Chapter 155 - 154: Holy Light Protect Me

Chapter 155: Chapter 154: Holy Light Protect Me

Hesia’s mind raced through the Chapter on Undead Creatures in his [Personal Monster Quick Reference Manual], quickly locking onto an entry that matched the scene before him.

As he quickly absorbed the information, a mere thought from him caused translucent, hexagonal scales of Magic Power to silently materialize around his body, cloaking him in an invisible suit of armor—[Mage Armor] was now active.

Ghost Soul

Adventure Level: 18+ (Level is dynamically assessed based on the target’s strength in life, the intensity of their lingering obsession, and their duration of existence).

Characteristics: Appears in a translucent, phantom form, usually retaining some of its living silhouette. However, its appearance is twisted by intense obsession, often manifesting as extreme sorrow, anger, or confusion.

Habits: A soul bound to a specific place or object by a strong obsession or unfinished business from life. They usually haunt their place of death, burial site, or locations related to their obsession. They are not inherently evil, but intense negative emotions may drive them to attack living beings who enter their domain.

Skills:

Phantom Body Attribute: Ghost Souls can ignore physical obstructions, passing freely through walls, obstacles, and even the bodies of living creatures. This makes them nearly immune to conventional physical attacks and many types of elemental damage (such as ice and poison). While fire and lightning can affect them, their effectiveness is greatly reduced. Only Enchanted Weapons, Force Field Spells, or powers that directly attack the mind can deal effective damage. Radiant Energy is also exceptionally effective against these types of Undead Creatures.

Withering Touch: Their touch directly drains the Life Force of living beings, inflicting wounds caused by Negative Energy that are difficult to heal.

Horrible Face: The Ghost Soul reveals its most tormented appearance to intimidate its target. A strong mental assault simultaneously amplifies the target’s inner fears. Those with weak Will may fall into a state of persistent terror and lose their sanity.

Possession: Their most dangerous ability. They can attempt to invade and control a target’s body. The possessed individual will completely lose control of their body, becoming a puppet for the Ghost Soul to attack its former companions.

Fevik’s Notes: The most effective method is to help them resolve their lingering obsession. After all, the kind of damn affair that keeps a soul from resting in peace often involves something good—like a forgotten treasure! Of course, if that’s too much trouble, you can also just blast it to bits with sufficiently powerful Radiant Magic or a Force Field Shock.

’Force Field Damage, huh...’

Hesia’s mind raced. At the tip of his Magic Wand, a blue ball of energy had already coalesced in Peggy’s mouth—a [Magic Missile], the purest form of a Force Field spell.

But he didn’t fire it just yet.

Just as Fevik’s notes said, his primary goal was to resolve Jasmine’s obsession, not to destroy her outright.

But he first had to demonstrate he had the power to ’negotiate.’

The Ghost Soul before him—Jasmine—also seemed to have sensed that the blue energy in Hesia’s hand posed a great threat to her.

Her ethereal body instinctively floated backward. The flames of resentment in her empty eye sockets flickered uncertainly, now mixed with a trace of fear.

At the same time, she also noticed the dog next to Hesia. Puffs of flame occasionally escaped its breath.

’This person before me is clearly not on the same level as those greedy Adventurers from before.’

She was torn on whether to approach.

’If I don’t have to, I really don’t want to harm these people who have nothing to do with me.’

’But if I don’t deal with them now, in a moment that person outside, the one radiating a scorching light, will rush in...’

Just then, Hesia spoke first, "We mean no harm. We didn’t come here to purify you, either."

Jasmine’s translucent face twisted, and she spoke in a broken, ethereal voice, "Lies... The one outside... Holy Light... He used it on that painting... and burned me."

"Mr. Loris outside is not with me," Hesia immediately clarified. "If we were working together, why would I have rushed to get here before him?"

"..."

Jasmine’s Spirit Body wavered slightly, and she fell into a brief silence.

Hesia’s tone grew more serious. "Jasmine, you have to understand, once that member of the Church of the Saint Sun outside deals with that skeleton and rushes in, I doubt he’ll give you any chance to explain yourself. When that happens, you might never get the chance to say what you need to say."

A flicker of astonishment flashed through Jasmine’s ghostly green eyes.

"You... know... me?"

Hesia didn’t answer immediately. Instead, he took the worn-covered booklet from his pack and showed it to her.

"We got this from Tammy’s father, Mr. Buton."

"My... diary?" Jasmine’s Ghost Soul slowly drifted a little closer, staring intently at the booklet. Some of the resentment and madness in her eyes faded, replaced by a hint of sorrow and confusion.

"That’s right," Hesia continued. "Mr. Buton entrusted us with confirming whether his daughter had become some kind of Undead Creature, like you. He mentioned that skeletons often bring him food in the manor. It seems you were the one behind that? In that case, Tammy... it seems she has found her final rest."

"No! It’s not like that!" Jasmine’s voice grew urgent, even becoming coherent. "Those skeletons... it was Tammy... she was the one who couldn’t stop worrying about her father, so..."

Before she could finish, the sound of approaching footsteps and a characteristic shout echoed from the top of the stairs: "Evil! Where do you think you can hide!"

’Loris dealt with that Giant Axe Skeleton so quickly!?’

"Jasmine, go deeper inside. I’ll handle him," Hesia said as he quickly moved toward the top of the stairs, attempting to block the entrance.

[Affinity with Ghost Soul·Jasmine has increased. Decryption Points +5]

From the moment Hesia took out the diary, Jasmine had already mostly believed him.

Upon hearing his words, she immediately floated toward the deeper shadows of the basement, her ethereal voice urgent, "The mirror... that mirror... take it... don’t let it fall into anyone else’s hands!"

’The mirror?’ A thought struck Hesia. He already knew that Hand Mirror was no ordinary item. ’Is Jasmine saying that strange mirror is the key?’

Without needing his command, Zoya had already darted toward the wall where the Hand Mirror was hanging.

"No!" Jasmine’s voice grew shrill. "You can’t touch it! The dog... have the dog get it!"

At the same time, Hesia sensed something coming down the stone stairs.

He had assumed it was Loris, but he heard no footsteps.

’What’s this?’

He focused his gaze and saw a translucent creature similar to Jasmine appear at the top of the stone stairs.

It had the appearance of a fierce-looking, half-bald middle-aged man.

’He looks like... Jonathan, the owner of the training grounds?’

’No, he just looks similar to Jonathan, but his aura is completely different. This Spirit Body’s eyes are filled with greed and brutality.’