Myst, Might, Mayhem (Novel)

Note: This is today's second chapter. If I keep 2 chapters a day, I will be able to reach 50 chapters before 31st, so that is what I hope to do!

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Everything appeared black. Guard Go Chan felt no sensation in his body. And he realized that everything around him was empty, and he couldn't feel any of his five senses.

'Am I dead after all?'

He thought his life was truly pathetic. He was an orphan who didn't even know who his parents were, and he had lived half his life as an assassin after being taken in by an assassination organization.

Just when he finally retired and tried to live like a human being, everything became twisted because of one damn impostor. Everything felt unjust, and he could only lament.

'Where am I going?'

He was curious at times. About what happens when you die.

But then, a familiar voice reached his ears, "...With meagre words and numbers, success lies in the timing. Today's alcoholic offering enters the profound realm, communicating with and receiving the spirits I rely on, the spirits I seek. Weighing and pouring the ceremonial fruit, I bear the shadow of regret as I carry the sacred fragrance within me."

'Haa....'

Even in death, he could hear this voice. It was the voice of that impostor.

'Am I suffering even in death?'

Having lived as an assassin, he never thought he would go to paradise. But hearing this voice even after death made him depressed.

However, the voice continued, "The third invocation: a leisurely return and surrender. Eight pecks and eight flavours, fresh and new. Choose wisely, devote yourself to the knowledge of the spirits' desires."

As soon as those words ended, Go Chan felt himself being pulled by some strong unknown force, and the sensations that had disappeared were faintly replaced by something else.

Along with it, the blackness in his vision brightened.

'!?'

Go Chan blinked his eyes.

He saw Mok Gyeongwoon forming some strange hand seal in front of him. What was this? Wasn't he dead? While he was puzzled, he noticed a captivating woman with a dumbfounded expression beside Mok Gyeongwoon.

'Heuk!'

It was none other than Ha Chae-rin. What on earth was this situation? Why were the two of them looking at him like this?

As he was wondering, Ha Chae-rin opened her mouth, "Did it work?"

"Yes. It seems to have succeeded. The Half-Six-Eight Spirit Summoning Technique."

'Half-Six-Eight Spirit Summoning Technique?'

What did that mean? The Half-Six-Eight Spirit Summoning Technique. It is a type of sorcery that utilizes the Eight-Person Talisman to control ghosts. Not knowing this, Go Chan had no idea what the two were talking about.

At that moment, Mok Gyeongwoon lowered his hands from the seal and said, "Go Chan, let me apologize first."

'Huh? Wh-what?' Go Chan was momentarily startled.

His voice didn't sound like his own, but rather some strange, different form.

Then, Mok Gyeongwoon shrugged and said, "Reviving you was impossible from the start, so I tried to turn you into a corpse ghost using the Six-Person Spirit Summoning Technique, but it seems that failed because my death energy is still insufficient."

'Yo-Young Master? What in the world are you talking about? And why does my voice sound like this? Huh?' Go Chan was stunned for a moment as he looked at his body.

He looked at his palm, but why did it appear so hazy? He could see through his palm to the other side. He had no idea what this phenomenon was.

"Hey, you fool. Your soul's rank has fallen, so it appears even more hazy. Don't make a fuss," Ha Chae-rin said to him.

'What?' At this, Go Chan frowned as he looked at her.

This bitch had tried to kill Mok Gyeongwoon by piercing through his heart, and now she was acting as if they were acquainted?

As if sensing this thought, Mok Gyeongwoon said, "Ah, Guard Go Chan. This isn't the assassin from the Sect that you knew."

'What? What do you mean by that?'

"Cheongryeong has taken over her body."

'…'

Go Chan couldn't help but be confused by the incomprehensible words. Why was his body like this, and what on earth was Mok Gyeongwoon talking about?

To the bewildered Go Chan, Mok Gyeongwoon scratched his head and said, "Guard Go Chan, I think I need to tell you this."

'What is it, Young Master?'

"You're dead."

'What?'

"I'm saying Guard Go Chan is dead."

'…What do you mean by that? I am currently…!?'

Suddenly, Go Chan's expression stiffened. Come to think of it, it was strange that his voice sounded eerie and that he appeared translucent. So, he went to a place where there was a mirror to look around,

'!?'

Go Chan was at a loss for words. His reflection did not appear in the mirror.

'…Young Master… Am I really dead?'

"Yes."

'…'

Go Chan was speechless. He felt a mixture of emotions and a sudden surge of grief. He had held onto a faint hope. The hope that he might not be dead.

Seeing him like this, Mok Gyeongwoon offered condolences that were not quite comforting in a dry voice, "May you rest in peace."

'…Are you mocking me right now? Are you playing with me?' Go Chan couldn't hold back his anger anymore, beyond the surge of emotions.

Now that he was dead anyway, he was sick and tired of being mindful of this fellow, and there was no reason to do so anymore.

'If you hadn't killed Master Kam, none of this would have happened, you damn bastard!' Curses poured out of him.

Seeing him like this, Cheongryeong, who had taken over Ha Chae-rin's body, laughed. She had expected him to be this angry to some extent. In fact, without considerable anger or obsession, souls usually ascend rather than becoming vengeful spirits. But it was Mok Gyeongwoon who had forcibly held onto him and turned him into this state.

'His rank has fallen too.'

In terms of rank, Go Chan was the lowest-grade spirit. He was no more than a street-level spirit that could be seen only very rarely.

'Damn bastard. You son of a bitch. Bastard. Die! Die! I curse you even in death… No, I'm already dead. Anyway, I curse you. You impostor! From the fourth generation to the fifth generation, misfortune…'

"Phew. Shut up," Mok Gyeongwoon said with a sigh.

At that moment, something strange happened.

'Mmph mmph mmph!' Go Chan couldn't open his mouth as Mok Gyeongwoon commanded.

He wanted to curse, but the words wouldn't come out regardless of his will. Why was this happening?

To the puzzled Go Chan, Mok Gyeongwoon said with a smile, "Although you're dead, Guard Go Chan has become my servant spirit through the Half-Six-Eight Spirit Summoning Technique."

'...?'

What did that mean again?

"You're curious about what a servant spirit is, right? To put it simply, a slave ghost? Yes, you can think of it that way."

"A slave ghost?… Ha! Do you want to die, you fool?" Cheongryeong glared at Mok Gyeongwoon and raised her voice.

At this, Mok Gyeongwoon waved his hand lightly and corrected himself, "Let's just say he's a ghost who has to cooperate with me."

'…'

"Ah, you can't speak. If I let you, will you keep cursing?"

Go Chan shook his head vigorously.

"How obedient. Then you can speak again."

'Ah?'

At Mok Gyeongwoon's command, his voice returned. At this, Go Chan was momentarily confused about how to accept this situation. He had thought that now that he was dead, he wouldn't be swayed by this fellow anymore, so he had cursed to his heart's content.

But even in death, he had to follow this fellow's orders?

'…Damn it.'

Curses naturally came to his mind. Of course, they didn't come out of his mouth. Now that he knew Mok Gyeongwoon could control him with a single word, he became afraid of this fellow.

'What the hell is he?'

He had witnessed strange scenes several times. But he never imagined that he would possess such unbelievable abilities. The power to make even the dead submit to him was absurd.

To such Go Chan, Mok Gyeongwoon said, "Anyway, Guard Go Chan, I'm glad we can continue to be together."

'…'

Glad? Did he think he would be happy to be ordered around by him even in death? It was not only disheartening but also distressing.

"Hmm. You don't like it?"

'…'

"It seems you don't like it. Then should I just let you go?"

At those words, Go Chan looked at him with a gleam in his eyes. He thought he would be used even in death, but was he really going to let him go? As he was feeling hopeful, Mok Gyeongwoon glanced at Cheongryeong and said,

"I don't know the technique to release a servant spirit yet. Is there any other way to release him?"

"If I knew that, would I be in this state?"

"I see."

"Or if he desires it so much, you can forcibly exorcise him."

At those words, Go Chan asked in puzzlement,

'I… What is exorcism?'

"It means forcibly banishing a spirit, you fool."

'…Banish? Then does that mean I'll die?'

"That's right."

'I'm already dead though.'

"If you die further from there, you'll be annihilated."

'…Does that mean I'll completely disappear?'

"Yes. You'll completely vanish from this world. Who knows, there might be something else, but I don't know since I haven't experienced it myself."

At these words, Go Chan's face stiffened. He thought if Mok Gyeongwoon released him, he would go to a place like the afterlife. But from what they were saying now, it sounded like they would kill his soul.

Suddenly, Go Chan became afraid. Even now that he was dead and had become a spirit, it was terrifying, and the concept of completely disappearing evoked immense fear.

Was that why?

'Yo-Young Master!' Go Chan knelt down in front of Mok Gyeongwoon.

Then, lowering his head, he pleaded, 'I… I misspoke. Having just died and being confused about what was happening, I was rude to you, Young Master.'

"Hmm? Didn't you say you didn't want to be with me?"

'No! I absolutely want to be with you, Young Master. Not wanting to be with you? That's an absurd thing to say. Although I have died like this, now that I have another chance to be with you, I will serve you with utmost loyalty.'

It was a quick change of attitude. Even though he was dead, Go Chan feared further changes here.

Seeing his appearance, Cheongryeong clicked her tongue.

*Ttuk*

Then, Cheongryeong frowned.

Noticing her expression, Mok Gyeongwoon asked, "Is it as expected?"

At that question, Cheongryeong muttered in an irritated voice, "This one can't endure it either. I thought it would be a bit better, but it's a useless wench."

At those words, Go Chan looked at her in puzzlement. That expression and way of speaking were completely different from Ha Chae-rin's. What was going on?

*Ttuk*

*Ttuk*

At that moment, black blood vessels bulged out from the neck of Ha Chae-rin, who was expressing anger. Then, Cheongryeong, who was inside Ha Chae-rin's body, let out a deep sigh.

*Sssss*

She emerged from that body.

*Thud*

Ha Chae-rin's body collapsed on the ground like a corpse. At that moment, Go Chan froze like an ice sculpture. He wondered what it was, but Cheongryeong, who had emerged from Ha Chae-rin's body, was truly a shock in itself.

'Wh-what is this?'

Among spirits, their ranks can be clearly distinguished. Just as humans have five senses, spirits have their own alternative senses. Those senses were warning Go Chan. That this was a monster beyond imagination.

*Hwaaaaa*

It was as if the surroundings were dyed in blood, walls were collapsing, and even the ground was splitting apart in an illusion. This was definitely not an ordinary spirit.

At that moment, Cheongryeong raised an eyebrow and said to Go Chan, "Won't you lower your gaze?"

At those words, Go Chan trembled and slowly lowered his head.

Then, Cheongryeong snorted and said, "A newbie spirit whose body is still warm from just dying dares to stare at me?"

'…I-I apologize.'

Go Chan felt disheartened once again. He thought that everyone would be the same in death, but that wasn't the case. Even in death, there was still a gap in power in that world, and he was no different from the weak.

While this was happening, Mok Gyeongwoon said, "What a shame. I thought it was a quite suitable body."

"I didn't have high expectations."

"Is that so?"

He clearly remembered her being very pleased. Where else could he find the body of a young woman who had reached the Pinnacle of Transcendent Realm? He thought this level would be able to handle Cheongryeong, but in just a few moments, the body couldn't endure it and cracked like the servant ghosts.

"I guess there's no choice. It's a pity, but this body…"

"What's there to pity? We can just use it."

"Pardon?"

'The rank has fallen anyway, so it won't be of much use in the spirit state. We can give it to this fellow.'

At those words, Mok Gyeongwoon looked at Go Chan with interest. Go Chan tilted his head with an anxious expression, wondering what they were talking about.

'Why me all of a sudden?'

Then, Cheongryeong suddenly approached Go Chan.

*Sssk*

Feeling fear from the overwhelming pressure, Go Chan instinctively tried to back away, but Cheongryeong grabbed his neck as if hooking him and pushed him somewhere.

'Wh-why are you doing this…'

"Stop blabbering and go in. It's rare for a newbie to have this opportunity."

*Pak*

It was Ha Chae-rin's body, lying on the ground like a dead person.

'Uh-oh?'

*Ssssssk*

At that moment, Go Chan's spirit was forcibly pushed into Ha Chae-rin's body by Cheongryeong against his will.

Ha Chae-rin's body, which was lying on the ground, squirmed and moved wildly.

Looking down at this with his arms crossed, Mok Gyeongwoon said indifferently, "Hmm. Is it alright?"

"Don't know. I've cleared out the ego, so even if the rank has fallen, it should be able to take control quickly."

"Is that so? But…"

He wondered if it was really alright. While this was happening, Ha Chae-rin, who had been convulsing as if in agony by herself, suddenly sat up and spoke with a bewildered look in her eyes.

"Wh-why all of a sudden… Heuk! What is this?"

She couldn't hide her bewilderment at her own voice. After being startled like that, she lowered her head to look at her chest and was even more shocked.

"Wh-what on earth is this?"

No matter how you looked at it, it was a woman's body.

Mok Gyeongwoon shrugged and said to him as if there was no other choice, "Yes. It seems you'll have to work with that body from now on."