Chapter 22. Madness 99% (1)
The security force monitoring the labyrinth from above couldn't hide their shock.
“What the hell is that?!”
There was no way someone with a Madness Gauge of 99 should still have a functioning Reason Gauge.
It should have dropped to zero long ago.
In fact, none of them had ever seen anyone with Madness above 90.
“If his Madness Gauge is 99, he should've already submitted and become an NPC!”
“So why is he still completely fine?!”
The commander shot up from his seat.
“He exists outside the rules.”
His expression hardened.
“If someone like that is allowed to remain...”
“The foundation of this entire city will collapse.”
The officers exchanged uneasy looks.
“We can't leave him alone.”
“That bastard is a disaster capable of breaking the laws of this place.”
“Activate the trap?”
“Yes.”
The commander nodded.
“Wake the heart of the labyrinth immediately.”
“Yes, sir!”
BOOM.
BOOM.
BOOM...
The entire underground labyrinth began to shake.
Grape vines burst from the walls.
They twisted like snakes and shot toward Jooheon's arms and legs.
“What the hell?”
Jooheon frowned.
“Since when did weeds get this arrogant?”
He swung his longsword.
A crimson sword aura flashed like lightning.
Every vine was sliced apart.
The severed pieces exploded with the smell of alcohol, making the air even thicker.
[Reason Gauge -5]
The surrounding prisoners staggered like drunks.
Several nearly collapsed.
Jooheon paused.
“Ah.”
He slowly lowered the sword.
“Hmm.”
“Maybe I shouldn't cut everything blindly.”
Majesty Yoo Jaeha exploded.
“I've been telling you not to treat destroying everything like the default solution!”
Jooheon ignored him and looked toward the prisoners.
“For now, you people follow me.”
He gestured toward the opened path.
“We're getting out of here.”
“!”
The imprisoned people stared at him in disbelief.
“What... is that man?”
“He has both Madness and Reason at the same time...”
They began following Jooheon.
Then...
BOOM.
BOOM.
BOOM.
Heavy footsteps echoed through the labyrinth.
Something was approaching.
And then—
[Hehehehehe...]
[What's this?]
[You made it all the way here and there are still people with Reason left?]
A creature appeared.
Human upper body.
Goat legs.
Short horns on its forehead.
A half-human, half-beast figure drinking alcohol.
A Satyr.
A follower of Dionysus.
The musician of madness responsible for trapping humans inside the labyrinth.
This creature indulged endlessly in wine and pleasure.
Even its laughter corroded human sanity.
Sure enough...
The moment it appeared, the air itself seemed to become intoxicated and warped.
[Servant: Satyr]
[Effect: Reason Gauge -10]
The prisoners were immediately terrified.
“T-That's...”
“The master of the labyrinth!”
The scholar-like man trembled.
“It forcibly injects Madness into anyone who refuses to abandon Reason.”
He swallowed.
“It's Majesty's first servant.”
The Satyr laughed drunkenly and crooked a finger.
Grape vines erupted from the floor.
The thorn-covered tendrils grabbed people's arms and legs.
Then dragged them toward enormous barrels of wine.
“ARGH! Let go!”
“No!”
“If we go in there, we'll become NPCs!”
The captured prisoners struggled desperately.
It was useless.
The crimson liquid inside the barrels surged like waves.
It swallowed them.
[Reason Gauge -10]
[Madness Gauge +20]
The numbers changed.
Their eyes shook.
Screams echoed through the chamber.
“AAAAARGH!”
“Damn it... my mind...!”
“I'm dizzy...!”
Then—
BOOM!
A crimson flash tore through the air.
The vines were brutally severed.
Muramasa glowed red as it chopped the tendrils apart.
“Guh!”
The Satyr's expression twisted.
Rope immediately grabbed the people hanging from the severed vines.
SWISH!
It lowered them safely to the ground.
The Satyr glared at Jooheon with blood-red eyes.
But Jooheon merely dusted off his clothes and spoke calmly.
“So there really is a reason Dionysus's Artifact is hidden here.”
He looked impressed.
“Even the nearby Artifacts are famous ones.”
“Better than expected.”
The Satyr was a follower of Dionysus.
And if it was one of Dionysus's subordinates...
Artifacts cannot attack other Artifacts belonging to the same subordinate lineage.
Simply possessing one could provide a defensive effect.
And this Satyr wasn't merely obeying Dionysus's commands.
It voluntarily enjoyed Madness.
That meant...
It might even rebel against Dionysus itself.
Jooheon grinned.
“If I steal that thing, I might be able to wreck this whole city.”
Majesty Jaeha stared at him.
“That's a Bound Artifact too.”
“How exactly are you planning to steal it?”
“Watch.”
Meanwhile, the Satyr stared at Jooheon in disbelief.
[What is he?]
[His Madness is extremely high...]
[So why is he saving humans?]
[Is he some kind of mutation?]
The Satyr wrapped more vines around the citizens and raised them into the air.
Then it threatened Jooheon.
[You.]
[The human who saved those people.]
[Drink.]
[The moment you refuse, these humans will rot away.]
“ARGH! It's pulling us away!”
“No!”
“We'll become NPCs!”
The scholar-like man screamed in fear.
“You're our hope!”
