NOVEL WEB Chapter 28
As I passed through the vast skies of the border, I found myself in enemy territory.
“Ha.”
The first thing that greeted me was the flashy decorations caught between the nouveau riche and tradition. The airport, although appearing somewhat vulgar, was filled with Japan’s characteristic flamboyance. Amidst it all, there were murals painted in the style of Ukiyo-e, as if saying, “This is the beauty of Japan.”
‘They’ve got some odd work on those paintings.’
The murals exuded a strange energy, a power that was distinctly different from magic yet did not fully align with sorcery either.
‘Onmyōdō?’
Onmyōdō is a form of magic that Japan adapted and arranged in its own way from the shamanic traditions developed in China and Korea. Originating from the sorcery of Northeast Asia, it utilizes talismans as a basis for power while enhancing its effects by adding spells.
Those who wield this Onmyōdō are called Onmyoji, and for many years, they occupied important positions in the state, reading the heavens, performing rituals, and studying geomancy, all while maintaining their grip on power, just like traditional shamans.
In other words, this is a unique form of sorcery that Japan possesses.
‘They’ve masked it with Onmyōdō.’
And the method for confirming a sorcerer, which Jinseong had guessed early on, was none other than Onmyōdō.
It may seem obvious; after all, how could one find a sorcerer using standard methods when their very existence is so unpredictable?
Body energy detectors work better for wizards or warriors than for sorcerers, and dimensional disturbance detectors are only effective for summoners.
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or terahertz radiation body scanners might effectively detect the physical cost that a sorcerer incurs while casting spells… but since that cost doesn’t differ from an ordinary patient, it would be meaningless in distinguishing between the two.
Thus, it seems Japan has engraved Onmyōdō to detect sorcerers.
The method? A clash of sorcery.
Sorcerers, capable of using all sorts of magic, prepare defenses against other forms of sorcery. They usually rely on a “Protective Doll” that takes on the damage inflicted on the sorcerer.
In this process, the cursed magic’s traces are dispersed, and the Onmyōdō inscribed at the airport likely captures this dispersion and sends signals.
‘If they probe lightly and trigger a reaction, they’ll be caught immediately. Quite refined, indeed.’
Of course, it’s not uncommon for ordinary people to carry a Protective Doll. Who doesn’t wish for fortune and disaster prevention after all?
‘It might also be linked to the body scanners.’
Thus, Jinseong suspected that they were not merely focused on Onmyōdō but also on science. It was entirely plausible for one to be flagged as a patient by the body scanner, and there’s nothing unusual about carrying a Protective Doll.
However, it’s rare for both to apply simultaneously.
‘If both flags pop up, then it’s likely follow-up actions will ensue. Perhaps they’ll suspect you and have contractors or other sorcerers come check… those kinds of measures.’
Jinseong thought of it as a spider’s web.
A sticky spider web meant to trap sorcerers entering Japan.
Could it be because of that?
He felt even more excitement growing within him.
‘What on earth are they hiding so diligently to spark such rejection of sorcerers?’
He acted nonchalantly, as if oblivious to Onmyōdō, while surveying the airport.
At Kagoshima Airport, they proudly displayed their footbath, where one could notice Onmyōdō cleverly hidden in the patterns beneath, and their shuttle bus to tourist attractions was also full of Onmyōdō. No, there were even barriers set outside the airport.
‘Impressive.’
There was a strong determination to keep sorcerers from leaving the airport.
It was astoundingly persistent.
‘Let’s check that barrier. A divine object… no, it’s a barrier for detecting talismans.’
Tsking, he boarded the bus, noting the brilliantly painted dragons on the floor and ceiling, which were also Onmyōdō.
‘These induce clashes with divine objects. There wouldn’t be significant effects, but it leaves traces, a form of trickery that’s hard to detect.’
Was that all?
There were devices all over the bus that seemed to be thermal detection sensors. While the explanation stated it was for disease prevention, who would believe that? In a time when no global pandemic was spreading, placing such devices would only be a waste of budget.
It is only fair to think that there’s another purpose.
‘Let’s see. It’s definitely not just a regular sensor, but a body energy detection sensor.’
Unlike common sensors, he felt several types of energy mixed in a minute quantity within the components.
He recognized it unmistakably from his countless experiences as a mercenary.
‘They’re narrowing down suspects and confirming them by all means, huh?’
Body energy detection doesn’t work on sorcerers; after all, sorcery doesn’t utilize a specific type of energy, and even if it were assumed that a certain energy was used, the physical costs would change the body, making it hard to stably gather energy.
So, it was clear that this body energy detection sensor was meant to filter out non-sorcerers rather than detect sorcerers.
‘Hah. How persistent. What kind of treasure are they hiding to go to such lengths?’
With an expectant expression, Jinseong quietly sat in an empty seat and gazed out the window.
His demeanor resembled that of an eager tourist, causing no one to bat an eye.
“Oh!”
When the shuttle bus arrived at its destination, his awed exclamation went unnoticed. A foreigner marveling at the scenery of Japan was merely seen as endearing by others.
In reality, the view outside the bus was undeniably fantastic.
But to Jinseong’s eyes, there was something else.
‘There are barriers up to this point! No, important tourist sites reachable directly from the airport are surely protected by barriers as well.’
He decided to take a regular city bus instead of the shuttle. He made his way to a less populated area, teleporting his way to the bus stop, and boarded a dilapidated bus that didn’t look like it came from a tourist spot, moving wherever it could.
There was no specific destination.
He simply wanted to escape the important tourist sites directly connected to the airport.
But was that act rather helpful?
As soon as Jinseong got off at a suitable location, he burst into laughter.
‘No wonder they’re trying to weed out sorcerers. Hahaha!’
He had gotten off in a quiet rural village.
A seemingly ordinary rural village.
This place, infinitely similar to rural towns in Korea, undeniably lacked what could be deemed a tourist destination.
Yet to Jinseong’s eyes, it appeared more charming and beautiful than any tourist hot spot.
He saw a thin black mist.
It seemed like the remnant darkness of night diluted by light, gently cascading like the wings of a fairy, so faint yet so vividly present. While too insubstantial to be tangible, it was overwhelmingly positive. However, if gathered, it would surely take on the color of darkness.
He also saw white powder.
The tiny, fine granules produced by tearing open a bag of flour and throwing it into the air. Perhaps, if the properties were altered to allow it to pass through light, it would create delicate snowflakes that wouldn’t settle on the ground.
These particles seemed to reject one another like magnets with the same polarity, their shape reminiscent of seaweed twisting and blooming with white flowers.
‘There’s an abundance of scattered hun (魂) and baek (魄) here!’
What he saw was the very essence of souls, the hun and baek!
And these hun and baek could be used in various ways in sorcery.
In simple terms, what lay before him was more valuable than a gold mine or a diamond mine.
Realizing the secret Japan was desperately trying to hide, he smiled brightly and began teleporting around, confirming hun and baek here and there.
And he realized that the entirety of Japan, save for spots where barriers were erected to catch sorcerers, bore similar traces.
‘Right. It’s absurd to think that if nature is disturbed, only the temperature could rise as a side effect. Now I understand.’
The fact that hun and baek, which should naturally dissipate, remained in such abundance was a clear indication of disruption.
‘With hun and baek left like that, grudges become unresolved and accumulate, and evil spirits and malevolent entities must be rampant everywhere. Disasters are likely frequent as well. It all makes sense!’
And he also began to understand why Japan employed the unique form of Onmyōdō.
‘This is why Japan boasts about Onmyōdō but only uses it domestically.’
Within Japan, haphazardly gathering hun and baek for sorcery would have been sufficient to yield powerful results.
Even the shikigami (式神) could act if handed well-groomed souls compounded with hun and baek.
However, once they stepped outside Japan, such a practice would be impossible.
Where on earth are hun and baek that common?
They vanish almost instantly when continually exposed to the energy of the sun. Although baek can endure somewhat, hun evaporates and disappears.
To use hun and baek like Japan does, a ritual or high-quality divine object would be necessary.
‘With this amount of hun and baek, an adept sorcerer could turn a whole country into chaos!’
If a competent necromancer was brought in, they could easily devastate an entire city. By bringing in a single grudge spirit and refining hun for it, one could birth a powerful evil spirit; in some cases, a great evil spirit could emerge.
And that’s not all! By bringing in an evil ghost and refining baek for it, an urban-grade great evil ghost could be created. If this scenario applies nationwide, they could create dozens of such monsters, potentially leading to the collapse of a state.
If a talisman sorcerer were involved, even the talismans produced in a talisman factory would wield profound power, and a fire sorcerer capable of using Soul Burn could turn those hun and baek scattered around into a sea of flames.
Of course, that’s just in theory; it might not translate to reality.
They are exhibiting such paranoid attitudes against a sorcerer’s entry; how could they not anticipate the possibility of a sorcerer smuggling in and causing chaos? There must be numerous measures to detect and block sorcerers hidden throughout Japan.
“Excellent. Truly excellent!”
But what does it matter?
If you don’t get caught, that’s all that’s required!
Jinseong felt confident that he would gain immense benefits in Japan.
No.
He was certain of it.