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“To think I, I would live to witness such a spectacle.”

From afar, bishops and subordinates were shedding tears in streams. 

Judging by their reactions, it seemed this artifact could only be held by the Heavenly Demon, much like Excalibur could only be claimed by the King of Britain. 

And the Boundless Dark Water was said to be the substance most feared by those with psychic powers.

Yet, I was perfectly fine.

Perhaps I should have pretended to be a bit hurt.

“Yoo Hajin, you blockhead...”

Watching the cultists bowing to me, I couldn’t help but recall my past.

* * *

It was during my middle school years.

To be precise, it was when there was a heated debate over whether my younger sister should become a shaman. 

I had advised her to give up the barbaric shaman practices and focus on preparing for her upcoming middle school entrance.

“Oppa, no. Ghosts do exist.”

“What ghosts? That’s madness. I, uh, I even searched on Naver, and it all points to schizophrenia for such things.”

Back then, I was so frustrated with my younger sister. Our grandmother and mother had both disappeared after climbing up to a shamanic shrine on a high mountain, leaving behind words of gathering divine energy to prevent calamities.

And now my sister wanted to take on this role.

I felt like I was going to lose my mind.

“I’ll go with you to the hospital. If I work more part-time jobs, we can cover the medical expenses. Please, Harin. Just listen to me this once, okay?”

“No, there’s no time.”

My sister looked up at me with her characteristic expressionless face.

Then, she said something to the man behind her.

At her words, the man bowed his head and knelt.

“Have you sent the message?”

“Yes, Master. If it’s Master’s command, even the ones who grovel at the top of the mountain will rise from their heavy bodies”

“I’m sorry. You, who are praised as noble by your Four Kings, to be troubled by such a task.”

“It’s no trouble at all. Following your command is of greater value to me.”

I looked at the man kneeling.

A middle-aged man with sporadic grey hairs.

Yet, his muscular build was not to be underestimated.

The man’s name was Joo Chul. He appeared out of nowhere beside my sister, a grade-schooler, and started acting like her servant, a complete creep.

I really wanted to grab him and give him a piece of my mind, but never got the chance.

“Playing historical drama again, huh? Hey, Joo Chul. What the hell are you doing? You sick pedophile. What kind of nonsense have you been filling the kid’s head with?”

“Your choice of words doesn’t match the occasion. Please, watch your words.”

“Stop! Joo Chul, don’t tell my brother about this world.”

“As you wish.”

With that, Joo Chul stepped back, and I grabbed my sister’s shoulders and spoke up.

“So, let’s say ghosts do exist. But you’re just a grade-schooler. Who works from such a young age in this day and age? And as a shaman, no less!”

“You’re a middle schooler and you’re working part-time.”

“...That’s different. I’m your brother.”

When I clamped my mouth shut and said nothing more, my sister gently stroked my shoulder with her small hand.

“My family. The same blood runs in our veins. The reason I haven’t left this world.”

“Yes, we’re family.”

“I have no choice if I want to protect you. You are the Mara Papiyas* of this era.”

“Mara Papiyas?”

I asked, and my sister shook her head.

“Yes, a being whose mere existence hinders the enlightenment of the devout. That’s why the powerful ones sought them out and killed them as soon as they were born. It’s probably been five hundred years since a Mara like you survived.”

I wanted to tell her to stop talking nonsense.

But sometimes my sister spoke as if she was making prophecies.

“Oppa, you must never let anyone find out you’re different.”

“Different how? Apart from being freakishly strong, I don’t see it.”

“I don’t know why you’re so strong either. Maras aren’t supposed to have such power. If they did... No, remember what I’m about to tell you from now on.”

She said it was an implication of inserting her words deeply into the other person’s mind with specific actions, tone, and gaze.

My sister was good at implying.

“One day, you’ll realize you’re a different entity from others. To keep that fact from being discovered, keep your distance from other shamans, avoid eye contact with sorcerers, and don’t listen to or inquire about them. Knowing someone is like drawing their gaze.”

I took her words as a stark warning.

“If that happens, both you and this world will be in danger. Mara Papiyas... Brother, you must never let it be discovered.”

“Nonsense.”

“It’s not nonsense. The sole reason I choose to walk the path of a shaman is for that purpose alone. To annihilate those who would target you just for their own enlightenment. But I’m still too weak for that.”

Hearing this, I couldn’t contain my anger. But my sister remained expressionless.

“Yeah, so you’re also not satisfied with wonder and want to climb up to some new shrine or something? To places like Jirisan or Manisan, knowing what happened to grandma and mom?”

“I need to go somewhere even farther.”

“Are you, are you out of your mind?”

A familiar despair wrapped around me. 

When my mother and grandmother, lost in their madness, attempted to ascend to the shrine, I, who couldn’t see ghosts, knew no other way but to beg them not to go, holding onto their hands.

If only I could see ghosts like my family, I might have understood their actions and been able to protect them.

Why can’t I see ghosts?

“Why can’t I see them?”

Because it’s all lies. That’s why.

The whole shaman thing is nothing but a mental illness.

I looked around the home I lived in. The thangkas* with Eastern deities, the shaman robes adorned in white and rainbow colors, and even the ceremonial swords and bells.

It’s all just cosplay.

Ghosts don’t exist.

“Do what you want. But if you become a shaman? From that moment, you and I have nothing to do with each other.”

“Oppa?”

“I won’t come back to this house again. Those weird paintings. The talismans. Even the five-colored ribbons hanging from the trees, I hate them all.”

“Oppa, wait.”

That was the first time I saw it.

The girl who had maintained her expressionless face even at our grandmother and mother’s funerals, saying life and death were one, showed a look of panic for the first time.

My sister, Yoo Harin, clutched my hand in panic and said,

“Once all this is over, let’s live a normal life together. Eating in the same house, sleeping together, just continuing on like this. Okay? We just need to eliminate those targeting you. After that, I’ll live normally too.”

“I can’t trust such promises. If you’re going to continue with your shamanism... let’s not see each other again.”

“Oppa, Oppa...”

With that, I left the house as if fleeing.

It wasn’t that I never intended to see her again.

I simply wanted to change her mind by doing so.

Three days later, I heard the news that the house had burned down.

They said it was an accidental fire caused by candles used during a ritual.

A child’s body was found in the house, burned beyond recognition. The only thing I could find from the house was the middle school uniform I had bought for my sister.

From then on, I truly wished to see ghosts.

I wanted to see what my grandmother, mother, and sister had all seen.

And I wanted to burn those ghosts to ashes.

But I was the only one who couldn’t see them.

* * *

I buried the pain deep within me.

It wasn’t hard, as I did it often.

Turning my attention, I saw the cultists putting on a show.

More precisely, they were chanting and bowing like fans at a baseball game.

“Hail to the Leader.”

“Supremacy of the Dark Path!”

“The Heavenly Demon reigns!!”

“Silence!!!”

I shouted at the cultists to be quiet.

Surprisingly, they all hushed at once.

These guys really listen to me well.

How many people were in this vast room? One bishop, four others who looked like officers, and about fifteen guards for the room.

I gathered them all.

And then I said,

“Let’s keep what happened here a secret.”

“My Lord? But the return of our Lord...”

“Quiet!”

My sister had left me with one last piece of advice.

She warned me not to let my unusual constitution be discovered.

She said that simply by existing, I obstruct the enlightenment of those with spiritual powers, and if my identity were to be revealed, these individuals would seek to kill me.

But imagine parading around as the Heavenly Demon.

Wouldn’t that draw the attention of all spiritual ability user in the world?

Then, my true nature would certainly be exposed.

Therefore, I had to ensure the silence of these people here.

I had heard from Bishop Oh Seol-hwa. The cup that emitted the Boundless Dark Water, known as the Black Star Vessel, could only be wielded by one who is deemed worthy of leading the Heavenly Demon Cult.

It was indeed like Excalibur.

After organizing my thoughts, I said,

“Leader, well, I suppose that’s doable.”

“The Heavenly Demon reincarnated!”

“Quiet! Everyone, shut it. No more strange chants.”

After silencing the crowd, I spoke up.

“First, we must keep my identity a strict secret.”

“May we inquire as to why, my Lord?”

They all looked at me with eager eyes.

Probably all of them were anticipating the return of the Heavenly Demon.

Mara Papiyas, in Chinese characters, would be 天子魔, abbreviated as 天魔 (the Heavenly Demon).

But I was not the Heavenly Demon they envisioned.

I lacked the power to save them.

However, I could at least offer them hope.

No, initially, I had to provide them with the hope that would make them believe in me as their leader.

“I plan to infiltrate Cheonji. In fact, I nearly passed the second round of Cheonji’s tests last time but was ultimately eliminated.”

“Are you considering joining those detestable Cheonji people?”

“Yes, I am scheming to infiltrate Cheonji and dye it with the colors of the Heavenly Demon Cult from the inside.”

Of course, I had no such plan.

But it’s nice to see their expressions brightening up.

“So make sure my identity is kept a secret.”

“As you wish, my Lord. Eternal reign of the Heavenly Demon!”

“Enough!”

Are these guys on a loop?

Every so often, ‘Eternal reign of the Heavenly Demon’ just pops out.

Well, fine. Let’s get started then.

“As your Grand Master, the Heavenly Demon, I command you. Bring me the property deeds and ledgers of the Heavenly Demon Cult.”

Considering the close call with the knife today, being kidnapped here, and almost having my identity exposed, I should claim mental damages of 1 billion, no, 2 billion. Maybe even 3 billion? To add a bit more and buy something like a building, I’d need at least 4 billion. Anyway, since it’s a cult, they must have plenty of money.

“Hehehe.”

I couldn’t help but burst into laughter.

I should aim to get around 5 billion won.

– – – The End of The Chapter – – –

[TN: Thangkas: Thangkas are traditional Tibetan Buddhist scroll paintings on fabric that depict various religious subjects, such as deities, scenes from the Buddha's life, and mandalas. They serve as important aids in meditation and teaching.

Mara Papiyas: Mara Papiyas, often simply referred to as Mara, is a demon in Buddhist mythology who personifies unwholesome impulses, death, and temptation. He is known for attempting to distract the Buddha from his path to enlightenment.

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