[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-becoming-a-god-through-horror":3,"chapter-becoming-a-god-through-horror-becoming-a-god-through-horror-chapter-113":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Becoming a God Through Horror",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2273656,4441,"Chapter 113: Deadly Tarot: Magical Duel","becoming-a-god-through-horror-chapter-113",113,"\u003Cp>Tarot curse?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Remove the curse through divination?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Louis couldn’t imagine what a Tarot card curse would look like, or how divination could lift it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But that didn’t stop him from observing; he was curious about the astrologer’s exorcism method—this was his first time seeing someone else perform one.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Let’s see what level this is.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Under Louis’s observation, the astrologer named Alma took out several objects and drew a double-lined circle on the floor, with twelve symbols arranged between the two circles.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then she placed the box bearing an inverted pentagram in the center, lit candles around the room, and a solemn, silent atmosphere arose.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Louis, watching from the doorway, stroked his chin, feeling this resembled some kind of ritual—or rite?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet he sensed no trace of mystical energy—this diviner was merely a village shaman level, possessing no innate power.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Louis was slightly disappointed, but the next second, his eyes lit up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Suddenly, the diviner Alma, who had been performing the ritual, froze—as if sensing something. The three young people also noticed a figure in a black robe slowly turning its head toward them from the fireplace.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A white face coated in powder, black eyes, and the black robe gave it a faint resemblance to a nun.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alma looked at the young people. “Sorry. She’s noticed.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She spoke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Blood began flowing from her nose, and her hand resting on the box stiffened completely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The nun-like black-robed spirit rose and extended its hand—whish!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the terrified gazes of the four young people, the box moved on its own, the thirteen Tarot cards spinning rapidly, forcibly performing a reading for Alma.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The divination was astonishingly fast—in the blink of an eye, Alma’s summary card appeared.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was the Six of Swords, but unlike the normal Six of Swords.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It depicted a tiny figure pierced through by six swords.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Simultaneously, in the darkness, six swords glimmered faintly—the meaning was clear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So the Tarot curse means this?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Forced divination, then a special death method emerges?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What, a physical version of Death Comes Knocking?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Still, interesting—how does this deck work? Or rather, what exactly is this curse?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Knock knock knock.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Louis knocked on the door.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sensing a threat, the black-robed spirit froze, its gaze locking directly onto him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Excuse me for the interruption.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Astrologer, I heard your Tarot curse is powerful. I’m curious—could I borrow the Tarot deck for a look?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Louis was polite in tone, but his words were not—without waiting, he fully opened the door and stepped inside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The four young people, dressed like college students, stared at Louis in panic, bewildered by the situation—who was this?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why was he so bold? And why, after he entered, did the malevolent spirit stop moving?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The situation seemed to be growing more complicated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bang!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The black-robed spirit waved its hand—the immobilized Alma was flung backward and slammed into the wall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then the thirteen Tarot cards began to spin, and the spirit’s gaze fixed on Louis—as if inviting him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unexpectedly, this spirit was quite refined.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Louis smiled and walked forward steadily.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As he passed the four young people, he found them obstructive and kicked one aside by accident.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One of the young women snapped out of shock and immediately tried to drag her classmates to flee.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bang!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The door slammed shut instantly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As if telling them: no one leaves until the outcome is decided.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The four young people could only hang their heads, trembling and huddling in the corner, while the battered astrologer slowly regained consciousness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Cough cough.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her gaze at Louis was filled with uncertainty.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Master Alma, what do we do now?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alma shook her head. “Watch their outcome first. If that stranger fails, we must seize the deck—only that deck can destroy the astrologer’s spirit and end this.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All five huddled in the corner, watching Louis and the black-robed spirit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Louis felt excited—this was his first time engaging in magical combat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though his opponent was a dead astrologer turned curse, it was still magical combat!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The thirteen Tarot cards began to rotate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Louis spat out thirteen peachwood nails, instantly pinning the Tarot cards in place, hovering above them, pressing down hard to drive them in.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The pale yellow yang energy from the peachwood nails clashed with the black mist emanating from the Tarot cards.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sssss…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Like hot oil meeting ice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The black-robed spirit waved its hand again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Invisible force intensified—the thick black mist instantly swallowed the peachwood nails.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the same time, one card began to flip, trying to become Louis’s summary card.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Louis reacted just as swiftly—on the instant the peachwood nails failed, three demonic crocodile teeth flew forward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bang!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The demonic teeth exploded—three cards were blasted out of the formation, forcing the black-robed spirit’s eyes to flash with fury.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment, the summary card flipped.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Hanged Man.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Reversed!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The black-robed spirit’s lips curled—and its spirit twisted violently.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Layers of bandages wrapped around its body, shrinking its form, sharpening its hands into claws, transforming its feet into climbing appendages, and gripping a rope in its grasp.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The next second—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The small, agile monster leapt upward, smashing through the wooden ceiling and vanishing onto the roof, leaving a black hole.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A thick rope plummeted down, hurtling straight toward Louis’s neck.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet Louis still had time to think: from this, the so-called Tarot curse was exactly as he’d suspected—not fate-driven accidental death, like Death Comes Knocking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She was summoning!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once the summary card appeared, she transformed into the corresponding monstrous Tarot card and launched her attack.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He just didn’t know what abilities she gained after becoming these monsters.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As he thought, Louis dodged the rope aimed at his head with lightning speed, then spat a jet of fire, igniting the rope as it curled back to chase and strangle him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Louis slightly raised his fingers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whish!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Roaring flames became serpents of fire, spiraling up the rope, burning fiercely, using it as fuel to reach its core!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bang!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The bandage-wrapped black-robed spirit fell from the hole in the ceiling, the rope gone—its gaze wary as it stared at Louis.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sensing its weakness to fire, its bandages began peeling off, and in an instant, it reverted to its original black-robed form.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Louis stood still, watching calmly, making no move to attack during those brief two seconds.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The black-robed spirit waved again—another of the remaining nine Tarot cards flew out and flipped.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Magician.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Reversed!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The spirit transformed again—a grinning magician in a tall hat appeared, and illusions flooded the room.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One after another, lifelike spectators with different faces emerged, cheering, gesturing wildly, thrilled as if anticipating a wonderful performance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The lighting shifted abruptly, becoming a spotlight focused on Louis.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet Louis remained unmoved, coldly observing—even as the voices grew louder, he didn’t budge.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because the cow’s tear effect still held—he could clearly see nothing was real, only the black-robed spirit smiling by the fireplace.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everything… was fake!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Sigh. Is that all?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Just a Hanged Man playing with ropes; a Magician using illusions to fool ordinary people.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Disappointing.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That’s it—only slightly better than a powerless village shaman. Hmm, perhaps the level of a common sorcerer with some reputation in town. Strictly speaking, he was on the same level as her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But he had many more techniques—he held a half-level advantage. In essence, she was a small-town sorcerer under twenty thousand households; he was a major-town sorcerer above twenty thousand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Enraged by Louis’s taunts, the black-robed spirit switched again—this time, the Devil card!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whish!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Black mist swirled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When the black-robed soul stepped out, it had transformed into a demon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Goat horns, bat wings, black face with fangs, thick palms and sharp claws, wreathed in black energy, tall and burly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The iconic goat-headed demon form.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this moment, the four in the corner trembled in terror.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What had just occurred seemed complex, but in truth, only a fleeting moment had passed: the strange nail, the black mist, the hanging man, the fire spraying, the magician, the inexplicable end.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now, the Devil card had become an actual demon!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The magician just now must have been using illusions, which is why it ended so strangely to us—but this is the Devil card, and it’s likely…” Alma’s tone grew bleak.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>According to her earlier research, this astrologer had originally served a count of Hungary, helping him predict many events and earning great merit—until one day, the count’s wife became pregnant, and the count asked her to cast a reading.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the result was the Death card.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The count flew into a rage and forced her to keep casting until a different card appeared.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet even the next day, the reading remained unchanged.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Most tragically, on the day the count’s wife gave birth, she truly died in childbirth—both mother and child perished!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The count, furious, believed the astrologer had murdered his wife, so he sent men to capture the astrologer’s daughter and hang her alive.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The surviving astrologer, consumed by hatred, chose a dark ritual, sacrificing herself within a pentagram array, binding her soul to the Tarot cards.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Soon after, the entire count’s family began dying in strange, mysterious ways.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And the astrologer’s soul, fused with the curse, passed down with that special set of Tarot cards.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",1528,"2026-06-19T23:34:28.869Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","425f83f9444d6fb5b2dead85e702ce92ae8643fc7e8f3c5454d417ade97892b7","becoming-a-god-through-horror-chapter-114","becoming-a-god-through-horror-chapter-112",253,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fbecoming-a-god-through-horror-cover.jpg"]