Chapter 494

I can’t understand.

The logic of the world is undoubtedly hard to comprehend.

Even so, this clearly possesses an alien quality.

“How strange, truly strange….”

Strange, bizarre, unfamiliar.

Yes, unfamiliar.

The existence known as Park Jinseong as perceived by the Possession Sorcerer was nothing short of ‘the unfamiliar’ itself.

That sensation when faced with something you can never encounter in your life.

The feeling experienced upon seeing something precious for the very first time, something one is unlikely to see again.

So different and alien, it creates a twisting sensation that makes it hard to accept.

All of this stimulated the senses of the Possession Sorcerer.

“But then again, nothing will change.”

Yet, despite the feeling of strangeness, the Possession Sorcerer was not greatly shaken.

To say he was completely unmoved would be a lie, but it was not a shock great enough to upset his values.

The reason being, his heart was extraordinarily solid.

There existed a fortress of his mind constructed so solidly it bordered on madness.

Therefore, there could be a moment of disturbance, yet he maintained his shape, standing tall without a crack or flaw.

“The inside and outside interact yet are clearly distinct. Just as the living and the dead influence each other, that world is distinct, my heart is the same.”

He had lived for a purpose.

He neither sought enlightenment nor craved the truth.

He simply walked a path wrought with hardship, as grueling as walking barefoot over sulfurous flames, for a singular purpose.

Thus, even if something dazzled his eyes, even if something tried to entice him,

He could not be ensnared by it.

It was a steadfast mind and an unwavering obsession.

“Though the glimmer of gold may incite greed, if the heart remains unmoved, it is merely fleeting. Even if a jewel lures with its brilliance, enjoying it merely through sight would render it a transient pleasure. Even if a beautiful woman exists, if not ensnared, it is nothing more than a meeting between people.”

The steadfast mind spoke.

No matter what essence the presence before him possessed, no matter the uniqueness it held,

What mattered was himself, his purpose, and his values.

And thus, the Possession Sorcerer reached his conclusion.

“Therefore, I shall weigh you on the scales and judge.”

Regardless of the existence before him, his task remained unchanged.

As always, he must weigh and discern the sin,

If not a sinner, he would do nothing. If a sinner, he must exert his all to slay and bind their soul to himself.

Thus, he judges.

Determining the guilt of that existence, which is neither fully human nor not.

And then.

“You have been weighed, and there is karma. However, as an ignorant one, I lack the ability to judge you.”

He admitted.

With his abilities, he could not even ascertain whether Jinseong was a sinner or not.

And that uncertainty would soon lead to judgment.

“Tout homme étant présumé innocent jusqu’à ce qu’il ait été déclaré coupable—”

All are presumed innocent until declared guilty—

The Possession Sorcerer recited part of the ‘Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen.’

“In my judgment, you are not a sinner.”

Thus, the verdict was rendered.

Chaine, not guilty.

Park Jinseong, not guilty.

Lee Jae-soon….

Guilty.

Finishing his sentence, the Possession Sorcerer gazed at Jinseong with piercing, luminous eyes.

Then he asked the completely unidentifiable sorcerer.

“May I take the sinner?”

It was a question, though not particularly significant.

Whether answered affirmatively or negatively, the action required of the Possession Sorcerer remained the same.

Regardless of what response he received, he would inevitably kill that sinner and claim their soul.

But at the same time, the question he posed held no great significance to alter the conclusion, yet it could change the process.

Depending on Jinseong’s response, he might receive cooperation for a comfortable soul harvest, he might gather the soul amid minimal effort as usual, or he might engage in a fierce battle against rivals.

“It is permissible to take her.”

And the answer to that question was that it was acceptable to claim Lee Jae-soon’s life.

However, it was not a complete permission but rather a response that left room for something… peculiar.

“But may I just— indeed, grant a little time?”

“Why?”

“Ah, because this author still has a role to fulfill….”

Jinseong smiled slyly at the unconscious Lee Jae-soon.

“All things in this world have their uses. So, it would be only right to fulfill that use, wouldn’t it?”

“Is it that important?”

Use.

Use it is.

But is that enough to grant a few more days of life?

The Possession Sorcerer asked Jinseong, loaded with that meaning.

“It would be a good thing for you as well.”

A good thing.

Hearing that phrase, the Possession Sorcerer realized what Jinseong intended.

“In what manner?”

“Experiencing the loss of something clinging to you, slipping from your grasp, would be a fitting punishment, no?”

Just as wealth slips from the grasp of those who cling to it like sand.

Just as everyone leaves the side of those clinging to relationships.

“The punishment shall be the crushing of honor beneath the earth. Wouldn’t that be a good thing for you?”

“That’s true.”

The Possession Sorcerer nodded at Jinseong’s words.

Granting a sinner a cost.

Making the sinner suffer.

That could be postponed for not just days but even months if necessary.

“How long will it take?”

“Three days.”

“Understood.”

The Possession Sorcerer readily nodded in agreement.

Three days.

Merely three days.

By sparing him for three days, the sinner would suffer from the punishment of loss.

It was not a bad deal.

“Three days, three days. It seems both long and short….”

He said so while bringing his arms to his chest.

Then his right hand gripped his left wrist, while his left hand seized his right wrist.

With such a firm grip that veins bulged, he simultaneously twisted downward.

Crack—!

He shattered both his left and right wrists.

Ugh.

Ughh—!

Then, huddled in agony, he contorted his body, displaying strange movements as if his bones were twisting. Afterward, he bent backward sharply and began to take deep, loud breaths while making the sound “Hooo—.”

Hee—

As the air passed through the passageway, it resonated, amplifying into a colossal sound through the body of a human.

Swooosh—

And in rhythm with that tremendous sound and flow, the ectoplasm began to stir.

As if a waterway had opened in the reservoir, the ectoplasm swam madly back toward the Possession Sorcerer. The liquid form of ectoplasm entered through the nostrils and mouth, and the gaseous form burrowed into the ears and inside the eyeballs.

Not stopping there, both the gas and liquid seeped into his clothes, absorbed into his skin, and pierced into his belly button like a drill.

Thus, all of the ectoplasm was collected inside the Possession Sorcerer’s body, and alongside it, the apparitions that had floated about within him began to wane.

As if someone inside the Possession Sorcerer’s body were grasping the chains binding the ghosts and dragging them into the abyss.

The ghosts screamed, desperate to leave, wanting to look outside at the very least, but….

No matter how they screamed or lamented, it was nothing but soundless wails and meaningless resistance.

Thus, the ghosts vanished with utter futility.

In the place the ghosts had disappeared, only a man loosely dangling his wrists remained.

The Possession Sorcerer spoke to Jinseong with a calm gaze.

“Then, I shall take my leave.”

Could it be because he had nothing else to do?

Without showing any interest in anything, he bid farewell.

Without posing any questions to Jinseong.

Without displaying sympathy or pity for the fallen Chaine.

Without any obsession toward Lee Jae-soon.

Indifferently, he calmly declared his intent to leave and turned away, vanishing.

For he held no concern beyond his purpose.

The sinner would be harvested, and those who were not sinners were not worth his attention.

Thus, the Possession Sorcerer no longer cared.

During the three days Jinseong had acquired, what would he do with Lee Jae-soon?

Why was he connected to Lee Jae-soon?

What would he do with Jae-soon?

And what exactly was the meaning of the ‘third infection’ he had faintly grasped….

He was neither curious about nor concerned for anything.

He simply departed.

“Hmm.”

That was akin to the appearance of Huele within Jinseong’s memories.

“Still quite human, indeed….”

It also displayed a lack of maturity, as his objectives remained unfulfilled.

Jinseong nodded slightly, recalling memories from before the rewind, then smiled faintly.

“But that’s precisely what made everything turn out better….”

The smile bore the joy of things not going exactly as planned but heading in a far better direction.

Jinseong smiled as he brushed his hand across his face.

As a result, the golden mask began to melt away as if it were liquid, cascading down in streams until the melted gold coalesced into a point, growing towards the ground like an icicle. Thus, the elongated icicle transformed into a shape resembling a sharp staff.

Jinseong poked the body of Lee Jae-soon with the staff made of gold.

Twist.

Twist.

Just a slight motion.

An action so trivial it was barely noticeable, yet the reaction was fervent.

Lee Jae-soon’s muscles began to convulse violently, eventually spasming uncontrollably.

Thud.

Crack.

And in tune with that movement, the corpses of insects clinging to Lee Jae-soon began to drop to the ground, revealing the grotesque sight of Jae-soon’s decaying body.

Twist.

And from between the shreds of flesh, something began to emerge.

Threads.

Black, pink, white….

Countless threads rushed out of the wounds as if they were fleeing from an exit, immediately melting into the air upon contact and disappearing without a trace.

“I had soaked her in parasites in case there was a need to fight.”

Parasites.

These were tools Jinseong had prepared to combat Huele.

Well-suited for use itself, perfect for incantations related to contamination or infection invoking parasites, and excellent for etching symbols into Lee Jae-soon’s body….

But as Huele did not fight and vanished, they were now of no use.

“What a wonderful occurrence….”

It was a good thing that there was no conflict, a good thing there was no invocation of sorcery in the fight, and since sorcery was not used, there was no cost incurred, making it all the better.

Truly, it was a wonderful outcome.

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