Cult Lair (2)
Thick storm clouds blanketed the sky. The moon had been swallowed by them, vanishing entirely. The air carried a strange salty tang. Low rumbles growled from the clouds like distant thunder. The fierce wind had cleared the streets of almost everyone. A quick glance at my smartphone showed a gale warning.
"...."
Few people around was a good omen. Anomalies and criminals usually avoided crowds. But in weather like this, with the atmosphere just right, they got bold and rampaged. Perfect time to cast my line—the fish would bite hard.
"Hm."
I'd wandered the empty streets for a while before I knew it, leaving the city center behind for the rundown old district. A big corporation's factory had stood here once, but now everything had pulled out, leaving ruins. Eyes watched from everywhere—vagrants' feral glares filled with survival instinct, yokai's blank stares.
"Show's over? Get lost."
"Guh, kuh-hum!"
[Kieeeek...]
I let out a bit of my presence, and the jackals who sensed something off scattered. I stood still for a moment. Only after the area fell completely silent did I start walking again.
"No thanks needed."
They owed me one. I could've ignored them and wiped them out, but I'd scared them off to prevent extra casualties. Even if Shin-nim had toyed with my head a little, I was still me. My mind was sharp as ever. If anyone thought a single mind fuck would have me going "uh-heh-heh" like a brainwashed zombie, they'd be dead wrong.
"Here we are."
Deep into the old district, I reached my destination: the Han-seong Apparel Factory. Sea winds had rusted it through, dust piled everywhere stealing its color. Staring at that massive black steel door, it was hard to tell if this was a factory or a demon king's castle.
"Eerily gloomy."
If you're picking a spot, go for somewhere with atmosphere. Choosing this creepy dump on purpose? Told me everything about who I was meeting. Savage monkeys and filthy yokai spawn. Time to see their ugly mugs.
I shoved the factory door open.
"You're here."
Inside was pitch black. With even moonlight blocked by clouds, the factory was an abyss without a single light source. But even in a true abyss, my eyes saw everything clearly, understood it all.
"What're you standing around staring at?"
"...."
A man sat on a broken factory machine. His outfit was bizarre—like something out of a wuxia novel, clad in martial robes with a sword at his waist. Blood-red robes, blood-red eyes. A thick stench of blood wafted from him. He'd probably killed someone just minutes ago.
"Hold on. Who the hell are you?"
"...."
"I don't sense that familiar madness from you."
What kinda nonsense was that? He wasn't some chuunibyou teen. Grown-ass man rambling about "madness."
Absurd as it was, I played it cool and answered.
"What bullshit you spouting? I'm Jang Chun."
"...Prove it."
"Proof? Like this?"
I held up my right hand. Under his watchful eye, I morphed it into an insect's claw—forked and razor-sharp.
"Insect magic confirmed. My mistake."
"Cure that paranoia, idiot."
"My error. Apologies."
He apologized readily. I brushed it off and sat across from him. He let out a hollow chuckle at the sight.
Am I playing this right?
For the record, I wasn't just winging it blindly. From what I knew, the Insect Sorcerer's real personality was this prickly. Memories showed a guy who collected live sacrifices and bred bugs inside himself. If anything, he was worse than this. No way he was tamer.
"So why'd you call me here?"
"Why else? For the item."
Anyway, we ditched the standoff and chatted briefly.
"We need that item. Hand it over."
"Nah."
"Come on. We'll meet any demands."
The item mentioned in the texts multiple times. They needed it bad.
"What's so special about it?"
"A precious relic to us. Junk to you, maybe."
Hm... Obviously, I didn't have it. The Cleaner had handed over the Insect Sorcerer's stuff, but that item was likely back at his hideout. Which I had no clue about.
"No deal. If it's valuable, why give it to you?"
"...."
Couldn't hand over what I didn't have. I'd gathered enough intel anyway, so I shut it down firm. How would he react? Kill me and take it, probably?
I glared, stroking the grimoire in my pocket.
"Fine. We'll drop it."
"???"
"You said no. Gotta find another way."
That easy? I'd geared up for a fight—this threw me off. If you're criminals, act like it.
"Guess I'll head out."
"No send-off."
He stayed put while I awkwardly stood. This was awkward as hell. Come on, attack already? I reached the door, still hoping, but he never drew his sword.
"...."
I opened the door. On the verge of looking like a total idiot wandering at night.
Then a low voice from behind.
"But you know that, right, friend?"
"Know what?"
A chill raced up my spine. Animal instincts whispered danger; mana surged, muscles tensed for battle. Yeah, couldn't end that easy.
I smirked faintly and turned. He'd stood up.
"That item. You stole it from us."
"Oh. Did I?"
"Yeah, you outsider scum."
As he spoke, I felt a gyeol-gye barrier envelop the factory and surroundings. Blocking escape. Planning to finish me for sure. They'd always intended to take out the Insect Sorcerer too.
"Showtime~"
"This time we'll crush you proper, Jang Chun."
"Leave it to us, boss!"
Three more appeared: a woman in blue shaman robes, a thug with a sickle, a rat-faced guy. Called things like Chaewol, Pa-cheon-gun, Hwi Ji-yeong—names not worth remembering. No point; if I left, I'd never see them again.
"Don't get cocky. He took down the Insect Sorcerer."
"No worries, boss."
"We got mercenaries too!"
They chattered. Faint mercenary noises. Then one more showed: ...A kid?
The latecomer was a girl—girl barely, more like a schoolgirl. Actually wearing a uniform. Without the longbow on her back, she could've passed for some kid caught in the wrong place.
"You aim for his head from behind."
"Got it."
"Earn that fat paycheck. Clear?"
She drew her bow, nocked an arrow, aimed at me. The others charged.
"Kill him!"
"On it!"
Shaman swung her fan, thug his sickle, rat his dagger. Their skill? Hard to gauge exactly, but a cut above that killer yokai from before.
"Haha."
Just yesterday, I'd have bolted. I already had barrier-breaking magic. No need to risk it.
But.
[Chicken?]
"Not chicken, okay?"
With Shin-nim's voice in my ear, how could I run? I grinned lightly and pulled out the grimoire, flipping it open.
"Let's play."
Shin-nim wanted a show. As her husband, I had to deliver.
****
The first to charge was the sickle thug, smashing through the factory wall straight at me. His massive blade swept horizontally, cleaving everything in its path in half.
"Hyah."
I leaped lightly, dodging. He targeted me mid-air.
"Stupid bastard!"
Flames wrapped his sickle as he unleashed a ranged slash.
[Flying beast, beat your wings fiercely]
⟨ Dragonfly Wings ⟩
I instantly sprouted dragonfly wings and flew clear of the slash.
"Filthy fly!"
"Slow."
He fired more slashes, but they were too sluggish compared to my flight speed.
"Ever been hit by lightning?"
"What?"
Then the shaman spoke. Fog thickened like clouds around us, a faint tingle in the air.
"It'll sting."
Snap! She snapped her fan shut. Currents erupted wildly from the clouds, trying to electrocute me.
[Worthless beasts, prove your value in death]
I cast immediately. Tens of thousands of tiny flying bugs answered my call. No combat power individually, but together they formed a black cloud, hijacking the area.
"Tch...!"
The shaman clicked her tongue and called lightning, but the clouds she'd lost control of couldn't reach me.
[Slicing beast, cleave the foe in one stroke]
My turn. I summoned a decent-sized mantis. Makeshift, not as huge as the Insect Sorcerer's, but if weak, just make more.
[Charging beast, shatter all before you]
[Sky beast, crumble the enemy ranks]
[Hundred-legged beast, bind and burst them]
Spells in rapid succession, dozens of giant bugs swarming out.
[Kill]
[Chirrrrk!]
[Clack clack! Clack clack!]
They charged on command.
"Fuck this!"
"Kyaaah!?"
Shaman and thug attacked desperately, but the size gap slowed them, buying time.
And giving a magic user time meant begging for a big spell.
[Beast in the cocoon, spread your wings...]
The heaviest incantation yet. Eyes closed, feeling mana flow. A brief gap in the boundary. Someone slipped through toward me.
"Easy prey!"
Rat with dagger. No idea how he reached above me mid-air, but perfect timing for a sneak attack.
[Builder beast, weave a white house]
"What."
That was before. I grew six spider legs, spinning a white web barrier to block him. Caught mid-strike.
"Hi."
"Uh uh uh..."
I waved. Wrapped the panicking rat in silk, made a food pouch. Coated my finger in paralyzing venom and stabbed.
Poke.
"One down."
I looked below. Shaman and thug had cleared most giant bugs.
"Die, you bugs!"
"So gross!!"
Flames burning, lightning zapping—a spectacle. Kinda wanted elemental magic like that. Grimoire spells were all grotesque; a twinge of envy.
[Hungry beasts, devour and multiply]
That aside. I targeted live and dead bugs alike.
[Kirrrlek!]
[Crunch crunch crunch!]
They obeyed: eating dead comrades, even live ones. Speed was miraculous. Before enemies reacted, the area was spotless.
[Kirrrlek...]
[Chirrrk...]
Two bugs left. But utterly transformed. Hundreds of legs, dozens of wing pairs, multiple heads. Thicker shells, bloated bodies, thick venom aura. No longer bugs—beasts, starving for prey.
[Eat]
[KIRELELELEK!!!]
[CHIRRRRUK!!!]
They lunged instantly.
"This is insane."
"A nightmare...!!"
Thug and shaman recoiled in horror, clashing and fleeing the field. Felt like it'd take them five minutes to drop. No need to worry about those two.
"...."
Thud. I folded my wings and landed. Gazed into the dark factory.
Fight wasn't over. The strongest—the boss—hadn't even drawn his sword yet.
"What now?"
"Waiting. Till you tire."
"Funny guy. Their leader, the one who wants the item most."
"Weren't they your men?"
"Valued underlings. I'll avenge them."
"Think you can?"
"Gotta try and see."
The boss drew his sword. I eyed him, then flipped a page in the grimoire.
The real battle was just beginning.