"Alright, spill." Gumayusi's voice cuts through the stillness of Inwangsan's early morning air. "What is this 'new world' you keep talking about?"
Keria chuckles, hands tucked casually into his hoodie pockets. "Impatient, aren't you?"
"Of course, I am! One minute, I'm a normal guy grinding ranked games, and the next, I'm seeing things that shouldn't exist. So yeah, I'd like some answers."
The trail beneath them is well-worn, the earth compacted by generations of footsteps. Towering pine trees cast shifting shadows as the sun slowly rises, its golden light filtering through tangled branches. Inwangsan, a mountain steeped in history and spirits, hums faintly with energy, the kind Keria has always been able to feel.
He stops, tilting his head toward Gumayusi. "Fair enough. Let's start with what's already happening to you. You awakened perspicacity. It's an ability to see beyond human perception and lets you see things for what they truly are." He gestures ahead. "Try it again, now."
Gumayusi hesitates. "Try what?"
"Look."
Gumayusi exhales, narrowing his eyes and focusing on the scenery ahead. At first, nothing changes. The world is as it has always been—trees, rocks, and the distant sound of cicadas. But then, something shifts.
The air ripples slightly, like heat rising from asphalt.
And suddenly, he sees them.
Silhouettes flit between the trees. Some humanoid, others elongated and twisted into unnatural shapes. A fox-like creature perches on a boulder, its eyes gleaming with sharp intelligence. Shadows that should not move slither along the ground, vanishing when he tries to focus on them. The mountain is alive, not just with wildlife, but with unseen beings moving just beyond mortal sight.
Gumayusi stumbles back, his breath caught in his throat. "What the—?!"
Keria steadies him with a firm hand on his shoulder. "Breathe. They're not attacking you."
He swallows hard, his pulse racing. "They're everywhere."
"They always have been," he informs, voice calm, grounding. "The difference is, now you can see them."
The botlaner tears his gaze away from the shifting figures. "What the hell are they?"
"A mix of things." Keria's gaze is distant, his baksu senses already reading the spiritual resonance around them. "Some are spirits. Guardians of this mountain, lingering echoes of those who once lived here. Others are preternaturals, beings that co-exist with humans but remain hidden. Some are divine. Others… not so much."
He crouches, pressing his palm against the earth. The moment he does, the air shifts. A faint shimmer spreads out from his touch, like ripples in a pond, his energy brushing against the presence of unseen beings. Some recoil; others linger curiously.
Gumayusi notices. "What did you just do?"
Said baksu stands, dusting off his hands. "Checking the flow of the mountain's spirits. They recognize me, so I just let them know we're not a threat."
He exhales sharply. "And you've known this all along?"
Keria nods. "I was born into it. I'm a baksu: a male shaman. I serve as a bridge between the living and the spiritual realms. It's my job to maintain balance, heal, and ward off threats when needed."
He frowns. "You're like an exorcist?"
The genius monster smirks. "Not exactly. Exorcists drive spirits away, but a baksu's role is different. We mediate, guide, and sometimes, yes, banish when necessary." He shrugs. "It's less 'burn the demon' and more 'talk to it first, see what's up.'"
The unkillable demon prince scoffs. "Yeah, because that sounds so reassuring."
Keria laughs, but his voice is serious when he continues. "My abilities let me do a few things. I can sense emotions, even the ones people try to hide. That's why I always know when someone on our team is upset, even when they pretend they're fine."
Gumayusi pauses. "That's… kinda scary."
Keria grins. "It's useful." He continues, "I can also channel spirits for guidance, place wards to protect places from dark entities, and if someone's carrying too much negative energy, I can take it from them—at a cost."
The botlaner narrows his eyes. "A cost?"
Keria looks away for a moment, his voice quieter. "Taking away someone's pain means holding onto it myself. It doesn't just disappear."
Gumayusi stares at him, a flicker of realization settling in. Keria had always been the one supporting everyone, the one steadying the team no matter how chaotic things got. Now, he understood why. He shifts uncomfortably. "That sounds… exhausting."
Keria shrugs, offering a lopsided smile. "Someone has to do it."
Silence lingers between them for a moment before Gumayusi exhales. "Okay. So, spirits, preternaturals, gods… Got it. But what about demons?"
Keria's expression darkens slightly. "They exist, but they're not what you think. Some are mindless, feeding on fear and despair. Others are ancient, calculating, much harder to detect and terrifyingly deadly."
Gumayusi tenses. "So, I won't always be able to tell if something dangerous is standing right next to me?"
Keria nods his head. "Yes. And that includes divinity too. Gods and goddesses don't flaunt their power. If they don't want to be noticed, you won't notice them."
A shiver runs down Gumayusi's spine. "That's… scary."
Keria smiles. "Relax. They rarely interfere. The balance has to be maintained."
Gumayusi falls silent, absorbing the weight of the revelation. His world has shifted overnight, the boundaries of reality stretched beyond anything he could have imagined. It's overwhelming. Terrifying.
And then, another fear rises in his chest, one that has been gnawing at him since that night. He clenches his fists. "Minseok."
The baksu's eyes flick to him. "Yeah?"
Gumayusi hesitates, then exhales. "The woman who used me as a vessel… We're connected. I can still feel her."
The genius monster stills. "Go on."
"She's old. Ancient. I could tell the moment she entered me. And… she's a predator."
Keria's brows knit together. "What do you mean?"
"She let me borrow her strength. And I felt her hunger." He shudders. "She hadn't fed in a long time. When she woke up inside me, the first thing she felt was thirst. A terrible, all-consuming need for blood."
Keria's grip tightens. "Blood?"
Gumayusi nods. "She's a creature of the dark, Minseok. And she was starving."
A heavy silence stretches between them.
Gumayusi exhales sharply, his mind racing. "But if she was starving, why help us?" His voice lowers. "Why help Sanghyeok-hyung?"
Keria doesn't answer right away. Everything he knows tells him this shouldn't be possible. Vampires don't exist in Korea. But Gumayusi's words ring with truth.
"…I don't know," Keria admits. His brows furrow. "If she was that hungry, she should've gone on a rampage. But instead, she controlled it, and saved him." He exhales. "That doesn't add up."
Gumayusi crosses his arms. "So, what? Is she actually on our side?"
Keria's expression is unreadable. "We don't know yet."
A chill creeps up Gumayusi's spine. If she wasn't an enemy, then what was she?
Keria exhales, rubbing the back of his neck. "Look, I get why you're worried. Something that powerful doesn't just show up, lend you her strength, and then disappear without a trace. I don't know what she is. Or who. But I'll do everything I can to learn the truth.
Gumayusi glances at him, noting the steady resolve in his voice. "You sure?"
Keria meets his gaze, and for a brief second, his eyes glow with a golden hazel light, warm yet intense, like smoldering embers catching flame. The shift is subtle but unmistakable.
"I promise," Keria says, his voice steady. "Within my power, I'll uncover the truth."
Gumayusi blinks, his breath hitching slightly. The glow fades as quickly as it appeared, leaving Keria's usual soft brown eyes in its place. He doesn't say anything about it, but something about that moment lingers. A reminder that, despite Keria's easygoing nature, there was more to him than met the eye.
And something told Gumayusi that whatever they were about to face, Keria was far more prepared for it than he was letting on.