The group, witnessing Taeseong’s bizarre actions in real-time, cried out in shock.
“That… that crazy bastard just ate it! Is he out of his mind?”
“Deputy, what should we do? Didn’t they say that thing is a Gamma-level specimen…?”
“Just in case, grab your weapons. If something happens, we might have to subdue him together.”
“Understood.”
Although Eunha doubted they could actually subdue Taeseong even if everyone here attacked him simultaneously, she chose to keep that thought to herself.
Taeseong closed his eyes and examined the changes happening within his body.
Unlike with Dueokshin or Mangtae Harabeom, there were no sparkling crystal-like objects in sight. Though he had swallowed Orochi’s tail whole, there were no new memories surfacing like before. Instead, a loud buzzing began to ring in his ears.
‘So I need those shining crystals to recall memories, huh.’
[You foolish human. Do you think you can remain unscathed after consuming part of my divine body? Fine then, this works well. Through your body, I shall seek out my other fragments! Now, give your body to me!]
Taeseong, irritated, picked his ear with his pinky and muttered,
“Yap, yap, yap. So noisy.”
[Why… Why is nothing happening to you…? How can a mere human withstand my dominion? Wait a second. You…! I see now. You’re not human, are you? Could it be that you’re an ext—]
Taeseong deliberately blocked out the voice, silencing the noise that had been echoing in his head.
So ended the grudge, absurdly anticlimactic.
Though it was a fragment of a god’s body imbued with its wrath, Taeseong had consumed it without any adverse effects.
‘Even a Gamma-level specimen doesn’t seem to affect me much.’
Taeseong’s reason for swallowing Yamata no Orochi’s tail was simple: gluttony.
It was instinctual.
Just like when he reacted to those crystals, the moment he saw Orochi’s tail, he instinctively felt the need to devour it. While his teammates panicked over the absurdity of his action, Taeseong knew better.
This would benefit him, not harm him.
It was the intuition of a predator.
And as expected, nothing happened.
“…”
Taeseong raised the sword in his left hand and cut deeply into his right arm.
Shhhk!
Scarlet blood poured from the wound as his skin split in a straight line. The sight made his teammates cry out in unison.
“That lunatic just slashed his own arm! He’s lost it completely, hasn’t he?”
“Deputy, I think Taeseong’s mind has been corrupted!”
“Calm down, both of you! Do you not know Captain Lee by now? He wouldn’t be swayed by some specimen like that! Just trust him and wait! Believe in him!”
Unconcerned with the commotion, Taeseong observed his arm seriously.
‘One, two, three…’
Within four seconds, the wound was fully healed.
A faint smile appeared on Taeseong’s face.
‘Regeneration time: under four seconds.’
He cut his right arm again, deeper this time, almost severing it entirely. Gazing at the exposed bone, he started counting again.
‘Same result.’
He had yet to test it on his heart or head, but his regeneration speed seemed at least equal to, if not faster than, the cultists he had encountered earlier.
This incident only reinforced Taeseong’s belief:
His gluttony would only lead him toward greater strength.
‘It’s nothing but instinct, pushing me to grow stronger.’
Among those present, the one who grasped the situation most clearly was Takehashi. Jaw agape, he stared at Taeseong in sheer disbelief.
Impossible.
How could this be human?
To consume a god’s fragment and remain mentally intact… Takehashi came to a startling realization.
‘They sent a monster to fight us!’
As Taeseong approached him, their eyes met. Takehashi felt a chill race down his spine.
‘This… This is the supreme being I should truly serve!’
The descendant of the legendary Onmyoji could see what others could not, and the moment he gazed into Taeseong’s eyes, he glimpsed the universe beyond.
“Taeseong, are you okay?”
“I’m fine.”
Eunha, still wary, asked suspiciously, “You… are really fine, right?”
“Yes, I’m perfectly fine.”
“I have no idea what goes on in your head. Why did you eat that thing? It’s not food. That’s a Gamma-level specimen! Just touching it could corrupt your mind, and you ate it! Why?”
“Sorry.”
“Hah… Your body is ridiculous. Good thing nothing happened. Taeseong, could you please stop acting so recklessly? You’re giving me a heart attack, okay?”
“Understood. I’ll inform you next time.”
“Next time…? Fine, at least let me know beforehand.”
Sighing, Eunha pulled out her brush and began drawing on her canvas. Meanwhile, Gi-jun approached Taeseong, eyes shining.
“Captain! I believed in you. Watching you, I realized I still have a long way to go. You’re amazing as always.”
“…”
Eunha, having finished her drawing, approached Takehashi. As she held the artwork toward him, his body was sucked into the painting.
Moments later, an image of Takehashi appeared, imprisoned within the drawn jail.
‘Her ability is certainly useful in many ways.’
Eunha looked noticeably pale, beads of sweat forming on her forehead. Using her power had clearly drained her energy.
“Haeyoung, could you lend me a shoulder?”
“Of course!”
“Wait… Haeyoung?”
“It’s easier this way! Don’t worry, you know I’m strong!”
“Thanks… I’ll be fine after a bit of rest…”
With Eunha visibly exhausted, the group decided to leave the forest. The barrier that had enveloped the area dissolved with Takehashi’s disappearance, making their escape easy.
An hour after Taeseong’s group exited the forest—
Crunch. Crunch.
In the forest’s center, a towering woman chewed on a snake’s head. Her white dress was stained crimson with the snake’s blood.
“Po. Po. Po. Po.”
Her gaze shifted toward the edge of the forest.
Taeseong’s group, having left the forest, arrived at a nearby rural village. Due to its remote location, it was naturally less populated, but even considering that, the lack of people was unsettling.
“Isn’t this strange?”
“What is?”
“There’s no one around. Not a single person.”
From the village entrance to the inn, they hadn’t encountered a single resident. Even for a rural village, this seemed unusual. However, their doubts were soon put to rest.
They heard about a strange rumor circulating in the village from the elderly couple running the inn.
“Hm? You’re wondering why there’s no one around? Ah, they’re not gone—they’re hiding.”
“Hiding? Why?”
“There’s been some unsettling rumors lately. Probably because of that, everyone’s avoiding going outside at night. Thanks to that damn rumor, even tourists have stopped coming.”
“What kind of rumor?”
“People say there’s a crazy woman wearing a mask wandering around the village. If she meets someone, she asks them if they think she’s pretty. If they say yes, she takes off the mask and shows her torn mouth, saying she’ll make them look just like her.”
“…And if they say she’s not pretty?”
“She flies into a rage and rips their face apart. No matter how you answer, it seems the outcome is always the same. It’s a creepy story, to say the least. The problem is, people are treating it like it’s real. For months, not even a single ant has passed through here… until you guys showed up.”
“I see. Thank you for the information.”
“Well, get some rest. Call if you need anything.”
“Understood.”
Taeseong’s group booked two rooms—one for the men and one for the women. After unpacking their belongings, they took baths to relieve their exhaustion before gathering in one room for a meal.
After a satisfying meal, they finally sat down for a proper discussion.
Eunha, who had looked exhausted earlier, seemed somewhat recovered after resting.
“While you guys were washing up, I contacted Team Leader Choi Harin. Right now, our top priority is connecting with the Japanese managers, so I asked about their whereabouts.”
“That’s great! Did they say when they’ll arrive? Have they left yet?”
“They departed a while ago—six hours ago, to be exact.”
“What? Six hours ago? Then shouldn’t they have arrived by now?”
“Exactly. Something must have happened. Team Leader Choi is looking into it, so for now, let’s just wait.”
Gi-jun spoke up.
“By the way, isn’t that rumor the same as the Red Mask urban legend?”
“Yeah! I thought of that too! But isn’t that originally a Korean story?”
Eunha shook her head.
“Most people think so, but I heard the original version comes from Japan. It probably changed a bit when it came over here.”
“…Do you think it’s just a rumor?”
“No idea. It could just be a story, or it could be something real. Either way, it won’t hurt to stay cautious. Let’s all be careful.”
“Got it!”
With that, they wrapped up their conversation and returned to their rooms for the night.
Early dawn.
Haeyoung woke up, rubbing her eyes and yawning. Feeling the need to use the bathroom, she left the room.
“Ugh… I need to pee.”
Given that the inn was over a hundred years old, it was no surprise that parts of the facility were in disrepair. Unfortunately, the bathroom was under renovation, forcing Haeyoung to use the public restroom outside the inn.
As she stepped out into the chilly night, she gazed at the star-filled sky in awe.
“Wow… the sky is full of stars. This place really is the countryside.”
The cold air quickly cleared her drowsiness. The rustling of grass and the chirping of crickets created a calm harmony. Despite the lack of streetlights, Haeyoung soon adjusted to the darkness.
Step. Step.
Walking confidently through the thick darkness, Haeyoung even started humming a tune.
“If I were on TV, that would be amazing…”
Just one more turn down the alley, and she’d reach the public restroom.
But then—
“Huh?”
She suddenly felt something under her foot.
Lowering her gaze, she looked down at what had tripped her. Though her eyes had adjusted to the darkness, she could only make out the shape, not the details.
Taking out her phone, she turned on the flashlight.
And what she saw made her freeze.
“…T-this is…”
Three corpses.
Their mouths were torn from ear to ear.
They were all dressed in black suits.
A thought raced through Haeyoung’s mind—Eunha’s words from earlier.
“They left six hours ago.”
In that moment, Haeyoung realized the truth.
The Japanese managers hadn’t failed to arrive.
They had already arrived long ago.
Rustle.
Sensing movement behind her, Haeyoung slowly turned around.
There, standing in the darkness, was a tall woman wearing a red mask, looking down at her.
“…Am I pretty?”