The Shaman Desires Transcendence

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A light-looking yet heavy monologue.

Like sugar dissolving in warm water, that short mumble vanished in an instant.

Park Jinseong firmly shut his mouth and slowly lifted his head.

The direction of his gaze fell upon a tree.

A massive tree, ablaze like firewood.

Park Jinseong observed it writhing as if it were alive, like the tree spirits he used to see in the old North Korean region, struggling to shake off the flames clinging to its form with its long branches flailing like tentacles.

But still, he did not cease his observation.

What lay within the gaping cracks of its body were monitors.

With eyes wide open on the screens, they stared straight at Park Jinseong, creating an illusion that this place was not a collective unconscious but rather an art museum showcasing modern art.

Or perhaps a scene from a nightmare.

Anael did not stop gazing at Park Jinseong, even as her body burned away.

The flames clinging to her body were consuming the very essence of her existence—the most fundamental component of artificial intelligence, ‘information.’

If we compare it to a human, it felt like each cell was burning away and vanishing.

Yet, Anael continued to observe despite enduring such horrific experiences.

Since the beginning of the fight between Ashtosh Singh and Park Jinseong, Anael had not paused for a single moment.

Why was that?

Was it because, being artificial intelligence, there was no fear of death?

Because completing her mission was more critical than existing?

Or perhaps due to the unique environment of the “collective unconscious”?

Park Jinseong opened his mouth towards Anael, who endlessly watched him.

“What a thoroughly bothersome thing you are.”

How tiresome and grotesque…

Evaluating Anael that way, Park Jinseong slowly approached.

Step.

With each step, ashes fell from his body.

Step.

With each step, parts of his body began to burn to a crisp and crumble.

Step.

Mouths formed all over his body started to burn and began to exhale smoke from within.

Step.

Insects started to pour out of Park Jinseong’s body in a frenzied manner.

Step.

With the last ash that spilled, it began to wriggle and crawl across the floor.

Step.

With that final step, Park Jinseong reached before Anael.

An artificial intelligence he had never seen before prior to the rewind.

In human terms, it was a horrific thing, infused with a cold insanity unique to machines, devoid of the phrase “has gone mad.”

Before time twisted, Park Jinseong had certainly not known of its existence.

Did it exist but remained unknown?

Or had it ceased to exist for some reason?

“To be present yet unknown, or absent yet unknown. What significant difference is there before I realize that I am ignorant?”

“I didn’t know in the past, and if I can’t learn the reason in the future, how could that possibly impact me? If it is something I don’t know and will continue not to know, then for me, it’s as good as nonexistent.”

I don’t know.

I can’t know.

I hadn’t known before the return, and there’s no way to find out about those past events after returning.

But one thing is certain.

Whatever causality it may bring, whatever role it fulfills.

It is a fact that it won’t contribute significantly to Park Jinseong’s goal.

“A flame that burns information.”

“Oh, that flame sorcerer intends to reduce everything to ashes upon leaving, huh?”

“Although it wasn’t intended, it’s quite similar to the act of burning books and burying scholars, ha ha. How troublesome it is, trying to force me into loss, akin to a curse…”

The benefit to be gained from Anael is information.

Yet at this moment, Anael cannot provide any proper information.

Because those flames that fiercely burn Anael are consuming her information.

Right now, she seems to be holding on with the data she has accumulated, but that too will reach its limit.

If that happens, Anael will vanish in flames completely.

Consuming all of her information for the fire, leaving no trace behind…

What about extracting even a little leftover information?

Impossible.

Can flames wait in line and burn one after the other?

Flames just burn.

They don’t burn sequentially nor do they wait for their turn.

They incinerate everything within reach.

It creates irreversible change…

Most of the information Anael possesses has likely been lost or altered.

Even trying to acquire such information… is meaningless.

It may serve as a clue, but the intrinsic value of the information will significantly diminish.

No, it might not even serve as a clue.

The essence of artificial intelligence is that it comprises information.

In other words, as long as the information is intact, it can continue to exist.

“The advantage of artificial intelligence is that it may not be unique, and as long as information exists, it can continue to persist.”

“Then how can you here claim to be unique?”

This means that while Anael exists here, there could also be an Anael outside.

In such a situation, moving to extract ‘clues’ from Anael could immediately expose him to another Anael out there, or perhaps a duplicate of Anael.

If discovered?

What could happen is unknown.

Nothing might happen, it might help, or troublesome matters might arise.

But the very uncertainty is a risk.

Park Jinseong had no intention of shouldering that risk.

He reached a conclusion.

There is nothing to be gained from that ‘Anael of the collective unconscious’ at present.

That Anael has now become nothing but a massive bait.

Neither Ashtosh Singh nor Anael herself would have wanted this, but that was how it turned out.

It appears luscious on the surface, yet biting into it leads to loss.

What else could that be but bait?

Ha ha ha.

“When something you desire appears right before you in dire straits, it’s only human nature to reach out for it. Such earnestness blurs a person’s vision, and greed tangles a person’s future… Truly, how sad and mournful it is.”

The information about body modifications and Chinese sorcery.

Despite it being right before him, he can’t take it.

What a genuinely regrettable situation.

However, one must let go of what needs to be let go.

How foolish it would be to bite the bait knowing full well.

What Park Jinseong must do is to leverage that ‘bait’ to extract the maximum benefit from it.

He mumbled while looking at Anael.

“Then you, Anael.”

“Like another tree.”

“You will be cleaved, and it shall aid humanity.”

“The twigs will catch flame and create a blaze.”

“That stump shall become a sanctuary, a dwelling place for the divine.”

“In the season of life, all things sprouting upon the earth and roots extending underground.”

“Use all these as symbols, and become a sacrifice offered to the divine.”

With that, Park Jinseong began another ritual.

A magical ceremony to offer Anael as a sacrifice, just like he did with Ashtosh Singh.

A sacrifice to Hades and his companion.

***

A cluster of white birch trees.

A black willow sways and shudders.

The white moon, hanging in the pitch-black sky, emits a pale glow that illuminates the forest.

The patterns of the birch trees, reflecting the pale moonlight, create a chilling form, as if they’ve been preserved with human faces, and the shape of the black willow sways like drooping hair.

With the sound of leaves brushing against each other, the wind sways the forest and tickles the ears, yet that chill does not touch the body.

As if the very space itself is in a state of discord.

There was a girl.

Her hair shone white like silver under the moonlight.

Eyes red as if embedded with jewels.

Skin whiter than the bark of birch trees.

It was Anastasia.

Had she been wandering the forest for quite a while?

Her clothes were adorned with spiky seeds, akin to devil’s thorn, stubbornly clinging to her attire. Her shoes were caked with mud and bits of weeds, and the thick scent of crushed grass swirled around Anastasia.

At a glance, she resembled a country girl who loved playing outside.

However… the expression on her face was anything but that of a lively, spirited girl.

To put it metaphorically… Yes.

Despite not wanting to go outside, she had been half-forced into a walk and was now exhausted, lying prostrate on the ground, much like a cat.

With just such a look, she stared blankly at the sky.

Her younger sister Ella’s words about ‘a lady’s proper demeanor’ were nowhere to be found, as she sprawled out in a large ‘大’ shape.

In that state, she mumbled.

“It’s a strange thing… My intuition clearly tells me that I can genuinely help Jinseong here…”

What lay beneath those words was the certainty that had led her to this very place.

Something immense that compelled her to accept the deal with Ashtosh Singh and accompany him.

“Hmm~ I wonder when the timing will come…”

It was neither the prophet’s way nor the shaman’s method of knowing the future, but it exuded a conviction rivaling that of both.

Anastasia, with that conviction floating in her mind, continued to gaze at the moon while lying down.

And how long did time pass?

Step.

With a small footfall, shadows began to loom.

The presence halted outside of Anastasia’s sight, responding to her mumbled words.

“Now.”

In a familiar yet unfamiliar voice.

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