Part 1, Chapter 9, 5

Synchronize.

For a Spirit to reach the realm of myth, love is necessary, and that object of love must be human. It’s unknown if it’s possible even with a monstrous human.

However, the Phantom Dragon’s relationship with Cheon Gaeul, the pinnacle of the phantom attribute, isn’t bad, and Xiaolin has even been made a subordinate. Unless a way to turn monstrous humans back into humans is found someday, the Phantom Dragon practically has two heroines waiting as candidates for Mythic Awakening.

For me, who has to save the world, this is the best. It’s a lesson I learned after blundering when I found out Gaeul was flirting with Lee Seung-hyung, but I decided not to care who the heroines fell in love with, as much as possible.

But, I decided not to care, and yet.

“……Are you making fun of me right now?”

I felt a little twisted. Even though I thought Gaeul and the Phantom Dragon were the best combo, I felt unsettled when Gaeul pointed out something I had been trying to ignore.

“You deserve to be made fun of. You have someone else you love, but you’re stringing along everyone who loves you.”

“…….”

Gaeul’s pointed words stung my heart. Gaeul knew very well that my love was directed towards another being, and yet she said she would love me until I met that being.

“And you’re adding more and more to that. Honestly, tell me. Xiaolin. And the Phantom Dragon. Both are true, right?”

“……Yes.”

Lying was useless. Gaeul, having also reached S-rank, would easily read the flow of emotions through mana, so a clumsy lie would only disappoint her.

“What are you talking about?”

“She’s saying that you were her husband in the future? Ah, it’s just a possibility. We still don’t know the truth-“

“You crazy motherfucker?!”

The Phantom Dragon swore profusely, appalled. As expected, human heroines and Spirit heroines reacted differently. If I were the original human protagonist, it might be different, but right now, I am merely a being residing within the Azure Flame Phoenix, who is strictly speaking, the same kind of Spirit.

“Me and that crazy bitch?! Married?!”

“……Strictly speaking, it wasn’t marriage.”

I had to correct the Phantom Dragon’s misunderstanding to avoid hearing more insults.

“We didn’t marry, but you came running to me because you liked me. You were the first to kiss me too.”

“”

The Phantom Dragon slowly became transparent. Perhaps due to the shock, her mana scattered, and she turned into an ethereal form.

“See? I knew this would happen.”

Gaeul scoffed at me. The Phantom Dragon, who was about to scatter, barely managed to regain her composure and reappeared in solid form above Gaeul.

“There was one more precious person. Phantom Dragon, shall we, the fish in our Phoenix’s fish tank, have fun together? Just ignore the manager, and we, among ourselves….”

“Uh, uhh…. J-just a moment.”

The Phantom Dragon’s face flushed as if her brain circuits were overloaded, and she lowered her head. It was refreshing to see her look up at me with tears welling in her eyes.

“So… me being your wife… does that mean… we did *that*…?”

“Sex?”

“Kyaaaak?!”

The Phantom Dragon screamed and grabbed me by the collar, shaking me. I wondered what she was doing to a patient, but I meekly submitted to the Phantom Dragon’s violence.

“You, you, you!! What are you doing to my spirit form…!”

“Nothing. We just had a lot of fun together.”

I grabbed the Phantom Dragon’s chin. As our breaths came close enough for our lips to touch, the Phantom Dragon’s eyes began to tremble uncontrollably.

“If you really want to know, I could tell you….”

“That’s enough. How far are you going to go with an innocent child?”

Gaeul snatched the Phantom Dragon away. I felt awkward and turned my head to the other side.

“As you can see, he’s quite trash, but what can you do? The one who falls in love loses.”

“I agree with that.”

“He’s really a trashy person. He never loses an argument. Ugh.”

Gaeul sighed and stroked the Phantom Dragon’s head.

“Still, this trash is my master and the person I love. Who knows? Maybe someday I’ll break his heart and make him unable to escape from my skirt hem.”

“…….”

“Ah, how about this? If the Phantom Dragon loves me, and I love both of you equally? Should I try forming a Spirit harem this time?”

“……From an efficiency standpoint, it’s not bad. However.”

I turned my gaze to Gaeul.

“Outwardly, you’re both women, is that okay?”

“……Pfft.”

Gaeul twisted the corner of her mouth, trying to suppress her laughter. The Phantom Dragon, who had taken a hit from me, also regained her composure and scoffed, mocking me. The moment their eyes met, they both clutched their stomachs and burst into laughter.

“Ahahahahaha!!”

“Hehehe, this, this guy is such an idiot, haha.”

“…These two.”

I scowled and glared, but it was no use. The Phantom Dragon detached herself from me and clung to Gaeul, and Gaeul also moved slightly away from me.

“Gaeul, do that thing.”

“Just a moment.”

Gaeul activated her mana. The mask she wore on her head began to glow, and Gaeul’s body was enveloped in gray mana.

“No, you fu-.”

The moment I saw Gaeul’s transformed appearance, I barely managed to hold back the profanity that was about to burst out. Perhaps because she was S-rank and had transformed into every S-rank she’d seen, Gaeul transformed into Lee Seung-hyung.

“How is it?”

Her voice, tone, and even her mannerisms were perfectly copied from Lee Seung-hyung. But the mana emanating from him was Gaeul’s, and a chill ran down my spine.

“It’s hideous. Change back.”

“Why? This face is the most handsome in Korea.”

“Are you saying you’re going to fuck me or the Phantom Dragon with that body, right now?”

“If you want that kind of play? Hehe. And it’s not just me.”

Gaeul, in Lee Seung-hyung’s form, pointed at the Phantom Dragon. The Phantom Dragon was smiling at me with a playful expression.

“Hehe. Even if it’s annoying, I can’t miss out on something this fun. Hey. Pick any guy you like. I’ll possess him right away and seduce you. Hehehe!”

“You.”

I snatched the Phantom Dragon by the nape and threw her. The Phantom Dragon, meanwhile, changed into her ethereal form, stopped in mid-air, and stuck out her tongue at me.

“Don’t be shy. Oh, is that kind of face your type? Is he in Korea? Should I go there? Hehe, or does Phoenix like older men? Or is it women? Ah, that’s right! I was the husband and you were the wife! Hehehe! Just tell me anyone! I’ll possess them and take everything! And I’ll make you moan beneath me-“

“If you want to steal someone else’s body so badly, go steal Mao Zeping’s body!!”

I got furious and yelled. The combined play of these two phantom attributes, constantly trying to mess with Phoenix’s body, was just annoying-.

“Wow, that’s exactly the kind of thought a piece of trash would have. I have no desire to enter that old man’s body, but….”

The Phantom Dragon licked her lips, savoring the thought.

“Still, a man’s body would be better if I don’t want to get fucked by trash like you, right…?”

It was the moment the Phantom Dragon unintentionally decided her gender. I avoided their gazes.

Anyway, this loose tongue of mine. And this loose tongue is making my true feelings spill out unfiltered, all because of someone.

Phew.

Because of my love, who genuinely wishes for my self-destruction from within me.

* * *

In the end, Gaeul, the Phantom Dragon, and I couldn’t even think about drinking the beer we bought. In an awkward atmosphere, we had to test how far the Phantom Dragon could possess someone.

“You called for a nurse, so I came-possession successful! …Yes. Please let me know if you need anything else.”

Successfully possessed an ordinary person, not an ability user. The ordinary person didn’t notice the Phantom Dragon’s possession.

“You called for a Hero, so I came-possession successful! …Huh? What am I doing right now…?”

Successfully possessed an ability user as well. However, the ability user felt a sense of déjà vu as their memory briefly floated away.

“It feels like it doesn’t work as well the higher the ability user’s rank?”

“That’s how all phantom attributes are. They’re seal clubbers.”

It’s a common characteristic of phantom attributes that their success rate is low against named high-level individuals but high against fodder.

“I understand roughly. Indeed, I am impressed by my Liege’s possession ability, and I am once again amazed by the thought of possessing Mao Zeping.”

Bonghyo, who had bought snacks from the night market, handed over tanghulu as a beer snack. Gaeul took grapes, the Phantom Dragon took one of each kind, and I got strawberries.

“Will Mao Zeping notice if I possess him?”

“He probably won’t. Unless my Liege comes out externally.”

“Then it’s simple. We just need to know Mao Zeping’s location.”

“Yes. …The Emperor would know where he is and what he’s doing.”

“He’s probably still doing it.”

Annoyance welled up, but I suppressed my anger and asked the Phantom Dragon.

“Are there no side effects? Like the owner of the possessed body resisting.”

“No. None at all. Who do you think I am? There’s no way a mere human can overcome my possession as a Spirit, right?”

“……Right. Well, that’s a relief then.”

“You’re worrying again. Don’t worry too much. We’re not going to possess him for long anyway.”

The Phantom Dragon lit up with enthusiasm for once. Perhaps it was because she had a little alcohol, but the Phantom Dragon was quite eager to possess Mao Zeping.

“Hehe. He’s the second-in-command of the country, isn’t he? Then I don’t have to do anything but sleep. Hyaaa, it’s been a long time since I slept in a human body. Hehe.”

“Oh, that.”

Gaeul tried to say something, but I quickly pulled her hand. Gaeul immediately closed her mouth, and the Phantom Dragon narrowed her eyes, glaring at me.

“What, you trash, trying to eye our Gaeul? Do you want to be fucked while pinned under Mao Zeping?”

“……No. It’s just that Cheon Gaeul was about to follow you.”

I winked at Gaeul, and Gaeul changed her expression and subtly let go of my hand.

“…Alright. I won’t. Phantom Dragon. You need to be careful, okay?”

“Yep! Gaeul, if you want anything, just say so anytime! I can possess both men and women!”

The Phantom Dragon appealed to Gaeul until just before she left. Gaeul waved her hand, seeing the Phantom Dragon off, and Bonghyo and I subtly looked at each other, exchanging eye signals.

“Then let’s go! I want to sleep in a human body quickly.”

The Phantom Dragon pulled Bonghyo by the wrist. The two turned into ethereal forms and left the hospital room, and Gaeul sat down next to me, pressing her hip against mine.

“Why did you stop me?”

“She needs to do some work.”

Bonghyo, a subordinate who wished for his Liege, the Phantom Dragon, to be reborn as a diligent being, and I, who was displeased with the Phantom Dragon slacking off.

Bonghyo and I exchanged opinions with just our eyes on how to get the Phantom Dragon to work, and based on an idea I unknowingly threw out, we devised a plausible plan.

Code name: Phantom Dragon Rehabilitation Project.

“We’ll make Mao Zeping unable to do anything, prevent the Phantom Dragon from slacking off, and then the Phantom Dragon, leading the Phantom Dragon Corps, will take over all of China. It’s killing three birds with one stone.”

We had to proceed smoothly and quickly before the Phantom Dragon realized the truth. The Phantom Dragon declared that she would possess Mao Zeping and live a life of leisure, but she would never be able to stretch out and comfortably rest on the floor.

“Whether she truly becomes Mao Zeping, or causes him to fall from power by committing crimes in his body, that’s up to Bonghyo now. We just have to do our part.”

I brought up a screen and spread out a map. My activities as Phoenix were over, so it was time to thoroughly act as Azure Syndicate.

“After instilling in people the idea that monsters must be turned into Cores to be controlled, we’ll revive the Black Flame Dragon and poach all the S-rank monsters in China-“

“Hey.”

Gaeul cut me off.

“You’re sulking because I said I’d play with the Phantom Dragon, aren’t you?”

“……I’m not sulking. And let’s stop talking about that. The plan for tomorrow-“

“Hey.”

Gaeul cut me off again. I felt a slight annoyance at Gaeul’s constantly contrary behavior. No matter how much I had said hurtful things to Gaeul, this was-

“……Huh.”

“How is it?”

There sat a blue woman who looked exactly like me, the Azure Flame Phoenix. Although the clothes she wore were different, and her eyes were gray from using mana for the transformation, her appearance was identical to mine.

“I transformed into the person you love most. Does your heart pound?”

Gaeul reached out and stroked my face. With fingers identical to mine, and a face identical to mine, she was seducing me.

Thump.

Having reached S-rank, all S-ranks should be able to transform. Perhaps if there was a system in this world, Phoenix’s human form might have been classified as a transformable target since it’s S-rank.

Thump.

My heart was definitely pounding. But it wasn’t because I was captivated by Gaeul.

Thump. Thump. Thump.

The host was furious. At Gaeul, who had transformed into herself. My heart was pounding with rage, and I had to appease both of them.

“…Cheon Gaeul.”

I grabbed Gaeul’s face.

“Don’t transform into me.”

“Why?”

“I like Cheon Gaeul with big breasts.”

“……Pervert.”

Cheon Gaeul immediately transformed back into herself. Though she called me names, she didn’t hide her breasts.

“Wait.”

I reached out and grabbed the lower hem of Gaeul’s top. The excitement in my heart subsided, but now Gaeul’s Core began to throb slightly.

Sharak.

I lifted Gaeul’s top completely. Gaeul blushed but quietly accepted my touch. My thumb went in, and the shirt I pushed up caught on her firm underboob, and Gaeul quietly closed her eyes.

“……Hmm.”

Gaeul was expecting something. I reached out and stroked Gaeul’s skin.

“No scars now either.”

The wounds Gaeul had sustained when Yooishin’s arrow pierced her had all healed. The ugly scars seemed to have disappeared completely as she rose to S-rank.

“…What? Aren’t you going to do it?”

“What do you want me to do?”

“Well… do you want me to say it out loud?!”

Gaeul yelled loudly. Thanks to her skin looking more human now, her corpse-like appearance was gone. As a result, Gaeul, whose ears were completely flushed, looked like a real person.

“……Just a moment.”

I held Gaeul and briefly asked myself.

‘I said simple touches were okay, right?’

Thump-thump-thump-thump!

My heart throbbed. It hurt quite a bit, but I endured the pain with effort and pulled Gaeul’s waist into an embrace.

“I won’t know unless you say it. Alright. …What do you want me to do?”

“……A-are you really going to do it?”

“It’s a reward for awakening the Phantom Dragon. Yes. If you just wish for it-“

“Hey! I brought late-night snacks!”

Deokbae appeared through the window, carrying food from the night market. I froze, and Gaeul hastily pulled down her shirt.

“Oh, as expected of a celebrity. Your figure really is S-rank. But no matter what, you shouldn’t be doing *that* in someone else’s hospital room-“

“Go die, you son of a bitch!!!”

Tentacles stabbed Deokbae. But Deokbae blocked the tentacles by throwing the snacks and, flipping the middle finger at Gaeul, ran towards the window.

“Dying now or dying later is the same! Catch me if you dare!”

Just as Gaeul had grown enough to transform into me, Deokbae had also grown enough to react to Gaeul’s tentacles. Deokbae threw himself out the wide-open window, and Gaeul hastily chased after him.

“……Come back and continue!!”

Gaeul pointed her finger at me and yelled, then jumped out the window and disappeared.

“……Phew.”

I took a deep breath, then burned the scattered food in the room with fire.

‘Almost fell for it.’

“I believe I said no skinship with my body…?”

Huh.

I didn’t say that.

I fiddled with my lips, then sighed.

‘No, isn’t it natural for any man to want to touch such large breasts? At least you should show that much generosity-‘

“Then you can touch mine, can’t you?”

Cheok.

The host moved her hand and placed it on my chest. Phoenix’s voluptuous breasts, smaller than Gaeul’s but still quite large, rested beneath my palm.

“……How is it?”

Jomul-jomul.

“Hyaang….”

I touched my own body and barely managed to suppress the lustful thoughts that had briefly risen. The tension that had eased after awakening the Phantom Dragon tightened once more.

‘What a terrifying woman, Cheon Gaeul.’

“Haa, haa….”

I almost got taken advantage of. I stroked my chest to calm the heat.

“Hey! I killed Jo Deokbae and came….”

“You missed a golden opportunity, Cheon Gaeul.”

“…….”