The Moon Shrine Maiden's Sacrifice and the Savior's Shadow
Half-sliced[What... what is this strength...!] Eclipse couldn't comprehend why he was sprawled on the ground.
'What the hell just happened...' He was a Catastrophe-grade ghost story. A hunter of humans who wielded the natural phenomenon of a solar eclipse itself.
'So why the fuck am I lying here?!'
[This can't be happening. Me... this body of mine...! There's no way I'd lose to some mere mortal!!]
—Slash.
[Haha... hahahahaha!!! Finally!! The solar eclipse is complete!!] Eclipse broke free from beneath Phantom's foot and began shouting toward the sky.
[It has truly... truly been an age. The days trapped in seal by that worthless shrine maiden bitch, unable even to open my eyes—they end now!!]
As if responding to his cry, the blood-red moon split in half, revealing Eclipse's massive eye. The catastrophe had finally awakened fully from its seal.
[A whole millennium. After a thousand years!! I behold the earthly realm with my own eyes once more!!]
"...!!"
Ren, the guild members, and even Tsuki couldn't fully grasp Eclipse's words.
'Sealed by a worthless shrine maiden bitch.' What exactly did that phrase mean?
Then, a being provided the answer.
Moon Shrine Maiden. You are no ghost story.
"...!"
A pitiable yet noble soul who sacrificed herself to seal Eclipse for eons, trapped within the ghost story.
"...I-I'm not a ghost story...?"
She had believed all along that because she was a ghost story, she was hurting everyone. That this tragedy couldn't end unless her breath stopped. But the truth was the opposite.
A millennium is far too long for a human.
Memories and will whittled away bit by bit. In that process, you gradually assimilated with Eclipse.
But you are no ghost story. On the contrary, with the moon's power, you bound Eclipse for a thousand years.
The jet-black entity calmly stated facts even she herself had forgotten.
"So... I hadn't forgotten my duty as a shrine maiden after all...?"
You were the Moon Shrine Maiden who shone brightly a millennium ago—and you still are today.
His voice was emotionless, yet it carried a strangely warm resonance.
"Tsuki wasn't a ghost story?"
"Then the reason she always prayed at the shrine..."
The guild members realized the magnitude of their misunderstanding. Fools who believed killing Tsuki would solve everything.
'She'd been holding back a catastrophe from humanity for a thousand years... and what the hell did we do to her...'
—Thud.
"Tsuki. Even if we didn't know, we inflicted unforgivable wounds on you."
"It's too late, but... I want to apologize like this."
"We thought eliminating you was the way to save the world. I'm truly... sorry."
One by one, the guild members knelt and begged Tsuki's forgiveness.
[Humans are always the same. Late regrets and reflections. Pathetic creatures who delusionally think that absolves them of everything.]
You're the one who can't read the room, Eclipse. That's what's pathetic.
[Ha! Fine. You've been pissing me off since earlier. That voice of yours!]
—Roll roll.
Eclipse rolled its red eyes around before fixing them on the black entity.
[For the sin of attacking this body despite being a mere mortal. For the sin of flapping your mouth lightly—the punishment will be severe—]
For the first time, Eclipse looked directly at Phantom.
[...!!]
—Tremble tremble.
Its eerie pupils began shaking violently. Eclipse was unmistakably feeling fear. What could terrify a Catastrophe-grade ghost story?
[You...]
Eclipse's voice brimmed with bewilderment and confusion.
[Why are you here...?!]
[You clearly died failing to stop the apocalypse... so why?!]
[Why do you exist here, Savior Lucifer—!!!]
The moment that name was uttered.
"...!"
Tsuki remembered everything completely.
==========
A sky ablaze in red, a black-red aura of doom right before her eyes—yet the lone man standing against it.
"I'll handle this place. Everyone, run."
The being who tried to halt an unstoppable apocalypse without retreating a single step.
"Shrine Maiden, you should go too. This area's about to be engulfed in flames."
"Lord Lucifer... even for you, blocking that ominous aura alone... it's too dangerous. Let me help."
"Tsuki. Don't be stubborn."
"My name...!"
From the moment she became a shrine maiden, she had to live apart from the secular world—no one should utter her name lightly. Speaking the name of one offered to the gods was taboo.
"But if I don't say it like this, you'll just dig in your heels again."
"...You might get struck by lightning from the gods."
"I've been hit a few times already—it didn't hurt much? Haha."
"Even now, you crack jokes..."
"That's exactly why. Your face looks like it's about to burst into ugly tears, Shrine Maiden."
Lucifer gave a small smile and stepped into the flames.
"Lord Lucifer... you must come back alive."
"Haha, don't worry. I'll definitely return."
A year since Lucifer vanished to stop the apocalypse. Tsuki had fled to a distant land, living modestly there.
"I heard the country I served vanished overnight due to the apocalypse... Did Lord Lucifer ultimately perish...?"
Life here wasn't bad. The villagers welcomed Tsuki, whose fame as a shrine maiden had spread far, and even built a small moon shrine where she could continue her duties.
But Tsuki's heart found no peace.
"My country... the Savior... everyone gone, yet am I allowed to keep living?"
—Crash.
"Huff huff. Sh-Shrine Maiden! Big trouble! Th-the moon!!"
"Calm down. What happened to the moon?"
"The moon... it looks just like a red eyeball...!"
"...Everyone, flee. It seems the apocalypse's aftermath has reached this village too."
The demonic hand had finally reached Tsuki's location.
'Lord Lucifer... like you, I'll live and die for everyone until the end.'
That day, a frail shrine maiden's sacrifice allowed the village to survive the solar eclipse catastrophe.
==========
"I remember now... how my end came... what resolve Lord Lucifer had when he left..."
Memories flooded back like water bursting from a broken dam.
Eclipse, assimilated with Tsuki, could glimpse those scenes too.
[You should've died stopping the apocalypse, yet how do you exist here?]
Eclipse narrowed its eyes, staring piercingly at Phantom. Then, as if realizing something, it burst into loud laughter.
[Kukuku... kuahahahaha!! Lucifer, you bastard—so that's how it was... that's why you're standing here!]
[The black aura cloaking your body is unmistakably part of the apocalypse. For a so-called savior like you to wield that power...]
[You've fallen too, haven't you? Lucifer.]
The black hair and jet-black eyes were his own from the start, but the dark energy enveloping his entire form was identical to the apocalypse's "that."
[I thought it strange. Your strength is impressive, no doubt. But at root, you're human. You shouldn't be free from the Netherworld's rules—yet you weren't affected at all.]
[But with that jet-black energy born from our origin, it's a different story. You've become one of us, Lucifer.]
[How ironic! The savior turned to apocalypse. Kuahahahaha!!]
'No, seriously, who the hell is this Lucifer guy, you otakus.'
Now it wasn't just Tsuki—Eclipse too. Everyone was mistaking me for this Lucifer person.
'They say there are three people in the world who look alike? They're definitely confusing me with someone who resembles this form.'
From Eclipse's description, it sounded like some hero-type figure.
'Never heard that name in any novel either—what's the deal?'
Would the Notification Window know something?
'Notification Window. Who's this Lucifer that guy's talking about?'
—Shiver.
But the floating Notification Window didn't answer—it just trembled violently.
'You have a vibrate mode too—'
How dare... How DARE you insult my beginner package!!!
'Uh...?'
What? Apocalypse? Hoooow muuuuch?!?!?!
Si-hyun couldn't help but panic at the Notification Window's sudden outburst.
What had provoked it so badly?
'Hey, calm down a bit and hear me out—'
I can't take this anymore! Do you know how hard I worked on that beginner package?! Comparing my masterpiece to some apocalypse!!!
'I get that the beginner package is amazing, so can you please answer my question first?'
Control authority transferred from Si-hyun to ■●.
'What.'
—Rumble rumble rumble.
Suddenly, jet-black murderous intent poured from Phantom's entire body.
[Oh dear, calm down, Lucifer. You're already one of us. No need for infighting, right?]
[Besides, with the apocalypse's power you've received, you're both the primordial and the supreme being. It'd be best to join forces with us, wouldn't it?]
Eclipse flicked its tongue like a seasoned negotiator.
Phantom seemed swayed, slowly walking toward Eclipse.
"N-No, Lord Lucifer! You can't let the apocalyptic aura consume you!!"
[Shut up, wench. He's already apocalypse incarnate. Give up any hope he'll side with worthless mortals.]
Finally, Phantom halted right before Eclipse.
[Good choice. Life ravaging humans is more fun than I thought, huh?]
You... have pissed me off.
[Huh?]
You've pissed off the Notification Window raging behind me...
I'll kill you. Kill you! I'll fucking end youuuuuu!!!!
'No, what the hell is this beginner package that it's got her flipping out like this... She's totally different from when she talks to me—kinda scary...'
You're dead meat, you pleb bastard! I'll cleave you in half and kill youuuu!!!
'The pleb drip is wild.'
Si-hyun resolved to clear out his manga collection at home once this mess was over.