Chapter 590

According to the method of the ‘Ritual of Magic for Pure Justice,’ to eliminate that Mud Doll, you need to move it to a place where it won’t harm him and his companions, then create a kind of barrier using protective charms or purification methods to ensure the liquid doesn’t splash incorrectly before dealing with it. Depending on the size of the liquid absorbed by the doll, using fire may also need to be considered.

That was the orthodox method.

However.

“Let’s see. Judging by the manipulation of space, it’s evident that there’s a clear intent to kill. Well, what a surprise.”

Since the opponent did not perform the Ritual of Magic in the orthodox way, how could the one being affected attempt to end the Ritual normally?

The twist in the shaman’s magic wasn’t just using a Mud Doll instead of a person.

It was clear that he had tampered with the scope of the pure justice ritual, specifically the ‘range of curses and absorption.’

There were several reasons for this.

One was that the very space possessed a murderous intent that made my skin tingle.

Another was that, despite there being no ghosts and only a single Mud Doll as a presence, the atmosphere was suffocatingly ominous.

Lastly, one of the divine objects he possessed was reacting to this space.

“…When he pleaded, ‘Grant me wisdom and knowledge so I may lead your people. Who can govern so many of your Lord’s people?’ God answered, ‘That is your wish. You did not desire wealth, riches, or glory, nor did you ask me to take the lives of those who hate you. You do not seek immortality, but you only asked for wisdom and knowledge to govern the people I have set you over as king, so I will give you my wisdom and knowledge, and also grant you wealth, riches, and glory. Such a king as you has not existed before me, nor will there be one after you!’ The one and only God whom people call Adonai or Jehovah, the king who received wisdom, knowledge, wealth, riches, and glory, is called Solomon.”

One side of his clothing trembled softly as if resonating with this place.

In that minute vibration, the phrases inscribed inside his garment began to twitch.

Parts of the text from the Arse Notria manuscript that Jinseong had written using his own blood came to mind and faded away, repeatedly, until they started to wriggle and change their position, accompanied by a subtle scent of blood.

What was once a sentence broke apart, now fragmented into mere words, and those words disassembled into dots and lines. The disassembled pieces swam freely within the garment as if they were insects, some choosing to burrow deep inside the fabric while others made a detour to emerge on the outside of the clothing.

Thus, they revealed their existence beyond the garment.

As another sentence drawn in blood began to whisper wisdom to their master.

“Are you so foolish as not to know that the unjust shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived.

Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners shall inherit the kingdom of God. Those unjust individuals and those who love lies and fabricate them will be outside the city, and if you do not heed the commands of your God Adonai and follow other gods whom you never knew, you shall be cursed.”

“You, O Gentiles, while sacrificing, sacrifice to demons and not to God, nor do I wish you to be fellowshipping with demons. Therefore, you shall stay away from the offerings of idols, from blood, and from strangled animals, and from fornication; my daughters and children, you must keep yourselves away from idols.”

The blood, whispering wisdom, suggested that this space reacts sensitively to sin.

In fact, it warned that it would particularly respond to sin to unleash a curse.

‘This is linked to pure justice.’

And the Ritual of Magic for Pure Justice activated by that Mud Doll was a spell concentrating curses and misfortunes solely on that Blasphemer within a defined range.

In other words, if there were no curse, the intention seemed to be to create one, even by turning the Mud Doll into a bomb.

Moreover, the ‘sin’ that the divine object indicated was quite insidious.

If one were a Gentile, the conditions would become much stricter, and it included many references to ‘idol worshipers’ that would activate even more lethally against shamans. The warning was explicit that those who openly followed other gods would be cursed. Here, ‘following’ did not mean faithfully believing but rather not actively denying their existence.

Thus, just by Jinseong breathing in this place, he was effectively cursed.

Sure, that curse was directed at the blasphemer, so he wouldn’t feel it directly… But conversely, just his presence here increases the explosive power of the Mud Doll incrementally.

Adding to the trouble was the notion of ‘fornication.’

‘Clearly, being in the same space, being close to one another, dressing immodestly…even if they’re just breathing, it was designed to let curses and misfortunes accumulate.’

It was certain that even the mere existence of Rise and Odilia could twist it so that curses could still be invoked, making it a significant concern.

If that were the case, it would be undeniable that curses would stack just with those two merely breathing.

Moreover, as the warning indicated, it was exceedingly cunning.

One could tell just by the use of the term ‘Adonai’ instead of titles like ‘The One and Only Existing Being,’ ‘The Holy Four-Lettered God,’ ‘Tetragrammaton,’ ‘Yahweh,’ or ‘Jehovah.’

It was narrowed down to expressions that Jews would predominantly use, indicating an intent to suppress Jinseong’s positioning as a believer or priest seeking to nullify or interfere with the spell. Jinseong looked visibly East Asian, so it was clear that he thought it would be difficult to counter if it leaned toward Jewish practices.

It was incredibly crafty.

“Hmm. A twisted spell tailored to deal with a single person. Someone with experience in battling against people is clearly behind this.”

But in terms of experience confronting people, what shaman could possibly compare with Jinseong?

Both during his time as a mercenary and after.

Jinseong had wandered the world time and again, facing countless people.

By magic, at times with firearms, and sometimes with cold weapons.

He had traversed the world endlessly, gathering magic as he went.

How could that shaman’s experience compare?

It is indeed a near-arrogant conclusion to make, yet considering the era when the world fell apart and was crumbling, it would not be an exaggeration to say that Jinseong must rank among the most experienced in dealing with others through magic in the world.

What kind of gaze did Jinseong receive back then?

What spells were used, and how did he command and confront people?

“When the flame of purity ignites, mingling with blood in its ashes symbolizes purity, and the line drawn with that blood creates a shape without beginning or end, the Great Being states that those who dwell within shall not become prey to beasts and that those filled with poison shall not dare to enter. For you have at last acquired the land of tranquility. You will remain here, as pure as the purity of the flames.”

Crack.

Jinseong recited the invocation and bit his finger.

With a sound he didn’t want to hear, blood began to pour from his fingertip, and he dropped that blood onto the blanket while igniting flames on his hand, instantly turning it to ashes.

Then, he dripped a few drops of blood into the ashes, stirring it with an unhurt finger like dough, and began drawing a circle on the ground.

The circle was about large enough for three people to fit comfortably, featuring a hole like those used in medical procedures in just one section.

“Come in this way. However, do not cross that line; enter through the unmarked section.”

Jinseong called for Odilia and Rise.

After inviting them inside by crossing through the unmarked segment, he sealed it off, making it a complete circle.

“What is this…?”

“How could there be sin in purity? As long as this circle remains intact, you within it will be protected from any harm, even in this hostile space. You two just settle yourselves within the circle.”

The circle Jinseong drew was a kind of barrier.

Of course, it wasn’t anything grand, as he couldn’t distinguish space or negate the physical like Rise could with her divine power.

This magic was drawn to protect those within to some limited extent.

By bestowing upon those inside the symbol of ‘purity,’ it was designed to set them apart from a space where mere breathing would incur sin and curses.

Of course, as it wasn’t properly formed with focus or effort, it would likely break soon…

But until Jinseong resolved this ritual, it was surely strong enough to hold.

“Then I shall go solve this spell.”

Breaking and bending the magic wouldn’t take too long, after all.