It’s been twenty years since I was dragged into this cursed dimensional shift and brought to this world.
I survived purely on the determination to return home, trudging through each day. But despite my efforts, I couldn’t find even the faintest clue on how to go back.
Why did I have to go through this?
Out of all the people in the world, why me?
I had no answers.
So, I cursed and prayed to every god I knew, day after day. Like a madman, I threw hash words steeped in hatred, then broke down in tears, pleading to be sent back home.
But nothing changed.
My life was consumed by rage and hatred.
I wandered the world like a vengeful ghost, my hands stained with the blood of countless beings.
Then, I found a sliver of hope.
There was a rumor about a beast from ancient times sealed atop the highest mountain in this world. Even if it was just a story fabricated by some bored gossip, it didn’t matter.
As long as there was even a shred of possibility, it gave me the strength to face another day.
[So, a bold human has come to me.]
The voice boomed like a thunderclap, shattering my eardrums. Despite knowing it was bound and unable to move, my body trembled uncontrollably just from standing before it.
[Have you come all this way to ask for something so trivial?]
The Primordial Wolf, a being from this world’s mythology.
A creature that was once a mere beast but grew continuously through its innate hunger, ultimately devouring even the sun itself, according to the legends.
“Yes, that’s right. I am not of this world. For decades, I’ve wandered in search of a way to return to the world I came from, without finding even the faintest clue. Then I heard a rumor of an exalted being imprisoned here, and so I came.”
[Ah, so that’s why you smell so foreign. You’re a drifter. Is that why you yearn so desperately to return?]
“Yes. Can you do it?”
[Do it? Do you dare to ask such a question of me, a lowly insect?]
Suddenly, pain exploded in my chest, and I collapsed to the ground, letting out a strangled groan.
“Gah…!”
My face turned pale in an instant. I clawed at the ground, twisting and writhing, but no matter how hard I struggled, I couldn’t breathe.
[Tsk, pathetic worm.]
Finally, the pressure lifted, and I sucked in air, gasping desperately.
“Hah… hah…”
[If you want to return to your world alive, you should learn to watch your tongue. Do you think that just because I’m in this state, I can’t snuff out a little bug like you?]
“…My apologies.”
[To answer your question: yes, it is possible. But only if I were in my full form. That cowardly lot of gods tore my body apart and left me in this state. If it weren’t for them, such a feat would be simple. Do you understand what I’m saying?]
The ancient myths spoke of how the gods, fearing the wolf’s power, tore it limb from limb and sealed it away.
It was clear to me that this was no idle lamentation but a veiled suggestion.
“If you can send me back, I’ll do whatever it takes. What must I do?”
[At least you’re quick to catch on. I shall grant you my authority. With it, you will gather the fragments of my body scattered across the world. When my form is whole once more, I shall break free from this accursed prison and personally grant your wish.]
“Understood.”
From that day onward, I became the Apostle of the Primordial Wolf.
It was a decision I would come to regret more than anything else in my life.
“The Primordial Wolf…”
I replayed the memories I had just recovered, as vivid as if I had just woken from a dream.
This time, I was certain: these memories were from after I was swept up in the dimensional shift.
My entire body buzzed with vitality, a feeling I hadn’t experienced before. Was this another side effect of regaining my memories?
In those memories, I had conversed with a mysterious being known as the Primordial Wolf. Judging by the circumstances, it seemed I had become its servant, though I couldn’t recall what happened next.
The memory cut off there.
More pressing than that was the sudden return of these memories.
What had triggered them?
Reflecting on the recent events, I found the answer.
“When I swallowed the crystal embedded in Dueokshin’s chest, the memories came flooding back.”
It could only have been that.
But what exactly was that crystal?
I racked my brain for answers, but no clues emerged.
If I had seen it from the start, that would be one thing—but it had only started bothering me partway through our conversation. Worse, my actions in taking it weren’t even conscious decisions; they felt like primal instincts.
A sudden scream tore through my thoughts.
“You filthy human! What have you done to me?”
Only then did I truly process what I had done.
“…It was a mistake.”
“A mistake? You dare call that a mistake? What kind of trickery have you done?”
A thought crossed my mind.
“Can ghosts feel pain? I was under the impression you didn’t experience such things. Why, then, were you writhing in agony?”
“…”
The boy had no answer.
Even he didn’t know why. All he knew was that the moment my hand touched his chest, an unbearable, searing pain coursed through his entire being.
It was a pain unlike anything he’d ever felt before.
For the first time in its existence, the malevolent ghost that fed on the fears of humans felt fear itself.
And I knew it.
“You… are afraid of me.”
“H-How could you possibly…”
“Ah, so this is what it feels like. This is how it’s done.”
CRUNCH!
A sickening sound echoed as the boy’s head was crushed into a bloody mess.
“…!”
Moments later, I coughed up a mass of dark red blood.
“Cough!”
Looking at the blood-stained hand, I mused.
“The strain on my body is significant.”
It had been an experiment. I hadn’t expected it to actually work.
“I didn’t think it would… but it did.”
Though I didn’t know why, ever since recovering that memory, I had gained access to a portion of Duokshin’s powers.
I suspected it was related to my recovered memories, but I couldn’t be certain.
One thing was clear: no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t wield those powers as freely as Duokshin himself.
At least, I now had a new ability.
“Interesting. I can see the manifested fear through my eyes.”
I couldn’t crush heads as easily as Duokshin, but I could easily sense whether my opponent feared me.
“How… how do you have that power…?”
The boy’s head, crushed just moments ago, was now restored. Duokshin, born of fear, was nearly immortal.
“I don’t know.”
“You don’t know? Are you mocking me?”
“If I wanted to mock you, what could you do about it?”
At my cold stare, Duokshin flinched.
“…”
Once, he was a being so powerful he was called the King of Ghosts. But now, he was no more than a powerless spirit, stripped of his strength and skulking in fear.
Taeseong spoke calmly.
“I have no reason to mock you. I simply answered that I don’t know because I truly don’t.”
The ghost spirit, left speechless, nodded slowly.
Just as Taeseong thought the conversation was over and turned to leave, someone knocked on the door.
Knock, knock.
Before he could open it, the door swung open.
Standing there was a woman whose unforgettable appearance left an indelible mark on anyone who saw her. She was known as the “White-Eyed Queen,” a Gamma-level administrator and the person responsible for testing Taeseong. She gazed at him intently.
“Wolf.”
Taeseong bowed his head silently. As a subordinate of the Tree, he owed her respect as his superior.
He moved to pass her and leave the room, but paused briefly. He considered warning her about the peculiarities of the ghost’s abilities in case something went awry.
However, he soon dismissed the thought.
“She’s a Gamma-level administrator. She’ll handle it. She didn’t even seem fazed.”
Hoping he wouldn’t hear the sound of a head being crushed, Taesung left the room.
The next day, Taeseong was summoned to Harin’s office as soon as he arrived at work.
Knock, knock.
“This is Taeseong Lee. May I come in?”
“Come in.”
Opening the door, he saw Harin seated as usual, chain-smoking.
“Take a seat wherever you’re comfortable.”
Once Taeseong sat down, Harin asked,
“Coffee? Tea?”
“I’m fine, thank you.”
Taking her last puff, Harin savored it before exhaling the smoke and sitting across from him. Crossing her legs, she regarded him carefully.
“First, let me start by thanking you. Thanks to you, the unidentified entity ‘Head-Crushing Boy’ was contained without incident.”
“That’s good to hear.”
“And thanks to you identifying its true name, the entity has been officially renamed as ‘Dueokshin.’”
“…”
“Aren’t you curious about the classification it received? That thing, the anomaly that killed thirteen members of the search team in the abandoned hospital?”
“Not particularly.”
Harin clicked her tongue, muttering, “No fun,” before continuing.
“Gamma level. My personal opinion is that it doesn’t quite deserve that classification since its method of neutralization is so clear. But the higher-ups apparently disagree. I assume they factored in the entity’s danger level and potential impact. It’s just a guess, though. What do I know about the minds of our esteemed executives? I’m just a grunt, after all. Gotta follow orders, right? Ugh.”
“Maybe the strength and the level of threat aren’t the same thing,” Taeseong offered.
If Dueokshin were to appear in the middle of a city, the massacre it would cause would be unimaginable. Anyone who felt even a shred of fear would have their head crushed.
“Exactly. Now that the small talk’s out of the way, let’s get to the main point. Starting today, you’re being reassigned to the Management Team 4 as an administrator. You’re also being promoted from Epsilon to Delta. All of this comes directly from the higher-ups, so no objections will be entertained. Congratulations.”
“When I first joined, I was placed in a search team. Why change me to the management team now?”
Harin smirked, raising a brow in disbelief.
“Were you not listening to a word I just said? The anomaly you captured is classified as a Gamma-level entity. On top of that, you’ve proven your capability as an administrator. Of course you’re getting promoted and reassigned—it’s only natural. You should feel proud. This is the fastest promotion in the history of the Tree. Celebrate it.”
After a moment of thought, Taeseong asked seriously,
“How much higher do I need to go?”
“What?”
“How much higher do I need to go to surpass you?”
Harin looked flabbergasted.
“You’re talking about me? Seriously?”
“Yes.”
Snorting in disbelief, Harin crossed her arms.
“Wow. You’ve got big dreams. Just because I keep saying I’m a grunt, you think I’m easy to surpass? Let me set the record straight—I’m the youngest team leader in the Information Department. Youngest. Team. Leader. I’m even considered a strong candidate for the next department head. You think you can aim higher than me? You’d need to become an executive at the very least. Got it?”
“An executive, then. Understood.”
Harin stared at him, dumbfounded, before sighing.
“Whatever. Talking to you is exhausting.”
“Can I leave now?”
“Not yet. There’s one more thing.”
Lighting another cigarette, Harin took a long puff.
Sssss…
…Whooo.
“We’ve found your sister.”
