A Ghost Story Appears at Bosingak
Bosingak, the landmark of Jongno-gu in Seoul Special City. The area was buzzing with preparations for the bell-ringing ceremony.
"Whoa, there are so many people."
"Mom! Looks like there are no scary things today!"
"Must be everyone gathering because it's the end of the year."
In the midst of their crumbling daily lives, people were gathering one by one, desperate to reclaim the familiar times they once knew. Lights and floodlights were set up at regular intervals throughout the streets, and the entire Bosingak area was under strict control by a massive deployment of personnel.
And among that manpower were the head of the Monster Countermeasure Headquarters, Seo Ji-hoon, and the rapidly rising master of Dawn's Light Guild, Han Do-jin.
"Heh heh, more citizens have turned out than I expected. Isn't that right, Master Do-jin?"
"Headquarters Chief Seo, you can just call me by name casually."
"Keh keh, alright. By the way, Han Do-jin, I heard you recruited an awakener who dismantled a Catastrophe-grade ghost story in Japan this time. Is that true?"
"Yes, it's my daughter who was studying abroad in Japan. I heard she got caught up in a ghost story, but I never imagined she'd dismantle it."
"Heh heh, the guy who was raging and ready to fly to Japan the moment he heard his daughter was involved in a ghost story, now pretending to be calm."
"Chief Seo, how long are you going to bring that up?"
"For the next ten... no, twenty years. Keh keh."
Thwack thwack!
Ji-hoon laughed heartily, slapping Do-jin's back a few times.
"...Even I feel pain when you hit me, Chief."
"I know, I know, you brat. Tch tch, you used to be fun to tease before, but ever since you became guild master, it's no fun anymore."
Ji-hoon crossed his arms behind his back and clicked his tongue. Do-jin asked the headquarters chief if today's event was really okay.
"Chief, it's a bit late to bring it up now, but... the bell-ringing ceremony... is it really alright?"
Ji-hoon let out a deep sigh at Do-jin's words.
"I strongly opposed it. But the higher-ups wouldn't listen, so what can we do..."
"...You're working hard in many ways."
"What's done is done. All we can do is prepare as thoroughly as possible."
Ji-hoon gazed steadily around him. Streets so bright it was hard to believe it was night. The city teeming with enormous crowds. As the head of the Monster Countermeasure Headquarters, it was the scenery he had to protect from now on.
"It's a foolish event, but I hope it ends safely and shows everyone a glimmer of hope."
"Honestly, with just you here, Chief, there won't be any problems."
"Hahaha! Nothing comes out even if you put me on a plane, you young punk!"
Thwack!
"...So please stop hitting me. Even I could be in danger if you hit wrong, Chief."
"Alright, alright. I'll head that way, so don't be too tense."
"Yes, see you later."
Ji-hoon slapped Do-jin's back a few more times before leaving.
"He's as lively as ever."
Do-jin watched his retreating figure impassively, lost in thought.
'He's got white hair all over, but he's still so robust. No, that's beyond robust.'
Monster Countermeasure Headquarters Chief Seo Ji-hoon. Even before the world changed like this, he was one of the top martial artists in the world. He dismantled the Apocalypse-grade ghost story 'Giant that Swallows the World,' which nearly annihilated Korea, awakened in the process, and now possessed strength beyond human limits.
Currently, confirmed ghost story ranks totaled four stages.
Illusion-grade: The weakest stage.
- Small-scale ghost stories that occur only in specific areas or situations.
- Mostly psychological fear rather than physical attacks, so lowest danger level.
Disaster-grade: Properly threatening stage.
- Can cause physical harm, affecting an entire building or street.
- Ghost stories have 'rules,' and survival depends on figuring them out.
Catastrophe-grade: Can impact city-scale areas.
- From here, ghost stories can deploy their own domain (Netherworld).
- Netherworld is an independent space governed by the ghost story's laws.
Apocalypse-grade: Classified as national disasters.
- Affects vast areas with extremely high mortality rates.
- Dismantling is nearly impossible. Priority is escape and survival.
The stronger the ghost story, the greater the danger—but also the power gained from dismantling it. With Ji-hoon, who had taken down the strongest confirmed rank, Apocalypse-grade, there shouldn't be any issues today.
"Yeah, with Headquarters Chief Seo Ji-hoon here, it'll be fine."
Do-jin thought so as he returned to his duties.
As midnight approached.
"Everyone! The new year is almost here! Is everyone ready?!"
The MC on stage grabbed the mic and began the event speech.
"Everyone remembers it well. That horrific incident half a year ago. The day the sky split open and bizarre things poured out...! They must have thought humanity would crumble in an instant."
As the MC mentioned the 'Day of Beginnings,' faint sobs echoed from various places.
"But everyone! We weren't weak! Our daily lives didn't collapse! I believe it— that we will triumph! That after this time passes, we will shine even brighter!!"
"Waaaaaah!!!"
"We're alive!!!!"
Cheers erupted everywhere, resonating with the MC's cry.
"Alright, everyone! The new year is almost here! Let's count together! 3!"
At that, the crowd shouted in unison.
"3!!!"
"2!!!"
"1!!!"
Dong—!
Bosingak's bell rang out, filling the city with waves of cheers.
"Waaaaaah!"
"Happy New Year!!"
Some embraced their lovers, others popped fireworks and champagne. Nothing could ruin this joyful moment.
Everyone believed that.
......
However.
Their feeble belief shattered in an instant with a bizarre sound.
Krzzzzzzt—!
A grotesque tearing noise that ripped at eardrums.
"Ah, what the—! W-what's that sound? Fireworks or something?"
"They should've announced events like this in advance."
People dismissed it as just a New Year's event or fireworks.
But.
That notion didn't last long.
"W-what the hell is that...?"
No such event existed where a rift tore open in empty air.
"...Over there, look!"
Someone pointed at the sky above Bosingak.
There, a crack hung in midair, spewing an alien black energy from its gap.
People unconsciously swallowed and stepped back.
Tak—
Soon, small footsteps echoed from the black fissure, and something slowly emerged.
"......"
Beautiful silver hair like woven moonlight. Golden eyes shining like radiant treasure. A teenage girl in a black dress, standing barefoot.
"Where... are you...?"
The girl slowly scanned her surroundings in a voice like a lost child searching for her mother.
"W-what is that?"
"A... ghost story...?"
"A ghost story that looks like such a pretty girl?"
She had appeared with eerie phenomena, but the golden-eyed girl looked just like an ordinary human.
"Maybe just a kid caught in some anomaly?"
"Y-yeah? I mean, that happens sometimes."
Cases of people barely surviving anomalies and returning were occasionally found, so citizens thought this was one of those.
No.
Perhaps... they just wanted to think that.
No one wanted to believe a vicious ghost story had crashed their happy New Year's bell-ringing.
Step.
"H-hey, little girl...? You okay?"
"Someone get a blanket!"
A few citizens cautiously approached the girl. They saw her as a pitiful child who lost her mom in an anomaly.
"Kid, did you lose your mom?"
A middle-aged woman carefully approached and spoke to her, but.
"......"
The silver-haired girl just stared up blankly, showing no special reaction.
Trauma from the anomaly making her unable to speak properly?
"Hi, what's your name? Looks like you lost your mom—we'll help find her."
"Yeah, kid. Don't worry, just tell us casually. We'll help."
"......"
The girl slowly raised her head, looking at the adults surrounding her. After scanning them with her clear golden eyes, she moved her small lips.
"...Lost."
Her voice rang out strangely, like an old music box.
"...So many."
"What’s so many?"
"...Humans."
The moment the girl uttered 'humans.'
Thump—!
"...Ugh! M-my heart...!"
"Kuh...! Ahh...!"
"Gah...! W-what... is this?!"
The people around her clutched their chests, screaming in agony.
"Ah... Aaaah!!!"
"M-my chest hurts...! Heart's beating too fast...!"
"Ugh...! Aaaaah!!!"
One by one, two by two. People collapsed, clutching their hearts in torment.
"So many... can't see......"
The silver-haired girl muttered softly to herself, still peering around.
She seemed frustrated, unable to spot whatever she was searching for amid the massive crowd.
"Where...... where are you......?"
What exactly.
What was this girl so desperately seeking?
Step...... step......
"......"
The silver-haired girl approached the crowds step by step with small footsteps. Beautiful enough to steal souls, yet profoundly eerie.
Only then did people realize something was terribly wrong.
"H-haaah...! G-ghost... story...! That kid's definitely a ghost story!!"
"Kuh... T-the closer she gets... my heart... it's gonna burst...!"
"E-everyone, runnnn!!!"
Thud!!
The crowds finally snapped out of it and fled in panic.
Thousands, tens of thousands scrambling in terror.
Yet, amid the chaotic escape.
"......"
The girl, beautiful as moonlight, merely observed quietly.
In this hellscape of people trampling each other, she lightly lifted her right foot like a child out for a stroll.
"......Need... to find."
And then.
She casually stomped the ground.
Whoosh—!!
Like an earthquake wave, dark ominous black energy spread instantly across Jongno.
A crimson-black aura twisted space itself, devouring the city and people at unnatural speeds too fast to track.
"Aaaah...! W-what is this...?! What the hell!!"
"T-this can't be... the Netherworld...?"
"Kuh... Ugh...! Stomach churning... something's wrong......"
The unique domain of only the most powerful, unrivaled ghost stories: Netherworld.
"N-no way... G-God... no..."
"Lies... all lies...?"
Within this domain that brought only despair to humans... the crowds saw it.
They saw it too late.
In the pitch-black crimson sky, a sinister, despairing message hung at its center.
Mengmang-grade ghost story
Collector
has awakened.