Within the wrapping cloth lay gold trinkets.
There were gold ornaments and coins identical to the ones carried by Japan’s vintage beckoning cats (招き猫).
“Truly sizable.”
Jinseong took one of the gold coins, believing that the divination of the divine object (呪物) he had created was accurate, and gently caressed it with his hand.
Swish.
The gold coin trembled as if it were alive when touched by Jinseong’s hand, then softened and began to change its shape. Its wrinkled surface rippled like waves and gradually smoothed out. During this process, the characters engraved on the gold coin melted away like flowing liquid, eventually forming a black bead that dropped to the floor.
“-.”
Impurities are being removed.
The gold coin continuously undulated and rippled, changing its shape multiple times. During the process, everything unrelated to gold fell as droplets onto the floor.
The bizarre process only ceased when the gold coin had transformed into a sphere the size of a fingernail. This sphere emitted the distinctive gleam of gold, but curiously, it had an irregularly shaped circle carved into it, resembling something drawn by a child with a crayon.
Jinseong observed the small sphere that radiated an odd feeling and felt a slight sense of regret.
“The purity isn’t very high.”
After all, why would one over-reward a dog?
Rather, if excessively valuable items had emerged, it might have created a sense of incongruity.
Jinseong flicked the sphere with his fingernail, sending it sliding back into the wrapping cloth.
Ting-a-ling.
The metallic clink echoed as the sphere nestled between bracelets and coins, rolling along the crevices until it hit the bottom.
“-.”
The fingernail-sized gold sphere trembled at Jinseong’s invocation (呪言).
“Gold is something that can flow and move. Its current form merely resembles a nucleus; it holds the steadfast and spherical shape, thus resembling a living being.”
As Jinseong recited the spell, the gold sphere rippled like a water balloon, endlessly distorting its form. It resembled something living, constantly undulating while trying to hold its spherical shape. When Jinseong continued his incantation, the sphere completely collapsed.
“Similar things attract similar things.”
The gold sphere lost its form, transforming into tendrils. Everything except for a minuscule sphere the size of a speck moved like a living organism, stretching its tendrils toward other trinkets, clinging to and enveloping them. It resembled a formless snake devouring its prey, or a slime summoned by a summoner.
Ting-ling.
Thus, the gold amalgam began to grow. The trinket it absorbed wrapped the gold portions into itself while aggregating all non-golden components and expelling them outward.
Ting-ling.
Ting-ling.
In this way, all the gold trinkets the Japanese lending company had kept as emergency funds or slush funds coalesced into one mass.
Swish.
Having absorbed all the gold, the lump moved gently, resembling slime as it wobbled. It seemed to recognize its master and silently crept toward Jinseong, using pseudopodia to climb up his body.
Swish.
The gold slime stretched itself thin and slithered like a snake into the gaps of Jinseong’s armor, disappearing within.
“Even for a dog, this is quite an accumulation. Judging by its weight, it must have many uses.”
Jinseong smiled in satisfaction at the heaviness of the gold slime nestling into his armor. Then, with light steps, he approached the boss who was breathing heavily.
The boss was still frozen as if transfixed, staring blankly into the air and trembling uncontrollably.
“Om-”
Jinseong pressed his sharply extended fingernail against the boss’s philtrum.
The crazily distorting pupils settled down, and instead of the dazed expression, emotions began to flow again.
Ding.
Jinseong held the boss’s arm, which had been shrinking and then inflating like a balloon, and whispered into his ear.
“Are you in pain?”
Upon hearing these words, the boss’s eyes darted around and fixed on Jinseong. His appearance seemed to startle him, and the shape of his pupils changed again.
“Gr-Gr-Gr-”
Amid fears, shocks, and pain, the old man’s life force was nearing its end, his voice transforming into a dying scream. Jinseong smiled upon witnessing this.
“Don’t worry. You will be liberated from that pain.”
Moo-ing.
In a show of agreement, the wretched cat, cradled in the man’s arms, meowed.
“Meow-!”
Even though no one had called it, the cat bolted from the man’s arms all the way to the desk in a single leap. There, it squatted patiently, staring steadily at Jinseong as if awaiting his command.
“Gr, Gr, Grr…Za-Eek…”
“Eat.”
“Me-eeEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEOOOOOOOO!”
Upon receiving permission, the cat’s mouth split open until it reached its ears. The cat’s mouth expanded like a snake unhinging its jaw to swallow prey, growing larger and stretching impossibly, as if made of rubber.
Finally, when the mouth was large enough to easily swallow a human head—
CRUNCH!
The fruit hanging from the neck disappeared in an instant.
MIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII KRrrrrrrrrrr.
The cat melted the head into its body like a delicious candy and let out a low-pitched purr, appearing more radiant than before.
“Death is this trivial.”
Behold.
This body, grown fat by serving and being loyal to the enemy of one’s ethnicity like a dog, was thus reaped.
The fortune that seemed to promise longevity for thousands of years was harvested so easily.
“Still, a dog’s fate is to be boiled when it outlives its usefulness. This too is fate.”
Thus murmuring, Jinseong collected the flowing blood from the severed neck in his mouth.
“Hmm. This isn’t quite right.”
Though the blood was rich and sweet due to the man’s overindulgence in oily and sugary foods, it wasn’t the kind Jinseong sought. What he wanted wasn’t the blood of an ordinary pig-like human, but something closer to trash, closer to refuse with no discernible use.
“As death offers no utility, this life was indeed meaningless. So I intone the spell, that you might be wrapped in mercy, bringing rest to your spirit and flesh and a peaceful transition. Om Mani Padme Hum. Om Mani Padme Hum. Om Mani Padme Hum.”
Jinseong, as though transformed into a monk, held one hand in half-palm posture while chanting the mantra.
“Meow.”
Having dispatched the boss’s soul to the heavens, Jinseong opened his previously closed eyes and turned to walk toward the dazed-looking man.
“Do you desire a chair? When I earn enough money, I’ll buy and offer you one.”
Despite the horrifying events unfolding before his eyes, the man spoke to Jinseong as if he hadn’t seen anything.
“Om-”
Jinseong half-heard the man’s words as he exited the boss’s office.
“Huff… Huff… Sniff… Sniff…”
Having confirmed the ripeness of the fruit, it was time to harvest.
Let it be known again and again: sorcery (주술) is a truly peculiar study.
While it involves mimicking and replicating the power of nature, there is no clear method to determine exactly how this is done. Hence, people describe magic as an unstructured, unsystematic miracle and mystery.
Unlike other studies that manipulate mana (마나), magical force (마력), or qi (기), which belong to the forces of nature (自然力), sorcery utilizes an unpredictable array of energies. It may use the forces of nature, it may use one’s life force, or even elements like earth power (地力) or fortune (運氣), extending to even someone’s lifespan.
Additionally, while it is said that sorcery uses symbols, there exist numerous forms that do not rely on symbols at all. Some sorcery uses meaning, others completely ignore meaning. Some mimic an object, and some, like summoning and possession rituals typical of contractors or summoners, use entirely different forms.
It is thus so broad and abstract that it cannot be classified in one category. But this also means that sorcery can come in unpredictable and diverse forms, unlike elemental-based magic or qi-based martial arts which follow specific guidelines.
“Om-”
Therefore, unlike other extraordinary abilities (이능) that depend on rules and frameworks, one could create something innovative and creative using sorcery.
Crunch!
There exists a kind of parasite known as Toxoplasma gondii*.
Also known as Toxoplasma and called Toxoplasma gondii, it’s a parasite that lives in cats.
Crunch!
Parasites, mysterious creatures indeed, often turn the impossible into the possible. This Toxoplasma gondii is no exception.
Using cats as definitive hosts (definitive host), it invades their bodies via intermediate hosts (intermediate hosts), matures, and lays eggs. This parasite, which can reproduce only in the bodies of cats, employs a power akin to magic in order to perpetuate its lifecycle.
Host manipulation.
This Toxoplasma actually controls its host.
Though but a microscopic parasite, it manipulates its host into being eaten by cats.
Its primary intermediate host is mice.
Once inside a mouse, the Toxoplasma begins manipulating its brain. The parasite seizes control of the cerebellum, enhancing the mouse’s fondness for cats while lowering its attention and caution, and diminishing its sense of danger.
What was once a terrified creature fleeing at the mere scent of cat urine now moves boldly without a care, completely unfazed even when a cat is nearby.
“Meow!”
Crunch!
Thus the mouse is eaten by the cat.
True to its name, which references the arching form of toxon, it uses the mouse as an arrow for reproduction.
Moreover, there’s another astonishing fact about this parasite:
It can parasitize all vertebrates.
Though capable of reproducing only in cats and therefore unable to lay eggs, it can use all vertebrates as intermediate hosts.
This naturally applies to humans as well.
This condition is known as toxoplasmosis.
Human infection affects the brain similarly.
“Meow-ow!”
Crunch!
Much like mice, humans infected show a greater sense of adventure, decreased attention, and a lesser inclination to avoid danger. Additionally, they develop a liking for cats, usually manifesting as an increased fondness for cat scents.
The spell Jinseong used took advantage of this very nature of Toxoplasma gondii. Not unearthed from somewhere, this sorcery was created by Jinseong in its raw, primitive form. It uses Toxoplasma as a medium to make the selected human intermediate host akin to a mouse.
“Meow?”
Of course, it isn’t biologically possible to make someone exactly like a mouse. One cannot suddenly give a person mouse genes without resorting to biological experimentation.
Instead, it overlays the symbolism of a mouse onto the person.
“Similar things give birth to similar things.”
By binding the shared traits between people and mice, it makes the person gradually resemble a mouse while also adopting its symbolism. This is an adaptation of the ancient sorcery ritual ‘Seonggwang Eunsangje (聖光銀象祭)’ through which Jinseong gained enlightenment long ago.
Mice have whiskers.
Humans have whiskers.
Mice have front teeth.
Humans have front teeth.
Mice have strong vitality.
Humans also have strong vitality.
Thus, these ties bind mice and humans together, causing people to gradually resemble mice.
Whiskers grow fine like those of a mouse.
Front teeth continue to grow long like a mouse’s.
Just as mice have strong vitality, humans grow stronger too. Muscles develop, stature increases, vitality courses through the body, and reproductive abilities improve.
And as resemblance grows, people gain the symbolism of a mouse.
Mice, over the ages, have symbolized wisdom, fertility, abundance, fortune (福), and calamity (禍).
Across both Eastern and Western narratives, mice are depicted as clever creatures. Sometimes, they help others with their wisdom, while at other times, they cleverly trick themselves into trouble. Thus, people who grow similar to mice become more intelligent and adept in speech.
Because mice often appear in places with abundant food, their presence signifies prosperity and wealth. In old stories, mice were often portrayed as rich individuals who hoarded food stocks. As such, humans resembling mice become wealthier, less likely to go hungry, and see good fortune.
But conversely, mice also appear during epidemics and calamities, and they unfailingly show up where there are piles of corpses during war. They sense calamity and appear accordingly. Hence, mice are also symbols of calamity.
And this calamity is none other than Toxoplasma.
The spell’s subject is infected in the brain, leading to heightened courage and a decreased sense of danger. More potent spells cause the subject to begin seeing illusions. Though these illusions are crude compared to those created by wizards or witches who specialize in witchcraft (위치크래프트), they are still usable to some extent.
Shhhh! Huff Huff!
This is why this man found a decaying cat cute and carried it around. Through this cat, Jinseong’s sorcery spread among others in the lending company, incapacitating them all.
But…
CRACK!
It seems not everyone was incapacitated.
Jinseong glanced to one side.
“Huff… Huff!”
There stood a man, sword in hand, his well-trained body contrasting with a severed, mold-covered half of a cat lying at his feet.
The man gripped a sturdy wooden sword, panting heavily while leaning against the wall, glaring at Jinseong. By his feet lay the corpse of the cat, head severed, with white mold visibly growing on the exposed surface.
“So, you’re a warrior, as evidenced by your resistance to the spell.”
…
