"Is there anything else you want to ask?" Dukun Rosso turned to them with a calm but serious expression.
Alfin raised his hand. "How do we enter the spirit world on our own?"
Rosso smiled slightly. "Easy. You just need to use your khodam to imagine a place in the spirit world that you've been to before. That's the simplest method."
"But you can only enter locations you've already visited. Fortunately, I've already taken you both to two safe places in the spirit realm."
Alfin nodded slowly, processing the information. Then he asked again, "But… isn't it true that if a khodam dies, it can be revived?"
"Of course," Rosso replied. "But know this—reviving a khodam costs khodam energy. All the energy you've collected will be used to bring it back. And if you don't have enough energy, you won't be able to summon your khodam until it's fully restored."
Rai seemed thoughtful, but said nothing.
Rosso looked at both of them again. "What I've taught you so far—this is the foundation for becoming a strong shaman. What happens next is up to your own efforts."
He folded his arms and grinned. "Of course, if it's something really important, I can help… for a price, of course." He chuckled with a slightly mischievous glint in his eyes.
"Maybe we'll need your help again in the future, Master. Thank you… for your teachings and guidance," Rai said sincerely.
Dukun Rosso nodded slowly. "Oh, and one more thing. Don't forget to recheck the video you showed me. You might notice something new now."
Rai's eyes widened in surprise. He quickly pulled out his laptop and opened the video—the one that had captured the night his family was slaughtered.
Now, with his khodam awakened and his senses sharpened, Rai could finally see them clearly.
Dark figures.
Eighteen khodam, each surrounded by a malevolent black aura, appeared in the video—figures that had been invisible to him before.
He watched the footage over and over again, trying to memorize their forms, their shapes, their weapons.
"So… were there eighteen killers?" he asked, voice trembling.
"Not necessarily," Rosso replied, his expression serious. "Some casters can control more than one khodam. What you're seeing might be the work of just a few powerful black shamans."
"Now you understand," he continued. "The ones who killed your family… were likely black shamans—the kind that sacrifice the innocent for power."
Rai clenched his fists, a storm brewing in his eyes.
His journey of vengeance was just beginning.
"Sir, do you recognize their khodams?" Rai asked, filled with hope.
Rosso slowly shook his head. "Unfortunately, no. Even if I did... dark shamans are extremely secretive. They rarely show their faces or leave any trace. If they realize you're investigating them, the chances of finding them again could disappear forever."
Rai clenched his fists, trying to contain the anger and frustration boiling inside him.
"Even if you see their khodams directly, don't let them notice you're watching," Rosso said with a serious tone. "The only way to take revenge is by finding the original caster who controls the khodam."
He looked straight into Rai's eyes.
"Remember this well. Khodams can't truly die. Only by killing the caster can you stop them."
Rosso walked toward the window, gazing at the shadowy night outside.
"That's our motto as true shamans—'we kill without touching'. So hide your bodies in a place that's safe, somewhere no one can trace."
He turned back to face his students.
"And if your body is ever discovered by the enemy—don't hesitate. Merge with your khodam immediately and run as fast as you can. Your survival is more important than your pride."
Silence filled the room. The three students, who had just stepped into this world, now fully realized how dark and complex the path they had chosen truly was.
"Alright, no need to overthink everything," Rosso said calmly. "Just relax."
He looked at the group, his expression softening.
"Maybe it's time you all head home. You've been here long enough."
As they stood up, Rosso raised a hand and added,
"Also, keep it a secret. No one must know that you've successfully become shamans."
His gaze shifted to Rai.
"Rai, you might be able to hide your physical body ... but remember, I know you inherited company shares from your father and aunt. Your name is on the company records. Which means you're exposed—in the light, while the enemy hides in darkness. Think carefully about how you'll conceal that."
Rai gave a silent nod, clearly troubled by the thought.
Rosso then turned to Alfin.
"As for Diana, I'll explain what might have happened. It's likely she was taken into the spirit realm, dragged away by a dark force."
Alfin's eyes sharpened, his hands clenching.
"You should investigate her family. It's possible that someone among them made a pact with a jinn, and Diana was offered as a sacrifice."
Alfin's face darkened, fury brewing behind his eyes.
"If that's the case," Rosso continued, "Diana may now be in the territory of the jinn that struck that deal with her family."
Both of them returned to their respective homes.
Rai's house, though large and luxurious, felt empty and quiet.
He took some time to look over his family's dairy company—a large factory employing around 350 workers. The facility produced boxed milk and fermented cheese on a daily basis.
Later, he visited the cattle farm connected to the business. There were around 300 cows, tended by eight female caretakers. Strangely, all of them were middle-aged women with unusually large breasts. Rai wasn't sure if it was just a coincidence or his father's strange hobby—but either way, he left quickly, afraid of being "violated" by the aunties.
After that, Rai paid a visit to Alfin's house.
Unlike Rai, Alfin came from a simple but warm household. He lived with both his parents and had no siblings, which meant all their love and attention was focused on him. It was something Rai quietly envied—he once had a younger sibling too, but not anymore.
Diana's family, on the other hand, held a fair amount of influence. Her parents owned several companies and had strong connections.
Rai and Alfin decided to investigate Diana's family, but Alfin, being a regular person, had no power or excuse to approach her parents directly.
They agreed to use their khodams to spy from the spiritual realm. But before they could do that, they had to find a way to hide their physical bodies. If other shamans discovered that they were casters, they would be hunted down and killed without hesitation.
Meanwhile, Alfin's parents were planning to enroll him into university soon.
Rai, despite having top grades, decided he would take a gap year instead—to rest, and to prepare.