전생검신 92권 08화

The [brain] grumbled as if it couldn’t believe my words.

“You’re the first to come all this way and refuse a contract with me. Really the first of its kind…”

“Huh? Is that true?”

“Why would I lie to someone as insignificant as you?”

“……”

“But this is also interesting! Do you want to claim you’re not the same type of existence?”

Muttering some incomprehensible stuff, [brain] continued.

“Anyway, you funny little thing. Don’t regret not getting a chance later. Don’t forget that a contract with me is an opportunity sought after desperately by the reincarnated across hundreds of lives!”

“……”

I was momentarily taken aback.

“Isn’t it a bit too obsessive for an Outer God? I can refuse a contract if the conditions don’t match…”

“Huh?”

“And that… isn’t it a bit too human-like for an Outer God?”

I couldn’t bring myself to say it was pathetic, but [brain] seemed to understand my words well enough.

Its grayish brain cortex twitched, then it burst out laughing robustly.

“Hahhahaha! Is it wrong to be human-like? That’s my privilege!”

“What?”

“You have no idea why I’m one of the greatest among Outer Gods! It’s not just about maintaining absoluteness amid the castrated emotions of others while pursuing pleasure. Do you not feel my greatness at all? How sad!”

“……?!”

What… what is this nonsense?

I thought about getting angry, but instead it seemed to be having fun?

While I stood there dumbfounded, [brain] spoke joyfully.

“You little rookie. You’re the first to dare speak so arrogantly in front of me. I think I finally understand why Al Karda decided to take a gamble.”

“Huh? What’s that reason?”

“You expect me to tell you? We haven’t even made a contract.”

“……”

“You look so childish. Hahaha.”

[brain] laughed and then said something bizarre.

“I liked it. Even though we didn’t make a contract, I’ll still give you a gift.”

I quickly waved my hands.

“Ah, no! You really don’t have to! I’m fine!”

I felt a strong intuition, crystal clear like never before.

The more I get entangled with that existence, the more I’d stand to lose!

No, this is an existence that ideally should not be met for [normal progress]!

Ignoring my aversion, [brain] suddenly extended its tentacle and pierced my heart.

Thump!

“Ugh?!”

I couldn’t evade at all. Even though the tentacle pierced my heart, it didn’t hurt or bleed. Yet I couldn’t move at all and was left squirming when [brain] spoke up.

“Normal progress? A game for the reborn? Do you think someone as great as I am worries about such trivial things?”

“What… what are you doing?”

[brain] said in an excited tone.

“Shall I explain using the memory of the Great Bear Empire you possess? Consider it a free DLC trial. A privilege, but it might be poison for you?”

“……?!”

“Hahaha. I can’t wait to see how your precious calculations will get messed up.”

Boom!

In that moment, a selection screen popped up rapidly in front of me.

“Would you like to change history?”

……!

At that moment, I suddenly realized something and yelled mentally.

“No!”

Then the tentacle that was lodged in my heart slowly began to withdraw. It seemed [brain] sensed the odd reaction and frowned.

“Al Karda. You don’t want me to interfere any more than this?”

Indeed.

The selection screen that just appeared had a high probability of being set up intentionally by Outer God Al Karda. Originally, the system capability that determines the existence of historical changes in the [cycle] I was part of, but in this case, it was being used to reject [brain]’s power. Since I caught on to Karda’s intent, I quickly complied and chose [refuse], thwarting [brain]’s strange method.

Tsutsutsutsu

Slowly, the scenery before my eyes began to turn hazy. Watching [brain]’s form blur, I let out a sigh of relief inwardly.

“Ugh… I want to get out of here quickly…”

I felt something was seriously off.

While I was thinking that, [brain]’s voice echoed like a ghost.

“It won’t matter, you know. I’ve already planted the seed…”

*

“……”

I returned to the grand hall of reincarnation with a dazed expression.

And in front of me was Al Karda, staring blankly at a Go board.

I gathered my thoughts and asked Al Karda.

“What on earth was that [brain] I just met?”

“……”

“Why did you make me meet that being?”

I bombarded him with questions, but Al Karda didn’t speak for a while. He took out his pipe, fiddling with it, before he finally said.

“I just released poison. I wanted to remind you that no matter how great an existence is, it can still encounter variables it cannot control.”

“Huh?”

“But surprisingly, you seemed to take a liking to that guy… with no trickery involved, merely with pure foolishness… is that truly your essence?”

As Al Karda said this, he fixed his gaze on me. I felt a shudder as I met his eyes.

‘…Ugh!’

His gaze carried a terrifying intensity! It sent chills down my spine as it looked down on me—an absolute something I couldn’t even begin to imagine. The being before me resembled an ordinary human man, but I was suddenly reminded that he was a monster who transcends the universe.

I barely managed to withstand Al Karda’s pressure, trembling as I spoke.

“You… both of you… are giving me stories that I can’t comprehend… could you speak in a way I might understand…?”

“Do you want me to speak in a way you understand.”

“Yeah…”

Al Karda took a puff from his pipe and then said.

“I’ll tell you what [brain] is. That being is an Absolute among the finest in the entire universe… perhaps even in the top five. Yet in the world you inhabit, no one has even acknowledged its existence. Across the entire Three Thousand Worlds, very few know of its presence.”

“Huh? How can that be? [Black Goat] or [Void Record] are at least known in the Demon World…”

“Just like I exist as a secret deity, many of the Outer Gods do not reveal themselves. Because our very existence brings despair to the world.”

“An existence that brings despair?”

“……”

Smoke slowly billowed from Al Karda’s pipe. After a brief pause, he continued.

“I ask you this. If you transferred everything you’ve experienced and known to an ordinary human using obsidian, what would happen?”

“……They’d go crazy or die.”

The dark qi permeating the obsidian, and how purely the darkness of the world is utterly nonsensical—realizing these things would cause a human’s sanity to shatter. I had learned of this from Master Hyuncheon before. That’s why I’d taken various measures to resolve the dark qi of the obsidian.

Al Karda spoke.

“Similarly, the true existence of Outer Gods and their meaning could also drive someone mad, even the [Old Ruler]. Unless they are extremely exceptional beings belonging to the progenitor gods or heirs to Outer Gods.”

I was stunned by those words.

“……?! What do you mean?”

“There exists a disparity that surpasses that. Not just a simple outer layer… the moment you see the true essence of the world, even those who called themselves monsters among monsters can’t escape mental decline. To preserve the worldview, Outer Gods had no choice but to hide their auras.”

“……!”

“It’s just that the overwhelmingly great beings are so vast that hiding itself becomes meaningless, so they are revealed.”

“Like [Father], the Void Record, or the Great Intelligence of All.”

“Do you believe you really know those beings? That’s merely an illusion… we ourselves can’t even gaze upon their essence, merely observing their shadows.”

“……”

There was an undeniable reverence in Al Karda’s voice. I thought to myself about the staggering gap between them and me.

Finally, Al Karda lowered his pipe slightly and spoke.

“I made you exposed to danger to create a variable in the current situation. And it seems my strategy has been somewhat effective.”

“……!”

I clenched my teeth and shouted.

“You exposed me to danger! Are you really worried about losing a game of Go?”

“That’s a trivial claim. Are you winning at Go right now?”

“……”

Hmm… well, that’s a fair point…

“If you’re losing, just stay quiet.”

Al Karda replied as if it was absurd, continuing.

“What you forcibly obtained from [brain] just now is an unimaginable variable. I never thought such a significant power would be granted to a mere reincarnator. But do you think you currently have the ability to control it?”

“What…?”

“You’ve gained a huge opportunity along with danger. If you wish to create an opportunity after escaping the incoming danger, you’ll have no choice but to drastically heighten your own abilities.”

“What are you talking about! You exposed the Go opponent to danger, and now you’re saying this…!”

Just as I was about to get angry, Al Karda spoke.

“Then, shall I take that ‘seed’ away?”

“Huh?”

“[brain] forcibly granted you a seed, but I could extract it using the power of the Void Record. However, that would mean you’d lose an opportunity that no other reincarnator could acquire. Other reincarnators would call it a privilege and covet it.”

“……”

“The choice is yours. Evaluate your own abilities.”

It was only now that I began to grasp what Al Karda was saying.

“Al Karda sensed a situation flowing under control and intended to expose me to danger to create a variable. During that process, the ‘seed’ I obtained is a huge privilege but also poses a risk… and he’s asking me whether I want to keep it!”

Al Karda’s actions were erratic, but knowing he was an Outer God, holding him accountable for his actions was impossible. In fact, one could say he was treating me rather fairly for an Outer God. Offering to take away a power that would typically not be proposed by wicked gods was an unusual gesture.

So, what should I do?

Should I determine whether I can control this mysterious ‘seed’ ability given to me by Outer God [brain]?

“Ugh. What should I do…”

I cautiously asked Al Karda.

“May I ask what this ‘seed’ ability is? It’s a bit difficult to just choose without knowing anything…”

“It’s the Three Thousand Worlds. As he described… it belongs to the ability of [transcending the Law of Cause and Effect].”

“Huh?”

“I can’t give you any more clues beyond that. Choose for yourself. Once you choose, we’ll start the game again.”

“……”

Three Thousand Worlds?

What does that mean?

‘Ugh. If only Zhuge Sarra were here, he could give me some advice…’

This conceptual talk twists my brain!

‘And for some reason… my intuition isn’t kicking in at all!’

The intuition that had subtly served as my judgment standard until now!

I felt completely disconnected from that intuition now.

Does that mean I can’t judge whether this is good or bad?

I grumbled inwardly, contemplating for a while before finally deciding.

“I… I don’t need you to extract it! I’ll keep it.”

Damn!

I’ll figure something out!

Well, if handled well, isn’t it a good thing!

“Good. I hope you won’t regret that choice.”

Tap

Al Karda made his next move. I tried to focus my mind as I observed the move.

‘Then I’ll counter here…!’

Tap

The moment I placed my stone.

“Hmm!”

Karda’s eyes seemed to shine, and suddenly he made his next move quickly.

Tap!

“Gah?!”

I inhaled sharply.

‘Wha… by that one move, all seven of my stones… are dead?!’

Why didn’t I see that?!

I assumed I was safe, but why am I losing?!

As I fell into a panic during this sudden crisis, Al Karda’s voice rang out slowly.

“With this move, the outcome of the game of Go has already been determined.”

“Ah, not yet…”

I gritted my teeth and stared deeply at the Go board.

Time passed without any answer.

“Is this a problem that can be solved with sheer determination? Is Go like that?”

“……”

No.

Once Al Karda declared the outcome, that would be absolute. Because he is an Outer God.

But if I admit defeat like this…

‘Resignation of defeat.’

If I ended up conceding defeat, then I…?

“……Ugh.”

I ultimately reached one conclusion in my thoughts.

From now on, I can only rely on a last-ditch effort to avoid a concession of defeat.

Memories of the three ways to avoid conceding defeat I learned when studying Go popped up in my mind.

[There are three ways to avoid conceding defeat.]

[What are they?]

The grand master of the Su Shin Sect had explained to me.

[First, kill the opponent to nullify the game.]

[Damn… what kind of method is that? I’m dealing with an Outer God here…!]

[Just listing possibilities. The second is to flip the Go board and make the game null and void.]

[Seriously! Don’t joke around!]

[The last third method.]

The ‘third method’ resurfaced in my mind.

[Play until the end.]

Tap.

I gritted my teeth and made my next move.

And as I made my next move, Al Karda said.

“I see. That’s something I can accept.”

“……”

“The requirement for conceding defeat is when the stones are thrown… in other words, no matter how grim the defeat seems, if you don’t throw the stones, you can argue it isn’t a concession at all. Although I don’t follow principles, that is indeed a blind spot.”

“Do you truly accept my move…?”

“I accept it.”

However, instead of feeling elated, despair washed over me even more.

“But the situation on the board will continue to reflect the reality. No matter how dire the situation may be…”

The worst-case scenario I anticipated had come to pass.

“Then… go ahead.”

Boom

In the next moment, I felt myself transported to another time and space.