Chapter 80
Spells had no effect on the masked pervert. Thus, the only option was to use the power of the Loa on him. The powers that I could use were Bossou’s power, which I was using at the moment, and Marrinette’s power, which I had used to burn the ropes tied around Ji-Ah. If I used another Loa’s power on top of that, then there was a risk that it would put too much strain on my body. So, for now, these were the only two powers that I could use.
[Tired... Sacrifice... Insufficient... Unable...]
However, Marinette's condition was not very good. It was because I hadn’t offered any sacrifices to Marinette recently. I had starved her as punishment for betraying me and siding with Han Su-Yeop. However, the punishment backfired. Back when I used Marinette’s power during the Ark Checkpoints, her power was already showing signs of running dry.
[I, Bossou, am in peak condition.]
On the other hand, Bossou was in good shape. So, it was necessary to make the most of Bossou's power. However, there were a few problems. First, the darkness was bothersome, and second, the unidentified liquid covering the floor was also bothering me.
The spluttering sound that resounded with every step of the taxidermied humans was due to that liquid. There was a risk of slipping and falling if there were any sudden movements, just like how Ji-Ah tripped and fell while running away.
Thud, thud, thud.
In the meantime, the taxidermied humans were slowly approaching me. Their steps weren't fast, but how they advanced toward me in formation was extremely threatening.
Besides, I wasn’t here to fight in the first place. The reason I came here was to save Ji-Ah, so there was no need to fight a disadvantageous battle. It was best to escape for now and leave the fight for another day.
As I made up my mind and carefully tried to leave the room without slipping—
Smack!
Something struck the back of my head. I had never been hit by a car before, but the force of the blow was so strong that I wouldn’t have been surprised if this was what it felt like to get hit by one. A ringing sound echoed in my head, and my vision spun. Beyond my hazy vision, I could see the perverted figure laughing his head off while clapping his hands, and I saw a strange taxidermied creature flying in the air like a bird. It seemed like the thing that had struck my head was the taxidermied bird-like creature.
“Did you think I would just let you run away? If I let you escape, then my head will get chopped off, you see. You can’t escape. Just be a good boy and become an ingredient. That’ll make things much simpler, don’t you think?”
"...Arghh."
I tried to respond, but the words didn't come out. I couldn't tell if it was because my head hurt or simply because I had run out of stamina. The taxidermied humans continued to approach me with their sloppy steps.
"Urgh..."
I tried to get up from my position. A feeble groan escaped my lips.
Slip!
However, I failed. Getting up itself was a Herculean task. While lying there, I lightly brushed the back of my head and found that it was wet. My hand was painted with blood, and I could feel blood seeping out from my head. By the time I felt the blood trickling down to the back of my neck, my strength had drained away, and my hands and feet began to feel cold.
I was dying.
It was more like an intuition rather than a realization. My whole body throbbed with pain. Every fiber of my being screamed in agony. The taxidermied humans were already right in front of me. A taxidermied human with six legs but no head was winding up three of their fists simultaneously.
Bam!
I rolled my body to avoid it. Concrete dust scattered from the punch that struck the ground. If I hadn't managed to dodge it by forcefully moving my body with Bossou's power, I would have died right there. The thought sent shivers down my spine.
[My power is surpassing your limits. If you push any further, you'll die.]
"It’s al... Argh..."
[This is not an illusion. This time, you'll really die.]
It was Bossou's advice. But before I could even make a decision, the next attack came crashing down.
Smack!
"Ugh...!"
A spider-like taxidermied human with eight legs but no head kicked me. After getting hit in my solar plexus, it started to feel hot and chilling pain accompanied it—making it feel as if I were being pierced by a blade. I momentarily lost my breath.
"Don't die just yet. It's more fun to make taxidermied humans while they’re still alive—"
[Your body is not strong enough to handle everything that I have. If you exercised a little more, maybe if you exercised a little more—]
"If you think you're going to die, raise your hands. Then I'll stop—"
[But if you really want to—]
The pervert and Bossou’s voices echoed in my head. Their voices were not passing through my ear and entering my brain. Instead, the voices were simply passing through one ear and out the other.
I just barely managed to stand up and unleash Voodoo magic. I used a restoration spell on the bleeding wound on the back of my head and my intestines, which seemed to have burst. Although my injuries were healed, the pain remained. I struggled to maintain my balance as my legs wobbled.
"Indeed, this is what I like about Voodoo cultists. They have strong vitality. They’re just like friendly cockroaches that can survive eternally by bunkering down underground. Hahaha.”
The pervert laughed joyously while watching me stand up. I raised my hand, and the pervert looked at me with a puzzled expression.
"Oh, do you think you're going to die? Should I stop? Ah, but if you surrender this quickly—"
Wham!
I twisted the neck of the taxidermied human with the hand that I had raised. The neck of the taxidermied human with six arms stretched like a rubber band.
Thud.
Soon, with a squelching sound, the body of the taxidermied human collapsed on the floor.
"Shut up, you noisy bast...ard..."
The pervert was too talkative. His mocking tone lingered in my head, intensifying my headache.
Suddenly, Min-Seo came to mind.
During training, Min-Seo also often distracted me with unnecessary talk. The similarity between the Satanist and Min-Seo was that they were both irritating presences to me. But, of course, the Satanist was much more annoying than Min-Seo.
I approached the pervert with determined steps. Targeting the taxidermied humans was a foolish move. It seemed wiser to target the pervert commanding the taxidermied humans.
"Oh!" the pervert exclaimed in admiration as he looked at me.
I ignored him and continued walking. No matter how much I walked, it seemed like the distance was not closing but only getting farther.
My young eyes gazed at my father with a hint of confusion in them, but it soon disappeared. Soon, a profound emptiness filled my eyes that were looking at my father. I gazed at my father with blank eyes. My eyes were so deep and dark that I felt like I was getting sucked in.
"You're crying. Right now," my younger self said.
My father looked in the mirror.
"Huh?"
Inside the mirror was me. Not my father, but the present me. Through the mirror, I could see my present self and my childhood self together.
My young self and my present self were both looking in the mirror. The young me was looking at my present self, and my present self was looking at my young self. I could see myself from a different point in time reflected beyond the mirror.
My young self had had a smile full of innocence on his lips, and his eyes shone brightly. His skin was flawless without a blemish, and his hair was neat, untouched by even a speck of dust.
My present self had lips that had forgotten how to smile and weary eyes. My skin was so dry, and the hair was so disheveled that it was incomparable to my younger self. A single tear ran down my eyes which were filled with doubt and emptiness.
"Ah."
The vivid contrast between my young and present self filled me with indescribable sadness. Only a single tear that ran down my face. I resented that single tear. The emotions that I bottled up inside of me were too intense and heavy to be released with just a single tear.
"...Sun-Woo," I called out to myself while wiping away my tear.
The young me looked at me with wide-eyed curiosity.
From my mouth, instead of my voice, my father’s voice came out.
"Make choices that you won’t regret. Always."
Crack.
It was advice from my father, and it was my own advice. The mirror shattered. The rift in the mirror spread out onto the wall and then into the air and eventually shattered the world. From the gaps of the rift, a familiar darkness greeted me.
Whoosh–!
The world collapsed. My mother, who was more beautiful and graceful than anyone else. My father, who hid his sorrow through jokes, and myself from the past, who still hadn’t lost his innocence. Everything collapsed.
They all collapsed and disappeared along with the crumbling world. All the light vanished, and darkness engulfed everything before my eyes.
"Huh, what’s that? Is that a box? Inside the box is the ultimate weapon... Is it that kind of story?"
I heard someone’s voice. It was not my mother, not my father, and not my young self, but the distorted voice of the Satanist that was wearing human skin on his face.
The sweet illusion crumbled, and a chilling reality emerged. The pain that had disappeared once again returned and engulfed my body. My fingertips trembled at the onslaught of pain, and my mouth opened involuntarily.
"...Arghh..."
From my open mouth, drool and strange moans that didn’t resemble that of a human flowed out. Pain radiated throughout my entire body. From my arms to my legs, every fiber of muscle in my body felt torn and ragged.
Pain.
The problem was the pain. Even with Bossou's power and restoration spells healing my injuries, the pain still remained. My body refused to move under the overwhelming pain. I tried to raise my head to assess the situation, but even that was impossible. Rolling my eyes was the best I could do.
"Ah..."
The taxidermied humans stared at me with unfocused eyes. Beyond the taxidermied humans, a perverted bastard was chuckling and laughing at me. Mysterious liquid covered the floor. The room was filled with thick and viscous darkness and dim red lighting.
Beneath all that, white powder was pouring out of an open box. Its original whiteness had taken on a slightly duller hue over time.
"Make choices that you won’t regret."
It was the advice my father gave me, and it was also the advice I had given to myself when I was young. It flashed through my mind.
Choices that I won’t regret.
Sigh.
With every last ounce of my energy, I gathered all my power. With that power, I blew wind toward the scattered powder in front of me. The powder scattered in the air.
"Is it drugs? The last trick that you pull out while dying is this kind of—"
Puff!
The perverted man's words disappeared. Mist spewed out from the powder. The mist quickly turned into Voodoo magic power, and the Voodoo magic power gradually turned into a temple.
Eventually, in front of me, a temple exuding a gloomy aura of death appeared. In the middle of the temple, someone was sitting in a chair that was luxuriously decorated with bones and gold.
[Looks like we’re meeting very often these days. I can read your intentions clearly, but I’ll ask you as a formality.]
Baron Samedi.
The Loa of Death.
In the darkness emanating from the brim of his worn silk hat, his red eyes flickered like flames.
I was kneeling and sitting before him. There was no pain. The white and slightly dull powder was piled gently on my palm.
[Why did you summon me this time?] Baron Samedi said.
Puff!
I did not need to respond.
I simply scattered the ashes piled on top of my hand.
Then, a smile appeared on Baron Samedi’s face. The smile was cold and sickening, as if it contained the chilliness of death. It wasn’t just his smile. Every aspect of the temple surrounding Baron Samedi emanated the aura of death.
However, I didn’t feel frightened. Instead, it was comforting, familiar, and cozy.
"I offer the vessel of our ancestor to the Loa of Death."
The true identity of the powder I scattered was the ashes of the first Cult Leader of the Voodoo Cult, my grandfather, Do Jun-Gil.
"I request to perform the Ritual of Succession and distort death."
It was the ingredient for the Ritual of Succession and the unique offering that could be given to Baron Samedi.