The ’implantation process’ was... weird.
When Han Jiwon agreed to the strange creature’s offer, he hadn’t known what to expect, but the creature putting... something inside of him wasn’t what he expected.
It inserted some of that strange black tar that made up his body into his brain, and when it did so, things turned strange.
For starters, he was shocked to realize that the corrupt Mana no longer affected him. But more than that, it was the presence within his mind.
The presence of the Abyssal Scrounger.
Moreover, the weight on his mind was heavy. He felt like it was encroaching on his very soul.
In his heart, he knew that if it wanted, it could take control of his body, and there would be nothing he could do about it. And yet, it hadn’t.
He could, though, feel what it wanted. It didn’t speak, and yet, he felt its intentions loud and clear.
He felt compelled to agree. He knew disagreeing was pointless. If he refused, it would just take over his body. But it didn’t. A test, perhaps?
Regardless, Han Jiwon moved.
He didn’t know where he was going, but he knew that the Scrounger was directing him.
A part of him wanted to resist, to disagree, to defy this. But he knew that he was already past the point of no return. Even if he found it in his heart to refuse, the thing would just control him manually. He wouldn’t be surprised if it could read his memories to know how to act like him too.
Moreover, he didn’t want to resist.
If it could truly give him Eleanor, then nothing else mattered.
Han Jiwon remembered his parents talking about something. Obsessive Love Disorder he believed it was called.
He would admit, his desire for Ellie wasn’t exactly normal. With his talent and wealth, he could have almost any woman he desired. In fact, he’d already done just that.
But there was just something about Eleanor that stirred something deep within him.
He was so used to women throwing themselves at him, wanting him to take them for one reason or the other. It had become a sort of constant in his life, for women to gravitate towards him, even when he didn’t consciously try.
So when he encountered a girl who couldn’t care less about his existence, he was intrigued.
No, not intrigued, he was smitten.
The idea of a woman who should be at the same level as him, but saw him as nothing more than a peer of the same age. It was as maddening as it was interesting to him.
Hence, his desire grew.
He wanted to make her see him, to make her throw herself at him the same way the other women did. To break down that demeanor of hers, turn her into a fawning fangirl just like the others. To make sure that no one else looked at her with desire.
So when he learned that she and Osho were in a relationship, his rational mind had gone virtually silent.
He didn’t care. About anything anymore. Not what people thought or the consequences of his actions. No, he just wanted Osho out of the picture to make sure Ellie was his.
Earlier in the exam, when he said he had intended to leave Osho be if he hadn’t interfered, that was a lie.
He was going to have some people go and take him out after the exam, to remove a loose end.
That was how extreme his obsession was.
And now, even though it hadn’t gone the way he’d planned, what he wanted was still going to come to fruition. Claiming Eleanor and Osho’s downfall.
His thoughts were interrupted when he heard a large explosion in the distance, followed by the sound of fighting.
Immediately, he felt himself be urged to approach it with an almost feverish haste. He ran towards the source, surprised by how fast he was moving. Hoad the thing made his physical attributes better as well...?
A few minutes later, he passed by a group of withering trees into a small clearing, and his eyes widened when he saw what he saw.
A group of 8 and their beasts people looked disheveled and injured, the surroundings having taken more than a little bit of a beating. However, it was who these people were and what they were doing that truly shocked him.
Ellie, Kurt, Irene, and Sam were either sitting tiredly or standing while panting. They each had several injuries on their bodies, though, none seemed life-threatening.
Their beasts looked worse off, but also still alive.
He ignored the 4 other people as his gaze shifted to who was on the ground.
Osho lay on his stomach, his hands and legs bound firmly by purple crystals, with more covering his mouth to stop him from speaking.
Next to him was Gale who had been completely encased in crystal, looking like he’d been put inside a crystal cocoon. The bird looked to be frozen in his current action, which was spreading his wings, but as it was, he was frozen.
Han Jiwon somehow knew he was alive, though.
’Did they... have a falling out with each other?’ He thought with some confusion, but he was unable to dwell on it as he was suddenly urged to go forward.
He entered the clearing and the group quickly faced him, looking wary.
Eleanor was the first one to recognize him, and as soon as she did, her face scrunched up.
"What... happened to you?" Was the first thing she asked.
Han Jiwon blinked before grinning.
"What do you mean? I’m still the same as before, Eleanor." He said confidently as he stepped forward, but then paused as he saw them ready to fight. He frowned.
Sure, he had a parasite within him, but they shouldn’t know that... right?
"You reek of corrupt Mana." Sam spat, and Han Jiwon froze.
’Right. That must be why it isn’t affecting me.’ He realized.
He didn’t seem to notice how his pupils and the whites of his eyes had turned an ominous shade of black. Nor had he noticed that every step he took seemed to corrupt his surroundings further.
Han Jiwon was silent for a moment before regaining his confidence.
"Hm. What happened to make you betray your friend ?" He asked teasingly, and the group fell silent, all of them showing varying levels of guilt, Eleanor the most.
"... We believe that he’s the primary reason all of this is happening. So if we give him, up, this will stop." Kurt revealed quietly.
Han Jiwon blinked before he burst out laughing.
"Oh, this is too good. What happened to your friendship? Your closeness? Now that your lunes are at stake, you suddenly remembered you want to live?" His reaction got him even more glares, but he ignored them and wiped a tear from his eye before slowly regaining his composure. He felt some disdain from the parasite, likely at the lack of loyalty from the humans. But Han Jiwon didn’t find it strange. People always talked about how close they were to each other until their lives were at stake.
"Regardless, I wonder what happened here... actually, this is perfect." He said, sounding pleased.
"I was just looking for you guys, and I believe I have an offer you can’t refuse." His words caused all of them to let out a decisive snort. But as things stood, they were too tired to fight him properly. Moreover, they didn’t seem to be protected by whatever Osho had done in the beginning anymore, so the corrupt Mana was starting to affect them.
’That must be how they defeated him. Resisting so much corrupt Mana for so long was bound to be taxing on him and his beast, so they couldn’t offer a proper resistance and got subdued.’ He thought, and the response he got from the Scrounger was agreement.
"You see, I happen to know a way for us to leave this place." He continued and watched their reactions intently.
Surprise, disbelief, and tentative hope.
"Bullshit. You appear here looking like that before telling us you know a way out? That’s a trap if I’ve ever heard of one." Samantha snorted.
"Why are you suddenly coming here with an offer of escape when you tried to hurt us?" Irene asked darkly.
"I only wanted to subdue you and recruit Eleanor. I would have left you alone after." Han Jiwon said and flashed a smile, which only looked creepy with his eyes.
"Oh? So how can you guarantee that we leave this place? How do we know you’re telling the truth? And finally, what’s the catch?" Ellie asked in quick succession, her eyes sharp, but Han Jiwon could still see an underlying curiosity within them.
"I can guarantee your exit because I have come into contact with the one who created this dome. They have full control over it, so if they wanted, they could open an exit for everyone." He responded, and her eyes sharpened.
"So what? You made a deal with someone who tried to kill all of us, and you expect us to believe he’d let us out? Why?" She growled.
Han Jiwon shook his head. Stubborn to the end.
"You can believe me if you want. But even if you don’t, what choice do you have? You have no way of escaping this place without the help of the creator. You can’t outlast its existence either. So you’re better off taking a chance and hoping for the best than simply lying down to die." He said with an amused chuckle. This clearly enraged them. However, they couldn’t immediately refute his words.
They knew he was right.
"... I will ask again. What’s the catch?" Ellie asked again, her voice slightly more subdued now.
’Finally.’ Han Jiwon’s smile softened, but the possessiveness in his eyes couldn’t be hidden despite their darkness.
Or perhaps it was due to their darkness that it was more obvious...
"It’s simple. Become my woman, give me Osho, and I promise to let you and your friends go." He said simply.
He watched Ellie freeze and saw her jaw clench.
A shudder immediately ran through him as his blood turned hot.
’Come on.’ He thought, his breathing picking up. Now was the moment of truth. The time where all his efforts would bear fruit.
He was vaguely aware of her friends telling her not to do it, but his attention was fixed solely on her face.
Then he saw the moment she relented, and it was like something in him exploded with utter joy.
"... Fine. But let’s get to this ’person’ first before anything." She said quietly.
Her friends immediately protested, but Han Jiwon ignored that.
He’d succeeded. After so long, he finally succeeded.
He looked down at Osho who was staring at him with dark eyes and smiled gloatingly.