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The man in the fox mask stood in front, capturing everyone’s attention.

“I’m well aware that our working relationship isn’t the best, but surely we can all agree that this isn’t the time for such concerns?”

His voice was peculiar. It echoed as if coming from deep within a cave.

Perhaps it felt that way because both Korean and Japanese were being spoken simultaneously.

“The fortunate thing is that we’ve managed to establish this base camp, but that also means we need to be even more cautious. With the possibility of evil spirits launching fierce attacks at night, isn’t it only right to prepare tirelessly?”

Is he speaking of an artifact? Or perhaps an unknown mechanical device?

The man in the fox mask was blending Korean and Japanese seamlessly. Was there a simultaneous translation happening without any delay?

It was as if he had two mouths, speaking both languages at once. The overlapping of the two voices created a disordered yet bizarre atmosphere; however, for anyone fluent in at least one of the languages, it was still understandable despite the distraction.

“….”

“….”

The people stood in a daze, staring blankly at the Shinto priest who had stepped forward.

It’s possible that their intense focus was a result of the simultaneous Korean and Japanese; or perhaps they were entranced by the strangely captivating voice flowing from the priest.

But one thing was clear: the atmosphere, which had been on the verge of boiling over, had calmed thanks to the priest. The tension that felt as if a fight could break out any moment dissipated under the presence of this man exuding an eerie vibe, wearing a fox mask.

Clap! Clap!

“That’s right. It’s wise to prepare now in order to protect ourselves from the threat of evil spirits.”

And in response to the priest’s words, one individual raised their hand in agreement.

A young man who had been sitting quietly in a corner. He was dressed in a designer suit, topped with a flowing trench coat adorned with lavish decorations.

It was Park Jinseong.

Jinseong applauded warmly, his expression beaming with admiration. His clapping was so vigorous that the hem of his trench coat swept the floor, gathering dirt as it brushed against the ground.

But Jinseong didn’t pay any attention to that. He clapped as if to attract the attention of both the Korean and Japanese factions.

Continuing, he echoed the priest’s statement.

“Everyone, we may have felt things were going smoothly until now, but we are facing evil spirits. When they show up, it’s not just the capable individuals that will need to intervene; we might even have to mobilize an army depending on how powerful these spirits are.”

Jinseong warned them.

“Don’t let your guard down. We are fighting against evil spirits.”

He lifted the rising caution that had been sinking in everyone’s hearts, ringing a mental alarm.

“Evil spirits tear people apart. They consume humans and butcher them. Due to their tremendous power, some evil spirits are even worshipped as yokai or gods. Well, I believe our Japanese friends understand this better.”

Evil spirits were entities that could be affected by physical force. But just because they could be influenced by physicality didn’t mean one could let their guard down.

In fact, the strength of their physical influence could easily be assumed to showcase a strong power.

Even the weakest evil spirits could laugh off the strength of a capable person, and when facing particularly powerful evil spirits, even several capable individuals working together could struggle.

There were instances where sword energy would only result in scratches, and even when one was sliced apart, they would melt away like mud and restore themselves to original form. Not to mention they could wrap themselves in corpses like armor or grow their bodies using materials from cadavers.

Naturally, the abilities of such evil spirits amounted to nothing less than a calamity.

Before modern times, evil spirits often described in historical texts as yokai, demons, or malevolent deities, struck terror and reverence into the hearts of people.

With the invention of guns and cannons, and ultimately weapons capable of wiping out the Earth, the fear of such evil spirits has been greatly diluted. But still, an evil spirit remains an evil spirit.

Better safe than sorry.

“And before arriving here, didn’t we gather information? These evil spirits have been floating above the water. Just with that, doesn’t it indicate that these evil spirits originated from water ghosts?”

Moreover, the evil spirits they were up against weren’t just any ordinary spirits.

Water ghosts.

They are the most venomous, persistent, vile spirits, revered with contempt across both Eastern and Western cultures.

Once they target their prey, they will entice it and drag it underwater to drown it, ignoring any pleas for mercy. Attempts to dispel them through force often fail due to their innate grudges and tremendous darkness, making exorcism exceedingly challenging.

And now, such a ghost had indeed become an evil spirit.

An evil spirit with the ability to inflict physical damage.

How could it not be dangerous?

One could never be too careful.

“Everyone, let’s set aside any conflicts for a time. In this moment, we must fight against a common enemy. Instead of engaging in meaningless disputes, let’s unite our strength and prepare for the night.”

Jinseong spoke to the crowd, driving a nail into the now uneasy atmosphere.

His appeal resonated with the crowd. The previously tense atmosphere normalized, as reluctant warriors distanced themselves from the Japanese fighters, who, while still holding onto grudges, did not escalate matters further and settled back into their positions.

“Ahem. This young man’s words hold some truth. Everyone must have felt the ominous energy when we laid eyes on this island. My body shudders at the thought of how much evil it harbors. I’ve been somewhat worried about this quarrel.”

“Yes, he’s right. As the Korean shaman says, we are here to eradicate the evil spirits spread throughout this island, aren’t we? When we team up to face a common enemy, we become comrades. So let’s momentarily put aside our personal grievances and strategize together against those vile beings.”

And so, a natural atmosphere began to arise, where the focus shifted to “Let’s unite our forces to vanquish the evil spirits.”

The Korean and Japanese capable individuals, who had been anxiously observing the situation, decided now was the time to voice their opinions, pushing the warriors to the rear as they stepped forward themselves.

It was better for them to engage directly rather than allowing the warriors—who might act unpredictably and clash with the opposing faction—to come to the forefront.

The structure of the gathering flipped entirely.

Where warriors had been at the front with others behind, now they stepped back as others took the lead.

However, some things remained unchanged.

Those who still chose not to step forward.

The observers remained, just as they had before.

Those grouped together were the Onmyoji, as well as the eerily enigmatic Shinto priest in the fox mask.

And the young shaman, still nestled quietly in a corner yet despite himself, among the rest, held a whimsical grin.

* * *

With the vigilance against evil spirits firmly established, the people began to move briskly.

Although a base camp had been created, it was starting to feel inadequate for the looming crisis.

They hastened to enhance defenses and strategize contingency plans against the evil spirits, resulting in the base camp’s security becoming more fortified.

The somewhat lax patrols were now tightly knit enough to withstand multiple types of evil spirits; even the devices set up by the wizards have become sturdier. Furthermore, while previous contraptions aimed for efficacy by consuming minimal energy for maximum effect, these devices had been retrofitted to output greater energy, even if that meant less operational time.

Should evil spirits prove stronger than anticipated, they wouldn’t be able to breach the base camp despite the effects of the artifacts.

Spiritual capable individuals soothed the ghosts they had summoned or reinforced their divine objects and exorcism tools through religious rites. Those who brought artifacts flocked to the wizards to enhance their artifacts or for checks on any existing issues.

Thus prepared, they continued their meticulous preparations….

Finally, nighttime descended.

The waves crashing against the shore, basked in sunlight, had now darkened, emitting an eerie sound. The sun, which had once shone with a reddish light, had now sunk beneath the sea.

The clouds floating high in the sky absorbed the darkness, turning gray, while the creepy moonlight flickered in and out through the clouds like a blinking eye.

Stars were visible in the night sky.

The dim glitter of stars concealed and revealed by passing clouds.

It seemed as if the sun that sank beneath the sea had shattered into countless pieces, embedded within the dark sky, showcasing its existence. Among them, whether it was a satellite or a distant star, one glittered fiercely, extinguishing its light in the blink of an eye.

Moreover, as if aware of the gazes of countless onlookers, one line among the stars glimmered brightly, scribbling a trace before vanishing.

That was none other than a falling star.

“Hmm.”

A meteor.

A star that vanished while tracing a line across the sky.

Jinseong frowned slightly as he beheld it.

“This is ominous.”

Throughout history, celestial phenomena have been regarded as harbingers of misfortune.

In the West, comets were deemed ominous, and their appearance heralded calamities.

This belief was no different in the East.

Meteors were seen as ominous omens signaling disasters.

The fall of a meteor was thought to usher forth deaths or calamities associated with them, invasions by foreign forces, or natural disasters like droughts or floods. It was believed that epidemic outbreaks could occur, or turmoil might visit upon rulers chosen by heaven.

As time passed and science advanced, many of these superstitions faded away.

Yet, remnants of these superstitions persisted.

In the fields of folklore, mythology, and even the arts.

“Hmm. I used to think that the belief of meteors being ominous was just a superstition, but could it actually have a magical meaning?”

Still, while remnants persist, the fact that it is superstition remains unchanged.

In modern times, they became trivial conversation starters, mere entertainment without any significant value.

But if such superstitious statements came from the mouth of a shaman, wouldn’t that change the narrative?

From casting all forms of divinations to peer into the future and performing bizarre and outlandish feats with nonsensical magic, when a shaman speaks such words, it carries a weight far beyond that of ordinary people’s casual comments.

“Hey, Park Jinseong. Is there a problem? Huh?”

Due to this concern, people could only stare at Jinseong, whose expression appeared serious.

To be precise, they were watching Jinseong’s solemn face and firmly pressed lips.

They hoped against hope he would utter something like, “The talk of meteors is simply superstition.”

“Hmm….”

Did he somehow catch onto their hopes?

Jinseong opened his mouth slowly.

He began to utter the very words everyone wanted to hear.

“Ah, everyone. It’s not because of the meteor. Most of the ominous tales surrounding meteors are mere superstitions. Of course, they do hold some magical meaning and possess significance in divination as a means of reading the heavens… but at least the meteor itself doesn’t carry any ominous significance.”

The notion that meteors are ominous is just superstition.

That very meteor is not a harbinger of bad luck.

Jinseong’s words poured forth exactly what people subconsciously wished to hear.

However… just because those words—the ones they longed for—came forth, it didn’t mean what Jinseong was saying was a positive omen.

In fact, it was quite the opposite.

“What I mentioned isn’t that meteors bring bad luck. Rather, it’s the fluctuation of energies caused by the passing meteors. When you dip your hand into still water, it creates ripples that change its shape, just like how the star passing changes the form of the energy surrounding it. That form looks like….”

Like a skull.

Jinseong spoke these words and paused, closing his mouth for a moment.

Then, he spoke firmly to those focused on him.

“Tonight, we might witness a discrepancy.”

He said this and looked back up at the sky.

The murmurs of the crowd swirled around him, fading into the background.

“With the controlled flow of dark energy and the skull-like form amidst the falling meteors…”

The sky before Jinseong was brimming with dark energy.

An artificially intensified dark energy.

“Ah, a seeker skilled in handling dark energy is inviting me.”

 

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