By Zephyria Swish.
His hand went down.
“Unexpected.”
He grinned.
“Oh, right. This.”
Before the awkwardness could settle in, Ahn Seo-myeong suddenly held out a cell phone.
It was a domestic cell phone in a simple, basic case.
“This is Exorcist’s cell phone, right?”
“Ah, …right.”
I wondered where I dropped it, but it seems I left it at the main office.
‘I’m glad I found it.’
Ki Jae-eon quickly took the cell phone.
Let’s go back before I get possessed by petty ghosts again and cause trouble for others.
“Just… I’ll, I’ll make a call.”
“Ah, yes. Don’t worry about me.”
After asking Ahn Seo-myeong for his understanding, he hurriedly tried to make a call.
Swoooooosh-.
A sinister energy seemed to linger in the park, followed by a chilling sensation that tingled at the tips of his toes. Feeling every hair on his skin stand on end, Ki Jae-eon put down the cell phone he had been pressing and habitually looked around.
The wind was blowing fiercely.
Swaaa- ssa-.
Had the park ever been this quiet? The pigeons and children were gone.
“Exorcist, this……”
Ahn Seo-myeong stood up awkwardly.
He must have felt the strange atmosphere too.
Swaaaaaaaaaaa-.
The wind continued to blow.
Sandstorms rose, and the scent of life disappeared.
Just as the tension was building.
Trrrring—–!!
Ahn Seo-myeong and Ki Jae-eon flinched simultaneously.
“I’m sorry. It’s my phone.”
Ahn Seo-myeong answered the phone without taking his sharp gaze away. Thanks to the quiet surroundings, the voice on the other end of the phone could be heard even by Ki Jae-eon.
[“Where are you?”]
It was a very low and rough voice.
“I’m at the park.”
[“Get out of there right now.”]
The person on the other end urgently ordered Ahn Seo-myeong to flee. This confirmed it. A ‘specter’ had appeared nearby. A being that transcended petty ghosts, Evil Spirits, and evil spirits. A mass of disaster that could directly harm humans and that Exorcists feared the most.
“Don’t worry too much. Exorcist Ki Jae-eon is here too.”
[“……Next to you?”]
“Yes.”
[“If that bastard’s there, he can buy us some time. Wait, I’m coming.”]
“Hyung.”
Ahn Seo-myeong frowned at the word “bastard,” but the call was cut off coldly. Ki Jae-eon shook his head, pretending not to hear anything, at Ahn Seo-myeong, who looked back at him and apologized, “Did you hear that? I’m sorry.” At this point, Ki Jae-eon’s palms were already wet with cold sweat. He was just clenching them tightly to avoid showing it.
It was then.
The hairs on the back of both men’s necks stood on end.
Before their heads could recognize it, their instincts knew first.
It’s coming. It’s coming.
Sure enough, something appeared, singing a wobbly song, “Heooo- Heeiaaa-.”
Its skin was charred black, and it had long, disheveled white hair. It was wearing old ramie pants and a mask of unknown origin. Its overall physique was gaunt, with prominent bones, but its lower abdomen was bulging, giving it a strange impression.
[Specter: Bulgoechulsa]
[A specter that stimulates the distorted minds of humans, tempting them to destroy themselves. It mainly approaches those addicted to gambling or alcohol, giving them gold teeth in exchange for stealing their luck, leading them to incur debt voluntarily. Eventually, it makes them sacrifice their lives.]
Heeia- Hiya- Aaaa- A-!
The creature bared its yellow teeth and sang a song filled with resentment.
In fact, it was difficult to even call it a song. It was just an unsettling resonance.
As if calling something, as if resenting someone, as if offering a wrong prayer to an impure god.
A very unpleasant being that made you feel down and sore just by looking at it for a moment. Every time Bulgoechulsa moved, the sound of dry bones cracking could be heard.
At this moment, Ahn Seo-myeong instinctively realized.
‘This is dangerous.’
It was not a being that Ahn Seo-myeong could exorcise at his current level.
He had already been overwhelmed in the battle of wills.
‘I want to run away.’
Ahn Seo-myeong bit his trembling lips, sweating profusely.
With Kim Ju-won absent, the only person he could trust was Ki Jae-eon.
No, it was Ki Jae-eon from the start.
Exorcist Ki Jae-eon, loved by God.
But……. The problem was Ki Jae-eon, who he thought was his only way out.
Ki Jae-eon was trembling like an aspen, covering his ears.
He was more terrified than Ahn Seo-myeong, let alone performing exorcism.
He was in a state of complete panic.
Ahn Seo-myeong called out to him in dismay, “Exorcist?” but there was no response.
He was practically incapable of fighting.
“S, stop, stop it…… Please, stop, st, stop…….”
His pale fingertips rummaged through his hair, trembling incessantly. Then, finally, he vomited yellow stomach acid with a retching sound. Ahn Seo-myeong’s gaze slowly turned to the vomit that stained the floor. His pupils shook violently from side to side as he faced reality.
‘What the hell is going on?’
Come to think of it, Ki Jae-eon’s condition had been strange all day.
……At the main office, and at the subway station.
Could it be that the curse hasn’t been lifted? Did Teacher fail at Curse Unraveling? That can’t be. Teacher is the best Curse Unraveler!
Ahn Seo-myeong stared at Ki Jae-eon, who was driven to the extreme, with a shocked expression.
Watching a person collapse in real time was quite a terrible experience.
“Exorcist!”
“……Wr, wrong, I’m so, sorry, haa, ha……!”
Ki Jae-eon’s condition was serious. He was panting as if he would pass out soon. Ahn Seo-myeong became increasingly confused by his desperate appearance. It was because it was ‘Ki Jae-eon.’
At least the Ki Jae-eon he knew shouldn’t be showing this side of himself.
No matter who else, Ki Jae-eon had to be the strongest.
He’s our future.
“Get a grip! Exorcist!”
“Don’t call me! Don’t call me, please, please. Please…… St, stop, I, I’ll stop, please, leave me…… Me, please, leave me alone…….”
But what a pathetic sight.
Ahn Seo-myeong let go of Ki Jae-eon’s shoulder, which he had been holding tightly, and closed and opened his eyes.
He came to the conclusion that it was meaningless to look for a way out any further.
Ki Jae-eon, this man cannot fight. But he can’t abandon him either.
Then the only thing left to do is for the remaining person to pull himself together.
The calculation was simple.
‘Just until Kim Ju-won Hyung arrives.’
Let’s just hold out until then.
Ahn Seo-myeong calmed his agitation and mustered his meager courage.
The first resolution that the sorcerers of the main office learn before receiving a god.
‘Divinity begins with faith.’
Hoo- He took a breath and took out holy water and a silver dagger from his pocket.
‘Get a grip. Don’t be a fool. Or we’ll both die.’
Let’s do as we learned, as we practiced hard.
The goal is not exorcism, but survival.
Yes, survival.
Spit-.
……?
“- ……!!”
How long had it been since he had just regained his composure?
Less than 10 seconds after entering battle mode, a large hole was pierced in his abdomen.
‘Damn it, this is ridiculous.’
Ahn Seo-myeong gripped the bars stuck in his stomach tightly. Hot blood flowed freely along the cold iron pillar. Haa, ha…… Cough. When he slowly opened his hand, thick, sticky blood was smeared on his calloused palm.
“Haa, cough, cough……!”
His legs, struggling not to collapse, faltered and buckled several times before finally crashing to the floor. It was funny, but it wasn’t Ahn Seo-myeong’s fault. Yes, he didn’t let his guard down.
It was just a difference.
A difference in skill, a difference in strength.
An absolute gap that could not be filled even with immediate attention and effort.
“Run…… Jae, eon…… Ex, orcist…….”
He mustn’t lose consciousness. Ahn Seo-myeong discovered Ki Jae-eon, who was staring at him, through his fading vision.
Red, bloodshot eyes, slightly parted lips, disheveled hair.
‘You idiot, what are you doing? Why aren’t you running away?’
“G, o……. Cough, huh…… Ugh! Cough!”
Ahn Seo-myeong gasped for breath, swallowed the thick blood, and then lost consciousness. Leaving behind a strong regret that he shouldn’t fall like this.
At that moment, all of Ki Jae-eon’s actions stopped as if by magic.
The hand that had been rummaging through his hair, the lips that had been screaming, even the pupils that had been shaking wildly…… There wasn’t even the slightest movement.
The specter did not know about Ki Jae-eon’s changing appearance.
Ki Jae-eon slowly breathed and took in the sight of Ahn Seo-myeong bleeding.
His wildly flailing mind was focused on only one thing.
Then finally.
“……I wish.”
Ki Jae-eon’s lips parted.
It was a long-learned resentment towards evil.
“A mere creature makes a desperate plea.”
What Bulgoechulsa awakened was not a simple Exorcist.
“Oh, immortal divine spirit who dwells among us…… To the foolish who know no repentance.”
He learned ruthlessness through justice.
“The end.”
It was a hope that had gone mad.
A white cluster of light soared around Bulgoechulsa.
Divinity that shone even brighter under the bright sun.
Soon, countless lights covered the wide park.
It was like the Milky Way embroidered on the blue sky. However, there was no mercy mixed in with that beauty. The cluster of light soon turned into 108 chains and began to plunge down fiercely.
First the arms.
Then the legs.
Later, the neck and torso.
The chains that tightened, stealing freedom, as if saying, ‘This is the weight of death I have built up.’
“I’ll teach you.”
Ki Jae-eon muttered in a gloomy voice.