Ryo and the Jinn ascended the stairs, stepping toward the massive temple gates.
With a casual steps, they passed through the unopened doors like ghosts slipping through a veil.
And inside—The temple was vast.
Colossal stone pillars stood along the grand hall, covered in ancient hieroglyphs that told stories of lost rituals.
Braziers burned with eerie blue flames, casting long shadows over the towering statues of Anubis—his jackal eyes staring down from above.
The air was heavy with incense, filled with the scent of burning myrrh and something... unsettling.
The atmosphere was suffocatingly quiet.
Like the temple itself was holding its breath.
Then, at the center of it all—Human Neferka stood, he was trapped—surrounded.
Guards lined up on either side, forming a path, their spears gripped tightly.
They stood rigid and unmoving, their jackal-masked faces unreadable.
Then—She arrived.
A Priestess of Anubis.
Her long black robes swept across the stone floor, embroidered with golden hieroglyphs that glowed under the dim torchlight.
A massive jackal mask covered her face, its dark eyes empty yet piercing.
Her mere presence…radiated power.
But not the divine kind. Something about her felt—wrong.
Sinister.
The air grew heavier as she stepped forward, like an unseen force was pressing down on the room.
Even Ryo—a spectator in a memory—gulped.
He had a bad feeling about what was coming.
The priestess's voice echoed through the chamber. "State your name."
Neferka swallowed hard. "…N…Neferka."
Priestess: "Your purpose?"
His voice trembled slightly."…A pyramid builder."
The priestess was silent for a moment.
Then—
"I have heard… disturbing reports."
Her tone was calm. Too calm.
"Wherever you walk, people die."
"Some go mad."
"Others claim to see a monster."
"…Such things warrant death."
Neferka's body stiffened.
Ryo noticed something after scanning the priestess and all the guards. He turned to the Jinn.
"Wait—how come the guards and the priestess aren't dropping dead or seeing you as a snake monster?"
Jinn gestured toward their necks.
"The necklaces they wear — 'Amulets of Warding.'"
Ryo squinted.
Both the priestess and the guards had a golden amulet hanging from their necks, shaped like an eye with detailed carvings.
Jinn continued. "Since as early as 3000 BCE, these have been used to protect against curses. Without them, they would not stand unharmed in his…my presence."
Ryo crossed his arms, raising an eyebrow. "Yup. Definitely never saw that in my history books."
He tilted his head, smirking. "In fact, this whole thing feels like it came straight out of an eerie ancient desert fantasy."
The Jinn gave him a side glance. "…Is this related to your so-called 'fantasy games' again?"
Ryo rolled his eyes, sighing dramatically. "Never mind… Just me and my silly imagination."
The temple grew deathly silent.
The Priestess of Anubis took a step forward, her voice calm yet commanding.
"Before judgment is passed, one final test remains."
She turned slightly and gestured to one of her servants. "Bring the water."
The servant bowed her head and quickly left, her footsteps echoing through the vast temple.
Moments later, she returned—Carrying a large bowl of water.
The surface of the water was still—motionless, like a mirror waiting to reveal a hidden truth.
The priestess spoke again.
"Look upon your reflection."
"And let the gods show us what lies beneath."
Neferka hesitated, his heart pounding. Slowly, he stepped forward and leaned over the bowl...
And looked.
His breath hitched. His blood ran cold. His eyes widened in horror.
His face—It was decaying. Rotting.
Withering away before his very eyes, patches of skin peeled off, exposing raw, decaying flesh.
And beneath that— Bone. Empty eye sockets.
Like a corpse that had long since perished.
A tremble ran through his body as he staggered back, his legs feeling weak.
He gasped, his hands holding his face—
But when he touched it, it was still there—his skin, his flesh. He was still intact.
But his reflection was not, and that was enough to terrify him.
The priestess and the guards watched in stunned silence.
For the first time, even the priestess seemed taken aback.
This was not the work of a mere curse.
This was something… Far worse.
Ryo, intrigued by their reaction, stepped forward.
He glanced into the water, and his stomach dropped.
To his eyes— Neferka's real face was normal.
But his reflection… was dying.
Ryo stumbled back in shock, barely able to form words. He turned toward the Jinn—his face pale.
"…What the hell am I looking at?"
But the Jinn... said nothing. He simply watched, silently.
As if he already knew what would happen, as if he had lived through this nightmare before.
The priestess's voice boomed, echoing through the temple like a divine decree.
"By judgment of the gods, this man shall be entombed alive, wrapped in crimson linen, and cast into the void. He shall not reach the afterlife—for his curse is overwhelmingly… EVIL!"
Ryo's eyes widened. "…Not reach the afterlife? What does that mean?!"
Then it hit him, like a punch to the gut. He turned to the Ancient Jinn.
This being—this Neferka—wasn't in the afterlife.
He was still here, bound to this world, even haunting Ryo's dreams.
But… why?
Before Ryo could process his thoughts, the human Neferka started screaming.
Panic-stricken. Desperate. Terrified.
His pleas for mercy were drowned out by the guards grabbing hold of him.
His struggling was in vain.
A swift punch to the face knocked him out cold.
And as he lay unconscious, they wrapped him—limb by limb—in the crimson-red linen.
Then, a massive, rectangular stone coffin was brought forth—Carved from solid black basalt.
A tomb of eternal suffering, designed to trap souls and prevent them from ever passing on.
His final prison. His inescapable fate.
Ryo could only stare in horror.
His hands trembled as he whispered. "T…t-this is… madness…"
The Jinn said nothing. He simply looked down, silent.
Like he had seen this nightmare too many times before.
SNAP.
With a flick of his bony fingers, the Jinn jump-cut them both away.
Ryo groaned, rubbing his temples. "Didn't I tell you to warn me before you jump-cut us like that?"
The Jinn chuckled.
Ryo glared. "Not funny, Teach."
They were no longer in the temple. Now, they stood in a vast, endless desert.
Far from the town. Far from any living soul.
The human Neferka, still wrapped and unconscious, inside the coffin, was being lowered into an underground tomb with thick ropes.
A pit of eternal suffering.
Where he would be buried alive.
Where he would die alone.
Ryo's stomach twisted as he watched.
The priestess stood at the edge of the pit, her hands raised high.
Then, in a deep, chilling voice, she began to chant.
The words—ancient and otherworldly—echoed across the dunes.
Ryo, not understanding a single thing. "…What's she saying?"
The Jinn sighed heavily.
Even now, after centuries, the memory made him uneasy.
But still, he translated—
"By decree of Anubis, Keeper of the Scales,
Let the flesh rot, yet let the soul find no peace.
Let the breath cease, yet let the heart never rest.
Neither among the living shall he walk,
Nor among the dead shall he dwell.
His body is bound, his fate is sealed,
His name is struck from the records of man and gods alike.
No prayers shall find him, no tomb shall honor him.
His journey to the afterlife is denied—
His soul, forever lost between worlds."
Ryo stood there… Blinking… Processing…
Then — "…Oh shit."
The Jinn crossed his arms. "There. Your translation from Teach."
Ryo turned to him, still blinking. "…Yeah, thanks. Very educational. Really appreciate it."
A long pause.
Then—"I'm never sleeping again."
The priestess and the guards left the area, their figures disappearing into the night.
Now, only Ryo and the Jinn remained.
The desert was eerily silent. Only whispers of the wind moved across the sand.
The Jinn's glowing eyes flickered beneath his hood. "Now, we shall wait until my mortal self wakes up from this slumber."
A chill ran down Ryo's spine.
His expression twisted with dread. "…Oh god. Don't tell me you're gonna jump-cut us inside that tomb."
The Jinn chuckled. "Fear not. I am not that evil. We shall remain above."
Ryo narrowed his eyes, suspicious. "Suuuuuuuureee…"
Still doubting, he plopped down on the sand, arms crossed.
Meanwhile, the Jinn casually hovered above the dunes, drifting like a ghost killing time.
Minutes passed.
Ten minutes.
Then—
A muffled noise, arustling beneath the sand.
The human Neferka had awakened and realized…. he couldn't move.
He was trapped. Enclosed. Suffocating.
Darkness pressed against his skin like a second coffin, his chest tightened as panic swallowed him whole.
He struggled, his body trembling. The wrappings wouldn't budge. The stone walls around him remained unmoving.
There was no way out.
Claustrophobia struck….Terror seeped in.
His breath came in shallow, frantic gasps as the air grew thinner. His mind spiraled into pure horror.
With desperate force, he bit through the crimson linen over his mouth.
Just enough to scream. To beg. To cry for help.
And then—
It erupted from below, a raw, agonized cry that pierced the night like a dying beast.
"AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!"
"SOMEBODY, PLEASE, HELP ME!!!"
"PLEASE... I CAN'T FEEL MY BODY!"
"I'M BURIED ALIVE! I'M GOING TO DIE LIKE THIS!"
"PLEASE... PLEASE, FOR THE LOVE OF THE GODS, I DON'T WANT TO DIE HERE ALONE!"
"DON'T LEAVE ME IN THIS DARKNESS! PLEASE, I'M SCARED! SO SCARED!"
"SOMEBODY—ANYBODY—PLEASE, I'M BEGGING YOU, PLEASE HEAR ME!"
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!"
"PLEASE... I CAN'T... I CAN'T TAKE IT ANYMORE!!!"
The desert went still.
The screams echoed.
Ryo's face darkened, chills raced up his spine.
His hands balled into fists, his breath shaky and uneven.
He felt helpless, he wanted to help him.
But… he couldn't. Because the man screaming in agony below was already hovering beside him, like a ghost.
A hollow skeleton wrapped in crimson.
The Jinn turned toward him, watching his horrified reaction. "Are you okay, Mortal Detective?"
Ryo slowly raised his hands, pressing them against his face.
His voice was barely a whisper. "How the hell am I supposed to be okay after hearing the human you screaming like that…?"
The Jinn said nothing.
He simply gazed at the desert floor, at the tomb beneath their feet.
Where he, once a human man, had screamed until his voice was lost to time.
The jinn turned to Ryo. "I am aware that my human self continues to scream below, yet we cannot afford to linger until his… my death."
Ryo feeling relieved. "Oh really? I thought you'd have me sit here and suffer through that endless nightmare, maybe with a side of popcorn."
The jinn snapped his bony fingers, and the surroundings shifted.
Ryo glanced around. "Wait, Teach, we're in the same place, but now it's morning?"
The jinn nodded. "Indeed. However, 50 years have passed since our last visit."
Ryo's eyes widened. "Wait... what?!"
The jinn: "It is now 2450 BCE, and I have long been reduced to mere bones down there."
Ryo shocked. "We time-travelled AGAIN?!"
The jinn sighed with a slight air of indifference. "As I have told you, mortal, this is but a dream. And, for your information, I succumbed to death after a week—weakened, starved and dehydrated."
Ryo groaned sarcastically. "Oh Great, just what I needed to hear, Teach!"
The Jinn raised a bony hand, gesturing for Ryo to step back. "Move away from the tomb, Mortal Detective. A hundred meters should suffice."
Ryo, though puzzled, complied. "Alright..."
They both stepped back, stopping at a safe distance. From there, they stared at the tomb's entrance in silence.
Ryo, crossing his arms, furrowed his brows. "So… what's gonna happen next?"
Then, something seeped out from inside the tomb. A thin, red mist began to drift from the entrance, twisting unnaturally into the air.
Ryo, tilted his head, looking confused. "Wait… what's going on?"
The Jinn, his tone grave, simply uttered. "Watch…"
And then—
The mist grew thicker, spinning faster, until suddenly—a powerful crimson wind burst from the tomb! It howled like a storm, spiraling upward into a huge vortex of red energy. The air trembled with its power, and the sand around them was whipped into the air.
Ryo gasped. His heart pounded at the sheer intensity of it.
The swirling energy took shape—bones assembling, the crimson cloak draping over a towering skeletal figure. A giant Jinn now towered over the desert.
The very same colossal figure that had haunted Ryo and the royal family in the throne hall, the very same presence he had faced in his dream… and the dream right now.
This was the Jinn.
The current form of Neferka.
Ryo's voice wavered in disbelief. "No way… this is the you now?"
The colossal Jinn gazed down at his own bony hands, horror creeping into his very being. He lifted them, turning them over as if refusing to believe what he saw. Then, trembling, he reached for his face—but all he felt was cold, hard bone. No flesh. No warmth. No humanity.
The smaller Jinn beside Ryo spoke, his voice filled with bitter finality.
"This is the form bestowed upon me… denied the passage to the afterlife, I awakened—bound to this accursed existence."
A dreadful silence fell between them.
Then—
The colossal Jinn clenched his bony fists. His hollow eyes lifted toward the sky. His hands spread wide as he screamed, a wretched, earth-shaking cry erupting from the depths of his very being and into the heavens.
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!"
The sound echoed across the desert, a cry of anguish, of rage, of a soul forever trapped between life and death.
Ryo could only stand there, frozen, as the scream rattled through his bones.
He exhaled heavily, rubbing his temple as he watched the towering Jinn's anguish.
"Man, I know you're all chill and composed now, but seeing the big you reacting like this… kinda hurts."
The smaller Jinn, still gazing at his colossal past self, spoke with a calm tone.
"It is of no concern. This was a very long time ago. I have since adapted to this form… and accepted it."
Then, the Jinn subtly lifted a bony finger and pointed to his right.
Ryo followed his direction, raising an eyebrow. "Huh? What is it—?"
His breath caught in his throat.
Not too far away, a faint blue glow shimmered on the desert sands. At first, it was barely noticeable, like a mirage, but as Ryo squinted, the shape became clearer—a woman.
Her form was translucent, almost ethereal, her face lost in confusion as she wandered aimlessly.
Ryo's eyes widened. "Wait… what the—?"
The Jinn, his tone steady, declared. "That… is a Lost Soul."
Ryo nearly choked on his own words. "A—A LOST SOUL?!"
It wasn't a ghost, not the horror-movie kind. This was different—its presence wasn't eerie, but tragic, as if it had no idea where it belonged.
Meanwhile, the colossal Jinn—still dwelling in the weight of his transformation—slowly turned. His burning eye sockets locked onto the wandering soul. Without hesitation, the massive skeletal figure began to hover toward it, moving with an unnatural, hovering motion.
Ryo felt uneasy. "Uhhh… that lost soul's gonna be okay, right? I mean, creepy giant skeleton you is floating right at it like some horror movie final boss…"
The smaller Jinn beside him went still.
Felt offended, he responded. "Perhaps I should simply take your soul instead once you die."
Ryo just laughs nervously…
As the colossal Jinn hovered toward the lost soul, his deep, powerful voice echoed with an otherworldly calm. "What troubles you, spirit?"
The female lost soul hesitated, stepping back slightly. Her form wavered like a candle's glow, flickering with uncertainty.
It was no surprise—standing before her was an enormous skeletal figure, draped in a flowing crimson cloak, his hollow eyes burning with an eerie light.
Sensing her fear, the Jinn lowered his massive hand gently. "Fear not. I will not harm you."
The lost soul blinked, then slowly smiled, as if a weight had been lifted from her. "You… won't?"
The colossal Jinn tilted his head. "I am here to help."
With newfound relief, she explained her issue. "I have regrets that bind me to this world… but still, I long to pass on."
The Jinn, having once glimpsed the gates of the afterlife only to be cast away, understood her pain.
"I can guide you there."
At first, the woman hesitated, her gaze shifting to the towering, skeletal being before her. He looked like something out of a nightmare… and yet, his presence was strangely comforting.
After a moment of thought, she finally nodded. "Alright… I trust you."
The Jinn extended the edge of his crimson cloak toward her. "Take hold… and do not let go."
She reached out, her ethereal fingers grabbing the fabric.
Then, with a steady rise, the colossal Jinn ascended into the sky.
Ryo watched in awe as they flew higher and higher, the Jinn's red cloak flowing like a divine banner against the morning sun. They soared past the clouds, their figures glowing like golden dust—until they disappeared, fading away like scattered stardust in the wind.
For a long moment, Ryo kept his gaze fixed on the heavens. "Where… did they go?"
The smaller Jinn beside him answered calmly.
"I took her to the afterlife. She was welcomed by the angels." His voice carried a quiet sense of respect. "And I have done the same for countless good souls across the centuries."
Ryo, still staring at the sky, exhaled. "Dude, forget fantasy—this is straight-up divine stuff now."
Then, curiosity struck him. Turning to the Jinn, he asked.
"If you've been doing something this noble, then why the hell are you called something as terrifying as 'The Ancient Jinn'?"
The Jinn slowly turned to face him, his tone solemn as he dropped a revelation.
"I was never 'The Ancient Jinn' in the beginning."
Ryo's eyes widened. "Wait… what do you mean by that?"
Then came the true bombshell.
"I was acting as a Grim Reaper—a benevolent one. Guiding lost souls… was my way of feeling whole after being deemed cursed in life."
Ryo nearly choked. "W-WHA—?!"
The Jinn nodded knowingly. "I understand your shock. But yes… I was a Grim Reaper long before the world feared me as 'The Ancient Jinn.'"