A smoke of Resolve

A few minutes later, the persistent pain that had been constantly present began to subside. His body, now transformed into a smoky black haze, made even the slightest movements arduous. It took significant effort to shift even a few meters. Each time he wanted to move from one place to another, he had to first gather his focus and then force his smoky form to push forward.

After several attempts, Jiho eventually began to adapt to the body he now inhabited. Initially, his focus would falter, causing him to halt mid-movement, but now, those difficulties seemed to be diminishing.

The smoky black haze of his body lacked a defined form, yet when birds flying through the air pierced through him, he felt a chilling sensation deep within. Additionally, he could sense the biting cold of the winds.

The most pressing issue, movement, had been resolved, so now it was time to focus on other matters. First, he needed to determine exactly where he had ended up. Judging by the surrounding mountains and forests, it seemed he had arrived somewhere on the outskirts of North America.

The second most critical task was to contact his friends and his sister. However, with this smoke-like body that couldn't even be seen by the birds, how could he possibly reach out to them?

According to the stories he had heard, ordinary humans didn't typically encounter spirits. Spirits usually communicated through intermediaries or by possessing bodies and speaking through them.

In that sense, the tales of spirits inhabiting bodies and traveling the world appeared to hold some truth. It seemed Jiho would have to do the same. However, in this remote wilderness, there were no people to possess. He would have to wait until he reached a more populated area to attempt that method.

He also wondered about the others he had met in the Soul Realm, like Woo Jin and Ji-Hoon. Would they be able to escape from the hellhounds' grasp? As for Woo Jin, Jiho wasn't worried. He had entered a different gate like him, so he would surely make it out safely. If he had the chance, Jiho planned to look for that group he had helped out in the Soul Realm.

While reflecting on his next steps, Jiho remembered the black ring. After absorbing the Dark Energy in the Soul Realm, it had completely vanished without a trace, leaving only a faint mark. Now, with his body having transformed into smoke, even that faint mark seemed to have disappeared.

Jiho felt a little regretful at the loss of something so mysterious. However, what truly mattered was that he had returned to the mortal world. Would he be able to meet his loved ones again? That, above all else, was what mattered most.

After pushing through a whirlwind of thoughts, Jiho focused and moved his smoky body through the air, feeling the wind carry him forward. The strong breeze helped clear the heavy emotions that had been weighing on him.

Controlling his smoky form, he soared between towering trees, weaving through countless unfamiliar plants. A rush of excitement and joy flooded him—this was the first time since entering this strange life that he had felt such emotions.

Soaring freely through the air, Jiho soon reached the base of a massive mountain. From a distance, it didn't seem so impressive, but up close, he realized how mistaken he'd been. The mountain range stretched endlessly, surrounding a vast forest.

If he had tried to climb the mountain using his physical strength, like any normal mountain climber, he would have surely ended up exhausted. But as a spirit, his luck had turned, and his smoky form made it possible for him to simply soar through the mountains without difficulty.

With this in mind, he flew higher and higher, crossing over the endless mountains. Yet, as he did, the view ahead stopped him—he couldn't continue eastward. The small joys he had felt earlier seemed to vanish.

Jiho, in his smoky form, stopped and looked at the unfamiliar sights around him.

Ahead were lush meadows, rivers, streams, ponds, and a great city. The city was surrounded by tall walls, each gate enormous like a watchtower. In the center, a majestic palace stood, reaching toward the sky, with a blue light shining brightly at its peak—though Jiho couldn't tell what it was.

Outside the city walls, neatly arranged houses could be seen. While he hadn't yet entered the city, he could tell from the outside that it was a grand place. Not far from the city, narrow mountain passes and rivers flowed toward a nearby reservoir.

"I'm not on Earth, am I…" Jiho thought, the realization sinking in.

The scenery before him didn't look like anything from Earth—it felt more like something out of the fantasy novels he had once read and written.

The gate he had entered in the Soul Realm hadn't led to Earth, but to another realm entirely.

In places like Earth, spirits were often exorcised or controlled by shamans or monks. But this place seemed far more advanced. Would he even be able to possess a body here, let alone find a way to communicate with humans?

Deep in thought, Jiho carefully made his way toward the city, remaining cautious and alert. His mind was racing with ideas and possibilities, planning his next move in this strange place.

Passing through the vibrant meadows, Jiho saw large trees, fields, and houses. From a distance, the city had seemed like the most prominent feature, but now, on closer inspection, the outskirts of the city appeared more like a small village.

People of various ages were working in the fields, planting crops, while others tended to cattle and sheep, living in harmony with the land. Jiho might have mistaken this for an ordinary village if he hadn't seen the towering city walls and the palace beyond them.

Jiho had crossed through the farmlands and paths and finally arrived near some houses. He had passed many people, yet none seemed to notice him. What was even stranger was that he could see strange black-and-white mixed auras emanating from every person around him.

The black auras seemed similar to Dark Energy, but the white auras were something he couldn't quite identify. However, based on his guess, they were likely the opposite of Dark Energy.

Everything in the world seemed to exist in pairs: Light and Dark, Yin and Yang, Positive and Negative. This principle seemed to hold true in every realm.

Suddenly, Jiho's attention was drawn to a man, around forty years old, whose body was surrounded by a dense black aura. The man's aura was so thick that the white aura could hardly be seen. The man's face was marked by a large, jagged scar, and on his back, he carried a crossbow. In his hand, he held a dead red stag, its blood still dripping from the wound.

With a single glance, one might easily recognize that this was no ordinary man but a hunter, a predator who had undoubtedly killed countless creatures.

Jiho recalled the words of Ji-Hoon, the leader he had met in the Soul Realm, who had said that Dark Energy manifested from negative feelings and was birthed through suppressed emotions. What Jiho was seeing now seemed to confirm that statement. Everyone harbored desires, greed, and other dark aspects of their personality that they kept hidden from others.

As Jiho watched intently, the man, who seemed to be a predator, entered a small wooden house. Without hesitation, Jiho moved closer to the house, determined to enter. Because his spirit body had no physical form, it could pass through objects. The closed door couldn't stop him.

Inside the house, the furnishings resembled those of a typical home, similar to what one might find in the human world. There was a lamp made of stone to light the room, animal heads mounted on the walls, and various other furnishings that remained untouched by the hunter.

The hunter, unaware of Jiho's presence, walked toward a young animal lying in the room. He discarded his weapons and approached, raising a knife and preparing for the next task. He calmly placed his knife near the prey's throat, and then, with swift movements, executed his plan.

Jiho stayed behind, lost in thought, contemplating how the hunter's strength or skills might help him navigate this world or search for answers. However, conflicted by a moral dilemma, he hesitated.

"If I stay as I am—just a formless cloud—how can I protect myself? How can I find my sister and friends? Maybe... if I use his body for just a moment..."

With that thought, Jiho, without further hesitation, stepped into the hunter's body. As he merged, he felt an icy shiver run down his spine.

"What's this...? Feels like a chill running down my spine." The hunter recoiled as Jiho's essence entered his body, losing all control over it. His body felt as though it had become detached from himself, and he could no longer feel or control his movements. His consciousness flickered, his sense of self distorted, as darkness began to take over.

The moment Jiho merged into the hunter's body, it felt like passing through a shimmering surface of water. At first, control was smooth—effortless, even. The hunter's body moved as if it had always been his, responding instinctively to his commands. But as he delved deeper into the hunter's mind, something unexpected happened: resistance. The hunter's memories, emotions, and pain began to surge, pushing back against his influence.

Years of survival and struggle had forged the hunter's spirit into one of unwavering strength. His will, though not supernatural, was resilient, honed by countless battles and the harsh realities of life. Jiho's control faltered as the hunter's sheer willpower fought back, pushing him away.

Though the hunter had no magical power, his determination to remain in control became a force of its own—an unyielding barrier against Jiho's possession. Jiho could feel the resistance—this was not just a mental struggle but a battle against the hunter's indomitable will to hold onto his own body.

Jiho could not hold on any longer. The pressure, the resistance, the weight of the hunter's spirit—all of it was too much. With a jolt, Jiho was forced to pull back, his essence retracting from the hunter's body as though he were being pushed out.

"This man's will is incredibly strong… His memories are even more numerous than the ones I've encountered before," Jiho thought as he stepped outside. "But since this person is surrounded by such dense Dark Energy, I should be able to suppress it for a while… It's still not enough… It would be better to find a younger person."

Possessing someone wasn't as simple as he had thought. The possessions he had heard about on Earth were usually caused by evil spirits. Those spirits were free from self-control, driven by hatred, and had survived in the spirit realm for many years. Their chaotic emotions and abundant Dark Energy could hold the host's mind in an unbreakable grip.

However, for Jiho, possession was a different process. Unlike evil spirits, he didn't have much Dark Energy, and his self-control remained intact. Forcing his spirit into someone's memories and merging with them was therefore a very exhausting task for him.

Leaving the hunter behind, Jiho stepped out of the house. While walking along the streets, he encountered many people, but none of them had black auras as dense as the hunter's.

As he continued his search for a suitable person to possess, Jiho observed the daily life of the people in this place. There were no modern industries or advanced technology, and to someone from the modern world like him, it felt like a very backward place.

Still, there were things that seemed unusual to him. From the hunter's memories, he had seen wild creatures here that were unlike anything he knew from Earth. For example, he had seen three-legged hares with blue eyes and shadowy snakes that moved in strange ways—creatures Jiho had never encountered before.

Suddenly… a newborn baby, carried by a joyful woman, rushed out of a garden, surrounded by smiling elderly people and their companions.

As Jiho watched the scene, his attention was drawn to the baby in the woman's arms. The baby's body seemed to emit a soft white light, which was strange, almost as if the light was protecting the child.

Jiho could feel the warmth of the light as it neared, but it wasn't something he should get involved with.

As he distanced himself from the baby, he continued on his way and eventually reached the city gates. Not far from the gate, under the shade of a tree, a group of ten-year-old children gathered around a boy of the same age, bullying him mercilessly. The boy, who had been knocked to the ground, was surrounded and being kicked as the others laughed at his misery. Though the guards stationed at the gate witnessed the scene, they pretended not to see, as if it wasn't their responsibility, and did nothing to intervene.

"These little brats... Aren't you supposed to be boys? If you're real men, then challenge him one-on-one!" Jiho couldn't understand the taunting words of the children, but as he looked at the crying boy enduring the relentless kicks, fury ignited within him.

"I may not know how to fight, but I can take on this bunch of kids! Don't worry, I'll step in and punish them for you."

Then, as if responding to the situation, a faint gray mist seeped into the body of the bullied boy.

End - 7