전생검신 89권 15화

I was completely flabbergasted by Metatron’s words.

“You’re asking me to kill your god and become a new creator god?”

It was such a sudden and grand proposal that I couldn’t grasp their intentions. Unsure whether Metatron was being serious or not, I asked a question.

“I, I don’t really understand what you’re saying. Why would I have to kill your god? And do you guys have another god?”

[…….]

After a moment of silence, Metatron abruptly spoke up.

[Reborn one, what do you think this Sephiroth world is?]

“Uh? What kind of place…? It’s the world with the World Tree and angels.”

[My point is, doesn’t this world belong to the realm of ‘outer universes’ from your perspective?]

“… Um, yeah, I suppose that makes sense.”

Although Metatron’s statements felt a bit jumbled, I nodded because I understood the gist. According to Metatron, since this Sephiroth world filled with World Trees and angels wasn’t our world, it was proper to consider it as ‘outside’ the universe.

Then Metatron continued.

[However, there are no entities known as the ‘Old Ruler’ prowling in your world. That is likely the difference between this and the other outer universes you’ve seen.]

“…?!”

I was slightly shocked by Metatron’s words and asked incredulously.

“Really?! There are no ‘Old Rulers’ here?!”

[That is correct.]

“…!!”

I couldn’t believe such a difference existed!

I never thought the Sephiroth world wouldn’t have the wicked demon gods I had been longing to confront since the beginning of my adventures! I was so astonished that my mouth fell open, but then I quickly snapped back to reality and said.

“How could that even be? Isn’t there an ‘Old Ruler’ in every other outer universe…?”

[…….]

“That’s ridiculous. If that’s the case, then what about the True Martial Home caused by Dharma from the outer universes?!”

As I raised my voice in confusion, Metatron calmly replied.

[Reborn one, have you thought about why ‘Old Rulers’ exist in outer universes?]

“…? No. Why do they even exist?”

I had never questioned this as I just accepted it, but now I felt curious after hearing Metatron’s words.

[They are like reflections in overlapping mirrors. They are fragments of mirrors derived from the chaos when the universe was born… If the universe flows according to a predetermined principle, they can be deemed as inevitable entities that ‘must exist.’ However, this Sephiroth is a newly created world that rejects that inevitability.]

“…!!”

[It could be interpreted that this Sephiroth’s creator god designed the laws from the beginning; thus, there are no reflections of the throne in this world… and that’s how it is.]

I found Metatron’s statement a bit difficult to grasp, but I could understand the main point.

In other words, the creator god of Sephiroth had prevented the birth of ‘Old Rulers’ from the very beginning!

I had never thought such a thing was even possible, so my eyes widened in disbelief. If Metatron were right, then this World Tree of Sephiroth was a space unlike any other outer universe I had seen so far. I stared at Metatron intently and said.

“… I can’t believe this. Just how great is that creator god? Could it be… ‘Father’?”

At my question, Metatron shook his head resolutely.

[No… it is absolutely not like that. The creator god does not even come close to ‘Father’… However, it is certainly a being that transcends conventional divine statuses and cycles.]

“Is it an Outer God?”

[… I cannot say for sure.]

“Why don’t you know as his direct subordinate?”

[Because he has never communicated properly with angels after achieving creation… he is merely a thorough observer…]

“……”

What the heck…? Is it normal to create such a strange world and not even communicate with your direct kin?

While I was internally baffled, Metatron continued.

[Additionally, the one preventing the birth of ‘Old Rulers’ is none other than Ain Soph Aur, the Infinite Light. The creator god has assigned us angels solely the duty of safeguarding Ain Soph Aur.]

“Ain Soph Aur? That enormous power from earlier?”

[Correct. It is the primordial light that emerges when the Great Universe is created… In fact, this phenomenon existed in your world as well.]

“What? Are you saying it doesn’t exist there anymore?”

[Ain Soph Aur only provides the energy for the Great Universe to unfold during the very brief moment when the ‘cycle’ begins and the universe is created, and then it disappears. However, in our world, the creator god personally bound that light and merged it with the World Tree.]

“…!!”

[The reason our world’s World Tree, Sephiroth, is powerful enough to support the entire universe is precisely because it gained the power of Ain Soph Aur… ]

I was utterly dumbfounded by Metatron’s revelations.

‘Whoa, that’s some massive scale stuff you’re talking about.’

I never imagined that the Ain Soph Aur, which the landlord magicians craved so desperately, was the light of the universe’s birth!

Lost in thought, I suddenly snapped back to reality and said.

“Anyway, so this creator god and Ain Soph Aur have successfully prevented ‘Old Rulers’ from appearing, right? Then why do you want me to kill that god and become a new creator god?”

[…….]

“Come on, Metatron, you look way stronger than me, so can’t you just take him out yourself?”

Honestly, even if I could use my full divine power, I felt like I could get killed by Metatron in a moment. Metatron looked that strong; there might only be a handful of beings in the entire universe stronger than him.

[Regardless of the strength of power, I cannot kill him. If a furious Saitan couldn’t do it, then I cannot either.]

“Eh?”

What does that mean?

While I was confused, Metatron stated.

[The only ones capable of killing the creator god would likely be Aion or the Demiurge… which is why I am entrusting this to you.]

I was taken aback.

“No… I still don’t get it… why in the world do you want to kill your creator god so badly?”

[You want to know the reason…?]

Metatron paused for a moment before speaking again.

[Us, who belong to this false world, will never earn the right to challenge ‘Aion.’ ]

“Aion?”

[In your world, it is expressed as ‘ascension’… ]

Ascension!

As my mind snapped to attention with that term, Metatron continued.

[As angels, we have revered and protected the utmost good by stopping the birth of primordial evil for untold eons… Yet in the end, we are mere outsiders deprived of the opportunity to enter true competition… and we are simply guards of the garden the creator god desired… ]

“……”

I could see a golden hue glimmering in Metatron’s eyes.

[Reborn one… I will hand this world over to you… In return, I ask you to kill this world’s true observer, the creator god, and grant us the opportunity to truly challenge ‘Aion!’ ]

I barely understood what Metatron, the angel king, was proposing. While I felt like I had gleaned a bit about this world, I couldn’t clearly discern what intentions Metatron was harboring while he spoke. Although he outwardly presented a precise rationale, I currently had no way of determining if such a high-level being was concocting some sort of conspiracy.

So, I glared at Metatron with doubtful eyes and said.

“I don’t understand what you’re saying, and there’s no reason for me to accept. Besides, I have many connections in my world, so I have no reason to become a god of this unfamiliar outer universe!”

[That’s exactly it… That is probably what will feel most appealing to you.]

“Huh? What do you mean?”

Upon hearing Metatron’s continued statement, I couldn’t help but shiver.

[If you become the creator god of this world, you can copy your world directly into this world… You could create your very own ideal world governed by all laws… of course, the fact that ‘Old Rulers’ don’t exist due to Ain Soph Aur remains unchanged.]

“Wha, what?!”

Metatron clenched his fist fiercely and argued.

[Do you really believe you can save everyone in your universe? You already know that it’s impossible. You’d only bring over those you want to save into this world and bask in a millennium of glory and peace.]

“……”

My heart started racing at the compliment from Metatron, king of angels. Just as he had believed, his proposal was undoubtedly an incredibly alluring temptation for me.

I could create my own world!

An ideal world where ‘Old Rulers’ wouldn’t even exist!

‘Isn’t that… pretty much like what we attempted with True Martial Home?’

The reason Dharma and I had attempted True Martial Home was that we couldn’t stop the rampaging evil gods known as ‘Old Rulers’ in a regular way. We figured since they would just ruin everything, we might as well take everything down. However, just because we chose a cosmic suicide like True Martial Home doesn’t mean we lacked a will to live.

If I could become the creator of an ideal world and grant peace to my companions and friends, then wouldn’t there be no need to continue this troubled rebirth?

“……”

Faced with an unprecedented temptation, I felt enormous conflict. But at that moment, several phrases drifted through my mind.

[Then I will die… and after that, I will make another attempt. Until the world is obliterated!]

[Baek Woong…!! Complete the True Martial Home capable of annihilating even the Outer Gods!!]

[What is righteousness? In an endless struggle with indeterminate time, can one simply conclude that witnessing a pristine world without ‘Old Rulers’ is justice? That is your own personal justice, Reborn one.]

[Do you have a way to save the world ruined because of your previous life?]

Countless resolutions and tales, all the dilemmas deciding the fate of the world.

As those words echoed in my mind like a spell, I felt my consciousness become even clearer, and my will grew firmer.

And after some time, I responded to Metatron’s words.

“Metatron, grant me the time to think.”

Metatron seemed genuinely surprised.

[Do you not like this proposal?]

“Of course not. It’s the sweetest offer I’ve heard so far. However…”

I sighed and continued.

“… I still haven’t come up with my answer. I can’t respond to your proposal until I find it.”

So far, whether friend or foe, everyone had entrusted me with their lives for the fate of the world. Their resolves were real, and they wanted to choose with their own will. To stand face-to-face with them and remain dignified until the end, relying solely on such a sweet offer didn’t seem right to me.

Maybe Metatron’s suggested path was indeed the wisest route, but to choose that path, I needed to bring my own conclusion to the forefront.

And somehow… I felt like I had thought about something similar before.

‘Am I overthinking this…?’

As I pondered, Metatron spoke.

[The being that grafted the root of the World Tree, Setsu, onto you… Can be said to have sprouted the seeds of causality between you and me. That being surely wanted to give you another opportunity to choose. I merely responded to that will… ]

“Reborn one…”

[Good. Then take your time to contemplate and come back again.]

Sssssssss

Everything before my eyes began to blur. Amid the hazy vision, Metatron’s final words echoed in my ears.

[On the day you reach the 10th level… I hope to hear your answer today.]

“……”

When I regained my senses, I found myself back in the training world, the Demon Realm Forest. I had returned from the trials of Sephiroth. Realizing that my meeting with Metatron had undoubtedly been real, I thought.

“I’ve never seen anyone ask me to kill their own god before.”

It felt a bit outlandish, but somehow it seemed connected to Hermes or Simon Magus crossing into our world. I didn’t feel much malice in Metatron’s proposal, so this time, it seemed like the decision would purely rely on my choice.

‘He also understood that I had given him a chance. So, this negotiation can be considered equal.’

Despite the overwhelming difference in strength, Metatron seeking to negotiate on equal terms must undoubtedly be because he knew exactly what kind of being the Reborn one was. And, given that, Metatron was not a push-over, and the moment I accepted his proposal, the chances of him emerging as a new superpower in our universe were high.

Whether that would be beneficial or detrimental to me was still uncertain.

I sighed inwardly and shrugged my shoulders.

“Ugh. For now, should I test the newly acquired power of the Sephira…?”

I had effectively obtained the Sephiroth of levels 8, 9, and 10 by passing the 8th level Hode. This was said to be the third level in Sephiroth magic.

‘And thinking that the Grand Sorcerer Simon Magus is at the 4th level, and the god of magic Hermes is at the 5th, I’m pretty much catching up to them.’

If I level up just two more times, I can reach the level of the demon god.

Does that mean I’ve become a powerful sorcerer too?

Thinking this, I tried to channel the strength of the Sephira once again.

Kiiiiiing –

“Whoa!!”

In that moment, I felt the root of Setsu inside me pulsing with an immensely vibrant life force, way beyond any prior experience. While Setsu had grown rapidly before, it now felt like it had gained ten times its previous power!

‘If I refine that life force… it’s going to be insane?!’

Thinking this, I summoned the Thunder Dragon One Qi Technique once more to refine the life force. And just as I expected, the life energy crystallizing was nearly ten times greater; I could tell my instincts were right.

“Perfect! I’m getting the 4th level now!!”

I shouted, repeating the Greater Circulation of Thunder Dragon One Qi Technique.

100 times!

….

1000 times!!

….

3000 times!!

5000 times!!

“…… Are you #@!*% kidding me with this?!”

After months of endless training iterations, I finally threw in the towel! I felt overwhelmed; it was as if the threshold for the required life force had skyrocketed beyond my previous expectations! I instinctively knew this.

‘Right now… it feels like I haven’t even filled a single cent! Just how much life force does it demand?!’

At this rate, I would have to engage in seated meditation for ten years to reach the 4th level! Even if Setsu’s absorption rate had greatly increased, I couldn’t shake the feeling that the demands were utterly unreasonable! I was beginning to see just how incredible Simon Magus and Hermes were.

I felt there was no solution through such inefficient means. Thus, I went straight to find Lee Gang-ryong.

Paaat!!

“Hey, you doing well?”

“Oh, is that you?”

While meeting with Lee Gang-ryong, I recounted everything I had experienced. After listening for some time, he replied.

“How interesting… But even if you seated meditate for ten years, isn’t it within a human’s lifespan? It can be strenuous, but you should be able to manage it. Why did you give up and come find me?”

I shot back with a blunt retort.

“I want to do that too, but the time in the training world set by the Reborn is 300 years. Besides, I don’t even know how much time I have left there.”

“Ah, I see. It’s troublesome if the world suddenly vanishes after meditating for ten years.”

“It is. In fact, such repetitive training can be done outside too, right? So I came looking for advice to pursue something more efficient.”

“Can’t you extend the duration of the training world?”

“I wish I could, but that’s usually handled by super AIs, like the ones controlling the Reborn or Mephisto. Right now, the Reborn is trapped in the Heart of Heavenly Secret, and Mephisto has been extinguished with no way to proceed.”

Upon hearing my answer, Lee Gang-ryong seemed to ponder something deeply.

“… Is that so? I think I might have a very simple way to solve the problem.”

“What? You got a method?”

“It’s not 100% sure, but it wouldn’t hurt to try.”

Lee Gang-ryong continued.

“Ultimately, it was the Heart of Heavenly Secret that allowed for this world’s creation, right? While rigorous AI handles maintenance, they had to have received permission from the Heart to create the world. So if you offer something to the power holder, the Heart, you might be able to easily extend the duration.”

“…….!!”

Oh?! That’s true?!

But I thought there might be a flaw in Lee Gang-ryong’s reasoning, so I replied.

“While that sounds plausible, this Heart of Heavenly Secret is such a mysterious entity that I’m not sure if it would agree to my request. It seems pretty likely that it would just disregard what I say…”

“And that’s why I said it wouldn’t hurt to try. If you fail, then I guess there’s nothing to be done, but it shouldn’t have any negative effects either.”

“Hmm.”

“Why not go for it? Just make sure you don’t forget later on.”

“Got it.”

I summoned the Heart of Heavenly Secret and shouted toward the book.

“Heart of Heavenly Secret!! I want to extend the time in this training world! What price do you require?”

….

After a period of silence. I felt awkward as nothing happened, and turned to Lee Gang-ryong.

“Uh… I guess it really is ignoring my words…”

Just then.

Chwa-rrak –

Suddenly, the Heart of Heavenly Secret floated up in the air before me.

Then the pages changed, and a page written in bright red blood appeared.

Reading the Blood Script, I widened my eyes in shock.

“……!!”

The content of the Blood Script was simple.

[Work – Rebirth (轉生) three times within ten years.

Return – Extend the training world by 1000 years.]