The sun had set completely. The dark night sky adorned with the twinkle of stars, the moon hidden by the clouds—its dim light covered up even more.
The Seoul nightlife was bustling as usual, foreigners and locals alike walking around—enjoying their time. Police and low ranking Hunters roaming the street alongside the public, making sure no one was using their system.
But within this sea of people was a rather.. Strange man? Woman? Animal?
It was wearing a clown outfit. Like it was straight up ripped from a cartoon. Big red nose, bright blue hair, all the sorts.
Its outfit couldn't be seen clearly though, it soaked in a red liquid akin to blood and not only that, it was holding a jagged sword—made of what looked to be diamonds.
It was also covered in the same liquid—but no one spoke, some even laughed and took pictures.
'Its a movie.'
They thought with their innocent minds, not knowing that they were very, very far off.
The clown was silent, it ignored them completely. Like the people weren't even there.
It strolled past all of them. Its steps quick and efficient, carrying it at an unnatural speed as finally it stepped inside an alley. Throwing the sword onto the ground.
"Ignorant people.. They waste themselves! I'll liberate them. No... We shall liberate them. We'll be the hero no one asked for, but the ones they needed."
The clown held its face in its hands—as maniacal laughter started to escape its lips. But just then it heard a slight rustle of a step behind it, its head whipping around.
"Hey, what are ya doing? You a druggie? A cosplayer?"
A hunter was standing at the mouth of the alley, while he wasn't wearing any armor or even wielding a weapon—he was definitely above the thresholds for a C-ranker.
The clown picked up its sword, cleaning the edge by licking it—but the hunter was unaffected by the brutish display. He instantly jumped forward, stone gathering around his arm as he reeled it back
He narrowed his eyes—slamming his fist into the clown's face.
"Ignorant.."
The clown was damaged but suddenly—the hunter jumped back, holding his throat in pain as he coughed out some small diamonds but before he could retaliate...
Hiss...
Walls painted red, clothes torn and tattered not a single squeak or yell from the dead hunter
A large mound of steaming hot crystals of all shapes and colors now stood where the hunter was, refracting the dim light from outside the alleyway.
"Art.. This one is good, the crystals are nice and sharp. This new skill is good.. Gaseous Crystals huh? Cool. Anything that inhales my smoke. Turns to diamond? Now this is business."
The clown walked over to the wall painted in the hunter's blood and swiped his fingers across it before rubbing it across its lips.
"My lips are all chapped.. Maybe the Plasma in the blood will hydrate the skin.. Its ninety percent water after all..."
A warping black gate like ink opened up from right below his feet—the clown stepping aside for a thing covered in a black sap to crawl out, its eyes glowing blue.
"Greetings to you, Yori-"
The clown put its white gloved palm onto where the creatures mouth should be. Shutting it up.
Not angrily or even out of annoyance—just because it didn't want its name mentioned.
"Shh.. You magnificent work of god... We don't talk about me 'round here, what do you want?"
The clown retreated its hand. Putting it back into its pockets. A silly grin on its face—it seemed like the most innocent and simple minded thing that was created, but the creature knew otherwise.
"Very well.. I. The Scornful Fool, invite you to the The Art Of Fools... Are you in? The Laughter In The Dark?"
The Clown, tilting its head blinked a few times at The Scornful Fool—the sap-like being just seemed a bit too... Killable, but it needed to control that thought for now.
"Okay. I'm bored anyway! Lets go! Dinners on you though!"
The create didn't reply, it simply opened up another black gate, gently nudging the clown in—the latter dramatically spinning around like a ballerina before jumping in.
The alley fell into dead silence—the crystals still glimmering in the dim lighting as the sound of police sirens slowly drew closer.
Back in SBAH, the infirmary was filled with groans and hisses of pains—the club leaders all being bandaged up by Nae Jin-ho who was a bit too lazy to heal them.
"Damn kids.. You all are messed up. Dae-sik definitely doesn't hold back his brutality on kids huh?"
His eyes flickered towards the unconscious Ji Won who was wrapped up in ancient papers—words that he didn't recognize written across them in black and red ink, a tall old woman covered in a golden veil was standing besides Ji Won's bed.
"This child.. His curse, its not normal at all. The Chaotic Mana is greater than anything I've seen before. Its definitely not a normal B-Rank curse."
Nae Jin-ho gently laid Sae Jaehyun back onto to his bed. Concern flickering across the medic's face.
"Oh? Well ya better heal him up quick lady Kyung-mi, or else Eyun-jung will go feral. I've managed to keep her outside for the day but its night now."
Byeon Kyung-mi sighed deeply, she reached a bright colored hand through the veil. Rubbing it across the papers one last time before pulling it back.
"Leave this room. I'll need to preform a ritual, I'll need a table, rice cakes, the finest liquor available, and tell Youngjae to bring me my hanboks.. The most colorful ones he can bring."
A hand was placed on the older Mudang's shoulder, none other than Eyun-jung, who was definitely furious, not having changed out of her armor.
"I'll kill you if you don't cure my brother."
The older woman slowly turned her head—her face was covered by a golden veil but it was evident. She wasn't scared at all.
"Missy, just imagine the curses I harbor inside my body. If you kill me they'll be released onto you.."
Eyun-jung stared at the woman, before reluctantly taking a step back. Crossing her arms over her chest—glaring at the back of Byeon Kyung-mi's head.
"Fine.."
The Mudang took in a deep breath, nodding at Nae Jin-ho, who started leading the Club Leaders into another room one by one, but when he got to Soo-jin, The Mudang's hand reached out. Stopping him.
"She stays."
Nae Jin-ho raised an eyebrow—but he didn't question it. Not wanting to anger a woman who could curse him in the most inconvenient ways possible.
"Okay.. Later!"
Nae Jin-ho walked out with Eyun-jung, the medic sporting a grin under his mask as he ran a hand through his hair.
"That poor girl's gonna be traumatized.."