.

Ah.

It couldn't be helped.

“...Hoo.”

Letting out a deep sigh, I pulled her into a firm embrace.

Just like I did with Lee Si-yeong before.

Slowly, as if melting her body with warmth, so slowly she could feel my breath. As if synchronizing our heartbeats.

The effect was guaranteed. It was a method I also learned when I was young, and even in my childhood, which was filled with all sorts of dirty and shitty things, this one thing always made me feel better.

“...”

Well, the person who taught me this didn't have a good end, though.

At least, I clearly remembered the feeling I received back then.

In fact, at first, Darien was very flustered when I hugged her, but after a little time passed, her very anxious demeanor softened.

“...Ha, haa, haa...”

“...”

Yep.

It seemed to go beyond simply softening, and her eyes glazed over and she drooled a little, but.

I didn't see it.

I didn't see anything.

[ !Notification! ]

[ The target's skill set will change on a large scale! ]

[ ‘Depression’ and ‘Anxiety’ will be deleted from ‘Darien Anfeld's skill set! ]

[ The level of ‘Madness’ will be lowered! ]

[ The level of ‘Hypersensitivity’ will be lowered! ]

[ ‘Paraphilia-Kim Gyu-sik’ will be newly created! ]

“...”

Hey.

I could accept that the kid’s mental state became this stable with a single hug, but.

What's with the last one?

Why is something strange being created?

“A-Avatar, y-you should probably let go now...”

“Ah, right. Were you hot?”

“N-no. If we stay this close any longer, I don't think I can control myself...”

[ !Notification! ]

[ The target's skill set will change on a large scale! ]

[ ‘Obsession-Kim Gyu-sik’ will be newly created! ]

[ ‘Delusion-Kim Gyu-sik’ will be newly... ]

Stop.

Stop it. Please.

***

So, after the bizarre time had passed in a flash.

I put the Blood Reaven down in front of Darien, who seemed to have regained some of her senses, and we talked.

“So... this is the weapon contaminated by a demon?”

“Yes.”

“And you, Avatar, want me to handle this?”

“...”

And now that I had presented it to her, I could keenly feel how absurd a proposal this sounded.

In the game, it was a matter of just equipping it to her and making her use it.

Strictly speaking, I was now thrusting a terrifyingly large weapon at a natural-born cleric who had never handled a weapon before.

On top of that, a weapon contaminated with demonic energy to the head of a religious organization.

“...Yes.”

Still, I couldn't back down now that I'd come this far.

Above all.

“If you can handle this, the story related to your father will also become a little easier to solve.”

To be precise, it meant that under the pretext that she had ‘purified’ this, there would be a lot more grounds to rub shoulders with the Daeshinjeon.

It meant that it wouldn't just end with her combat power skyrocketing, but the possibility of gaining new benefits would also increase.

And after hearing that, Darien exhaled through her nose and stroked her chin.

“Anyway, that will be helpful to you, Avatar, right?”

“Yes. But I understand the risks, so you should also think carefully and try when you think you can do it...”

Before I could finish my sentence, Darien snatched up the Blood Reaven.

Then, the black energy that had been continuously swirling around the blade's surface began to crawl up her wrist with a terrifying force, like a trap that had caught its prey.

“...”

Was this kid really crazy?

“Are you okay?!”

“Hmm... it feels fine. I hear a voice calling from inside.”

Right. That was the demon's temptation. It was a vicious skill that would snatch your body if you gave in.

“Listen carefully. Don't respond to it.”

“...No. Just a moment. I'll go have a little talk with this one and come back.”

“What? Why? Are you crazy?”

“This person is telling me not to follow you, Avatar, but to serve them. They're spouting trash, so I'll go teach them a lesson. Just a moment.”

And at the same time, Darien’s body was completely engulfed in black energy.

“...Wow. Really.”

Hey.

When someone gives you a warning, listen.

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