Season 4: Chapter 21. Gatekeepers (3)

"This is totally different from when I practiced with Tako," Bubblegum muttered into his viewer mic channel.

Su-Yeon was reacting differently.

— LOL

— Haha

— It can’t be helped

— Wait, you practiced??

— Whoa, Bubblegum practiced?

Ding.

[PoPo has donated 10,000 won!]

[Talking to a female college student at your age should be a crime.]

— OMG, brutal

— But it’s just a game, officer!

— LOL come on

"No! I didn’t talk to her. Man, I almost couldn’t even enter a name!"

The NPC had completely ignored him to the point where the story almost couldn’t progress. He protested in frustration, but they only laughed at him more.

— The way he suddenly got louder is killing me

— LOL seriously

— Can’t proceed due to looks

— Bubblegum isn’t ugly, Almond is just too handsome

— Poor guy

[Hmm has donated 10,000 won!]

[Bro, that AI was definitely built using Raina’s codebase.]

"Thanks, Hmm. Do you really think it’s about looks? I think it’s more about... like performance? I suck too much..."

— Not only ugly but bad at games? Oops, I mean—

— :(

— That makes it worse

— If you’re good-looking, at least don’t be good at games too, Almond!

— Damn...

— Almond, for the love of god, don’t work out... oh wait, he was a pro athlete...

"A-Alright, everyone. Let’s calm down. Breathe," Bubblegum muttered as he diligently followed Almond.

Currently, two exorcists who failed to clock out of work were following an atheist theology student. Together, they entered the ominous campus.

***

The university campus was located in a wide expanse along a mountainside. The scale was impressive for a school in the heart of Seoul. However, not a single person could be seen. All they saw was a blanket of purplish mist rolling over the ground.

"There’s no one here," Almond muttered to the viewers while eyeing Su-Yeon. "Is she luring us here to kill us or something?"

— LOL

— Based on what LOL

— Bro thinks he’s in a murder mystery

— Straight to suspicion

— He's about to press Option 4 again!!

Ding.

[NonFame has donated 5,000 won!]

[At least ask before attacking!]

— LMFAO

— Why is attacking still the baseline tho

— Hahahaha

"Hmm..."

Almond was still suspicious of the theology student Su-Yeon. She showed up out of nowhere asking for help. The campus also looked suspiciously empty.

"This is weird."

Unaware that Almond was contemplating blasting her head off, Su-Yeon eagerly explained, "The phantoms suddenly appeared, and everyone disappeared. But don’t worry. They’re not dead."

"They’re not dead?"

"Nope! My classmates from the theology department helped evacuate people into the buildings, but... it’s too hard for us to fight alone..."

"Fight? You learn exorcism in theology?"

"No! We’re just normal students, okay?! But... there is an occult club in our department."

"You guys do real exorcisms in that club?"

"W-We’ve never done it for real. It’s more of a paranormal hobby club. Originally..."

Originally? It sounded like something happened.

"Yesterday, a few of the seniors started showing signs of possession. Just a few—maybe three?"

— Whoa

— Huh

— Did they actually exorcise someone??

— Spooky

"Yesterday, one of my friends said a senior got possessed. Then, today..."

This entire area became like this because of a single possessed person?

"I see, but how did you get out? Your friends are still inside, right?"

"Oh, well... I guess I had a knack for exorcism? I hit them with this Bible and they just... died!" Su-Yeon explained as she swung her Bible like a blunt weapon.

Whoosh!

It made a terrifying sound.

— That could kill someone LOL

— This is a weapon not a book!

— It’s just a club at this point

— Almond’s face LMAO

"I-I swear! Also, it’s not just my Bible. There are relics inside the building with protective wards! The upperclassmen must be using them to hold out."

So the students were holding out behind protective wards in the building.

Ding.

[ReturningStudent has donated 10,000 won!]

[College students are good at setting up protective wards. When I went on a student retreat, the social barriers were layered thick...]

— LOL

— A returning student...

— Domain Expansion: Retreat Edition

— Yeah, because you were the curse spirit!

"Whoa! There are phantoms from here on out! Be careful!"

They had only walked about fifty meters past the front gate when the phantoms began appearing. The phantoms didn’t seem too tough, likely warm-up mobs similar to the speedy ones from before.

"Oh, it’s those guys."

Whoosh!

Zoom!

The phantoms charged at an incredible speed. Bubblegum suddenly dashed forward.

"L-Let’s GOOOOO!"

— ??

— ?

— What the heck was that? LOL

— He snapped!

Strangely enough, it turned out to be a clever move.

"Oh."

Bubblegum created a perfect angle for Almond to attack. Almond quickly pulled three or more talismans from his case and hurled them.

ZAP!

CRACK!

Blue lightning surged as the talismans stuck to the phantoms’ foreheads.

BOOM!

They vanished one by one in an instant.

— They really made that work as co-op

— This is just like in LIL lol

— Is he a monk or Iron Ball??

— So by this logic, being bait counts as co-op too!

— Iron Ball carry mode

By the time Bubblegum could even start his rhythm mini-game with the Wooden Fish, Almond already had the situation under control. Drawing aggro was the best thing Bubblegum could do. It worked beautifully since they defeated the Grade 3 phantoms in no time.

"Wow!"

Su-Yeon’s eyes sparkled from behind Almond.

"Mister, did you like... train or something? That was amazing!"

"No, I was just an office worker."

"Wait... the National Intelligence Service?"

Oh Su-Yeon, the NPC AI, seemed to have a built-in fanfic generator.

— What is she even talking about? LOL

— NIS agents don’t wear hanbok and throw talismans!!

— Turn off ChatGPT, Su-Yeon

— LMAO this is gold!

Bubblegum tried to join in and started chatting her up again.

"Wow, we cleared them all out! Right, Su-Yeon?"

"Wow, yes! But, mister... do monks really not eat meat?"

"...?"

Her glance at Bubblegum’s stomach didn’t seem accidental.

"No. I was just an office worker."

𝓯𝙧𝙚𝒆𝙬𝙚𝒃𝙣𝙤𝒗𝓮𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

"Oh."

Su-Yeon turned away with a cold expression. It seemed that was her default face.

— Is that it?

— Ah... (he must love company dinners)

— LOL

— Ah... (pfft)

— Hahaha

Bubblegum’s shoulders slumped, having gotten nothing out of the conversation he had initiated.

"Hey, that was good this time."

"Uh... yeah."

Almond was the only one who comforted him.

***

"I’m clocking out. You should too, man."

Manager Kim finally stood up, unable to bear it any longer. He had stayed late at the office, thinking it’d be a fun watch. However, he completely lost hope after Almond cleared the phantoms again. That guy was the real deal.

"Ah... no. I’ll stick around a little longer."

His junior still clung to hope.

"What hope? This will just end up being a regular promo stream. We’re not getting a top-tier promotion. Just a standard one."

"No! You never know! Rapid phantoms and rapid talisman throwing?! That much was within expectations!"

"...?"

The manager tilted his head. He recalled how the guy had jumped up in shock earlier. As they said, people believed what they wanted to believe.

"Really?"

Still, Manager Kim decided to give him the benefit of the doubt. What else could he do? The damage had already been done. It was better to stay calm.

"Yes. They haven’t even reached the boss yet, right? These small fry mobs are nothing. Just goblins. Goblins!"

The deputy actually knew the game better than the manager.

"There’ll be other types of mobs soon like ghosts or yokai."

"Yeah?"

"Yes. Definitely."

That wasn’t a lie. The real game started here.

"One ghost in particular... will give them a run for their money."

Though he explained it casually, the duo was about to face an infamous ghost from the alpha tests.

‘The Noob Reaper... Gatekeeper... it had a lot of nicknames.’

Of course, just a tough attack pattern wasn’t enough to stop someone like Almond. The deputy had already figured that out.

‘This one can’t be beaten by reflexes alone. Even Blessed Almond will get stuck.’

He hoped for the fact that it required a lot of thinking.

"They’ll have to use their heads. And that’s this duo’s biggest weakness."

The players had to strategize. Manager Kim knew all too well that no one in this duo could likely do that.

"

Sigh.

Alright. I’ll believe. Let’s see if I can go home in peace."

He set his bag down again.

"Okay! I’ll go get more beer."

"Nah, you stay and watch. I’m going for a smoke anyway."

"Ah, okay."

***

"That’s the theology department building."

They approached the building Su-Yeon had pointed out. It was relatively close to the front of the campus.

"Are all the students trapped in there?"

"I’m not sure. I feel like some might be in other buildings too..."

Could students without protective wards really survive there? Su-Yeon didn’t finish her sentence.

"But..."

Almond eyed the building from a distance.

"What’s that on the roof?"

Something was glowing on the roof. More accurately, light seemed to be getting sucked into it.

"Uh... I don’t know either."

Almond found it suspicious. He figured the gloomy energy covering the entire campus had to be coming from that thing.

"Let’s go."

He took the lead. Bubblegum and Su-Yeon followed. They could easily see through the glass front entrance.

There was nothing.

Strangely enough, the building appeared completely empty.

"Where are the others?"

"On the third floor. That’s where our clubroom is. Oh, and maybe the basement too. Some went there to get weapons..."

"Weapons?"

"

Ahaha...

well, calling them weapons is a stretch. Stuff like this."

Whoosh, whoosh.

Su-Yeon swung her Bible around for demonstration.

— Oh, it’s a loot zone

— Weapon upgrades maybe?

— Just one talisman feels lacking...

‘Sounds like we’ll need to check the basement.’

Almond figured something important was down there and moved to open the front doors.

"Let’s check out the first f—"

"Wait."

Almond sensed something coming.

BOOM!

A massive shockwave flung Almond backward through the air. It felt like a sudden blast of air pressure.

‘Huh?’

As he was sent flying, Almond caught a glimpse of something.

‘What the?’

Through the crack in the door he had just opened, he saw... something. It had looked completely empty from the outside.

"Almond oppa!"

Thud.

Almond rolled all the way to a flower bed as the others rushed over.

"There’s something inside."

"Yeah, I thought so."

Bubblegum nodded.

"It’s a fakeout. I didn’t say anything because of spoilers..."

"Ah."

— LOL

— Honestly, it would’ve been a spoiler LOL

— Hard to explain stuff like that during a promo stream

— Makes sense

— No wonder he didn’t seem surprised

"There’s probably a ghost at the entrance using telekinesis or something. You gotta beat it. Ghosts don’t show through glass. I think that’s the concept."

"I see. Let’s go back in."

"Wait, if you just go in again, it’ll fling you back out."

"So?"

"Uh... that’s a spoiler too."

Apparently, Bubblegum still couldn’t say.

"Oh well."

Almond just walked back up.

— Wait, he was fishing for info? LOL

— LMAO "Oh well."

"Wait, hey! If you just go in again, it’ll fling you—huh?"

Click.

The door opened surprisingly easily.

"What the?"

The ghost inside had already died. It had been killed.

[Earthbound Spirit]

A talisman was squarely stuck to its forehead. The ghost was an earthbound spirit.

"

Uurrrgghhh...

"

It was still twitching like it had been electrocuted.

Almond casually shoved it aside and said, "Oh. That hit, huh?"

The talisman he’d thrown out on reflex had landed perfectly.

"Guess it couldn’t dodge since it was an earthbound ghost."

— LMFAO

— That aim though

— A no-look shot straight to the forehead

— National team level accuracy!

— He’s literally doing magic

— Wait, he threw that earlier??

— I didn’t even see it

— Ghosts? He’s fighting demons at this point.

Donations came flooding in due to the overwhelming reflex Almond had displayed.

BABABAM!

[RubySword has donated 100,000 won!]

[BANG!]

— LMAO

— Damn

— GASP (dead)

— Princess Ruby, I’m dying!

— This is it!

— KO’d

— Who killed it? Blessed Almond.

— LOL everyone pretend to drop dead

At the time, no one knew that this spirit was actually the Gatekeeper, the Noob Reaper the devs had been banking on.