Q

Chapter Text

I jolted awake my danger sense pinging through my mind. I jumped from the chair knocking it over and rolling a few feet behind it. The mysterious shadow lunged at me nearly the same time I jumped back landing crouched in front of the knocked-over chair.  

I looked at it trying to figure out who it could be. 

"Who are you!"

"What do you want!"

The shadow started to rise straightening itself.

"I said what do you want!" 

I kept my distance I did not know whether they were armed or not. The lights were off so I activated spirit vision. As I looked at the mysterious figure I saw the dim lights of his soul and it was that of an evil spirit. The one before me is the evil spirit! It had possessed the body of an unnamed.

Anger and disgust filled my voice.

"Why! How many have you killed!"

The mysterious figure was silent and looked as if it was analyzing my every move but eventually spoke. 

"Your pronunciation is ass." 

"Oh and like four." 

It spoke our language but it was different. It felt as if it spoke it better as if we had been speaking a poor imitation. It sounded like, 'her'. 

"Why! You monster, how could you!"

Despite the darkness, I could see a smile creep up its face its canines seemingly glowing in the darkness. Speaking as if this was simple banter. 

"I mean it wasn't personal I guess, well for me anyway but the other guy." 

A smile crept across its face 

"The other guy enjoyed every part of it."

Anger flared in my mind, and I readied myself. Right here and now I had to kill it no matter what. I raised my fists in a stance I started looking for anything that would help but it seemed there was nothing it was like anything that could be used against him was hidden. Still looking I was interrupted by its voice. 

The body seemed to jolt before speaking again 

It's futile, Just like how you cornered and took everything from me I will take everything from all of you. 

This response was weird the tone seemed to change and it seemed less fluent than before. Is this what it meant by, the other guy? 

My danger sense activated, Finally, it moved. It jumped towards me at inhuman speeds. I rolled to the side but despite missing its target it landed perfectly without even staggering. Measuring its speed It seems it has yet to digest its potion. I have almost completely digested it I should be stronger. 

The evil spirit started walking towards me its eyes locked with mine. With only a little bit of space between us, it lunged at me its right arm curled ready for a punch. 

The evil spirit swung inhumanly fast whistling through the air but I quickly evaded it. As I went to swing to counter his hit, I was struck in the abdomen hitting my liver. I jumped back coughing out a mouthful of blood. It quickly dashed to me with the inhuman speed of a Tanuki. I swung a fist but it deflected it and went to swing in retaliation but I dodged it as he swung, retreating further. I readied myself for a swing but my attention was suddenly trapped by its eyes. As I was distracted a sudden pain went through my abdomen, and he punched my liver again. Staggered and caught off-guard it then caught me in a barrage of blows. 

I flew backward, hitting Madam Bai's chair and moving it out of the way. my body screaming in pain and danger sense blaring in my ears. My consciousness faded in and out. I nearly passed out. The spirit wasted no time as I had to roll out the way from his lunge at me, It has already digested its potion. My back hit the chair before looking back up I noticed an old knife under the chair. 

Madam Bai cleans her own house It had to have been left here and forgotten by Madam Bai. I reached for it hiding it from view from the hound. I acted too wounded to move. From what I've seen it has no weapons on its person. 

I listened to its footsteps as it slowly walked to finish its kill. I turned to face it I caught its attention to my eyes. Waiting for the perfect moment to lunge at him it jumped at me, still distracted by the cheap trick, caught in momentum I grabbed for the knife. As I grasped the knife it collapsed into smoke. 

It was an illusion. It was prepared beforehand.

My eyes were wide my thoughts slowed my eyes locked onto the spirits. It would be mere moments before it reached me. I have to fight back, I can't die. 

I balled my fist ready to strike but my attention got caught again I was helpless. It used cheap trick on its eyes and I couldn't look away. I tried to get up and move but it was futile it reached me slamming into me at extreme speeds landing on top of me and pinning me to the ground. 

I felt the pain from his collision but I felt something different, I felt something sharp. The spirit was on top of me and I looked at my abdomen in it, was an old knife. 

It was hard to breathe. It hurt. I tried to move but it pinned me down. I looked at it unable to speak. 

The spirit tightened its grip around my hand shattering it. I yelled in pain but it seemed my throat was filling with blood all that came out was a gargled gasp. 

"it looked me in the eye. its cold hand still holding my arm."

"I know that this won't kill you immediately, comply, and I'll…let you go."

It hurts

I turned to him staring him down with tears starting to form on my bruised and bloodstained face. 

It hurts

It continued. Tell me where the escape artist characteristic is. 

I was stunned I couldn't speak. 

It hurts

He took his hand holding the knife and started twisting it. 

Another gargled scream came out of me. I couldnt help it, it hurt so bad it hurts so bad! 

Tears were rapidly streaming down my face. I was scared I was hurt but I had to stop it, For Bai.  

A grin crept up its face only for a moment before it was forced back to its impassive face. 

"Where is it" 

I moved my hand held down by his arm. Despite the refusals from the broken bone, I pointed to a painting of a family. It seemed to know what I meant. 

It turned back to me and questioned. "Hidden compartment?"

I nodded still struggling to breathe. 

It stood up letting go of my body. It stood up and looked at my leg. Suddenly it stomped down as hard as it could shattering my foot and slightly cracking the floor below it.

Again I shouted this time it was only a wheeze. I lay there writhing in pain blood soaking up my clothes as he walked to the painting.

___________________________________

He said the characteristic is behind this painting. I grabbed the painting and tossed it to the side where a hidden door was. It was as big as a safe or maybe was a safe. Sticking my fingernails on the lines in the wall and pried it open. 

In that safe was a wooden box a book, a few photos, and some documents.  I grabbed the box, I ended up lifting the cover revealing a vial similar to that of a 

chemistry cylinder holding a swirling mass of smoke filled with mysterious symbols. 

The escape artist characteristic. 

Grabbing the vial I opened my mouth and drank it as it slid down my throat pain exploded through my soul and possessed body. I fell to my knees the body I was in was squirming turning illusory and eventually morphing like the smoke of mimicry. Unaware, the wounded tanuki began crawling towards me. 

The injured tanuki moved to me quickly. I turned on my knees and looked at him. As he was in arms reach. The look on his face was resolved like he had made peace with himself. 

I was helpless I couldn't move due to the advancement. I noticed he gripped the knife in his chest. No way, he wouldn't. As I looked in confusion he ripped the knife out of his chest splattering blood everywhere and in that same motion shoved the blade into my throat and stabbed repeatedly. I unpossessed the body exiting into my doglike form, which was warping between purely smoke and a defined shape. The stolen body had become grotesque and deformed as I left it some parts turned to smoke and dissipated. 

I activated cogitation squirming around in the air trying to calm my mind but it felt like it was being torn apart. It felt as if the anger that quelled the characteristic had turned against me. I fought against it with sheer will. Among the ravings, it felt like more voices had come, a woman's, telling me to die along with the usual ravings. 

This is bad. I could feel it slipping, the memories, the memories I got from the spirit and the hidden ones. Inside me, something was waking up. The voice only got louder and my body seemed to be more and more out of my control. 

Your body!

 An angry voice said through my mouth.

Your mouth!

You stole my! Body! 

You stole my! Son!

I tried to force it to submit but it did the same.

We were locked in a stalemate both splitting further and further apart. Eventually, the ravings became silent and my body stopped morphing. I ascended but I could tell we both had split. 

Immediately our minds calmed down for a moment as the escape artist characteristic had already been mosly digested. I was confused is it because since I've been here I've been evading and escaping Bai and Lin? Can you act in advance?

Oh please you have been running since you were a kid you coward.

This voice was in my head it was the hound before it lost control it was the old head of the Dong family. The mother of the hound I drove insane. 

In all this chaos a surge of information flooded my mind the abilities gained from my ascension to escape artist. 

First of all my body's strength didn't upgrade but it got even more flexible. So flexible I only need my head to fit to get through something. I'm also even faster than before. 

My mimicry has become a lot stronger. Beforehand, the illusions were like a veil placed on objects I couldnt do much if something was too big or do something like replicate sound but now I can. Now my illusions have gotten strong enough that I can replicate the five senses, though I need to know how 

they feel. 

It seems I've also gained a lot of passive abilities. It gave me even more ingrained knowledge of martial arts and a mastery of gymnastics. I've also gained the ability to see escape routes and possible items to use in an escape. 

Looking around the window seemed to highlight, looking to my left a feathered pillow also seemed to highlight. Subconsciously I knew what I could use them for. 

Now my more complex abilities Rush for a few moments I can speed up my thinking almost slowing time in my point of view. Smokescreen I can send out a cloud of smoke disrupting any tracking abilities and making anyone targeting me lose focus on me. It also has a subsidiary part which is just smoke creation. Patch, A healing ability, It's like casting an illusion to replace destroyed flesh. I can cast it on a gash to seal it and slowly let it heal. It can be disrupted if hit though there's also no real need for it since I have to possess corpses. 

Libanonmancy- I can burn my spirituality and from the smoke that comes can access the spirit world to do divination. The smoke after being connected and offered a question shows a vision to be interpreted.   

An attacking ability, Soul shard, I can shed off shards of my soul to embed in weapons or extend parts of my soul to give a claw-like hand to attack the soul directly. When I hit someone with it their energy is sapped into my body.

 Eject, using it will teleport me to a random place. Anything on my person would be taken with me just making it more expensive. With the price of it now it takes up half of my…spirituality. 

Spirit body form, grants me a spiritual form I'm free to transform into it increases my speed and enhances my abilities aside from my physical ones. It dramatically increases the speed at which I create soul shards. My mimicry is also enhanced I can store my body in a secret space and use mimicry to create a body almost as good as mine

is all you think about yourself. 

Ignoring her I continued processing the information. Another upgrade for mimicry, mimicry has also been upgraded usually any illusion that wasn't placed on me was broken with the movement or enough force like the knife I made to trick Lin, speaking of Lin.

I turned to the young man on the floor looking at me with anger in his eyes. His blood was all over the floor. His ears upright he looked at me like a dying dog. 

A woman's voice resonated in my head.

'You're evil, I know what you're thinking.' 

"What happened to wanting me dead?  Is your hatred for named that strong?"

She went silent. 

I took control of our evil spirit body and approached the wounded man. Slowly approaching him I readied myself preparing to possess him. 

I jumped to his body invading his flesh and beginning to consume his soul. It was far more powerful than the previous ones it wasn't instant this time it felt like a fight. Not only did I have to fight his soul but it seemed the characteristics he held had been merging with my soul His body and soul squirmed resisting me but in the end, he let out a silent gasp and his soul had been devoured. 

Standing up, in a stagger, I inspected the new vessel.

His soul carried a lot more energy so I should live far longer than I would have with a normal person. Suddenly the arm moved to my throat at an extreme speed. Trying my hardest I tried to take control of the arm. It staggered it seemed the arm was being controlled by someone else. I forced it to submit. Eventually, it fell from my neck and I took control.

An angry voice started pounding through my head. 

'Why!' 

'Why will you not just die?' 

'It is my soul...'

'Why must everything be taken from me?' 

It seemed her voice had lost its vigor turning into a pitiful voice.

'Is that how you see me?'

'Pitiful?' 

I thought in a sarcastic tone 'We're already dead your efforts were wasted anyway.'

'I mean...' I looked down pointing out my torso. 'there is a hole in our chest.'

Moving my arm to my chest, I used patch. Smoke escaped from my hand seeping into the stab wound and taking the form of undamaged flesh

There was silence in my head 

You are a monster…

Samuel.  

Me, the monster?  

The memories of the things I had done started flooding my mind. 

"Whose anger was it that took control of me every time I saw a named? "

"Whose anger was it that drove me to kill them?"

"It was you who wanted to kill them!"

"I just got away with it." 

"I always get away with it…"

I…

"Never get caught." Suddenly a flash of reflective symbols and lights covered my sight and the ravings ceased. 

I digested the escape artist characteristic. 

Chapter Text

After the illusory vision faded I looked back to the mangled corpse I left behind.  It was nearly impossible to tell if it was human only resemblance was the tail which was left nearly unscathed. At first glance, it looked very similar to Lin's. Speaking of Lin's body his fingers feel weird as if there's something in them.

A voice resonated in my mind as if murmuring to itself.

It takes people most of their lives to get to your sequence yet you've done it in an outrageous time.  

"How long is the average life expectancy" I asked my reluctant room…mind mate but was met with silence. 

This ghost is so annoying. I mean all I did was put down a suffering dog. If anything, I did it a favor. 

'I may not have access to your memories but I remember some. I remember the hatred you have for the hounds. You were chased out so don't act like I'm not the closest thing to an ally you have left.'  

I mean I think we could strike a deal. Only if you're interested. 

This seemed to catch her attention. She said nothing but we reside in the same soul i could tell she stirred at the suggestion and so I continued.

I have nearly no knowledge of this city and the spirit world. Even basic information about the powers of this world, but one thing I know is that you want the hounds dead. If we work together we could make it happen for the most part. I can't commit genocide.  

She remained silent but I could tell she was interested. I only need to push it a little further and she should submit. 

Finally, she spoke, "I wonder if it was truly you who broke down after you killed those people." 

If I stop keeping you out what do you think you would feel? You and I were one at some point. Tell me…what is it you think I'd feel?

She seemed to be confused but listened nonetheless. 

I felt that despair I still somewhat feel it. It's like I've lost something I can never get back and I have no clue what it is. I've never felt it before and I don't plan on feeling it again.

It seemed she began thinking and finally answered reluctantly after some thought. 

"I accept, but… I'll never forgive you for what you did." 

"Good"

So we've agreed. I've already digested Escape Artist so I guess we can go for sequence six. In my head, I turned to Madam Dong asking her if she had any info on sequence six. 

It's called bootlegger. The name's meaning was lost a long time ago but the elders most likely know what it means.

I know what it means anyway I have some kind of plan when It comes to acting.

The mention of elders caught my attention. What sequence are the elders anyway? 

She spoke as if recalling an upsetting memory. 'They are at least demigods at the level of at least sequence four.'

So the pathway does lead to godhood. Pushing that thought away I changed the topic back to sequence six. The topic, is how to kill one. 

Most abilities are locked away since we have no access to other pathways. When they absorb some spirituality from an enemy they can replicate the ability and use it as their own as long as they have the enemy's spirituality. There is no point in copying the abilities of the same pathway. They also don't receive any physical buffs but their spirit form does grow stronger and faster. 

I know who you plan to target and as of now you would put up a good fight but…you would lose, that I am certain. Since we are an evil spirit we lose some of our rationality when it comes to beings who hold a characteristic of our pathway if we had full control we might have had a chance but it is impossible as of now.

While you may be the strongest escape artist she seems to be an extremely talented and powerful hound, a prodigy even. 

I let out a chuckle, you said I'm the strongest escape artist and I'm guessing you don't mean by pure talent. There is something that sets me apart from the other sequence sevens isn't there?

Madam Dong was quiet for a moment then answered. The characteristics are sought after by every named, so much so that every characteristic is accounted for and under supervision. Every Hound if they hold an extra characteristic is forced to expel it from the body but since those rules don't bind you, you hold several characteristics you receive the benefits, unlike the other hounds. 

An idea popped into my head but I need more information to go through with it. what are the benefits? 

The accommodation of more characteristics enhances your abilities and storage of spirituality. For example, if you had two sequence seven characteristics you'd be stronger than one who only held one in every aspect. You always have been a bit stronger since we have only consumed characteristics since they hold all the characteristics of the past sequences. 

During the whole explanation only one thing occupied my mind, the acquisition of more characteristics. I can't tell if I truly want this or if it's instinct from our evil spirit race. Since she is held in custody all I need to do is get enough sequence seven characteristics to be on par with her basic powers.

Don't forget Samuel, When fighting someone higher sequence of the same pathway it will weaken your abilities. the enhancement from the acquisition of more characteristics also declines the more you gather and makes you more susceptible to losing control.  

She grew quiet a little surprised by my sudden outburst i mean I was thoroughly flabbergasted. 

'Don't forget? That was my entire plan.'

While I complained it felt like she just rolled her eyes in response. 

I turned to the knocked-over chair and walked to it setting it upright. I then took a seat. Crossing my leg I laid my head on my hand and began to think, subconsciously copying Lin.

I need a plan but more information is Bai's cell special or is it just a normal cell? This might be too much work I might just find a different sequence six. 

Most hounds have no actual experience when it comes to fighting. While we have martial arts ingrained in our minds I doubt they would know how to use it. Bai though, before I left I heard that name was in some serious conflict with the other named at sequence six. 

I added in quickly 'You mean the like family right?'

Yes, the whole clans were in it. Considering this is the house Bai lives in they lost most of their assets despite having much more than the other names. I'm pretty sure it was due to the median being pressured by the elders. Since the beginning, the Bai family has owned a supplementary ingredient of the escape artist potion. 

Should I have made the potion? 

No, we're an evil spirit the anger keeping us alive forces the previous will to submit already. Besides, you already align creepily well with the will. 

So what's special about the median what sequence is he? 

He is the sequence five who is the median between the named and the elders. He is like a representative of the named. He also does the dirty work of the elders. The median is the only sequence five. 

The elders are in control of all the supplementary ingredients so of course they want bai's so they can have full control over advancement.

She went to continue but I cut her off silencing her. I looked at the window it was wide open but that wasn't what I was looking at. The corpse was right in front of it. The sun had set but the names never slept this late, yet the lights were off on the house next door. 

My body became enveloped in smoke eventually disappearing and leaving me in my spirit form using spirit transformation i still felt a weak link to the body but it was stored. 

I dived under the ground, approaching the dark house. Under the foundation, I listened waiting for any sound but I didn't even hear the servants. I moved around until I heard a whisper. 

Moving towards that whisper I noticed it was a girl, a young one. 

Peaking my head through the floor I noticed the owner of the house was whispering to what looked like his wife and child. He was reassuring them, something about making sure they were fine. 

Without a doubt, he saw what happened.

"Will you kill him?" 

"I don't know yet but I think I have a plan"

He started walking towards the door and I followed exiting through the floor outside the door. I switched from my spirit form back to my vessel and leaned against the wall waiting for him to exit. 

As he silently shut the door behind him he turned and saw me just outside his door. As he went to yell in fear I lunged forward grabbing his mouth and silencing him. I leaned close and whispered into his ear.

"Let's not scare little Sarah hm" 

I could sense his fear, he had been quivering. He thought for a moment then nodded. I released him and signaled him to follow me. 

As we made some distance from his family I had time to decide the next thing ill do.

She told me that this name was at the level of a sequence seven name but the head just never advanced past eight she thinks he either doesn't want to advance or he sold it for the rights to a produce, like a monopoly on an entire plant. 

There is a difference between named the produce holders and named similar to lords. They hold property for the people to live on and the other has a monopoly on all the produce which is pretty large considering the amount of named every plant might be there. This place is huge and the entire outskirts are giant farms. 

The standing of the named are based on the size of their districts and what produce or how many they own. There is also a currency but I wasn't really interested since ill just steal anything I need. 

Back to my plan, the named beside me is of decent standing. He should be able to get in contact with anyone he wants. If I can't kill Bai I need someone else to do it.  With this guy's connections, I can help speed up her trial and execution. 

My main problem is the possibility of her getting a deal from the elders. Since she owns a supplementary ingredient the elders might say that if she gives it up she can walk free. They hold the names they received in high revere I doubt they'd wipe out another name.

We entered his study and I leaned back against the wall. I had planned to begin my plan by ordering him to follow it but somethings not right. He's nervous fidgeting even more than earlier. He was stalling, I noticed he had been dragging his feet on the way to his study. What is he waiting for? 

Suddenly my danger sense went off i lunged to the other side of the room and adeptly landed on my feet. In the place, I stood a humanoid spirit had emerged from the ground. I looked at his hands and saw that his hands had illusory claws formed around his fingers. 

I've seen this man before. He's always with two other people. I prepared myself to jump away again. As soon as I was ready my danger sense warned me again I jumped again this time I jumped in a way I could change direction if I needed to and just like that the third showed up right beneath me in the middle of my original trajectory. He would have landed a hit on me if I hadn't already expected this. I kicked against the floor mid-air missing the third's strike by a hair. 

I landed this time I couldnt catch myself on my feet so I ended up landing on all fours grabbing the floor to slow myself. I looked up at the three and they looked at me. 

The one in the back the original attacker let out a cocky snicker. "You're putting up more of a fight than Bai" 

The surrounding escape artists followed his snickering and joined in. 

"You trying to be like your daddy Lin"

I clenched my fingers and inadvertently let out some retractive claws. I had for a moment completely forgotten about the three escape artists as I was, respectively, completely dumbfounded about my discovery. 

What the fuck! 

Why does a hound have retractable claws! 

Yo Dong, you couldnt have said anything about a built-in weapon!

Her voice had a panicked tone in it as she yelled at me to pay attention to the three escape artists. 

I snapped back to my senses my focus on the hounds. I activated my soul-shard ability and formed claws around my physical ones. 

I looked the first in his eyes.

I'm one step closer to killing Bai.