전생검신 82권 19화

Nuut?

At first, I couldn’t quite recall what that name was, but then it clicked.

‘Oh right…’

The first time I encountered Nuut was while I was roaming around looking for the Compass of Guiding. I came across Nuut, the divine entity guarding that very object. Back then, Nuut dismissed the Compass as unimportant and proposed a deal, asking for the body hidden within the Protector of the Moon. Unfortunately, at that time, the body was already offered as an offering to Master Mangnyang, causing Nuut to vanish without a trace.

Later, when I ventured into the outer universe, I remembered seeing Nuut again, this time alongside Osiris, Shiva, and Vishnu, as the Emperor led the Divine Temple’s powers. Nuut was tragically killed by the Evil God, but she seemed on par with everyone else who had shown up there.

Recalling my encounter with the goddess Nuut, I remembered her words.

[I was leading the ultra-ancient civilization of Memphis… The Emperor agreed to assist in resurrecting my civilization after its demise.]

I could clearly remember Nuut saying that. And looking at her offspring Osiris leading Memphis and the Divine Temple in the spiritual realm, it was evident that Nuut held a unique position there as well.

‘So then… Could it be that in the future…’

Does this mean that Memphis and the Divine Temple will face some form of destruction?

And to resurrect such a Memphis, does Nuut have to begrudgingly submit to the Emperor and become his subordinate?

I grasped the chain of events in my mind, yet it still didn’t make sense.

‘But why am I connected to Nuut by the Law of Cause and Effect? We hardly met or made any promises…’

Honestly, my connection to Nuut is virtually nonexistent. The closest I can draw is that I turned down her trade proposal. After that, I simply brushed past her and thought of it as nothing more than a fleeting encounter. Can I really call that fate? Even the Soeul Village’s Seo clan had more of a connection to Nuut than I did, making it baffling that Osiris saw the Law of Cause and Effect between myself and Nuut.

So, I cocked my head and said,

“I don’t know either. But how can you tell that you share a Law of Cause and Effect with me?”

“When the Creator Atum was born amidst chaos as our Founder, he bestowed the blessing that allowed the descendants of Memphis to confirm the causal links between one another. Hence, we can know every detail concerning the Law of Cause and Effect that blood relations possess.”

“…”

“Let me ask again. What is the reason for the causal link between my mother Nuut and myself?”

This guy is really suspicious…

I thought to myself as I replied.

“I don’t know right now. Maybe meeting your mother Nuut directly will jog my memory.”

“Hmmm…”

Osiris glanced at the scales behind him, his voice a tad perplexed.

“How strange. For such a story to reveal itself, yet it’s not a ‘lie’… I’m increasingly curious about your identity.”

“First, let’s resolve our matters. We can talk about everything else afterwards, can’t we?”

“That’s a fair point.”

With that, Osiris slowly rose from his throne.

“Follow me. I shall grant you the Navel of the Sun God.”

Wiying!

In the next moment, one of the shimmering silver discs that floated in the void swooped down in front of Osiris and me. It expanded to a size that could comfortably fit multiple people, and Osiris naturally boarded the disc along with what appeared to be his close aides, the dog-headed deities, and soared off somewhere.

Swish

Wiying!!

As I stepped onto the disc, I too began to fly quickly. Oddly enough, despite the incredible speed, I felt no physical inertia or rebound. It was as if I could lie down and snooze on the disc without feeling a thing, just noticing the landscape around me change.

‘Hmm… I feel like I’ve seen something similar back at the home base of the Master of the Twelve Joules…’

When I was caught up in this strange déjà vu, the silver disc came to a halt. We had seemingly passed through countless pyramids’ walls and corridors, arriving at our destination, where I spotted Osiris already disembarking from the disc. As I followed suit, I found Osiris gazing at a massive glowing ore before him.

“Here. This is the Navel of the Sun God.”

Kuhng…

The ore was massive, likely the size of six tall men! This wasn’t just a giant rock; it was comparable to a small terrain. Seeing such a colossal ore in its natural state was shocking, but what startled me further was that it glimmered with a pitch-black light. I already knew the name of the stone exuding that dark glow, so I gasped in shock.

“…Obsidian!!”

No doubt about it. Having handled it hundreds of times and even mining it myself in Dongyoung, there’s no way I wouldn’t recognize it! I was momentarily flustered by the absurd size of the obsidian before me, and then I spoke to Osiris.

“Are you saying this is the Navel of the Sun God?”

“Indeed. I stake my name that this is the Navel of the Sun God.”

“If you don’t mind, could you tell me the origin of this item?”

It seemed like Osiris might casually hand over the Navel of the Sun God if I just asked for it, but receiving it without knowing anything would be pointless.

At my words, Osiris glanced at me and said,

“Baek Woong. Originally, the divine temple of Memphis primarily operated in a different continent rather than this one. However, due to the overwhelming yearning of the humans residing on this continent for rescue, we felt compelled to come here momentarily.”

“Excuse me? The humans yearned for help…?”

“The Old Ruler, who originally resided on this continent, was too wicked and cruel for the humans to bear. They sent out pleas for salvation to the gods across the world. But only we Memphis answered, and we collectively came over to subjugate the strongest Evil God that ruled this continent.”

Osiris continued speaking slowly.

“The Demon God of the Sun, Tezcatlipoca.”

“…!!”

“He was an exceptionally powerful being, one that even I would find difficult to defeat one-on-one. However, by joining forces, we managed to overwhelm and seal him. Nonetheless, before Tezcatlipoca was sealed, he left behind an artifact, which is the obsidian, the Navel of the Sun God, right before you.”

“Are you saying the Navel of the Sun God is Tezcatlipoca’s artifact?”

“Correct. We suspected it was a technique used by Tezcatlipoca to break free from his seal and tried to destroy it. Yet, our powers proved insufficient to do so.”

I couldn’t help but be shocked by that claim.

“You mean to say it can’t be destroyed? Just because it’s obsidian…?”

Obsidian is not exactly a strong mineral. Far from it; it can be easily broken or polished even with primitive human strength. No matter how massive it is, it’s hard to believe that the mighty ancient gods of Memphis couldn’t destroy something as simple as obsidian.

Then Osiris spoke.

“Tezcatlipoca cast a special spell on this obsidian. It’s a spell with [conditions], and unless those conditions are met, it can’t be shattered by raw power. Not even a mortal sorcerer nor a high divine entity can break it in this manner.”

“Don’t you even know the particulars of that spell?”

“Correct. How many techniques do you think the Old Ruler, who has lived for eons, could use? If he casually created one technique a year, he could amass over a hundred million in a hundred million years. As long as the conditions are unknown, no one could lift it but himself.”

“Hmm…”

“There’s no doubt it harbors some sinister intent behind it, but since we can’t destroy it, we have no choice but to keep it in our stronghold under physical seal. The true abilities of the Navel of the Sun God remain a mystery.”

“I see.”

I finally understood why Set, the ancient god, vehemently opposed it earlier.

‘This might very well be the key to unlocking the seal of the powerful Demon God Tezcatlipoca. Given that they fought hard to subdue such a formidable adversary, the ancient gods napping in the pyramids couldn’t possibly let an outsider casually pass the Navel of the Sun God.’

I grasped the background of the situation, yet it only deepened my confusion, so I asked Osiris.

“Are you really okay with giving this obsidian to me? What if I accidentally unseal it and resurrect Tezcatlipoca?”

At that, Osiris burst out laughing.

“Hahaha… I’m not foolish enough for that. There’s a reason I’m handing it to you.”

“A reason, you say?”

“Set said giving it to others would bring disaster to our ancient gods, but in reality, it’s the opposite. I’ve been waiting for someone to take it away.”

“…?!”

Osiris looked at me with his deep-set eyes before continuing.

“Right now, I may be temporarily ruling the Divine Temple, but originally, our leader is the Sun God Ra. Ra’s powers are unmatched in the entire universe. When it comes to both strength and wisdom, I can’t even begin to compare to Ra. However, the Sun God Ra is currently unable to govern us.”

“Why’s that?”

“Because he hasn’t been born yet.”

“…What? You what?”

What kind of nonsense is this?

I looked at Osiris in disbelief, and he chuckled before explaining.

“The Creator God Atum foresaw that the true leader and king of Memphis, the Sun God Ra, would be born right before the [Revelation]. Until then, our Memphis gods would continuously absorb divine power and cause-effect relation to keep creating that future corporeal form. Thus, when he attains supreme power, the Sun God Ra is destined to be the mightiest of the ancient gods and should overshadow the [Revelation].”

“……!!”

“We are merely a cradle to nurture him until the Sun God Ra is born. Additionally, we hold the duty to judge those who commit acts of irreverence against him, so we had no choice but to strike down Tezcatlipoca, who claims to be the Sun God.”

A being like that actually existed?!

The future birth of an omnipotent ancient god!

Since I had no prior knowledge of the Sun God Ra, Osiris’ words were undeniably shocking. Given what he said, the Sun God Ra must undoubtedly be one of the absolute powers in the universe, not inferior to the Evil God or the Emperor. Just as I was in awe, Osiris continued.

“However, despite all this, the [Spirit] of the Sun God Ra already exists and leads us. And the Sun God Ra appeared in my dreams, telling me that someone must take this obsidian if Memphis is to survive, leading me to believe that your visit is indeed inevitable.”

“…Someone must take the obsidian? Are you saying… this Navel of the Sun God is the harbinger of Memphis’ downfall?”

“That’s the gist of it. But even if we recklessly discard it, calamity would still unfold. Unless we follow the predetermined solution of the Law of Cause and Effect, even the mightiest gods can’t escape misfortune…”

“……”

“Well, I’ve explained the circumstances, so now you may take it. I willingly offer it to you.”

Listening to Osiris’ words, I pondered deeply before responding.

“Something feels off here. What you just mentioned is a top-secret regarding the Divine Temple. It’s absolutely not something that you’d spill to someone you’ve just met today, right? What if I share information about the Sun God Ra with others?”

Osiris answered without hesitation.

“Everything is as per the will of the Sun God Ra.”

“Umm…!!”

“He, too, possesses the ability to read the Law of Cause and Effect, granting him some degree of foresight regarding who might take the Navel of the Sun God. He is still poised to assess the possibilities for his choice within multiple crossroads. Therefore, I have provided you with as much information as possible to encourage your benevolence towards us.”

“Is that so….”

While I responded, I could surmise the extent of the Sun God Ra’s authority and silently considered.

‘Although imperfect, the ability to read the Law of Cause and Effect… and the potential to grow while being favored by hundreds of ancient gods, absorbing their divine power… No doubt, he is an absolute god on par with the Emperor or the Evil God!’

Moreover, it seemed he had some knowledge of my status as a reborn person. And, as a reincarnated individual, he had probably anticipated that I would choose among the myriad of divine forces.

Is it true that such a powerful entity existed in the past?

Then why couldn’t the absolute power of the Sun God Ra be resurrected in the future world?

‘There must be ancient secrets I still don’t know. I need to find out what happened to Memphis…’

Lost in thought, I nodded.

“Understood. I shall take the Navel of the Sun God.”

In any case, it’s crucial for me to first win the bet against Dongfang Sak and proceed with the task given by the Wheel King. With that in mind, I began to approach the enormous six-man sized obsidian step by step.

Step

Swish…

The moment my palm reached out and made contact with the obsidian—

[Is the place I can entrust my soul to Baek Woong, or rather, you, the Coming Chaos!]

Bright!

It felt as if lightning struck, and time and space came to a halt.

From the depths of my memory, a voice akin to a command echoed, eliciting a soft pang of nostalgia.

Where have I heard this voice before…?

As I desperately tried to grasp the memory, it happened.

Chiririring – !!

Suddenly, I could feel the wheel of the Four Great Spirit Deities responding to the obsidian before my eyes. Particularly, the Thunder God Vajra was trembling violently, as if barely holding back his thunderous power, close to bursting forth. It felt as if it was boiling right before bursting, so I hastily withdrew my hand from the Navel of the Sun God.

“Ugh!”

What is this?! Why is the Four Great Spirit Deities reacting here?!

In the midst of the bewildering situation, a voice suddenly rang out.

“Damn it. I’m a step too late!!”

All eyes turned towards the direction of the voice.

Standing there with an angry glare and arms crossed was Dongfang Sak.