51. Awakened the Spirit Pill Stage
It was late afternoon, with the sun beginning to set. A man in ordinary attire rapped on the armrest. For the past few days, he had been deep in thought.
People dressed in pitch-black clothes unlike anything he'd seen before, each armed to the teeth.
At first, I thought food and women had come rolling in on their own.
For a while, he no longer worried about going hungry or about propagating his kind. Soon enough, he could have completely seized control of this fairy village. From there, he would expand his influence to other villages, step by step, building a solid foundation.
But who knew they possessed such supernatural abilities?
They had gained massive popularity in the village by healing the sick villagers. With the entire village watching them closely, it was hard to make a move carelessly. He had considered kidnapping one or two as a test, but if any members vanished, an investigation was inevitable. Especially since every single one of them had those otherworldly powers—it was too risky.
"Yeophoehoe. To think they'd follow us all the way here."
At the Rakshasa King's words, the subordinate bowing before him spoke up.
"It's surely a lie. Didn't we confront Yeophoehoe ourselves? They don't wear those kinds of clothes, and their skin tone and appearance are completely different from those people."
"I know that much."
"Forgive me, Your Majesty. I was short-sighted."
"I'll give you a chance to make up for your insolence. Come up with a plan."
At that, the Rakshasa King's subordinate, Sokjil, his eyes gleaming.
"We spread the plague in nearby Hu'an City."
The Rakshasa King furrowed his brow at Sokjil's words.
"What does unleashing a plague there have to do with driving out those Yeophoehoe bastards?"
"The plague I spread is highly contagious and vicious in its progression. Once it's out, we leak rumors that it started from the fairy village nearby. The authorities will surely dispatch troops to wipe out everyone in the village."
"And make them clash with Yeophoehoe in the process? Is that it?"
Sokjil bowed even lower.
"Yes."
"Hmm. Then we'll have to lie low for a while."
It would take time to rebuild their forces, but he could wait that long. Rakshasas had lifespans far beyond humans. The Rakshasa King in particular had developed an even more advanced body over his 200 years. That was how he could lord over the other Rakshasas despite not being the sharpest strategist.
And recently, I was finally chosen by Him and gained a special power.
The Rakshasa King exhaled a thick black aura from his palm.
Crackle.
The wooden armrest began rotting away at an alarming speed.
They'll be perfect opponents to test this power on.
It was a forbidden technique that even peak experts, commonly called absolute masters, couldn't withstand.
"Sokjil. Put the plan into action immediately."
"As you command, Your Majesty."
No matter how supernatural Yeophoehoe's abilities were, they couldn't survive a clash with the authorities unscathed.
In the ensuing chaos, I can snag a few of those bastards.
He was already on his way back after disciplining the village chief, who served as the Rakshasas' frontman, because the humans they'd imprisoned in the underground dungeon had vanished.
It has to be those Yeophoehoe's doing.
Whatever was lost had to be replenished.
Once I dominate the fairy village, that wench from Parachao Pavilion will have no choice but to bow to me.
She wouldn't have any other way to offer tributes.
The Rakshasa King grinned wickedly.
"Heh heh heh."
Swish.
The shadow in the Rakshasa King's chamber quietly slipped away.
* * *
I scowled deeply and said, "They dared try to lure us into a trap?"
The village chief knelt before me, rubbing his palms together frantically.
"Aigoo! Sir Yeopsa! I'm sorry! I won't do it again!"
"Yeah. You won't get the chance in the afterlife."
"Aigoo, thank you... Huh?"
Stab.
"Gurk."
The village chief I'd just killed wasn't a Rakshasa. He was the one serving food to the guests, the bastard who'd been drugging meals to make people easy for the Rakshasas to kidnap. The Safety Planning Department staff knew about it but had been neutralizing the drugs and eating anyway. When that stopped working, this guy had spiked the food with poison today.
"That's the last one."
We'd rooted out and eliminated every last collaborator before sunset. Their crimes were too grave for mercy. Even Stella's chief secretary tacitly approved of my actions.
"Kasumi. Do you think I went too far?"
After confirming the chief was dead, Kasumi shook her head.
"Some among them were people we healed from illness or injury. Those who repay kindness with enmity deserve death."
"Good. Then let's move on to the next phase."
"Got it."
It wasn't anything grandiose.
"Nam Bi."
"Yeah?"
At my signal, she climbed to the highest point in the fairy village and shouted.
"Your Majesty! This girl, who has disobeyed Your Majesty's commands and secluded herself all this time, has come! Please grant me an audience and forgive my sins!"
The ordinary villagers were stunned.
"I-Is that... the fairy lady?"
"What? Whoa! It's really her."
"But who's this 'Your Majesty'? Not a real king, right?"
"Come on, man. What king shows up in this backwater dump?"
"Then what's going on here?"
"What are you doing out here? Didn't you hear earlier? Get inside and lock the doors!"
"Aigoo! What am I thinking?"
The villagers hurriedly retreated to their homes and bolted the doors. I'd warned them earlier that if the fairy appeared tonight, they were to stay inside no matter what. Having received our grace, they trusted our words implicitly. Even without that, Nam Bi was an object of terror to the fairy village folk.
Kasumi gave me a dubious look.
"Not sure if this will draw him out."
"Doesn't matter if he does or not."
The Safety Planning Department staff were currently lying in wait near the Rakshasas' hideouts. If the Rakshasa King showed, we'd wipe them out. If not, we'd storm in. The villagers might take some collateral damage, but that was unavoidable.
Still, I figured he'd come. He knew we'd set up here precisely because he wanted Nam Bi that badly.
"You sure just the two of us can handle it?"
"You don't trust me, Kasumi?"
"Eek...! N-No, not at all! I-I'm just worried, that's all."
Stella's chief secretary was back at Parachao Pavilion tending to the people I'd rescued alone. Lee Gun was with the other staff, preparing for any contingencies, while Kim Hansu and Lee Jun-yeol waited at their assigned positions.
As I reviewed the plan in my head—
The main gate of the village chief's house, which we'd been watching, creaked open.
"Kuhahaha! Finally ready to throw yourself into the arms of Geum Jong-o, this Rakshasa Ki—"
The bastard bellowed with bloodshot eyes.
"Nam Bi!"
"Don't worry. Since you've come to me like this, your sins are already forgiven."
"No. I do have sins."
"What sins?"
"The sin of not slaying you sooner!"
Nam Bi unleashed her iron wires instantly.
Whoooosh!
"...Hrrgh!"
The Rakshasa King bulged his eyes, tensing his body to withstand the wind. The blade-like gusts Nam Bi sent only scratched his skin superficially—no fatal blow.
I, who had prepared in advance, immediately borrowed power from Zhuque. Then I charged at him.
"Yeophoehoe... Nam Bi. You dared deceive me!"
"Your vile life ends today."
"Heh heh... Does it?"
The Rakshasa King smirked sinisterly and began emitting black energy from his hand. I had no memory of him using such a power. Something had changed—some new variable.
Ting! Ting! Ting!
Kasumi's shuriken and needles clashed against the black energy and fell. Hiss... They rusted and shattered in an instant. That brief distraction was all I needed.
"Zhuque."
The four-star power flowed into me. At the same time, I thrust Sealed Sword, infused with the perfected essence of Black Moon Tyrant Sword, wreathed in blazing flames.
"...What?!"
He hurriedly wrapped himself in black energy. Whoosh! Zhuque's flames faltered momentarily. But—
"Hya!"
Whoooosh!
Nam Bi, who had circled behind me, fanned a gale with her iron fan. The propelled flames tore through the Rakshasa King's black energy, shredding it and piercing his body.
Sizzle!
"Gaaahhh!"
The acrid stench of burning flesh assaulted my nose. Crackle, pop, crackle! The flames danced merrily. The Rakshasa King screamed bloody murder, rolling on the ground.
"Grraaah..."
Soon, the fire died down, leaving him charred black, barely clinging to life. Surviving in that state showed his tenacity.
I pointed Sealed Sword at him and demanded, "What is that power? Where did you get it?"
"Kuh... Heh heh heh. Heh heuk!"
He chuckled once, then said, "This power is—"
"From the shareholder?"
"Wha...? H-How do you—?!"
Whoosh!
He lashed out with a clump of black energy.
"You can't dodge it. Heh heh heh."
It was close enough to touch if I fell forward.
Barrier Shield.
Bzzz.
Tick, tick, tick, tick, tick!
The black energy tapped the shield five times, then vanished. The Rakshasa King stared at me in horror.
"...!"
He clearly didn't want to talk.
"Just die then."
Stab.
I plunged Sealed Sword into his forehead. Nam Bi slumped her shoulders.
"Haa. Finally over. What a stubborn bad blood."
"Mm."
No stage clear message yet. Sure enough—
Boom!
Battle sounds erupted from all directions. The Rakshasa purge must have started the moment we engaged their king.
Glancing around, I saw children peeking over the walls, villagers spying through door cracks.
"Eek!"
They flinched at my gaze and hid inside. I strolled casually toward the main gate.
* * *
"Kim Jeongha. How did you know it was the shareholder's power?"
"When Iron Wire Fairy possessed Nam Bi, someone had to sell off their shares in Floor 15. Someone bought them."
"What are these shares anyway?"
"The right to become the owner of that stage. Think of it as buying and selling the right to intervene."
"Understood."
Assuming he bought Iron Wire Fairy's shares, the shareholder who empowered the Rakshasa King had bet on his victory. That bet went bust spectacularly.
Anyway, I opened the village chief's door.
Creeeak.
"Oh, bro's here?"
Geum Jong-gi, the village chief, was prostrated before Kim Hansu. A pool of blood stained the floor by his head. Noticing my glance, Kim Hansu snickered.
"Needed some conversation and compromise."
"Learn anything?"
"Hey, chief. Speak for yourself."
"Th-Then you'll spare me?"
"Shut up and talk!"
"Ma-Ma-Master, I'll talk!"
Geum Jong-gi continued mumbling into the floor.
"Truth is, I'm a victim too. It was one day..."
His story went like this: Strangers started showing up in the fairy village, wanting to settle. At first, it was troublesome, but since the self-sufficient farming villagers could use the labor, they accepted those who could do the work of two or three men. But then more came, and suddenly villagers started disappearing. By the time he realized something was wrong, the Rakshasas had them in a stranglehold where they could kill anytime.
"Then one day, this Rakshasa King approached pretending to be my son. In the end, he took my son, daughter-in-law, and even my grandson."
Geum Jong-gi trembled as he finished.
"They stopped touching villagers and even helped with farming, but demanded food and young girls as tribute... That's how it happened."
"So you targeted guests at the inn?"
"...Yes. P-Please believe me. I had no choice."
Kim Hansu chuckled.
"For a victim, your face is oily as hell, and you're fat as a pig. Looks like you lived cushy after the Rakshasas showed up—full belly, warm back?"
"N-No! They killed my own flesh and blood! I-I'm actually deeply grateful to you Yeopsa folk for exterminating them!"
"Bro. What now?"
At Kim Hansu's question, Kasumi stepped forward, drawing her sword with a shing!
"No need to hear excuses from a beast worse than an animal. I'll take his head right now."
"H-Hek...!"
"Wait. Hold on."
"Why stop me? Kim Jeongha."
I grabbed her shoulder.
"Don't interfere, Kasumi."
"Hnn...! O-Okay... Understood..."
She trembled lightly and stepped back at my firm tone.
"Anyway."
I crouched by the chief's head.
"I'll let you live."
"Th-Thank you!"
"Your fate goes to the fairy village residents and the people kidnapped from the inn."
"What? Th-That's insane!"
"Giving you a chance—isn't that merciful?"
"If word gets out, they'll stone me to death!"
"You deserve it."
"Gasp...!"
The chief sucked in a sharp breath. I extended my hand.
"First, hand over everything you own. Land deeds, house deeds—your entire fortune."