Card Apprentice Daily Log

Chapter 239: The Hunter Becomes The Hunt

Date- 14 Jan 1877

Time- 00:21

Location- Earth, South Korea, North Gyeongsang Province, Taegu Village

The old shaman who knew there is no such thing as Dokkaebi or monster in the forest walked in it without care. Right now he was very enthusiastic thinking how he not only managed to get away with murder and paedophilia but also fool the villagers to send him his next victim.

Celebrating his flawless escape the old shaman reached the place where he had conducted the sham ritual. But to his surprise, a restrained and helpless Corey was nowhere to be found in the blood circle he had drawn using the blood of her father. Only the ropes used to restrain Corey remained in the circle. Knowing that Corey has managed to escape from her restraint the old shaman’s first response was to get out of the forest as soon as possible.

Following his instincts, the old shaman turned around to run for it but he heard a large scream from above him so he instinctively looked up to see the source of the noise only to see Corey falling from right above him holding the sacrifice ceremony knife in her hand. Being in his 70s the old shamans reflexes were slow and before he could dodge them in time he was slammed to the ground as Corey fell on him. The old shaman suffered a huge concussion and was unresponsive due to the heavy blow to his head. Rendering the old shaman immobile Corey brutally stabbed him to death.

…

Hearing Belphegor’s reminder that the Shaman was returning to finish his job Corey did not panic as being a hunter the forest was her home field. Corey ran to hide behind one of the trees but when she tried to go out of the circle an invisible force blocked her path. The invisible force only restricted Corey from leaving the circle and did not intervene with her other movements.

Corey was not surprised by this invisible force as she knew who was behind the force restricting her to the circle, Belphegor. Seeing that she was restricted to the circle Corey decided to lay on the ground and pretend that she was still restrained but seeing that the ropes used to restrain her were cut into uneven small pieces to free herself Corey chose to give up on this course of action as one sloppy mistake can alert the old shaman and cost her life.

Under the moonlight, Corey tried to come up with other ways to confront the old shaman right then she saw tree branches just above her which were low enough for her to jump and grab onto them. Corey leapt a few times before finally managing to grab onto a branch and climbed onto it. Hiding behind the leaves Corey squatted on the branch waiting patiently for her prey to arrive. The invisible force only stopped Corey from leaving the circle but the branch onto which she had climbed was within the circle so she was not stopped by the invisible force.

When the shaman was finally under her, Corey screamed to attract the shaman’s attention and stun him so that he does not dodge her attack instinctively. And Corey’s tactic was a success as the old shaman was stunned and rendered able to dodge her attack. Remembering the helplessness and rage she felt as she watched her father was bleed to death by the old shaman Corey stabbed him 13 times drying her attire red in his blood. Finally venting her anger and avenging her father Corey got up from the old shaman’s corpse and headed towards where her father was buried by the villagers to give him a proper burial and grave.

“Why aren’t you stopping me?” Asked Corey out loud in the empty forest seeing that this time around there was no invisible force stopping her from leaving the circle drawn by the old shaman using her father’s blood.

“Though the shaman is a hoax his witchcraft is quite real. I think even he himself has no idea that his witchcraft is real otherwise he would not choose to live in this little village.

Meaning I was not the one stopping you from leaving the circle but the witchcraft used by the shaman was. which also summoned me. Since you killed him the witchcraft that he had laid is undone now. Freeing you from the restrain of the circle and bringing my visit to your village to an end.

Now that you know the truth what do you plan on doing next, want me to help you punish those who harmed you.” Belphegor did not lie this time around which also meant that he would be soon leaving earth without achieving his obsession to corrupt Corey’s soul. Therefore he was in quite a hurry to get Corey approval to kill the villagers on her behalf.

“No, I got my vengeance. Killing the villagers will make me no less monster than this old shaman, anyway, my father always said that we owed the villagers for welcoming us into their village, with this let’s consider our debt settled. I will bury my father properly and leave the village by daybreak.” Despite being treated like garbage her entire life by the villagers Corey still did not choose to rain her wrath on the villagers because she knew how much this village meant to her father for sheltering them both during their darkest period of life. And she had already killed the main perpetrator behind the incident. Massacring ill guide villagers would only add to her sin.

“What? How can you let them go? Are you not your father’s daughter, did you not love him enough? You cold-hearted bitch how can you let your father’s murderers live a peaceful life.” Hearing Corey still not choose vengeance Belphegor spiralled. With the old shaman, his summoner dead Belphegor was using his strength to resist being pushed back to the 7th Neither Flame realm by the earth’s will.

“It’s because I am my father’s daughter I am doing what my father would want me to do instead of massacring and burning the village to ashes. You won’t understand after all you are not human.” Corey finally spoke her mind being accused by Belphegor that she was not being a filial daughter.

“Aha! there it is! You do not have to do anything I will be the one massacring them just say the word.” Seeing Corey final reveal her true fillings, Belphegor yelled in victory waiting for Corey to say the magic words.

“No, now go away let me spend some time mourning my father.” Annoyed Corey finally asked Belphegor to split.