Target (4)

Shin-nim's room. You shouldn't just barge into a woman's room, but things get a bit ambiguous when that woman is your wife. Was I allowed in or not?

"Can I come in?"

I asked the stone slab, but there was no response. Shin-nim's presence, which I always felt, had vanished too, making me wonder if she was even in there. That just made it harder to decide. Should I open this door or not?

"Hmm..."

I pondered for a moment before trying a knock.

Knock knock—

No reaction even after that. I wasn't sure if it had even registered.

"Should I just peek?"

Not going in fully—just checking if it opened. That's what I told myself.

"Hup...!"

I pushed against the heavy iron door made of some unidentified metal. Unfortunately, it didn't budge a single millimeter. This wasn't just locked or heavy. It felt like shoving a wall that was never meant to move.

"What the heck."

I stood there thinking it over, but no answers came. The new interior was a mystery to me—what it contained, what functions it had. Only Shin-nim, who suggested it, and the interior designer who installed it would know.

"Guess I'll just sleep."

I had no idea if Shin-nim was really in there or if I could even open the door. With nothing else to do, I decided to hit the hay. There had been a door labeled as the bedroom earlier. I ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠could crash there...

Creeeak...

"Hm?"

Then, a door ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠opening sounded from behind me. As I turned, my whole body was suddenly bound and yanked inside the room in an instant.

"Mmph? Mmph?!"

I was a little startled but not panicked. The tentacles wrapping around me had a familiar feel. If a husband couldn't recognize his own wife's tentacles, he'd be a failure.

We see each other every night.

Shin-nim's voice bloomed directly in my head. It was the usual flat TTS tone, but it felt a bit more lively. Maybe because she was so close? I could almost hear faint traces of her pre-transformation voice.

Communication time?

Shin-nim never spoke at length. But I was good at understanding her brevity. In this case, it was because I was too weak to handle her true self.

So that's why.

No wonder her voice was TTS, and she always covered my eyes and ears during meetings. We'd only truly faced each other twice—our first meeting and now. And even those barely counted as proper encounters. To see and hear her real form and voice, I'd have to get stronger, no doubt.

I'll work on it.

I stroked the tentacle with my palm, and she placed the tip on it in response. Her emotions flowed vividly: want to cuddle, want pets, wanna be cute. Things I couldn't give her right now, leaving me feeling like a criminal.

Sleep well, Shin-nim.

Time was up, and I was booted out to the main hall. Sprawled on the floor, I saw the stone slab wobbling over. Tilting my head up, it stared down at me all staaaare.

"Bedtime."

Tucking the slab under my arm, I headed to the bedroom. My gaze lingered on Shin-nim's door. My heart beat faster than before.

I wanna get stronger.

I wanted to fulfill her wish. It was only natural. Plus, I was dying to see her true form and hear her voice. Someday, I'd make it happen. That was my resolve.

The next day, the house was still in its new layout. I boiled some ramen in the kitchenette, then scarfed it down with rice in the dining area.

"I'm off."

With my commute prep done, I bid farewell to the slab and Go-seo. The slab lay in the main hall's display cabinet, waving tentacles in greeting. Go-seo poked her head out the study door, humming in response.

"Unbelievable."

Honestly, it was ridiculous. Close the front door, and it was a normal house—inside, this bizarre transformation. Still, more space was good. And no more explosions? That was the best part. Who'd dare invade our place strong enough to wreck a shrine?

"...Right?"

A sudden unease hit, but I shook it off and headed to work. No bus today either—I sprinted to the office.

"Hm?"

Landing in an alley near the company, I dispelled my perception-distortion magic. As I walked toward the building, someone blocked my path. I'd sensed no presence in that alley—weird.

"Who the hell are you?"

"...."

Of course, no answer. Instead, he pulled a mirror infused with mana from his robes.

Wonder what this is for.

He charged with the mirror raised. I watched calmly. I could kill him in a heartbeat if I wanted, but it didn't seem lethal, so I observed.

"Oh."

As I watched, the mirror expanded and engulfed me. My vision shook like a rollercoaster. It felt like being dragged somewhere, and when I came to, I was in the middle of an unfamiliar space.

"Made it."

"...?"

It looked like an underground ritual chamber. Robed Gonggi Sect cultists surrounded me. Chains had appeared, binding me. From their chatter, I pieced it together.

"You notify that girl?"

"Sent the message just now. She'll come soon."

Target: Yu-hwa again. Bait to lure her out. Use me as hostage to draw her in—that was their plan.

"What if she doesn't show?"

"She'll come for her boyfriend."

"True enough."

They were deluded, but the plan had a high chance of working. If I was in danger, Yu-hwa would come 99% of the time.

"Heh."

But they made one mistake: still thinking I was a normal office worker. At least prepare sealing magic if you're chaining me. Regular iron chains? Pathetic.

"Annoying."

They kept messing with Yu-hwa, pissing me off. Since they invited me to their hideout, I'd play party host.

I snapped the chains with a flex and surged my mana.

"M-mage!?"

"He's supposed to be a normie!"

"Attack!"

A mana storm raged in the ritual space. Sensing trouble, they prepped attacks. One tore a brown talisman, summoning black smoke and yokai. Dozens targeted me as cultists chanted spells.

Even I couldn't take them all barehanded, so magic time.

Chant complete, the chamber filled with flies like a swarm of gnats. They buzzed wildly, blinding vision and deafening ears.

"Burn them!"

"Fire underground? You're insane! Blow them away!"

"Flies in my ears!"

No need for more magic here. I charged the nearest cultist.

"Die."

"Gaaah!!"

"Keurk...!"

Splat! Boom!

Solar plexus punch slammed one into the wall; a kick sent another spinning through the air. Chaos lingered, no one stopping me. I picked them off one by one.

"Attack him!"

"Keep him back!"

Some escaped the fly hell, directing yokai into a defensive line—but sloppy. I dashed through the gap.

"Gaaah!!"

"My arm—my arm!"

"Help!"

Line breached, they were done. Shamans couldn't match me up close, and yokai hesitated to avoid hitting their summoners. Cultists swept aside helplessly.

"This side's clear."

"Damn it...!"

All summoners down, yokai vanished. One male warrior left in the ritual room. I paused, eyeing him—gut said he had a trick.

"I'll kill you then myself!"

"Oh ho."

"Great Tao Master! Watch over me!"

And yep, he drew a sword from his robes. Serious aura—grazed, it'd be fatal.

"Receive the Great Tao Master's fang...!"

So I intercepted from range. Duh—I'm a mage. Why let him close in?

"Blame your short arms."

"You son of a... "

The warrior crumpled in shock. I sneered, then claimed his sword.

Grabbing it brought a thirsty urge and voice. Shin-nim snorted, and it shut up.

"Nothing worth taking..."

Scanning the room sword in hand—no secrets, no treasure, just trash. Useless ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠as ever, these Cheon-do Association punks.

"Uncle Jin-seok! You okay...?"

After searching and lounging on the altar's stone bed, the basement door burst open. Yu-hwa rushed in, sword drawn.

"Morning."

"M-morning...? Is this a morning situation?"

I greeted her casually; she returned it, still dazed.

What's her deal?

I'd told her yesterday—I win in a fight. Didn't she believe me, Yu-hwa?