The enemy moved according to my calculations.

‘They’ve taken the bait.’

Although the likelihood was low, if they opted for anything other than making me lose control, it would become troublesome.

Whether it was to engage in combat or retreat, neither option would allow me to conduct the experiments I wanted and would only deplete my Ineungpa.

It was becoming increasingly difficult to continue with the plan.

The sensation of the rampage was more intense than before, heavier and sharper, tearing through my entire body.

‘This is the sensation of forcibly pulling in Ineungpa. If I hadn’t trained my body, it could have been destroyed by the Ineungpa.’

The flow of Ineungpa was so fast that the more I tried to control it, the greater the strain on my body.

Using the new function of Replay, I recalled the last moment I had shared with Yeom Jun-yeol.

Even though I had somewhat controlled the rampage back then, the scales that appeared on Yeom Jun-yeol’s body were likely to protect him from the violent Ineungpa.

I had tried transforming part of my body into a dragon form using Yeom Jun-yeol’s power through Gwanglim, but it was something different from Hongryonghwa.

‘It’s going to be hard for me to achieve Hongryonghwa.’

I had performed several simultaneous experiments using a rampage stimulant, but this time the result wasn’t favorable.

I thought that if I used Yeom Jun-yeol’s power while taking the rampage stimulant, I might be able to master Hongryonghwa. However, before Yeom Jun-yeol died in Plmago, he mastered Hongryonghwa only after he had become a state that I couldn’t manipulate.

Therefore, it was inevitable that I couldn’t implement Hongryonghwa based on the trajectory of a Gwanglim player.

Although I hadn’t tried the experiment, even if I used Kim Yuri’s power and took Doho’s lessons, it would be impossible to control the immense Gwanglim.

I tried to think as rationally as possible, but for some reason, the rampaging energy began to subside as I thought about my playable characters.

‘Not yet, just a little longer.’

I erased all the “shining things” from my mind.

Then, a dark and heavy energy once again struggled to take control of my body and Ineungpa.

As the flames flickered around my body once more, I pretended to clutch my chest in pain.

The goal was to check the items I was wearing underneath my clothes.

‘How’s the condition of the Dreamcatcher?’

The Dreamcatcher, which In Seon-oh had crafted in the size of a necklace, was supposed to block the nightmare energy flowing around me.

However, since it was a portable barrier, it wouldn’t last long and wasn’t very strong.

When In Seon-oh handed me the item card, we had this conversation:

― This isn’t to block the nightmare, but a weak barrier to hide its energy. It will break once you fall asleep. The item itself will probably break too.

― The Ho Tribe has experts in crafting and enhancing items. Could they improve it?

― If they understand nightmares deeply, it could be possible. But since the Ho Tribe suggested a trade with me, I doubt they know much about nightmares. Don’t you think so?

In Seon-oh smiled with a vague expression, difficult to read.

Hwang Ji-ho was standing a bit further away, listening to the conversation, his face showing discontent, though he didn’t contradict her.

Currently, in the Ho Tribe faction, there were Eun Ho, the creator of the White Tiger’s Baek A, and Ungnyeo, a renowned item crafter of the Wung Tribe. If they cooperated, they could create nearly any item in perfect condition, but when it came to nightmares and barriers, it seemed more complicated.

― Still, enhancing the durability of the item itself is meaningful. Just like how the Yang Tribe placed the 12 Earthly Branches barrier to block nightmares.

I agreed with that.

I had heard that the durability of the barrier that In Seon-oh developed to block the nightmare was very poor. It was said that a kind-hearted, weak child could break it with a punch, so the durability of the original version of the barrier that extended to the Yang Tribe’s territory was clearly weak.

To prevent it from physically breaking, the Yang Tribe’s leader must have focused on maintaining the 12 Earthly Branches, despite living a secluded life.

Hwang Ji-ho said:

― Our technicians can enhance the durability of that item, so we won’t have to worry about it.

― Yes, if the Ho Tribe’s technicians take charge, that would work. But no matter how much you enhance the durability, if the nightmare energy gets stronger, the item won’t hold and will break. It was made to react to the nightmare energy.

I conducted several experiments using the items In Seon-oh gave me.

I tested if the item would break if I fell asleep while using it and whether the items enhanced by Eun Ho and Ungnyeo would withstand a certain amount of impact, etc.

As a result, several small Dreamcatchers were destroyed, but there was significance in that.

Now, it was time for an experiment I couldn’t do in advance.

‘There’s something I’ve been wanting to find out since I learned about the nightmare.’

As long as I didn’t fall asleep, the nightmare couldn’t leave my body.

But I couldn’t be sure if that was the only thing it did.

Even without sleeping, there were states that were similar to sleep.

When I lay down with no thoughts in my mind, just breathing. 𝚏𝐫𝚎𝗲𝕨𝐞𝐛𝕟𝚘𝐯𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝗺

When I closed my eyes and deeply meditated, cutting off external sensations.

When my consciousness slipped into a hypnotic state that was almost like being asleep.

When I was awake but lost in daydreams.

When my consciousness was awake but my body was paralyzed, in a sleep paralysis state.

Most of the time, I could avoid being in these states with my will, but I didn’t know what might happen during my fight with the mastermind.

Especially when I was on the front lines, when I faced an extreme situation, I needed to know how the nightmare would act.

Boom!

It was far more difficult to endure the second rampage than the first.

Instead of reason, I was filled with pain, and the impulse to throw everything away overwhelmed me.

Then, I became certain.

Even when my reason had worn down and reached its limit, and my Ineungpa had peaked, the Dreamcatcher was intact.

‘It seems like there’s no way other than making me sleep.’

The nightmare still couldn’t do anything.

Now that this experiment was over, it was time to think about the shining things again.

In the worst case, even though thinking about it now made me angry, once I reached the ending of Plmago, my last playable character, who had shone the longest, would appear.

But as I neared the rampage and became extremely sensitive, the enhanced senses caught the enemy’s conversation, making my work easier.

They were discussing one of the shining things that I had been thinking about.

“Failed to induce the rampage in the fake?”

“The fake is this side, not that one. They said they became Hongryong.”

“The Dragonkin side just revealed information about Hongryonghwa. Looks like they planned this from the start.”

“A request for support has come. But if we proceed like this...”

They seemed to have secured a communication channel that allowed them to exchange information even when communications were cut off.

It seemed that Yeom Jun-yeol had successfully survived the rampage and had achieved Hongryonghwa.

They had learned that Yeom Jun-yeol had succeeded in Hongryonghwa after overcoming the rampage, and that Hongryonghwa was not a precursor to rampage but a new form of Ineungpa that had been revealed beforehand.

They must have thought I was really Yeom Jun-yeol, but the situation had changed.

“That’s right. I’m the fake. And it’s impossible to induce a rampage in a fully awakened Hongryong.”

After I fully calmed the rampage, I spoke with certainty, and the place became quiet.

They must have tried to lower their voices secretly or create a temporary barrier, but they were shocked to realize I had heard them and responded.

Rough breathing, sweat running with tension, trembling fingertips, and the Ineungpa rising for an unknown purpose, whether for battle or escape.

Everything was vividly felt.

If they were going to be this surprised, I didn’t understand why they had used the rampage stimulant to enhance my power.

‘As expected, they’re not running away.’

It was clear that I was the fake, and despite a support request from their side, they couldn’t move immediately.

Maybe they were more afraid of the Hongryong, but there was still an important order left for them.

And to fulfill it, whether I was a fake or not, they needed someone who resembled Yeom Jun-yeol.

“If you want the result you’re looking for, there’s only one way to make me rampage, right?”

They probably wanted to induce my rampage and then make me trigger volcanic eruptions, harm people, or destroy facilities, leaving proof that I had rampaged, just like Yeom Jun-yeol would have.

Whether or not the real Yeom Jun-yeol existed was irrelevant.

It would be hard to leave proof that I wasn’t Yeom Jun-yeol in the current chaotic mountains.

Just like during the Hwanmong Auction, I couldn’t summon the Hongryong and perform a live show in a completely different space where only Yeom Jun-yeol could be controlled.

There was ◆ Nоvеlіgһt ◆ (Only on Nоvеlіgһt) a witness named Cheon Dong-ha, but since he was Yeom Jun-yeol’s friend, not many would believe his testimony.

Even if Yeom Jun-yeol’s family tried to clean up, it would be obvious they would be seen as covering up the truth with lies after I rampaged.

So, I spoke once more to the hesitant enemy.

“Then try it again.”

As soon as my words ended, I heard sighs and rustling noises from various directions.

It seemed like I looked crazy for saying I would take the rampage stimulant for the third time.

But I still had experiments to conduct, and Yeom Jun-yeol had endured three times, so it wasn’t right to end it with just one or two.

Finally, a leader-like figure spoke openly to me, seemingly deciding it was pointless to hide.

“...Are you out of your mind?”

“Do you think I could break the Hwanmong Auction on my own while sane?”

Admitting I was that word was somewhat painful, but it couldn’t be helped if I needed to make a move.

“Choose: fight me here, or use the rampage stimulant on me one more time. It’s one of those two.”

The answer was already decided.

The enemy didn’t answer, but I could see the rampage stimulant leaking out of the nozzle where I had discovered it.

After being induced to rampage twice, I should have developed some resistance, but it wasn’t the case.

Whether it was because not much time had passed and my body and mental state weren’t great, or if they had decided to inject even more rampage stimulant, I couldn’t tell.

But there was one last experiment I wanted to try.

“That’s it!”

I saw someone react to the transparent bottle I had taken out.

Someone recognized it. As I had expected, it seemed there was one of the mastermind’s subordinates on-site.

Even in Plmago and in this world, many subordinates of the mastermind were still active without revealing themselves.

One of them had tried to fill the seas of Seokmodo and Jeju Island with enemies, and another had researched and developed Ineungdok and rampage stimulants.

If the person who researched the poison and stimulant wanted to observe a test subject directly, they would likely be here.

‘I wonder who will win.’

Ineungdok that kills Ineungpa.

Rampage stimulants that induce Ineungpa to go out of control.

They are antagonistic, but what would happen if both were used at the same time? I couldn’t predict what would happen to the body.

Probably, no test subject had ever endured a rampage like this, so the researcher couldn’t conduct such an experiment.

Someone who recognized the poison seemed to be staring at me, as if they were expecting me to drink it.

“About this Ineungdok... It seems to have a pretty wide range of effect.”

But I didn’t have any intention of drinking it alone.

I threw the bottle, repeating the motion several times.

As I neared the rampage, the force behind the throw increased, leaving afterimages. Players usually form teams and act together, so they intentionally create poisons that spread well to harm multiple people at once.

If the range of the Ineungdok reached, the enemy would understand it better than I did.

"Let’s drink the poison together."

Thanks to my enhanced physical abilities due to the rampage, the motion of throwing the bottle became so fast it left behind afterimages.