Master of All Sins

Chapter 9 : A Monster That Wields Fire - 5

The man was an unhappy person.

He had the ability to read everyone's mind but never spoke of what he learned and he felt the pain of others' wounds as if they were his own, striving to fill their deficiencies.

He was multitalented and even excelled in every field.

That also meant there were many things he could solve.

And it also meant that there were many bonds he had to bear.

Those who came in contact with the man all ended up smiling, but the shadows they carried did not disappear, instead casting themselves upon the man's heart.

Surely, from a certain point, he must have become unable to stop on his own.

To him, everyone was the same, so he could not discriminate and the only one different was himself, who sought to repay the sin of peeking into hearts with good deeds.

The man's life was to beautifully disguise an empty love and distribute it to all, so many were captivated by the pleasing love crafted by peeking into hearts instead of a deep understanding of the individual, and they clung to him.

That this was not a good deed, but rather a kind of sin.

That all those many encounters.

The love he gave out as if it were eternal, even knowing that parting would come, had become unbreakable bonds, connecting him to an unbearable number of people.

The man realized this very late.

***

“─Noble one, Noble one! Are you awake?!”

– Myaeaong!

At the sound of a voice desperately calling my name, I slowly opened my eyes.

I sensed death when I released all my spiritual power just before collapsing, but not only am I alive and well like this…… my physical condition didn't seem too bad either.

I really survived.

The fact was more moving than I could have imagined and for a short while, I remained frozen in place, taking deep breaths repeatedly.

– If you're up, then move quickly, you're heavy.

Then, another blunt voice, different from the one that had woken me, echoed in my ears.

The effects of my rampage remained, making my whole body throb…… honestly, it was surprising it ended with just this, but in any case, the pain remaining in my body reaffirmed that what I had just experienced was not an illusion, and I sat up.

Unlike the hard ground, I felt as if I were getting up from a soft pillow.

I turned around to look, and what I had been resting my head on was the abdomen of a black dog.

“…….”

– What, what is it, what.

It certainly seemed to be the Fire Dog I had been fighting for my life with just a moment ago, but why had it become my pillow while I was collapsed?

After such a fierce battle, I could somehow understand that the power and size I felt from it had diminished.

However, what I could not understand was that I could feel a firm connection between myself and the creature.

As a legitimate son of the Shin Clan, however rotten, I had been thoroughly taught about the art of Shikigami, so I could tell.

I fought with the Fire Dog and when I came to my senses, it had become my Shikigami.

I thought no one would understand what this meant, but I also had no idea what on earth had been done to me.

“I'm so glad you're safe, Noble one! I really thought you were going to die, Noble one……!”

However, before I could even question the Fire Dog about the reason, the voice that had woken me…… that is, Hoa, rushed at me, interrupting the strange confrontation between the human and the dog monster.

I remembered rolling around quite a bit during the battle with the Fire Dog, yet she was as neat as when we first met.

The one difference was that she was still wearing the overcoat I had given her earlier.

– That detestable wench, kyang!

Hoa, shockingly, kicked the Fire Dog that was about to grumble something, and came closer to me, her eyes shining.

“Your body seems to be much better. As soon as the battle ended, Myodusa rushed over and licked your entire body, Noble one. It seems to have really taken a liking to you.”

– Yaong.

“Huh, I'm indebted to you again.”

Seeing the smiling Hoa and the small monster in her arms, I felt a little strange.

I thought that both humans and monsters discriminated against me without difference, but come to think of it, there were two here who had been friendly from the very beginning.

……Just like that person.

– Myao!

“I owe you a debt of gratitude. The healing must not have been easy this time, especially.”

I lowered my head slightly to meet Myodusa's gaze and expressed my gratitude.

Of course, I couldn't say I was completely healed, but if I rested a little more and received Myodusa's energy, even the aftereffects could be resolved.

This was an absurd turn of events, considering that I had originally used Fire body while prepared for death.

‘Naturally, this can't be Myodusa's power alone.’

I really don't know why, but as I formed a Shikigami contract with the Fire Dog, more than 70% of the inflammation in my body disappeared and my usable spiritual power increased drastically, which in turn boosted my body's recovery.

To put it simply, the burning bird's curse had been further alleviated.

This seemed to have happened because the Fire Dog, which appeared to be a servant of that bird and I formed a contract and became partners in fate, causing the burning bird's curse to collide with its own will to protect its servant, and be offset.

If the Fire Dog had known it would turn out like this, it would mean that it had volunteered for the contract, accepting the immense disadvantage of sharing the curse in order to save me.

That's why it was puzzling.

“Loyal Fire Dog, how is it that you, who tried to kill me without a second thought, refusing to listen to a single word I said, have now become my Shikigami?”

– Shikigami? Don't make me laugh, why would I be your Shikigami? I'm just lending you my power for a very short while.

The Fire Dog, which had been glaring and growling at Hoa who had kicked it, bared its teeth at my words and spoke.

I nodded at the creature's still-hostile attitude, yet rebutted with a 'however'.

“That's how it looks to my eyes right now.”

Having exhausted all the spiritual power that always filled my body and even fainting, it was a natural course of events for various wicked things to intrude upon my body, which now had no resistance to spirits.

Moreover, this was the Phantom World, the domain of all sorts of monsters and ghosts.

Even though my body was dying while alive, it would have looked like a tempting vessel to miscellaneous spirits, so it would not have been strange for thousands, or tens of thousands, of miscellaneous spirits to gather for my body.

However, whether a miracle occurred or someone interfered to protect me─ my body and mind were intact.

Rather, after waking up, I realized that the ability I had possessed since before had been enhanced.

A spiritual eye is a basic skill for a sorcerer, but my spiritual eye could now see even things that ordinary sorcerers could not, with too much clarity.

For example, the newly formed string of fate connecting me and the Fire Dog right now was one such thing.

– Hmph, you seem to have decent eyes, but too bad. A temporary contract like this can be broken at any time. Your body is a complete mess right now, you know? If you go against me in the slightest, it's all over, over.

“How dare this mutt try to threaten you, Noble one……!”

– Don't call me a mutt, you vixen!

While the Fire Dog and Hoa were growling at each other, I was busy racking my brain.

With this, wasn't it clear that the Fire Dog had volunteered for the Shikigami contract to save me?

If so, the contract was probably formed at the very moment I shot out the flames with all my spiritual power…… or immediately after.

There are many types of Shikigami contracts, but the one thing they have in common is that they require the user's spiritual power.

At that time, my whole body had accepted flames, and the source of the energy I wielded was the same as the Fire Dog's, so the contract process itself must have been very smooth.

“Yes, I am greatly indebted to you.”

– Glad you know that. If it weren't for Him, I would never have made a contract, even a temporary one, with a weak human like you!

By 'Him', it must be referring to the burning bird.

It made a contract with me for that bird's sake……?

Even though it said it would kill me for that bird's sake earlier?

Setting aside the question for now, I narrowed my eyes and continued.

“Having received such a great favor, I can't keep calling you Fire Dog, so first, let me hear your name.”

– I don't have one. Call me whatever you want, except mutt.

I could tell that this Fire Dog originally possessed a great rank.

However, it seems to have a naive side when it comes to sorcery other than what it wields itself.

Thinking so, I smiled sweetly and said again.

“In that case, from now on, I will call you Fire tail.”

– What a simple-minded name. But fine, I don't care what you call me─ wha, what!

The moment the Fire Dog accepted the name given to it, a brilliant light shone and enveloped the two beings.

It was the moment I, Shin Hwe-in, had succeeded in completely overwriting the temporary Shikigami contract, which had been formed purely by the creature's will, with the ritual formula passed down in my clan.

– You, you this!

“Huhu, I was nervous because it was my first time, but it seems to have been a success.”

At the reaction of the Fire Dog, no, Fire tail, I let out a rare, pure laugh.

As I've said several times, the Shin Clan is a renowned family of Shikigami arts.

From the contract method to the Shikigami's efficiency and the strength of the contract, everything was on a different level from other clans.

I, Shin Hwe-in, had finally successfully completed the practical application of the Shin Clan's Shikigami arts.

– What is this, how can you change the contract like this with just a name! Now I can't dissolve it as I please!

“Regardless of how it started, we are now a community, so shouldn't we strive together with one heart? We have overlapped our names and shared our fates, so from now on, do not speak of the contract so lightly.”

– What do you know! Why did I even make a contract with you in the first place……!

“Let's hear that reason now.”

I sat cross-legged next to Fire tail, who was barking furiously with its small body, and urged it to explain.

Perhaps it was just my imagination, but even Hoa, who had been having a war of nerves with Fire tail until now, seemed to be looking at me with a dumbfounded expression, but for me, who had died and come back to life and gained a new enlightenment on the value and attitude of life, there was no shame.

– Th-this shameless fellow!

“So, you, who wanted to kill me, couldn't have suddenly felt sorry for me and made the contract. You said earlier that you wouldn't have made the contract if it weren't for ‘Him’, so what exactly is the relationship?”

– ……Kkeung.

Realizing that with its current abilities, it had no power to overturn the contract no matter how much it struggled, Fire tail let its tail droop and nodded.

– The first time I sought to punish you was because a human who had committed terrible sins was running wild, wielding His power.

“It seems you still don't understand me…… but let me ask first. Who is He?”

– He is the one who saved me a very long time ago. At that time, he was in seclusion with a deep wound, but he braved the danger to save me.

“……Is it in the form of a giant, burning bird?”

– You, you do remember Him after all. You liar!

Fire tail, who had been looking at me with an expression mixed with half hatred and half curiosity, slapped the ground with its tail as if it was very displeased.

“I only faintly recalled the image the moment I became able to wield this fire. I do not know what exact connection there is with me.”

– A shame, if I were certain it was a malicious fate, I would have burned my own life at this moment to destroy you.

I was discouraged by those words and my shoulders slumped.

“In the end, you don't know either. Why do you needlessly pretend to know?”

– Sh-shut up! That's why I kept you alive for now!

Fire tail, who spat out a small flame from between its teeth in anger, lifted its forepaws and slammed the ground in a rage.

– The moment I came into contact with the flames you emitted, your desperate cries were clearly transmitted to me, so I thought there might be a misunderstanding with Him, and if I killed you on my own without His permission, I might get scolded! So I decided I had to keep you alive for now and take you to Him, so I made a temporary contract and kept you alive!

What.

To think that the Fire body had such a side effect?

As my mouth gaped open in shame at having laid bare my inner thoughts to the Fire Dog, I looked back at Hoa, and she was firmly shaking her head.

It seemed that the cause was that we both wielded flames of the exact same nature.

Even so, it's shameful……!

– But you ignored my noble intentions and forcibly put a leash on me! Because your spiritual power is the size of a rat's tail, I, who am tied to you, can't return to my true form for the time being!

“I'm sorry. The spiritual power I was born with is a little more than that, but it can't be helped if I am to maintain my life.”

– Just how many sins did you commit in your past life to be burdened with so many curses from noble beings!

“I would like to know that too. It will be a difficult journey ahead, but please help me.”

“Ah.”

– Th-this good-for-nothing really……!

Fire tail, as if it wanted to strike me somehow, lifted its forepaw, which had become quite adorable compared to when we were fighting a moment ago, but as a Shikigami, it could no longer harm its master, me.

A Shikigami contract with such a strict master-servant relationship was unique to the Shin Clan, and it was also the reason why the Shin Clan could command many powerful Shikigami without causing any accidents.

– Indeed, you were a villain. But your free rein won't last long. He, who was in a long slumber, must have awakened because of this incident!

“As I thought.”

Since I had taken away its power while breaking the curse, and even made its servant, the Fire Dog, my Shikigami, it was only natural that the one who had cursed me would notice.

Of course, I had intended to meet that bird directly someday and settle things, but I had hoped for a little more time…….

With a bitter taste in my mouth, I asked.

“So, when do you think I'll meet ‘Him’?”

– Ha, you must be scared of Him too! But it's already too late, because He will find you in 5 years, give or take!

I was silent for a moment at those words, then confirmed with the creature in a calm voice.

“5 years?”

– 5 years! It might even be a year faster!

“I see. I'll be in your care for the next 4 years at least, Fire tail.”

– Gyaaaaaaak! Don't call me that!

The moment that Shin Hwe-in, the youngest son of the Shin Clan head of the Eight Families of White Blood, successfully completed his first gatekeeper ritual and accomplished his task.

Now, it is time to receive his reward.