Chapter 160: Dragon King Festival (1)

The decaying earth and air.

Rotting fish lay tangled in the nauseating mud spread across the endless plain. The stench was horrific, and silence prevailed.

In that endlessly repulsive and dark place, a great and majestic shadow loomed.

A huge arm covered in scales with fins larger than a ship's sail.

Whispers went on endlessly.

Kim Shin-hwa opened his eyes. It had been a terrible nightmare.

He had been defending himself with the power of the artifacts, but now he didn't even have that.

This was once again the village chief's house. The very room where he had woken up in a state of amnesia. The air was musty with a moldy smell and the blanket was damp.

"..."

He was wearing a grotesque mask resembling the form of a deep-sea creature.

Beneath the mask which mimicked abnormally swollen eyes Kim Shin-hwa blinked a few times and stayed still.

A sound came from outside the window. It was a flapping sound like a bird's wings. Kim Shin-hwa slowly raised his upper body.

Meanwhile, in the same building,

The village chief was preparing for the Dragon King's Festival in the room with the safe.

The time was now 5 a.m.

Though it was still far from sunrise, the village chief was busy. The safe opened with a creaking noise.

"Grrrr—"

The village chief paused before he made his characteristic throat sound as he looked at the gold-filled safe. Greed shone in his large eyes.

"Khuhuhu..."

With a fond touch, the village chief briefly caressed the gold. Though it was the fund for running the village, it now felt like it was his alone.

Boom, boom, boom-

Drum sounds echoed from afar.

"Finally, they have arrived."

The village chief's movements became more frantic. What he needed to prepare was not the gold bars. His gaze shifted to another compartment of the safe.

There lay a golden crown emitting an eerie magical power.

This was the item needed for the Dragon King's ritual that was about to begin.

"Grrr—"

The village chief carefully lifted the crown with trembling hands. He had not yet become a true member of the deep-sea people, but he had enough talent to sense the power contained within this crown.

And the immense power this crown would grant its owner.

"That too will soon be used."

Next to the crown was a small metal box. For a moment, pure religious fervor flickered in the eyes of the village chief who was usually consumed by greed.

Inside this box lay the key to fulfilling their deepest desires. That key was named [Ocarina of the Deep Sea].

It was an item meant for the day the Dragon King would personally descend upon this land.

"Hmm?"

The village chief felt a moment of unease. The box which should have been perfectly aligned in its designated place.... was crooked?

If any harm were to come to this precious artifact, it would be a sin he could not atone for with his life and soul.

"Why is this like...?"

The village chief reached out for the box. What was this? No one but him could touch this safe. Could it be that mage...?

"Shh—!"

"Shh—!"

The village chief's hand halted. The loud drum sounds reverberated. Then, someone began to shout in a prolonged voice.

"The envoy of the Dragon King of the West Sea is coming!"

The priest is coming. I must hurry.

The village chief reached out again and placed the box back in its proper position.

I searched that guy's belongings but found nothing.

It must have been needless suspicion. With a thud, the safe door closed.

"For an immortal life and the great descent of the Dragon King."

After the village chief muttered like that, he lifted the crown on a golden tray and ran out into the yard.

Outside the house, the noise of murmuring voices was followed by a loud commotion.

Breaking through the thick fog unique to Insu Village, an impressive procession emerged.

There was a flag bearer holding a flag embroidered with golden thread and a guide shouting loudly at the front "Shh- The envoy of the Dragon King has arrived!".

Then, a huge palanquin appeared.

On top of the palanquin that was carried by eight strong men sat the priest who had come on the Dragon King's command.

And behind it followed the loud drum sounds and the troupe of performers and entertainers.

"The chief of Insu Village, come out quickly and greet the Dragon King's envoy!"

Judging by the titles and appearances alone, it might seem like a special folk performance seen in any other region. But that was not the case.

The embroidery on the flag bore the sigil of Dagon and it exuded malevolent power in its very form.

The golden palanquin was cursed. It was designed to corrupt the human mind.

Grk, grk, grrrk, grk, grk, grk, grk, grk, grrrk.

Amid the drumbeats, an ominous and bizarre noise continued.

The eerie procession that emerged through the fog consisted entirely of hybrids with deep-sea people's blood.

Large protruding eyes. Distorted and twisted bodies. Grotesquely misshapen faces.

With every breath, the skin below their necks heaved. Soon, gills would form there.

No, the word "entirely" was used too hastily.

Look at the protagonist of this sinister procession. That bloated and repulsive creature was seated on the palanquin.

"Shh—"

"The envoy of the Dragon King of the West Sea and the priest of the sea—"

The pale scales revealed through the silk clothes wrapping his body. A bumpy face that somehow resembled a turtle. Huge round eyes emitting a bright yellow glow. The disgusting sound of his breathing.

Flapping fins and wriggling gills.

"—The True Person of the Tortoise has arrived!"

That appearance was the ultimate form that the villagers aspired to reach.

Insu Village was a sect known as the Dagon Cult, but they did not communicate with other cults serving different gods.

However, one could borrow the title of Masquerade. The priest called the True Person of the Tortoise here was worthy of the title of Judge in Masquerade terms.

"Grrrr—"

The True Person of the Tortoise descended under the halted palanquin.

He had a large and hefty build even among the deep-sea people of similar age. With each step he took, a "thud-thud!" thumping sound could be heard.

"Please accept the crown entrusted by the Dragon King."

The village chief hastily ran out, bowed his head, and offered the crown.

The True Person of the Tortoise briefly glanced around with a bored expression on his face. A lot of hybrids had gathered.

He let out a short sigh which was accompanied by a growling sound. They were lacking, but they were still necessary soldiers for the great cause, and they were descendants of the deep sea.

"Hoo— grr, this is the last sacrifice."

The drumbeats had stopped at some point. The deep-sea hybrids gathered around the village chief's house and held their breath as they watched the priest. Not even a growling sound could be heard.

Once more, the priest raised his voice and spoke.

"Grrrr! This is the last sacrifice!"

He reached out with his plump hand and picked up the crown.

"As the first son of the Dragon King, I, the True Person of the Tortoise, deliver the Dragon King's decree to you! This is the last sacrifice!"

The hybrids murmured. The last sacrifice. Once this sacrifice was over, all preparations would be complete. Then soon, very soon!

"If this sacrifice is completed successfully, the stars will find their place soon! After today's sacrifice, after five new moons!"

That day would come. All the previous sacrifices, all the human offerings, and all the efforts were for that day. If that day came, if that day came...

The True Person of the Tortoise placed the crown imbued with the power of the sea on his head.

Emerald-colored magical power that resembled the deep sea rippled in both his hands and eyes.

Now, the True Person of the Tortoise was no longer just a deep-sea person. As a priest acting on behalf of the [Lord of Murky Waters], he shouted with a powerful voice.

"On that exact day, we will cause a flood! All the land will be submerged underwater!"

Flood! Only we, who chose water over land, will be saved! The Dragon King is coming! The Dragon King will lead us to eternal life! All this land will be submerged underwater!

"Yes, on that very day, the Dragon King will return! He will ride the boat you built and lead the waves of destruction!"

Roars of "Ahhhh!" filled the air. The sound of drums, "Dum-dum-dum-dum." Growling breaths. Villagers who were filled with fervor ran amok. Some who were overwhelmed by religious zeal danced bizarrely or rolled on the ground. Some even beat and scratched themselves.

"Bring the sacrifice! Bring the offering!"

"Bring the sacrifice! Bring the offering to the Dragon King!"

"Bring the sacrifice! Bring the foolish offering to be the food of the sea!"

Two deep-sea hybrid guides confidently entered the village chief's house.

However, for some reason, they did not come out. The flow was disrupted. What were they doing? Stupid hybrids. The priest gestured toward the village chief.

"Grrr... Check it out."

"Yes, yes!"

The village chief hurriedly ran inside.

As soon as he entered the living room, he was met with the perplexed guides.

"Grrrk, grrrk! What is it? What's the problem?!"

"The, the offering is gone!"

"What did you say?"

It made no sense. The spell cast on Kim Shin-hwa was imbued with the Dragon King's power; it was a powerful enchantment from the deep sea. It was an irresistible and powerful curse that should have turned him into a mindless slave of the deep-sea people.

"Move aside!"

The village chief rushed into the room where Kim Shin-hwa was supposed to be. He was gone! Really gone! The chief's gaze naturally turned to the window. It was slightly open? Impossible. That window faced the yard. If he had gone out that way, he should have been spotted.

While the village chief was in a state of confusion, a sound came from an unexpected direction.

"Found him! Grrrk!"

"?!"

It was the room where the safe was. The wardrobe which served as the safe's outer shell was even open.

The village chief felt an instant sensation of blood draining from his entire body, but fortunately, the terrible thing he had imagined did not happen.

It was shocking that Kim Shin-hwa who should have become an idiot had moved himself to the safe room, but that was all.

Kim Shin-hwa was just standing awkwardly next to the safe.

Should I have been more suspicious when this mage came here on his own?

Could it be that the spell had been broken? The village chief activated the binding spell he had cast on Kim Shin-hwa and spoke to him.

"Grrrk, stranger, you who hope to become a member of the village and return to the Dragon King. As the chief of Insu Village, I command you. Kneel."

Crackle!

"Ugh!?"

Again, there it was.

Strange sparks leaped from Kim Shin-hwa's temples. But nothing changed.

"Ah..."

Kim Shin-hwa let out an ambiguous groan and knelt.

A thousand possibilities and a thousand doubts swirled in the village chief's mind. What on earth was this phenomenon?

"Grrrk, aha?"

Then, the chief noticed something.

Faint magical runes appeared on Kim Shin-hwa's wrists and ankles. The chief spoke with a derisive tone.

"Ha, this little brat and his shallow tricks."

He used a delayed-activation spell to control his own body like a puppet. It was all to escape somehow. Very clever.

"I can use that level of magic too."

The village chief sneered at Kim Shin-hwa and activated the spell again. The magic infused in Kim Shin-hwa's hands and feet dissipated helplessly.

"Follow me!"

Kim Shin-hwa followed the chief into the yard with slow steps.

The door closed with a clang, and a noise slowly began to be heard in the village chief's house which was now empty.

Creak...

It was a strange sound, like metal grinding.