Episode 17
Mora instinctively struggled, then froze.
She stared intently at the spider’s rear. The white thread peeking from the small hole at the tip of its pointed abdomen was connected to the cocoon wrapped tightly around her body.
Her sticky, barely movable arm stretched out with effort, grabbing the silk thread. Then, summoning every last bit of strength, she poured a wave of energy into it.
The pulse started from her hand and traveled along the thread.
Please, please…
As she repeated the words in her head, a dull pain spread in her chest. It felt like a heavy boulder was crushing her sternum.
At the same time, a sharp pain stabbed her temple. It was a symptom she’d never experienced before, so she didn’t even realize it was a side effect of overusing her powers.
Even now, the spider was slowly inching toward her.
Ignoring the nausea rising from within, Mora focused on the taming. The wave traveling backward along the spider’s thread finally reached the spider’s tail.
In that moment—
Whoosh—!
The spider’s movements slowed. Not only that—it felt like time itself had slowed down.
What’s happening?
Just as the thought crossed her mind, her vision shook violently and split into four pairs.
Reflected in those overlapping views was her own body, wrapped in white silk.
“Huh?”
In her blurred sight, eight versions of herself wore blank expressions.
And it wasn’t just her vision that had changed.
Her senses, once no different from an average person’s, had become razor-sharp.
No, even that description didn’t do it justice. She could feel the flow of air brushing against her fine hairs. Only then did Mora realize what had happened.
I’ve merged with it?
How? She didn’t know. But one thing was clear—she had succeeded in taming it.
“I—I’m alive…”
Tears welled up, and a breath of relief escaped her lips—briefly. She didn’t have time to relax.
Now what?
She had tamed the spider almost by accident.
Now she had to use the spider to untangle the web. But she had never been so perfectly synchronized with a creature before, and had no idea how to control it.
Should I try moving it slightly?
She hesitated. She was too afraid that the taming might break to attempt it.
Just then, the screen of her device lit up. An alarm she’d set to go off one hour before exit rang.
The hazy light blurred into eight distinct versions. As she struggled to refocus, a shadow wavered.
Did I imagine that?
No one else was moving—but a single shadow rippled unnaturally. From it, something massive rose silently.
Gyeon Soo-ho?
Like a demon tearing through the fabric of darkness, he emerged from the shadow and extended his arm.
From his large hand, a longsword forged from shadow bloomed. It exuded an overwhelming aura, like frost-laden death.
Soo-ho let it dangle effortlessly and raised a finger to his lips. A mischievous smile tugged at his crimson lips.
“Shh.”
Wait a second—if the tamed creature dies while I’m merged with it, what happens to me?!
A chill ran down her spine. Mora cried out in panic.
“W-wait—!”
But before her voice could reach him, it happened.
With practiced ease, the spider’s head dropped from its body.
“Heuk!”
Her vision went black, her ears filled with a dull, distant hum. The hypersensitivity of her senses vanished in an instant.
It wasn’t painful—she hadn’t even fully registered the moment of death. But the shock of the forced disconnect from her tamed creature was unimaginable.
Is this what it feels like to lose a piece of your soul?
Like drowning in an ocean of loss too deep to measure.
“Guh!”
Then, something hot surged up her throat.
And Mora lost consciousness.
*
The smell of antiseptic. The bed felt enormous. Mora stared up at the ceiling and slowly lifted her hand.
A small, chubby child’s hand.
A dream.
She knew immediately. This was the recurring nightmare that had haunted her since she was 11 years old.
After undergoing treatment for panic disorder and moving out at 19, the dreams had become less frequent—but never fully disappeared. Every now and then, they’d come crawling back, reminding her.
Mora lay still, unmoving.
She knew exactly what would happen next. She could predict it with her eyes closed.
Soon, a man she didn’t recognize would appear with a look of pity.
And sure enough—
He entered the room with several subordinates and approached her hospital bed.
“So you’re Mora.”
He spoke gently, reaching out to stroke her hair.
“Sweetheart, is there any adult we can contact for you?”
What about my mom?
She moved her lips, but no sound came. He couldn’t understand her—even a groan wouldn’t form in her throat.
“I’m not a bad person. Anyone’s fine—can you tell me any phone number you know?”
Resigned, she pointed at the badge on his expensive-looking suit—the Authority’s insignia.
My dad is an Awakened, too. Please call him.
This time, he seemed to understand. But he hesitated, rubbing the back of his thick neck awkwardly.
“Well, about that, Mora…”
He trailed off, clearly uncomfortable. Despite his large frame, he began to sweat nervously.
Mora simply watched in silence.
Then—
“There she is!”
A crowd suddenly burst into the room. The once-quiet private room became a chaotic marketplace.
Flashes from cameras went off in all directions. Microphones were thrust toward her face.
The man shouted, face turning red with anger.
“What the hell are you all doing?! She just regained consciousness! Get those reporters out—now!”
But the reporters didn’t back off.
Amid the aggressive barrage of questions, one voice pierced through to Mora.
“Mora! Do you know your father went berserk?!”
*
“Gasp!”
Her submerged consciousness came sharply back to the surface.
Mora blinked, still groggy. Something unfamiliar—not a ceiling—blocked her view.
She reached up and felt it. Firm, slightly curved, smooth—and it smelled faintly pleasant.
Strangely enough, she wanted to keep touching it. What is this…?
“Haa…”
“Hmm?”
A sultry voice whispered above her, hot breath brushing her crown.
Mora looked up.
A man—almost too beautiful for a morning view—greeted her with a languid smile.
“You’re awake?”
“……!”
Soo-ho studied her dazed expression and recalled what happened in the dungeon.
What the public didn’t know was that S-rank items often came with heavy consequences.
Usually, an S-rank dungeon would feature a high-tier creature, while lower ones had a named monster. If the dungeon was already cleared, a second wave might occur.
So when Mora discovered the mandrake, he had already anticipated a second wave.
The reason he didn’t warn her was simple: he wanted her to owe him.
During the Code Red incident, he had experienced something—perfect peace, unmarred by any pain.
Now that he knew such a life existed, now that he had felt it, he couldn’t go back.
So threatening or forcing Kang Mora would be stupid. If she got stubborn and refused to help, it’d only hurt him.
Better to coax her—to make her cooperate willingly.
The idea of seducing someone was revolting, but if it meant living without pain, he’d do it.
Thankfully, Kang Mora wasn’t as repulsive as other people. Smile at her a little, act kind, and she’d probably cave.
She was his fan, after all.
Still, when she fell into that named monster’s nest, he had been genuinely shaken.
He’d jumped after her without thinking—into a pit with no visible bottom.
Even now, it felt uncharacteristic.
His awakened class was Shadowmancer, and his abilities only worked in darkness.
He had managed to teleport mid-fall using a shadow—but it had been a close call.
Why had he done that? Surely Mora wasn’t the only tamer who could free him from pain.
Soo-ho folded his arms behind his head and examined her again, still dazed.
“Hm.”
She’d cried silently in her sleep earlier. Her eyes were puffy. Her blinking was sluggish.
He stared for a moment, then gently poked her soft, pale cheek.
Only then did color start to rise from her neck.
Her entire face flushed red as she suddenly sat up with a start.
“W-what…?!”
“Did you sleep well?”
I am looking forward for the new chapter thank uu💕