Chapter 11: Slaying the Corpse Bugs, Harvesting Experience
"Keep up, keep up! Our first stop is the restroom Twisted Monster."
Taking on the role of a tour guide, Allen called for Bruce and Oliver to follow him toward the nearby school.
The two remained skeptical about Allen's earlier revelations regarding the secrets of Silent Hill.
Exchanging a glance, Bruce whispered, "Let's capture someone for interrogation, find the Redemption Blade, and then get out of here."
"Hopefully, it all goes smoothly."
Oliver, skilled in archery, had keen senses.
As the ashen fog rose, an unsettling feeling crept into his heart—though not enough to make him back down.
The exit of Silent Hill had already transformed into a bottomless abyss. Without Alessa's permission, escaping unscathed was impossible.
On the opposite side of the abyss, a disheveled woman in white stood silently.
The abandoned school's dilapidated walls were stained with brown filth, and the air was thick with the nauseating stench of decay and rust.
Allen, treating this like a haunted house attraction, kicked open every door he saw and barged into every room, like a bandit raiding a village.
"Monsters? I love them!"
How could he not?
Each one was an adorable little bundle of experience points.
At the same time, as the three entered the Otherworld, cultists hiding in the decrepit buildings had already noticed the intruders and immediately reported to their leader, Krista.
The church was the only place in Silent Hill that could shield people from the dark forces.
Dressed in a long black robe, Krista listened to her followers' report with her usual calm and imposing expression. Her wrinkled face remained solemn.
They were merely pitiful souls trapped in Silent Hill, cursed to remain frozen in time, forever living in fear.
Their only faith was in salvation and deliverance.
"Martial artists?"
Krista pulled an ancient dagger from her sleeve, speculating on the situation before calmly instructing, "Prepare to welcome our guests from the League of Assassins."
"Yes, High Priestess!"
The cultists obeyed without hesitation, clearly unwilling to sit idly by.
Through years of trial and study, they had confirmed that the curse had to be broken. Otherwise, anyone who died in Silent Hill would transform into a monster in the Inner World.
After poring over ancient records, Krista had finally found the key to ending it all—
Using the Redemption Blade to kill the source, Alessa's true body. Only then could the curse be lifted for all.
…
"Found it."
Pushing open a restroom stall door, they were greeted by the sight of a dried-up corpse, bound in twisted wire. The back wall bore an English inscription:
"You jump, I jump."
Allen tilted his head, scrutinizing the text before blurting out an entirely incorrect translation.
"It's saying, 'If you dare, then I dare too.'"
Oliver sighed and corrected him, slightly exasperated.
Allen remained unfazed, refusing to admit his mistake.
"What use is a corpse?"
Bruce covered his nose, unable to bear the putrid stench.
"None at all."
Allen replied matter-of-factly, then elaborated, "He was a deranged janitor who offed a demigod brat. I'm just here to check in at a tourist spot."
"…"
Yeah, believing a lunatic makes you a lunatic.
Bruce shot Oliver a look. Oliver understood instantly—they needed to ditch Allen.
"Hey, Bats, Green Arrow, don't be so hasty. Wanna see something exciting? The Long-Legged Nurses, Silent Hill's must-see attraction! Miss it, and you'll regret it for life."
Allen's face lit up with enthusiasm, looking as if he couldn't wait to witness the swollen-faced nurses in all their eerie glory.
"Allen, can you be serious for once?"
Bruce said sternly, "In an unfamiliar, dangerous environment, we should focus on completing the mission and escaping, not wasting time pointlessly."
Allen's expression suddenly turned serious—a rare occurrence.
"Bats, we're trapped in the Otherworld. Without the brat's permission, we can't leave Silent Hill. You think I'm not anxious?"
Hearing this, Bruce felt guilty, realizing he might have been too harsh.
Then, in the very next second—
"Ha! Just kidding. I'm not anxious at all!"
Allen instantly reverted to his usual manic demeanor.
Bruce took a deep breath, gripping his sword hilt, resisting the urge to cut him down and chop him into mince.
He cursed himself—why the hell did I even bother listening to this lunatic?
"What's going on with the walls?"
Oliver frowned as he noticed black-red fungal growth creeping across the surfaces.
Not just the walls—the ceiling and floor were also being rapidly consumed by the dark mold.
The Inner World was descending.
This sight made Bruce and Oliver reevaluate Allen's claims.
The real world, the Otherworld, and the Inner World—did they truly exist? Were they really trapped?
BANG!
A stall door slammed open, and a grotesque, crawling creature skittered toward them.
It was the corpse from earlier, now fully transformed into a monster in the Inner World.
"A Twisted Monster—its body is bound in barbed wire, and every movement brings unbearable, tearing pain."
Allen casually analyzed, his tone disturbingly neutral.
"I gotta say, it has high artistic value. A bondage structure with barbed wire, concentrating pain into a single point. This must be the work of a master who truly understands the craft."
The Twisted Monster, drawn by Allen's voice, flicked out its pale tongue, writhing grotesquely.
Not particularly dangerous—but absolutely disgusting.
Slash!
One clean stroke.
The Twisted Monster's head dropped to the floor, its body slumping lifelessly.
[Killed Twisted Monster: +150 XP]
"Any monster that lusts after my body must die."
Allen's sword was drawn and sheathed in one swift motion. His attack was lightning-fast.
Even Bruce had to admit—he couldn't match Allen's fluid precision.
How the hell was a lunatic this good?
SPLAT!
[Killed Corpse Bug: +10 XP]
A cockroach-like creature crawled out of a crack in the wall. Allen reacted instantly, stomping it to death.
Survivors of Silent Hill had one rule—
If you see a Corpse Bug, kill it immediately and run, because where there's one, there are thousands more.
"Bats, Green Arrow, run!"
With a swift draw of his sword, Allen slashed at the incoming swarm.
One strike—
Experience points flooded in.
Over two hundred in an instant—utterly satisfying.
Of course, Allen told them to run so he could hog all the experience for himself.
'Experience sufficient. Current Rogue Level: Lv31.'
With just a few more swings, after slaying nearly a hundred Corpse Bugs, he leveled up again.
"Allen, fall back now!"
As the swarm grew denser, Bruce and Oliver broke through the door first.
But Allen, intoxicated by the surge of experience, ignored their warning.
Strike after strike, he moved without pause, embodying the sheer dominance of cutting from Heaven's Avenue straight to Dusit's Development Zone.
In mere moments, the Corpse Bugs surged like a tidal wave.
Their carcasses piled high around Allen.
No matter how fast he swung, the sheer numbers overwhelmed him, and he was swallowed whole.
[Experience sufficient. Current Rogue Level: Lv50.]
[New Skill Unlocked: Blade Kill Formation.]
[Blade Kill Formation: Summons twelve shadow swords attacking in all directions. Damage is based on shadow blade stats.]