Silver hair, shimmering as if soaked in moonlight, fell to a dull sheen like a rusted hunk of metal, while Shia’s eyes, once radiant like the sun, darkened to a pitch black, moving slowly like a lifeless doll.
As Shia began to lift her head slightly, the dark tentacles that sprouted from her shadow writhed in sync with her movements.
Even the color of the tentacles, usually a deep flesh tone, was different now; everything had changed.
The image of the Seongnyeo, who used to smile brightly, was nowhere to be found.
Bang!
“Ugh. Enough with the pathetic tricks!”
At that moment, the person who shot up was Baek Wisin.
Suffering from an oppression so terrible he could barely breathe, he was the first among the Baekun Army to snap back to his senses and resist Shia, proving that he was not just an S-grade Hunter by name.
“Ugh, argh…”
Despite his confident stance against Shia, blood was flowing from Baek Wisin’s mouth.
A body enhancement Hunter, capable of effortlessly lifting boulders, found himself desperately concentrating just to stand.
‘They said she was a Seongnyeo, but turns out she possesses a curse ability that’s pretty significant and malicious, not a proper healing skill…!’
Often described by Wang Soyoung as a brainless brute, Baek Wisin was no slouch when it came to battle sense and instincts.
‘Don’t panic just because the situation has changed. I can’t feel anything from her…’
Once you reach the level of an S-grade Hunter, a sixth sense that surpasses human cognitive abilities emerges.
Some call it intuition. Others call it feeling or an eerie shiver that alerts them to danger; it varies by individual, but Baek Wisin had a somewhat hazy sense of the quantity and quality of mana emanating from his opponent.
Thanks to the ability to sense mana, despite not being a Hunter awakened with detection capabilities, Baek Wisin had navigated numerous dangers and claimed victory in many battles.
He could predict attacks by sensing the direction of mana or minimize energy wastage by striking with just the right amount of power to offset attacks. He even had a vague estimate of the opponent’s capabilities and strength.
And yet, Baek Wisin found no traces of mana emanating from Isia.
It was nearly at the level of complete uselessness.
‘Is she like that Yujin guy using illusions or curses to weaken and corner her opponents before hunting the weakened ones…? Yeah, I see now. If she’s a coward who relies on such skills because she’s unsure of her own abilities, it makes sense.’
Baek Wisin concluded that he and the rest of the Baekun Army had fallen under a wide-ranging curse cast by Isia.
And the quickest way to break an illusionous curse was to injure oneself, to wake up by inflicting pain and resist. In fact, it worked to the extent that Baek Wisin could move on his own.
‘And the others… tch, are they mostly paralyzed…?’
He didn’t intend to belittle his subordinates, but to not be able to overcome this level of curse was disappointing.
When I get back, it’s going to be intensive training for these weaklings!
“Alright, I’d say I’m at a level that would catch the attention of the great leader.”
Boom!
“But I, Baek Wisin, the shield of Shanxi Province, won’t crumble here!”
He raised the resonance level of the embedded shards even higher.
Did the shards get frightened?
‘Good.’
Then, I will give in just enough for my body to not get frightened.
‘Give me more power! Unleash overwhelming strength to crush that vile and cowardly woman!’
Baek Wisin’s mana fused with the shards embedded in his body.
As the shards embedded in his heart reacted, the blood in his veins, filled with mana, was consumed by the malignant force.
The shards in his arms and right lung resonated as they absorbed the malignance while the shards in his spine devoured Baek Wisin’s mana, filling the empty spaces with the malignance.
The shards answered him.
Each of Baek Wisin’s muscle cells was made harder than steel.
To generate strength beyond what a human could muster, vitality and mana were burned as fuel.
Then, Baek Wisin’s fists and muscles bulged like a gigantic monster, yet he exhibited agile and speedy movements with intellect.
Whoa!
Confirming the amplification of his power, Baek Wisin charged forward, without giving Isia even the slightest chance to prepare.
His fists, swollen larger than Shia’s upper body, were aimed to smash her down with a certainty of victory.
And amidst that tremendous strength and speed, it seemed like Shia couldn’t even react and stood perfectly still.
The overwhelming force and the corrupted mana meant solely for ground-pounding became a lethal technique that engulfed Shia.
Crack!
As solid shock and undeniable impact coursed through his fist, Baek Wisin was confident of his victory.
With power like this, even Yeonseo, known as the strongest Hunter, would be defeated in a head-on fight—he believed without a doubt.
It was that strong, that formidable a life force he had used.
Puhah!
“Hah, hah… huh?!”
“Captain, did you win…?!”
“Did you take her down?”
It was then that the members of the Baekun Army, who had been unable to breathe due to the curse, were released.
The lifting of the curse was proof that its caster had sustained severe damage, rendering her powerless.
“Hah, you boasted so much, and this is all you could do?!”
With a victorious smile, Baek Wisin stopped as he felt an unsettling sensation.
‘Wait a minute, why is there no response from where my punch landed?’
There should have been some reaction—from crushed flesh, blood spurting, or even the ground being torn apart from the impact.
Baek Wisin couldn’t see how Shia was doing as his oversized fist blocked his view.
However, he did realize one thing.
As if striking a solid steel pillar, Shia hadn’t budged at all from the impact of his punch.
“…!”
Now sensing a troubling aura, Baek Wisin tried to retract his fist, but he realized that he was unable to move it.
“W-What…?!”
It wasn’t a curse that paralyzed him.
The one reason he couldn’t shake off his fist was simply this.
‘Does that mean Shia took no damage whatsoever?!’
A curse overwhelmed him again.
He couldn’t breathe.
It felt as if he were being dragged into hell amidst the serenity of a rural landscape—an unnerving and terrible sensation.
Breathless. His tense muscles were stiffening. Even the shudder of his lips was controlled.
He couldn’t do anything, couldn’t move.
Snap!
Snap!
Snap!
Snap!
The tentacles that had emerged from the shadows slowly crawled up Baek Wisin’s body.
Hehehe
Hahaha
Ahahaha
Heeheehee
Baek Wisin, in that moment, met the gaze of the tentacle that mocked him with chilling eyes.
And the mouth of the tentacle twisted into a smile, soon tightening its grip on him.
‘What is happening…’
He had used forces beyond his limits.
He had burned vitality to the point where he exceeded the capacity of an S-grade Hunter!
And yet, he failed to deliver any blow whatsoever?
[Are you done?]
“……….!”
The chilling voice pierced Baek Wisin’s brain.
The echoing sound rang out like an ethereal death knell.
Squish
“Ugh!?”
Shia, holding Baek Wisin’s arm, slowly twisted her hand.
His solid muscles, flesh, and arm turned slowly in the direction Shia rotated her wrist.
Pain surged.
And as his bones creaked under the undue movement, his muscles screamed.
“Ugh, ah…!?”
Stop.
What are you doing?
What is happening right now…?
Crunch!
“Grrr, aaaaah!!!”
It didn’t stop with just one twist.
With a blank expression, Shia mechanically moved her hand.
Stab!
As skin tore at bizarre angles, spouting streams of blood, Shia still did not halt.
Crunch!
“AAAH! STOP!”
Muscle and flesh crushed like meat placed in a machine, tears of flesh streamed forth as the tentacles, with tongues extended, licked up the blood.
It wasn’t just pulling off an arm.
It wasn’t merely about cutting it off.
Like wringing a towel, Shia steadily immobilized Baek Wisin’s body, twisting and squeezing his arm at impossible angles.
“Guh, gggh! Enough!”
You have to wring it out.
If a towel has too much moisture, it becomes dirty.
A towel, a towel, a towel…
“AAAH! Guh, snnkkk! That enough…”
Is it filthy?
It’s splattering blood everywhere.
So filthy.
Squeeze it more.
Squeeze it harder.
Crunch, crunch, crunch!
“Look at that. It’s full of vile malice, deskinned malice.”
Corrupted with rotting flesh, you are a coward.
Was it you who didn’t have the courage to face me?
Have you been hiding like a coward in the body of a human?
You were sticking to the bone and enhancing it, weren’t you? You were seeping into the muscles to strengthen them.
“Like a parasite, clinging on.”
Don’t worry.
I’m here for that.
I’ll guide your wickedness to pain.
You don’t have to pray.
Crunch!
“Ku… ha… Aah…”
There’s no need for you to pray.
I’ll pray enough for both of us.
So Shia meticulously wrung out.
Like a towel, thoroughly and precisely, diligently, with all her might.
To extract the malignance stuck between the arms, legs, waist, neck, shoulders, ankles, toes, fingers, head, and knees, Shia crushed and crushed Baek Wisin’s flesh.
Every time the malignant juice spilled out, the flesh screamed.
The fountain of blood sang, and the symphony of torn muscles and shattered bone fragments created a beautiful harmony like an orchestra.
Covered in blood, Shia smiled.
Ah, how fragrant.
And as the members of Baekun Army witnessed their leader, Baek Wisin, being crushed alive, their judgment was swift.
“Get away!”
“Run!”
No, there’s no escape.
“Don’t run!”
“You can’t flee anyway. Fight back!”
“The opponent is just one!”
No, that’s not it.
Not at all.
Crunch!
I already told you!
Crack!
I prayed for this!
Crack!
“I can’t feel… my arms…”
“Everything becomes… twisted… aggh…”
“AH, Gah…”
[No one here shall die.]
“Don’t tear… my…”
The echoing voice from the abyss resonated not just in the ears but directly in the brain, making it a sound that could not be taken lightly.
In this state, if one were to scream, it would surely shatter their brain into pieces.
“Save me…”
[No one shall escape this place.]
“Kill… me please…”
“Please, kill… me…”
The Death Seongnyeo, with reverent hands clasped together, offered a prayer.
“Ugh, no…”
“Please, no…”
“D-Don’t kill me…”
Was that prayer asking for mercy from death?
Or was it an appeal to some unnamed deity that had granted her the title of Seongnyeo?
[None shall die.]
But there was one unmistakable truth.
[Death is mercy. Let all here suffer!]
One becomes one with the shreds.
One becomes a piece of meat.
One becomes flesh.
One becomes a morsel.
Tear, crush.
Pierce, chop.
Bite, gnaw.
Slice, disassemble.
Eat, swallow.
Rip, crush.
Grab, hold.
Wrap, burst.
Tear again.
Rip. Rip. Rip. Rip. Rip. Rip. Rip. Rip. Rip. Rip. Rip. Rip. Rip. Rip. Rip. Rip. Rip. Rip. Rip. Rip. Rip. Rip. Rip. Rip.
Didn’t die, huh?
Tear again.
Tear. Tear again.
The blooming flesh of flowers blossomed like a splendid flower.
Shia tore again and again.
The blood-soaked tentacle flowers grinned with joy as their teeth clashed.
Hanging a human body on the tentacle, they desecrated the soul.
And no one died.
[Do not worry! From this land, none shall die!]
Acting like a conductor, Shia smiled broadly as she waved her hands.
As her hands moved, the tentacles painted a vivid picture of blood, the melody of flesh.
Flowers of blood were sketched.
Meats of blood were sculpted, a symphony of flesh satisfying everything.
Yet, in this place, no one could die.
They cannot die.
Because Shia didn’t permit it.
The Death Seongnyeo wouldn’t allow it.
Amidst countless repetitions of death and desecration, a quiet voice tickled behind Shia’s mind.
“Child.”
Who is calling me?
Ah, playing such beautiful music, and you dare interrupt? Can’t you hear the sound?
Don’t interrupt the music.
“Shia.”
What is wrong in a place where no one dies?
No one dies.
Just doing what’s meant to be done.
Let’s bloom the flower of blood.
Let’s lose our reason.
Let’s enjoy the flesh.
Ah, just a bite.
Should I taste?
Just a bite…
It would be so delicious…!
“Get a grip, child.”
“…Ah…”
Upon opening her eyes again, Shia saw Yeonseo, half-embracing her.
Why is unnie here?
How did she know?
No, how much time has passed?
What was I doing…?
No, it wasn’t just that.
Late-rendered, the bitter taste in her mouth revealed the sweet, fragrant taste of blood as Shia’s eyes widened.
“…Ah… Ahhh…”
Yeonseo’s fingers were in Shia’s mouth, and Yeonseo’s gaze looked straight at her, as if she bore no pain.
“Are you going to break your own taboo…?”
“Where did your beliefs go?”
“Was protecting your humanity, not abandoning your pride and ethics, not what you, the Mangja Seongnyeo believed in…?”
It’s okay now.
It’s enough now.
Though Shia was on the verge of collapsing, Yeonseo held her up, preventing her from succumbing.
“Open your eyes, little one.”
“…Ah… ah…”
“Don’t cry. Just open your eyes.”
Not knowing when she appeared or how she knew Shia was here, Yeonseo quickly understood the situation and comforted Shia, helping her stand.
Once Shia regained her senses, the darkness that had been cast aside, Shia’s eyes returned to their usual radiant golden hue.
…What have I done?
“Little one, shouldn’t you go find Mother?”
“Yes…”
No more words were necessary.
[Miracle – Great Healing]
In the land where death had been exorcised along with the miracle, the blood-blooming flower withered away.
Everything in this place reverted to its original form, and the torn flesh and pieces of meat returned to their rightful places like a jigsaw puzzle, while the bite marks on Yeonseo’s hand, engraved by Shia, faded away like washed away.
The extensive white miracle banished the blasphemous curse. The faded silver hair returned to brilliant silver once more.
As everything that had once been human reverted to its original forms, Yeonseo fixed her gaze directly on Shia.
“Don’t worry about what happened here anymore.”
“…Th-thank you.”
“I’ll send you to where Mother is.”
“Yeonseo unnie…”
“Stop talking now. This isn’t the time for that.”
Apologies and thanks could wait.
“Don’t linger like I did. Don’t regret later like I did. Hurry and bring her back.”
“…Yes.”
If there were misunderstandings, they could sort them out with words. Things that were knotted could also be unwound with words.
“Go now.”
Snap!
With that, Yeonseo adjusted the space with Shia’s consent and sent her to the location where Yoonjeong was.
It was not difficult for Yeonseo to pinpoint Yoonjeong’s location.
On the very first day Shia returned, the day she clashed with Yeonseo due to misunderstandings, Yeonseo had somewhat memorized the resonance of Shia’s Seongnyeok energy.
Thanks to that, Yeonseo was able to ascertain Yoonjeong’s location based on the intense Seongnyeok that flowed out when the pendant created by Shia was shattered.
“Ugh, oh…”
“Kill me…”
“Ugh… agh…”
“Please, let it go…”
None had recovered their sanity and even less had come to their senses from the pain and desecration they endured, but Yeonseo already knew how to deal with them.
Yes… didn’t you say you weren’t from this land?
Official records showed you had arrived at the airport and left. No matter what happened here, it would be treated as if nothing happened on Korean soil.
“Are you the same as you were 50 years ago, and still unchanged now?”
“Ugh… Oh… Eo… Yeonseo…”
Baek Wisin looked pristine, appearing to have no wounds externally, yet he drooled a mix of saliva and foam, begging for mercy.
Yeonseo looked down at the now-in-his-original-form Baek Wisin with a cold, disdainful expression.
In her gaze burned a chill, one arguably even more merciless than Shia’s.
“This old hag has no interest in chitchat with scum like you.”
“Shia, my dear. I owe you a lot.”
“I helped even with Yeonhwa.”
“I even had my unforgivable mistakes easily forgiven.”
“So, farewell.”
Right, would it be necessary to further tarnish Shia’s hands?
[Spatial Disjunction]
Smash!
Getting her hands dirty was more than enough for this old hag.
