Chapter 53

“No thought of it. Go back to the way you were.”

“No. This is my true self.”

Her Word-Spirit didn’t work. He wasn’t reverting.

The Hayan standing before her was no longer the same Hayan she knew.

No Yeon-hwa slipped her hand inside her loose hoodie. What she pulled out was a megaphone—to amplify her Word-Spirit—and a pair of cat-eared headphones.

“Wouldn’t it be better if you were just a little more honest, Yeon-hwa? I can help with that.”

“Ugh…!”

The megaphone was for boosting her Word-Spirit. The headphones were for something else.

She had prepared them in case Hayan not only resisted Word-Spirit but possessed a similar ability himself.

Every time he spoke in that low, cool voice of his, her heart trembled. That alone was reason enough to be cautious.

Donning the headphones, she warned him:

“Fair warning—no matter what bullshit you spout, it won’t work on me.”

Word-Spirit didn’t affect the caster themself. If it could, then anyone capable of saying “Die” would have already wiped out the world.

No Yeon-hwa was no exception. But because she had honed her ability for so long, she also knew how to counter it.

The trick was simple: listen to her own recorded voice.

Even though the words were her own, the more they sounded like another person, the higher the success rate. It was the same principle as forgetting what you’d drunkenly said the night before.

Voices recorded after enough time—or those spoken when groggy in the morning—could be recognized as Word-Spirit even by the caster.

But she’d only resolved to stop Hayan less than an hour ago. There hadn’t been enough time.

So she chose the next best option: speak in a tone she’d never normally use.

“Yeon-hwa wants Hayan-oppa to come back to normal… Until then, I won’t listen to anything you say, hmph!”

“Argh! Fuck!”

“…?”

Hearing her own coy, cutesy voice drip out through the headphones made her clutch her head in agony.

Watching her, Hayan said calmly:

“You’re listening to your own recorded voice, aren’t you? No need to be so guarded—I wouldn’t do to you what he¹ did.“

“Not a word you say can be trusted. Bring back the dumb, clueless idiot I knew.”

“How amusing. Weren’t you the one who hated that dull fool the most, Yeon-hwa?”

She never hated him. She just found him irritating.

Always glued to her side when nobody else dared come close, circling her like a pest and getting under her skin.

That was why she didn’t hesitate.

“Blow.”

The megaphone shrieked with static as a gale slammed against the interrogation room walls.

Hayan’s robe shifted, revealing a violet eyepatch strapped across his face.

She hadn’t noticed before, but now she saw it twitching faintly, almost like a living organ.

Whether it was magic or an awakened ability, one thing was certain: it was something that could wrestle evenly with her Word-Spirit.

If she could just rip it off, maybe she could bring him back.

Fixing her grip on the megaphone, she shouted:

“Take that thing off and hand it over. I’ll check it and give it back.”

“You’re quite skilled at lying.”

“You don’t believe me?”

“It seems you’re the one who doesn’t trust me, Yeon-hwa. You haven’t even been listening to my voice—you’ve been lip-reading this whole time.”

She didn’t know how much more power he was hiding.

With her ears sealed and his eyes covered, neither of them could end this standoff through words alone.

Should she risk collapsing the entire Bureau building by unleashing more firepower?

She hesitated.

And then Hayan opened his hand and said:

“Then how about this instead?”

“What?”

“If you’ll listen to what I have to say, I’ll take it off for you.”

“Bullshit. How could I trust that?”

Hayan had always been quick with words. Throw him in the water and only his mouth would float, still chattering. That was why she had to be extra cautious.

But she didn’t have much of a choice.

“Are you sure? If you refuse to talk with me here, I’ll just walk out the Bureau’s front doors and never come back.”

“….”

“Of course, you can keep those on if you like. My voice doesn’t hold the same kind of power yours does.”

“…Fine. Talk.”

After a long pause, No Yeon-hwa lowered the megaphone.

Under Yeon-hwa’s frosty glare, Hayan began to explain his plan from the shadows.

“Humanity cannot defeat the demons. Not just the Special Unit—this applies to the entire Republic of Korea.”

To clear a Gate where a rank-1 monster appeared required at least an Upper Level Awakened.

And the Familiars of the Archdukes, rulers of the Demon Realm, were classified even higher—Super-Class.

To face beings like Tartaruga or the Elder Lich, one theoretically needed a Transcendent Awakened.

Of course, when Tartaruga actually manifested, the Sword Immortal had been nearby. But the ones who took it down were the Special Unit and swordsmen of The Old Gods’ Wound.

They had only won through overwhelming numbers and coordination. It didn’t mean they were equals.

“Think about it. Nearly the entire Special Unit threw themselves at one Familiar on Mount Cheonsan. And that wasn’t even an Archduke. What happens when an Archduke truly descends? If night falls again on this land, nearly everyone will die.”

“That’s why we’re busting our asses keeping them from crossing dimensions, isn’t it?”

“No. It’s already too late. You just don’t realize it yet, Yeon-hwa. We’ve long passed the threshold where balance could be maintained.”

“Then what? You saying we should give up since we’re all doomed anyway—quit the Special Unit and go on some trip together?”

“Hardly. My real point begins now.”

Hayan formed hand seals. A massive magic circle unfolded around him.

The same “Multi-band Channel” he had shown during the test.

Even through her headphones—where her own recorded voice repeated “Don’t fall for it”—his voice broke through, resonating with undeniable force.

『Your Word-Spirit reaches everything touched by your voice, Yeon-hwa. Not just people, but objects, even phenomena.』

『So what if you used my Channel to urge people to awaken?』

『We’d gain an overwhelming number of new Awakened. Among them, surely some would reach the Transcendent Realm.』

『That is what I want.』

He wanted to awaken all of Seoul’s citizens.

It sounded absurd, delusional—but his voice carried conviction.

『If every Seoul citizen became Awakened, the Special Unit wouldn’t need to throw itself into deadly missions. Like Americans in the frontier days, each household owning a gun, everyone would have the power to protect what’s precious to them.』

“You don’t think that’d cause even worse chaos?”

『Even so, they’d adapt faster than when the Gates first opened. In the end, we’d be ready for stronger enemies.』

“……”

『More importantly, if we had more Awakened, we wouldn’t be so short-staffed—forced to plug holes at every Gate, losing comrades to stupid accidents. Isn’t that reason enough?』

Everyone had different reasons for joining the Special Unit. No Yeon-hwa’s was simple revenge—she wanted to find the one who killed Ikseon.

Hayan surely had his own reason too.

But whatever the reason, they all lived and worked together. They were comrades. Family.

When he told the examiners that Channel was “the most useful magic in the current situation,” it had been proof of how much he valued them.

That thought calmed her a little. Removing her headphones, Yeon-hwa spoke in a softer tone.

“An idiot like you should know that’s impossible.”

The conditions for awakening were still unclear. Even Word-Spirit couldn’t completely rewrite reality.

Channel was just a communication spell. At best, it could carry hopes and wishes.

But Hayan said he had a method.

“Not necessarily. If you reach the Transcendent Realm, Yeon-hwa, it can be done.”

“Don’t make me laugh. You’re saying you’ll make me Transcendent?”

“Exactly.”

“How?”

“For that… we’ll need to pray to a god.”

His voice carried strange certainty.

Hearing that, Yeon-hwa gave a short, mocking snort and pointed to his eyepatch.

“Your big speech was nice and all.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. Now hand that thing over.”

“As you wish.”

Surprisingly, he obeyed. Hayan actually removed the eyepatch without resistance.

In his hand lay a long strip of thick fabric. And within it, nestled deep, was a violet, eerie eye.

The moment Yeon-hwa saw it, she stumbled back in shock.

“Ugh! What the hell—!?”

“Shh. Quiet now.”

At Hayan’s words, No Yeon-hwa found she couldn’t move—or use her Word-Spirit.

“You shouldn’t have taken the headphones off. I only said my voice was ordinary, not that it couldn’t control others.”

“Mmff…!”

“You’re softer at heart than you look, Yeon-hwa. I worry about that. But… I see you won’t help me, even after hearing me out. Understood.”

He drew closer. And with him came shadowy shapes—countless tentacles uncoiling at his feet.

Yeon-hwa’s pupils trembled violently as the mass of writhing darkness slithered across the floor, silent as a nest of snakes. They gathered curiously near the scorched marks on the ground, brushing against her shoes.

When she flinched in terror, Hayan dismissed them with a wave.

“Don’t worry. They won’t harm you. These are still young tentacles—curious, but powerless.”

“Mm, mmmff…!”

“But the one you’re about to meet will be different. If you ask nicely, even you could gain power like mine… hmm?”

He suddenly stopped, patting inside his sleeve as if searching for something.

“Strange. Where did you go?”

“…?”

“You were always here before… where did you go?”

For a brief moment, he seemed like his old self again.

Seizing the chance, Yeon-hwa inched her trembling hand toward her smartwatch. If she raised the volume enough, her linked headphones would drown him out and free her.

Her fingertip hovered over the volume key—

When Hayan suddenly darted forward.

“Ah! There you are! I’ve been looking everywhere for you.”

Soft footsteps echoed behind her.

In the corner of her vision, Yeon-hwa saw a girl with long, snow-white hair flowing to her waist.

It was as if she had always been there, a figure sculpted by the heavens themselves. Beautiful, almost unreal. She lifted her chin and looked straight at Hayan.

“Hayan.”

“Ah… you’ve finally spoken my name.”

The girl opened her arms as though reclaiming what belonged to her.

“Hayan.”

“Yes, Mala-nim! I’m ready to hear whatever you command!”

Kneeling to meet her gaze, he leaned forward. She leapt gracefully into the air, her hand slicing downward.

“Take this!”

“Argh!”

The strike dropped him flat, scattering wind across the interrogation room.

Yeon-hwa immediately realized—the chains on her body had vanished. His restraints were gone.

Hurriedly pulling her headphones back on, she eyed the girl warily.

The girl picked up one of Hayan’s tentacles and walked toward her.

“…Stray cat.”

“You—who are you? Do you know him?”

“Forget.”

“Forget? Hell no. You won’t pull that weird trick on me twice.”

Yeon-hwa had already triggered an emergency call. All she had to do was stall.

The girl sighed, closed her eyes, and repeated softly.

“Forget.”

“There it is again. What are you, some kind of Word-Spirit user?”

“……”

“What, giving up? Fine. I’ll get your identity and your link to Hayan later. Sit tight if you don’t want to get hurt.”

“Come back later.”

“…What?”

“Your memories. Come back for them later.”

Her eyes opened.

Yeon-hwa froze as she realized something vast was watching her from beyond the darkness.

A colossal constellation, its countless tentacles entwined around a great violet eye.
An Outer God.

Its presence warped space, twisted laws, and flooded her mind with chaos.

Her legs gave out. Her smartwatch had already gone dark, its broken screen bleeding the emergency signal like spilled blood.

And in the rift between the twelfth and the first stars, whispers clawed through her skull.

Eyes. Eyes. Eyeless eyes. All staring.

Voices tearing her eardrums apart. Word-Spirit.

Obey the words. Worship. Bow your head. Do not question. Break your neck before you doubt.

“Cough…! Cough! Wh-what… what the hell are you?”

“You don’t need to know. For now, all I’ll say is… yes.”

As her consciousness frayed under unbearable terror, the girl leaned close and whispered:

“Fear not.”

“Oh, you’re awake?”

Yeon-hwa blinked and found herself on a bench.

“Where am I?”

“The rooftop garden of the Bureau. You were out a while—I was worried.”

“Y-you’re okay? The Word-Spirit…?”

“Me? Perfectly fine.”

Her first thought was Hayan.

Her memories of the last few days were hazy, but she clearly recalled him being warped by her Word-Spirit—and their confrontation in the interrogation room.

Then she realized—he was lying down on her lap.

“Hey. Listen.”

“Yes?”

“When someone passes out, isn’t the normal thing to let them rest on your lap?”

“Right?”

“Then why are you on mine?”

“Uh… it’s just more comfortable this way?”

His eyes flicked about nervously, but he didn’t lift his head.

Yeon-hwa sighed in relief. At least he seemed like himself again.

Looking up at the clear sky, she stood and shouted.

“You’re heavy. Get off, you idiot!”

“Gwah!”

Hayan rolled onto the grass.

For a moment she looked down at him with exasperation—then offered him her hand.

“Forget it. Let’s just eat. My treat.”

“Really?”

“Hamburger’s fine, right?”

“I’d like the kid’s meal. With the toy.”

They took the elevator down and walked out the front doors.

In the lobby, the guards who had been caught sleeping earlier were now being chewed out by Park Mu-cheol.

“……”

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing. Let’s go.”

With that, Yeon-hwa shook her head and quickened her pace.

It was just another ordinary lunch break.