ORV Fanfiction [UNNAMED] (Hiatus)

Chapter 9: To Listen (3)

[Ugh, why is there an earthling like you in existence?] The Dokkaebi wanted to go back in time and throttle its past self from even appearing when the words "star channel contract" were uttered.

As for me, I was feeling pretty cheery from getting a huge discount on the items in the Dokkaebi bag.

As per agreement, the ratio of revenue was 4:6, with me only getting 4, but in exchange, the Dokkaebi had to pay 90% for one of the items from the Dokkaebi bag that I chose per day. Of course, it had to be in the range of what the Dokkaebi could pay, but still.

"It's too late to regret." I finally felt like my irritation was vented as I laughed uproariously with rosy cheeks.

In my hand I held an item I normally couldn't get with my measly allowance of coins. This was why I persevered in going through with the contract in the first place, despite not needing one to open the Dokkaebi bag.

[Summoning Bell of the Dead.]

Price: 8 451 coins

Rating: C

Use: A powerful bell that can resound to all areas of the scenario/dungeon. All undead and ghost related entities will not be able to resist the call and appear. Be cautious however, as there is no telling if the ones summoned will wish to communicate.

*Can only be used once in every scenario/dungeon

Ah, but now there will be constellations questioning how I knew about these contracts. My mood plummeted after thinking of the possible consequences resulting from my impulsive actions.

Shoving the possible consequences into the back of mind for the future me to deal with, I studied the bell, tracing over the engravings absentmindedly to prevent my motivation from falling even further.

Up on the building, with the wind whistling, I watched the countdown and mouthed as the seconds ticked down.

"0." I mumbled, and a new notification rang out.

[Stage transformation will now begin. Restrictions on ghosts have decreased.]

Memories from another time overlapped with the surroundings of this time, bringing with it the familiar view of a flooded Seoul, like it was Noah's Ark disaster at the end of the world.

But I guess the truth isn't far off, because we were breathing in a dying world overtaken by the greed of the star stream.

I looked absentmindedly off into the distance, wondering if Lee Jihye and Na Bori were ok, and then to my family.

Moving according to the plan, I took the bell and rang it.

-gong, gong-

With the bell as an epicenter, invisible sound waves pulsed outwards until every crevice of the flooded Seoul was reached.

[...Summoned?]

[Who are you?]

[Are you the one who called us?]

Before I was aware of it, shadowy figures appeared in the skies around me, peering downwards curiously.

I gulped at the sheer quantity. Would they hear me out?

In the previous run, focused more on survival, I hadn't taken the time to really look at the scores of ghosts, but the amount gathered before me was more than I had imagined.

"Yes, I called you here to talk - well, more like listen," I rephrased my words, drumming up my courage as I pushed my voice to be the loudest it could be. Once I started, it wasn't so hard to keep going.