In The Clutches Of The Vengeful Spirit (Text Only)
A horrific truth and epilogue
Although Mizuki has discovered that her assailant is a ghost, she refuses to believe it.
Mizuki Kuba
<It can't be true.>
Mizuki Kuba
<I must be imagining things!>
Mizuki Kuba
<I must have hit my head t--->
???
Do you begin to doubt your own senses, "Mizuki-chan"?
???
Didn't I tell you a while ago that I'm a ghost?
Mizuki Kuba
Mmrrh mmhrrkk mm mhmm!
Mizuki Kuba
Mrh rrhmm mm mrhrhh!
???
I can call you whatever I want.
???
I can do whatever I want to you, and you can't do anything about it.
???
Remember, you're in my clutches, Mizuki.
???
I can take your life if I want to!
???
So be a good little girl and listen now to your "oneesan"!
Mizuki Kuba
Mrrrhh-mmmh!!!
Mizuki's feelings change from despair into anger.
She really hates her assailant for mocking her and her culture.
Mizuki Kuba
<Who the heck do you think you are?!>
Mizuki Kuba
<You aren't my older sister.>
Mizuki Kuba
<We aren't even close!>
The ghost somehow correctly guesses what Mizuki is thinking.
???
We're closer than you think!
The ghost levitates slowly backwards above the floor.
???
Does this make you believe now, Mizuki-chan?
???
Can a normal human do this?
Mizuki Kuba
M mrrhh mmmrh mm!
???
Stop. The heck. What?!
The ghost quickly disappears and reappears on Mizuki's right side in clouds of smoke.
She immediately takes a grip on the victim's neck from behind with her left hand!
???
Do you need any other proof that I'm NOT alive?
???
Still believe that it's a prank?
Mizuki Kuba
<...C-c-c-o-o-ld-d-d....!>
Seeing that her captive probably begins to get the picture, the ghost releases her grip.
Mizuki pants while the ghost levitates back to in front of her.
Mizuki is confused by the ghost's sudden statement.
???
I'm sure you really want to understand what's going on.
???
Let me tell you this: THEY deserved it.
Mizuki Kuba
<The murder victims?>
???
They killed me, in this house, at that particular spot you're sitting on right now, five years ago!
???
You know how I got my scar, Mizuki?
The ghost points with her left index finger at the scar that runs across her left cheek.
???
I'm close to my goal, and now you three brats are getting in my way!
Mizuki feels satisfaction for the first time during her captivity.
It's the satisfaction of being able to help the would-be murder victims get away from the ghost.
Mizuki Kuba
Mmphh-Mmphh-Mmphh.
???
Oh, you're happy now because you almost ruined my plans?
???
You think you're being funny, are you?
The ghost levitates around Mizuki again.
This time, the ghost leans on the captive and the back of the chair.
Her arms embraces Mizuki from behind.
The ghost bends her head to her right, which touches the woman's left temple.
Mizuki's whole body feels cold because of the embrace.
Mizuki Kuba
Mmhh-mhrhh-mmrrhh...
Mizuki Kuba
<N-n-n-o-o-ttt a-gg-ga-in...!!!>
The female phantom then begins to whisper in Mizuki's left ear.
???
I. Like. You. Dear sister!
???
Aaannd I think we'll take a break there, thank you!
The scene begins to freeze in time and space, and the silhouette of a dark figure appears in the room.
???
Greetings, dear Reader.
???
I'm NintyRaccoon, the author of this short horror story.
NintyRaccoon
You must be wondering why I've decided to stop my story here and speak directly to you instead.
NintyRaccoon
It's because this short story is...
NintyRaccoon
Let's just say it's a small experiment of mine.
NintyRaccoon
Allow me to tell you a little bit about myself and why my story is presented as it is.
NintyRaccoon
Let's start with a rhetorical question:
NintyRaccoon
Imagine that you go into a store to buy a book or a movie; or that you log on to MangaToon to find a thrilling story.
NintyRaccoon
You discover a cover or a scene with a bound (and often) gagged damsel, what is your very first thought?
NintyRaccoon
Some of you would shout "bondage!" because the damsel is bound.
NintyRaccoon
In my case, I'd say it depends on what kind of book or movie you're after, especially when I try to use words correctly according to their core definitions as presented in dictionaries.
NintyRaccoon
So, if I'm looking at a superhero comic book, and its cover shows me a bound and gagged damsel in distress, I wouldn't start shouting "bondage" unless I knew the illustrator deliberately wanted to include eroticism.
NintyRaccoon
Instead, I'd ask myself the following questions:
NintyRaccoon
1. Who is the damsel?
NintyRaccoon
2. Why is she in peril?
NintyRaccoon
3. How did she get into that situation?
NintyRaccoon
4. Does she manage to rescue herself, or does someone come to her aid?
NintyRaccoon
5. How does the story end?
NintyRaccoon
While my story "In the clutches of the vengeful spirit" could probably be perceived as a mature, erotic horror story because of the "bondage", I'll tell you in advance that that's not the case.
NintyRaccoon
By reading my story, you've gotten the answer to questions 1-3.
NintyRaccoon
Only questions 4-5 lack answers because I didn't continue with the story.
NintyRaccoon
Were I to continue with it, you would have discovered that Mizuki did get away thanks to her friends.
While the author speaks, Mizuki and the ghost unfrozen from their last scene of the story.
Mizuki starts to untie herself without problems!
The ghost wants to help out with the duct tape wrapped around the lower part of Mizuki's head, but the young woman stops her.
NintyRaccoon
I joined the MangaToon community during the summer of 2022.
NintyRaccoon
One of my first manhua that I read was the battle royale story "Survivor of the 100 Days" by the author MCS.
NintyRaccoon
It got my attention thanks to its cover, showing the female lead in danger, at the mercy of another female character.
NintyRaccoon
Again, I asked myself the five questions I've stated earlier, and read through the whole story consisting of 121 episodes.
NintyRaccoon
I must say that my time with "Survivor of the 100 Days" was well spent.
NintyRaccoon
If it wasn't for the cover with the female lead in distress, I would never have discovered this thrilling story.
NintyRaccoon
So what is my goal with MangaToon?
NintyRaccoon
Ever since I grew up watching TV shows and movies, and reading books with damsel in distress scenes, I've been fascinated by them as a storytelling technique.
NintyRaccoon
Since I've discovered the concept of chat fiction thanks to MangaToon, I'd like to create similar stories with thrilling scenes that would make the readers ask the five questions.
NintyRaccoon
Of course, I'd try to make those perilous scenes as family-friendly as possible, as if I were writing scenes for classic cartoons like "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" or "Batman: The Animated Series."
NintyRaccoon
But there was one important problem that could get in my way...
NintyRaccoon
What if my content couldn't get pass MangaToon's reviewing process because my stories could be misinterpreted as mature, erotic stories?
NintyRaccoon
I've tried to send a mail to MangaToon's support on August 1st, 2022, to ask them about my concern.
NintyRaccoon
But they never replied to me.
NintyRaccoon
I've tried to reach them at their Twitter account.
NintyRaccoon
No result either.
NintyRaccoon
So what could I actually do?
NintyRaccoon
Suddenly, I got an idea on September 29:
NintyRaccoon
MangaToon has this writing contest "#Horror Warning Horror Topic Contribution Wanted" which would end on October 3, 2022.
NintyRaccoon
Since my current contribution, the horror story "One mysterious call", wouldn't be able to reach ten chapters before the contest ends, I had to create a new story where I put my focus on a damsel in distress scene.
NintyRaccoon
And so, my story "In the clutches of the vengeful spirit" was born, being this small experiment of mine.
The ghost and Mizuki stand far behind the author, pointing and giggling.
NintyRaccoon
In "In the clutches of the vengeful spirit," we see Kuba Mizuki - the female lead from my other chat story "One Mysterious Call" - again plays as the main character.
NintyRaccoon
As I've said before, this short story only focuses on Mizuki's capture, experience, and discovery of the killer's identity, which is only a small part of a bigger story.
NintyRaccoon
If all of my three chapters could pass the reviewing process, then it means that my content could be suitable for a broader audience.
NintyRaccoon
If there's popular demand or if this story gets past the reviewing process, I'll consider letting this scene be a part of "One mysterious call".
The ghost and Mizuki look at each other with excitement as they hear the author suggest that their scene could be included in a bigger story.
NintyRaccoon
I'll later make a second copy of this story, but this time I'll include drawings made by me.
NintyRaccoon
I'm convinced they can get past the reviewing process, but I need to be sure.
The ghost and Mizuki approach the author from behind.
???
What did you think of my performance?
The author turns around to face his actors.
Mizuki Kuba
I think it was pretty convincing, G!
NintyRaccoon
I agree with you, Mizuki.
NintyRaccoon
I think you nailed it.
NintyRaccoon
I just hope the reader thinks so too.
???
I hope you thought I was scary enough for this horror story.
???
As the boss said, this story wasn't meant to be erotic.
???
Instead, it was meant to build up the tension in the story.
Mizuki Kuba
Although we normally wouldn't ask our readers to do things for us, this time is an exception.
Mizuki Kuba
If you believe in NintyRaccoon's storytelling technique, consider to give "In the clutches of the vengeful spirit" a like!
Mizuki Kuba
Follow NintyRaccoon if you don't want to miss other thrilling stories!
???
If you read the story through the MangaToon website, I really recommend you to read the story through the MangaToon app.
Mizuki Kuba
Only by using the app can you support the author with likes, votes, or comments.
Mizuki Kuba
Because of server problems, there are times when the story can't be read on the website.
Mizuki Kuba
So NintyRaccoon...
Mizuki Kuba
Was there anything else we missed?
NintyRaccoon
No, I don't think so.
NintyRaccoon
That's pretty much it.
NintyRaccoon
Thank you so much, dear Reader, for taking your time to read the story and for listening to my message to you.
???
Make sure to give the story a like or a vote!
???
I want to play as the villain again!
NintyRaccoon
Alright, alright, that's enough, G.
NintyRaccoon
Thanks again and good bye.
The ghost, Mizuki, and the author disappear in clouds of smoke.
The scene unfreezes, and the room's old light-bulb starts again to flicker.
The owl outside the house can be heard hooting again.
The moonlight shines on the empty chair with strips of duct tape on the floor.
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