Into the Unknown

After a moment, the dark energies swirling around Jiho had significantly subsided. For the first time since the chaos began, Jiho became clearly visible at the center of it all.

"Jiho... What's happening to you?" Ji-hoon asked, his voice laced with concern.

"I don't know... this ring..." Jiho replied, his gaze falling to his hand. But where the ring had once been, only a faint mark remained. The black ring had vanished without a trace, as though it had never existed.

"Are you okay, bro?" Woo Jin asked hesitantly, stepping closer. The others stood silently, each lost in their thoughts, their eyes fixed on Jiho.

Ding... Ding... Ding...

The sound of a bell rang out, faint at first, but growing louder and more resonant with each passing moment. The group turned their attention to the source of the sound, momentarily forgetting about Jiho.

The strange bell seemed to affect not only Jiho's group but also the spirits residing in other shelters. Some spirits, driven by curiosity, emerged from their hiding places, while others remained within, observing the situation from a safe distance.

In mere moments, the street became crowded with countless spirits, all gazing upward at the blood-red droplets falling from the sky. Yet these drops did not seem like ordinary blood—they resembled tears. Even the moon seemed to mourn, its dim light resembling silent sobs rather than a gentle glow.

"We should go out there and see what's happening," Ji-hoon finally said, breaking the heavy silence.

"I think so too," Seo-Yeon agreed, speaking for the first time in a while.

"I'm staying here," Do-Yun said firmly. "It's too risky to go outside when we don't even know what's going on."

"Same here," Gun-Woo added. "Staying inside is safer. It's better than stepping into the unknown out there."

With their decisions made, Jiho, Woo Jin, Min-jae, and Ji-hye were the only ones left to decide.

Although Woo Jin was anxious and fearful, he ultimately agreed to step out because the leader of the group, whom he trusted most among the people here, persuaded him.

Min-Jae, however, remained silent. His gaze rested on Ji-hye, as if awaiting her decision. After all, wasn't Ji-hye the one who had brought him here? It seemed he had already resolved to follow whatever decision she made.

"I'm with the group leader and Seo-Yeon on this. I think we should go outside and see for ourselves," Jiho's voice cut through the tension, breaking the heavy silence as everyone awaited Ji-hye's decision.

To Jiho, the unfolding events outside were strange and dangerous, but staying put wouldn't change anything either. As the group leader had pointed out earlier, these shelters weren't impervious to evil spirits or hellhounds. If the worst came to pass, escape would be far harder. Besides, wasn't there a saying that opportunities often come paired with risks? With that thought, he made up his mind to step outside and investigate.

Ji-hye, who had been staring silently out at the mysterious happenings beyond, finally turned to the group leader and gave a small nod. From the look in her eyes, it was clear she had made her decision—to go outside as well.

In the end, only Do-Yun and Gun-Woo chose to remain behind, unwilling to take the risk. The rest of the group resolved to venture outside and uncover the truth behind the bizarre occurrences.

…

Outside the Soul Realm…

A middle-aged man with his hair tied back and a physique hardened by years of struggle stood by a blood-soaked pool. His rugged clothes were torn and stained, and his body bore countless wounds, each a testament to the battles he had endured. His sharp eyes locked onto the lifeless body of a young woman, lying motionless with crimson wings and webbed arms spread around her.

Embedded deep in her chest was a massive blade. With a firm grip, the man grasped the hilt and, with a powerful tug, wrenched it free, the sound of steel against flesh echoing eerily in the still air. The body slumped lifelessly to one side as he kicked it aside without hesitation.

He slung the bloodied blade across his back, its weight pressing against his tired shoulders, and continued walking forward, his steps deliberate and unyielding, leaving the grim scene behind.

Before him stood an ancient tree, its massive trunk entwined with swirling dark energies. At its base, a pitch-black door loomed ominously, while above its crown hung a crimson moon, glowing like a bleeding wound in the night sky.

"So… this must be a Soul Realm born from a fragment of an Outer God's soul… Who would've thought that a Soul Fragment could bypass the protective barriers of worlds and reach a place like the Abandoned Land of Gods? The souls here can't travel to other realms because of this, isn't that right…"

"No wonder Xquic changed after being consumed by all that Dark Energy. It makes sense now... If I stay here too long, even my core essence could be affected. I need to act fast. I can't let another disaster like Orochi happen again. While I still have the chance, I have to find it—quickly."

Standing before the black door, he paused, lost in thought. His expression darkened suddenly, his face twisting in frustration.

"Something's wrong… The trace of the Soul Fragment has vanished. It's no longer here… or could it be…?"

His voice trailed off as he abruptly pulled the door open and stepped inside without hesitation.

…

"Meow…"

The moment Jiho's group stepped outside, a soft meow echoed from the pouch where their little yellow cat had disappeared earlier. It darted out and leapt onto Jiho's body, snuggling firmly against his chest.

"Jiyoung… where have you been wandering off to?" Jiho said with a warm smile as he gently stroked the affectionate cat.

"Jiho… is this your spirit companion? This little one seems really attached to you. How did you two reconnect?" Woo Jin asked, stepping closer and petting the little yellow cat's head as he spoke.

Jiho, unfamiliar with the term "spirit companion," looked uncertain about how to respond. Picking up on Jiho's confusion, Woo Jin continued explaining.

"A spirit companion is a creature that had a deep bond with its master while they were alive—so strong that it continues to accompany them even in the spirit realm. Some say they act as guides to the afterlife. These companions stay close, fearing their master might lose their way, and lead them toward the right path. At least, that's what the stories say… Whether it's true or not, I don't know."

"Well, I don't think this little one is my spirit companion. I never kept any pets while I was alive. And as for this cat, I just found it wandering in the darkness while I was walking and decided to bring it along," Jiho replied, shaking his head firmly.

Woo Jin's expression briefly faltered at Jiho's response but, deeming it unimportant, he didn't press further. Instead, he turned his attention to something more pressing.

"Never mind that… but what exactly happened earlier? The Dark Energies didn't seem to harm you at all. Honestly, I panicked when I first saw them surrounding you. Usually, if an ordinary soul absorbed that much Dark Energy, they would've transformed into an Evil spirit on the spot…"

Woo Jin walked alongside Jiho, his tone laced with curiosity and concern.

Meanwhile, Ji-hoon and Seo-Yeon watched from a distance, silently observing and analyzing the situation.

Min-Jae and Ji Hye were caught amidst other spirits, straining to catch pieces of the conversation as they tried to understand what was happening.

Suddenly, the crimson glow illuminating the sky began to fade, dimming gradually before vanishing completely within seconds. The entire Soul Realm was shrouded in a massive blanket of darkness, and even the faint murmurs of conversation were silenced. Jiho and the other souls waited quietly, unfamiliar with and unnerved by the suffocating blackness surrounding them.

In mere moments, everything had shifted.

"Run! Hellhounds are coming!"

A deafening cry broke through the silence, its source unknown. The once-quiet land plunged into chaos, the ominous darkness erupting into a cacophony of panic. An uncountable sea of souls, writhing in fear, began to scatter in all directions, frantically seeking safety.

"Howl…"

"Save me… I don't want to disappear like this!"

"Run!"

The Soul Realm devolved into pure pandemonium. The relentless howls of countless hellhounds, accompanied by the terrified cries of the fleeing souls, created an apocalyptic cacophony. Bright red eyes glinted in the pitch-black void, revealing monstrous creatures the size of cars. The hellhounds charged through the darkness, relentlessly hunting down spirits, tearing into them, and devouring them with ferocity—a blood-curdling scene that spoke of complete carnage.

"We need to get far away from here and find a place to hide. Run toward safety! If we survive this, let's meet again at the shelter!" Ji-hoon's commanding voice cut through the chaos as he addressed his group. Holding tightly onto Seo-Yeon's hand, he led the way, running as fast as he could toward the faint hope of escape.

Amid the madness, only Jiho and Woo Jin, who were close enough to hear, caught Ji-hoon's instructions. The two of them, however, were also struggling to push through the frantic crowd, unable to regroup or call out for their missing companions.

Min-Jae and Ji Hye, caught in the chaos and swallowed by the fleeing crowd, had vanished entirely. They seemed to have been swept away with the other spirits, running blindly into the dark.

Just as the chaos reached its peak, Jiho's yellow cat suddenly leapt from his arms. Dodging the throng of spirits, it darted off into the void. After running about three meters, it stopped and turned to look back at Jiho, as if waiting for him to follow.

"Jiho… your cat…" Woo Jin began.

"I know. Let's follow her. When I was lost in the darkness before, she led me out. I trust her now, too," Jiho replied calmly, his mind made up. Without hesitation, he started moving toward the direction the cat had taken, trusting its guidance once again.

Even after several minutes of running through winding pathways, the cries from behind them had not faded. Instead, the hellhounds' howls and the anguished screams of the souls grew closer and closer. Despite this, the yellow cat leading the way had yet to stop, even as its body began to flicker faintly, like a fading flame.

"There's an open door up ahead…"

The sudden, sweet voice that emerged from around a corner diverted the souls' attention. Like moths to a flame, the panicked spirits all turned toward the source of the voice and rushed in that direction.

Curiously, however, the yellow cat's chosen path was not aligned with the voice. Instead, it darted toward the opposite side of the corridor, moving purposefully away from the sound.

"Jiho… shouldn't we head for that door?" Woo Jin asked, pausing near the corner as his gaze lingered on the direction of the voice.

Jiho, too, turned to look back.

Across the corridor stood a striking crimson door that radiated an ominous glow. It had been closed the first time Jiho had seen it, but now it stood wide open. At the doorway stood a beautiful young woman, her features almost otherworldly, beckoning the souls to enter.

"Woo Jin… we don't have time to argue. If you trust me, follow me. I'm certain this isn't the door we should take," Jiho said firmly. Without waiting for a response, he turned and resumed chasing after the fading figure of the yellow cat.

"I…"

Woo Jin hesitated, his eyes darting back and forth between Jiho and the crimson door. Finally, he let out a long sigh of resignation and decided to follow his friend, sprinting after him down the opposite path.

They weren't alone in their choice. A handful of other spirits had also refrained from entering the crimson door, opting instead to search for another way forward.

As Jiho ran, he noticed Woo Jin catching up behind him. A small smile flickered across his face, but he said nothing—there was no time to speak. The howls of the hellhounds were still far too close, and survival remained their only focus.

The little tabby cat's body began to fade as it kept running, eventually stopping after taking a turn at a corner. By the time Jiho caught up, the cat's body looked like it might vanish at any moment.

Behind it stood two doors.

One was a shimmering, deep blue, radiating a calming luminescence. The other was an ordinary wooden door, plain and unadorned.

"Jiyoung…" Jiho whispered, rushing forward to scoop up the fading little yellow cat. Holding it tightly, he couldn't help but feel a wave of gratitude and sadness. Though this was their first true meeting, hadn't this little creature guided him and even sacrificed its essence to help him escape?

Why did it go so far to help him at the cost of its own soul?

"Meow…" The little cat let out a soft sound, as if sensing Jiho's sadness. It licked his hands gently, then faded more and more until it disappeared completely.

Only Jiho remained, standing alone in front of the two doors, motionless.

"Argh… wooo…"

"Jiho… which door are you going to pick? I think I'll just go with the wooden one. Those hellhounds are getting closer." Woo Jin, who had just caught up, saw the two doors and, hearing the approaching growls of the hounds, spoke anxiously.

Jiho took a deep breath, trying to suppress his emotions. His gaze fell upon the shimmering deep blue door in front of him… Then, he turned toward Woo Jin...

"If fate permits, we'll meet again."

"Haha… okay, brother. If fate allows, let's meet again."

The two exchanged parting words as the growling and howling drew nearer. Each braced for the unknown challenges ahead and stepped into their chosen doors.

Both doors vanished instantly as soon as they entered.

End - 5