Chapter 33

The others nodded in agreement—just as something unexpected appeared.

“…A treasure chest?”

They all froze, staring at the object blocking their path.

After a few moments of silence, Justin exchanged glances with Ethan and Derek.
“That’s gotta be a Mimic.”

“No doubt about it,” Ethan agreed.

“What else could it be?”

All three beta testers nodded in unison. In this world, a treasure chest randomly appearing in the middle of a path could only mean one thing: a Mimic.

Only Nathan seemed clueless, tilting his head in confusion.
“A Mimic? What’s that?”

“A monster disguised as a treasure chest,” Justin explained.

“What!? Monsters like that exist too!?”

“Yeah. Get too close without knowing, and it’ll grab you, chew you up, and swallow you whole.”

If caught early in the game, a Mimic meant instant death. Even later on, it could easily cut a player’s health in half. The worst part was that attacking it from a distance wasn’t safe either—once hit, its hidden limbs would lash out at terrifying speed.

Despite its wooden appearance, it was deceptively strong, capable of crushing even experienced warriors.

As Justin explained, Nathan paled and began to tremble.
“W-What do we do, then?”

“Nothing, as long as we don’t touch it. Usually, we just take a long detour around it.”

“Then let’s go around it now!”

The other three exchanged subtle glances. That would be the safest option, but—

“It’s a waste to leave it alone, though,” Justin muttered.

“What? It’s dangerous!”

He chuckled at Nathan’s alarm.
“It’s dangerous, yes, but inside that thing is real treasure.”

Mimics weren’t pointless enemies—they stored actual treasure inside to maintain their disguise. If they could defeat or outsmart it, the reward would be theirs.

Ethan sighed heavily.
“The problem is making it spit the treasure out. And right now, that’s nearly impossible for us.”

“How do you even make it spit out the treasure?” Nathan asked.

“You feed it something fresh—living prey, basically. Once it’s full, it’ll fall asleep with its mouth wide open.”

Unfortunately, shops didn’t sell live creatures, meaning they’d have to catch something themselves. Using a monster as bait was pointless since no wild creature would listen to them.

“Guess we have no choice but to leave it for now…” Ethan conceded reluctantly.

“No, I’ve got an idea.”

“Huh? What do you mean?”

Grinning, Justin activated his newly acquired skill.
“Imp Summon!”

A swirl of purple smoke materialized on the ground.

A small creature, barely waist-high, emerged from the smoke, its skin crimson, with tiny horns and a long, hairless tail—a perfect embodiment of a mischievous little devil.

As Justin inspected the creature curiously, the Imp’s lips curled into a sly grin.
“Kikikik! You summoned me, master?”

Its bow held no trace of reverence—more like a playful game of servant and master.

Justin narrowed his eyes at the imp’s smug demeanor.
“Yeah, I summoned you.”

“Oho, and what is it you need from me? I’m weak and small, hardly fit for battle, you know.”

‘This little punk’s attitude… must be part of the demon role-play,’ Justin thought with a smirk.

The Imp even shrugged, adding with feigned indifference,
“I’ll obey your orders, but don’t be disappointed if I fall short. Use me wisely.”

A sly excuse, in case it failed? Justin couldn’t help but chuckle. He had the perfect task in mind for this cheeky little demon.

“Don’t worry. I have a mission that suits you perfectly.”

“Oh? And what might that be?” the Imp asked, stroking its chin in mock interest.

Pointing toward the Mimic, Justin gave his command.
“Open that treasure chest for me.”

“A treasure chest?”

At Justin’s command, the Imp tilted its head in confusion. But the moment its gaze landed on the treasure chest in the middle of the forest path, it burst into mocking laughter.
“Kihihi! Master, there’s no need to even check.”

“And why’s that?” Justin asked flatly.

“Isn’t it obvious?” The Imp lifted its chin arrogantly, as if speaking to a fool. “If there’s a treasure chest sitting alone in the middle of a non-hidden path with no traps around it, of course, it’s a Mimic.”

The ridicule in its voice was more blatant than before, almost crossing into open contempt.

“So, there’s no need to investigate. Just leave it and move on. Now that I’ve solved your problem, may I go?”

“No.”

“Pardon?”

The Imp blinked in confusion, its earlier smugness replaced with mild panic. It seemed to be asking if there was anything else left for it to do.

Pointing at the treasure chest once more, Justin gave his order:
“Go and open that chest.”

“Sigh… Master, as I’ve said—”

“I know it’s a Mimic. That’s exactly why I want you to open it.”

The Imp’s exaggerated sigh froze midway, its previous composure melting away as tension crept into its features.
“M-Master? Surely you’re not serious? That’s a Mimic!”

“I know. And I’m telling you to get eaten by it.”

Whether it was pretending not to understand or genuinely in disbelief, Justin didn’t care. He decided to lay it out clearly.
“You know how Mimics spit out treasure after consuming fresh prey, right? We don’t have anything else to offer right now, so that’s why I summoned you.”

“…!?”

“Now, go on. Open it.”

Sweat dripped down the Imp’s forehead as it anxiously scanned the area for a way out. Finally, it forced a strained smile.
“Master, surely there’s no need for this. I’ll lure in some fresh prey instead—”

“Why waste time? You’re already here.”

“M-Master! At least let me explain—”

“No. Why are you suddenly so talkative?”

Bound by contract, summoned demons were supposed to follow their master’s commands without question. But seeing the Imp squirm and protest like this suggested it needed a reminder of its place.

Fixing his gaze on the demon, Justin spoke with deliberate clarity.
“As your summoner, I command you: Go open the treasure chest and let the Mimic devour you. This is an absolute order. It will not be revoked.”

“W-Wait! Just a moment—gah!”

The Imp convulsed, writhing in agony as it struggled against the order. Moments later, with a face drained of life, it shuffled toward the chest.

Before opening the lid, it clenched its eyes shut and whispered in desperation,
“Please… just be a normal chest! Just a chest, not a Mimic…”

“Kyaaaaah!”

“Kkyaaaak!”

Chomp. Crunch. Gulp.