Chapter 102: The Shadow
This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation
After the piece of human skin absorbed the old woman, logic dictated that the ghost should not have been able to escape. However, the headless shadow appeared once more and began attempting to take over Miles’s body. If it could have easily escaped, it wouldn’t have been captured by the human skin parchment in the first place. Therefore, the only possible explanation was that the piece of human skin willingly released this headless shadow.
Consistent with their previous agreement, the skin was supposed to aid Miles in controlling this second ghost.
The method to do so was depicted right on the surface of the skin. Clear and unmistakable writings were present, seemingly for Miles’s benefit. They showed no signs of fading, clearly intended for him to read.
Miles was well aware that without proper guidance and assistance, he would be incapable of controlling the headless shadow. If there was a struggle between them for control over his body, he would surely be the one to perish.
This was precisely why he didn’t act recklessly when he learned that the method to prolong the revival of a vengeful spirit was to control this second ghost. It’s akin to courting death in the young man’s view.
Perhaps, out of a thousand ghost tamers, there might be one exception who could succeed. However, such success was not a given; it would be sheer luck. Miles didn’t believe he had such fortune. If he were lucky, he wouldn’t have encountered a ghost in school in the first place.
“Regardless of why this human skin parchment decided to release the headless shadow and display the method of controlling it, I have no choice but to follow its instructions now. There’s no turning back,” Miles pondered.
He felt as though he was being ensnared by this human skin parchment and its schemes ever since he first brought it out of the school. It had sown a seed of influence over him, constantly forcing him to concede to its demands like a demon’s whisper. Eventually, he would be plunged so deep into the darkness that he could no longer return.
“If there’s no other choice, then so be it. I’ll control this second ghost and survive to leave Yellow Hill Village,” Miles resolved, glaring at the headless shadow.
At that moment, the shadow tried to rise but seemed to be restrained as if something was holding it back. No matter how much it struggled, it was like a shadow pinned beneath Miles’s foot, unable to move freely.
Upon closer inspection, a thin black line connected the shadow to the human skin parchment, much like a dark tether. The skin was assisting Miles in suppressing the ghost, akin to a beast tamer restraining a wild animal, preventing it from taking over Miles’s body and becoming a malevolent spirit.
Yet, in this instance, Miles wasn’t fearful. With determination, he reached out his hand, intending to make direct contact with the phantom.
Miles was acutely aware of the risks of doing so. This ghost could effortlessly sever limbs and attach them to its own body. Even the slightest misstep could result in Miles losing an arm to the ghost. However, with the restraint provided by the human skin parchment, the situation seemed more manageable.
“I won’t give you my arm, but I have seven ghost eyes within me. I can offer you one,” Miles said. He then opened a slit in the palm of his hand, revealing one of the ghost eyes.
As the eye appeared, the restless stirrings of revival became more pronounced, and he found himself only able to control a single one. He realized that if he lost control over this last eye, it might be the moment when the vengeful spirit would fully resurrect.
With caution and precision, Miles made contact between the eye on his palm and the dark, headless shadow.
It felt chilling, bone-penetrating, and brought with it an overwhelming sense of dread. The moment his palm touched the shadow, he felt a numbing sensation, and the vision provided by the ghost eye faded. Miles could feel the eye being pulled from his body and being absorbed into the deep abyss of the shadow.
In an instant, he withdrew his hand and found the eye in question gone. Instead, a bright crimson ghost eye had emerged on the body of the headless shadow. As the eye opened, the shadow appeared as if it had been nailed in place, a part of its form distorting as if a smooth surface had suddenly been dented.
Having lost one of his ghost eyes, Miles felt the restless sensations of revival within him significantly decrease. While it hadn’t completely subsided, judging by this feeling, he believed he could stave off the resurrection for at least another ten minutes.
“The lost ghost eye hasn’t regenerated,” Miles mused with a hint of disbelief.
After the headless shadow took one, he was left with only six, and the count did not increase.
“Is this the method to delay the vengeful spirit’s resurrection? Offering ghost eyes to this headless shadow? If so, then just giving away one eye surely won’t suffice,” he pondered.
Taking a deep breath, Miles repeated the process, extending his palm towards the shadow once again.
Due to the reduced pressure of the impending resurrection, he began to regain control. In a short while, a second ghost eye was taken by the shadow. With another eye integrated into the shadow, the sensations of the spirit’s revival lessened further. Miles estimated that, at this rate, his ghostly powers could sustain for about fifteen minutes.
And then, he gave a third ghost eye to the headless shadow.
The feeling of imminent resurrection vanished completely.
At this moment, Miles felt as though he had returned to the time when he first acquired the ghost eyes. Given this state, he believed he could live for at least another three months without issue.
However, the method inscribed on the human skin parchment informed Miles that he needed to give away a total of five ghost eyes to fully control the second ghost.
Thus, he proceeded with his plan.
After offering the fourth, Miles no longer felt the abnormal presence of the vengeful spirit within him.
It felt as if he had become a regular human again. If he refrained from using the power of the vengeful spirit in the future, he might even be able to live for several more years.
When he surrendered the fifth ghost eye, Miles suddenly felt a sense of dominance over the headless shadow. Simultaneously, he felt he could also control the ghost eyes.
Had he truly tamed two ghosts?
A delicate balance seemed to have been established.
The text on the human skin parchment faded, replaced by new inscriptions: “I voluntarily gave five ghost eyes to the headless shadow, delaying the resurrection of the ghost within me. While the shadow is suppressed for now, I must remain vigilant. Under no circumstances should this headless shadow acquire another body. If it does, it will control the ghost eyes and turn the tables in an instant.”
“At that moment, my death is certain.”
“But I have a way to suppress it.”
Upon reading this, Miles’s expression shifted.
It seemed that controlling the second ghost didn’t mean achieving a true balance. It was merely a mutual restraint that delayed the resurrection of the vengeful spirit. But the next time it resurfaces, it wouldn’t be just one ghost — but two that would resurrect together.
As this realization dawned on him, the black thread connecting the headless shadow and the human skin parchment snapped, ceasing the support Miles received from the artifact.
Almost instantly, the headless shadow violently stood up, pressing itself against Miles. It sought to claim the young man’s body, aiming to control him rather than being controlled.
“Back off!” He growled, opening the five crimsons simultaneously.
Immediately, the standing headless ghost collapsed to the ground. Like a mere shadow, it was firmly pinned by the five eyes. Although it struggled, its efforts were futile.
The restless sensations of revival brought about by the use of the ghost eyes largely transferred to the headless shadow. After all, the eyes now resided on its form, thus achieving a temporary balance.
“Are the ghost eyes like nails? Used to suppress the potentially uncontrollable headless shadow at any given moment?” Miles mused, his expression turning grim.
For some reason, a phrase came to mind: “A thorn in one’s side.”
But a momentary disturbance doesn’t mean the headless shadow would always resist him. In fact, Miles felt that he could control the headless shadow if he tackled the issue using a different angle.
As the eyes on the headless ghost began to gradually close, the entity itself started to undergo a transformation. It morphed, akin to a puddle of ink, slowly merging with his own shadow.
Miles turned around to observe the change. Even in the absence of direct sunlight, his shadow stretched out unusually long. Unlike ordinary human shadows, Miles’s was profoundly dark and headless.
Yes, it was devoid of a head.
While his physical form had a head, his shadow lacked one. It appeared as if it had been cleanly severed by a blade, the head portion utterly disappearing.
This was the second ghost residing within him.
Codename: The Headless Shadow.