The Max Level Hero Has Returned!-Chapter 1261

Heavy silence fell over the group of club members.

Everyone looked like they wanted to say something with their mouths opened slightly, yet whether because they didn’t want to make reckless assumptions or perhaps just couldn’t find the words, only stillness lingered.

The sound that had come from her Ah-Rin’s phone, when associated with the club member who had just gone missing, had undeniable eeriness to it. That dragging noise across the ground sent shivers down everyone’s spine.

“That sound just now... It wasn’t something being dragged through the bushes. It sounded more like something being dragged across concrete,” Bae Yoon-Seung muttered, face stiff.

Park Sung-Yool, the oldest member, gave a weak laugh. “Yoon-Seung... did you figure something out?”

Though he was hoping it was just a coincidence, his expression was undeniably grave as he stared into the woods.

“I think she went to the abandoned hospital.”

Bang!!

“What the hell are you saying?! That scaredy-cat went there alone?!”

As Park Sung-Yool shouted, Bae Yoon-Seung didn’t answer. Instead, he quietly pulled out his talismans.

“Fuck! I should’ve known when my mother said the day felt off...” he muttered to himself, but everyone understood what he meant. “Anyways, I’ll go and get her. You all stay here.”

“Wait. What?! You’re going alone?!” one of them shouted.

He answered, “What else? Should we all go together? Look, when shamans say not to go somewhere, there’s always a reason.”

“Why would someone like her go up that mountain of all places...”

That was the part no one could understand. There was no sense in someone going toward the mountain just to use the bathroom.

“Honestly, none of this makes any sense... but the yin energy up there has definitely gotten way stronger. Way more than what my mother ever warned me about,” he added in a voice tinged with self-blame. “There’s no doubt something’s gone wrong up there.”

The sheer intensity of the yin energy, far stronger than anticipated, wasn’t something they could simply ignore.

“Even if I call my mother, it’ll take her forever to get here,” he lamented.

“Can’t you do anything about it?”

“Honestly? I’m not confident. I’m a quack compared to real shamans...” His eyes then widened, as if something seemed to dawn on him. “Hey, Super Ribbon!”

She was surprised to be so abruptly called on. “Yes?”

“Can you suppress ghost energy?” He had to try anything he could!

Seeing the cautious optimism in his eyes, Super Ribbon shook her head with a conflicted expression. “I’m sorry, but no. Not by myself...”

Though she carried immense power, Super Ribbon couldn’t yet draw it out all on her own. She could only fully unleash her strength in the hands of the Saint of Tionis. While she could manage smaller things, when facing ghost energy so strong that even ordinary people could feel it, her power alone could only barely put up a resistance and endure.

“You can’t do it alone?”

“I need my father.”

Bae Yoon-Seung clapped his hands. “Then we contact the Saint of Tionis!!”

Ghosts or not, something was clearly wrong. If Davey came and helped, surely it could be resolved.

However, just as he got his hopes up, Super Ribbon shook her head. “No, that's not going to happen. He’s probably really busy right now.”

Bae Yoon-Seung let out a long sigh. Then, just when he was about to stand up, a sudden tearing sound ripped through the air.

Riiiiip!!

“What the hell?! Are you kidding me right now?!” muttered Bae Yoon-Seung, pale as a ghost, as he sprinted off toward the sound. He returned about ten seconds later.

Kim Ah-Reum, completely freaked out, rushed over and demanded answers. “What?! What happened?! What was it?!”

Bae Yoon-Seung held a torn talisman in his hand. The yellow charm paper was shredded, as if someone had violently ripped it apart. “This is definitely not normal. I don’t know which lunatic did it, but something’s definitely going on at that abandoned hospital. I’ve never even heard of ghost energy being this strong.”

They didn't get it. “What do you mean something’s going on?”

“What else could it be? Maybe a ghost-hunting club came in and tried some summoning ritual, or maybe they messed with something they weren’t supposed to,” he muttered darkly. “Sorry, but we’ve only got two options here. First, we get out of here. Fast.”

If they left immediately, they could probably shake off the ghost energy with a few minor countermeasures. However, that would mean leaving Jin Ah-Reum behind.

“Second, we all go up the mountain and bring Jin Ah-Reum back together.”

“We all have to go?”

“I told you before, right? Super Ribbon’s spiritual energy is insanely strong, so most spirits won’t even come close to her. If only the two of us go up, what do you think will happen to the rest of you left down here? The talismans were just shredded to pieces.”

Originally, he had planned to leave Super Ribbon behind to protect the others. Yet with the ghost energy proving so strong, even Bae Yoon-Seung knew he couldn’t handle it alone.

The fact that the talismans had been torn apart made it obvious that something was seriously bad. If something really went wrong, they could all get possessed and wander into the forest in a trance. If that were to happen, it’d be the end.

Getting lost in the mountains, possessed or not, was extremely dangerous.

“Then... what if Super Ribbon stays here...?” one of them suggested.

“I was planning to go alone at first, but if the talismans are getting ripped like this, I can’t handle it by myself.” Bae Yoon-Seung sighed, exhausted.

The others had a hard time coming to terms with reality. “This is insane... Are ghosts actually real?”

“We have monsters, so it’s not that surprising for ghosts to exist as well. Still, places this bad are super rare. In Japan, they straight-up seal off places like this... Like the Inunaki Tunnel. Even though this place is known as a haunted spot, it was never this bad...”

When he trailed off, Park Hyun-Ji quietly raised her hand. “Ummm. Yoon-Seung, you said I have a lot of spiritual energy too, right? So then, what if I stay here with the others and wait...”

He immediately shot her down. “No.”

“Why not?!” She trembled as she shouted, completely terrified.

“You’re not the kind who drives spirits away with energy, you attract them. If you separate from me in a place like this, you’ll be the first one they go after. That’s what my mother said.”

Park Hyun-Ji burst into tears. “Hrrrk. We shouldn’t have agreed to come here...”

“I’m sorry... I really didn’t expect it to get this bad...”

Frankly, it wasn’t Bae Yoon-Seung’s fault. The problem was that something had happened at the abandoned hospital. The mistake had been choosing this place as their trip destination in the first place.

Kim Ah-Reum gently comforted the guilt-ridden Bae Yoon-Seung. “Don’t blame yourself, this isn’t your fault. I don’t care if you call yourself a fraud or whatever, but do you even realize how much you’ve helped us up until now?”

Even if the abandoned hospital was full of ghost energy, as long as no one went inside, camping in the nearby mountains shouldn’t have caused any problems. However, with the unknown happening, the surrounding area began to fall under its influence as well.

“Kim Ah-Reum, we have to quickly make our decision. If we’re late, even a full-blown exorcism might not be enough. When ghost energy and yin energy gets this strong, even experienced shamans can die horribly,” Bae Yoon-Seung said in an urgent tone.

Kim Ah-Reum stayed silent for a long moment before sighing. “Let’s go, then. No matter what, we can’t just leave Ah-Reum behind. Hey, Yoon-Seung.”

“Yeah?”

“What are we dealing with?”

“Unless it’s some ultra-classified haunted site that’s sealed off by the government or something, as long as we stick close to Super Ribbon, we won’t get possessed. I’ll burn every talisman I have left to keep us safe, so let’s move fast and get out.”

The decision was made.

* * *

Frankly speaking, it was far too cold there that time of year for anyone to play in the creeks. However, the area had a unique geographical feature. After a monster appeared and was later wiped out, something about the land changed, and the water there became warm all year round.

So, despite the chilly air, some still came to play in the water.

A group of young men and women, huddled closely together, made their way up the pitch-dark mountain path, relying only on flashlights.

“We just need to keep following this trail. Good thing the slope isn’t too steep.” Leading the way, Bae Yoon-Seung held a bell in his hand, letting it jingle as he strode up.

“Does that thing... actually work?” The others were more than slightly skeptical.

“Better than nothing. Damn, it’s so cold...”

Walking in the eerie forest, not a single wild animal or insect made a sound. The only noise to be heard came from them stepping on the leaves.

“If you’re not careful, you could get lost in an instant. Is everyone still with us?”

“Y-Yeah...”

Trailing behind the group, Super Ribbon silently observed the increasingly intense chill in the air.

She was a sword, so to fully unleash her strength, she had to be with Davey. However, that didn’t mean she was completely powerless on her own. Now that her power had grown stronger, she figured she could probably release some of it.

Though she wasn’t yet used to applying physical laws, she could still block non-physical laws.

The problem was... she couldn’t control it. If she wasn’t careful, she could end up harming the very people she was trying to protect. Even so, transforming into a sword and letting someone else wield her was even worse.

If mishandled, the wielder could be in danger before even swinging her.

Just then, she sensed something and turned her head.

Rustle, rustle.

Something swiftly vanished into the darkness. It was a grotesque-looking crow with long feathers. Strangely enough, it didn’t come closer. It simply disappeared into the trees.

She wondered if the others weren’t able to see it.

“We’re here...”

Just then, she was pulled from her thoughts. Super Ribbon stopped in her tracks when a large four-story building came into view.

“Fuck man... The ghost energy here is out of control.”

Just like Bae Yoon-Seung said, even Super Ribbon could feel how drastically different the energy was from what they’d felt during the day. She couldn’t help but wonder what had caused it to become so bad.

While she was still deep in thought, Hyun-Ji, terrified, began to back away.

“Hyun-ji! Don’t fall behind.”

“I... I’m really scared...” she shakily muttered.

Even though they weren’t that afraid of ghost stories, seeing something like that in person would shake anyone.

Kim Ah-Rin grabbed Hyun-Ji’s trembling hand tightly. “Don’t worry. We’ll bring her out quickly, okay? Just don’t let go.”

Hyun-Ji quietly nodded with tearful eyes. As Ah-Rin consoled the sobbing Hyun-ji, Bae Yoon-Seung looked around the area, almost like he was entranced. “Try calling Jin Ah-Reum.”

Park Sung-Yool pulled out his phone. “Damn... no signal.”

“Of course there isn’t. We’re in the middle of a mountain.”

They all froze.

“Wait... then how did the call go through earlier?”

Park Hyun-Ji’s trembling voice made Park Sung-Yool shudder. “You don’t think Jin Ah-Reum was somewhere else...?”

“No, she’s here.” Bae Yoon-Seung frowned as he mumbled, “She’s definitely here.”

Then he picked something up off the ground.

“Huh?!”

“That’s her phone!”

Everyone cried out in shock. The phone lying in front of the main entrance was definitely hers.

“Looks like she’s been possessed.”

“This is crazy! Then what do we do?”

“There’s nothing good about waiting around. We find her and get the hell off this mountain,” he declared with frustration. “Ugh. I really don’t want to do this...”

He quickly shook his bell and pulled out a talisman, slapping it onto one of the building’s support pillars.

“If anyone gets possessed, even I won’t be able to help you. So don’t get separated.”

With that warning, he led the way inside, the rest of the group following behind.

The abandoned hospital was disturbingly silent and completely wrecked.

“I mean... I know it’s abandoned, but how does it get this trashed?”

“From what I’ve heard, one of the patients who was admitted here set the place on fire before it closed.”

There were scorch marks all over the place.

“This hospital is huge! How are we supposed to find her?”

Without answering, Bae Yoon-Seung and Super Ribbon scanned their surroundings. Then they spoke at the same time.

“Third floor.”

“Third floor.”

Their simultaneous response made the rest of the group flinch.

“W-What the hell?”

“She went up to the third floor. Let’s move.”

They didn’t know why the ordeal had happened, but one thing remained clear to them. They had to get their friend out, fast.

The two girls clinging tightly to Park Sung-Yool kept glancing back to make sure Super Ribbon was still following behind them.

“S-Super Ribbon... aren’t you scared?”

“I’m not scared, though I can tell the situation is bad. We’re almost there.”

Bae Yoon-Seung, leading the way, soon reached the top of the stairs and looked both left and right.

“Which way?”

“Left,” he responded.

Super Ribbon shook her head. “No. It's right.”

“What?” Bae Yoon-Seung turned to her, shocked. “You’re sure it's right?”

“Yes. I can sense life energy coming from the right, while there’s nothing on the left. My father handles life energy, so I’m certain.”

Park Sung-Yool grimaced. “Hey Yoon-Seung...”

“This is bad... I might even get possessed if I’m already confused...” he muttered to himself.

Still, Super Ribbon looked unaffected, so they decided to trust her. They turned right and kept walking.

As expected of an abandoned hospital, the place was packed with empty patient rooms.

“How far does this place even go...?”

Just as someone muttered that, Bae Yoon-Seung suddenly stopped in his tracks.

“Shit...” He cursed without thinking, his body stiffening. “Okay... You all know I don’t scare easily, right?”

“Yeah, you really don’t.”

“But right now, I feel like I’m about to piss myself.” He pointed to a door labeled ICU with a trembling hand. “Jin Ah-Reum... She’s in there.”

“KYAAAHHH!!!!”

At that moment, as if she’d seen something, Park Hyun-Ji suddenly screamed and bolted in the opposite direction, her eyes fixed on the window.

“Park Hyun-Ji! Hyun-Ji!!” Startled by her sudden outburst, Bae Yoon-Seung tried to grab her. Yet somehow, she managed to depart in an instant.

“What the hell? What did she see...?” Kim Ah-Reum muttered, trembling violently.

“We don’t have time! Get inside! Let’s find Jin Ah-Reum and get out of here!” Realizing they couldn’t afford to waste another second, Bae Yoon-Seung quickly flung the ICU door open.

The pitch-dark room was filled with abandoned equipment. There wasn’t a single sign of life, but the cold fear that rushed through his veins made him swallow hard. He stuck a talisman on the doorway and stepped inside.

Just a few steps after everyone had entered, the ICU doors behind them suddenly slammed shut on their own.

Startled, Ah-Reum rushed to open them, but they didn’t budge, as if something was blocking.

“This is seriously insane...”

Then they saw, all the way at the back of the ICU, Jin Ah-Reum lying on a broken down hospital bed, eyes wide open.

The moment Kim Ah-Reum and Park Sung-Yool saw her, they both screamed and collapsed.

“Aaaahhh!!”

“Kyaaahhh!!”

At the same time, Bae Yoon-Seung rushed forward, grabbing Jin Ah-Reum’s arm and pulling her up.

“Ah! She moved. Are you okay now?”

“Jin Ah-Reum!”

Ah-Reum spoke in a strange voice, “No, I’m still sick. I need more treatment.”

The next moment, Bae Yoon-Seung, Kim Ah-Rin, and Park Sung-Yool all collapsed as if they’d been knocked out.

Park Hyun-Ji had fled in a possessed daze, and even Yoon-Seung, who had the best control over his power, was down. Super Ribbon, the only one still conscious, realized she had to consider using her last resort.

Just then, a knocking sound came from the tightly sealed ICU door behind her. It sounded like someone on the other side knew they were inside.

“Sung-Yool... Yoon-Seung... Super Ribbon... open the door...” The voice was trembling with fear. “I... I’m really scared. Please don’t leave me alone...”

Park Hyun-Ji’s teary, panicked voice echoed through the door as Super Ribbon slowly walked toward it.

She sternly spoke, “Cut the act.”

At her words, the voice beyond the door called out again, “Super Ribbon? It’s you, right? Open the door! Why won’t it open?! I’m really scared, all alone!”

Super Ribbon sighed. “Senior Hyun-Ji isn’t entirely devoid of life energy, dumbass.”

Clearly, her father's rough way of speaking was finally showing its influence.

Hearing her response, the voice went silent. Instead, a different sound crept through. It was the noise of something being dragged, and a chilling voice followed. “Sharp one, aren’t you?”

Once the voice finished, the sealed door began to shake violently.

Bang! Bang! Bang!!

Moments later, the door swung open. Something stood beyond it, its head twisted at an unnatural angle.

It was a crow, covered in some unknown black substance. To any normal person, the sight would’ve been enough to trigger a heart attack. Even so, Super Ribbon just calmly reached out her hand.

Regardless of whether it would work or not, she had to try releasing her power. She couldn’t control it well, and wasn’t even sure if she’d manage, but she had no other choice.

Sure, her power had grown strong enough to affect her surroundings, but using it so recklessly was something she’d normally never do. Still, even if Davey scolded her later, there was no other way.

Just as she began to forcibly draw out the power within her, the flashlight behind her flickered. Then, something rose from her shadow.

“Huh?” Super Ribbon and the twisted-headed crow both looked up toward the new presence.

Ptooie.

A massive red-skinned dokkaebi spat on its right hand, then grabbed a huge black spiked club out of nowhere.

It took a stance like it was about to slap someone across the face, and muttered something with a sinister grin.

[Heinous Murder]

A crimson thunderbolt surged into the club, and within an instant, it had come crashing down.

The crow was obliterated on the spot.

“That pathetic thing thought it could mess around?”

With a single blow, the dokkaebi shattered the heavy atmosphere that had consumed them all.