CHAPTER 43 - Short Vacation. Part 2.
This idiot doesn't just fail to hide his identity—he's also jeopard of messing with my secret identity. This fool is putting my normal life at risk. If any of these members of the stupid "Shadow Paradise" get kidnapped by the ghost hunter organization, Nergio's identity will be exposed. And if that happens, they'll realize that I, Saik, a supposedly normal student, am actually Shadow. Why would Saik be with Nergio? It doesn't matter if my excuse is that Nergio was a friend of my late mother—with all the suspicions they've gathered about me, they'll definitely confirm I'm Shadow.
First, there's the suspicion about why I was walking in areas without security cameras on the exact days Shadow made his moves. My excuse is that I was visiting certain stores, but with this, that excuse won't hold up anymore.
"You've put my normal life at risk. You think I'll let you live?"
"W-Wait, please."
…Hmm…
No one's trying to protect him… Isn't Nergio their leader? Why aren't they doing anything to stop me from killing him?
Nergio's supposed to be the leader of this organization, the most important member. Why aren't they acting? Are they that confident I won't kill him?
"Master, y-your normal life isn't in danger. I swear on my son's life!"
…Nergio loves his son too much, so he must be pretty damn sure of what he said.
I glanced at the members. Black auras, small but still auras. All of them can naturally see ghosts. How is this possible? The ghost hunter organization forcefully recruits everyone they find with that ability. There are elderly people here, but also young kids. How did Nergio find them before the hunters did? Does he have some special skill?
What shocked me most wasn't that, but the fact that the kids are acting like seasoned warriors. They're silent and calm in this situation. Even I, who pride myself on maturing early, wasn't like this as a kid. I was still childish and did dumb things, but these kids are dead serious.
"Speak."
"Everyone here has sworn loyalty to you, Master. Our bodies carry a curse. If any of us tries to betray your trust, we'll die, and our souls will be destroyed. Please, trust us."
…
A curse can be broken with enough spiritual power, but if it's embedded in the soul, it can't be removed. Nergio's family specializes in curses. I remember when Nergio's mom and María, back when they were my enemies, put a curse on me. It was a pain to break, even for me.
Since I became an ally of the Alvanem Rosa family when we fought the former wielder of Legendary Ghost Number 58, the Ghost of Sexual Pleasure, I didn't kill them—I spared their lives… Well, not entirely. I humiliated them in front of their whole family by spanking them both. A punishment Number 31 suggested.
If Nergio personally placed the curse, I might be able to trust him. I only broke that curse thanks to the power of the Legendary Ghost of Protection, but to get it, I had to fight Faye, and after Faye, that wannabe superhero. Luckily, I won both fights and got two more legendary ghosts: Number 74 and Number 68, the Ghost of Endurance.
Right now, I think I'm the only one who could break curses… Well, the Goddess of Ghosts and her minions could too, but they already know my identity.
"You placed the curse?"
"Yes, and I have it too."
"Oh… Fine…"
I let him go and approached one of them—a young man, probably around 25.
I stroked his chin and looked closely at him.
"His heart rate spiked, but he's staying calm. Probably thought I'd kill him."
They're still human, with their own personalities and lives.
I stepped back and sighed. This situation's annoying, but I guess it's at least a positive for the world.
"Why'd you gather them? What's the purpose of this organization?"
"The main goal is to protect the world. The number of evil ghosts has increased, along with demons."
Number 31 told me the ghost hunter organization has only caught normal ghosts, nothing dangerous. That's weird.
"Have you expanded your control?"
"Thanks to my own power improving, the number of ghosts under my command rose to 10,890, allowing me to expand surveillance, not counting the ghosts controlled by the rest of my family."
Those who can naturally see ghosts have the power to control them, but the amount depends on the user's strength. Typically, a person can only control 10 ghosts, but by improving their soul and body, that number increases. Last time I saw Nergio, he controlled just 2,000 ghosts, which is still impressive compared to other ghost hunters.
Without legendary ghosts, I could control 100,000 ghosts. Each legendary ghost is worth 1,000 regular ones. That's why I can only control a few normal ghosts besides them, including Yuki.
That's why I had to improve my body and soul—to withstand the power of legendary ghosts. If I hadn't, I'd have died.
"Is that the only purpose of Shadow Paradise? By the way, couldn't you think of a better name? Shadow Garden sounds cooler."
"That's already used in a novel. I wanted to be more original."
They're still pretty similar.
"Everyone here was an orphan, homeless, abandoned, or had lost hope. We give them a new chance at life and a home."
He approached a woman.
"This is Number 98. She was raped by her uncle as a little girl, but her family did nothing and forbade her from telling the police. One of our members, thanks to a ghost sensing her sadness, investigated and found out what happened. We stopped her from committing suicide and gave her a new home."
"Did you kill the uncle?"
"Of course."
Perfect. I hope they tortured him slowly first.
"And could she naturally see ghosts, or did you do something I don't know about?"
"…Master, our scientists improved the formula the ghost hunter organization uses, fully granting the ability to see ghosts."
"You found the ultimate formula?"
"Yes. Thanks to the blood sample you gave me, our scientists improved the base formula."
Honestly, I only gave him my blood because I thought improving the formula was impossible. Even the ghost hunter organization's scientists have tried and failed. Is my blood really that special? Well, I guess, after the Goddess of Ghosts, I'm the only human who's captured so many legendary ghosts, improving my body in the process.
"Wow… You really surprised me, Nergio."
"But we're keeping it secret. We know if it's misused, the world would be in danger. We made only 1,000 doses and then erased all traces of the formula, including the scientists' memories."
That's obvious—the world would be screwed if some mad scientist or even the ghost hunter organization used that power for evil. For example, if I wanted, I could rule the world, but this world's lucky I don't care to (mostly because I'm too lazy). Even a normal person with natural ghost-seeing powers, without a legendary ghost, could become a threat. Like that fat rapist I killed. He used his power to hypnotize married women and rape them. If I hadn't noticed his power, he'd still be raping women without consequences. He's still suffering in Number 99's artificial hell.
I looked at the people around me… Probably about 550.
"How many members do you have?"
"We have—you're our leader…"
"You have. I'm sticking to my normal life; I want nothing to do with this. I'll ask again: How many members do you have?"
"…879, and we're still recruiting. We plan to have 900."
"I see."
I raised my hand.
"How many here have kids?"
A good chunk raised their hands.
"How many have partners?"
Another good chunk… I see, they've found love. Now, the final test.
"How many here have extroverted personalities?"
Fewer hands went up, but several did.
I approached a girl who raised her hand.
"Act normal, please. Hi, I'm Shadow."
"I-It's an honor to meet you! I've heard the stories about you! I'm a huge fan! C-Can I get your autograph?!"
I see… The ability to see ghosts doesn't affect personality. That's confirmed.
So, I'm expressionless just because I was born that way? Oh… Well, at least I've confirmed I wasn't just born weird because of my ghost-seeing power—I'd still be weird without it.
"Hmm… I guess you guys might have a shot at defeating her."
"Defeating her? Who're you talking about, Master?"
"The Goddess of Ghosts."
•
•
(Pov- Sylphie.)
Wow. The bed's huge! And there are two! Is this how millionaires sleep?! Wow! I gotta try it!
I sat on the bed. A-Amazing. It's so comfy! I've never been on such a comfortable bed.
"First time in a hotel, Sylphie?"
"Y-Yeah. Is it that obvious?"
"Pretty much."
Not just my first time in a hotel—my first time in such a fancy one! They even have the famous free candies!
Next to the bed, there's a jar full of candies. Hehe. Saik would probably eat them all himself.
I'll take one.
I opened the jar and grabbed one… Oh… This isn't candy!
"Getting ready for your night with Saik? Should I sleep in the bathroom?"
"I-I thought they were candies!"
Why's there a jar of condoms?! And so many! I take it back—I hope Saik doesn't use any!
W-Well, he doesn't have a girlfriend, and I don't think he's the type to sleep with a girl he barely knows or isn't dating.
Same goes for me! I'll only have sex with my husband! I'll stay pure for marriage!
"Well, Sylphie, now that we're alone, I'd like to talk."
Oh, Ram wants to talk. That's unusual.
"Sure. What's up?"
"You got a 75 average. Do you think you earned it on your own, or was it thanks to Saik?"
"…Well… Yeah… It was thanks to Saik."
Definitely thanks to him. Before, I couldn't focus on studying because of my school and mom issues, but since Saik protected me from the people who bullied me and my mom stopped drinking, my life's been calmer. I had no trouble studying, and with Saik's help, I improved fast.
Oh… D-Does Saik bring me good luck? Since I met him, my life's been pain-free and has improved so much. My mom regretted trying to kill herself, my lonely school life became fun, and my grades improved thanks to him.
That's probably why I like Saik.
"Saik knows you perfectly."
"Huh?! W-Why do you think that?!"
"With Evelyn and the others, he didn't know how to teach them exactly, but with you, he knows just how to explain. I noticed that easily, and from your expressions, you got what he said right away."
"Y-Yeah… I guess he's gotten used to teaching me."
"Gotten used to, huh… I see… Having a friend like him is pretty beneficial, right?"
"Yeah… He's a good friend."
"But I saw him first!"
Evelyn… Well, I don't see her as a rival since Saik finds her annoying… B-But she shows too much skin! Saik's a guy! I-I'm starting to worry a bit.
"Evelyn, Saik would never fall for you. And if I were a guy, I wouldn't either. You seem like an easy girl, and you're pretty dumb."
"Hehe. You're just saying that because you're flat."
"Huh?"
"You've got no feminine charm, nothing to show off."
"I'd rather have nothing than be an idiot."
"Oh, the excuses of a flat board."
They glared at each other. T-They're getting mad. What do I do?
Someone knocked on the door. Oh, I hope it's Saik. He could calm things down.
"Girls, we're going to dinner! Let's go!"
Oh, no, it's Naok.
"Well, I'm hungry."
"Eating won't help your chest grow."
"At least it gives me energy for my brain to work. All your fat goes to your chest, so your brain doesn't function."
T-They're fighting again. Aren't we on vacation? Enjoy it and stop arguing!
Ugh… Without Saik, the vibe gets tense. Where is he?
•
•
(Pov- Saik.)
"Please, Master, don't abandon us to our fate!"
After telling all the members everything I know about the Goddess of Ghosts, they obviously freaked out. She's an enemy with power equal to mine, but I suspect she's even stronger.
Nergio calmed them, saying they had my help. To keep them calm, I didn't say I won't fight, but when Nergio and I were alone, I made it clear I'm not giving up my normal life and won't fight.
Obviously, he got super nervous and scared, and now he's on the floor, clinging to my leg, dragging himself as he begs me to help defeat the Goddess of Ghosts. I'm not falling for the pity act.
"Have mercy, Master! The organization's total power will drop without you! You're our trump card! Don't abandon us!"
Luckily, we're under the hotel; no one can hear his whining. I'm used to Nergio's personality, so I'm spared the secondhand embarrassment.
Hmm… We're here. Which door is it?
"Which door?"
"The right one, lord. Please, reconsider!"
Ignoring his sobs, I put my hand on the knob.
"Yuki's behind this door, so shut up."
I opened the door, and Nergio immediately stood, brushing off his pink suit.
We entered this huge area where Yuki and María are floating in the pool, drinking something from coconuts.
"Oh, this is the life. I haven't enjoyed a pool in years."
"Saik didn't have a pool at his house?"
"Nope! And the cheapskate won't get one!"
"Cheapskate, huh?"
"Uwaaah!"
Yuki lost focus, stopped floating, and spilled her tasty coconut drink. What a waste.
"S-Saik, I thought you were with your friends!"
"I told you, no pool. That's for rich people; I'm poor."
"Are you having financial issues, Ma-Saik?"
He almost called me Master. I nearly punched him.
"No, but it's running low. I'll start selling drawings online to get by."
"Want to be a graphic designer?"
"Nah, I just like drawing. Graphic design doesn't interest me."
And if I weren't planning to kill myself, I'd study to be a doctor like my mom.
…Huh?
"Huh?! María, what do you think you're doing?!"
Yuki, I'm the one who should be shocked and nervous. María grabbed my hand and placed it on her flat chest.
"Hehe. I didn't make you nervous back then. Now that you're a teen with raging hormones, you'll definitely get flustered."
I pulled my hand back and patted her head.
"I'm not attracted to girls your age."
"I'm 35!"
"But you look like an 11-year-old. I'm not a pedophile, and you shouldn't do that. I have a reputation to uphold."
"Reputation?"
"Yeah, as a normal guy who doesn't stand out."
I'm proud of my normal self. It took a lot, but I'm finally someone normal, with a normal life.
"You're the furthest thing from normal I've ever met!"
Those words pierced my heart and hurt. Hey, hey, hey. Are you saying all my effort was for nothing? I don't stand out for my looks, maybe a bit for my body, but that's it. I don't have friends, but two or three people consider me one. I'm not popular or unpopular. I'm average. Clearly, I'm normal.
My past self wasn't normal at all, but the current Saik is very normal… I hope.
"Oh… Well, I'm out."
"I'll walk you, Saik."
I turned to Yuki.
"You staying here?"
"They're bringing shrimp soon! I'll leave in an hour!"
"Alright, I'll wait for you in… Hmm…"
From what I've researched, normal students on vacation with friends or classmates stay up late playing and talking. It's a hassle, but if I want to be a normal student, I need to act like one.
Yuki would probably feel awkward sleeping with noisy guys like Naok or Bell.
"María, can Yuki sleep in your room?"
She looked at me (probably at my eyes, though she has no face to tell, and my eyes aren't visible either). I sense some malice in her.
She put her hands behind her back and leaned closer. If she had a face, she'd look cute, but without one, she's kinda creepy.
"Dunno. Maybe if you give me a kiss, I'll agree."
I crouched and kissed her forehead.
"Easy. Keep your promise. Bye."
I tried to leave, but she grabbed my arm, stopping my smooth exit.
"Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey! What the hell was that?!"
"A kiss."
"Kisses need to be given with love! Don't be so cold!"
She started stomping, crossing her arms in a huff.
"What's a kiss with love like?"
She floated in front of me.
"Like this!"
…She's just pressing her head against my face. I expected something more… interesting?
"Hey…"
"Don't interrupt our first love kiss!"
"But… You're just pressing your head against my face."
"I know! Ahhhhh! I hate not having a face! At least imagine I'm giving you a big kiss on the lips and our tongues are hugging!"
Tongues hugging? Gross.
"Hey, Saik, has María always been like this with you?"
"No, Yuki. You see her as a lovesick girl now, but she hated me back then."
And even tried to kill me.
"T-That's in the past! I barely knew you; it doesn't count!"
"Oh… I gotta go."
I kissed her cheek.
"That's all I can give you. Bye."
I walked away, and Yuki floated beside me.
"Wow. You broke a ghost girl's heart too. You're merciless."
"He really is," Nergio said, probably referring to me not helping with the Goddess of Ghosts.
"I've never fallen in love, and she's no exception. See you later, Yuki. Don't stay up too late."
"No promises!"
She floated off, and Nergio and I left the area.
Almost immediately, Nergio clung to my right leg again.
"Please, Master, I'll do anything! Don't leave us to our fate!"
Ugh, this is gonna take a while.
•
•
(Pov- Yuki.)
Saik won over a ghost girl, huh? Sylphie, Evelyn, and a ghost girl. Three girls at once. They're lucky Saik's not a womanizer! Even though he's solitary and reserved, he's super lucky with women. Saik's the envy of men, though he doesn't take advantage of it.
"Hey, how'd you two meet? Saik said you hated him before, and I'm curious to know more."
"…Sorry, I can't tell you."
"Huh? Why?"
"Sorry, it's a secret."
More secrets… Saik warned me never to dig into his past. I've always been curious about it and why he doesn't think he's a good person, but I can't know. If he's hiding it, it's something he regrets or is ashamed of. I want to know, but I won't ask more. I'll wait until he tells me himself, and if he never does, that's fine. The past is gone; only the present matters.
But I'm really curious. Why doesn't he think he's a good person?
•
•
(Pov- The Wooden Doll.)
Shadow's here, and my new toy arrives tomorrow. Bit by bit, everything's coming together.
Be patient, Shadow. We'll play soon. Don't get impatient; your turn's coming. Be patient.
"It'll be worth the wait."
I don't hate you, Shadow. I just want you dead. Seeing a powerful being fall is always satisfying.
"And you know that feeling, don't you, crybaby?"
A coward like you didn't deserve to win. He should've won. You just got lucky because he pitied you.
"But I won't."
We'll play a little game. Can you win? We'll see.
•
•
(Pov- Sylphie.)
This view is beautiful. Eating here feels weird, but I'm loving it. The rooftop view lets me see the whole city… Wow.
"The crater…"
It's my first time seeing it in person. A kilometer wide. When the meteor hit, hundreds died, leaving this massive crater. I've always wondered what the meteor was like and its size, but no traces were found.
To think a meteor could hit the planet at any moment and kill us all. We never know the exact day we'll die.
There's so much I want to do before I die. I want my own home, my own manga, even an anime! But there's something else I want to do before I die…
"Oof, that hurt. I imagined falling from this height. I'd definitely die instantly."
Saik…
He walked up and stood beside me.
I want him to be part of one of my dreams—starting a family. A husband and two kids. I wonder if I have a chance with him.
"You interested in the crater? I was planning to check it out tomorrow. Wanna come, or are you going to the aquarium?"
Exactly what I wanted to do! I want to see it up close. A meteor crater isn't something you see every day.
"C-Course! I'll go with you."
The others are going to the aquarium, so it'll just be Saik and me… I-I don't think it's wrong to consider it a date. I mean, it checks all the boxes.
"So many people died because of the meteor. Life's unpredictable, huh?"
"Yeah, I agree."
Life always brings surprises, good and bad.
"Hey, Sylphie, I wanna ask you something."
"Y-Yes?"
I-Is this the moment where the guy tells the girl he likes her? M-My heart's racing. I'm so nervous! How do I say yes?! I'd obviously be his girlfriend, but I don't know how to accept! Do I just say yes?! S-Should I hug him?! Maybe kiss him!
"If you had a couple years left to live, what would you do before you died? Imagine the world's ending in, I dunno… three or four years? What would you do?"
"Oh…"
Too good to be true, b-but I'm not complaining! It's way too soon for that anyway! Ahhh! Don't be so easy, Sylphie!
"Well… I guess I'd be with my mom and do what I've always dreamed of. Travel to another country and have lots of friends. I also want to skydive. I'm a coward, but I've always dreamed of doing it."
"Travel to another country and skydive. Got it… I'd just enjoy a normal school life and try new dishes. Oh, speaking of dishes, dinner's ready. Let's go."
"Y-Yeah."
Good, Saik's getting closer to me. M-My feminine charms are working…! I think.
•
•
(Pov- Saik.)
I looked at the crater one last time. Hundreds died, and hundreds more lost their homes. I thought talking to Sylphie would make me feel something, but I just can't feel empathy for those people.
Kids, babies, elderly, women, men, dogs, cats—so many people and animals died that day, but… I still don't care.
That day, all I cared about was defeating the wielder of Legendary Ghost Number 58. Nothing else mattered. When all those people died because of me, I just thought, "Wow. Is Legendary Ghost Number 74 that powerful?" I didn't think about the people who died. Even now, I feel nothing for those deaths.
I guess I'll always be a cold guy… Why am I like this? I don't know.
When I was a kid, I loved being with my parents and playing in the park. I was a happy kid; I felt joy. When my parents died, I cried, tried to kill myself, got depressed, felt sad, and was angry at myself for not keeping my promise to protect them. I'm a human with feelings, but only selfish ones. Anything that doesn't involve me just doesn't matter… Why am I like this? If I don't know, no one does.
•
•
(Pov- Nergio.)
"Alright… I guess everyone knows the current situation."
The Master won't help with the problem called "The Goddess of Ghosts." Legendary Ghost Number 101, and according to him, she's as powerful as he is. Considering he defeated Number 100, the Goddess is an even deadlier threat. No wonder he calls her Number 101.
My family tried to help in the battle against Number 100, but we were defeated by its mere minions. If the Master hadn't destroyed them, we'd be dead. We were lucky to be considered his allies; otherwise, he wouldn't have saved us, just like he didn't save the ghost hunters.
I know we could only dream of fighting Number 101, but I trust the Master. If he says we have a chance, I believe him. Plus, thanks to his blood, we've developed better weapons that can harm ghost souls. We still have time to prepare; I can't be pessimistic.
Lost in thought, my mom's words snapped me back to reality.
"And according to Saik, we'll meet a new Shadow in the future."
"A new Shadow?"
"He has a successor. A woman."
The Master's training a successor? I knew he wouldn't let me down! He wants to keep his normal life but is training someone to be the new Shadow! I doubt she'll be as powerful as him, but if he sees her as his successor, he's certain she's worthy. If he trusts her, I trust her.
"But what about the legendary ghosts? Will he give them to her?" my younger sister asked.
I doubt it. The Master would never lend a legendary ghost, let alone give them away, considering how much he suffered to get them. He wouldn't even lend me one, his loyal student. But if his successor proves trustworthy, it's not hard to imagine him giving them to her to be the new Shadow at 100%.
Oh, I wish he'd consider me as his successor. I mean, I was his first student. Isn't it logical for the first student to be the successor? But I won't complain. If he chose this woman, he has his reasons. Maybe she has power even greater than mine. I'm sure he trusts me, so his choice was based on power over trust.
"The issue is still the Goddess of Ghosts. She's a mystery, even to Saik. All he knows is she fought Number 100 to a draw, but that's it," my nephew said.
"And she's not the only problem. There's that cursed ghost, 'The Wooden Doll.' Saik said it's powerful, but not as much as the Goddess," my younger brother said.
"And the man he mentioned, the one with tough skin," my niece added.
They're right. The Goddess has minions, powerful but not as much, since Number 74 stopped one's attack, causing the Goddess to eliminate it to keep Saik from capturing it.
The Master told us that, despite being weaker than the Goddess, we shouldn't get cocky. Ghosts with negative energy always have surprises.
In the past, I got overconfident with the wielder of Number 58. Since he only had one legendary ghost, I thought he'd be no match, but I was dead wrong. If the Master hadn't shown up, I'd be dead.
This situation sucks, but I have faith we'll win. There'll be deaths—that's inevitable—but it's a price to pay to keep the world safe.
"Now, changing the subject, we need to decide right now if we'll tell him 'he' is back."
The mood tensed. Everyone here knows how the Master feels about that person. The only person I can say Saik hates with all his heart.
"Hercules…"
The man who brought the Master to his knees.
"The Master destroyed his soul. I still think it's just an impostor, Mom."
"His soul is identical. It's impossible for two souls to be the same."
"There's gotta be a trick. Maybe the Goddess of Ghosts' doing."
"That's why we need to decide if we tell Saik. He hates Hercules, but he wants his normal life. Do we respect his decision and say nothing to keep his life normal?"
"…I don't know."
Master, what would you do if you knew?
(Extra - Legendary Ghost Number 4. Ghost of Bad Luck. The Crazy "Loli.")
(Pov- Saik, age 6.)
"No way, no way!"
"Saik, eat the cake! You need sugar; you're too skinny!"
"I don't like sweets, Dad!"
I don't need to eat sweet stuff! I hate sweets! What kind of dad gets mad at his kid for not wanting candy? It's illogical.
"Found it."
Number 3's voice. It found Legendary Ghost Number 4. Was it really in that casino? The Ghost of Bad Luck in a casino. Poor gamblers—no wonder they lose so much.
"I'd rather study than eat cake!"
I stood from the table and ran upstairs.
My dad sighed.
"Why's he like that?"
I stopped before opening the door… Did he get mad because I didn't want cake? No, more importantly, I heard his sigh and whisper from up here on the second floor? That's weird. Oh, my hearing's improving. Last night, I heard moans from my parents' room—probably ghosts mourning their deaths or something.
My hearing's better, huh? That's good, though I wish my eyesight would improve. Glasses are annoying.
I entered my room and activated Number 3, shifting to my Shadow form.
"You're weird, Master. Why don't you like sweets? I love them!"
"Too much sugar, too cloying. I prefer salty stuff or foods like pasta and bread."
Putting that aside, I need to plan carefully. My strategy is to pretend I don't see her and hit her hard. I have three legendary ghosts, so combining their powers with my soul, I can take her out in one hit. Plus, her power is bad luck—not something that directly harms me. The early legendary ghosts are weak, but I'll soon face stronger ones.
"And I'll be ready."
•
•
Living in the Capital is great. The best spots are here, but I'll have to travel soon. How do I convince my parents? I'll figure it out later.
I waited until an adult entered the casino, then slipped in. According to Number 3, Legendary Ghost Number 4 is in a basement below. The door's password-protected, but no worries—Number 3 memorized it.
We reached the farthest part. The door's guarded by two armed men. Number 3 said this is where they "deal" with troublemakers. Maybe they negotiate with debtors or something.
First, I'll make them sick. I used Legendary Ghost Number 1 to give them stomachaches. Oops, I overdid it—they're shitting themselves.
Well, at least they're distracted.
Number 1 and Number 3 emerged from me and knocked out the guards with simultaneous face punches.
"Perfect."
I put on gloves and entered the password. Can't leave any traces.
The door opened, and I went in.
Ugh. This place stinks. What do they… Huh?
"W-What is this?"
"Corpses," Number 1 said.
"C-Corpses?"
"Dead people. Lifeless. Human remains."
"D-Dead?"
B-Blood, human remains everywhere, naked women with white stuff on their faces and leaking from their private parts.
"E-Even babies and kids my age."
A-All these people are… dead. D-Dead.
"N-No…"
T-This is horrible… I don't want to keep looking!
I closed my eyes. Who did this?!
"You need to get used to it."
Number 1 forced my eyes open.
"G-Get used to it? What do you mean?"
"In the future, you'll have to kill. Maybe ghost hunters, maybe wielders of legendary ghosts. Kill or be killed. Get used to it."
"But… I-I don't know if I can…"
"Hahahaha! Who are you?!"
That laugh… A little girl…? I-Is she drinking the blood of a girl even younger than me? A-A little girl's head.
T-That girl's not normal.
"Number 1? Hahahaha! No way! Seriously?! That little kid's your wielder?! You got beaten by a little kid?! Pathetic!"
"And from what I see, you will too."
"No, he didn't capture me; I just work with him."
"Watch out!" Number 3 yelled.
Number 1 pushed me, and I fell, dodging a man's knife aimed at my throat.
"So this kid can really see you? Interesting."
I backed away.
I-I almost died. M-My neck hurts.
I touched the back of my neck and felt something wet. B-Blood? Did he cut me?!
"Well, well. He's crying. Just a little kid. Thought he was a dwarf."
"Saik, you deactivated Number 3! They saw your face! Don't lose focus! Stop crying!"
"Hahahaha! You came all this way thinking you could capture me? So adorable! I can't wait to see his face when I slowly peel off his skin."
P-Peel off my skin?
"N-No…"
M-My body won't listen. I-I can't stop shaking and crying. A-Am I gonna die? I don't want to die.
"Please, don't k—"
"Idiot, don't give up! She won't just kill you—she'll kill your whole family!"
"M-My whole family?"
"You have to beat her to stop that!"
"B-But that man's huge and has a weapon."
"But you have 'that.' Use it, and you'll win."
"But my body hurts so much when I use it."
"It's that or die. Use it and kill him."
"K-Kill?! I'm not a murderer."
"You have to, or he'll kill you."
"Less talk, more action!"
Legendary Ghost Number 4 joined the man. A small black aura surrounded him, and he punched me hard in the face.
"Now!"
With a heavy heart, I activated "that." I unleashed my soul's power. My spiritual body.
His fist passed through me, and I backed away. I returned to normal and vomited blood. M-My stomach hurts so much. A-And my nose is bleeding.
"Less than a second. You still can't use it well; you need experience. Use the legendary ghosts' powers on your body at the same time. Take this."
Number 1 put something in my hands.
"I took a gun from one of those guards. Kill him."
"A-A gun?"
The man grinned and approached.
"Hehe. You're shaking too much, coward. You don't have the guts to kill. Never killed anyone? I've lost count of how many I've killed. Seeing women cry as I rape them. Killing kids in front of their debtor parents. There's no better feeling."
"…What's rape?"
"Something I'll do to your mom after I kill you."
"Rape is…"
Number 1 whispered in my ear… He… He dared threaten my mom?
"If you don't kill him, he'll rape your mom."
"This kid won't dare."
"Saik, stop crying and kill him."
"Hehe. So cute."
He grabbed my hands and placed the gun's barrel against his forehead.
"Come on, pull the—"
I pulled the trigger, and blood splattered my face.
"Huh?"
H-His body fell… I-I… killed him?
"Good job, Saik. We need to go."
This feeling… I… feel weird.
"I… killed him."
"It was him or your family."
Legendary Ghost Number 4 left his body.
"Well, well. He actually did it? Awesome!"
"Saik, I know you're traumatized, but we need to beat Number 4."
"I know."
I activated Number 3 and returned to Shadow form.
"I killed someone, but…"
"Yeah, you feel bad, I know."
"Poor thing, it hurt to kill someone. Hahahaha!"
"No… I didn't feel anything."
"Huh?"
"I… feel the same. My fear just vanished, that's all… I thought killing would affect me, but… I didn't care."
I didn't care at all. No sadness, no fear… Nothing. All my fear just disappeared.
"W-What're you saying?"
"Is he telling the tru—?"
I didn't let her finish and punched her heart hard. I gathered all my legendary ghosts' power in my fist, and since I caught her off guard, she couldn't protect herself.
I have the advantage, and I won't waste it.
I started punching her face. Her head hit the ground, but I didn't care and kept hitting.
"20… 44… 78… 100 punches."
"I-I think that's enough. Her face is deformed."
Yeah, she's not moving. No energy left.
I put my hand on her face and captured her. Catching her by surprise worked, especially since I used "that" for a second. My bones feel broken, but it was worth it.
"Four ghosts under my control."
My body hurts, and I feel like I'll explode.
"Your body can barely handle it; you need to improve."
"Yeah, I know."
According to Number 1, I need to exercise to strengthen my body and use the legendary ghosts' powers to improve my soul. I've got a long way to go.
"So… you really don't feel anything?"
"No… I was scared at first, but when I killed him so easily, my fear vanished… I didn't feel anything else… Why?"
"I don't have the answer. Let's go; I hear footsteps."
"Let's go."
And so, I got my fourth legendary ghost and killed someone for the first time. Killing didn't matter to me; I felt nothing, and I never knew why.
•
•
(Pov- Number 1.)
Saik's still a little kid; he cried and was terrified, but when he killed that man, all those feelings vanished. He realized the danger he feared was no longer a threat, so instinctively, he stopped being afraid and adapted to the situation—one where he was superior. His soul's pride wouldn't let him feel anything for someone unimportant to him. An inherently selfish and proud soul.
Saik's soul is truly rare… and juicy.