I Became a Genius Mage in the Cthulhu Game
chapter-18

I had no intention of completely destroying them.

They were rare items that were difficult to find elsewhere. I planned to trap them and then preserve their power as much as possible.

Even if I couldn’t apply such power right away, once my skills improved, I could use it directly or indirectly… it would prove to be quite useful.

First, I opened the lid of the glass bottle containing the wriggling slime. As the oppressive spell that had confined it was lifted, the slime trapped in the glass bottle began to agitate violently.

I gestured slowly, guiding the slime.

“Now, come here, this way.”

The slime, drawn by my hand movements, slowly rose and entangled with the magic circles I had prepared.

“Yes, good. That’s where you need to go. You want to rest, don’t you? I have prepared a cradle for you.”

Commands infused with magical power gave the slime new desires and directions.

“That’s right, it’s this crystal. Go inside it.”

Fizzz

A brief spark flew due to the recoil of the magical power but it wasn’t a major problem.

Before long, the slime had settled inside the purified crystal.

I slowly lifted the crystal.

The crystal enclosing the black slime droplets somewhat resembled a small column of ice.

Now, this slime couldn’t leave the crystal unless I allowed it.

In the same manner, I sealed the [Black Goat’s Body Fluid].

Since the [Black Goat’s Body Fluid] was white, a crystal imprisoning white droplets soon materialized before me.

“Phew… this is somewhat tiring.”

I took a short break by massaging the back of my neck.

It didn’t take long thanks to my ridiculous magical talent, but it was by no means an easy task.

Anyone could destroy or incinerate something, but this task was beyond the capacity of an ordinary mage.

“Anyway, these two can no longer cause any trouble.”

I thought for a while about where to place the two crystal pillars, but in the end I just put them on the bedside.

Although it was something I had to do eventually, this was merely a preliminary step for the tasks ahead.

Now let’s examine the mask.

I took the mask out of my backpack and placed it on the table.

Even on a second look, the mask’s bizarre shape was striking.

Texture and color of natural wood.

Twisted and contorted features.

And four eye holes pierced through it.

Jeong Eun-taek had dismissed it as a trivial object with no notable origin or history, but I could sense magical power faintly oozing from this mask.

“Alright, shall we take a proper look at what’s inside this item?”

There was no need to repeat the purification process.

I had created plenty of magic circles to serve as safety measures.

I drew the floating magic circles closer, preparing for any unforeseen circumstances, and placed my hand on the mask.

[?? Mask (??-rank Accessory): A mask of unknown origin. Research or appraisal is required to determine its nature.]

It was an item that even a professional appraiser like Jeong Eun-taek couldn’t appraise.

Someone had deliberately sealed it.

To appraise such an item, one would need special artifacts or magic.

But the problem is, the seal on this seems to be anything but ordinary.

As a test, I activated a first-order appraisal spell.

[Identification]

Whooosh…

[System: Unveiling the veil surrounding ‘?? Mask.’]

[Unveiling Judgment in Progress…]

[Insufficient caster level results in a penalty to the judgment.]

Ping!

[Judgment Failed.]

Just as I expected.

The seal on the mask couldn’t be broken with a first-order spell.

If a first-order [Identification] could have broken it, then Jeong Eun-taek would have been able to appraise it as well.

Perhaps the fourth-order [Foresight]…. or at least the second-order [Insight] would be necessary.

My own magic order was a mere one.

A first-order mage like myself couldn’t break the seal with the spells at my disposal.

Of course, I hadn’t prepared all this just to end things in such an anticlimactic way.

“Hoooo….”

I closed my eyes for a moment and exhaled.

After all, the orders of magic were merely artificial distinctions.

I had already created and used magic that transcended these tiers.

Focusing intensely, I concentrated highly tuned magical power and then slowly opened my eyes.

My masked face was reflected in the mirror hanging in the corner of the motel room.

The visage of a mage donning a skull-shaped mask.

All of a sudden, my eyes were adorned with dazzling golden magic circles that were shining brilliantly.

The world as seen through my eyes had completely changed.

Magic circles orbiting around me, and the flow of magic influenced by these circles.

What usually appeared as a mere stream or a gas of magic now manifested as a cluster of shining particles and endlessly repeating lines.

My magical sensitivity allowed me to intervene even in these minute particles and lines of magic.

I looked at the mask again.

The sinister magical power pooled within it.

And then there was the colorless veil concealing it.

This must be the work of a being of the abyss.

There was no doubt about it. While the origin of the mask remained unknown, the seal itself was unmistakably crafted by a being from the abyss.

Very… intriguing.

An item sealed by a divine being that governed otherworldly realms, the underworld, darkness, and the deep abyss.

What kind of power might it hold?

I concentrated again and created new magic circles.

These circles embodied the concepts of decomposition, analysis, penetration, severance, and release.

Magic particles and magic lines that resonated with them were concentrated at one point.

The sound was like the screeching of gears.

Giggigigigeek!

It was akin to the action of opening a lock with the movement of magical power alone, without a spell.

But this was forcibly twisting and opening the seal of an unknown origin.

It was an absurd action that was a thousand times different from merely unlocking a simple lock. But I….. can do it.

The strongest mage that could be realized in the game of [Cthulhu World].

Transcending the limitations of the game and its systems, I could become more than that.

Strange noises started to fill the air.

It was a loud, unpleasant sound, like dozens of flying insects squishing their wings at the same time.

[System: Unveiling the veil surrounding ‘?? Mask.’]

[Unveiling Judgment in Progress…]

[Insufficient caster level results in a penalty to the judgment.]

Get lost.

I had no intention of conducting a probability-based judgment.

It swirled like a screw, a drill, or a blade.

A force and pure will crafted to penetrate and dismantle magic and magical power. This very essence twisted, pierced, tore, and shook the veil covering the mask.

Buzzzzzzzz…!

[System: An error has occurred. An error has occurred. An error has…]

Fizz, Fizzzzz!

Black smoke began rising from the mask.

It’s unveiling.

The veil started to tear. At the same time, the information about the mask hidden behind the veil was revealed.

[Ca?cosa’s Mask (?? Accessory): Used by? Old ruler? King in yell??? status??]

I tried not to hurry as I slowly removed the last fragments of the veil.

Scrape – Swoosh.

The eerie sound of magical lines being cut filled the air.

What had once been like a blade, screw, or drill in its magical form was now moving in a delicate and precise manner, like a scalpel and tweezers.

Creak, creak…

Flash!!!

A blinding flash of light.

A flash so intense that it obliterated the shapes of everything in the room.

I’ve done it.

I managed to release the seal placed by a being from the abyss using nothing but my own magical control and sensitivity, without the aid of any existing spell.

Where the flash of light had disappeared…there still remained the bizarrely shaped wooden mask.

A sinister mask with four eyes.

But now, my eyes could read the new information about this mask.

[Carcosa’s Mask (L-rank Accessory): Used by the Great Old Ruler, He Who Must Not Be Named, the mighty [King in Yellow]. Those not of equal status cannot fully harness its power.

Yellow Sign: The mighty [King in Yellow] takes an interest in you.

■■■■: ■■■■■ ‘Inactive as conditions have not been met.’

■■■■: ■■■■■ ‘Inactive as conditions have not been met.’

■■■■: ■■■■■ ‘Inactive as conditions have not been met.’

Yellow Madness: Your mind is imbued with ‘Mental Illness — Return to Carcosa and a random delusion.

Oath of Carcosa: You may approach the side of the great [King in Yellow]]. Take the oath. You can become a being greater, wiser, and stronger than you are now.

Yellow Dominion: Adds the effect ‘Spell Enhancement: Instill Fear’ to certain spells.

Dreamy Blur: Automatically casts ‘Blink’ spell]

“Damn it… what is this?”

[The High Priest of the Sunset]

[The Lord of Sunset]

[The Master of Aldebaran]

[He Who Must Not Be Named]

[That Which Lies Beneath the Lake]

[The Great Prince]

[The Peacock King]

[The Master of the Festival]

[The Indescribable One]

[The King in Yellow]

All these are names referring to one being.

The entities of the abyss mostly must not be named by their true names, but among them, [The King in Yellow] is considered the most dangerous.

How bad must it be to have earned the epithet [He Who Must Not Be Named]?

“Anyway… is this one of the Yellow Signs?”

[The King in Yellow] scattered symbols imbued with his power and madness to spread his influence and madness throughout the world.

Those who encountered objects marked with the Yellow Sign could gain immense power and corrupted inspiration, albeit temporarily…

However, as is often the case with such tales, they would eventually go completely mad and become servants of [The King in Yellow].

To think such an item of unknown origin was just rolling around in a pawnshop?

It sounded ridiculous.

It was a trap. This was not an item that should have come into my hands without reason.

“Hmm… but still…”

I adjusted my posture and looked closely at Carcosa’s mask.

“But… couldn’t this be useful?”

—The protagonist, overconfident in his own strength, ultimately ended up using a forbidden object that should never have been touched.

…It seems like it would be narrated like this if I were to use it.

However, one effect was too tempting to give up.

[Dreamy Blur: Automatically casts ‘Blink’ spell]

An artifact that grants the blink spell, no less.

Isn’t it a survival skill?

“Ah, fu*k. How can I give up on a survival skill?”

In the extremely challenging [Cthulhu World], survival skills are necessary to avoid the worst situations.

This is not a matter of choice. It’s essential and mandatory.

I tapped the plastic skull mask covering my face with my fingers.

It’s a million times better than wearing such a cheap plastic toy.

“Ah, forget it! Just use it. My traits will somehow help out!”

I took off the plastic mask covering my face and slowly put on [Carcosa’s Mask].

Some kind of information,

or will, began to flow into my mind.

It was a strange noise, almost like a voice.

Squish, squish, squish, squish, squish, squish, squish, squish, squish, squish, squish, squish, squish, squish, squish, squish, squish, squish, squish, squish, squish, squish, squish, squish, squish, squish, squish, squish, squish, squish, squish, squish, squish, squish, squish, squish, squish, squish, squish, squish, squish, squish, squish, squish, squish, squish, squish, squish…

A disgusting voice with no meaning.

The entangled chitinous, blood-soaked, trembling grandeur of Byaunya Ain Ain…… Chulu, Cul…… Kha- Qua Mu…… the light beyond. The beautiful…… the beautiful Carcosa….

The voice which had been mere noise started to form meaning.

The enormous pyramid. The yellowed, withered leaves. The lakeside with stagnant, rotten water. The stinking black masses. The shimmering moon. The ominous yellow light. The squelchy hill.

[L-rank Accessory ‘The Mask of Carcosa’s penalty. ‘Invitation to Carcosa’ is activated.

// Invitation to Carcosa: Your mind is imbued with ‘Mental illness- Return to Carcosa’ and a random delusion.]

It wasn’t a reckless decision to put it on. After all, the penalties brought about by the Yellow Sign were rooted in madness.

Crawling insects. Maggots larger than a human torso. Rolling skulls. Decaying corpses. Eyeballs. Eyeballs. Eyeballs.

Fizzzz-pop-.

Blue sparks began to fly around the mask and my head.

[System: The unique trait ‘Madness of the Abyss’ has been activated. The ‘Invitation to Carcosa’ effect has been nullified. The madness and delusions that tried to dwell in your mind disappeared.]

Since mental illnesses already resided in my mind, no new form of mental illness could enter.

[System: The L-rank accessory, ‘Carcosa’s Mask’, is now bound to you.]

This meant that I could freely use this artifact without any penalties.

As the sparks vanished, the strange noises that had been echoing in my head also completely disappeared.

“Phew… Is it done…?”

The texture of the wood was softer than I had anticipated, and it felt stable to wear.

I tried out a few spells as a test to examine the mask and my physical condition but I detected no abnormalities.

In any case, I felt in excellent condition.

It seemed safe to continue using this mask in the future.

Although there was a limit to the number of uses, this mask was equipped with advanced teleportation abilities like blinking. I would have to use it sparingly and wisely.

Lastly, I picked up the backpack I had thrown in the bathroom and took out some money.

There were eight bundles of money, each made up of a hundred 50,000 won notes…..In total, that amounted to 40 million won.

At a glance, it seemed like a lot of money, but it was ridiculously lacking for securing a base and stable activities.

It takes a lot of money to buy safety in the dangerous [Cthulhu World].

I should rest for a day or two more before meeting Tudor…