Chapter 86
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Translator: True Detective
Chapter: 86
Chapter Title: Gather on the Rooftop
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1. From the perspective of the high school girl trio affiliated with the Fixer Office.
The philosophy classroom and lecture hall had gone dark, and in the very back seat, someone opened their eyes.
She looked down at her body, which felt several times heavier than usual, trying to make sense of the situation.
'What is this...? This isn't my body.'
Her body had changed. It looked much younger than her original one, and the clothes she was wearing weren't hers either.
Her height seemed to have shrunk too—the world looked a bit taller.
Kang Se-yeon examined her altered body more closely and soon recalled who owned the clothes she was wearing.
'This is that young shaman girl's body.'
Realizing she had entered someone else's body, she quickly grasped the anomaly affecting her.
She had clearly swapped bodies with her companions. And she was now in Digital Shaman Ko Yu-rim's body.
The other companions, including the Fixer, had probably swapped too. So who was in her own body?
She hoped it wasn't the Fixer. He was the only man in the group. If he got curious and inspected her body, it would be mortifying.
'Well, the bride's gone to her new home.'
Deep down, it might not be so bad.
The Fixer's reputation in Mujin City was soaring day by day, and even High Priestess Ha-un, bound to Biya for life and forced into celibacy, had her eyes on him. She suddenly wondered what face Ha-un would make if she snatched him first, before the priestess could lay a hand on him.
'Anyway, can I use Taoist arts with this body? I don't feel any spiritual power at all...'
But for some reason, she felt she could use shamanism.
True to the name Digital Shaman, Kang Se-yeon tried using shamanism as the body remembered.
First, she pulled out her smartphone. For a digital shaman, the phone was both talisman and ritual medium—the most vital tool.
And no matter the situation, the phone's battery couldn't die. Checking the remaining 50%, she grabbed a power bank from her bag and plugged it in.
Noise flickered on the screen, then the terrain around her mapped out like a GPS.
'I know the principles of shamanism well enough.'
Having lived her life as a Taoist master, Kang Se-yeon quickly mastered Ko Yu-rim's techniques.
Fundamentally, Ko Yu-rim excelled at handling information, using her modded smartphone as a talisman for various spells.
For instance, blasting blinding light from the rear flash.
Or snapping spirit photos to briefly paralyze targets.
There were plenty of phone-based spells.
'But they're all support spells or buffs. No main firepower.'
Kang Se-yeon combined the body's shamanic talent with her own Taoist experience.
One of the Four Sages of the Lunar Blossom Sect meant mastery of one extreme—and for spell adaptation, unmatched by any.
Sage of the Blue Firmament Kang Se-yeon instantly crafted a new spell via smartphone.
-Woof! Woof!
The test subjects for her new spell—the stray dogs released by the veterinary students—would do nicely.
Kang Se-yeon followed the barking. She couldn't confirm if they were real dogs, but the ferocious, aggressive howls were clear.
Having fought dog-like anomalies often, she gauged their state from the barks alone.
Highly excited and aggressive. Perfect for easy hypnosis.
Soon she reached the strays—or rather, the human-faced dogs—gathered together.
'There they are.'
Kang Se-yeon showed her phone screen to the human-faced dogs tearing into a dead undergrad's corpse in the hallway.
They stared at the 'spinning hypnotic wheel' on her screen and froze, entranced.
'Mind Control. Solid performance.'
She normally avoided English spell names.
But this was shamanism. A digital shaman's spell.
So she adapted it Ko Yu-rim-style, naming it accordingly.
"Kiiing...?"
"Woof!"
Mind Control forcibly linked her mind to the alert-level human-faced dogs, stripping their egos and granting her absolute command.
"Find the humans whose images I'm visualizing."
She wiped her nosebleed and commanded them.
Linked to the dogs, she transmitted images of her companions and her little brother's face into their minds.
Swift mental connection and high control.
This stemmed from the shaman's anomaly-domination talent.
Ko Yu-rim's gift.
"Woof! Woof!"
The five dogs in the hall bolted through the twisted Garam University corridors to find the imprinted humans.
Having issued the absolute order, Kang Se-yeon wiped the last of her nosebleed and softly apologized.
'Sorry for using your body so roughly.'
She hadn't expected such overload from the technique.
From a genius among geniuses like her, Ko Yu-rim's body was too frail and delicate.
Ko Yu-rim had been called a prodigy since her cult captivity, but before true genius, it meant nothing.
-Hm. She's handling it fine alone? No need to help yet. Right?
"How long have you been there...?"
-From the start.
Only after the voice spoke did Kang Se-yeon notice the accessory in her pocket.
A bracelet with a blood-red gem. Silence of the Incinerator.
"Did the Fixer leave you here?"
-Yeah. To protect Yu-rim. But no need, huh? You're not that fool shaman kid. Someone else?
From her actions and speech, Incinerator Ghost King Hong-ran realized she wasn't Ko Yu-rim and asked flatly.
-Aren't you that spirit medium? Acts just like her.
"Yes. I'm Kang Se-yeon."
-Got it. I'll watch then. Do your thing.
Hong-ran fell silent again.
The Fixer had asked to protect the kids from danger.
No danger now, so she lounged in Silence of the Incinerator.
'Not interfering, then.'
Kang Se-yeon pocketed the quiet bracelet and sensed the linked human-faced dogs while searching for her group.
Nearby, a familiar presence. One dog had found a target.
'Her name was... Jeong Ha-yeon?'
Kang Se-yeon approached Jeong Ha-yeon's location.
A small empty office. Jeong Ha-yeon sat cross-legged on a desk, manipulating something.
Around her neck hung Breath of Ink Darkness—likely the Fixer's protective charm, like hers.
"You there. Ha-yeon, right?"
"Huh? Oh, no. I'm Lee Ha-ri right now. And you?"
"Ha-ri, huh. I'm Kang Se-yeon now."
"Neeet...!?"
Lee Ha-ri in Jeong Ha-yeon's body gaped at Kang Se-yeon in Ko Yu-rim's.
"U-um. For real?"
"Yes. Any issues?"
"N-no. Just... tense..."
Lee Ha-ri waved it off.
Raised hearing Lunar Blossom Sect was terrifying, talking to one of their top four fighters by force was nerve-wracking.
"What were you doing here, Ha-ri? I was tracking the group."
"Oh, this kid's body has undigested anomalies..."
"Pardon? Digested? You eat anomalies?"
"Well, some onmyoji consume anomalies to exorcise them. We call them Devourers. She's a rare one, but untrained. Lots of issues."
Lee Ha-ri in Jeong Ha-yeon's body used her onmyoji knowledge to fix flaws and improve constitution.
Jeong Ha-yeon lost her devourer father and mentor to a 'mysterious group'; her Haecheon Gate was wiped out.
Sole survivor Jeong Ha-yeon wandered to Moss House, got captured in Ko Yu-rim's cult, spent nearly half her life there.
Her skills immature, undigested anomalies unmastered.
Spotting it fast as fellow onmyoji, Lee Ha-ri filtered residues and impurities with fungi, converting to protective substances.
To a fungal onmyoji like her, undigested anomalies were precious nutrients and resources.
"She'll be semi-forced into fungal onmyoji now... Left alone, anomalies would backflow in three years."
"Backflow? What happens?"
"Condensed grudges and malice from her gut form a 'solitary' anomaly born in a human. At least disaster-class."
A horrific end, worst for devourers.
Without Lee Ha-ri's intervention, Jeong Ha-yeon would've anomalized in three years and been exterminated.
"A disaster-class from a person's body?"
"If left alone..."
But Lee Ha-ri's fix averted Jeong Ha-yeon's bad end.
Fully digested anomalies converted to usable fungi—for excitement, illusions, docility. Emotion control.
Jeong Ha-yeon could now handle and domesticate anomalies easier with 'mild spores'.
Like Kang Se-yeon's Mind Control leveraging shaman domination, harmony-focused onmyoji Lee Ha-ri created anomaly-taming 'mild fungi' in Jeong Ha-yeon's body.
"Se-yeon, sorry. Fixing her constitution. Can you wait? Can't do direct tweaks back in my body. Want to finish fast..."
"Understood. I'll wait. She's the Fixer's ward anyway. Someone else is heading here via my dogs."
As Kang Se-yeon said, another arrived guided by a human-faced dog.
Confident strides, bold moves.
"You two okay? Any injuries?"
The newcomer was Nam Yu-ha.
"I'm Kang Se-yeon now, this is Lee Ha-ri. Who are you?"
"Lucky—strong souls in the kids' bodies. I'm Fixer Lee Do-hyun."
In Nam Yu-ha's body was Fixer Lee Do-hyun.
The Fixer in the high school girl's body shoved aside the wailing Five Flower Bell Spirit and approached.
-You're not the Fixer! You're Yu-ha! Yu-ha! Hear me! Answer! You're not the Fixer! Snap out of it!
"Agh, please stop. I know this is Yu-ha's body. But I'm using it now, see? Can't you yield for your dear Yu-ha just a bit?"
-I said you're not! Give back our Yu-ha! Don't steal her from me...! She's all I have...
"Driving me nuts. No talking sense. I've already taken her body. So Spirit, pray for her safe return post-incident."
The Fixer ignored the spirit's pleas. This intensified Five Flower Bell Spirit's attachment to Nam Yu-ha, tightening body-spirit bonds.
Fearing the Fixer's memories overwriting precious Yu-ha, the spirit exerted extra power.
Greater spirit obsession boosts spirit medium talent. Nam Yu-ha's grew stronger incidentally.
The Fixer, unaware, just shoved the tantruming spirit aside and used her.
He shared intel from the spirit with Kang Se-yeon and Lee Ha-ri.
"Straight to intel. We're in twisted Garam University Arts Building interior. Inside, students, profs, TAs, grads scream 'I'm real' and fight."
Using Nam Yu-ha's spirit medium arts, he scouted faster than anyone, reading dying grudges for info.
No overwhelming stats, skills, or status window—but he maximized resources for vast intel.
"We're on equivalent of floor 3. Floor 1: berserk students and slaughtered profs. Regrettably, can't save profs now. Avoid floor 1."
"Got it. Where to, Fixer?"
"Down to floor 2, men's restroom. Then straight to rooftop."
"Rooftop?"
"Yes. Computer up there."
"Then Ippae Hall..."
"Already fused since space twisted. Rooftop it is. If others have Yu-ha, Ha-yeon, Yu-rim's egos, we three solve it. Fastest fix saves most lives."
Even cheatless, he was the Fixer.
Problem arises? Solve it.
-...
White-Faced Bride watching Nam Yu-ha via Token of Pure Love knew she wasn't the Fixer.
But ordered to protect, so she stayed put.
True Fixer wouldn't abandon floor 1.
Even inheriting memories, tendencies follow the body.
Nam Yu-ha could be Fixer-like, not Lee Do-hyun Fixer.
"Constitution fixed. Ready to go."
"Rooftop, then."
With Jeong Ha-yeon's body fully improved, the prepared trio moved for the rooftop.
******
2. Real Kang Se-yeon's perspective.
"Disgusting."
True Sage of the Blue, Kang Se-yeon spat blood-mixed saliva into the sink, staring at the shattered mirror.
She'd reclaimed her ego through self-harm, overwriting foreign memories blanketing her surface consciousness.
This befitted a Lunar Blossom Sage.
'Everyone here overlaid with new egos. How many realize? Fixer must've. No doubt—he'd revert faster than me.'
She couldn't check companions precisely.
Assumed Fixer back to normal already.
Planning under that.
'If someone has my ego... they'd head rooftop?'
Destination shifted: Ippae Hall to rooftop.
Problem: rooftop anomalies.
Not one. At least twelve, all incident-class or worse.
Kids meeting disaster-class? Unthinkable.
'Overlaid ego fools them into thinking it's theirs. Whoever got mine will rooftop for solution. Fixer'll hit floor 1 to save people. I must rooftop first.'
Unaware of Fixer's safeguards, Kang Se-yeon rushed from restroom.
Drew array on floor, deploying Tao art.
"Granny. Sorry to call after so long. Help me."
She summoned her hidden body spirit.
Kang Se-yeon: Taoist first, Lunar Blossom spirit medium too.
Like Mujin spirit mediums, she had one.
Just rarely called.
-What? You who never shows face. Desperate, huh?
"Very. Extremely."
-Tch. Calls only when needed. What'll you give? Gut ritual? You hate dressing up.
"I'll do it. Whatever you say. Lend me that."
-For real? Wow, first gut in ages! Fine, use it. Use well, return it. Got it?
"Got it. Thanks, Granny."
Kang Se-yeon cut connection.
Linking to Great Spirit drains lifespan.
Spirit medium common knowledge.
Longer talk, shorter life felt.
Bargain though. Borrow divine arms for one gut? Cheap.
Item floated over her array.
"Long time, Flying Bell."
Kang Se-yeon lifted the item from her body spirit.
A small knife with bell.
Exclusive to Firmament Taoist, lendable only by her spirit.
******
3. Lee Ha-ri's perspective?
Garam University Humanities Building, department office.
There, Lee Ha-ri opened her eyes.
"I see. So that's it."
Yellowish spores floated around her, whispers revealing she'd entered Lee Ha-ri's body.
Foolish spores whispered intel, clueless who possessed her.
"This is fun."
The entity possessing Lee Ha-ri found it hilarious.
Causing chaos to block intruders? Funny.
Foreign memories including its own? Amusing.
Believing this seals intrusion? Delightful.
Playtime. Opponent once beat it.
Challenging again with 'prank'? Thrilling.
"Good. If you'll chase past 'that' to play, I'm thrilled. Fun. Excited. Playtime again."
The entity absorbed floating spores.
Two existences overlapping one world? Cheat.
Fair penalty: extra clone.
Perfect hybrid inside barrier: Lee Ha-ri.
"Rooftop, huh. Coming soon, my eternal dream companion."
Seven Darkness pinpointed the computer.
******
4. Fixer's perspective
The Fixer entered floor 1.
Screams too loud to ignore.
Couldn't abandon their clamor, agony.
"Total mess."
He lamented seeing dying people.
Fallen profs, rampaging students. Good he didn't pass—salvageable lives.
The Fixer yelled to followers.
"Now, we fix mad students, save downed profs! Move! Yu-has and Ha-yeons upfront!"
Those thinking themselves Nam Yu-ha and male Jeong Ha-yeons suppressed berserkers.
More wanted pretty high school girls than thought. Or youth.
'Anomaly gives memory of desired other in university. Worked out.'
Dreaming of school days, college girls got Nam Yu-ha memories; boys wanting cuties got Jeong Ha-yeon's. Adults wanting youth got Ko Yu-rim's.
Finding pattern, Fixer rallied building occupants into Nam Yu-ha, Jeong Ha-yeon, Ko Yu-rim teams.
Those preferring pretty girl escape from harsh life.
Original memory owners hugely fond of Fixer, so obeyed readily.
"Here! Saved a dying prof!"
"Bring him."
Fixer activated Lurker on Threshold for safe zone, used prepared life-share IVs to revive.
'Se-yeon heading rooftop. Can trust her. I'll straight-shot later. Floor 1 first.'
Dual Ghost King and White-Faced Bride heading rooftop with kids too.
So Fixer delegated rooftop, focused rescues.
No one else to save them.
Fixer approached weakest at lowest spot first.