나갈 수 없다고?!

I was perplexed by the words of the Cheon Woo-jin but instinctively found myself arguing back.

“That’s not true! Back in session 28, when Hang-a was the Heavenly Secret’s terminal, she came in and out just fine. What do you mean?”

“That place wasn’t inside the Heavenly Secret.”

“What?”

Cheon Woo-jin calmly began to explain.

“Hang-a is from the celestial maidens, but she wasn’t all that strong. Even though she became the terminal, her powers had their limits. Therefore, the information and permissions granted to her by the Heavenly Secret were severely restricted.”

“What do you mean?”

“The place where Hang-a pulled you in to negotiate, and where she fought on the boundary of the Dream, wasn’t the heart of the Heavenly Secret. She was only able to go as far as the outskirts.”

……

I considered Cheon Woo-jin’s words for a moment before speaking up.

“So, the place Hang-a drew me into was the ‘outskirts’ of the Heavenly Secret, and this location I’m in now is the ‘heart’, the deep territory, correct?”

“Exactly. You’ve grasped it.”

“Though I understand… what was the point of drawing me into the heart of the Heavenly Secret? Was there some reason she couldn’t just pull me to the outskirts like she did?”

“Because in the outskirts, you couldn’t have dealt with Hermes and erased the Tetragrammaton just like you did. The outer boundaries have limitations on blocking external powers, so there’s no escaping the World Tree’s interference.”

“Oh!!”

“Only in this heart can all powers be completely blocked.”

Now it made sense.

I understood Cheon Woo-jin’s words, but at the same time, I felt incredulous.

“Wait… even so, doesn’t that put me at a disadvantage?! If I truly can’t leave the Heavenly Secret’s heart, won’t it be far better to just use the Tetragrammaton in the outskirts and start my 31st life from there?!”

“What do you want me to do about that?! Wait until the universe collapses again?!”

“…….”

As I shouted, Cheon Woo-jin sighed.

“Don’t give up too soon. There are ways, and that’s why I brought you here.”

“Ways?”

“If you’re just going to go for a quick restart, you’d be right. But that’s abandoning this life midway, isn’t it? There is a way to save you while also escaping from the Heavenly Secret.”

Finally, the main point was coming!

I sighed in relief and said,

“Then tell me! No more beating around the bush.”

When I urged him, Cheon Woo-jin gaze softened a little, and he said,

“Before that, I want to know something.”

“What is it?”

“I earlier asked if you had a way to save the world that perished due to your reincarnation.”

“Umm…?”

I hesitated. Suddenly, a heavy topic had come up.

‘Oh, right. Cheon Woo-jin asked me that last time, didn’t he?’

He implied it was something that was possible for a Reborn Person and wanted to know my answer.

It felt like a deep philosophical question, so I decided to set it aside at that moment and had barely thought about it since. So when Cheon Woo-jin suddenly threw down a difficult question, I didn’t know how to respond.

But that question wasn’t just something I could avoid forever; it was something I had to face eventually. After thinking deeply for a moment, I spoke.

Do I have a method to save the world that perished due to reincarnation?

‘Well… what would that take? Is there even a way?’

I fiddled with my chin in thought before blurting something out.

“How about reaching the [Throne] and wishing for all of them to be saved? That Almighty [Father] surely can do that.”

Cheon Woo-jin suddenly looked so sad as he spoke.

“That… someone has likely already tried. It’s a plausible answer, but not the correct one.”

“Wait, what?! Someone has already tried?!”

I gasped in surprise and asked back as Cheon Woo-jin nodded.

“Yes. Exactly who did it, I don’t know, but the Heavenly Secret’s records say that. The previous Reborn Person had already attempted it.”

“!!”

“So I’m asking you. You must give an answer different from theirs.”

“Umm!!”

This was turning out to be even more significant than I’d thought?!

Yet outside of wishing to the Almighty God, I couldn’t come up with a good idea…

‘Ah, forget it.

As I pondered, I decided to just throw out whatever came to mind this time as well.

“Then how about going back to the last session and changing it? Can’t I do that?”

“!!”

At that, Cheon Woo-jin looked truly astonished for the first time. He then said,

“I didn’t think you would give such an answer. It might be the closest to the right answer at this moment…”

“Huh? Is it correct?”

“Actually, there is no correct answer to this question. The answer is something you must create.”

“Even so, as the terminal of the Heavenly Secret, I need to check if you’re serious.”

Swoosh

Suddenly, Cheon Woo-jin spread his arms and offered me the raccoon doll he had been holding tightly. When I stared at the doll blankly, Cheon Woo-jin continued,

“You can’t go back to the last session. But if you want, you can expend the Law of Cause and Effect to perform a miracle as the terminal of the Heavenly Secret just once.”

“What kind of miracle?”

As Cheon Woo-jin continued, I swallowed hard.

“You can move the [Great Cycle] to go back to the true past.”

“!!”

“You’ll be able to figure out if your intent is correct, and at the same time, it’s the only way to escape from the heart of the Heavenly Secret.”

What?!

I couldn’t help but widen my eyes at the unexpected revelation. I gasped aloud.

“Is that possible?! All beings can only move the [Small Cycle], and only [Father] can move the [Great Cycle]!”

“Not exactly. Right now, even you are turning the [Great Cycle].”

“That’s true, but…”

“The Heavenly Secret, and if you will it, it’s possible to artificially turn the [Great Cycle] without the trigger of death. However, this method can never exceed the beginnings of the universe, which might mean that it’s not much different from turning the [Small Cycle]. But unlike the [Small Cycle], if you roll the [Great Cycle] to travel to the past, no God can recognize you. You will be recognized as a completely new existence. That’s a tremendous difference.”

I struggled to understand Cheon Woo-jin’s complex words.

“Hey, wait a minute. Can you simplify all that? So how exactly do I go back to the true past?”

“When you receive this raccoon doll, you’ll automatically escape the outer universe. There’s no need for even the Observer’s permission since it’s the power of the Heavenly Secret.”

Cheon Woo-jin maintained both hands out towards me, holding the raccoon doll.

“You will fix the ‘time’ of your 30th life and roll the [Great Cycle] to travel to the past. Spending time in that past, you will eventually arrive at the ‘present’ and meet your companions.”

“Okay!!”

“Moreover, you can change past events to turn them in your favor. It will be a true time travel. And once you become accustomed to this ability, later you can do even more amazing things…”

As I listened to Cheon Woo-jin’s words, I felt something wasn’t right.

“Yeah. Assuming I can go back to the past… but ‘when’ do I go to?”

“Well, I don’t know.”

“You don’t know?”

“Simply turning the [Great Cycle] is an immense privilege. That’s why without setting a specific time for when, you’re going to have to take that risk.”

“…….”

“But I will set a [Knot] right at this time.”

“A Knot?”

“Yes. It could serve as a minimum guideline. That’s also its original purpose.”

“Hmmm…”

Not being able to set the time for when to return—understanding how dangerous that could be even without my intellectual capabilities was easy. If unlucky, I could be flung back to the universe a few million years ago, just like when the ancient Nüwa did.

Could I successfully navigate this challenge?

Deep in thought, I glanced over at the stone statues of Lee Kwang and Lee Hwan-woong beside me.

“What about those guys? Am I going to have them wait here?”

“Of course not. They will also be cast out of here when you turn the [Great Cycle].”

“What?!”

“That’s better for them. Without this extreme method, there’s no way to escape the heart, so why would you go crawling back into the Heavenly Secret?”

That made sense. Yet it seemed like I had just landed myself in trouble, as I frowned.

“Ugh! Then does that mean I have to protect those two’s statues at the moment I go back to the past?”

“That’s your choice.”

“Oh, and when I travel to the past, you’re going to be helping me just like you have been, right?”

“No… I can’t. I cannot exist in the past.”

Cheon Woo-jin added with a slight tone of regret.

“…For the time being.”

So that’s how it is.

I felt like I grasped the situation. Then I reflected on it.

‘This 30th life surely has been a wild ride. I thought other lives were eventful, but this one is particularly so…’

Could I perform well after traveling back to the past?

But this time, it seemed I was out of options. With all that in mind, I had to do my best!

I resolved and turned to Cheon Woo-jin.

“I’ll give it a shot! Let’s go back to the past!!”

Suddenly, I grabbed the raccoon doll tightly with both hands. As I did, I noticed a golden light started to emanate from the doll, and even Cheon Woo-jin’s whole form began to shimmer with that gold as well.

[Baek Woong. Before you go, I’ll set a seal on this.]

Shush Shush Shush

“The mask of Hong Gyun Do-in…”

The mask in my possession began to engulf itself in golden light. The chaotic energy it emitted unfalteringly vanished and calmed down. Cheon Woo-jin said,

“That thing is too dangerous to the world for it to exist. But if you wish, it can be unsealed.”

“Got it.”

“Now, let’s go.”

Cheon Woo-jin transformed into a golden mist and spoke in a strange voice. That voice sounded almost like a chant.

[Heavenly Secret… its true name is the infinite chaos revealed when this world perishes… eternal judge… a being that has existed since before the world was created!! As your terminal, I plead that you… grant permission to Baek Woong to expend the Law of Cause and Effect to turn the [Great Cycle]… ]

Swooosh

[The contract has been established.]

Gradually, I felt the landscapes around me bathe in light until it faded out completely. An eerie silence enveloped everything, making my body feel like it was floating. I found myself momentarily losing consciousness in this sensation.

*

……

An unrecognizable landscape awaited me. And while observing this vista, I already realized that I was not in my reality but someone else’s ‘memory’. My consciousness lingered without substance, merely floating like a ghost.

But I understood where I was.

This breathtaking scene of splendid architecture was unforgettable.

I’d seen this place hundreds of times before.

This was Luoyang.

Kukong

Gruuuu……

A heavy sound echoed as a stone rolled. A massive stone wall stood in the midst of the Imperial Palace of Luoyang, and in front of this wall stood a man dressed in black. He murmured as he closed off space by moving the wall’s door himself.

“Finally… sealed Nyarlathotep within the exterior barrier.”

With that, he sank down to rest on the ground. As if all his energy had drained, he began speaking in disbelief.

“I didn’t expect there to be another mask… If that’s the case, then the true identity of Nyarlathotep must be completely different from what all the Demon Gods think. Perhaps that is… the true secret of the universe…”

The man, who had spoken in an uncertain tone, remained silent for a while. Just then, someone appeared behind him and spoke up.

“You have accomplished all tasks. What are your next plans?”

The ‘someone’ was concealed in darkness, making it impossible to see their form. Yet, the overwhelming magical power emanating from them confirmed they were of Demon God caliber. The man in black replied while seated.

“Now I will engrave this seal into the crevices of history. Hence, no next Reborn Person will have to walk the atrocious path brought about by Nyarlathotep, just like I did.”

“You have quite the obsession. Are you regretting your wrongdoings as the Demon Emperor?”

As ‘someone’ mocked him, the man in black smirked.

“Heh… I was forced into a trap from the start. I had no choice but to do my best to make it this far in a game that was never meant to be fair.”

“……”

“I need someone who can make it here without falling into traps…”

As the man mumbled that, he slowly stood up.

“The true final battle will begin in the next calamity. When the two masks come together and reveal the true Nyarlathotep, we will finally be able to end everything.”

“Very well. I will await the time when the next star gathers.”

Swish!

The entity in darkness abruptly vanished. It completely erased its existence from this space-time. The man dressed in black gazed at the starlit night sky above and murmured.

“Demon God… you will only be a mirage next time as well…”

The man in black clenched his fists tight.

“Do not torment mankind with meaningless hope.”

*

Flash!!

“Ugh!!”

Suddenly, I felt a surge of golden light that brought me back to reality. I struggled to stop and moments later my vision returned to normal as I looked around.

Chirp chirp chirp…

Creak! Creak!!

I found myself in a wild, dense forest that seemed to ooze with vital energy. Suddenly appearing amongst the woods surprised me, but considering the alternatives of bouncing into the universe, I sighed in relief.

“Phew… Is this the past?”

But what was with the ‘someone’ I just saw? It seemed so significant…

Or more to the point, what was the reason for me to have such a memory?

My head was filled with confusion, yet upon noticing the two statues beside me, I cleared my thoughts.

It was Lee Kwang and Lee Hwan-woong.

Seeing their statues made it hard to deny that what I experienced in the heart of the Heavenly Secret was not just an illusion but reality.

“Crap. What do I do with these guys?”

According to Cheon Woo-jin, they were supposed to remain statues for a thousand years. But in my view, waiting idly for a thousand years seemed ridiculous, and I thought I should find a way to get them out quickly.

Swish

I pulled out the wooden armor I had on me. As I reached inside, to my surprise, the armor worked perfectly, and I immediately stuffed Lee Kwang and Lee Hwan-woong inside.

“Interesting. Even with Hermes gone, this still works well. Why?”

I murmured to myself and realized the reason.

‘It’s because I received a blessing from the Constellation.’

Even though Hermes had disappeared, the blessings given by the three Constellations seemed to preserve the functions of the armor. Given that my dealings with the Constellations were useful after all, I secretly felt pleased and smiled.

“Okay, I can use the armor freely… Now I have to figure out where exactly I am.”

With that, I decided to head to higher ground!

Tydaht!

I used the Light Body Technique and swiftly ascended a nearby hill. Once at the top, I scanned the base of the mountain but sensed absolutely no signs of life.

Wooooo

Even as I sensed with my Qi energy, I felt no presence of humans. Only the auras of wild animals were detectable. Without a firm grasp on what era I was in, I felt the need to explore further.

‘What era could this be…?’

Rustle rustle

I walked through the woods while continuing to amplify my energy sense. As I approached the edge of the forest, something caught my eye beyond it.

“What’s that?”

Something massive was seated there. It resembled a humanoid creature but measured over three meters in height. Recognizing that I hadn’t hidden my energy, it seemed to notice me from ten paces away and glanced my way.

The colossal being was clad in bronze armor and wielded a large and imposing bow.

Then, in a booming voice, it spoke directly into my mind.

[Little weak human! This place is dangerous, often invaded by Shao Hao. Hurry back to your village!!]

I immediately recognized the identity of the being.

A legendary warrior of the ancient Giant Race!

“……”

The existence of the Giant Race suggested that this era might be…

I hesitated and shouted to the Giant Race warrior, “Eh… Is there a human Yin Dynasty here?”

The giant warrior erupted into loud laughter.

[Ha ha ha. What country would such a lowly species as you possess? Be grateful that the Yan Emperor has been protecting you from this place!]

“……”

I realized I had traveled far back in time than anticipated.

This place was the battle site of the Great Battle of Taku, and I was currently within the Mythological Age –

Before the heavens and earth were even opened!

I instinctively felt concerned about my situation.

‘Did I just land in a huge problem?!’

While I had some knowledge about the Mythological Age, just hearing the words exchanged was enough for me to quickly grasp the era. Cold sweat rolled down my back.

‘If it’s the era when the Yan Emperor protected humans and the Giants roamed… well before the establishment of the Yin Dynasty! And if Taku is still intact, that means that the Great Battle hasn’t even taken place…

So, how many thousands of years ago is this?!’

No, it might not be just thousands but perhaps ten thousand years back!!

I panicked for a moment but quickly realized what I had to do and smiled slightly.

“Oh dear, I’ve lost my way, and I’m not sure how to get back to the village. Can you direct me?”

At this point, information was crucial. It seemed there was a human village within this area, so heading there to gather information felt like a solid plan.

Then the Giant Race warrior said,

[Don’t make me laugh. I’m a high warrior assigned to guard this place, and I have no reason to entertain your lowly kind. Find your own home!]

“Uh…?”

I cast a sidelong glance at my surroundings. I had been to Taku before in the ‘present’, but this time it was filled with dense primordial forest, and bizarre tree shapes abounded. I realized this bizarre forest could be massive and wandering around on my own could lead to significant troubles.

‘Sure, I could mobilize my energy, but that seems too bothersome.’

When I had looked from the cliff earlier, the forest stretched at least twenty li, and the terrain was weird. Plus, wandering around in this forest would take a toll on my energy reserves. I felt an urgent need to woo the Giant.

‘Hmm… This is where I could really use a bribe!’

“Just hold on a moment.”

[So be it.]

I moved away to a hidden part of the forest. Then, from the base of a small cliff, I sought what I had in my armor. Pulling out the armor, as I peered inside, I was taken aback.

“Huh… What?!”

Whoosh!

Before I knew it, I had jumped into the armor. Once inside, I confronted a figure staring blankly at me.

“You… are you okay?! Did you get petrified?!”

The person appeared confused.

“My lord, what happened? Suddenly, I saw the statues of Lee Kwang and some young man enter, and I was startled. As you can see, all the treasures have been petrified.”

“!!”

I hadn’t paid any attention when I put the statues in, but I had not expected this to happen!

I felt flustered yet relieved at this unexpected news.

“Thief Gang! You’re alive!”

The Eight Parts of the Divine Thief Gang!

Out of nowhere, Hermes summoned the fragment of the Crystal Stele and killed the Yacha of the Eight Parts of the Divine, also summoning another Thief Gang member to serve me. After that, they had been training alongside Lee Kwang in the armor, and amid this urgency, I had completely forgotten about them, now realizing by chance they were alive.

‘Well, with a being of the Demon King’s strength residing inside an artifact blessed by the Constellation, it seems even with the supreme magic, the Thief Gang couldn’t be crystallized.’

Feeling slightly irritable about starting alone was overshadowed by a feeling that was like rain in a drought.

I addressed the Thief Gang member.

“But petrification? You said all treasures turned to stone?”

“That’s correct. Look here.”

The Thief Gang member pointed to one corner of the space.

“They’ve all turned completely rigid. Not one has retained function.”

Just as he had said, everything appeared completely petrified stony. And beside those treasures, it seemed the Thief Gang member had tidily organized the statues of Lee Kwang and Lee Hwan-woong.

As I watched the scene, I suddenly realized something.

‘Ah… Come to think of it, I’m completely broke now.’

All my treasures had vanished after using them to knock down the Seven Luminaries, while the treasure trove of the Celestial Realm was offered to Jeon Wook. Ultimately, all I had in my warehouse were the treasures I had collected from the original world, but now even those had turned to stone.

‘What I have left are just the Iron Sword and the mask of Hong Gyun Do-in that I had hastily pulled out…’

It was great to have escaped from the nightmarish outer universe and come to the past, but starting on such a negative note wasn’t promising. Though I could summon the Four Great Spirit Deities from the spiritual realm, using the conventional offerings wouldn’t be possible unless it was a dire situation. Moreover, as powerful as the mask of Hong Gyun Do-in was, it was sealed by Cheon Woo-jin.

But if all my treasures were petrified due to Hermes’ spell, that means I had no bribes to give to the Giant warrior, right?

“Um, Thief Gang. Regarding our current situation…”

I had only the Thief Gang as my comrade and subordinate, so I decided to simply explain everything that had happened until now. The Thief Gang, who had been silently listening, took a moment to think before responding.

“My lord, you’re truly impressive. I never expected you’d jump back past the [Great Cycle] into the age of myths…”

“Haha.”

“However, I’m unsure whether giving that Giant warrior a bribe is a sound strategy, given that he might sense my magic.”

“Wait, you didn’t know that before?”

“My lord likely appeared like an ordinary human, so he probably didn’t pay much mind. But now that I see it, I can hardly sense your divine power, either. You were likely fortunate that your Law of Life and Death nearly ran out when you fought back.”

“Hmmm. I see.”

The Thief Gang warned me with a serious face.

“However, if the level of the upper-tier warrior you mentioned is true, they might detect my existence with just a little effort. Furthermore, the Giant despises Demon Kings, so we might have to fight.”

“Okay!!”

“I don’t have confidence in fighting an upper-tier warrior of the Giant Race. You might have a chance, but you’re risking it, so please avoid combat if possible.”

I was taken aback by the Thief Gang’s counsel.

“What?! An upper-tier warrior of the Giant Race is that strong?”

“Yes. The reason our Eight Parts of the Divine were able to thrive in history is that in the great battles of the ancient era, powerful beings and upper beings were either forced to retire or sealed away. To say nothing of the sheer power of the Giant Race, especially one of their upper warriors—they’re certainly stronger than the Demon King.”

“……”

When I had confronted them previously, I hadn’t felt overwhelmingly pressured, but clearly, they could also effectively hide their true auras. If humans were ever to face the Giant Race head-on, chances were we would either go insane or perish abruptly.

I declared firmly.

“Even so, that makes it even more imperative to negotiate with them and offer a bribe! Building a good relationship with someone that strong will be beneficial, no?”

“Hmmm… But as you can see, everything’s petrified and nothing is usable. That mask of Hong Gyun Do-in is a suspicious object; unsealing it may well be unwise—he wouldn’t want it.”

“It would have been nice if we had the core of the World Tree.”

I reflected in disappointment. I had once possessed the core but sacrificed it as an offering to enter the Heavenly Secret. If it had been the core, it might not have been petrified, and I regretted the loss.

“Is there no other way?”

“Well… If you could use your divine ability freely, you could possibly reverse the petrification with it, but I remember you had bad news on that front.”

“Yes. I can no longer manipulate it precisely. I think my divine power is nearly depleted now, too…”

“Generating back lost treasures… Ah!!”

The Thief Gang seemed to have a brainwave and suddenly called out to me.

“My lord! You mentioned acquiring Chi You’s powers earlier, right?

“Yes. I can summon the turtle shell.”

Swish

Using Chi You’s power, I summoned the shell, and the Thief Gang’s eyes widened with delight.

“Oh! It’s true! Just as I’ve seen before.”

“You’ve seen it before?”

“As you know, I served under Chi You in the past. Having served him diligently over the years, I’ve seen him wearing that shell since he was human.”

“!!”

“Though I haven’t seen him wear it since he became a deity…”

Wow?!

This was completely unexpected, and my eyes widened. I rapidly inquired,

“How did he use the turtle shell? Chi You granted me the power, but didn’t explain how to wield it.”

“That turtle shell possesses power in commerce. I’ve watched as Chi You wrote something on it, and treasures would either vanish or spontaneously materialize; their states would shift significantly.”

I stared, dumbfounded by the Thief Gang’s words.

“Really? It disappears out of nowhere? Is that connected to requesting whatever you want? But how could something vanish…?”

“Yes, according to what I’ve heard, that power must be utilized like a commercial transaction. If you think smartly, you can benefit; otherwise you’ll just end up with equal trade. Beyond that, I’ve not heard further details.”

“Commerce… equal trade… huh…”

Is this power really hidden?

I was struggling to grasp it when I recalled my earlier request.

“Huh? So, why not use allegories instead? Just sell it easily.”

Just then, the Thief Gang, who had been monitoring our discussion, interjected casually, adding his own twist.

[How about setting it as a Demon Head instead?]

Both I and the Thief Gang turned around in unison to see Yu Mang casually speaking while wiping the blood from his axe.

[Since you seem to have business in this Taku, and it looks like we’ll have plenty of dealings, why not set the Demon heads as your currency? It would fit given that you’re going to be fighting the evil factions here.]

“Are you referring to the heads of those monsters or beasts?”

[Correct.]

That seemed reasonable.

Trading with the heads of evil foes sounded a lot better than using human life.

I said to the armor,

“I’ll set the currency unit as Demon Head.”

[The sale unit for the demon of the Book of Transformation has been newly set.]

[You have gained 37,560 Demon Heads as revenue.]

“…… The character inscriptions are getting weird now… Can I just use the numbers I know?”

[According to the user’s command, the numbering will be adjusted going forward.]

“37560 Demon Heads gained!”

Awesome. The basics were settled!

“Can I use the Demon Heads I have now to dispel the petrification of the Divine Sword?”

[To undo the petrification of the Divine Sword requires 12,185,000 Demon Heads.]

“Ugh, that’s pricey…”

Even for just one lousy book, I needed to pull off a bunch of those to consider attempting to reverse the Divine Sword’s petrification!

I gazed blankly at the armor, when Yu Mang said,

[Right now, all of your treasures are probably devalued because of the petrification curse. Thus, relieving the petrification on a valuable treasure would allow you to sell it at an even better price.]

“Ah, so that means the book I just sold was also worth less than its original value?”

[Of course. Being petrified means a book with no functional use has lost all its value. You sold it at a ludicrous price.]

“Hmmm.”

That made sense!

I suddenly grasped the purpose of this power. Just the thought excited me as I turned once more to Yu Mang.

“Sorry, but right now I have no way to offer you the rare bribe you seek…”

[Of course. So if you all right, I’d like to ask you to undertake a bounty request to eradicate monsters in Taku.]

“A bounty request?”

Yu Mang crossed his arms.

[You may not be as strong as me, but you could still handle solid tasks. I don’t feel like cleaning up the trash myself, so why don’t you eliminate the monsters roaming this area?]

“……”

It was an unexpected twist I hadn’t considered.

I assessed Yu Mang’s offer and thought it would be convenient, but then felt the need for clarification.

“That’s very generous of you. But if we happen to be evil, what if we start killing humans in Taku?”

Yu Mang chuckled as if in disbelief.

[Heh heh… Is that really a worry?]

“Huh?”

[The truth is, while I can protect, I find these humans in Taku useless. There’s no way you could go through trash like that and kill regular low-level humans.]

“?”

Crack crack

After laughing at my ignorance, Yu Mang started walking slowly toward the exit of the armor.

[Once you’ve wiped out enough monsters, come back to me. I’ll make sure to reward you.]

After Yu Mang left, I turned to the Thief Gang.

“Are you alright after getting hit with that axe?”

“My power is healing, so I’m fine. Don’t worry about it.”

As Thief Gang reassured me, I noticed the gash on his chest had swiftly begun to heal. If he was indeed right, Yu Mang seemed to have been lenient, as if he’d pulled his punches.

‘Despite knowing there’s a vast gap between upper beings, this holds true…’

You could almost consider the Thief Gang a demon king and one of the Eight Parts of the Divine. Combined with the Demon King status, he held an immense threat that could lead to the collapse of major empires. Yu Mang is likely the kind of being that could shred even the strongest divine back with no strain.

I shared with the Thief Gang,

“For now, there’s really no other option. Given Yu Mang’s power, it’s nearly impossible for us to sneak out of this forest without confrontation, so as he said, let’s go eliminate the monsters.”

“I’m on board. But…”

“But what?”

The Thief Gang cast his gaze back toward the pile of petrified treasures before saying,

“I think it’d be wise to practice that commercial power a bit more first before heading out. If we gather money, we can secure better gear.”

“I’d assume unsealing the Divine Sword or the Amano Habaekiri is part of that.”

“That would probably work.”

Having a famous sword wouldn’t be a bad advantage.

The Thief Gang continued, his demeanor taking on a much more serious tone, reminiscent of a seasoned advisor.

“If Yu Mang is that strong, the monsters of the Mythological Era might also pose a significant challenge. It’d be prudent to decrease our odds of failure as much as possible.”

“That’s a fair point.”

I nodded at the Gang’s insight.

‘He appears wise enough to provide counsel without leading me astray.’

Deciding against leaving all that treasure unused inside the armor, it felt like a good time to sort it out.

“Let’s see… considering I’ve got a ton of ancient tomes stacked in the Shaolin Temple’s library, trading these en masse might get me what I need at once. If I get around 400 of them, maybe I can unseal the Divine Sword’s curse….”

As I started to glance over at the stack of tomes, the Thief Gang gasped in horror.

“That won’t do!”

“Why not?”

“Consider what Yu Mang said earlier. All these treasures are innately valuable, but they’ve been devalued due to petrification. If you were to sell hundreds of them, you would ultimately lose out. If you manage to unseal them all later, you could obtain much more.”

“Oh!!”

“I could test the waters and sell just a couple, but doing so in bulk would be running the risk of loss. The better route would be to fully revive all the petrified items first before selling them.”

It finally dawned on me!

I had finally realized that I had been about to miss out on a golden opportunity.

That would have indeed been a poor decision, yet here’s the twist; I needed to act smart so I still had options available!

Turning my attention back to the Thief Gang, I nodded resolutely.

“You’ve made a good point. Thus, let’s go ahead with this plan of action!”