Chapter 89 - Chapter 88: The Cursed House 2
Mika stands at the entrance of the cursed house, thinking of a combat method effective against the "Wraiths".
(...Even so, I have no idea. What exactly are these things?)
They are translucent, yet they form a shape clear enough to be seen.
Something resembling a face is distinguishable, and their form is close to that of a human.
The "Wraith" that was peeking at us earlier was looking at Mika and the others, but the other "Wraiths" in the entrance are just standing there.
They are just standing there, vaguely...
Mika tried hitting them with a "Fireball" to test if it works on "Wraiths", but they gave no particular reaction.
(They aren't saying they won't attack, but they are much gentler than I thought, these guys.)
Mika stepped half a step into the entrance through the half-open door.
At that moment, the "Wraiths" in the entrance all turned toward Mika at once.
"Ugh!?"
At such a horrific sight, Mika ran headlong to hide behind Kaerya.
"A-A-A-A-A-A-A-A-Ah!"
"O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-Ooh!"
"Gaaaaaaah!"
The "Wraiths" that had shown no reaction until now rushed to the entrance with bare hostility.
But perhaps they cannot come out outside, they did not actually attack.
(Coool! Seriously coool!)
Trembling violently, Mika clung to Kaerya's legs and timidly looked at the scene in the entrance.
Kaerya and Trys watched Mika with a warm gaze.
"D-Do they really not come out!?"
Mika asked in a trembling voice.
"Not absolutely. But it seems "Wraiths" take damage when bathed in sunlight. Unless there is a very good reason, they probably won't come out. ...Probably."
There is great anxiety left in the final "probably", but Trys says they won't come out.
Mika gathered his courage and approached the "Wraiths" that had rushed to the entrance.
They are translucent and hard to count, but there seem to be about five or six of them.
They growl and desperately try to attack Mika.
(...Well, well, if I know they won't attack, it's like a movie or a haunted house.)
Mika quite liked scary movies like horror, occult, splatter, psycho, and watched them quite a bit.
Of course, the famous ones, down to B-movies.
When tired from work, he often fell asleep while watching them.
Even though blood splattered on the monitor before his eyes and screams played loudly from the earphones.
(.........)
But, thinking about it carefully, how would such translucent "ghosts" attack?
Whether punched or bitten, if they can't touch, there should be no damage.
Kaerya said just now, "You can't punch "Wraiths"."
So, for the sake of it, Mika stuck only his left hand into the entrance.
"Urya."
"Huh!? Fool, stop it!"
At the same time as Trys's voice of restraint, a sharp pain ran through Mika's left hand.
It felt like getting hit by high-voltage electricity, Bachin!
He hurriedly pulled his hand back, but his skin burned, and his whole arm was numb.
His arm felt somewhat lazy, and lifting it seemed bothersome.
He managed to lift his trembling left hand and stared at it intently.
"What is this...?"
"Are you a fool!? Don't you know "Life Drain"!?"
Dorein?
Ah, yes, yes.
There was that kind of attack.
The kind that vampires and succubi often use.
Anyway, Mika quickly recovered the damage with [Heal].
But the laziness in his arm did not completely heal.
(...The arm's laziness remains?)
"You had your life force taken! Of course it would!"
It seems damage goes not only to simple physical damage but also to a vague part called life force.
"It will recover naturally over time, but if you get hit by "Life Drain" many times before then, you won't be able to move even a little."
Looking at Trys, she had an expression as if she were enduring the pain herself.
"Then, eventually, even the life force needed to make the heart beat is taken, and you lose your life. ...And you end up becoming a "Wraith" yourself."
Trys looked straight at Mika with a serious face.
That is why Trys tried so desperately to stop Mika.
If she just left it as someone else's problem, the result would be a child like Mika ending up as a "Wraith", which is too pitiful.
(.........This person is really...)
How kind can a person be?
Mika finally understood the true reason Trys tried to stop him even by breaking the rules.
He turned straight toward Trys and bowed his head.
"Um... thank you. You were worried about me."
As Mika bowed his head honestly, Trys made a relieved face.
He bowed to Kaerya as well.
"Kaerya too, thank you. You came worrying about me."
He thought he was being liked in a strange way, but surely that wasn't the only reason they came this far.
Probably, they came with the intention of rescuing Mika if anything happened.
When Mika raised his face, both of them had gentle smiles.
A relieved atmosphere flowed.
"Alright, let's continue then."
"Eh?"
"Huh?"
Mika muttered in his heart, "I've finished this part," and clapped his hands.
The relieved atmosphere until then blew away, and the two made dumbfounded faces.
"You are still going to do it!? Didn't you understand!?"
"Of course not. We just arrived, you know? What are you talking about."
Trys made a face as if to say, "What are you talking about yourself," but he didn't care.
It had been maybe an hour since they arrived here.
Verification hadn't progressed properly either.
Rather, this was the stage where the minimum information was finally gathered.
He must open a breakthrough somehow from this information, Mika's knowledge, and the magic he has on hand.
Trys looked as if she saw something unbelievable, and Kaerya's face twitched a little at Mika, who was brimming with motivation.
"N! Nnnn..."
"G, Ggg..."
"A-A-A-A-Ah!"
Mika went to the front of the entrance again and observed the "Wraiths" groaning before his eyes.
At that time, he noticed a red stone lying right after entering the entrance.
A red stone with a strange feeling.
It lacks the luster to be a gemstone, but Mika intuitively realizes what that is.
(Magic Stone...? Is it from the "Wraith" that Trys's [God's Miracle] hit just now?)
They look so transparent you can't see a Magic Stone, but it seems they drop Magic Stones when defeated.
("Wraiths"... what exactly are they? How do they maintain this state?)
The "Wraiths" before his eyes are moving to attack Mika.
But because they don't want to bathe in sunlight, they stand firm, saying "I don't want to go past here."
(They recognize targets and act to avoid what they dislike... In other words, they are thinking...?)
It might be close to instinct, but they are certainly making choices in action.
Since they don't have a material body, should they be called thought bodies?
Is the energy needed for activity, as expected, magic power?
(Unexplainable phenomena are usually due to magic power, so it's safe to blame magic power, yeah.)
(You always blame it on magic power!)
It feels like a complaint is coming, but since he can't think of anything else, it can't be helped.
Assuming they are active with magic power, is everything, like maintaining their form and so on, covered by magic power?
(Then, if they lose that magic power?)
Not even the magic power for activity, but if they lose even the magic power needed to maintain the state of being a "Wraith", what would happen?
(Let's try it.)
The corner of Mika's mouth rises.
Mika knew of a phenomenon where the state of gathered magic power is forcibly released.
One is the usual puzzle he does when removing a "Curse".
And the other is----.
As Mika gently brought his hand close, that part of the "Wraith" dispersed into mist.
When he let go, that part was restored again, but it felt slightly thinner.
(Not bad...)
Mika accelerated his thinking further, feeling that this direction might work.
When states of gathered magic power collide, the one with higher concentration or density wins.
The losing side disperses unilaterally into mist.
There might be more complex logic or mechanisms, but simply put, that's the impression.
And Mika learned this when moving Rimliche's magic power.
Unless Mika gathered a considerable amount of magic power, even a small movement wouldn't happen, and only Mika's magic power dispersed unilaterally.
In a state where magic power has changed like a "Curse", it probably won't be that simple.
But even that "Curse" disperses if it can no longer maintain its state.
Then, if he gathers magic power in his hand like when removing a strong "Curse" and touches the "Wraith" with that hand, what happens?
If he touches it with magic power of higher concentration or density than the magic power maintaining the "Wraith" state, what happens to the "Wraith"?
The result was "the touched part disperses".
And when Mika's magic power left, it returned to normal.
However, it felt slightly thinner than the original state.
Mika predicted that in the worst case, he would have to do puzzles like removing a "Curse" for each individual "Wraith".
But there was no need for that.
Was it a bit too insensitive to feel a little regret about that?
(Really, treating one "Wraith" like one puzzle is too much of a joke.)
He is looking for a new source of puzzles, but he can't take "ghosts" like this back home.
Or rather, if he brought back "ghosts" like this, he wouldn't be allowed in the dormitory, and probably he wouldn't just get scolded.
(It can't be helped. Let's do it seriously.)
Today's lack of work mode might be due to the nagging audience.
But he wants to get a grip on the start and move forward soon.
Mika wrapped his entire left arm in dense magic power.
And, just like before, he put it inside the entrance.
"Hey! You are still----!?"
But this time, Mika took no damage.
Trys was surprised and tried to say something, but the rest didn't come out.
The "Wraiths" retreated as if repelled when they touched Mika's arm, and approached Mika again.
Then, they repeated the action of being repelled and retreating.
(...So that's how it is.)
Mika crossed his arms and rested his chin on his hand, thinking.
The "Wraiths" next to him were making "uga-uga" noises, but he didn't care.
Kaerya and Trys, no longer knowing what Mika was thinking, just watched silently.
"Alright."
Mika looked at Kaerya and Trys.
"I will fight the "Wraiths" in the entrance from now on, so do not interfere."
"Huh!? What foolish thing are you saying!?"
Trys hurriedly tried to stop Mika, but her movement stopped.
In Mika's serious eyes, she could say nothing more and couldn't move.
When their eyes met, Kaerya nodded silently.
Kaerya probably intended to rush in and rescue Mika if he fell.
If he falls, she will manage somehow.
So until then, do as you please.
Probably, Kaerya had that intention from the beginning today.
Trys stops him saying it's dangerous.
Kaerya intends to save him if it gets dangerous.
The two who met by pure chance were blessed with such kind adventurers.
"I'm going."
Mika smiled and headed for the entrance.
Then he narrowed his magic power range from ten meters to a range that clings to his own body.
However, the amount of magic power remains the same.
He further increased the magic power concentration to a level that if it exploded, his whole body would be blown to pieces.
And with such magic power clinging to him, he stepped into the entrance.
"O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-Ooh!"
"A-A-A-A-A-A-A-Ah!"
The "Wraiths" swarmed Mika, but the moment they touched Mika's magic power, they retreated as if repelled.
They are repelled, but probably no damage is taken.
Since they leave just by touching a little, they probably cannot drain magic power.
So, Mika tried punching the stomach of a "Wraith".
Naturally, there was no feeling of impact, but a hole opened where he punched, and it was restored from the surroundings.
(...Can I think this is drained?)
In other words, he just needs to create this state.
With the task clearly defined, the corner of his mouth rose involuntarily.
He set [Physical Enhancement] to four times, and Mika started punching the "Wraiths" surrounding him.
He punched and kicked the "Wraiths'" arms, legs, stomachs, faces, and backs.
The "Wraiths'" movements were slow, and probably they wouldn't be attacked even without [Physical Enhancement].
Trys was dumbfounded at Mika running wildly through the entrance and beating the "Wraiths" like octopuses.
(But, it's inefficient.)
It is certain that the "Wraiths'" magic power is being drained, but there are no fatal wounds or anything.
It's just draining a little bit at a time.
To deal damage more efficiently, Mika returned the magic power range clinging to him back to a ten-meter range.
Without perception by magic power range, he would just chase the "Wraiths" right before his eyes.
To attack "Wraiths" that are closer rather than chasing the ones that retreated and moved away, a magic power range became necessary.
But doing this leaves his defense completely gone, so he absolutely cannot take attacks from the "Wraiths".
Mika beat the "Wraiths" recklessly, but he also found an efficient way to punch.
Rather than piercing the stomach or face, it seems he can drain more magic power by scraping a wide area of the "Wraiths'" body, like a bear swinging its arm down.
When he scraped the "Wraiths'" body like a bear claw or uppercut with magic power gathered in both hands and feet, the "Wraith" he just punched disappeared smoothly.
And a red stone dropped at his feet with a Katsun sound.
(...Did it! I defeated it!)
It was a bit of trouble, but it was proven that this method works.
[Physical Enhancement] still has plenty of power surging.
With this momentum, he resolves to drain them all, and
"Target the weakness! Look closely at the "Wraiths"! Find the glowing parts!"
Trys, watching Mika's fight at the entrance, gave him advice.
(Weakness? Is there such a thing?)
If there were such an obvious place that glows, Mika would have aimed at it anyway, and it wouldn't be strange if he accidentally hit it with previous attacks.
He observed the "Wraiths" gathered at the entrance thoroughly, but he didn't notice any glowing parts.
Since staring at them doesn't help, he decided to trample the "Wraiths" by punching and kicking as before.
And, noticing it, he decided to aim for that so-called weakness.
As he attacked the "Wraiths" that way, he noticed there were places that faintly glowed pale blue after being punched.
The glow was so faint that it was no wonder he didn't notice it until now.
He tried punching there, and he felt something hit his fist, and the "Wraith" dispersed into mist.
And what flew away hitting his fist was the Magic Stone.
(The Magic Stone was concealed...? Does losing the Magic Stone make it impossible to maintain the "Wraith" state easily?)
Now that he knows that, the rest is easy.
He punched nearby "Wraiths" a few times, and when the weakness was exposed, he grabbed the Magic Stone.
Just that, and he could defeat the "Wraiths" in the blink of an eye.
"Hahaha. This is easy."
Mika grasped the location of the "Wraiths" with his magic power range and dealt with them one by one, being careful not to be flanked.
Once he knew how to defeat them, it didn't take ten seconds to defeat one.
It was much easier than using [God's Miracle].
With this, the countermeasure against "Wraiths" is perfect.
Mika was exactly looking for this kind of method.
He cleared all the "Wraiths" in the entrance and let out a breath, "Phew...".
"Thank you."
Turning toward Trys to thank her for the advice, Trys made a surprised face.
But in the next moment, that Trys widened her eyes.
"Behind you!"
By the time Trys shouted, Mika was already jumping while turning his head diagonally backward.
He delivered punches and kicks to the "Wraith", instantly exposing the weakness and stealing the Magic Stone.
This "Wraith" had come through the wall.
(I had expanded my magic power range, so I could notice immediately even if it came through the wall, but this wall penetration is a bit troublesome.)
If he had his back to the wall and it came through attacking, it would be difficult to dodge.
Or rather, not limited to walls, is it possible for them to come through the ceiling or floor?
If so, it might be safer to wrap himself in high-concentration magic power with defense in mind rather than perception by magic power range.
Mika revised his policy and wrapped himself in high-concentration magic power.
With this, the "Wraiths'" attacks are invalidated.
Watching Mika easily defeat the "Wraith" that came through the wall, Trys sighed in relief.
(...Really, you keep surprising me. Honestly, you are far stronger than I imagined. You are using [Physical Enhancement] too, aren't you?)
"Yes, I still have plenty of magic power? No need to worry about magic power depletion."
When Mika said that, Trys smiled bitterly.
"So, you are a mage chosen for talent, as expected. It's different from a loser revival like me."
"Ah..."
With the phrase "loser revival", he noticed immediately.
Could it be that Trys was picked up at a church ceremony?
(If a church-related person uses [God's Miracle], that pattern is normal. If so, I should have been with the church too.)
Mika felt a bit of affinity toward Trys.
Kaerya seemed not to understand well and looked down at Mika silently.
But she might be satisfied with Mika's fighting style.
She had a calm expression.
(With this, I can finally control the entrance.)
It took longer than expected, but now he has a prospect for exploring the mansion.
He also knows an easy way to defeat "Wraiths", and quietly burns with fighting spirit to explore the cause of the curse.