Woo Bin whispered softly near Seo Joon's ear,"I think the chanting is coming from over there… it seems like some people are sitting there."
Seo Joon looked toward the direction Woo Bin indicated. Indeed, a few dark shadows were visible, kneeling a little away from the grave. As Seo Joon's attention fell on them, their chanting gradually grew louder.
Within minutes, the sound became so intense that Woo Bin felt a sharp pain in his ears. Panicking, he let go of Seo Joon's hand and pressed both hands against his ears.
What Woo Bin didn't realize was that until now, his touch—and his omega scent—had been helping control Seo Joon's alpha power. Or perhaps it was the connection between their powers that was protecting them from the graveyard's dark, powerful ritual. As soon as he released his hand, that connection and control shattered.
Now, the chanting resonated directly inside Seo Joon's mind. It felt as if it were hypnotizing him. Suddenly, from within the cracks of the grave, a strange black smoke began to rise, slowly forming a circle around Seo Joon.
Both of them have alpha and omega powers—but neither Woo Bin fully understood his omega instincts, nor had Seo Joon ever experienced anything like this in his life. Everything was entirely new, and they had no idea why it was happening or how to escape.
The dark shadows, previously kneeling and chanting, now began chanting even louder. The black smoke completely enveloped Seo Joon.
Woo Bin fell to the ground in terror, hands still over his ears. It felt as if the smoke was binding him. His omega energy wanted him to resist, but his body was completely immobilized.
Seo Joon slowly started moving toward the dark shadows, his eyes glowing red. He looked completely hypnotized.
As he approached the grave, the shadows rose to their feet. Together, they formed a circle around him, chanting loudly. Seo Joon's eyes blazed red as he stepped into the center of the circle.
Woo Bin noticed a ritual circle drawn on the ground: a five-pointed star etched in blood.
At each point of the star lay raw flesh, emitting a foul stench. Around it were herbs and other ritual items arranged according to black magic practices, with burnt Korean symbols etched in the center.
Seo Joon stood at the heart of the ritual.
Suddenly, one of the dark shadows bent down and lifted a black dagger from the circle. Its blade bore dried blood stains and emitted a faint dark glow. The shadow began chanting in an unfamiliar language as it moved the dagger toward Seo Joon.
Woo Bin's heart raced. He immediately realized that the shadow intended to attack Seo Joon. This was no ordinary ritual—it was a sacrifice, requiring an alpha's power. Perhaps they wanted Seo Joon's life in exchange.
At that moment, Woo Bin felt the invisible binding circle around him weakening. Without thinking, he summoned all his strength, jumped up, and ran full speed toward Seo Joon.
As he broke the circle and pushed Seo Joon out of the center, the shadows' grip faltered. The dark figures turned toward Woo Bin, their faces shifting grotesquely. Cracks appeared on their already terrifying visages, and darkness replaced their eyes. Their forms became increasingly monstrous.
Woo Bin stumbled backward in fear.
Seo Joon was still within the smoke, but his hypnosis gradually wore off. His head felt heavy, and he struggled to understand what had just happened.
Then, one of the shadows lunged at Woo Bin at full speed. But at the same moment, something strange occurred—the shadows' bodies gradually dissolved into black smoke, as if their forms were merging with the air. Their screams echoed and then, one by one, they vanished into the ether.
Woo Bin watched in astonishment as the black smoke, which had risen from the grave, retreated back into it.
Suddenly, the graveyard was enveloped in a terrifying silence. The ritual that had been ongoing seemed to have ended on its own, and all the objects scattered around had turned to ash, blown away into the air.