전생검신 92권 03화

What…?!

I was so shocked that I even forgot the pain from my severed arm, thanks to Nyarlathotep’s words.

‘Asking to play means… you’re basically asking for a fight!’

No matter how powerful Nyarlathotep was, challenging an Outer God was a whole different level of crazy!

Yet Al Karda, upon hearing that, didn’t even flinch. Instead, he just asked Nyarlathotep, almost like he wanted to confirm something.

“How should I play with you?”

“Look who’s asking! The one who used to play with everyone at any time, in any way, with anything.”

That Nyarlathotep had a mocking tone that was hard to decipher.

Then Al Karda slowly raised his hand and said,

“Just know that I can’t truly play with you.”

Boom!

In that instant, a book appeared behind Nyarlathotep. Just seeing that book sent chills down my spine.

‘That… that’s it!’

Not just the Mask of Science Nyarlathotep, even Chi You could be caught like a fly! Regardless of how strong you were, anyone would get instantly killed! The very sight of that white page was enough to freeze me in fear.

It seemed like Nyarlathotep briefly glanced at the book, and at that moment, Al Karda clenched his fist, causing the page to fold shut.

Snap!

A horrific sound, like something bursting open!

‘Just as I thought!’

Hearing that sound made me realize Nyarlathotep was no exception. The powers of the Outer Gods were in a dimension of their own. Even if you seemed like you could dodge with speed, skill, or power, once you knew that the attacks disregarded all abilities, it sent chills down your spine.

However, what happened next left me utterly bewildered.

Creak… Creak…

An eerie sound erupted, like something clawing from the abyss. Then, blood slowly oozed out from the closed book, transforming into clumps of cells that spilled out everywhere. The sight of that grotesque, blood-soaked mass was both repulsive and surreal.

And amidst that blood, Nyarlathotep, covered in gore, resurrected yet again.

“…!”

Is this really happening?!

Did that terrifying power of the Outer God get overcome by sheer force?!

‘This is a first!’

As I was dumbfounded by the surreal scene, Nyarlathotep began to laugh heartily.

“Haha… Remember the countless times you’ve been stuck in this never-ending cycle…?”

Swish!

At that moment, countless tentacles of blood shot out from the puddle Nyarlathotep created, engulfing Al Karda. Al Karda’s body got hopelessly trapped in those tentacles, and strangely enough, even he seemed unable to shake them off.

As Al Karda stared at him with an expressionless face, Nyarlathotep uttered more ambiguous words.

“O God… I remember that look in your eyes, as if everything is meaningless… You lot… yes… you have, a bit, remembered…”

“…”

“You’ve been searching for someone who could erase that meaninglessness for quite some time, haven’t you?”

Splat!

In the next moment, Al Karda’s body exploded from the pressure of the blood-red tentacles. As I watched the gruesome sight of flesh flying everywhere, it was hard to believe what I was seeing.

‘N-No way… can Nyarlathotep even defeat an Outer God?!’

I knew he was supposed to be the most powerful mask of the Outer Gods, but the fact that it could lead to this outcome was shocking!

How am I supposed to face the Nyarlathotep who even defeated an Outer God?!

‘No, more importantly, what about the reincarnation? What’s going on?!’

This is driving me mad!

Am I really in huge trouble?!

At that moment, filled with despair and fear, my body went rigid.

Flash!

Suddenly, the dark spirit lurking behind Master Dharma sparked with an intense light. Then it spoke as if it had a will of its own, in a deep, resonant voice.

[Old one… is all this your intention… I shall grant your wishes.]

At that moment, an even more powerful gleam gathered in the dark spirit’s eyes, and Master Dharma appeared to be becoming engulfed in darkness. Until now, Master Dharma had displayed formidable divine power, but it looked like the dark spirit had gifted him even more strength, as his magical power started amplifying dramatically.

Grrrr!

[Kraaaaah…!]

Master Dharma roared amidst the swirling amplification of power. He clasped his hands together, channeling more of his energy, with veins bulging all over his body, and a blood-red light emanating from his eyes. As Dharma’s power surged exponentially, the situation in the room began to shift.

Crack!

‘The dimension is breaking!’

I could feel the cracks appearing in the space all around. It dawned on me that this was happening because Dharma’s power was finally catching up to Nyarlathotep’s overwhelming strength.

‘As their powers equalize, the pressure on the dimension increases! At this rate…’

Sure enough, moments later, dark holes started appearing everywhere in the space. With nothing but emptiness within those voids, their numbers were seemingly increasing.

‘Ugh!’

Even as I shielded myself with divine power, I felt an intense pull on my entire being. I realized immense force was brewing within each of those dark holes.

Nyarlathotep chuckled delightfully.

“Looks like black holes are forming. If I hadn’t turned this place into my garden, the Earth and the entire solar system would have been wiped out in no time… You really don’t think ahead, do you? Haha.”

Master Dharma shouted back.

[In a world devoid of life or death, where true martial home exists… your created living hell shall be no more… Is that not a better situation?!]

Dharma seemed determined to end things just by shouting, as he instantly struck toward Nyarlathotep with a single palm.

Great Sun Buddha Palm!

Snap!

This force field, resembling a hand made of light, slammed into Nyarlathotep’s body like a wedge, sending him flying backward in a twisted manner.

Kaboom!

“…!”

I couldn’t believe my eyes as I watched Nyarlathotep being flung back. No matter how strong Dharma had become, could it really be this much?! But as I carefully observed Dharma’s growth, I realized my previous assumptions were very rash.

‘He… is getting stronger! He has exponentially increased in power in the blink of an eye!’

In fact, the current Dharma had become strong enough to easily kill someone like me! In the brief moment I had looked away, Dharma’s vast growth was incomprehensible to conventional reasoning. The power bestowed by the dark spirit was truly astronomical.

Boom!

Nyarlathotep’s body pierced through multiple dimensions and vanished from sight within the hall. He probably wasn’t gravely hurt and would return soon, but the fact that he got sent off like that was already impressive.

As I stood there dumbfounded, Dharma spoke.

[You… should withdraw! Nyarlathotep will return!]

“Uh…!”

[If you don’t want to be swept away by the final strike, move aside!]

I snapped back to reality and voiced my concern.

“Dharma! Do you really think you can do this? Sure, you’ve gotten stronger, but Nyarlathotep defeated an Outer God!”

[…….]

Dharma fell silent for a moment after my doubtful statement before he replied.

[Do you know Ahura Mazda?]

“Uh? That, uh… the God of Heretical Light…”

[The era of the Great Sun Buddha will surely come… the true body of Law shall shine upon this land… on the day Maitreya descends…]

“…….”

[As long as my belief remains steadfast… I cannot give up anything.]

I stared at Dharma with a mix of confusion and intrigue. I’ve encountered him in various forms so many times, yet for some reason, I couldn’t completely despise or dislike him. My instincts told me he was someone who’d lived the roughest life in existence and was intertwined with every beginning.

“Dharma… You have no grounds for that…”

At my words, Dharma looked at me with hollow blood-red eyes. I spoke in a trembling voice.

“What meaning does your faith hold? Even if Ahura Mazda… and the Great Sun Buddha don’t exist… what’s your plan about that? No… even if those gods do exist… can they really defeat Nyarlathotep?!”

[…….]

“Do you know better than anyone else what Nyarlathotep defeating an Outer God signifies? Yet still chasing the True Martial Home… isn’t that madness?”

I knew I shouldn’t say such things.

I understood that even if things turned out to be hopeless, Dharma’s will was the noblest of all, and throwing cold water on their hope wouldn’t help. But for some reason, I couldn’t help but ask Darmha.

Nyarlathotep’s victory over an Outer God.

That speaks volumes about being the very strongest among all divine beings in the universe.

What kind of foolishness is it to seek True Martial Home while chasing an illusion that might not even exist amidst such blatant despair?

Then Dharma spoke slowly.

[Do you believe in gods because you think they exist?]

“… Of course not. It’s faith that exists because gods do.”

[That’s not how it is.]

Dharma continued with a profound tone, carefully enunciating each word.

[Even if… Ahura Mazda and the Great Sun Buddha don’t exist… even if the visions I witnessed through madness were merely my own delusions… even if there was no remaining hope… I would not cease my belief in the end of the world.]

“…?!”

[Faith may be… one’s madness… But… faith is simultaneously imagination… and…]

Dharma shouted with a thunderous voice.

[It is the only freedom granted within this mortal coil!]

Bang!

In the next moment, Nyarlathotep suddenly appeared before Master Dharma, trying to slice him with sharpened fingers, but Dharma met that attack head-on, resulting in a tremendous crash.

Nyarlathotep and Dharma clashed, unleashing a battle cry.

[Ahahaha… Freedom! Are you discussing freedom when it doesn’t exist!]

[Indeed!]

[Does existence itself not equate to an illusion? What value does faith have? As long as I enjoy this game, there’s nothing to trust in this universe!]

Bang!

The clashes between Nyarlathotep and Dharma grew fiercer. I was left in awe as I witnessed the sheer potential of divine power surging with each of their collisions.

‘Dharma is… still growing stronger…! But Nyarlathotep is enhancing his power to match it.’

It was a picture of Dharma being played with by Nyarlathotep, who had infinite power!

Sure enough, every time Nyarlathotep gained the upper hand, Dharma’s body bled, and flesh was torn away. But even in such a desperate state, Dharma never lost his will and continually shouted.

[Even without belief, the true body of Law always resides within my heart… this heart shall be the god I serve!]

Boom!

And at that very moment, Dharma’s cloak swelled like a balloon. Simultaneously, his body began to shine brightly, and Nyarlathotep could not escape that radiance, becoming engulfed.

Nyarlathotep, taken aback, remarked.

[This… were you targeting me from the start?]

[Correct…!]

[…….]

Dharma let out his final scream.

[Though it’s regrettable that I cannot attain the True Martial Home… it is something that the reincarnation of the future shall achieve!]

Flash…!

And then an intense flash of light illuminated the world! The light was so strong that the black holes emerging in the shattered dimension and Nyarlathotep’s horrifying garden were sucked in, disappearing without a trace. I could suddenly feel the pure air free of evil energy.

However, when I saw Dharma had vanished from that spot, I held my breath.

“…!”

Nyarlathotep stood unscathed.

The creature’s body appeared entirely unharmed, merely staring blankly at the sky. He looked perfectly fine, which nearly drove me insane.

‘Does that mean… even with such immense power, Dharma self-destructed yet came out unscathed…?!’

How on earth do you defeat such a monster?!

But shortly after, I sensed something odd.

“Huh?”

On closer inspection, it seemed Nyarlathotep was not looking at the sky, but rather at the dark spirit hovering above. The dark spirit, which remained after Dharma’s disappearance, observed Nyarlathotep for a while before suddenly vanishing into thin air.

That was when the bizarre transformation began.

Creak! Creak!

Nyarlathotep’s form twisted. From a horrific, tentacle-headed monster, his frame began to contort grotesquely, morphing into a weirder shape. I stared in awe as Nyarlathotep’s appearance changed by about half a degree before finally stabilizing.

Squeeze!

The new form of Nyarlathotep resembled a dark spirit shrouded in blood-red clouds. Even referring to him as a spirit beast would be more fitting, as he reminded me of a wolf. But rather than appearing hideous, he looked like a messenger of the ancient gods, exuding divine energy, leaving me bewildered.

‘This is unexpectedly normal…?’

Considering how horrendously Nyarlathotep had transformed before, this form felt strangely off. At least, he looked different from the Nyarlathotep I knew.

In his newfound form, it seemed Nyarlathotep realized something and murmured.

[So, this has happened before. How amusing!]

“…?”

What is this guy blabbering about? What’s interesting about this?

While I struggled to grasp the situation, Nyarlathotep turned his attention to me and said.

[And what might you be?]

“Out of nowhere… I’m Baek Woong, the Reborn Person!”

[Baek Woong….]

As Nyarlathotep repeated my name, a rotting grin spread across his face.

[Very amusing… you are an unusually entertaining being!]

“What… what is so entertaining about me?!”

[Do you know that two Outer Gods just moved to assist you?]

“Uh?”

What does he mean by that?

Just as I was puzzled, Nyarlathotep continued.

[In the original history, I was never supposed to be countered by Dharma. The master of the Imperial Palace of Huangdao would never grant such power to a mere Reborn Person. Yet, the Great Intelligence of All has disregarded the Law of Cause and Effect and granted strange power to Dharma… thus, I was caught in a grand seal of the True Martial Home.]

“…!”

[Why, I wonder? Why do the Outer Gods obsess over you?! This seal placed upon me, the archenemy of Reborn People… it has been passed down from your past life, and it surely burdens them, no matter how powerful they may be.]

“Ah, no….”

[You… are different… you are unlike any other Reborn Person! I want to know why beings beyond the cycles are moving for just you!]

Nyarlathotep’s eyes gleamed.

[Even if it means I must pay the price of the Law of Cause and Effect!]

Whoosh!

In the next moment, countless horrific dark tendrils erupted from Nyarlathotep’s body and enveloped me.

Realizing I couldn’t resist, I screamed.

“AAAHHH!”

Is this how it ends…?!

“That’s enough.”

The Outer God Al Karda closed the book.

*

Thud

With that small but clear sound, I snapped back to reality, as if waking from a dream.

Before me lay the board of reincarnation, and Al Karda sat opposite me.

“…?!”

What the?! Wasn’t there something completely out of place in that flow just now?!

Was everything I just went through a dream?!

Was Nyarlathotep and Dharma all just a figment?!

As I broke into a cold sweat from confusion, Al Karda spoke.

“You’re surprisingly clever.”

“Huh…?”

“…”

For the first time, Al Karda furrowed his brow while looking at the board. I sensed that maybe I had upset him, but after a while, he finally broke the silence.

“Do you have something to say?”

I cautiously replied.

“Did you just save me from Nyarlathotep? How…?”

“I merely closed the book.”

I glanced at Al Karda’s hand beside him, holding a book without a cover but curiously wrapped in silk. Thinking I might be onto something, I asked.

“You’re telling me just closing a book is enough to subdue Nyarlathotep?”

“That’s the privilege of a librarian.”

“……”

Al Karda’s nonchalant statement sent a shiver down my spine.

‘The difference is vast…’

I could indirectly feel why all deities across the universe respect the Outer Gods and yearn to exist beyond the cycles. Just moments ago, I had faced Nyarlathotep as if it were reality and nearly got killed, but to Al Karda, it was merely a page in a book.

I had a sudden realization and spoke up.

“Then, when you appeared before Nyarlathotep earlier, couldn’t you have just taken him down there? Why did you let it happen?”

“I did not let it happen. It was inevitable there.”

“Eh?”

“While we Outer Gods are nearly omnipotent, we are not truly omnipotent. That means even if I can seal Nyarlathotep as I did now, there’s no guarantee that I could subdue him if I personally entered that seal.”

“…!”

“I could create a powerful avatar to handle it, but there’s no reason to neglect my actual role as a librarian to do that.”

So, rather than having toyed with Nyarlathotep, it means that even the Outer Gods have limits regarding handling him?

‘At least, within a single cycle, even the Outer Gods can’t easily suppress him…’

That meant Nyarlathotep is indeed an immensely formidable foe.

Will there ever be another chance for the Outer Gods to assist me again like this?

While I pondered, Al Karda spoke again.

“Rest.”

“Huh?”

“Take a break, then we’ll continue. If you’re sufficiently rested, come back to the board.”

With that, Al Karda rose from his seat and headed toward the window. He silently pulled out a pipe, which I recognized as a type favored by Westerners.

‘Rest, huh…? What are you thinking all of a sudden?’

I felt confused, but it’s true I felt drained from facing Nyarlathotep just now, so there wouldn’t be any harm in taking a little break. I looked around and said to Al Karda.

“May I explore the library?”

“As long as you don’t break the taboo of reading books.”

“…Understood.”

This seems like a great opportunity. It wouldn’t hurt to look around this strange place.

As excitement brewed at the prospect of exploring a new locale, I noticed something.

‘Huh?’

Al Karda’s gaze wasn’t directed outside the window, but rather towards somewhere near it. I caught on to what he was gazing at.

‘What’s that…?’

A Go board.

Though somewhat obscured in shadows, it appeared as if a game had been quite advanced.

There was a Go game being played with someone who wasn’t me — Al Karda seemingly contemplating something while looking at that board.