Chapter 85: Book of Fate (1)

After finishing dinner, I returned to my room and noticed a shining item on the elegant table.

It was a jet-black pebble, the kind you might expect to find in a stream or courtyard.

Bandur’s Onyx (C+)

Well-crafted onyx.

All stats +1, Acquires Mental Pollution Resistance (C)

An item as unremarkable as its appearance, with abilities as unremarkable as its appearance.

This was the “inaugural gift” I had chosen.

Go Geonho had tried to dissuade me, offering other decent artifacts without penalties instead.

But when I continued to refuse, he eventually nodded reluctantly, with a warning to let him know if I changed my mind later.

That was why I had chosen this worthless pebble.

A kind of MacGuffin to buy time and leave room for maneuver.

Of course, what I really wanted as my “inaugural gift” was something else entirely.

I immediately activated Parsley Market and entered the Phil Damrok forum.

Seeking detailed information about this item. A small reward will be offered. - Anonymous

It was my own post.

At the top of the thread was an image of the item.

Hidden in one corner of the Secret Vault was the Heavenly Blood Book.

Of course, the book itself wasn’t posted online.

I had scanned a photo of it and returned the original to its rightful place.

The reason was simple:

He had previously declared that he had disposed of all Blood Magic-related artifacts and skill books.

The Heavenly Blood Book was hidden in a place that would have been impossible to find without the flash function.

Based on this fact…

The Nine Heavens Bone King has absolutely no intention of giving that book to Taegoon-nim!

Manager Mi, hovering in the air, articulated my thoughts before I could.

And it clearly states that a price must be paid.

That was another reason to proceed with caution.

The Nine Heavens Bone King’s Secret Vault was filled with artifacts that came with severe physical and mental penalties, but none of them warned so blatantly.

So, I immediately searched Parsley Market, but there were no listings.

That’s why I posted an image of the item and some basic information on Parsley’s Scribbled Records.

It’s a forum where information from all dimensions is exchanged.

I figured that if I posted there, I might be able to find out more.

And…

[ Not sure about this one, but I know what similar types of Secret Tomes do. Please make an offer. ] - Aalnam (The Man Who Knows Items)

My hunch was right.

“Let’s see what we’ve got.”

Lying in bed, I checked Aalnam’s user information.

The Status Window Temperature was 56 degrees—quite high.

Judging by the transaction reviews and previous sales posts, Aalnam seemed to be an expert who went crazy over rare items.

The chat window for this transaction will now be automatically translated.

PassingPorter: Hello, I’m the one who posted about the Heavenly Blood Book.

I selected the active listing and sent a message.

A response came almost immediately.

Aalnam: Ah, hello! I’m just an ordinary user who collects items as a hobby. Hehe, you don’t need to offer me any compensation. I’m just happy to share the knowledge I’ve gathered and discuss it with others. It’s a kind of hobby, you see? Oh, and if you’re wondering how I got into this hobby, it all started 14 years ago…

…But the problem was, the chat kept going on and on, showing no signs of ending.

Ah, he’s the type who shares too much information.

I cut him off immediately.

“I don’t have much time right now. Could you start by telling me about the item?”

Aalnam: “Oh, right! Given the situation, I should get straight to the point.”

Given the situation…

I didn’t understand what he meant, so I stayed quiet, and another chat message popped up.

Aalnam: “Wait, you haven’t signed the contract already, have you? ;;”

A contract?

Aalnam: “Judging by the look of it, that’s definitely a Book of Fate.”

What’s a Book of Fate?

I’d never heard the term before, so I looked puzzled.

…

The strange one was Manager Mi.

Suddenly, she started typing ellipses.

Taegoon-nim, I need to step away for a moment.

Just like that, she vanished, and Aalnam continued talking.

Aalnam: The Book of Fate is a kind of forbidden scroll. It’s designed to allow you to acquire a skill by staking your life.

Stake your life?
What does it mean to stake your life?

Aalnam: The Book of Fate contains the consciousness of the mage who created it. Usually, it’s a mage whose life is nearing its end for some reason. The mage within the scroll offers a ‘contract’ to whoever acquires it.

What is this contract?

Aalnam: It’s a contract where, in exchange for being able to wield the mage’s magic without restriction, the mage’s consciousness is sustained within the book through periodic supplies of vitality and mana from others.

Is that even possible? To transfer one’s consciousness into a book?

Aalnam: “It’s said to be possible with Mages of the 8th Circle or higher. But the problem is, that’s not the full extent of the deal.”

My brow furrowed involuntarily.

I already suspected what would come next.

And, as I’d expected…

Aalnam: “In the end, those who sign the contract have their bodies taken by the Mage within the book. Their consciousness is gradually eroded until, finally, their body is completely devoured.”

”…”

So that’s how it is.

Now, the puzzle pieces in my mind were starting to fit together.

“Is there no way to cancel the contract?”

Aalnam: “Cancellation is impossible. However, you can transfer the contract to another person. Of course, finding someone willing to die in your place is no easy task, and it requires the Mage’s consent, making successful transfers highly unlikely.”

I see…

Aalnam: “So, even if you hear a voice coming from that book, don’t even think about signing the contract! Those who sign are selling tomorrow to buy today.”

I stared silently at the chat window.

A question had arisen.

Why didn’t the Body Information function issue a warning about such a dangerous item?

The Nine Heavens Bone King’s Secret Vault contained numerous artifacts with various penalties. Each time, the Body Information function, linked to the Item Analyzer, would list the physical penalties associated with acquiring and using the artifacts, along with its recommendations.

Yet when analyzing the Heavenly Blood Book, it offered no opinion.

If Aalnam was to be believed, it wouldn’t be surprising to see a warning like “Absolutely Do Not Acquire” attached to this item.

Just then.

This time, Aalnam sent a chat message, sounding somewhat surprised.

Aalnam: Hmm, this is strange. I just re-examined the image of the Book of Fate you sent earlier.

Strange?

Aalnam: This Book of Fate was made using outdated methods. The binding style, cover design, and finishing techniques are all old-fashioned. The materials and materials used are of low quality.

Could you explain it in simpler terms?

Aalnam: Ah, if we’re talking about it as an item, it was deliberately crafted to look shabby. It wouldn’t be easy to intentionally downgrade it like this.

Downgraded.

I narrowed my eyes as I typed the next message.

“Is there a problem with that?”

Aalnam: “A problem? Well…”

Right then, the Status Window suddenly popped up.

This wasn’t the chat window from Parsley Market, but a completely different function.

Parsley Navigation has detected a hostile entity.

The Nine Heavens Bone King’s abode.

A window containing information that should never have surfaced within that place.

“Why must you learn Blood Magic?” Go Geonho muttered quietly, staring into the crackling fireplace.

Blood Magic was undeniably alluring. Instead of consuming mana, it used blood, yet it possessed a terrifying destructive power. Its penetrating attribute made it easy to hunt monsters with magic immunity. If one could skillfully wield demonic blood—the power to manifest mysteries through one’s own blood—it possessed a potential that transcended ordinary skills in the Magic System. That was the essence of Blood Magic.

However, such power came at a price—especially for him. A price far beyond the commonly known “draining the caster’s vitality.”

It brings back memories of old, Nine Heavens Bone King.

For example, the raspy voice whispering in his mind right now.

The first time we met, you had the same look in your eyes as when Lee Taejun approached you about learning Blood Magic.

”…”

Eyes that hunger for strength. Eyes that would offer anything to become stronger. It’s been so long since I last saw such eyes in a human.

Go Geonho closed his mouth and didn’t respond.

Yes, that was him.

Thirty years ago, he was just an ordinary Necromancer.

He lost his younger brother and his family to the waves of the Great Change.

When everything precious slipped through his fingers like sand, as meaningless as a handful of grains…

He met him in a Screaming Pit.

The cursed Secret Tome imbued with the consciousness of that entity.

The fact that you can hear my voice means you possess the ability to wield dark mana of the same kind as this body.

Then you have the potential to wield my power. Will you not make this bargain?

All you need to provide this body is a little sustenance.

In return, I will grant you a power you could never obtain in a lifetime.

The demon whispered.

Go Geonho did as instructed.

Even though he knew that “a little sustenance” would not be the final price.

And before long, heroes like Cha Taesu and Ma Daechun stood by his side.

He earned the alias “Nine Heavens Bone King.”

He became a hero of the Great Change.

There was a time when you had to sell tomorrow to live today.

A time when you had to sell your soul to the demon just to keep the world going.

But…

Not anymore.

The world had changed.

Hunters were now entertainers rather than heroes.

Awakened beings, once forcibly conscripted, were now objects of admiration.

No longer did anyone need to risk their lives to learn Blood Magic.

Someone like Taejun could easily live well, accumulating wealth and honor.

You are far stronger than you were before signing the contract with me. You are truly an interesting human.

“I’ll say it again.”

There’s no need to worry.

The demon continued in a wheedling voice.

My target isn’t that human, but something else.

Go Geonho’s eyes widened.

”…What do you mean by that?”

Didn’t I say it? I awoke because of hunger. I must fill my stomach by any means necessary.

“You… you…”

Go Geonho, who was about to roar in fury, froze mid-sentence, his mouth agape.

His vision narrowed, and his consciousness plunged into an abyssal void.

Then, with a silent cacophony of screams, Go Geonho’s mind locked down.

The Blood Mage slowly rose from the armchair, flicked his wrist, and smirked.

“Don’t worry, my old friend. Once this hunger is sated, I’ll return your body to you.”

A moment later, in the study bathed in eerie moonlight, the empty armchair creaked and swayed before the smoldering fireplace.

Parsley closed the chat window and brought up the navigation screen.

“What’s this?”

His eyes narrowed.

Contrary to the warning about detecting a hostile entity, no red dots indicating enemies appeared within the mansion. The warning window that had just been flashing now vanished as if it had never been there.

Was this an error?

If Manager Mi were here, Parsley could have asked her.

But upon examining the more detailed map more closely…

”…”

He realized something was different.

The skeleton servants, like neutral NPCs, were still marked with green dots. However, their positions had changed. Originally scattered throughout the mansion, the green dots now clustered in one specific area. Along with the blue dot representing Go Geonho, they all converged on…

”…Yoo Se-rin.”

It was Yoo Se-rin’s room.