NOVEL WEB Chapter 17
Inside the bundle were pieces of gold.
They were jewelry made of gold, along with Japanese coins resembling the style of the beckoning cat (招き猫) from Japan.
“Quite a large size.”
Jinseong thought the divination from the divine object he had created was correct, so he pulled out a gold coin and gently stroked it with his hand.
Swoop.
The moment Jinseong’s hand touched the gold coin, it trembled as if it were alive and began to change shape, its crinkled surface undulating like waves, gradually transforming into a smooth form. During this process, the letters engraved on the coin seemed to melt away, flowing down like melting wax and eventually dripping onto the floor as black droplets.
“-.”
The impurities were disappearing.
The gold coin swayed and changed shape repeatedly, and during the process, items unrelated to gold fell to the floor in the form of droplets.
That bizarre process stopped when the gold coin transformed into a sphere the size of a fingernail. This sphere emitted a sparkling golden light, and interestingly, it had a shape resembling a circle crudely drawn by a baby holding a crayon.
Jinseong looked at the peculiar little sphere with a slight hint of disappointment.
“It’s not very pure, is it?”
After all, there was no reason to give excessive rewards to a dog he raised.
If more valuable items had come out, it would have felt out of place.
Jinseong flicked the golden sphere back into the bundle.
Clang.
With the sound of metal clashing, the settled sphere rolled between the gaps of the jewelry and coins until it reached the ground.
“-.”
The fingernail-sized golden sphere trembled at the invocation of Jinseong.
“Gold flows and can move. However, its form resembles a core, so it takes on a solid and round shape, which truly resembles a living creature.”
As Jinseong’s spell took effect, the golden sphere swayed like a water balloon, continuously changing its shape. Like something alive, the golden sphere moved constantly, trying to maintain a circle-like shape but ultimately succumbing to the form dictated by Jinseong’s invocation.
“Like attracts like.”
The golden sphere lost its shape and transformed into a sprawling tentacle. Everything, except for the very tiny ball, moved like a living creature, extending its tendrils towards the other jewelry, which appeared as if it were being swallowed, buried by the sphere. It was a sight akin to a shapeless snake consuming its prey, resembling the forms of slimes summoned by summoners.
Clang.
Thus, the golden sphere began to expand. It enveloped the incoming jewelry, absorbing the golden parts, while the items that were not gold clumped together and started to be expelled outward.
Clang.
Clang.
Thus, all the gold that a certain Japanese loan company had kept as emergency funds and slush funds was lumped together into one mass.
Swoosh.
The golden mass that absorbed all the gold began to move, as if it were an actual slime, jiggling and shaking its body. Soon, as if it recognized its master, it silently crawled towards Jinseong using its pseudo-feet, climbing up his body.
Swoosh.
The elongated and slender golden slime slithered like a snake, disappearing between the gaps of Jinseong’s armor.
“Still, you’ve gathered quite a bit for a dog. By its weight, it seems very useful.”
Jinseong smiled with satisfaction at the heft of the golden slime that had entered his embrace, then approached the boss, who was catching his breath with light steps.
The boss was still trembling, staring blankly at the air as if under some spell.
“ॐ-.”
Jinseong pressed his pointed fingernail against the boss’s philtrum.
At that, the crazily shifting pupils regained their place, and the blank expression was replaced with emerging emotions.
Thud.
Jinseong held the boss’s arm, which was inflating and deflating like a balloon, and whispered in his ear.
“Painful, is it?”
Hearing those words, the boss rolled his eyes to look at Jinseong, and upon seeing his face, his pupils changed shape, as if he was very surprised.
“G-g-g-”
The voice of the old man, reduced to a gasping sound through fear, horror, and pain, had transformed into a dying gasp, and Jinseong laughed at the sight.
“Don’t worry. You will be liberated from that pain.”
Meow.
As if agreeing with Jinseong’s words, the scruffy cat nestled in the man’s arms meowed.
Miyow-!
Even without being called, the cat swiftly broke free from the man’s arms and dashed to the desk in one leap. It then sat obediently as if waiting for a command, its gaze fixed intently on Jinseong’s face.
“Eat.”
Mii-EeeeeEEEEEEEEEEEEEEO!
Once granted permission, the cat’s mouth split wide open, stretching from ear to ear. Its mouth expanded as if a snake gaping to eat its prey, growing larger like rubber.
When its mouth reached a size that could easily swallow a human head,
Kwaduduk!
The fruit hanging from its neck disappeared in an instant.
MIIIIIIIIIIIIIII Krrrrrrrrrr.
The cat melted down the head like candy and, looking significantly shinier than before, let out a low, satisfied purr.
“Death is this fleeting.”
Behold.
A body that lived for ages through servitude to the enemies of its own kind.
The fate it would have spent a thousand years enjoying was harvested so emptily.
“However, it is the fate of a dog to be boiled when its use runs out, so this too is destiny.”
Jinseong murmured, gathering the blood that flowed from the severed neck and putting it in his mouth.
“Mm. This won’t do.”
Having feasted on greasy and sweet substances, the taste of rich and sweet blood was not what Jinseong sought. What he wanted was not the blood of an ordinary pig-like human but something closer to trash, closer to waste that had no purpose.
“Even in death, being of no use, that life is truly futile. Thus, I chant this spell, enveloped in mercy, praying for the repose of the spirit and flesh and return to the heavens. Om mani padme hum. Om mani padme hum. Om mani padme hum (ॐ मणि पद्मे हूँ).”
Jinseong chanted the incantation as if he were a monk, using one hand to make a gesture.
Miyow.
After sending the deceased boss’s soul to the heavens, Jinseong opened his eyes and turned to walk towards the man who wore a blank expression.
“Are you coveting the chair? I’ll buy one for you when I make a lot of money later.”
Despite the horrifying event unfolding before his eyes, the man spoke to Jinseong as if he hadn’t seen anything.
“Om-”
Jinseong half-listened to the man’s words as he walked out of the boss’s office.
“Hu-uh.”
“Huh, Hu-uh.”
“Just let me….”
Having confirmed that the fruit was ripe, it was now time to harvest.
* * *
I say it again and again.
Magic is a truly strange discipline.
To imitate nature and mimic its powers may be correct, but how it is done remains a mystery. Thus, people say magic is an unstructured and unsystematic miracle and mystery.
Unlike other disciplines that use natural forces such as mana, magic power, and qi, the energy used in each magic is chaotic. It might use natural forces, life force, or even use earth or fortune, or even lifespan.
Moreover, while it is said that magic uses symbols, there are an abundance of magics that do not use symbols at all, and there are magics that do rely on meaning and some that do not. Just as commonly known, there are magics that imitate certain subjects, as well as summons like contractors or summoners.
Thus, magic is so broad and abstract that it cannot be categorized into a single classification.
However, because of this very reason, magic is immensely diverse, with unpredictable results that could spring forth. Unlike magic, which is easy to predict based on elements, or martial arts that always manifest in accordance with bodily form due to reliance on qi.
“Om-”
Therefore, unlike other abilities that emphasize rules and structures, it can also create something fresh and creative.
Kwaduduk!
There exists Toxoplasma gondii, commonly referred to as Toxoplasma, which is a parasite that infects cats.
Kwaduduk!
Parasites are truly mysterious, often making the seemingly impossible possible. This organism, Toxoplasma, demonstrates such traits.
Taking the domestic cat as its definitive host, this parasite enters through intermediate hosts, growing inside the cat’s body, maturing into adults, and laying eggs. The Toxoplasma parasite can reproduce only within the cat’s body, exerting powers akin to magic for breeding.
Host manipulation.
Toxoplasma’s incredible ability is that it manipulates its host.
With a size barely visible to the naked eye, it has the audacity to control the host to be eaten by a cat.
The primary intermediate host for this strange parasite is the rat.
Once the Toxoplasma enters the rat’s body, it begins to control the rat’s brain. The parasite, now within the rat’s brain, seizes the cerebellum, increasing the rat’s affection for cats, reducing its attention and caution, and diminishing its sense of danger.
Rats that would normally flee at the mere scent of cat urine now act as if they have no care in the world, living as boldly as if their liver were exposed.
Miyow!
Kwaduduk!
Thus, the rat gets gobbled up by the cat.
True to its name, Toxoplasma serves as an arrow, launching the rat to be captured and breed.
But there’s another astonishing quality about this parasite.
It can infect all vertebrates.
Though it cannot reproduce in anything other than cats, it can take all vertebrates as intermediate hosts.
Naturally, this includes humans.
This condition is known as toxoplasmosis.
When humans become infected, their brains are affected.
Miyow!
Kwaduduk!
Just like rats, they become braver, become careless, and cease to avoid danger. Moreover, they develop an affection for cats, often manifesting as a liking for the scent of cats.
The magic employed by Jinseong was precisely utilizing this property of Toxoplasma. Not something excavated from somewhere, but a form of primitive magic that he created himself, this spell transforms the selected person into a state resembling the rat.
Miyow?
Of course, biologically speaking, one cannot become akin to a rat. A person cannot possess rat genes unless they undergo biological experimentation.
Instead, it overlays the symbolism of rats onto humans.
Like produces like.
Bringing together the commonalities shared by both humans and rats, it approaches the traits of rats while sharing their symbolism. This is an application of the ritual of ‘Seonggwang Eunsangje,’ which Jinseong had gained enlightenment from long ago.
Rats have whiskers.
Humans have whiskers.
Rats have incisors.
Humans also have incisors.
Rats are full of life force.
Humans possess strong life force as well.
In this way, as commonalities are gathered and bound together, rats and humans too are connected. Consequently, although a person does not become a rat, they gradually begin to resemble one.
Whiskers begin to grow thin like a rat’s.
Incisors continue to grow, just like a rat’s.
As rats are full of life, so too does the human’s life force become enhanced. Muscles develop, the body grows larger, vitality surges, and reproductive capabilities are amplified.
And as they gradually resemble one another, humans receive the symbolism of rats.
Rats, from ancient times, symbolize wisdom, fertility, prosperity, and fortune.
In both Eastern and Western cultures, rats are portrayed as clever animals, sometimes helping others with their wisdom or appearing comically caught by their own cleverness. Therefore, a person resembling a rat becomes smarter and proficient in persuasion.
Rats appear in places rich with food, so having many rats means there is plenty to eat and ample resources. Therefore, in old stories, rats are often depicted as wealthy beings hoarding grains. Thus, a person resembling a rat experiences a bountiful life, never going hungry, and good fortune opens up.
However, rats also emerge when plagues arise, and they undoubtedly appear when calamities occur; they are also always present in times of war and when corpses pile up, embodying the scent of disaster. Thus, rats are also symbols of catastrophe.
And this calamity corresponds precisely to Toxoplasma.
The target of this spell has their brain infected, filling them with courage, making them reckless about avoiding danger. Furthermore, as the spell grows stronger, they begin to see illusions. Though it cannot be detailed down to the specifics like the illusionary magic wielded by wizards or the witchcraft of witches, it can reach a usable level.
Shaak! Ha-ack!
Because of this, the man found the unsightly and rotting-smelling cat adorable and carried it around. Through this cat, Jinseong’s magic spread among the others in the loan company, neutralizing everyone.
But….
Caw!
It seems not everyone could be neutralized.
Jinseong glanced to one side.
“Huh-ugh! Hah!”
What he saw there was a man with a well-trained body holding a sword and a cat that had been split in half.
The man, gasping for breath and leaning against the wall, glared at Jinseong, wielding a solid-looking wooden sword, while at his feet lay the severed body of the cat, its insides covered in white mold showing where the neck and body had been loosed.
“It seems he’s a warrior, resisting the special abilities.”