The Extraordinary in the Everyday (2)
Far from living up to its name, there wasn't a shred of hope to be found on Hope Bridge.
The entire span was shrouded in thick fog, and the black river waters below churned like something monstrous was about to burst forth at any moment. If it had to have a name, something like Suicide Bridge or Bridge of Despair would have suited it far better. It was an utterly eerie, spine-chilling structure.
"...What the hell is this?"
I stood there blankly, staring at the bridge for a good while. The situation was so alien and had unfolded so abruptly that I needed a moment to collect my thoughts.
"Kidnapped or something?"
The first possibility that came to mind was kidnapping. Maybe the taxi driver was part of some criminal outfit and had lured me out to this remote spot. But I shook my head right away.
I'd only dozed off for about ten minutes. It didn't make sense that they'd done anything to me in that time. Hell, there weren't even any criminals around—not even the taxi driver who'd been driving.
"Is this even Incheon?"
I scratched my head, eyeing the bizarre bridge from every angle. It was unnaturally devoid of any human presence. The fog writhed like it was alive. And above all, I'd never even heard of a Hope Bridge in Incheon.
That left just one possibility: This wasn't Incheon at all. Hell, it might not even be Earth—could be some otherworldly realm.
"Smartphone..."
To check, I pulled out my phone first thing. No data signal, as expected. Calls wouldn't go through, claiming "out of service area."
Hmm. No data in internet superpower South Korea? That seriously ramped up the odds this wasn't Earth.
"...."
I glanced around just in case, but nothing. Unpaved dirt underfoot. A short walk away, and the white fog loomed like a solid wall, blocking my path.
I poked a finger into the fog wall. A bone-chilling cold bit into my skin like it was flaying me alive. I yanked it back—frost clung to my fingertip.
"No dice."
Getting to the other side was impossible from the start. So, crossing the bridge it was? God, I didn't want to. Every instinct screamed no. But with dead ends fore and aft, the bridge was my only shot at survival.
Resigned, I climbed back into the taxi to steel myself for the drive—when something tripped me up at my feet.
"...What's this?"
There'd been nothing there moments ago. Looking down, I saw a strange book I'd never laid eyes on before. Leather cover. Running a hand along the edges, I felt the familiar fray of an ancient tome.
And that wasn't all. The whole book was soaked, water trailing in a long streak from it. Puddles on the ground, drag marks—like something had been hauled. They led to a cliff edge, black river roiling below.
"..."
A mysterious grimoire. In a normal situation, I wouldn't dream of opening it—better to chuck it far away for my own safety.
But instinct told me who its owner was.
"Shin-nim?"
Just last night in my dream, the entity I'd met. The one slumbering eternally at the deep-sea floor, who one day awoke and came to me. Not sure if the title fit perfectly, but my "wife" was likely the owner.
"Hmm..."
I examined the book carefully again. Had to make sure it wasn't a mistake. Confirming it was from Her.
Maybe a clue? Sure enough, in one corner, strange letters I'd never seen before.
And for some reason, I could read them.
No Overnight Stays. Come Back Quick?
I couldn't help but chuckle wryly at the utterly mismatched message. Right—Shin-nim was waiting at home. We'd become husband and wife just last night, after all. Suddenly, I was the husband pulling an all-nighter on his wedding night.
"Couldn't be helped, Shin-nim."
Who could've predicted getting trapped in some freak anomaly? If I'd known, I'd have left work early, gotten solid sleep, and enjoyed a deep-sea date with her in my dreams.
But she knew that, which was why she'd sent this book.
"Let's read it."
With her message there in black and white, no more hesitation. I slid into the taxi's driver's seat, opened the book, and started reading line by line.
Prior to Commencement
This book may only be perused by its author, the Master of the Sixth Sea, and their sole companion.
Any other attempting to read it will suffer immediate mental assault equivalent to instant death.
They shall become the primary target of all deep-sea entities.
The Master of the Sixth Sea shall personally extract the intruder's soul, condemning them to eternal drowning at the abyss floor.
This is explicitly stated in advance.
The opening was brutal, as befitted an otherworldly tome.
"Hmm..."
Author: Master of the Sixth Sea—Shin-nim, presumably. Companion: me, probably. Safe to read? Situation demanded it, so I carefully turned the page.
"Can't see shit."
Reading wasn't easy. Most pages were pitch black, hiding the contents.
Finger along them: just paper texture. So what was this blackness?
"Maybe...?"
I held it to the rearview mirror. The reflection shattered instantly.
Not it. A twinge of regret, but I pieced it together: blacked-out pages were off-limits.
Horror flicks had folks going mad from eldritch knowledge. These must be things I wasn't meant to see.
Fine. I skipped the blacked-out parts for readable ones.
"This might work."
How long did I read? I found something useful for now, in the latter half.
[Summoning Comrade Spell]
It detailed the incantation and usage.
"Let's try it."
Out of the taxi, to the cliff. Fishy stench hit hard. Dizzying drop, shadowy black waters.
Water: plenty below. Next, I raised my sharp nail.
"This'll actually work?"
Book called for unheard-of shit: "God's Wine," "Enlightened One's Husk," "Void Shard."
Footnote from Shin-nim: [Your blood. That's plenty]—axed 90% of materials.
Questionable, but if it worked? Thanks.
"Ow."
Sliced opposite palm with nail. Fisted it, dripped blood toward the river.
Drops hit water. I chanted immediately.
"The Master calls thee. Manifest here and slay their foes."
⟨ Summoning Comrade ⟩
As I chanted, an alien voice emerged from my throat—not mine. Like a whale's ultrasonic call to kin. Echoing from deep caves or underwater, reverberating to the riverbed.
Rumble rumble...
The river reversed flow—like a hole in the bed, draining away.
Eerie cries echoed everywhere, stabbing pain in my ears.
"Ngh...!"
Black waters calmed. Something unfathomable emerged.
Not on Shin-nim's level, but vaster than any earthly beast. Armored like steel plating.
Its name: Punisher.
Tasked with punishing deep-sea foes. Your classic colossal crab.
[.....]
"...."
I looked up at it. It looked down at me.
Summoned by my call, awaiting orders. But my scattered brain found its dumb stare frustrating.
"Ugh, my head's killing me. Eyes hurt like hell too."
Chant's side effect: pounding headache, like a spear through my skull, stomach roiling like on stormy seas.
And now my eyes burned since it appeared. Even a "weak" deep-sea being overwhelmed my senses.
[Whatever. Smash that bridge. Then take me home.]
I shut my eyes for relief. Then, deafening roars: massive structure crumbling. River surging. Monsters on the bridge screaming. Punisher's roar dwarfing them a hundredfold.
How much time passed? Silence fell completely. Only the Punisher's low rumble remained.
"...."
Cracking an eye: Punisher right in front. I glanced past it.
Where the bridge had been: nothing. Just debris floating on the river now and then.
"Whoa..."
I'd been agonizing over crossing it minutes ago. Seeing it pulverized like this? Pathetic, almost comical.
Destruction triggered instant reaction. Fog thinned. Cracks spiderwebbed the air, shattering.
Core anomaly gone, space collapsing...
...as the book described. (I knew nothing.)
[Good job.]
Just before escaping the anomaly, I thanked the blankly staring Punisher. Eyes throbbing, so I alternated peeking. It waved a massive claw in farewell.
Shut eyes, opened them.
"Whoa."
Suddenly, I was in the alley behind my home.