1292——————==

Soul of the Evil God

What’s the deal with Hermes?

I stood there blankly because of a noun I’d heard somewhere but couldn’t quite place. So, I asked back.

“What do you mean? What kind of guy is he?”

“Hmm, the story might get a bit long… since it’s about alchemy, I doubt everyone here will understand it.”

“Huh?”

Seeing Saint Germain’s awkward attitude made me puzzled, and Asura beside me bluntly added,

“Everyone gathered here is merely Eastern Martial Artists. Talking about Western mysticism and alchemy would be torture. So, let’s wrap it up and disband for now.”

“Ah! Everyone, please disband.”

Only then did I understand and called for everyone to disperse. The people who left hurriedly moved the slaves to their accommodations, leaving only me, Asura, Mangnyang, and Saint Germain in the hall.

Saint Germain said seriously,

“Don’t you know anything about Hermes Trismegistus?”

“Um… I feel like I’ve heard of him, but hold on…”

I fumbled through my memories and finally recalled a faint conversation.

“Right! Matteo Ricci from the Jesuits mentioned that the Crystal Stele was the greatest treasure left by that Hermes guy before he ascended. And… um…”

“……!!”

“I don’t quite remember… hmm.”

Honestly, there were way too many memories to sift through. As I crossed my arms thinking, Saint Germain looked flustered and said,

“Matteo Ricci? That guy from the Zodiac came to the Great Ming Empire and met him?”

“Uh? Y-Yeah, that’s roughly it. He seemed to be looking for the Crystal Stele too.”

“Mm! Everyone’s risking their lives…”

“…….”

Ah, I can’t remember anything. So much has happened that it’s hard to recall. But I felt like something had occurred…

I sighed, figuring I was getting nowhere, and said,

“Anyway, about that Hermes guy…”

“Hermes Trismegistus.”

“Let’s just call him Hermes… Anyway, what was his deal? Just give me the gist. If it’s too complicated, I won’t get it.”

Then Saint Germain nodded and explained.

“Hermes is, let’s say, the god of alchemy. By the time I was born, he had already ascended and become a god, and this legendary figure descended to this world through the Crystal Stele.”

“…Hmm. So, you mean, he’s literally a god? An ‘Old Ruler’?”

“That’s a slightly different story…”

Saint Germain paused to collect his thoughts before continuing.

“Currently, the Guardian is protecting humanity from the power of the Old Ruler. However, before the Guardian appeared, the Ancient Gods quietly looked after humanity, and back then, humans had a channel to communicate with the Ancient Gods. The dimension where the Ancient Gods existed was referred to as Titanion or Chronos Distasis. Humans in the West appealed to this channel when the Old Rulers harassed them, barely managing to survive.”

“……”

“Hermes was once a mortal who first gained divinity and transitioned to Chronos Distasis to obtain a divine body, passing down the knowledge of alchemy that originated in Atlantis to humans. He was at least a human from 4,000 years ago and a divine being originating from mortals.”

“Uh, this is confusing… what does that mean…?”

Seeing my confusion, Asura, still crossing his arms, said in a cold voice,

“Baek Woong, this alchemist is making it sound complicated, but it’s simple. He’s like a Demon King, but he received a blessing from the Ancient Gods, becoming quite a high-ranking Demon King.”

“Ah! A Demon King?”

“Yeah. They call him a god, but just by the explanation, he just sounds like a Demon King. However, normally, a Demon King serves the Old Rulers, and his connection to the Ancient Gods is very unusual. He’s definitely not like an Old Ruler.”

“Got it…”

Finally, I understood.

And as I listened to Asura, Saint Germain seemed a bit surprised.

“Someone like you… could it be that you’re a Demon King?”

“What if I am? Alchemist.”

“Uh, no. I can’t feel any magical power from you at all.”

For a moment, a glimmer of bloodlust flashed in Asura’s eyes.

“Heh heh heh… I don’t want to waste my time dealing with someone as insignificant as you, so let me say this.”

Step

Asura walked right up to Saint Germain and unleashed a bit of his killing intent.

“Keep it simple. Baek Woong’s in a tough spot, but someone like you, an expert or a sorcerer, can be found easily anytime. If you’re thinking of using him, I’ll tear you apart first.”

“…Understood.”

I calmed Asura.

“That’s enough. I doubt he meant it maliciously.”

“Hmm. Guys like him will keep climbing on people’s heads unless you give them a warning.”

“I get it, so stop…”

Asura stepped back, and it seemed like Saint Germain’s pale face finally returned to normal. He took a moment to compose himself before explaining again.

“Indeed, Asura is right. If we had to classify him, we could say Hermes is a high-ranking Demon King. However, the term ‘ascension’ is used because he never returned to the human world after crossing into the dimension of the Ancient Gods, which is quite special.”

“Huh? Is that unusual?”

“Yes. Historically, many have risen to the realm of magic and become Demon Kings, but they all colluded with the Old Rulers to become apostles or avatars. However, Hermes is the only one who made a contract with the Ancient Gods and was allowed to live in their dimension.”

Saint Germain continued slowly.

“A Demon King of order, a deity, and an alchemist. Sometimes a messenger of the Ancient Gods. He is undoubtedly a highly unique being. Perhaps that’s why they named him Hermes from myths…”

“Huh? So ‘Hermes Trismegistus’ isn’t really his true name?”

Saint Germain shook his head.

“No. No one knows his true name. He’s such an ancient alchemist that no one is likely to know it. There might be one person who knows, but that person is also legendary, so he wouldn’t be human. His legend has passed down, thus being named after the Hermes known from Greek-Roman mythology.”

“Just one person?”

“His disciple.”

“Disciple, you say…”

At that moment, a memory struck me.

[You idiot. If that’s the case, your talent has surpassed all levels. No human sorcerer has learned the language of the otherworldly race faster than you. Demon King Simon Magus is the head of the Western Landlord doctrines and the god of alchemy Hermes’s disciple, and even he couldn’t learn faster than you.]

Zhuge Sa had mentioned this when he was shocked at how quickly I was mastering summoning techniques! Suddenly, I knew where I’d heard about Hermes. I shouted excitedly.

“Is that Hermes, the master of the Demon King of the Western Landlord doctrines, Simon Magus?!”

“……!!”

Saint Germain’s eyes widened in shock.

“You… you know Simon?! Are you really saying you don’t know much about alchemy or mysticism?”

“Ah… Actually, the sorcerer I know is Simon’s disciple and a heretical sect leader. He mentioned it often.”

Saint Germain looked pale.

“…A disciple of Simon… A being that became a Demon King has taken a human disciple. That’s unheard of.”

“Hmm. Anyway, to summarize, Simon, the Demon King of order, made a contract with an outsider to ascend to the Demon King of chaos. So, disciples are opposing Demon Kings? Both becoming Demon Kings…”

“Exactly. Of course, they are both significantly higher beings than a mere alchemist like me, so I have no idea what they’re thinking.”

Then Saint Germain continued.

“Either way, it seems we’ve cleared up some information on Hermes.”

“I get it. Now explain what it means that this Hermes guy is getting involved in this world by using pieces of the Crystal Stele.”

“Simply put, the story is as it sounds. As I said, Hermes is a messenger of the Ancient Gods and a sort of lower deity. Someone must have intentionally broken the Crystal Stele to use the pieces’ magical power to conduct a summoning ceremony for Hermes.”

“So, you’re saying a powerful Demon King called Hermes whatever has been summoned to this Great Ming Empire?”

“Most likely…”

Saint Germain hesitated a moment before stating.

“The situation where Cheon Woo-jin turned into a black egg can only be seen as Hermes’s summoning being successful. Because that egg is a forbidden alchemical elixir that gathers causality for Hermes.”

“Forbidden alchemy?”

“It’s a sorcery from the ultra-ancient Atlantis era known to be so evil that it was cut off from transmission, but I vaguely know of its existence as an alchemist. The name of this technique is the Eternal Seed (Αιώνιος σπόρος)… That black egg forces its parasitic host to reincarnate as a demon beast, causing massacres, and the souls of the slain become the sorcerer’s power.”

“…….”

“If that black egg was left alone, it would have mutated into a powerful demonic life form, bringing calamity to the world. But we stopped it.”

I was taken aback by Saint Germain’s words.

“What the hell? You’re telling me that guy like Cheon Woo-jin fell for that parasitic technique? What the hell is going on in the Imperial Palace?”

“They probably lured him in with promises of greater power. In fact, having inserted pieces of the Crystal Stele into his body, he would be much stronger than usual.”

As I glanced at Asura, he nodded in agreement.

“That’s true. Although I have gauged my pure might without magic, he was far stronger than the Cheon Woo-jin you remember.”

“Hmm. So those who inserted pieces of the Crystal Stele have become way stronger than before?”

“Perhaps…”

As Asura continued, I could feel a headache coming on.

“If the other Eight Parts of the Divine did that, it might be tough for you alone to charge into the Imperial Palace and wreak havoc.”

“……”

He’s right. Based on the power measured so far, I could charge into the Imperial Palace and gain the upper hand, but if the Demon Kings had enhanced their power through that so-called Eternal Seed, it could be truly dangerous. I spoke anxiously.

“No, but it’s a forbidden magic that turns oneself into a demonic life form? There’s no way those Demon Kings would go that far…”

“Inserting pieces of the Crystal Stele into their bodies can be seen as an act of gaining causality itself. If they’re willing to risk the side effects, it could be something we Demon Kings would be tempted to do. It makes their powers far stronger in the human world and allows for fewer restrictions on their activities…”

“…….”

“Anyway, there’s no point in fretting over it now. Really, the important thing is just one thing.”

Asura’s eyes lit up.

“We need to find out who smashed the Crystal Stele, summoned Hermes, and performed the forbidden ritual with its pieces.”

“Who could it be… Zhuge Yulong or Yacha?”

“Uncertain. They have the capability, but the motivation is unclear.”

“Mm.”

While I was deep in thought, Asura, who had been watching me, said,

“Baek Woong, the situation you feared has come true.”

“What?”

“You’ve been forcibly stifling the world’s changes, but this disturbance in the Imperial Palace cannot be contained indirectly any longer. Whether it works out for better or worse, you will have to confront it directly now.”

“……”

“Choose. If you wait too long, you might not even be able to clean up afterward. From what I observe, if Hermes and the Eight Parts of the Divine join forces, it could spell disaster. While they may not be as powerful as the Old Ruler, they are still renowned Demon Kings.”

“Damn…”

I gritted my teeth. I had come to realize that Asura’s words were entirely correct.

So what should I do?

Should I charge into the Imperial Palace and engage in life-or-death combat with the Eight Parts of the Divine or Hermes Trismegistus?

Struggling with my thoughts, I finally spoke in a subdued voice.

“I don’t want to… No matter how much you say I must confront it directly… It’s ultimately being swept up in the world’s chaos!! Is there truly no other way?”

“Are you afraid of fighting against chaos?”

“Dammit! Who’s scared?!”

I shouted, frustrated.

“It’s obvious!! Even if I somehow defeat them, a stronger enemy will pop up, and ultimately, I’ll face a situation where I can’t manage on my strength alone! I don’t want to escalate things, but can I really ignore that fact!!”

“Mm…”

“If things have gotten to the point where Demon Kings are rampaging, the Old Ruler’s emergence won’t be far off either. Damn it!”

“That’s true.”

Asura nodded as if he understood. But he, too, wore a complicated expression that showed there was nothing he could really say.

What should I do?

I’d prefer to stay out of things, but has it really already escalated to this point?

Just then.

“Then just shrink this mess back down, right?”

Everyone’s gazes shifted to Mangnyang, who had been quiet until now. He was the first to speak up. I was startled and asked him back.

“Shrink the mess down?”

“I roughly understand the context, but Baek Woong, you really have no sense. Trying to single-handedly take down everyone in the world is one thing, but expecting to beat them all up directly leaves you in a hell of a challenge in difficulty…”

Mangnyang, muttering sadly, continued his thought.

“In this case, it would be more prudent to deduce why those Demon Kings are summoning Hermes and the circumstances prompting that summoning.”

“Huh? Obviously to strengthen their own forces…”

“No. Didn’t you tell me before that the ancient demonic creatures were clashing with the Eight Parts of the Divine in the Imperial Palace? Then at some point, the ancient demonic creatures were freed, and the Eight Parts of the Divine initiated the transfer of the capital?”

“Well, that’s true.”

“And after hearing the next part, the alchemist from the palace was summoned here and killed, and what they left behind was that they advanced the research using that ‘ancient demonic creature.’ If that’s the case, the ancient demonic creature was definitely taken down by the Eight Parts of the Divine.”

“Ah.”

“From here, we can make a guess. Is it really possible they could have taken down the ancient demonic creature without any damage? I think not. If they could do so without suffering any consequences, they wouldn’t have taken the reckless step of shattering the Crystal Stele to summon Hermes. There’s probably a reason they’re so eager to summon Hermes: they are likely lacking in power, meaning the Eight Parts of the Divine must’ve taken quite a toll in that battle with the ancient demonic creatures.”

“……!!”

I felt pulled into Mangnyang’s logical deductions.

‘Wow, exactly.’

That makes sense?!

While I was astonished, Mangnyang continued.

“You have indirectly inflicted significant damage on the Imperial Palace. By killing all of the Golden Eagle Guards, you sealed their subordinates, cleared out the Great Thunder Valley’s prisoners, and assassinated the alchemist researching the Portrait Immortal, and your mysterious strong adversary has kept Zhuge Yulong and the Eight Parts of the Divine from focusing on that ancient demonic creature. Indeed, your actions have unknowingly influenced the amount of damage the Eight Parts of the Divine suffered. If they had concentrated solely on the battle, they would have sustained much less injury.”

“Is that so…?”

“So right now, the summoning of Hermes in the Imperial Palace is a direct result of your actions. So, there’s no need to panic; rather, it should be something to be happy about. This is only because the Imperial Palace now finds itself in a significant crisis and has no choice but to come out forcefully.”

“Hmm… So how do I shrink the scope?”

“Very simply.”

Mangnyang opened his fan and lit up with curiosity.

“From now on, just ignore whatever crazy things the Imperial Palace does. And strive to make the Eight Parts of the Divine leave the Palace.”

“……?!”

“The problem with the Imperial Palace is precisely because many Demon Kings, the Eight Parts of the Divine, are crawling with power there. If those guys abandon the human realm, peace will return to the world, and Hermes’s summoning will become irrelevant. Of course, in the process, you must avoid fighting with the Eight Parts of the Divine. If you end up fighting, you are essentially creating a reason for them to stay in this world.”

“…….”

“Reducing the number of strong opponents without fighting is how you shrink the scope.”

Not just me, but even Asura listening seemed surprised, his eyes wide. I asked in disbelief.

“How can we even do that? How do we make them leave?”

“This will also become clear if we assess the reasons behind the situation. What brought the Eight Parts of the Divine to settle in the Imperial Palace?”

“That’s probably because they forged an alliance with Zhuge Yulong, the master of the dark forces in the Imperial Palace.”

“Why would those powerful Demon Kings team up with my utterly pathetic father, Zhuge Yulong?”

“Uh… Well, perhaps it’s because their lord, Chi You, wanted that. They likely wanted to keep a covert grip on the nation’s history, responding to Zhuge Yulong’s requests.”

“So where is Chi You, their lord now?”

“……”

I swiftly glanced over at Asura. After sighting Asura nodding calmly, I opened my mouth.

“He’s gone. He was annihilated. But the Eight Parts of the Divine believe he’s merely missing.”

“Hmm… Was that the case all along…?”

Mangnyang grinned and continued.

“Then the reason the Eight Parts of the Divine are reluctantly sticking to the Imperial Palace isn’t because of loyalty to Zhuge Yulong but rather their own anxiety about not having a master. In other words, it’s as if they intend to make ‘a place for their lord’s return.’ Wouldn’t you say?”

“Hmm…”

“Therefore, the solution is simple. Spread rumors that the missing Chi You is in a place he can never return to. Let them buy into it. Knowing the psychology of these kinds of beings, they would likely fall for it without issue.”

“Huh?! A place he can never return?!”

“If we send them all there, then at least while we’re alive, he won’t be able to return. There’s no cleaner way than this.”

Mangnyang shrugged.

“I’ve thought it out to this point, but beyond that, my imagination fails me. However, with your stature as the village chief, I bet you know at least one such spot…”

“……”

“If you just let me know such a place, I can devise the rest of the plan.”

At that moment, one specific location crossed my mind.

Before I knew it, I mumbled,

“The Outer Dimension…”

Saint Germain, who had been listening, was suddenly shocked.

“Y-You mean, as a mortal, you know how to get to the outer dimension? An unbelievable genius…”

All I needed to do was get past the ‘Guardian’ at Aokigahara Life Sea.

Of course, knowing how to get there and actually doing it were two different things. But if I’m not going, then it wouldn’t matter to me.

“I know, more or less…”

I barely answered, and as I listened to Mangnyang, I felt my interest steadily piquing. I finally said,

“Mangnyang, I do know the place leading to the outer dimension. Tell me how we can lure them there.”

Mangnyang replied confidently,

“That’s incredibly simple. An act easily achievable by human effort. If they’re significantly pressed psychologically due to your activity, they could easily fall for it.”

“How?”

Mangnyang grinned and said,

“Spread a song honoring the great Chi You across the entire Central Plains… Heh heh.”

And so, the next day, Mangnyang’s plan began.