The Forbidden Ritual Under the New Moon

I made my wish on a pitch-black night without even moonlight. A figure in a black robe was climbing the Back Mountain behind the village, careful not to be seen by anyone.

What was there to hide? That figure was me!!

Three years ago, on a day when I was barely scraping by after losing my parents... I awakened as an awakener overnight and thought my life was finally turning around.

Of all things, I became a Black Magician, the job everyone shuns. On top of that, my trait and skill had zero combat ability!

Thanks to that, even though my trait and skill were super high-rank, my hunter rank was a measly E-rank. Shunned for my job, shunned for being useless, shunned just for existing... Those were my days.

I wanted to clear up the misunderstandings, but there was no way to do it.

'One more thing, but today it all ends!! Haha... hahaha!!!'

I wanted to laugh out loud, but... I couldn't make a racket in the dead of night. So, just in my head. Yeah, that'll ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠do.

I arrived at the spot I'd scouted in advance and started drawing the magic circle with the items I'd prepared.

The effect of my trait, Hell Summoning(S).

When I first got it, I was thrilled thinking I'd summon terrifying demons like Cerberus or succubi that make people tremble just hearing the name.

I hit back after reading just the start on both. Puppy blood from a newborn baby dog and guy's balls?? Even trying to get those would make me trash....

I'm a Black Magician, not a criminal.

...And even if I got the materials for succubus, it felt like it wouldn't respond to the summon anyway. Too harsh. Is this okay for an S-rank trait???

The other summoning methods were all similar. So while searching for a powerful summon that wouldn't turn me into human scum... I found this.

The materials were all simple things I could get right now....

...But the name was weird, and the explanation so sloppy, I hesitated to try it.

Still, with no other options, I looked again reluctantly, and the explanation had gotten longer. Guess I misread it first.

The updated recipe started with tricky terms like new moon and tiger hour, but a quick internet search cleared it up. New moon: no-moon night! Tiger hour: 3-5 AM!

The boring, pretentious stuff below was all searchable too. Just one thing: that weird hanja in the title. No idea what it meant.

Couldn't search without knowing how to read it. Even Papago's photo translate failed. Why won't the status window show up in photos anyway?

So yeah, I worried it might summon some horrific monster I couldn't even talk to.

'Still...'

My one and only skill, Deal(A).

Normal people won't trade with a Black Magician like me who has no combat skills and is ugly to boot, so I couldn't use it.

...But a demon I summon might do something with me, right?

...While thinking that, I finished drawing the magic circle.

I thought since 'your blood' was a material, I'd draw it with my blood, but nope—just scratch the dirt floor with a stick to match the shape.

The resulting circle wasn't the fancy round one with cool patterns you imagine... but a giant hand shape.

"......"

Somehow... it's kinda unsettling. I suspected from the description, but drawing it myself made the doubt stronger.

Am I the only one thinking of that famous ghost story 'The Monkey's Paw' right now? What if the wish gets granted in a twisted way??

I hesitated, then checked my phone: already 4:38 AM.

If I bail now and regret it... next new moon is about 30 days away. And for those 30 days, solo gate dives, risking my life alone, no help from anyone.

'...No more of that.'

...And thinking about it, Monkey's Paw has nothing to do with hell anyway. What was I scared of?

I shook off the gloom, pulled out the prepared items from my bag!! Materials I'd scrimped and saved for three ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠years to barely afford!

Minotaur's horn, kyoryong's claw, garuda's feather, giant monkey's tail hair, Nemean lion's mane. All at least B-rank, some A-rank—insanely expensive for an E-rank hunter's daily wage.

But I did it. Good job, me!

I placed the five materials in the palm of the hand-shaped circle.

Now left: human finger, my blood, and my precious treasure.

Treasure first. I pulled out my cherished treasure from inside the robe.

Blazing red eyes like hellfire! Pitch-black scales! Roaring GRRAAHH!! in a super cool pose!

A card from my nostalgic card game. Inflation's pushed it down—probably 500 won online now.

Not sure if a hell demon would count this as treasure, but nothing else came to mind, and I had nothing better.

It's not the price—it's the memories in the treasure... probably.

I placed my precious treasure (500 won) among the other pricey materials.

Now left: human finger and my blood. Can solve both at once.

Pulled the hand axe from inside the robe. My precious partner through three years.

Thinking about it, once I trade with a demon for OP power, I won't need you anymore. Don't worry—even if obsolete, I'll treasure you.

So, one last job.

Placed my left hand on the ground, gripped the axe right-handed.

Only one way to get finger and blood at once. No room for error.

If I mess up, the pain will stop me from swinging again.

Targeting left pinky. It'll hurt like hell, but still.

Slice—CRUNCH!!

"......!!!"

KIIIEEEEEEK!!!! It hurts so freaking much!!! Too much to even scream—I just collapsed, trembling.

****

Still hurts like hell, but can't stay down forever. Almost 5 AM.

Endured the pain, opened my eyes—successfully severed in one go. Bye-bye, my not-so-pretty left pinky.

Placed my finger as the final material on the circle. All prep done.

Now, just make the wish.

Kneeled at the center, clasped hands (awkward with missing finger), closed eyes.

I'd already decided the wish, so I prayed it in my heart.

From now on, I'll gain immense power, achieve everything with my own strength. This is surely my life's final wish!

...With that mindset.

:: Is that really all? ::

A voice echoed. Deep, resonant, from who-knows-where.

Weird. I summoned something from hell, but...

This voice was benevolent and warm, like an angel.

The angelic voice continued.

:: I'll give you one more chance. ::

"......"

The voice was so warm. Someone speaking to me so kindly after so long.

Unthinkingly, I wished. The true wish I'd buried deep, never planning to voice.

:: All... wishes... ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠granted. ::

"......Hah!"

I opened my eyes to morning already. Sunlight filtering through tree gaps dazzled me.

...When did I fall asleep?

"I made the wish and... Huh?"

What.

"Is that coming from my mouthyang?"

A voice came out. From my throat, mute since birth.

The wish... came true! Now I can!! Shout from my mouth!! Laugh out loud!!!

"Hahyahaha!!!......?"

But something's off. I'm a grown man past puberty.

Yet the voice from my mouth was more feminine... no, not even that. Just a kid's voice.

"Uwing?"

Realizing it, my body felt weird too. Looked down at my hands.

Calluses from years of hunting gone, replaced by soft, squishy hands. Ah, pinky regrew.

And my clothes are super baggy. Feels like I grew huge suddenly.

"No yang."

Not clothes grew—I shrank.

I... turned into a little kid?!

Hastily opened status window.

?????

First, my name changed to Mijeong on its own. No family name? Job no longer Black Magician, but new one blacked out.

Skill: something new, but name and rank unknown.

Only clear thing: new EX-rank trait. Little Lamb.

Wanted to check details right away, but.

"First, homeyang."

Sun's rising. This is ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠our village's Back Mountain... on the magic circle I drew.

And I'm a kid in baggy clothes. If people see me like this... straight to the police station?

Then....

-What? Used demon summoning? Are you sane?

-No yang!! Save meyang!!

-Now, quietly into jail. Become a good person. You're a Black Magician. Born for it.

"...Ugh."

First, escape this circle. Head to My Home, figure out new body and powers.

Gave up on pants and shoes, wrapped upper clothes and robe around me, descended the mountain. Feet all soft—hurt like crazy.