1165——————==

Soul of the Evil God

‘Why the heck is he here?!’

I felt a chill run down my spine at Krishna’s sudden appearance. It was just so unexpected, and I was all too aware of how significant a divine being he was and how powerful his avatar could be.

Clenching my fists

Remembering that my comrades had died because of him made my anger burst forth like a geyser.

‘Krishna’s other form, the Divine Avatar Arjuna! Because of him, hundreds of thousands of soldiers from the Great Bear Empire have died or been injured, and so many of my companions are gone.’

But for some reason, I sensed that now wasn’t the time to argue about it. It was that tone he used just a moment ago.

‘That guy is addressing me as the Wheel King, the ruler of the underworld. To divine beings, appearances don’t matter… I just witnessed his power to seal the true names of the Kotoamatsukami in the Book of Life and Death, bringing death upon them.’

So, although the Wheel King’s possession was lifted just moments ago, he didn’t know that yet, so he naturally had to treat me as the Wheel King and not Baek Woong. I thought I should take advantage of this fact and calmly replied.

“A truce, you say?”

Krishna said.

“Indeed. The Divine Temple suspects your overwhelming animosity towards Emperor Gong Sun Xuanwen, but they believe you both need a moment to catch your breath.”

“……”

“I’m not sure what your relationship is with Baek Woong, the owner of that body, but here and now, how about we call off any excessive disputes? This is the will of the Emperor, so I expect a wise answer.”

“A wise answer, huh.”

I replied with a sneer.

“And what if I don’t give you a wise answer? Should I just kill you right here and send you as a gift to the Divine Temple?”

Swish

As I said that, I picked up the Book of Life and Death. I could see Krishna visibly flinch and grow uneasy. Then he quickly extended one hand towards me and said,

“Stop! Don’t use that third eye to see me! If I’ve been rude, I apologize, Wheel King.”

“……?”

Flap

As I pretended to flip through the pages of the Book of Life and Death, Krishna’s pupils shrank a little.

Flinch

Huh? What’s up with him? It seems Krishna reacted properly to my threat, but there’s something else going on here. His concern seemed more about the Wheel King’s third eye than the Book itself.

‘Hmm… Krishna is just an avatar of the Old Ruler, so even if his true name is exposed to that third eye, it shouldn’t reflect his real identity, right? Why is he so scared?’

There seems to be some fear associated with the Wheel King’s presence that only the Old Rulers would know about. Unfortunately, I didn’t inherit all of Mangnyang’s memories when I received his powers, so I’m still not fully aware of the Wheel King’s true strength.

‘Maybe I should try attacking Krishna right here…’

Or should I keep the conversation going for now?

‘…Nah. I can’t afford to gamble when I can’t even use the Book of Life and Death properly yet. I should wait until I know how to use it and then try.’

After some hesitation, I decided to proceed with the conversation.

“A truce would mean that the Guang Chengzi, who is currently attacking Fuxi and Nüwa, would also withdraw from the assassination of Fuxi, right?”

There’s no point in just getting angry with Krishna. Even though I’d love to smash his face in right now, I need to secure an advantage in this situation to keep my allies safe. If I’m leading this group, I have responsibilities to fulfill first.

“I didn’t think you’d care about that. Well, seeing as you’re wearing the jade crown, it seems Baek Woong has become the Jade Emperor…”

Krishna said with a smirk.

“Very well. Guang Chengzi shall retreat soon. After all, killing Fuxi right now wouldn’t help either.”

“Are you just being nice? There’s no guarantee Guang Chengzi can defeat Nüwa.”

“Heh! In ancient times, Nüwa was definitely not someone who could be beaten, but nowadays, it’s the end times. She is no longer an overwhelming presence.”

Krishna said and waved his hand through the air. For a moment, I caught a glimpse of the battle between Guang Chengzi and Nüwa, and it looked like Guang Chengzi was about to retreat from space.

“I did as you asked. Now you accept the truce.”

I replied curtly.

“Is that enough? I have two more requests.”

“…You’re quite greedy.”

“If you don’t want to, then forget it. I want to twist the Emperor Gong Sun Xuanwen’s neck right now!”

Crack

As I tightened my fist so hard my knuckles bled, Krishna looked at me with a slightly sour expression. Here I was pretending to be the Wheel King, and it seemed like he was completely oblivious. Finally, he reluctantly replied.

“Fine. Go ahead.”

Though I was laughing internally, I kept my angry expression and said,

“I read all of Baek Woong’s memories. Among them, the ‘clue’ you mentioned… it was something about ‘When the end comes, all masks will be removed.'”

I clearly remembered it. Since I had seen my comrades’ memories, I knew that Krishna had originally shared the ‘clue’ he was responsible for, as per Zhuge Sha’s request. However, its meaning was even more ambiguous, leading Zhuge Liang and the others to struggle to define it precisely. Its interpretation could vary widely.

‘If I clarify this clue’s meaning, I may get one step closer to unraveling the Emperor’s plot.’

This was perhaps one of the most valuable pieces of information I could get from Krishna.

“……”

“Explain the true meaning of that phrase. This is my first request.”

Surprisingly, Krishna seemed taken aback.

“Wheel King, I didn’t think you would want to know that meaning. It seems unrelated to you, the ruler of the underworld.”

“That is for me to judge.”

“Very well. Since the end is near and the evil god has already broken the game, it hardly matters.”

Krishna’s subsequent words were somewhat shocking, and I had to maintain a neutral expression.

“All the masks worn by the Three Sovereigns can be removed at the moment the end approaches, and the Emperor can summon them to his Divine Temple as he pleases.”

“……?!”

“Of course, those who were wearing them have no means of resisting that summoning. With any power at all. Because it’s as if they agreed to be summoned from the very beginning when they put on those masks. The law of cause and effect means they have to follow suit.”

“So, what happens when the masks are removed?”

At this, Krishna smiled mysteriously.

“The Sovereigns will find their essence, while the Three Sovereigns will be transformed into chaotic beings. A simple matter.”

“……”

“Of course, given the chaos unleashed by the evil god, even those masks would hold little meaning now. The Emperor has ceased to be troubled by the evil god and has become the overwhelming victor in this world to the extent of freely sending heavenly demons into the world.”

The implication that they hold no real meaning…

That meant the ‘masks’ were the curse and trap laid upon the Three Sovereigns by Emperor Gong Sun Xuanwen. Most likely, the majority of the Three Sovereigns were aware of that fact, but hearing the specifics of the trap right now was quite startling.

‘…Then.’

The reason the Three Sovereigns were missing from the world of the Master of the Twelve Joules was because the ‘masks’ had forcibly summoned them to the Divine Temple?

‘This can’t be. By that reasoning, the Three Sovereigns could be eliminated at any moment as the end approaches!’

But something felt off. That was due to the events that took place in the Land and Earth Diagram.

In the Land and Earth Diagram, Emperor Gong Sun Xuanwen couldn’t use any other tricks but to summon the Three Sovereigns and confront them head-on after breaking into the Divine Temple. I knew that because I had watched that battle, the Emperor had no other options but to go for an all-out confrontation with the Three Sovereigns, realizing that there was no other choice. If he had other tricks up his sleeve, he wouldn’t have spent his trump cards in summoning the Outer God ‘Coming Chaos’ at the last moment, either.

On top of that, it wasn’t just that. Having the experience of past lives, I knew that even 500 years ago, different Three Sovereigns often went against Emperor Gong Sun Xuanwen’s will or blocked his path. Yet the Emperor could not directly intervene; he could only read the law of cause and effect without using any direct means.

That meant that the trap of the ‘masks’ placed upon the Three Sovereigns couldn’t just activate whenever the Emperor wanted, no matter how powerful he was.

As I followed that line of thought, I felt a shiver run down my spine.

‘Could it be… there’s some kind of ‘restriction’? Perhaps it can only activate at the end times.’

I couldn’t help but tremble at the one possibility that surfaced in my mind.

Because there was an event that was practically a signal flare for the end.

And as I had predicted, the Emperor probably held an overwhelming advantage since the dawn of civilized China, thousands or even tens of thousands of years ago.

While I was lost in thought and silence, Krishna spoke up.

“I’d like to hear your last request, Wheel King.”

“…Last one.”

We really had to agree to a truce. Although the authority of the Wheel King was momentarily close to extinction due to the resurrection of the underworld, Krishna in front of me did not know that. Asking for a truce at this moment was quite generous, but I was taking advantage of that gap to secure as many conditions as possible.

Though I pondered briefly on my final request, I realized I had to keep it reasonable. After all, since it was just a request for a truce, I couldn’t ask for anything too excessive, as he wouldn’t agree to it, and I couldn’t push my luck too far. It was wise to find a compromise at an appropriate level.

‘What should I ask for?’

After a moment’s thought, I unwittingly opened my mouth.

“Krishna, why are you a hypocrite?”

Oh crap. That doesn’t seem right.

But for some reason, no other question came to mind…

“……!!”

Krishna’s eyebrows twitched. I glared at him and said,

“If you’re a dog of the Divine Temple, wouldn’t it have been easier for you to commit evil deeds from the start? Why did you play the hypocrite, changing diapers and caring for orphans while doing good for the unfortunate people of the western capitals?”

Krishna fell silent.

I continued,

“And yet the actions you’ve taken all led to the innocent, normal humans of the western regions getting caught up in the magic path and dying, while the soldiers and talents of the Great Bear Empire were slaughtered by the power of your avatar. What else could that be but hypocrisy?”

“That’s surprising. I knew the Wheel King valued the concepts of right and wrong, but I didn’t expect you to discuss the actions of an avatar in such terms.”

“Answer me. Why did you flip-flop between good and evil?”

“……”

While Krishna remained silent, I stared at him intently. Then I realized why I had spontaneously asked this meaningless question. I must have been harboring a strong doubt not just about Krishna’s evil acts, but about his hypocrisy. I thought he was an annoying guy, but maybe he could actually be a decent person. I had contemplated that perhaps he could become an ally in this life. But at that moment, more than ever, I was struck powerfully by the desire to know why Krishna acted hypocritically.

Perhaps distinguishing friend from foe was more important for me, a reincarnated person, than the immediate benefits in front of me.

After a brief moment, Krishna spoke.

“If there is something after the end, would you believe it?”

“What?”

Krishna wore a strangely sad expression.

“I did act hypocritically without a doubt. However, what I sought was ‘preservation.’ For the sake of preservation, good and evil did not matter. Because… every life gives meaning simply through its existence.”

“Meaning through mere existence?”

“Indeed. This universe must be preserved, and all lives must live and continue their flow, regardless of good and evil. It is fate and destiny that life entails suffering. I can feel pity for their pain and exhibit compassion, but I must fulfill my duties as a god.”

“……”

“Long, long ago… an ancient civilization was destroyed by divine wrath, and I too tasted defeat at the hands of the overwhelming forces of chaos. Emperor Gong Sun Xuanwen persuaded me that the defeat of the order faction was fated. And he promised me that if he ascended after the end, he would maintain this world while bestowing the utmost kindness upon the mortals.”

As Krishna spoke, his form slowly began to change.

SSSSS

After a moment, Krishna’s appearance morphed into that of Guang Chengzi.

“For the sake of an ultimate future where all mortals can be happy, I have resolved to walk this path, whether hypocritical or sinister. That is why I, the ‘Preserver,’ cooperate with Emperor Gong Sun Xuanwen.”

Dressed as the Great Immortal of the Celestial Realm of the past, Guang Chengzi pointed his long staff at me.

“Is this an answer, Baek Woong?”

“……”

Did he catch on halfway?

Feeling that Guang Chengzi and Krishna recognized my true identity, I found a sense of relief. I stared at him coldly and said,

“I don’t think so. If all it leads to is an endless cycle of infinite suffering for the unhappy… then that cycle holds no meaning! Nobody wishes to be dragged around suffering abuse!”

Guang Chengzi’s eyebrows twitched.

“You are resolute, but also dismissive of the efforts of all living beings. That’s a form of arrogance reserved for reincarnated individuals alone.”

“It’s not arrogance.”

“Very well, Baek Woong. Then speak.”

PAAAT!

A brilliant light erupted from the tip of Guang Chengzi’s staff. It was an overwhelming power imbued with his divine might.

“Do you think you have the right to extinguish the will of existence in this universe? No matter how much of a reincarnated individual you are, do you really think you have the right to declare the world’s doom?”

Guang Chengzi admonished me sternly, and I shouted back at him.

“I can do it!! Because I’ll destroy this entire world!”

“……!!”

Seeing Guang Chengzi flinch in shock, I continued.

“Regardless of how many times it takes… I will not give up. Even if you have the Emperor as your backing, I will not back down. If the Emperor exists, I will kill him. Even if it means experiencing a thousand lifetimes!”

“How ridiculous. Behind the Emperor lies an even mightier presence.”

“I know. The Coming Chaos.”

“…Are you still intending to resist, knowing that?”

Guang Chengzi continued in disbelief.

“Baek Woong, even if you repeat this hundreds or thousands of times, the Outer God cannot be stopped. You still don’t realize that it’s all meaningless struggle, do you?”

“No. Whether or not I realize it, I will act.”

“…Why? Is repeating meaningless efforts your fate?”

I replied confidently.

“Because I haven’t tried yet.”

“……”

“You won’t know until you try!! Am I right?”

Guang Chengzi seemed at a loss for words.

“This… this is insane…”

As Guang Chengzi stood there with his mouth agape, I continued,

“That’s right. If this continues, I could very well lose to you guys in this life too. That could be my fate. But…”

CRACK

I grasped Guang Chengzi’s staff with my bare hands. As I did, the light hovering in the air began to warp and diminish. I couldn’t fully control it yet, but it seemed like the power of the Wheel King was unconsciously manifesting. As Guang Chengzi looked at me with bewildered eyes, I smiled slyly.

“I’ll at least give the Emperor a solid punch in the face. Got it?”

“……”

PAAAAAT!

Guang Chengzi, as if shaking off my grip, instantly moved away to a distance. Then, he stared at me with a very complex expression, letting out a sigh.

“Truly a madman. You won’t even surpass the entrance to the Divine Temple with your power.”

“That remains to be seen. So are we having a truce or not?”

“…A truce has been established.”

SSSSSS

Guang Chengzi’s form began to fade. He glared at me sharply and spoke in a divine tone.

[Good. If you ever reach the Divine Temple, I will meet you with my true power! I will show you that your convictions are misguided!]

PAAAT

Guang Chengzi disappeared. As I stared at the spot where he had been, I thought,

‘Hmm. The provocation seemed to have worked…’

Originally, Krishna, the avatar within Guang Chengzi, had been shrouded in an unshakeable sense of coldness and cunning, but his last reaction showed he was genuinely stirred by my words. I have a feeling that I made an impact on the great battle at the end times.

“Whatever the case, the situation is settled. We established a truce and got rid of Guang Chengzi, so what now?”

I pondered.

‘Should I head to the Celestial Realm or to Fuxi?’

In the Celestial Realm, my companions are gathered, and if I go to Fuxi, I might receive further information from him. Either way, with Zhuge Liang or Fuxi present, it would be easy to get wise advice. After a moment of thought, I invoked the command.

“O Jade Emperor, send me to the Celestial Realm.”

For now, it seems wiser to consult Zhuge Liang rather than rushing straight to Fuxi. Zhuge Liang will probably grasp my situation more intuitively and give me valuable advice.

Woosh!

A moment later, I appeared right before the throne of the Jade Emperor in the Celestial Realm. This is the function that Fuxi had explained to me; anyone adorned with the Imperial Crown could simply recite a command to instantly move to the throne of the Jade Emperor from anywhere in the world. I stepped out of the royal court and approached my comrades.

“You’ve arrived, Baek Woong.”

As I spent about a meal’s worth of time explaining what had happened to Zhuge Liang and my comrades, Zhuge Liang listened carefully before saying,

“Baek Woong, that’s all good, but do you know what time it is?”

“What?”

“We’ve been watching the clock for the entire time you were gone.”

Zhuge Liang glanced at Sagong Lin, who was standing nearby. Sagong Lin approached me, showing her wristwatch as she spoke,

“It’s already [tomorrow]. An entire hour and five minutes has passed.”

“Oh, no…”

As Sagong Lin looked at me with a mix of concern, she added,

“You’ve reached a point where it wouldn’t be surprising if you died at any moment.”

“……”

Crap… I figured as much.

As I steeled myself, Zhuge Liang continued,

“Since you’ve likely become the ruler of the underworld, the Wheel King, it’s very likely that the prophecy of today’s death has become meaningless. But if you don’t want to simply fidget and wait, there is another way.”

“What is it?”

Zhuge Liang suddenly reached out his hand toward me. As I glanced at that hand, he said,

“First, return my Baek Woong.”

“Oh, right…”

Since Mangnyang had disappeared and the Baek Woong that had fallen there was stored in the Wooden Armor, I returned the Baek Woong to him, and Zhuge Liang smiled satisfactorily.

“Hm. This is what I needed.”

“Anyway, what’s that method?”

“It’s simple.”

Zhuge Liang replied.

“Summon the Four Divine Beasts’ Eungui right here and see if you’ve managed to avoid the fate of death. With your powers right now, it should be easy enough.”