Chapter 9
Chapter 9
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 9
Chapter Title: No Choice - 3
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Devil versus ghost.
Just imagining the matchup made my chest tighten, but if I had to pick a side here, it had to be the devil.
Ghosts harbored an unconditional hatred for the living, whereas devils at least seemed capable of reason.
"What?! You mad human, what the hell do you think you're doing?!"
"Shut up!! They're coming from above!!"
The devil swung her spear to deflect the ghost's attack.
But that didn't mean it was over.
"Arthur!!"
Arthur burst from the shadows, slashing through the ghosts with his sword.
Of course, I wasn't just standing idle either.
I pulled salt from my bag and scattered it into the air.
Himalayan pink salt, no less.
It cost a pretty penny, so it better deliver.
This time, I tossed red beans.
Borrowing the power of Confucius, one of the world's four great sages, to exorcise ghosts.
The ghosts struck by the beans began to melt away.
"Gaaahk!! Hey! That shit...!! You bastard! We're allies...!!"
"A devil who buckles under this much? You're worthless as an ally."
"Kuh! You damn human!!"
I sprinkled holy water while casting the spell from Secrets of Light and Shadow to banish the wicked.
Naturally, the devil beside me got caught in it too and started cursing up a storm.
Whatever. Part-timer.
"Kaaaaah!! Come forth!! My chariot! My servants!! The devil's legion shall bring strife and victory here!!"
Devils summoned by her cry began hacking wildly at the ghosts.
Oh ho. Strife and victory, huh.
Among Solomon's 72 demons, the one in charge of strife and victory was Leraje.
That was her name.
Leraje, right?
Bigger deal than I thought.
But now that I knew her name, I had the upper hand.
"Goddamn it!! You filthy cockroach bastards!! Using our hard-built path without permission!!"
"What, you bandits charging tolls now? Everything in this world was created by Yahweh!!"
"Shut your mouth! How dare a worm like you utter His name?!"
"Talking out your ass like that hole in your face?"
"Graaahk! You crazy human!!"
The female devil, Leraje, swung her spear wide.
The spear that cleaved a ghost now aimed at me.
Our relationship? Temporary alliance.
Basically, "I'll kill you first, then her." That kind of deal.
Attacking at the first opening was only natural.
"Whew. Scary stuff. Almost got me. Hey, do better."
"Aaaah!!"
She stomped in fury after I dodged and swung again.
Man, this never ends.
Ghosts kept pouring endlessly from that path.
"Hey, devil. Hold on for five minutes."
"What?!"
"I'll block that path."
"Hey! Hey! If you block that...!!"
I shoved the devil forward and reached the open hole.
I pulled a symbol from my bag.
"...What the hell is that?"
The devil eyed what I held with suspicion.
What is it?
"Well, no churches around here..."
I'd grabbed a Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva statue from a nearby fortune-teller's shop instead of a cross—the easiest option.
Paid for it, of course.
"Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva has saved countless souls from hell. Thus, O wandering spirits of the nine heavens, follow the Bodhisattva back to where you belong." "Ashes to ashes, dust to dust."
⟨ Ksitigarbha's Guidance ⟩
With Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio open, I chanted the spell.
Defining the rampaging ghosts as lost spirits and making them follow the Ksitigarbha symbol.
In simple terms, turning Ksitigarbha into the Pied Piper.
I hurled the statue into the hole.
And at that moment—
-Kyaaaaah!!
The black hole sucked in the ghosts like a vacuum.
Obviously, it had no effect on me, a human.
"Wha... What is this..."
The devil was unaffected too.
But no need to worry.
"You! Devil Leraje!!"
"Gasp!"
"Graaah!! Human! You coward!!"
"Why so touchy? Our alliance was just till the ghosts were dealt with, right?"
Ghosts gone, business concluded.
The devil Leraje, getting sucked into the black hole, hurled her spear at me.
"Hup!!"
Of course, it missed.
Blocking it with Saint Martha's Staff, I watched as half her body vanished into the hole. She cursed me out.
"You dog bastard!! We'll meet again!!"
"Ow! Why so petty!? Don't you know girls like that aren't popular?!"
"Shut up! I'll drag you to hell and lock you away!!"
Whew, scary. Yandere much? Keep it in check.
"I'll kill you! Kill you dead! You goddamn son of a bitch! Choke on a whore's cunt, you spear-fucker!"
"Yeah, Auntie."
"Is that all the vocabulary you got? All you can—"
"Yeah, Auntie."
"...I'll kill you!! Kill you!!"
"Yeah, Auntie."
"Graaaaaah!!"
She completely lost it, exploding in rage over and over.
-Clank!!
Chains shot out from the black hole.
They wrapped around my arm.
Stay put, and I'd get dragged in too.
-Clang!!
But Arthur was there.
He sliced the chains effortlessly and returned to my shadow. I waved her off.
"Was shit working with you. Let's never meet again, Auntie."
Leraje got sucked into the darkness.
All that remained was the empty black hole.
Close this, and the job's done.
Whew. Good work, everyone.
After sealing the hell-connected path and stepping out, it just looked like an ordinary apartment complex.
The overflowing ghosts were gone, leaving only a rundown scene.
I poked around a bit more just in case, but nothing unusual.
"Hey, you guys did great too... What the?"
A few people waited outside the complex.
The civil servant from yesterday and a Hunter Association staffer.
"Wh-what the hell happened in there?"
"Too much happened. I'm beat."
"Pardon?"
Couldn't even eat.
Should've scarfed that chicken I bought earlier.
"Is the problem resolved?"
"Yeah. You can go in now."
The civil servant eyed the complex warily.
Too scared to go alone, apparently.
"I'll go with you."
Least I could do for after-service.
We re-entered together.
No blocking guards, no shady vendors, no cultists.
Just a normal, worn-out apartment complex. He looked moved.
"To think it'd resolve like this!!"
"No more issues from now on."
The hell path was sealed.
According to Secrets of Light and Shadow, once a path forms and closes, it doesn't reopen. Should be fine.
"You really are a proper mage."
"This much is nothing. Call me anytime something like this pops up."
That should boost my rep some more.
No requests since that apartment gig, so I'd tackled the tower.
Reached the 5th floor, took down the haunted tree, and was browsing the gallery when I spotted the news.
Poyoo, huh.
A three-member girl group.
Even after gates appeared, the entertainment industry hadn't changed much.
Music was the only drug the state allowed.
Idols debuted and vanished every year anyway.
But Poyoo was unique.
A group on the verge of disbandment that successfully reversed their fortunes.
"Disbandment looming, then sudden popularity and activity. And now accidents?"
Something smelled off.
A certain stench.
"Hm..."
I stared intently at the reporter's photo.
Smashed concert venue.
Poyoo members looking panicked.
And...
Strange creatures, giggling atop the wreckage—visible only to my eyes.
"Gotta check it out."
"Owww..."
"Sara, you okay?"
"Yeah! Dai jobu!"
Choi Hye-jeong looked worriedly at her Japanese member Sara.
Her gaze fixed on Sara's wrist.
A shard from the fallen concert fixture had struck her arm amid the crash.
"Sorry... because of me..."
"No! It's not! Getting hurt isn't a crime!!"
Hugging Sara tight, Hye-jeong's eyes welled up.
"I thought it'd be all good times from now on..."
Tears finally spilled.
Her bandmates had toiled so long; this backlash hurt deep.
"...Luna. What's wrong?"
Sniffling, Hye-jeong spotted their leader and eldest, Luna.
Her face pale as she gnawed her thumbnail.
From the string of bad luck?
"N-no! Nothing!! Anyway, the boss..."
"Yeah."
"Said to nail tomorrow's show..."
"What?! After an accident, we still perform tomorrow?"
"B-but we can't miss this moment. It's sheer luck we're reversing now..."
"......"
She was right.
A chance from the heavens.
Couldn't let it slip.
"But Sara..."
"Un! I can keep going! As long as you sisters are safe!"
Sara flashed a bright smile.
Despite the pain.
Hugging the maknae, Hye-jeong cried again.
Luna watched them, eyes clouded with unease.
Idol dorms are top secret.
Poyoo's new place, thanks to massive gains from their reversal, was unknown even to hardcore fans.
"Girls, get home safe."
"Yes~!"
"Rest well, manager oppa~!"
"Good night."
32-pyeong apartment.
Rent-controlled, but a palace compared to their old semi-basement.
"Let's go..."
"No one's... Oh. Someone's there."
A man stood by the elevator linked to the underground parking.
Build rivaling a security guard.
A bit intimidating.
But CCTV everywhere, guards on call. Should be fine.
So they boarded with him.
He naturally took the corner.
"Poyoo members, right?"
"Eek!!"
"...Wh-who are you?"
"...Wait..."
As their wary words spilled out—
-Splat! Splat! Splat! Splat! Splat! Splat! Splat! Splat! Splat! Splat! Splat! Splat! Splat! Splat! Splat! Splat!
Bloody handprints began smearing the elevator's large mirror.