The Shadow Whisper's Curse
Kang Seungho of Red Circle discovered Gu Junseo's curse roughly four years from now.
No one knew how he had figured out it was a curse rather than an illness.
Yet it took Kang Seungho only four months to break that curse.
However……
“What is this?”
The black flame hovering above Junseo's head.
It was the despair of Dark Absorption that Dojin possessed.
Dojin's gaze turned ice-cold.
If Dark Absorption could draw out the curse inside this boy……
Dojin slowly extended his hand toward Junseo.
“Dark Absorption.”
Shhhrrraaak!
In that instant, the flame above Junseo's head rippled and was sucked straight into Dojin.
For a moment, Dojin's vision went pitch black.
Then a strange vision began to unfold before his eyes.
—Mom, Dad……!
His sight blurred.
The boy's final memory.
A black figure appeared, crimson eyes flashing as it wore a chilling smile.
Its mouth stretched unnaturally wide as the shadow lunged at the boy.
Along with the vision came a message.
You have absorbed the Nightmare Demon, Shadow Whisper's curse.
Further absorption may bind you to the Shadow Whisper's curse.
Would you like to absorb Gu Junseo's despair?
Dark Absorption: 12% completion.
‘12%……’
Dojin stared at the message floating before him.
If he could absorb this despair to 100%……
He glanced at Gu Jinmo watching from outside the ICU.
If the boy woke up right here, it would be nothing short of a miracle for Chairman Gu Jinmo.
‘No need to drag this out.’
He had already experienced curse-induced hallucinations in his previous life.
Dojin clenched his fist.
Right here, right now……
‘I’ll end it.’
His eyes flashed sharply.
“Dark Absorption.”
Shhhrrraaaaaak!
You have absorbed Gu Junseo's despair.
The Nightmare Demon, Shadow Whisper's curse is seizing control of your mind.
Dark Absorption: 28% completion.
‘Absorb…… absorb…… absorb…… absorb……!’
Dojin gritted his teeth and began drawing in every last drop of Gu Junseo's despair.
39%…… 51%…… 78%……
Strangely, the more despair Dojin absorbed, the more color returned to Junseo's pale skin. Even the respirator readings improved in real time.
But……
“Kgh……!”
An overwhelming pain surged through Dojin's entire body, forcing a groan from his lips.
Dojin had never once cried out even when a greatsword pierced his chest.
Yet this sensation was utterly alien and excruciating.
It felt as though a centipede with blades for legs was crawling inside his skull.
As if something were slowly crushing his eyeballs.
As if dozens of needles were stabbing ceaselessly into his ears.
Dojin clenched his fists.
He endured.
If he could dispel this curse right now, he would gain a backer equal to—or even greater than—Kang Seungho.
‘This is what I need most right now.’
He would not lose.
100%.
You have been completely overtaken by the Nightmare Demon, Shadow Whisper's curse.
Shadow Whisper smiles.
The Shadow Whisper's curse, ‘Hallucination,’ now dominates your mind.
Shhhrrraaak!
* * *
The pain that made him want to die vanished.
Dojin looked around.
‘Where……’
A world filled entirely with ash-gray.
The ground was sticky like a swamp, and the air carried a familiar stench.
“Why…… why did you kill me……?”
“Why did you kill us……?”
From beneath Dojin's feet, gray-skinned hands began rising from the swamp one after another.
Soon there were dozens.
Hundreds more clawed their way out of the ground and turned toward him.
All the people Dojin had killed until now.
The woman at the very front shed bloody tears as she spoke.
“After everything I did for you…… how dare you stab me in the back like this……!”
It was Lee Hyejin, Guild Master of the Firebird Guild.
Her empty eyes streamed blood as she staggered forward. Half her neck was severed, dangling loosely, and she clutched the wound with one hand.
“It hurts…… it hurts so much…… This is your doing…… your doing……!”
“Why did you kill meeeeee!”
“Why did you kill us!”
Starting with her, anguished screams erupted from every direction.
This was the curse.
The hallucination.
‘It’s…… fake.’
He knew that.
Yet Dojin still felt his mind growing distant.
The resentment pouring from the hundreds he had slain was far heavier than he had imagined.
His expression gradually hardened into the cold mask of his past self.
“I’m sorry. I…… didn’t know either.”
He had believed it would bring peace to the world.
He had thought it was a necessary sacrifice for the greater good.
That only then……
‘Would there be no more people who suffered like me.’
But it had been the wrong path.
By the time he realized it, he had already gone too far.
He tried to correct course, but……
Blood trickled from his tightly bitten lips.
Dojin spoke.
“So I’m doing it again. Without running away…… I’m trying to set things right.”
His eyes gleamed with a dangerous light.
Before he knew it, Blood Bane had appeared in his hand.
“You’re…… going to kill us again?”
“You’re going to slaughter us even though we’ve done nothing wrong?”
“Murderer! Murderer! You bloodthirsty maniac! We’ll never forgive you, even in death!”
The pressure felt as though it could crush him with sound alone.
Dojin looked up at the horde now filling the space around him.
“So this is your curse, Shadow Whisper?”
Yes. It must have been far too much for a child to bear.
He would have been swallowed whole by these things without being able to do anything.
But……
“You picked the wrong target.”
Dojin raised Blood Bane.
A crimson glow began to ripple along the blade. Then, the moment he kicked off the ground—
Slash!
The two revenants in front of him collapsed.
And at that instant—
Will you repeat the same mistake…… again?
A grotesque voice echoed inside his head.
Clumsy Korean.
An oppressive force slammed into him, strong enough to make his entire body flinch. At the same time, a crushing sense of helplessness washed over him, urging him to give up everything.
But in that moment, Dojin recalled the man's face.
—If you survive even here, come try to put a blade to my throat. I’ll be waiting.
Kang Seungho.
That man alone could never be forgiven.
Dojin’s eyes widened.
“If I have to do it a hundred times, a thousand times—however many it takes……!”
Crack!
The pressure bearing down on him shattered.
The voice wavered.
How…… can a human……
“Disappear.”
Dojin reached toward the revenants surrounding him.
“Dark Absorption.”
Shhhrrraaaaaaaaaak!
Their despair flowed into him. And then……
“Detonate.”
BOOOOOOOOOOM!
A massive explosion erupted, swallowing the entire area.
* * *
“……Where am I.”
When he opened his eyes, Dojin murmured softly while staring at an unfamiliar ceiling.
It wasn’t a hospital.
He slowly sat up and looked around.
He had no memory of this place. But then—
“Ah, sir! He’s awake!”
A woman’s voice rang out, followed by a commotion outside.
Multiple people were rushing over.
Dojin turned his head toward the door.
Soon, Chairman Gu Jinmo entered along with the chief secretary and several other aides.
“Ooooooh!”
The moment Gu Jinmo saw Dojin sitting up, his face filled with overwhelming emotion as he hurried forward.
Beside him stood a boy.
Gu Jinmo bowed at the waist and grasped Dojin’s hand.
“Thank you…… thank you so much.”
His expression looked as though he might burst into tears at any moment—completely at odds with his public image as the Iron-Blooded Arms Dealer.
Dojin glanced at the boy standing next to him.
One look was enough to recognize him as Gu Junseo.
Junseo lowered his head.
“Thank you. Truly.”
A formal, respectful bow.
Dojin asked,
“How many days was I unconscious?”
“Three days.”
The chief secretary answered.
Three days.
He had been out longer than expected.
Or perhaps he had woken up faster than anticipated.
He couldn’t be sure, but one thing was clear.
‘It worked.’
Dojin knew his gamble had paid off.
Still holding Dojin’s hand, Gu Jinmo suddenly exclaimed,
“Ah, how thoughtless of me. You’ve only just woken up—you must be disoriented. Rest a little longer. If you need anything, just say the word.”
Gu Jinmo turned to leave with the others.
Dojin shook his head.
“No, sir. Could you have everyone else step out?”
“……Are you sure you’re all right?”
“Yes. There isn’t much time.”
At Dojin’s words, Gu Jinmo nodded.
“Everyone, wait outside.”
“Understood.”
“……Grandfather.”
Junseo clutched at Gu Jinmo’s sleeve, reluctant to leave.
Gu Jinmo smiled kindly and patted the boy’s head.
“Grandfather has something important to discuss with the man who saved you. I’ll tell you later, so be good and wait outside for a bit.”
“……Yes.”
The chief secretary took Junseo’s hand and led him out.
Once everyone had left, Gu Jinmo looked at Dojin.
“How’s your body?”
“I won’t know until I try moving, but it doesn’t seem too bad.”
“That’s a relief…… truly a relief.”
Gu Jinmo murmured, nodding several times.
He then asked,
“I’m truly grateful. Thanks to you, my grandson opened his eyes. But…… how did you do it?”
Gu Jinmo was curious.
Every renowned doctor and healer-type hunter in the world had failed.
Dojin answered,
“Because your grandson wasn’t sick to begin with.”
“He wasn’t sick?”
Gu Jinmo’s brow furrowed.
Dojin continued,
“It was a curse. A high-grade one, from a Nightmare Demon.”
“A Nightmare Demon…… some kind of monster? How could they curse humans outside a dungeon?”
“I don’t know that much. That’s why I approached it as breaking a curse rather than treating an illness.”
“……I see.”
Gu Jinmo nodded.
His curiosity was satisfied.
After all, Junseo had woken up.
Gu Jinmo looked at Dojin.
“Well then, tell me. How much did you write on that blank check?”
The moment Junseo woke and called him grandfather while clinging to him, Gu Jinmo had made a vow.
He would give this young man anything he wanted.
Even if he asked for the world, Gu Jinmo would make it happen.
Dojin met his gaze.
“There’s something I have to do.”
Gu Jinmo listened in silence.
He didn’t know how long it would take, but one thing was certain……
“It’s something I must do myself. Until it’s finished, please be my backer.”
“Be your backer. Does that include illegal activities?”
“I don’t know. But I’ll do my best to avoid them.”
“Hahahaha, you’re more upright than I expected.”
“……Sir?”
At Dojin’s question, Gu Jinmo’s eyes sharpened.
“What kind of path do you think I took to reach this position?”
In that moment, Dojin understood.
Though their fields differed, Chairman Gu Jinmo had also walked a path paved in blood.
Gu Jinmo spoke.
“I promise you this. From now on, I will do everything in my power to support you. Even if it means turning against this entire country.”
“……”
Dojin doubted he would go that far, but it showed just how firm Gu Jinmo’s resolve was.
Dojin bowed his head.
“I’ll be counting on you from now on, sir.”
He had obtained the ultimate card.