Chapter 24: GOD HAND (2)
“Nayu obediently nods.”
I quickly moved aside the snacks Jamsuni was eating and laid Nayu down.
Jamsuni turned to me, annoyed.
“Ah, what now? Why did you bring this disaster magnet?”
“Don’t be surprised, just watch. Behold my new ability.”
“...What now?”
Crunch-
Jamsuni muttered while munching on potato chips.“Back in my heyday, I used to develop a new ability every month.”
“Wait, what’s your rank?”
That’s when I noticed the monitor.
Challenger with 1300 points? Is that even a humanly possible score?
Jamsuni with her looks and Challenger-level skills...?
“Hey, hey, Jamsuni. Ever thought about streaming?”
“Nope. I don’t like the idea of selling my face to others. Oh, I got caught in a game.”
Doesn\'t she know streaming is the trend these days???
Jamsuni could become a legendary newbie.
But since I’ve decided not to make money off Jamsuni, I shook my head and looked at Nayu.
Nayu was looking at me with a face full of anticipation.
How do you usually activate an ability?
Apart from making Nayu happy, I had no clue.
This was a time to use Jamsuni-Wiki.
“Jamsuni, do people with spiritual abilities understand their abilities from the moment they awaken?”
“Not really. They’re called spiritual ability users or psychic once they vaguely realize their fundamental origin or vow through some catalyst. Most of them don’t even know exactly what their ability is.”
Fundamental origin, huh. I’ve heard that term before.
So, it’s about realizing something through some catalyst.
“...”
What have I realized recently?
That the meat in instant noodles is actually fake meat made of soybeans?
That mint chocolate might actually taste good?
“Hmm...?”
I’m getting hungry.
Anyway, I haven’t really realized anything.
“Nayu’s excited face! Nayu’s gentle urging!”
Nayu’s eyes sparkled as she looked at me.
Yes, even without any realization, my God Hand is activating.
“So how do those who have vaguely realized their abilities activate them?”
“They use a means of assistance. Most commonly, by reciting a spell.”
“A spell?”
Click-click-
Jamsuni spoke while gazing at the monitor.
“Incantation, enchantment, spell. They’re all the same. It’s about drawing out the ability with words that move your soul. There are other methods, too.”
“Other methods?”
“Vows. Making vows to the heavens. That way, you receive heavenly fortune and enhance your abilities.”
Jamsuni laughed as she killed her enemies in the game.
“Yeah.”
“Do you just make any vow?”
“Of course, there are rules. You start by revealing your fundamental vow, your spiritual ability, and then you swear an oath to that ability. ‘I will not retreat in this battle.’ ‘I will definitely kill someone.’ Things like that.”
I remember seeing something like that at the DMZ.
“What happens if you break the vow?”
“The heavens rage. You receive as much heavenly punishment as the fortune you received. And usually, the punishment is nine times stronger than the fortune.”
Heavenly punishment... I heard about it from uncle.
A super-strong, surreal lightning from the angered heavens.
Getting struck turns you into a superconductor, or so they say.
Wait, the wrath of the heavens.
Maybe even I, without spiritual eyes, can see that.
“If you make a vow about a fake spiritual ability, does the heavenly punishment still fall?”
“Of course! The spiritual ability is your fundamental vow. Betraying your fundamental vow definitely enrages the heavens. Real heavenly punishment will fall as surely as a top laner cursing a jungler.”
Hearing that, I laughed.
Should I try getting struck by heavenly punishment?
I must be crazy. Yes, I am crazy.
But even at the risk of death, I want to see ghosts.
So, what should I vow?
At that moment, Nayu caught my eye.
The crazy beauty with sky-blue hair.
Probably a poor girl who was possessed and then abandoned by her parents, ending up in this 600,000 won studio apartment.
“I vow, with my ability, the God Hand that brings happiness, that I will someday save this poor Nayu with my own hands.”
In the doujinshi I read, women in the same situation often end up being happy, so it’s not entirely wrong!!!
Right after I said that, Jamsuni quickly turned her head.
“Are you insane?! Damn you, the heavenly punishment, damn it!”
“What, what’s going on?”
“Hey! I get that your defensive spells are legendary, but who the heck tests them on their own body like this! Saving someone cursed with heavenly punishment? Speaking such impossible nonsense is why the heavens are infuriated!”
Jamsuni’s chatter suggested the heavenly punishment had fallen.
Ha, still can’t see it.
I really wish I could feel something, anything, even the heavenly punishment. Seriously.
“Nayu... salvation...?”
Nayu was staring at me with a blank expression.
Oops, did I make her wait too long?
I touched Nayu’s forehead, and she rubbed her forehead against my hand with a happy expression.
There really is something about my hand.
“Nayu feels happy.”
Jamsuni commented on this scene.
“Is Nayu over twenty? This generation’s priestess of the heavens has lived unusually long. But she’ll perish soon anyway. It’s always the same with those cursed by the heavens.”
Jamsuni seemed displeased with what Nayu and I were doing, whispering something in a quiet voice.
“What are they doing? If she weren’t on borrowed time, I’d scold them right now... And what’s that about? Blocking the heavenly punishment meant for the cursed? Is he blocking the heavens’ response? How precisely must one control spiritual power to do that? But doing something like that is bound to infuriate those involved with the heavenly punishment...”
Jamsuni muttered something, but her voice was too soft to catch.
So, what kind of power does my God Hand have?
I wanted to experiment more, but I couldn’t.
Nayu had fallen into a deep sleep.
It was a peaceful expression I hadn’t seen in a long time.
“Ha.”
I gently covered Nayu with a blanket.
* * *
The day after experimenting with the God Hand, I immediately turned on the monitor upon waking up.
“Activate The God Hand. Manipulate fate!!!”
“Hmm, starting the morning with crazy stuff again.”
“I vow as the Golden Sun God Hand! To NTR fate with these hands!!!”
I rubbed my hands against the monitor.
Please, my power, activate just this once!
I may be fool for love, but this time, it’s okay!!!
“What? No heavenly punishment falling? Is Golden Sun God Hand really your power? Was the punishment yesterday because it involved Nayu? Hold on, I need to see what is coming.”
Jamsuni, who was beside me, said something and left, but that wasn’t what mattered now.
-“We now begin the 1112th lottery draw. This broadcast is live, with no manipulation...”
At that moment, Nayu, who was awake, murmured.
“7, 14, 22, 25, 29, 30, 43.”
“Nayu, what did you say?”
“Nayu’s sleepy yawn.”
As I turned around, the monitor announced.
-“We’ll start the draw. The first number is 7, let’s see the next. The next number is 14, and the following number. The next number is 22.”
My jaw dropped open.
Is this even real???
The completed numbers were exactly as Nayu had said.
Not a single number was wrong, including the bonus number.
I grabbed Nayu’s shoulder.
“This can’t be happening.”
“Nayu with a shy expression.”
Could it be that the ghost inside Nayu has supernatural powers? Powers so strong that it could predict the numbers of the lottery machine, which is safeguarded against the intervention of spiritual ability users?
I never imagined I’d have such a lucky charm beside me.
Could it be that the sun is finally rising on my life?
At that moment, I heard Jamsuni’s voice.
“Hey, come out with Nayu. There are people here to pick her up.”
“Who are they?”
“That, I don’t know.”
Jamsuni avoids my gaze.
Hmm, something’s off.
Is it that Nayu’s newfound abilities have become known, and now some folks like her parents have appeared, suddenly claiming parental rights? Of course, Nayu only demonstrated her extraordinary powers a few minutes ago, but that’s not the main issue for now.
I can’t lose Nayu.
She’s my chance for a life turnaround!!!
I made up my mind and quickly went downstairs.
The first floor was crowded with people who looked like powerful spiritual ability users.
“Who are you guys?”
“Hmph, doesn’t feel like you have much ability. Minions of the Three Realms, perhaps.”
The man leading them spoke arrogantly.
“Go and bring Miss Nayu. Yesterday, due to her neglecting her duties, many people suffered.”
“So, they were after Nayu all along.”
Rage, rage began to boil within me.
Parents who abandon their children, then shamelessly come running when the child succeeds. And there are even those who appear only to claim inheritance after their child’s death.
I can’t let these people take away my chance for a life turnaround, no, Nayu.
Honestly, fighting with spiritual ability users is intimidating, but I have no choice.
Earning money is always tough!!!
And I have a trick up my sleeve, so it’ll work out.
“What if I refuse?”
“Has he lost his mind? Then you’ll di...”
My fist was three times faster than the man’s hand movement.
* * *
The members of the Heavenly Ordeal Sect were shocked. A man who seemingly had no abilities had just obliterated their superior’s face in one blow.
However, their expressions remained unchanged.
Biologically, it was impossible not to be surprised, but these individuals were trained to perfectly control even such biological reactions.
They identified the man before them as an enemy and began to make their vows.
“As a grey wolf who bites to kill, I vow not to flee from the battle with this man before me.”
“As one who wields the principles of the wind, I vow not to fall until the man before me is defeated.”
“As one who communes with plants and manipulates their souls, I vow against the man before me...”
And the man, now identified as the enemy, began his vow.
“As the God Hand who controls the minds of others with a smartphone, I vow that you’re going to get a beating today.”
“With a smartphone? Like a hypnosis app?! Is that even possible?!”
“Hypnosis? Like in the doujinshi?! What kind of ability is that?!”
“A false vow? But no divine punishment has fallen.”
Hypnosis with a smartphone?
Since he declared it as a vow, it couldn’t be a fake ability.
Terrified by the prospect of being hypnotized, the Heavenly Ordeal Sect members averted their gaze from the man’s smartphone.
They absolutely couldn’t fall victim to Hypnosis.
“For some reason, we must avoid Hypnosis at all costs!!! Cough!!!”
As they diverted their gaze from the man’s smartphone,
The man’s fist came to greet them instead.
– – – The End of The Chapter – – –
[TL: You can support the translation and read 3 chapters ahead of the release here on Patreon: /Bill94 ]