Wizard: I Add Points and Hunt Monsters

And then there was the Subtle Demon that had yet to emerge...

[You have glimpsed a Sutle Dog. Special Reward: Survival Points +1, Spirit Level +1.]

[...]

[You have glimpsed a Sutle Dog. Reward: Survival Points +5.]

Damn it.

Wei’en stared sullenly at the notifications scrolling across his panel. ’It’s a good thing there’s a diminishing returns mechanism,’ he thought. ’Otherwise, these few dozen Sutle Dogs alone would have rendered my goal of saving 1000 Survival Points to advance an immediate failure.’

Meanwhile, Bolsen looked at the Sutle Dogs that had appeared by his side and said with even greater piety and reverence, ”Thank you, great Commander!”

”I await—”

As the voice faded, the black rift instantly vanished, concealing the Subtle Abyss World on the other side.

Once everything fell silent, Bolsen stood up. He looked at the dozens of Sutle Dogs around them, gestured to the surrounding Abyssal Cultists, and said calmly, ”They are all devout believers, willing to sacrifice themselves.”

The cultists, hearing his words, not only showed no resistance but thrust their heads back and began to chant in unison.

”Great Master of the Profound Abyss, King of Darkness! We call to you with blood and soul. With burning flames and overflowing curses, in this dark night, we pray that you grant us suffering...”

Their voices were sonorous, pious, and fanatical...

It was as if a long-awaited event was finally happening.

”ROAR—”

The Sutle Dogs showed no mercy, scattering to attack. They opened their massive jaws, tearing and devouring... They didn’t even spare the corpses left from the earlier sacrifice.

”Well? Isn’t it interesting?” the Demon Clown asked, intrigued.

Wei’en didn’t answer him, merely watching the infernal scene below with a calm expression.

After a long while, the Sutle Dogs stopped, licking their sharp claws as if savoring the memory.

”Guardians of the great Abyssal Depths, please follow me.” Bolsen waited another moment before taking the lead, guiding the Sutle Dogs into the depths of the jungle.

After they had completely disappeared from sight, Wei’en withdrew his gaze from their retreating figures and said calmly, ”Let’s go back.”

Seeing his expression, the clown doll couldn’t help but grin. ’This reaction is a little different from what I’d expected...’

SNAP.

With the snap of fingers, the man and the doll reappeared in the residence.

”Boring, boring,” the clown doll giggled, looking at Wei’en. ”You’re actually so calm. I thought...”

”You thought I’d break down?”

Wei’en took a deep breath, looking down at his unconsciously trembling hands. ”I’m not as weak as you think.”

”Perhaps.” The Clown’s smile vanished. ”In any case, just don’t forget to release me when I lose control.” Now he was truly bored.

”Mm.”

”No fun. I’m out.”

As soon as the words left its mouth, the clown doll went limp, falling motionless beside Tina’s hand. Its face scrunched into a vexed expression, as if complaining about Wei’en’s lack of cooperation.

Wei’en raised his hand, and a Golden Key appeared in it.

CREAK!

As he inserted the key into the empty air, the space around him twisted.

Wei’en’s figure vanished from the bedroom once more.

In the dim Clown Theater, lights flickered on one by one as Wei’en arrived, converging on the stage to illuminate his figure.

”Huuu...”

Wei’en exhaled, one hand resting on the grip of the flintlock at his waist.

In an instant, he drew the flintlock, his body falling into a shooting stance as he aimed at the red moon outside the window.

BANG, BANG, BANG, BANG...

Wei’en frantically pulled the trigger, firing bullet after bullet. He reloaded rapidly, shooting into the void of the theater, as if this act could finally calm his mind.

One Sutle Dog, two Sutle Dogs, three... Visions of himself blowing the heads off one Sutle Dog after another flashed before his eyes.

’Die, damn you, die—’

Meanwhile, beside Tina’s hand, the clown doll’s lips curled up slightly. ’So he wasn’t so indifferent after all.’

’This, however, is much better!’

...

...

DONG, DONG DONG...

The bells of Krimms Cathedral rang out, waking Wei’en from the shallow sleep he had only just fallen into.

”Fuck!”

Whenever he closed his eyes, the image of that Subtle Demon opening its giant maw to devour a heart would appear before him, and the pious chants of the Abyssal Cultists, still singing as they were torn apart, would ring in his ears...

After leaving the Clown Theater, this state had persisted for a long time before Wei’en finally managed to fall asleep.

’I really have the Demon Clown to thank for this. Bless his entire lineage!’

’And I mean that with absolutely no ill will. Really!’

”Forget sleeping...”

Wei’en shook his head, looking out at the already risen sun with a sigh.

’No matter how you look at it, those things really happened. I can’t blame it on the Clown.’

’All I can say is that the Abyssal Sect and the Despair Sect... they’re a hundred times more evil and cruel than I’d imagined.’

’Compared to them, the indifference of the Dawn Church seems almost normal... If I face them in the future, I absolutely won’t hold back!’

With that, Wei’en got up, dressed, washed his face, and went downstairs to prepare breakfast.

At that moment, Shawa was practicing basic combat moves with someone called Zero.

”Good morning, Wei’en.”

”Good morning, Father.”

”Mm, good morning.”

Wei’en nodded, walked past the two of them, and went into the first-floor kitchen. He took out the leftover ingredients and began preparing breakfast for everyone.

’Tina, Clelia... not here?’

Wei’en’s Spirit sense spread through the entire residence. Tina was still fast asleep in the other attic bedroom, but Clelia’s room was empty.

He frowned. ’She was so badly injured just last night. Isn’t she going to rest?’

’Hm?’

Something that hadn’t been there before appeared in his perception.

Wei’en stopped washing the vegetables, wiped his hands, and walked toward the living room. Looking at the object on the table, he murmured, ”A letter?”

He was certain this letter hadn’t been here when he got back last night.

With that thought, Wei’en picked up the letter in the pink envelope and began to read.

”I’m sorry, I have to be away for a couple of days.”

”Take care of yourself. —Clelia Yuli Biondini.”

’Clelia left this... She’s gone?’

’What’s going on?’

Just as Wei’en was puzzling over this, in a courtyard full of flowers in the Ruer District, not far from Golden Street, Clelia stood with her arms crossed, her eyes filled with resentment.

”You damn old geezer, you’re bullying me!”

”Heh. You killed so many sailors and nearly ruined my plan. Not killing you is the most I can do out of respect for an old friend...”