Shadows of Deception and Betrayal
“We’re heading to the academy. They wouldn’t have locked the students up there, would they?”
“We can’t let them escape!”
Seolwol, Eunil, and Sera chased after the three fleeing yokai. By the time they reached the academy’s sports field, the yokai had scattered in different directions.
“They’ve split up! What do we do?”
“Let’s split up too. Be careful. Those guys don’t seem like ordinary yokai, despite appearances.”
“Got it. I’ll contact you if anything happens.”
The three exorcists divided, each pursuing one yokai. It was, in a way, bordering on recklessness. When the enemy scattered, it was usually smarter to stick together and take them on as a group. But these exorcists had confidence—and trust. Trust that none of them would lose in a one-on-one fight. And trust that their comrades felt the same.
Eunil pursued Cheolgang. Cheolgang darted into the gymnasium. It was night, so the interior was pitch black. Eunil advanced cautiously. Then—
“Kyaaah!”
A scream echoed. He raced to the source: the main auditorium. There, Cheolgang held a female student hostage—a lovely girl with chocolate-brown skin and blonde hair braided into twintails.
“That’s far enough, exorcist. Drop your weapons and surrender, or I’ll kill this bitch!”
Cheolgang threatened. Eunil clicked his tongue.
“If I surrender... you’ll let her go, right?”
“Of course.”
“Fine. Then... I surrender.”
Eunil obediently set down his weapons and raised his hands. Cheolgang grinned wickedly, shoved the girl aside, and charged.
“Fool! Die!”
Cheolgang swung a fist at Eunil. The moment it connected, Eunil’s form dissolved like mist, crumbling into a shadow that sank into the ground.
“What...?!”
“The fool is you.”
Eunil appeared behind him, voice ice-cold.
Formation: Shadow Arts - First Instant Slash
Eunil drew a blade from the darkness, slashing Cheolgang countless times in an instant. This was Eunil’s ultimate technique, a secret art passed down through his family: Formation: Shadow Arts. A technique that summoned illusions using shadows as a medium. The moment Cheolgang attacked, Eunil created an illusion to deceive his eyes, then swiftly circled behind. And an advanced application: illusory attacks. They dealt no physical damage, but implanted [pain] in the victim. Slashed by illusions? You felt the agony of being cut. Punched? The sensation of impact.
In other words—
“Gahk!”
He was hacked to pieces, unscathed. But the pain was enough to induce shock and unconsciousness.
Cheolgang collapsed.
“Hm...”
Eunil frowned suspiciously. Meanwhile, the girl grabbed by the yokai let out a squeal.
“Whoa, oppa, you’re so cool! Thanks for saving me!”
“No big deal. You’re not hurt?”
“Nope. Could you untie this, though?”
She showed her hands, bound tightly with rope. As Eunil approached to free her—her lips curled into a sinister grin. She snapped the ropes with raw strength and punched at Eunil. He dodged swiftly.
“...As I thought.”
“What? You knew?”
The girl clicked her tongue.
“You had a ‘smell.’ A stench Cheolgang didn’t have.”
“What?!”
She sniffed her arm furiously, then raged.
“What’re you talking about? I don’t stink! Are you dissing my girl power? I shower five times a day for Yaruo-sama and Kishi-unnie’s love, lotion up, deodorant too. Enemas with mineral water every three days to keep my backdoor pristine! And you accuse me of stinking?! I won’t let you get away with this!”
She flailed her arms in fury. Her innocent charm momentarily eased Eunil’s tension. Don’t fall for it. He steeled himself and glared.
“You’re no ordinary yokai. What are you?”
“Dummy. No way I’d tell you—or so I could say, but fine. You caught me. This is Yaruo-sama’s elite guard, one of the Three Thousand Kings, Kishi-unnie’s favorite little sis. I adore and revere Yaruo-sama, but for Kishi-unnie, I’d give him up anytime... the yokai of possessiveness and devotion. Yep, that’s me, the Great Demon of Affection, Zuri!”
“Three Thousand Kings...?”
So Cheolgang was a fake after all. Eunil bit his lip. This was serious. Preparing a decoy to lure them into a trap meant their infiltration was compromised long ago. The others were in danger.
“Eyes elsewhere? Cocky bastard!”
Zuri lunged during his distraction, swinging. Eunil barely dodged, retreated, and conjured shadow weapons to hurl at her.
“Hmph. That all?”
She deflected them effortlessly before he could connect. Eunil kept throwing.
“Think flies can take down a beast? Amateur!”
Zuri batted away the illusory barrage, leaped high, and stomped down. Boom. The floor shattered, dust flying. But no impact. Eunil’s form had dissolved again.
“Tch, another illusion.”
Eunil ambushed from behind.
“Too slow!”
She countered instantly, kicking him flying. His arm went numb—despite the metal guard inside. Cracked bone for sure. A direct hit would’ve shattered it, or worse.
Insane strength.
“Ugh, annoying. If Yaruo-sama hadn’t said to keep you alive, I’d have squashed you already.”
“Keep me alive...?”
“Yup. You’re gonna serve Yaruo-sama too, eventually.”
“Ridiculous...!”
Eunil summoned illusions to attack.
“How long you gonna keep up this nonsense?”
Zuri swatted them like flies.
“That Formation: Shadow Arts is like sorcery—limited uses, right? My power’s pure physical. Long fight? You’re done.”
She smirked confidently. Indeed, Formation: Shadow Arts had a set number of activations. Unlike other exorcists’ ultimates, he could distribute them flexibly—but limits existed.
“You’re right; long game favors you. So I’ll end it quick.”
“Finally serious, huh?”
Zuri noted his sharpened gaze.
Formation: Shadow Arts
Eunil formed seals with precise hand motions. Sensing danger, Zuri charged without mercy.
“Where you going!”
Her kick flew—then halted abruptly before contact.
“Ugh...?!”
“Gotta admit, I’m impressed.”
Eunil stared at the frozen Zuri inches away.
“At your brute stupidity.”
“My body... won’t move...!”
“Formation: Shadow Arts controls the target’s ki on contact. Overload it for pain, or paralysis. Ancestors devised it to counter yokai—lumps of yoki.”
Zuri realized.
“Those attacks...!”
“To make you touch the illusions. Too slow. That’s why you lose.”
With Zuri defenseless, Eunil completed the seal. Illusions swarmed around him.
Formation: Shadow Arts Secret Art - Thousand Kills
The illusions unleashed on the trapped prey.
“Gyyyaaah!”
Nearly a thousand slashes ravaged her fragile-looking body. Eunil reappeared across the room, turning away to catch his breath.
“Ngh...!”
His head throbbed. Ki exhaustion. He couldn’t fight at full strength next. But first—warn the others their plan was exposed.
As he stepped to leave—
“Ngh... heh... hehehe...”
The yokai who should’ve fallen laughed. Eunil turned, stunned. Despite near-death agony etched a thousand times, the Great Demon stood unscathed.
“How?!”
“Your spell disrupts ki to amplify pain—a curse, right?”
True. That’s why it worked without substance.
“So if I don’t feel pain... it’s useless?”
“What...? No yokai could...!”
“In Zuri’s head...♥ There’s always...♥ A ‘touch’ that cradles Zuri.”
Zuri grinned vacantly, eyes half-lidded. Thousands of threads writhed from her ears.
“What... is that...?”
Sinister yoki emanated from the threads—darker, eviler than hers.
“What?♥ This is Zuri’s ‘unnie’♥ She scolds Zuri for bad thoughts, teaches proper mindset and posture♥ Without ‘unnie,’ Zuri couldn’t serve Yaruo-sama. Zuri’d be useless, worthless trash. So Zuri follows ‘unnie’s’ teachings. No ‘unnie,’ no Zuri. Zuri’s unneeded... Zuri...”
Drool spilled as she muttered insanely. Stunned by the bizarre sight, Eunil snapped to and lunged with remaining illusions.
But threads blocked, shattering them and counterattacking like living things.
“Ngh...!”
He retreated.
“Please♥ ‘Unnie’♥ Use Zuri as you wish♥ Zuri needs no self♥ Make Zuri a perfect, useful doll♥”
Her eyes flashed, then head lolled slack. Eyes vacant, Zuri advanced, threads dangling menacingly.
Bad news. His ki couldn’t fell that monster now. Flee and regroup?
As he backed away—a presence behind.
“Looks like trouble.”
A familiar voice.
“Yuzu!”
Salvation from a comrade. Eunil turned joyfully—then froze in horror.
“Yuzu...?”
“Yup! It’s Yuzuring★ Glad I made it in time. Here to help.”
The petite brown-haired exorcist smiled cutely in a reverse bunnygirl outfit—open at the front. Beside a fat man.
“Yuzu, what happened to your outfit...? And who’s that guy?”
“Answer him, Yuzu.”
The fat man groped her ass. “Yes, Master♥” She turned, beaming at Eunil.
“Eunil, listen. I bragged we’d win, then lost pathetically. Captured, brain scrambled... No more rebelling against the yokai-sama. So now... Yuzuring quits being an exorcist to join Yaruo-sama’s elite guard as Special Member #1♥ Ehehe♥ V-sign♥”
She posed cutely. Eunil paled, speechless at the traitor.
“And♥ Yaruo-sama says #2 is you, Eunil♥ Perfect, right?”
Clinging to Yaruo flirtatiously.
“Yuzu...”
Eunil muttered blankly. Head down, fists clenched trembling—then he roared at the man.
“What did you do to Yuzu?!”
He charged—but Yuzu kicked him flying before he closed in.
“No! No rebelling. Obey Yaruo-sama. You’ll love it once changed.”
“Ngh... just... kill me...!”
“What kinda heroine line is that?”
The fat man sneered, pulled a camera, aimed at Eunil. Flash.