1245——————==

Soul of the Evil God

After the battle, I finally got to meet the Asura. The poor guy was out cold, but it seemed like he had made it through the rough patch thanks to Yeol. As soon as I handed him over in the banquet hall, Jeon Wook sat in his throne and spoke.

[Did you understand my command?]

I took a moment to confirm that Asura’s life was not in immediate danger before cautiously replying.

“…I’m sorry, but I don’t quite grasp the situation. Why was Zhuge Sa here at the Ten Thousand Ghosts Palace, and what’s the deal with investigating the evil god? I’ve been trapped in Dark Heaven Village, so I’m out of the loop.”

[It’s not that complicated. Zhuge Sa merely came to report the suspicious movements of the evil god to me, asking me to keep an eye on things.]

“Did he come on his own?”

[Indeed. Although I had my suspicions about him, it turned out it wasn’t worth my worry. The evil god is definitely suspicious, so I gave him a little power to use him as my subordinate and sent him off.]

“…….”

[However, it seems he’s been struggling lately against a group known as the Nine Lotus Sect from the West. They’re currently engaged in a battle in the otherworldly realm.]

After saying this, Jeon Wook pointed a finger in my direction.

[So you need to go help Zhuge Sa.]

As I listened to the conversation, I couldn’t shake the feeling I was being manipulated somehow.

‘Zhuge Sa came looking for Jeon Wook on purpose. They say it’s to investigate the evil god, but… is that really all there is to it?’

It felt like there were deeper reasons at play. And considering the level of Zhuge Sa, it was clear they were anticipating my return like this, but why would they lure me into such a dangerous place as the Ten Thousand Ghosts Palace? I couldn’t help but voice my suspicions.

“I heard the spirit of the National Seal absorbed into my ark is with Zhuge Sa at the Ten Thousand Ghosts Palace. That’s why I dared to come here, but… what’s going on?”

[Hehe….]

Jeon Wook simply chuckled. Then, Liu Ha, who was standing next to him, spoke curtly.

[You’re really bold to be asking our lord all these trivial things. Naturally, it happened because Zhuge Sa has the backing of the Ten Thousand Ghosts Palace.]

I blinked in surprise.

“…Huh? What are you saying?”

[If the National Seal could truly uncover anything, it shouldn’t just be a trivial treasure from Shao Hao Jin Tian but something that could shatter the balance of heaven and earth. However, the power of the National Seal has its limits. If we hide and protect its tracks here in the Ten Thousand Ghosts Palace, we’re likely to remain ignorant of its specifics.]

“……!!”

[In fact, reading the last place he visited would be quite impressive.]

Only then did I understand the situation.

‘Jeon Wook’s secret mission! Not to mention, since it’s a serious task to investigate the evil god, if the whereabouts get out, it would endanger not just Zhuge Sa but also the Ten Thousand Ghosts Palace…. That’s why tracking Zhuge Sa has been difficult!’

In other words, if major figures like the Three Sovereigns were deliberately using their power to hide someone’s whereabouts, the National Seal would struggle to reveal any specific activity.

I was stunned to learn the National Seal had such a blind spot!

As I processed the situation, Jeon Wook snapped his fingers.

[So I also know the location of that otherworldly realm.]

Uh-oh.

A dimension door opened toward somewhere. Naturally, that would be the battlefield where the Nine Lotus Sect and Zhuge Sa were clashing. I stared at the door in a daze and said.

“Jeon Wook, why aren’t you sending Yeol or Liu Ha? No matter how strong the Nine Lotus Sect is, they can’t compare to…”

[I don’t want to escalate the war. Although it’s almost certain the evil god is behind this, sending my direct subordinates would only provoke more trouble. I prefer to use Zhuge Sa, who is technically an outsider since the forces of the Three Sovereigns haven’t gathered yet. If my subordinates take the initiative when the evil god hasn’t done anything, it would be a huge loss of cause and effect.]

“…….”

Jeon Wook grinned.

[But you, now, are the perfect piece on the board. Though you’re a servant of both myself and Shao Hao, you’re still human, so you’re not bound by the constraints of cause and effect. You can engage without giving the evil god a valid reason to react, and your skills rival my direct subordinates. ]

It seemed Jeon Wook hadn’t intended to kill me from the beginning. After all, it would be a waste to dispose of someone so convenient when they came right to them. Perhaps Heuk Woong had sensed this mindset of Jeon Wook and realized that just being acknowledged as powerful would be enough.

“Is that so… Oh, and one more thing… didn’t Zhuge Sa come with a woman named Seo Mun-hye?”

[Yes. She was with the offspring of the Giant Race.]

“……!!”

[That Giant Race is currently fighting alongside Zhuge Sa against the Nine Lotus Sect.]

Just like that…!!

‘Seo Mun-hye is operating alongside Zhuge Sa!’

I clenched my fists in relief, only to notice that Yeol, standing by Jeon Wook, was looking at me with a somewhat uncomfortable expression.

[……]

It was clear he thought I was being terribly rude. Knowing Yeol was a strict stickler for protocol made me cringe a bit.

‘No choice now.’

Asking more questions would only annoy Jeon Wook. I nodded seriously and knelt respectfully.

“I shall carry out your command.”

[Good…. Work together with Zhuge Sa to annihilate the Nine Lotus Sect. Just remember: if the evil god’s direct subordinates are present, don’t fight. Retreat and report to me.]

“Why not?”

Jeon Wook chuckled.

[Hehe…. Seems you’re eager to clash! That’s a fine attitude!]

“…….”

I had genuinely asked because I didn’t understand the real reason, but Jeon Wook interpreted my inquiry as some kind of bloodthirstiness. As I fell silent, he continued.

[What you displayed earlier was merely a glimmer of your potential. You’ve greatly weakened since then. Engaging the evil god’s direct subordinates in that state would be too dangerous. Among them, there could be a powerhouse that even I would struggle to face, so don’t act rashly.]

“I understand.”

Somehow, I had a feeling I knew who that ‘powerhouse’ was. I had seen a single entity like that during my reincarnation.

‘That guy is stronger than Zhu Rong.’

If that being showed up, there was no chance I could compete. I could only hope it wouldn’t appear.

‘Let’s go!’

Afterward, I asked Yeol to fetch the ark outside of the Five Demon Gate and boarded it as the nose of the ark smoothly glided into the dimension door. Soon after, I felt the dimension twist and the ark move somewhere.

Bang!!

Where I ended up felt like a land of fantasy rather than reality. Even though it was a fantasy, it was like a nightmare, filled with an endless expanse that defied the laws of gravity and bizarre sculptures littering the ground. Along one side of a marble street, tentacles were sprouting like trees, writhing and growing larger.

Gulp…

The ground was covered in pulsating, tumor-like masses of blood, resembling chunks of meat. This was not my first time seeing such eerie scenery, but the overtly mad vision that seemed to destroy human sanity made me frown.

‘This is a world completely consumed by demonic forces….’

Strangely, I noticed that while this landscape would drive a normal person insane with just a single glimpse, I somehow felt no ill effects myself. The cosmic madness couldn’t breach my defenses.

“Hmmm….”

Was this a side effect of Heuk Woong’s manifestation? My mental defenses, which had felt somewhat vague until now, seemed more refined. If my senses sharpened, I could actively modify these defenses.

“Ugh. What’s going on?”

“Are you awake?”

As I looked down from the control room of the ark, I saw Asura regaining consciousness. I quickly filled him in on what had just happened, and Asura seemed incredulous.

“Heuk Woong is that strong…?! Show me a bit of that memory!”

I projected the battle scenes of Heuk Woong using black obsidian, and Asura appeared to process the fight for a moment. Then he spoke.

“I can use Amaterasu and Jeon Wook’s powers together. Plus, there’s some mysterious special power bestowed upon me. What the heck is that…? Anyway, it seems to be on par with Zhu Rong’s strength, enough to take out an unsuspecting Zhu Rong in one hit.”

“Crazy fight fanatic. Thanks for the analysis. But right now, that’s not important.”

I fixed my gaze back to the control room screen and said.

“The enemies have appeared.”

Slither…

Tentacle monsters, horrendous beyond description, began to materialize in the nightmare streets. They were so distorted that even the yokai on the ground paled in comparison, making me feel nauseous just from the sight of them. What was worse was their sheer number, easily amounting to hundreds or thousands, suggesting overwhelming odds.

Asura glanced at the horde of monsters before speaking.

“Going out to fight directly would be a waste of effort. This entire dimension seems to be under someone’s control.”

“Under control? What do you mean?”

“Indeed. In my experience, even if we were to wipe them all out, they would just keep regenerating infinitely.”

“Hmmm. So, what do we do?”

“For now, we should use the ark to sweep them away, then quickly find Zhuge Sa and join forces.”

In the end, we were still left to fight the same battles. I nodded and commanded the ark.

“Activate the Abyss Remover and sweep them away!”

[Activating Abyss Remover.]

FwOOoosh!

Moments later, silken threads like silver spider webs surged from the ark’s port and enveloped the monsters. The grotesque creatures caught in the webs could not move, beginning to writhe in desperation – but I immediately noticed something different from our previous fight with the Sea God Clan.

“The creatures from the Sea God Clan dissolved in the nets, but these guys aren’t!?”

[They possess a high level of Chaos, so we cannot inflict more than suppression damage. The max rank of a Chaos species that can be dissolved is B.]

“…….”

[The danger level of the hostiles is ranked S. The Abyss Remover will not be able to maintain control for long. It will be free to move after 300 seconds.]

So those monsters were indeed of a much higher Chaos rank than the Sea God Clan.

As expected of beings residing in a realm defined by pure Chaos.

‘Then just shooting them with the Abyss Cannon will be meaningless. Their offensive power is undoubtedly immense.’

Realizing, as Asura suggested, that engaging in a clean sweep here would only waste energy, I promptly ordered the ark.

“Flee from this position at full speed!! And head for Zhuge Sa!”

[Initiating hyper-speed maneuver. Searching for Zhuge Sa….]

Whoooooosh!

The ark took off rapidly. But even as it soared, the nightmare streets seemingly alive twisted and expanded, and I felt light and sound warp chaotically within this kaleidoscope of mad colors.

Creeeeak!

An unknown, chaotic melody echoed. Asura, standing beside me, grimaced at the sound.

“A high-level existence has emerged. This is a magical attack.”

“Attack? Magic?”

“Geez, are you completely clueless?”

Asura muttered incredulously as his gaze fixed on the screen.

“Looks like it’s a tentacle monster flying in our direction.”

With a high-pitched whirring sound, a tentacle monster came into view on the control room’s display, following the ark with astonishing speed. It appeared to be cloaked like some Western sorcerer, holding a staff from which streams of faint chaotic energy flowed, clearly using its sorcery to launch a magical assault on us.

‘Tentacle monster sorcerer?’

Without hesitation, I commanded the ark.

“Attack that thing!”

Swish!

The silver web from the Abyss Remover shot through the air and struck the tentacle monster sorcerer. However, a translucent gray barrier shimmered around the sorcerer’s body, absorbing the web completely, and the sorcerer retaliated by summoning a massive demonic hand from thin air with a swing of its staff.

Boom!!

The hand smashed down on the ark, causing it to shake violently, followed by a mechanical report.

[Received a magical attack from hostiles. The left-side barrier of the Yi Seong-gye is damaged by 68.2%.]

“Are you kidding me??”

I cursed in frustration, clearly grasping the caliber of our opponent.

‘Incredible!’

Charging in like that, the sorcerer used his staff to bypass the defenses of the Abyss Remover and dealt significant damage to the ark! He was leagues above the human sorcerers I had faced in the human realm.

Though I hadn’t felt fear after facing Jeon Wook and Zhu Rong, this individual surely hit the mark as a Great Immortal level threat. Considering its magical prowess, it was definitely above the Eight Immortals tier. There was no way I could simply sit back and take this kind of beating.

Asura intently observed the apparition of the sorcerer before commenting.

“…I recognize that kind. There’s only one such race in the world.”

“Don’t tell me.”

“That’s the one.”

Asura crossed his arms.

“They are the transformed race of the evil god that has completed its evolution. I’ve seen them only once from a distance in my lifetime – an ultra-rare species…”

The evil god’s people!

Wasn’t that clearly the result of humans in the Great Thunder Valley being forcibly blessed by the evil god and then evolving? I was stunned to think I’d encounter a mature specimen in a place like this, but I quickly spoke to Asura.

“Asura, what do we do? Should we keep running away like this?”

“No. Given that thing’s attack power, our ark won’t hold out for long. To protect the ship, we’ll have to go out and fight.”

It was clear that Asura intended to stall for time to search for Zhuge Sa while he went out to battle. Since I had to pilot the ship, I couldn’t join him.

Bang!

In an instant, Asura teleported right in front of the evil god’s sorcerer. Without delay, he unleashed his full power to attack.

[Die!]

Nirvana of the Absolute!

Maybe it was because he’d just taken a beating, but Asura’s actions exuded more of a battle-ready intensity than carefree enjoyment. And as such, his Nirvana’s six wheels whirred more powerfully than before.

KooRAKOW!

“Yes!!”

Perhaps due to his previous injuries, I had worried the sorcerer might withstand the attack, but thankfully, it seemed not to be of that caliber, as its body was effortlessly torn apart by the Nirvana. As its fragments scattered like confetti, Asura roared out in triumph.

[Hahaha! Do you think the Eight Parts of the Divine can be defeated?]

But then…

Whooooosh!

Suddenly, everything in front of me blurred like oil paint! I felt a momentary sense of distortion, but it didn’t register until it was too late, and the next thing I knew, an unbelievable scene was unfolding before my eyes.

As if its dismemberment had never occurred, the sorcerer had returned to its original form, and its staff swung again, colliding with Asura’s blade. With astonishing reflexes and intent, Asura managed to parry the staff strike, resulting in a thunderous noise.

Kablam!

“……?!”

Wait, how did that thing survive?!

As I gaped in shock, Asura shouted.

[This guy… is quite the heavyweight! How is he manipulating [Small Cycle]?]

I quickly understood the situation from that exclamation.

That sorcerer was miraculously reversing time and overcoming death using [Small Cycle]! That was no doubt at least twice as strong as my earlier assessment, and I widened my eyes.

‘No… I just entered this world, and now there’s a monster this strong…’

CLASH!

The staff and sword collided and were flung apart. The sorcerer, having combined forces with Asura, waved its bizarre tentacles, with lavender pupils shining.

[You seem to be unfamiliar with the Eight Parts of the Divine. What is that?]

[What!]

[To the unknown Demon King. Whose orders do you follow, invading this sacred place?]

A moment of silence passed. From that reaction, it became clear the sorcerer truly had no idea what the Eight Parts of the Divine were.

[This… this bastard….]

A high-level existence doesn’t know about the Eight Parts of the Divine?!

The sorcerer, dumbfounded by Asura’s stunned expression, pointed its staff at him.

[It doesn’t matter. I, Divine Priest Arta run, will join forces with my comrades to eliminate any hindrance to my lord’s grand plan.]

[Comrades?]

[Come forth, priests!]

Shoosh! Shoosh!

In the next instant, about a dozen distorted creatures emerged in a circle around Divine Priest Arta run. There were a total of 12 creatures, each looking different but having one thing in common—they were all wielding staffs and cloaks.

While I watched their standoff, the National Seal announced.

[Zhuge Sa’s location search completed. Marking the position.]

Beep!

As a dot appeared on the map showing Zhuge Sa’s location, I began to comprehend how bizarre this otherworldly realm’s layout was.

‘Is that… a tree?’

There was a gigantic tree reminiscent of the Sacred Altar Tree stretching out, and Zhuge Sa’s location was somewhere in its middle layers.

Strangely, a tree that massive should have been visible ages ago, yet all I saw before me was pure chaos and the infinite nightmare street! So where on earth was that tree, and where was Zhuge Sa located?

“Where’s Seo Mun-hye?”

Beep!

“…….”

Seeing the marking of Seo Mun-hye’s location, I felt my complexion pale slightly. Of course, her position was all the way at the very top of the gigantic tree. Understandably, being at the peak near the enemy’s base put her life at considerable risk!

“Damn it…!! Can we reach where our comrades are?”

[Impossible.]

“What?”

[The hostile’s magic has sealed the ship’s mobility. Without releasing the magical control, the ship cannot move.]

“…Damn it….”

So those priests surrounding Asura had cast magic to immobilize our ark, huh?

‘In this case, we’d have to take down the caster to break the seal…’

I had a really bad feeling about this.

If I went out to engage against 2 versus 12 with Asura, could we actually win against those guys? For some reason, a strong sense of danger was radiating from those twelve beings.

It seemed fighting was our only option, but my instincts told me the odds were slim.

How could I escape this instinct?

‘Damn it… where did these monsters come from…. How do such things even exist….’

I lamented internally, but right now, I had no choice but to try and negotiate my way out.

If I lacked strength, I had to rely on my words!

“Get me out of here!”

Bang!

I stepped outside the ark and approached Asura. He was on high alert, his expression visibly darkened. Then Asura spoke.

[Baek Woong. I don’t have a good feeling about this….]

“…….”

I felt the same. It seemed like if we caught the wrong attention from those guys, it would spell disaster….

However, rather than get scared, I took a deep breath and called out to the sorcerer I had just identified as Arta run.

“Hey, Arta run!!”

[Who are you again?]

“Actually, I’m….”

I rolled up my sleeves, preparing to show my status as a servant when I hesitated.

‘…For some reason, they don’t look like the type to be intimidated by my title.’

It seemed unlikely that the glory of the Three Sovereigns would work on them. Thinking that, I decided there was no need to reveal I was a servant, and I let my sleeves fall back while continuing.

“…I’m Baek Woong.”

[……]

“So, um….”

Ugh… why did I have to tense up now of all times? I froze, struggling to find my words….

“…….”

In that moment, I regretted everything.

‘So what if I’m Baek Woong! Those monsters will probably attack immediately!’

In a place as nonsensical as this, how could they possibly know my name? Given how hostile they were after the confrontation with Asura, it wouldn’t be surprising if they lunged at me the moment I said anything!

Are we done for?

But just a moment later, an unexpected turn of events unfolded.

The Divine Priest Arta run seemed to tremble slightly, tilting its head.

[W-what did you say? You’re Baek Woong…? Really?]

“Y-yeah. It’s true.”

[I can’t believe it…. I received no word about this….]

Murmur, murmur…

The other priests nearby exchanged glances, looking stunned. Divine Priest Arta run seemed to contemplate something before extending a hand lined with grotesque tendrils.

[If you’re really Baek Woong, you must have the ‘Invitation’. Show it to us.]

The tone seemed oddly different, but I was taken aback, quickly realizing what it was.

‘The Invitation, that must mean…?’

I fished out the blue gemstone from my wooden armor and displayed it. As soon as the priests caught sight of the gemstone, Arta run trembled, abruptly dropping to its knee. The others quickly followed suit.

[Ooooh!! You’ve really come…!]

“Uh?”

[Thank you for coming to the sacred place!]

Divine Priest Arta run slowly lifted its head and said.

[The great master is waiting for you. Allow me to guide you.]