Chapter 60: Sacrifice, Flames, Ritual (5)

Rebirth and transformation.

This term used in Chinese Taoism referred to the process of a human shedding their mortal shell to become an immortal.

Changing bones.

Shedding the womb.

Rebirth and transformation, a sorcerer who isn't even a martial artist underwent rebirth and transformation?

This expression, originally used only in Taoist alchemy, spread widely among people with the appearance of a martial artist so powerful that it was recorded in history, and over time, it settled into the meaning of 'a phenomenon experienced in the process of transcending humanity as a martial artist'.

This was also due to alchemy being downgraded from a secret technique for becoming an immortal to simple pharmacology and medicine, and because martial arts became systematically established, providing a way for humans to transcend physical limitations.

There were several conditions for this rebirth and transformation, but typically there are three.

And...

No. That's not rebirth and transformation.

Jinseong didn't meet even one of those three.

The bones didn't change, no shell formed, and it doesn't seem like the genes were modified.

The phenomena of rebirth and transformation.

To be precise, the three distinct changes that could be confirmed with the naked eye due to rebirth and transformation:

First was the change in skeletal structure.

A person undergoing rebirth and transformation had their skeleton modified to be optimized for the martial arts they were learning. It wasn’t just limited to growing taller, but the skeletal structure itself truly changed. The number of bones increased or decreased, the number of joints may increase, and the size of the bones themselves changed.

Moreover, the skeleton was strengthened to an incredible degree, to the point where ordinary metals couldn't even scratch it.

Second was the shedding of a shell.

Like creatures with exoskeletons or scales, they shed their shell. And after shedding the shell, they gained muscles and skin optimized for the martial arts they were learning.

Lastly was the change in genes.

This became known in modern times, but martial artists who underwent rebirth and transformation experienced genetic changes. And these changes were in a very positive direction for martial artists.

Existing genetic defects all disappeared, and the body changed to be optimized for the martial arts being learned. And these genetic changes tended to be quite radical and were always manifested in external appearance.

Atavistic changes like growing a tail or elongated canine teeth.

Environmental adaptation changes like blood turning blue or new organs developing.

Mutant-type changes like developing an exoskeleton or scales growing on the body.

But none of these changes were visible in Jinseong, who was rising from the fire.

Only the removal of waste from his body and the restoration of his skin, which had been horribly burned, could be seen.

Rather than calling it rebirth and transformation, it would be more accurate to describe it as a detox using supernatural abilities.

A very radical and dangerous, but undeniably effective detox.

The leader calmed his surprise and closely examined the process happening to Jinseong's body.

The burned skin is recovering, and all the toxins in the body are being expelled. The internal organs are probably regenerating too. He's becoming a clean body through powerful regenerative effects and toxin removal...

It was as if he was making his body pure.

Pure like a baby's body before being exposed to all kinds of impurities.

Making the body pure... Hmm. It's a good thing, but...

The leader looked at the altar, licking his lips as if tempted.

There were many advantages to becoming pure.

For example, in the case of mages, the process of using mana would be smoother, and for martial artists, physical performance would improve and depending on the martial art, the efficiency of energy accumulation would increase. For witches, their physical age would become incredibly younger.

Moreover, as the body became cleaner, naturally the lifespan would increase too.

For a moment, the thought crossed his mind that if he entered that fire, he might experience the same effects.

But he soon shook his head slightly.

...I don't want to do it if it means enduring the pain of my body burning.

He didn't have the courage to pour oil on himself and jump into the fire like Jinseong.

No, perhaps entering there wasn't about courage in the first place.

Becoming human firewood just to gain a little lifespan wasn't courage, it was madness. It was a madness beyond imagination that even mercenaries who have seen all kinds of crazy people while moving through battlefields would shake their heads at.

This employer is crazy. They say sorcerers are either eccentrics or madmen, and it's true.

And as if confirming his judgment, a resounding voice was heard.

"Hahahahaha!"

Jinseong, who walked out of the fire, laughed like a madman.

After laughing for a while, he suddenly grabbed the air and levitated the unconscious shrine maiden.

Then he gestured for Rise to come.

What is the employer going to do now?

The mercenary's eyes gleamed at this sight, but soon, as if deciding it wasn't his business, he turned his gaze away again.

I should continue with the torture.

Where he was looking, there was the Shinto priest, covered in blood and staring with wide eyes.

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"Come here."

Rise couldn't come to her senses at all.

It was already terrible that Jinseong had brought mercenaries to set fire to and attack the shrine, but Rise had even played an important role. She had used divine power to subdue the martial artists and even subdued the shrine's sacred object to hand it over to Jinseong. That alone was enough to make her lose half her mind, but...

Just now, just now...

The person she had vowed to dedicate everything to suddenly lit a fire on the altar, poured oil on himself, and jumped in. And it wasn't as if the fire didn't catch; as soon as he entered, the fire blazed up as if it had been waiting, using the oil poured on his body as fuel.

What was even more horrifying was that her eyes, enhanced by divine power, witnessed Jinseong's skin melting and roasting.

The sight of a person, and the one she had decided to serve at that, being burned alive was truly nightmarish. And not just any nightmare, but a terrible nightmare even more horrifying than the dream within a dream where the Saetani had tormented her, one that had seemed impossible to escape from for a lifetime!

But then Jinseong, who had been burning away like that, suddenly became clean-bodied, and levitated Narumi. And then, as if he had no intention of putting anything on, he called her while still naked.

What, on earth.

What on earth is this?

Rise felt like her head was spinning.

Attack, arson, nudity, burning at the stake, self-immolation...

"Rise."

As Rise was confused by the many unorganized words swirling in her head, she heard a voice calling her name again.

At the voice that seemed to pierce her ears clearly, Rise felt her mind snap to attention.

Right. Whatever it is, I just need to follow... I just need to follow.

She recalled the thought she had in the tent and approached Jinseong.

However, she couldn't help but let her gaze wander to his body, which was quite muscular for a sorcerer.

"Now, Rise. I'll give you a gift."

"A gift?"

Jinseong sat on the altar where flames were blazing and looked Rise in the eyes.

"Before that, I have something to ask."

He paused for a moment and then opened his mouth.

"What would you like to happen to this shrine maiden?"

A question asking what she would like to happen.

She had an intuition that Narumi's fate would be determined by her answer.

Rise looked at Narumi.

A hateful face.

A woman with a fox-like face and a fox-like personality.

Kishimoto Narumi... The person who ostracized and excluded me from gatherings since childhood.

As Rise looked at Narumi's face, memories of things she had experienced in childhood came back one by one.

Taking her to play together in the forest, then leaving her behind alone.

Approaching and interfering with shrine maidens Rise tried to befriend.

Making food for everyone during meal preparations but leaving out Rise's portion.

Creating a group chat among themselves and not including Rise.

Thoroughly ignoring Rise's words and treating her like she didn't exist.

A person who had done things that were infinitely close to bullying rather than just pranks.

...What would I like to happen...

Rise had before her eyes the main culprit and source of all the annoying things she had experienced since childhood.

Shrine, family, power, divine power.

She had lost all the conditions that had prevented Rise from rashly retaliating, and was floating there in front of her eyes like well-prepared food ingredients.

She had become such an insignificant existence that she could disappear from the world immediately if Rise just said how to dispose of her.

Rise pondered.

How she should deal with this hateful person before her eyes,

And she picked up a pen and wrote an answer on the notepad.

『 Please spare her life. 』

Jinseong looked at her as if surprised.

"It seems like a bad relationship, but you want her life spared?"

『 She's an annoying person, but I don't think she's committed a crime worthy of death. 』

"Excellent."

He stood up from his seat and grabbed Narumi's hair.

"I shall do as you say. I'll let this sacrifice keep her life."

Saying this, Jinseong lit a fire in his hand and set Narumi's body on fire.