1348——————==

Soul of the Evil God

I pushed away Lee Kwang’s arm from my collar and said, “Calm down for a second. Let me explain what happened.”

“……”

Lee Kwang hesitated but seemed willing to step back, thinking he couldn’t beat me yet. His earlier aggressive display was just that—a display.

“So here’s the deal….”

When it came time to explain to Lee Kwang, I found myself tongue-tied.

‘So I plotted to drive off the Eight Parts of the Divine, and out of nowhere, because of Vayu’s powers, Lee Hwan-woong popped up and the auction began. During the auction, Nailatop appeared, and because of him, I got abducted to another dimension. While trying to find a way back, Hermes unexpectedly showed up, and just when I was looking for a third escape route, I suddenly returned to Soeul Village, and you tagged along….’

…….

Ugh… How the heck do I explain this?

I felt utterly flustered. I had zero confidence in my ability to distill this surreal story into something comprehendible. Each event I had experienced was so bizarre that even ordinary people, let alone divine beings, would struggle to wrap their heads around it.

But I couldn’t just hand over the obsidian either. The obsidian was a double-edged sword; whoever received that memory would also know my deadly weaknesses, meaning if they betrayed me, I’d be royally screwed. That’s why I had only given the memory to those I trusted deeply until now.

‘There’s no way I can trust Lee Kwang with the obsidian….’

He had just shown up in Soeul Village for a moment, but that brief time he couldn’t help himself from attacking me, proving he was a hothead. I had no idea how he might betray me if I exposed my weaknesses. At this point, trusting Hermes or Nailatop sounded more reasonable.

I pondered for a moment, while Lee Kwang urged me, “Master, hurry up and tell me. I need to know what’s going on too.”

“Uh… so…”

Damn it… Trying to explain to Lee Kwang about another dimension or Nailatop would be futile. How could I possibly convey the cosmic experiences I had gained through dozens of reincarnations in one go? He’d likely struggle to believe that a demon king called Eight Parts of the Divine even existed, let alone about other dimensions. Plus, I couldn’t explain Nailatop or Hermes, as even I didn’t fully grasp what they were about.

So, I figured I should stick to what would capture his attention.

There was no need to spill everything, and he wouldn’t want to know every detail either.

Taking a deep breath before finally saying, “I’ve found a clue to surpass the Absolute Realm in this world and I’m trying to get back to my original world…!!”

He’d be all ears if I mentioned I could become stronger!

“……!!”

Lee Kwang’s eyebrows twitched at my words. Curiosity seemed to spark in him as he replied, “Is that really true?”

Of course, it wasn’t.

But since I was already concocting this lie, I decided to go all in and nodded affirmatively.

“These folks next to me are temporary companions helping me get back to my original world. Over here is Hermes, and this is Zhuge Hyun.”

Lee Kwang glanced at each of them. Hermes smiled unpleasantly while Zhuge Hyun politely greeted him.

“Nice to meet you.”

Looking at Zhuge Hyun, Lee Kwang replied with a strange expression, “No… that person seems to be the strategist Mangnyang. Are you accompanying me to this other dimension?”

“Huh? That… that’s…”

Before I could fumble an answer, Zhuge Hyun jumped in with a grin, “Yes! It’s been a while, Lee Kwang.”

Lee Kwang responded without a hint of doubt, “I’m not so thrilled. We weren’t exactly friendly before.”

“Did I come here just to get chummy with you? Let’s just do our jobs well.”

“……”

Lee Kwang shot Zhuge Hyun a look of suspicion. I was stunned by Zhuge Hyun’s calmness in lying, but then I realized he must know how the Mangnyang in the original world behaved, considering he inherited the memory of the obsidian from me. Plus, since they looked identical, Lee Kwang wouldn’t suspect Zhuge Hyun’s identity.

Wanting to cut the conversation short before it dragged out further, I said, “Anyway, with Hermes’s magic, we can return to Soeul Village just like before. This person is a divine being, so it’s possible. However, to fully return, we need something called the ‘Core of the World Tree.’”

“Where is that located?”

“They say once we find the World Tree, we can implant a Parasitic Tree in it to extract it. Nailatop is currently searching for the World Tree and should find it soon.”

“Nailatop? Is he also your ally?”

I shook my head vigorously. I felt the need to clarify this point firmly.

“No, he’s the one who abducted me and dragged me to this other dimension. In fact, he promised he’d send me back, but I distrusted him, which is why I decided to team up with Hermes here.”

“Hmm.”

Lee Kwang stroked his beard as if he understood something and said, “So the plan is to be cautious around here and when Nailatop hands over the Core of the World Tree, we’ll go to Hermes?”

“…Oh? Yeah, that!”

What?! He grasped the situation in an instant?!

As I was slightly taken aback, Lee Kwang continued, “Anyway, good. So, that means when you return, I can come with you as well?”

“Of course.”

“Then there’s no issue.”

Since Lee Kwang seemed ready to wrap things up, Zhuge Hyun suddenly stepped forward and exclaimed, “No, we have a big problem.”

“What’s the problem?”

“It’s you.”

“Me?”

Zing!

Zhuge Hyun pointed a finger at Lee Kwang and said, “Yes. Right now, you’re too weak to join Baek Woong. That’s the issue.”

“……!!”

Lee Kwang’s eyebrows twitched in shock.

“I hate to say it, but with your power now, you won’t even be able to leave a scratch on the enemies you’ll encounter when Baek Woong returns. In fact, it’s more like Baek Woong will have to protect you.”

Lee Kwang responded, slightly irritated, “I know the master is strong, which is why I’ve been training hard to catch up. I don’t care how strong the enemies are; I’m not keen on listening to idle talk from an inexperienced bookworm.”

“No, you’re failing to understand the situation.”

Zhuge Hyun persisted without backing down, “This world is on the brink of an apocalypse. That’s why divine beings who have surpassed demon kings are roaming around, and they can split continents and warp time and space with a single strike. What can you possibly do against beings who treat even the Absolute Realm like a snack?”

“……”

“I warn you. I hope you stay low so as not to hinder Baek Woong.”

“That’s laughable…”

Lee Kwang’s lips twisted into a smirk as if mocking Zhuge Hyun. He shot a focused gaze at Zhuge Hyun and then turned his sights back to me.

“Master, I’m not in a hurry to help while being treated like this. I’m pretty sure I could just curl up and do nothing, so find me a quiet spot to train.”

“Uh….”

I felt a bit stunned as Zhuge Hyun suddenly turned combative towards Lee Kwang. Of course, Zhuge Hyun wasn’t wrong, but something felt off.

‘If it were Mangnyang, he wouldn’t have gone that far with Lee Kwang, even if they were enemies.’

Of course, I knew they were just name twins, but it felt like something was really off. I thought over this uncomfortable feeling and finally calmed myself before saying, “Okay. A safe space for training would be um….”

As I began to speak, an uncomfortable feeling washed over me.

‘Crap…. We’re in a world where monsters and aliens are running rampant… there isn’t a safe place!’

There are plenty of aliens Lee Kwang can defeat, but based on my experiences, there were also many with incredibly powerful supernatural abilities and magic. If he ran into the wrong one, it wouldn’t be surprising if he were killed without even unleashing his martial arts. In such a chaotic world, even if we took down a few aliens in the Heavenly Altar, that wouldn’t create a safe zone.

While I grappled with my indecisiveness, Hermes spoke up.

“If that’s the case, what about what’s inside the Wooden Armor?”

Everyone’s gaze turned to Hermes, who had brought it up. He still wore that mysterious smile.

“I’m getting a bit bored and need someone to talk to.”

I was baffled and shot back, “Hey! It’s pointless to stay inside the Wooden Armor. Besides, we can’t even train martial arts there!”

“Why not?”

“Because even if we spend time there, far more time passes in reality!”

I had considered spending time in the Wooden Armor before but ultimately gave up.

The passage of time in the Wooden Armor wasn’t slow; it was fast!

Just staying inside for a bit amounts to half a day outside, and for a reincarnated person like me, what a waste of time that is.

“Heh, well, that’s old news from before I appeared in the Wooden Armor.”

I jumped slightly at Hermes’ words.

“What?”

“I am the creator of the Wooden Armor and the god of magic, Hermes. If I wish, it’s entirely possible to change the time-space constraints on this Wooden Armor.”

Whirring!

In the next moment, a mysterious rainbow-colored energy appeared above Hermes’ palm. He gazed at it with satisfaction and continued, “With the blessing of the three constellations of the Big Dipper, this will be even easier.”

“Wait, that blessing still exists?”

“Why would I throw away the blessing I received? Since it’s come to this, I’ll change the properties of this blessing.”

“What are you planning to do…?”

Bang!!

As Hermes clapped his hands, the rainbow light on his palm spread into his hands and shimmered. Slowly, Hermes removed his hands as he chanted, “With the blessing of [Capacity Expansion], I, Hermes, open the path of enlightenment. The manifestation of the life tree at its source seems akin to hearing the sound of rising waves. In the name of the seventh realm, I transform the blessing of constellations—”

Crackle!!

It sounded like fireworks just about to ignite. The rainbow light had transformed into pitch-black darkness, and Hermes shouted at the top of his lungs, “Let it change to the blessing of [Time Alteration]!”

Boom!

In that moment, the blindingly white interior of the Wooden Armor transformed into a gray space. It wasn’t a dreary gray, but a bright gray that didn’t feel cramped. I looked around in surprise at the sudden transformation, and Hermes remarked, “Aha… just as you always wished, the Wooden Armor has changed.”

“It changed? How?”

“While you stay in this other dimension, I’ll use my magic to control the time inside this Wooden Armor.”

At that, both me and the two people beside me were astonished.

“Ten seconds in this space will equal one second outside! It’s now a space where time flows ten times slower.”

“……?!”

“Now you don’t have to worry about time; you can train to your heart’s content.”

“Really?!”

I was so overwhelmed with joy at the prospect of finally having a training space that I almost lost my composure. Lee Kwang, who was standing next to me, looked worried and said, “I’ve heard that training inside a magic artifact wears down its durability due to Qi clashes; what were you planning to do about that?”

“I’ll take care of the artifact’s consumption. After all, if the output of your Qi doesn’t reach my magic, it won’t be too hard to manage. And just so you know, even with Baek Woong’s internal power now, it won’t come close to matching my magic.”

“Indeed… it’s impressive that the god of magic is directly manipulating the artifact.”

Zhuge Hyun commented with awe, then turned to me, stating, “Baek Woong. What will you do? You can train Lee Kwang here, or you can take him out with you…”

“……”

I found myself caught off guard by the unexpectedly favorable situation and pondered for a moment. A while later, I replied, “I’ll stay here for a while!”

Lee Kwang was taken aback, “……!! Are you serious?”

“Yes. You should use the magical technique Vajra to keep yourself safe; it should suffice for self-defense.”

“Hmm….”

Zhuge Hyun looked somewhat taken aback. No, he seemed displeased even. But soon, he managed his expression and nodded.

“Understood.”

Bang!

As Zhuge Hyun exited the Wooden Armor, only Hermes, Lee Kwang and I remained.

Hermes remarked, “Baek Woong, you seem to care quite a bit for Lee Kwang. It would be much more beneficial to gather divine power or artifacts out in the world than to train here.”

“How could I not treasure my disciple!”

I could see Lee Kwang’s expression harden. Meanwhile, I thought to myself, “After all, I’ve been running too fast, so I do need some time to train.”

Now that I had gathered the Six Needs, all that was left was to set off toward Nailatop and the World Tree, or perhaps join a plan to assassinate the emperor.

However, neither option was an easy one to choose.

I had the sudden urge to prioritize finding a quiet place to train.

‘With ten times the time, I might have a month or two to train in here….’

If I could make some progress even during that month or two, it would be immensely helpful.

Lee Kwang bluntly interjected, “I don’t know the complicated matters you’re involved in, but I want to finish what I was doing earlier.”

“Really?”

“Prepare yourself.”

Swiftly, Lee Kwang assumed a stance for spear techniques, and I did the same, lifting my sword into a stance for the Ten Thousand Victories Sword Technique.

Hermes, watching us, couldn’t help but laugh. “Of all things, you’re holding onto the weakest martial arts. And yet it’s truly a miracle that you sealed Emperor Gong Sun Xuanwen.”

“Could you be quiet for a moment? You might just get a taste of martial arts one day.”

“Ha ha ha… If the Martial God is indeed a mirage, it truly exists. But in the thousands of years since I transcended dimensions, I haven’t even seen a glimpse of him…”

Swish!!

I executed a lightning-fast slash, cutting through where Hermes’ neck would be, and he appeared much further away. Hermes expressed dissatisfaction, “I told you it wouldn’t work.”

I pointed my blade at Hermes and said, “Let me give you a warning. Don’t insult martial arts itself.”

“What?”

“I don’t know what makes you confident, but….”

I glared at him with cold, fierce eyes.

“I don’t give up on those I decide to kill. No matter how many times I roll around and get hit, I’ll never give up.”

“…….”

“I suggest you hope this isn’t your turn now.”

Hearing that, Hermes sealed his lips. It seemed he recognized it wouldn’t benefit him to instigate me any further.

Lee Kwang, observing our standoff, bluntly stated, “Why are we even talking to the sorcerer? Whoever reaches the level of a master will think their way of martial arts is the best, you know.”

“That’s true. But I can’t let go of martial arts, as it’s my entire life’s work.”

“Clearly, Master is quite arrogant.”

“Arrogant? Me?”

I couldn’t believe he’d say that; I questioned him.

“You say I’m not serious about martial arts? Do you have any idea how much I’ve dedicated myself to it?”

“Of course, I know. After all, the ten thousand training sessions must have happened because of you in your past life, right?”

“…….”

“I know you worked harder than anyone else.”

Did he catch on?

I looked at Lee Kwang with a peculiar gaze as he began to channel the power of the Thunder Spirit.

“But… despite that hard work, it seems you can’t genuinely become serious about it.”

“Don’t kid around.”

I glared at Lee Kwang, “If you’re so confident, you should prove it with your own martial arts!”

“Of course!”

In the next moment, Lee Kwang’s intent burst outward like a fierce eruption.

Two round Thunder Spirits appeared above his forehead and Dantian, linking up in a straight line. I had no idea what it was and was confused, but as Lee Kwang’s spear thrust forward, I was taken aback in disbelief.

Boom!!

It was too fast!! There was absolutely no time to detect it before I had to barely dodge using the Absolute Realm’s Mind Control. I had to counter while relying on the deadly power alone. I had only seen a speed like this in Mind Control once in my entire life, making it utterly shocking.

‘Thunder Speed?!’

Could it be that Lee Kwang has attained the Thunder Spirit?!

No way, that’s impossible!

But before I could gather my thoughts, the tip of Lee Kwang’s spear curved, targeting my acupoint, and I quickly parried. Thankfully, this was an Absolute Slash too, but it wasn’t at the crazy speed of the initial attack.

Thud!

But just as I blocked the third strike, I sensed the tip of Lee Kwang’s spear transform into lightning once again. I instinctively tapped into my Mind Control to sense the Thunder Speed, barely blocking it, and in that brief moment, I felt the spear spinning ominously.

Ding ding ding!

Six Thunder Points appeared on my mysterious body’s acupoint as if signaling their attack. I sensed trouble and hastily activated the Three Treasure Technique. However, before I could finish positioning the steps of Heaven’s Steps and Earth’s Steps, I felt my body getting churned up in the spiral of the spear’s power. Eventually, I couldn’t complete the dodge and landed awkwardly as the final step.

Bang!!!

The six spear strikes came rushing at me simultaneously, and barely using the Protection Energy Technique and the Thunder Sword, I managed to block them, getting pushed back. I took a moment to catch my breath, and I could see Lee Kwang soaked in sweat. It seemed he had dramatically exhausted his energy and stamina in such a short time.

“Phew, phew.”

“…What was that? Did you really master the Thunder Spirit?”

“Cough, cough…”

Lee Kwang chuckled as if he had expected my question. “This is why you’re perceived as arrogant. You left treasures rotting away.”

“What?”

“What are you talking about? This is a Nine Chambers of Thunder Technique. You possess this world-class martial skill but had no intention of developing it and just kept digging around?”