Monster. Yes, that's the simplest term to describe it.
A landscape stripped of all reason. Yet I must not cease thinking—cessation of thought is death itself. I wrench my frozen mind into motion, forcing myself to make sense of this situation.
"Did the Behemoth bring this here?"
"Y-yeah. It's either gone already or maybe it was never here."
The one I expected to help, Ling, is nowhere to be seen—either she never followed me in, or she slipped out while I was frozen.
"Who are you?"
"Hard to say. More to the point, dragging me here already— that beast has clearly gone senile."
Senile… It must have lived an impossibly long time.
"But answer me first. Who are you? I'm well past any chuunibyou phase—hell, I dropped that years ago."
"That's a question I'd like you to answer first. Who are you? How did you come to inhabit this dead body?"
Dead body…this body?
"You really have no clue, do you? Thanks to you, I'm trapped in here."
"I don't know what any of that means, but it's a windfall for me."
No, it's no windfall—I'm enduring every hardship firsthand.
"By the way—how was my flame?"
"So you were the one behind that? It was incredible!"
"Incredible? What exactly does that mean?"
"It was top-notch. Absolutely the best."
"Hahaha! Is that so? Is that why I asked who I am?"
"…Oh. Was that out of line?"
"Out of line? Doesn't matter. You're the only one here to listen anyway. I am a Mountain Spirit—or perhaps I was?"
Mountain Spirit. It definitely said that even after seeing that bull, right?
"Don't compare me to those impostors. They don't deserve the name Mountain Spirit."
"Then what are you?"
"Mountain Spirit was the title of Danguk's deities—the children of the Shrine Tree. Now it's degraded to label the alpha beasts of the peaks, but originally…"
Children of a god…then you are…
"So you claim divinity?"
"Look at your manners… not even worth a single fist."
"Go ahead—kill me if you want. I'd die from a single blow anyway."
"Why such a creature would harbor me… tch. My luck's rotten."
Strangely insulting—what's wrong with me? I'm hardly worthless. I'm at least top-rank, right?
"Hey, time's almost up. I have one favor to ask."
"What is it?"
"Stare at a woman's chest a whole lot."
"…You call yourself a god, you bastard. That's pathetic."
"It's instinct—instinct. And if you were trapped here, you'd have nothing to look at but the world beyond this room."
At that absurd remark, I was thrown out into the corridor.
"Did you have a good conversation?"
"No… I still have so many questions: Why call me a failure? Why is that thing inside me? And also…"
"And?"
"Why did he tell me to stare at a woman's chest?"
"Heh. That child hasn't changed."
"You know him?"
"Yes. Though it was eons ago."
If even Ling calls it eons ago, how many millennia are we talking?
"Don't worry about that. It's just his instinct."
"A god claiming that staring at breasts is instinct… this world's insane."
"Even gods differ only by vessel—perhaps the essence of life isn't so different across the board."
"Really? Then I'll go back and…"
When I reached for the doorknob again, Ling's tail whipped around my hand and yanked me backward. The force lifted me off the ground and pushed me several steps back.
"Why? You let me in earlier."
They say seeing is believing. Instead of answering, Ling picked up a small pebble and flicked it toward the door.
Crack!
A massive magic circle flared before the door, hissing violet lightning as if to bar any touch, pulverizing the pebble to dust.
"Does that answer your question?"
"Uh… that locking mechanism is pretty hardcore."
"Then let us descend. Leaving a lone cup of liquor behind would violate the code of a true drinker."
"…Understood."
So I turned my back on the door and retraced the path downward.
"But how do I return? To wake from this dream, I should…"
"Don't do that. Wounding your own body is hardly a proper method. You'll wake naturally. Why not spend the time talking with me?"
"But can someone like me really be worthy of drink? A mere twelve-year-old's tale can't be that interesting."
"Nonsense. Every story becomes better when it meets good liquor—even dull tales make fine drinking fare."
"My goodness… gods really are a different breed."
One was a beast fixated on breasts, the other a drunken raconteur.
"Actually, I'd rather hear your tale. When else will I get to hear a god's yarn?"
"Is that so? My stories come at a steep price."
"I have nothing to offer."
"Oh? Then how about this: one day, bring fine liquor, and I'll hear your story."
"And what qualifies as good liquor to you?"
"That's for you to discover. How about it? A fair bargain?"
"Hm… fine. I've got time and nothing better to do."
"Then what story shall I tell… ah, yes. That one will do."
"Eh? You mean that's real? Can that be?"
"It's real, indeed. Have you only ever been deceived?"
"I've been fooled a few times—almost had my organs harvested."
"Dear me. For someone so young, you've led an eventful life. I might find your tale more entertaining."
"Ptoo ptoo— You can't cancel now."
"Ha ha, don't worry. I'll look forward to your story at its ripe stage; that seems far more amusing."
"You sicko… hhaaam… hmn… hmn…"
"Well, this time is over. Until we meet again. It shouldn't be long before we cross paths once more."
As the world blurred into gray and Ling's face merged with the sky,
"Sniff… auh… what time is it?"
"Five AM. If you leave now, you'll catch the morning bus."
"Right… ugh, let's go."
"Why do you look so pale?"
"What's your problem? You want to pick a fight?"
"No, it's not that. It's just… everything felt so dark."
"Is that so? I just had a restless sleep, is all. I don't recall much."
So it was finally time to return. The first mission had been successful.
"Everyone's gone out, Father."
"I never expected such young children to be of the Sword Sect. No, judging by the scene, that might be exactly what they were capable of."
Even the Grade-Five operatives on the field team were stunned by the atrocity and the clean, one-sided massacre. Especially the Oripathy attack using a vehicle—they'd assumed a veteran mercenary, only to find someone my son's age.
"That child may soon be designated a purge target by the Seven Association."
Slaughterer. The title for the murderers flagged as persons of interest within the Sword Sect after it went awry. If they truly are those children, they will be monsters called Slaughterers. My field experience tells me so.
"Don't worry, son. I won't turn traitor and rat you out now."
My instincts tell me not to uproot those children—nascent Slaughterers—as though they were weeds. They are young trees destined to soak this ravaged land, twisted by corrupt ministers and reversed authorities, back to life.
'I hope my instincts are right.'
Though, in the end, they're just instincts.
"You're back, I see."
"Sitting at a desk and sleeping does no favors for your back."
"How are the children?"
"They're on their way here, bearing good news. Perhaps it's because they're Magpies."
"That's fortunate. So, how was the child named Baekhyun?"
"An interesting one. I can see why you found him intriguing."
"You know I wasn't asking that."
"Ah, yes. Of course. That child… is not among the living."
"A hard concept to grasp."
"Literally so. A vessel containing a Mountain Spirit. Yet, somehow, a vessel shattered from within still retains its contents without spilling… truly bizarre, isn't it?"
"Gui Tai. It is not the child of the living, nor of the dead. A child alive yet not alive. That is my answer."
Not of the living, yet not of the dead. A truly strange child. How was such a lofty Magpie abandoned in a back alley? How did Liberi manifest such power? What were those eyes? All answers lay beyond understanding.
"Then let us go receive them. You should prepare to greet the children, yes?"
"Yes. Travel safely."
Ling was already gone. Only the sweet aroma of liquor remained.
Snap
"…My back still hurts."
Wise elders weren't wrong, after all.
"Attention: The Otis children are returning."
"Is that so? Good news indeed."
"I trust they did not fail?"
"Please set down the med kit and spare me the scolding—my apologies, I'll hold my tongue."
"And Faust, I'd like to review some documents. Call me when the children arrive."
I will need to research Gui Tai, and also the Mountain Spirit that inhabits."