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Three ruffians barged in.

They were scoundrels lacking the manners expected of guests, showing absolutely no respect for the master as they entered without an invitation. Coming into the house with muddy feet without the owner’s permission was akin to a thief, and brandishing weapons to threaten the master was akin to a rabid bandit.

Their behavior was exceptionally foolish.

No one had left.

—

“Strange.”

The warriors in the lodging frowned.

The reason for their displeasure was simple.

Some had not returned.

“It’s just a job to check on a rookie shaman’s house, so why…?”

The three who had snuck into Park Jinseong’s dwelling were missing.

It wasn’t a heavily fortified facility, nor was it the residence of a power holder packed with private military contractors. They were merely trying to infiltrate a shaman’s house.

Not just any shaman, but a young rookie!

A mere child who had barely accumulated any real experience!

With three of them gone, why on earth weren’t they back?

They absolutely couldn’t comprehend it.

“What could have happened?”

“That couldn’t be. They may have been a bit arrogant, but they’re warriors of Greater Japan. They’re even better than us when it comes to stealth.”

“Then why…?”

“Maybe they just finished the job and are hanging out somewhere?”

They couldn’t wrap their heads around it.

With the skills they thought those three had, they should have completed the job without issue, yet there was no word from them.

It made no logical sense.

How could they not return when they surely couldn’t fail?

“Did they go to that famous brothel called Kisaeng in Korea? Is that where they are?”

“That place has been shut down for decades. And isn’t it well known that the Korean sex industry is terrible?”

“Maybe they went somewhere like a cabaret? Even if the industry is bad, they must have something like that.”

“That’s true, but still… to go without a word?”

They began to think logically.

Perhaps those damn bastards had finished their work and decided to go fool around somewhere without telling anyone.

Moreover, there was a basis for this assumption.

The warriors who went to Park Jinseong’s building were notorious for their appetite for women.

They treated women like dishes, coming and going as if they were visiting a soapland, and they had such a scandalous nature that they lived with multiple women. While they didn’t dare to chase after married or noble ladies, they kept swapping out lovers as if that was perfectly normal.

On top of that, their arrogance and unpredictable behavior were a part of the equation.

They were treated with high regard in their clan, which made them arrogant and condescending, especially to those they considered beneath them. Just looking at how they treated Watanabe a while back, it was hard to find any humility in them.

If they had truly lacked talent, they might have been trained to improve quickly.

But sadly, they possessed just enough talent to keep them from receiving the lesson in humility they needed.

People from similar backgrounds couldn’t compete with them, and those who could defeat them came from better environments, leading them to rationalize that “the circumstances are different” and “it’s only natural to lose to someone above us.”

As a result, their arrogance remained intact.

Still, operating as one unit meant they would generally follow the basic orders…

How cautious could originally arrogant people be in a makeshift organization composed of various clans, without strict military discipline maintaining the rules?

“No, even if they are thoughtless…”

“Were we supposed to stop them from meeting women? Did we give them a hint? What’s wrong with a warrior meeting women? They could just say they’re bringing someone back and leave!”

Thus, they subconsciously began to lean towards believing the idea that ‘they finished the mission and went off to meet some women.’ After all, even they thought those three were just the type to act that way.

“Oh, I just took a break after finishing. Can’t a guy take a breather?”

They could easily imagine the smirking faces saying those words.

“Ugh… Let’s just wait a little longer. They should be back soon.”

—

They waited.

For the trio of warriors to make contact.

For the trio of warriors to return.

To spin excuses with their lazy faces and share the information they obtained.

But despite waiting and waiting, they did not return.

“… This is strange?”

It was late.

Too late.

Even if they got caught up in debauchery, this was excessive.

“Something feels wrong…”

If they’d been busy with women for this long, they’d be enough of a husk to be a mummy, and if they were gambling, they should have pulled down a pillar or two of their family by now.

During all that time, they hadn’t returned or even reached out.

This… no matter how you looked at it, felt odd.

“No matter how much they look down on us, this feels wrong.”

“Are they really not coming back after this long?”

“This definitely means something went awry.”

Despite having a terrible disposition, they were capable.

There was no way for them to stay away for this long without a word.

The warriors in the lodging finally realized the gravity of the situation.

Unease began to seep into their faces, and they started to feel anxious just in case.

“Ugh… I told them to be careful…”

As the atmosphere grew heavy, Watanabe sighed.

“Even if they’re rookies, a shaman is a shaman. No one knows what kind of hell might be lurking in that house.”

Watanabe had heard the terrifying tales of shamans from his grandfather, to the point of making his ears bleed.

His grandfather had served as an officer during the days of the Empire of Japan and had made significant contributions in capturing the South Seas islands. While lacking exceptional skills in actual combat, he was said to have been quite adept at management, and fortune smiled upon him, allowing him to thrive.

After achieving success, his grandfather set foot on an island called New Guinea, intending to construct airfields and fortresses as military bases.

And after he set foot there, he witnessed hell.

One shaman from the local tribes began tormenting the Japanese soldiers.

The shaman unleashed vile epidemics, causing the Japanese troops to suffer and die without even being able to engage in proper combat, and commanded a monstrous winged beast known as Ropen to assault them.

It not only prevented airplanes from taking off but also sent fish to sabotage ships and beasts to cause major harm to their stronghold. There were even cases where rotten corpses were dropped from the sky to spread disease and contaminate the water, along with massive boulders being thrown to demolish airstrips.

The harassment was so relentless that soldiers began losing their minds.

Unable to bear this torment, the Japanese military put forth their utmost effort to capture the shaman and finally located his dwelling.

They attempted to capture the shaman alive for a public execution to boost morale, sending a select force to the shaman’s residence. Watanabe’s grandfather also volunteered, but there were too many troops sent to kill the shaman. Because of this, they had to draw lots to decide who would go, and sadly, he didn’t make the cut.

Watanabe’s grandfather, though he could not hide his disappointment…

Who could have guessed that his disappointment was a stroke of luck?

None who went to the shaman’s dwelling returned alive.

Their horrific screams echoed so loudly across the island that other Japanese soldiers who tried to rescue them turned into victims themselves. The chilling screams were said to continue until morning.

They were unable to even find any bodies.

Unlike what one might expect, only the elongated skulls were discovered, having been stretched and contorted.

After this horrific event, they contacted their home country for reinforcements. Trying to find the shaman, they sent a ridiculously large number of troops for conquering a mere island, and grasping the burden of dealing with so many soldiers, the shaman vanished without a trace.

Later, the island fell safely into the hands of the Japanese, but…

The memories of that time remained vivid.

So vivid that they could hardly be forgotten until the moment of death.

“Kid, if I hadn’t cast my lot in the wrong direction, I would’ve surely died then. The gods must not have drawn the lottery that day; I would have been doomed. In the most terrible way possible.”

“Since that day, I absolutely refuse to go anywhere near a shaman’s house. I wouldn’t set foot in a shrine with people around, nor would I dare go near an Onmyoji’s place. Shamans are terrifying people…”

“I hope you remember this well. Do not get tangled up with shamans. If you do, never ever step foot in their houses. They are filled with all sorts of wicked and terrible traps. An ordinary person stepping in there would surely experience hell, just as I did back then…”

Watanabe’s grandfather, who took a liking to him, ceaselessly warned him.

To be cautious of shamans.

Those teachings from his grandfather remained etched in Watanabe’s mind.

‘Could they be witnessing hell right now?’

 

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