Trapped in a Cursed Game, But Now with NPCs

TCGNPC | Chapter 13

Posted by Sovieee, Released on August 22, 2023

“Cough, heuk. W-wait, just a moment…!”

‘Why is he suddenly attacking me?!’

There were quite a few testimonies from players who claimed to have been attacked during their first encounter with the [Lord of Nightmares], so I had been mentally prepared.

Of course, not getting attacked was the best option, but with so many AI variables, you couldn’t predict what would happen.

I decided to disguise my flashy appearance and take a lowkey approach of a lowly NPC to play it safe.

However, the sensation of suffocation was more overwhelming than I had thought, and I panicked, clawing at my throat.

Instead of loosening the sturdy iron chain, it tightened around my neck even more.

Even in the midst of this, the pain transfer was limited, causing only a slight discomfort.

But the sensation of my throat being blocked remained, preventing me from speaking properly.

It was so realistically implemented that it sent shivers down my spine.

“Who are you?”

The merciless question of the person attacking abruptly was accompanied with minor damage effects like ‘-1.’

[HP 999]

[HP 997]

[HP 994]

My HP was rapidly decreasing.

While it would take quite some time for him to strangle me to death with full health, if he broke my neck like this, I’d be on my way to Dover Village without a chance.

Of course, I had plenty of teleportation scrolls so I could return, but the suspicion and hostility towards me would rocket sky-high.

‘Then he’ll definitely try to kill me again, won’t he?’

As if to prove my anxiety, the man standing closely to me spoke with a terrifying intensity.

“Let me ask you one last time. Identify yourself before I snap your neck.”

“Cough, heuk! A-an…! An apothecary…!”

“What did you load in that damn gun?”

“A-an awakening… potion…!”

I squeezed out my voice that wouldn’t come out and answered as dutifully as possible.

But even though I answered everything he asked, he didn’t release the chains easily.

Instead, he squeezed my throat even tighter.

‘What the hell! Why won’t this crazy person let go?!’

My vision flashed red repeatedly as if to let me know that I was under attack.

At that point, I had to admit it.

It seemed like I had ended up on the worst route, where this personality-disordered protagonist was going berserk and harming players.

“Ugh…!”

But I couldn’t die like this or get automatically summoned.

I lowered my hand from clawing at my neck and dug into the pocket of my robe, desperately trying to think of a way to stop him.

I immediately felt the sensation of vials with my fingertips.

I despaired.

There had to be a way to put him to sleep right now, a way that would knock him out.

‘Darn it… Do I have to put him to sleep for a moment and then wake him up right after?!’

I groped for the sleeping potion I had prepared along with the insomnia potion to increase intimacy with the main character, although it was a completely absurd idea.

If this shoddy method could prevent a disaster, countless players wouldn’t be experiencing game overs here.

[HP 899]

Meanwhile, my health was decreasing exponentially.

‘No! I can’t be trapped in a game like this without even experiencing the main part of it!’

That’s when it happened.

As I frantically searched through my pocket with a sense of despair, I felt a different sensation, not like a glass bottle but rather like a thin, sharp, string-like object.

It was truly long and thin, with a… sharp end.

It was none other than the ‘Monster Tranquilizer Gun’ I had modified separately to administer potions to Cassel…

‘Tran-qui-li-zer!’

[HP 805]

In the situation where my vital points were exposed, my HP was decreasing by almost 100 points per second.

Although it was a desperate situation, I hesitated.

Stabbing Cassel with this would only sedate him, not put him to sleep, so it was the best option for now.

But…

Could I really insert this into the body of the protagonist, who had nearly maxed out his health and defense, as well as whose strength, stamina, and agility was close to max?

Leaving aside the game settings, I clearly remembered Cassel’s well-defined upper body when he entered the prison.

His body, with tight muscles, had no room for even a small needle hole.

In fact, the needle might bend if I tried to insert it.

Even if I aimed for his vital points, it was uncertain whether I could properly pierce his temple or throat, with the guy behind me squeezing my neck so tightly.

‘Before that, my neck will probably break first.’

Of course, vital points were not limited to just the temple or throat.

Everyone knew about ‘that’ place.

It was because of that place that I found myself deeply immersed in this dilemma, fumbling around with the tranquilizer needle.

[HP 575]

But as my health dropped to almost half, I could no longer hesitate.

There was only one vital point where I could use the needle right now.

‘Anyway, if I manage to break through the hell-difficulty quest later… even if he’s the protagonist, he would get to the point where he’s injured, right?’

Even the protagonist wasn’t exempt from injuries.

I remembered a few quests where the player had to do the quests alone since everyone, including Adam, were injured and isolated.

‘Also, injuries don’t necessarily pertain to just their arms and legs.’

The crotch.

It was considered a very important vulnerable point for men, and there was no guarantee that it wouldn’t get injured.

Of course, it was just my conjecture.

With that rationalization, I finally took the tranquilizer needle out of my pocket.

As I prepared to use it, the thought crossed my mind that there was also a female lead in this game who was romantically involved with the protagonist.

But it was none of my business anyways, and I couldn’t afford to wait.

‘Sorry. The tranquilizer might wear off quickly, and you might not fall unconscious anyways…!’

I thought to myself as I aimed for his lower body.

Due to his height setting of 190cm, there was quite a height difference between him and my 165cm.

I only had one chance.

“Ugh… S-sor… ry… cough…”

“…What?”

The guy who had been silently strangling me suddenly stopped at my mumbling.

‘Actually, I’m not sorry at all! How dare a game character like you try to harm such great and precious players?!’

Silently shouting in my mind, I lifted the tranquilizer needle with all my might.

At that moment.

“Gasp, p-uh-ha!”

My throat, which had been tightly constricted to the point where I could hear my own heartbeat, suddenly relaxed for a moment.

At the same time, my body, which had been bound by chains, collapsed to the ground weakly as if devoid of strength.

[HP 577]

As soon as the attack stopped, I could see my health slowly beginning to recover.

“Ugh, h-huh…”

Feeling the tingling sensation, I groped my neck and looked up at Cassel, who had suddenly released me.

He was staring down at me with a surprisingly calm and indifferent expression for a man who had nearly committed murder just moments before.

‘…Why did he suddenly stop?’

To be honest, I felt a little disappointed.

It was a perfect opportunity to give that psychopathic character, who always ranked high in bug reports due to his torment of players, a taste of his own medicine.

‘…What are you holding in your right hand?’

He asked, his eyes narrowing.

His icy stare snapped me out of my reverie.

‘I’m dead if I get caught.’

I couldn’t put it back in my pocket, so I hurriedly tried to hide the tranquilizer needle in the cuff of my sleeve.

But my anxiety got the better of me.

“Ow…!”

I ended up jabbing it into the inside of my wrist and covering it with my sleeve.

That’s how I lost my right hand, just like that.

「 [The Lord of Nightmares] is suspicious of your scream. 」

“Ah, it’s nothing! My throat hurts too much, that’s all…”

I quickly gestured to Cassel, showing him my empty hands as the system message popped up.

The sharp pain was only temporary. Soon, I felt my right hand gradually becoming numb and losing sensation.

‘The tranquilizer… It’ll wear off soon, right?’

I regained my composure after not getting caught.

However, there was no consolation at all due to my right hand being completely paralyzed. Tears welled up without my control.

When I glared at him with resentment, Cassel glared back at me.

“You tried to kill me.”

“What?! I never…”

I was taken aback by the bizarre accusation from Cassel.

“W-what are you talking about? I never…”

In the midst of my bewilderment, I suddenly noticed the change in his appearance.

At first, he had been lying completely helpless, bound by handcuffs and shackles…

‘How the hell is this jerk standing on his own two feet?’

The mystery was soon solved.

At his feet, I noticed the coiled chain that had wrapped around my neck.

There were also the remnants of a wall haphazardly stuck at the end.

Cassel’s wrists were still bound by the shackles with chains.

And there were two openings in one side of the prison wall, with a crumpled empty potion bottle in front of it.

Everything suddenly became clear.

‘This bastard… He drank an advanced potion and tore the chains off the wall?!’

It was a scam.

Although it was said that the handcuffs and shackles were enchanted with magic to restrict the strength of the prisoner, he had managed to break free by consuming a single potion and had attempted to break my neck with the chains.

Then didn’t I dig my own grave?

“Hah, how could you do this to the one who enabled you to move like this…?!”

The injustice was driving me crazy.

But sure enough, like the world’s greatest psycho, he replied arrogantly.

“How did you feel when you were strangled?”

“Of course I…!”

I was pissed and wanted to turn you into a eunuch right then and there.

But when I met his sharp, glinting eyes, I involuntarily fell silent and started to reconsider the meaning of the question he had just thrown at me.

Of course, there was no need to ponder it any further.

「 [The Lord of Nightmares] finds you unpleasant. 」

「 [The Lord of Nightmares] feels a slight murderous urge from you. 」

「 [The Lord of Nightmares] reveals a certain level of murderous intent. 」