1324——————==

Soul of the Evil God?!

I was taken aback by the unexpected statement. So, in a bewildered tone, I retorted, “What do you mean by that? The Sword Demon was the supreme being of the Heretical Sect, but in reality, he was more of a figure caught between righteousness and evil. There’s no way he could commit such massacres!!”

“Whatever you say, that’s already a part of history. I have no reason to deceive or distort that. His great slaughter caused the Martial World to decline significantly, making it hard for our Seo Mun family to raise our heads in this world.”

Seo Mun-gbaek wore a slightly gloomy expression.

“Moreover, in a world where martial arts have become so important, sins have become an even greater burden.”

“What do you…”

“You just said there’s no time to find Dr. Faust, yes?”

Seo Mun-gbaek looked at me and spoke in a voice that seemed to cast a spell.

“I’m extremely tired today. I don’t just want to clock out but I’d prefer not to debate this with you.”

“……”

It was clear that finding Dr. Faust was more important now; discussing the past deeds of the Sword Demon with the current heir of the Seo Mun family was certainly out of place. I nodded and said, “Alright. But please make sure to tell me all the details when you return.”

“Why are you so obsessed with knowing?”

“I’m a companion of the Sword Demon. He was someone who lived alongside me in my time. I can guarantee he could never be the kind of person who would do that.”

“Ha… Just leave.”

Seo Mun-gbaek stared at me with an incredulous look, as if I was speaking nonsense, then quickly gathered his documents and clothes and stormed out. I could have stopped him, but it didn’t seem like the right moment.

“First, I need to find Dr. Faust.”

This world was beyond the universe. Even if many things were similar to the world I came from, history was bound to be different. With only a month left, I couldn’t afford to become curious about everything. I knew from experience that if I wasted time pondering unnecessary things instead of handling my priorities, I would regret it later.

“Finding Dr. Faust comes before the Heavenly Altar.”

As I left the headquarters, I spoke to the void.

“Nailatop, send me to the headquarters of the Human Alliance in Antarctica!”

[Understood.]

Whoosh!

The moment my words finished, I was teleported to a vast continent filled with white glaciers. Instead of buildings, I saw what looked like an underground door leading somewhere. It was shut with a steel protective barrier, but based on my experience, a rectangular iron plate would open to reveal stairs going down.

I shouted in a somewhat loud voice.

“My name is Baek Woong! I’m from the Northeast Asia Liberation Army!”

After a long silence, a mechanical intercom voice came from below.

[You came immediately after making contact? Did you use teleportation technology?]

“Nailatop sent me.”

[As expected… I will let you in.]

Creeeak – screech

The heavy iron door opened, revealing the staircase leading down, just as I had predicted. I stepped down and as I entered, the steel curtain closed behind me, enveloping me in darkness. But shortly after, artificial light filled my vision, and I continued down the passageway made of steel walls, following the fluorescent lights.

How long did I walk? Armed soldiers were waiting in front of me, guns drawn, and dozens of guards were on alert. At the front was a middle-aged military man who spoke to me.

“Are you really Baek Woong?”

“That’s right!”

“To enter our headquarters, you must first undergo virus and alien scans. Do you consent?”

“Do as you wish.”

Beeep –

I passed through what felt like red light several times. After what seemed like a temperature test, the middle-aged man greeted me.

“You’re not a disguised alien. Nice to meet you, I am Vladimir, the Vice Commander of the Human Alliance and former Commander of the Russian Army.”

“Vice Commander Vladimir… Nice to meet you.”

I responded briefly. Vladimir looked at me skeptically.

“You’re quite the delicate boy. Are you really the martial artist from the Absolute Realm who annihilated the Partelequians invading Guangdong Province?”

“One shouldn’t judge a person simply by appearances. Seo Mun-gbaek would have guaranteed my credentials, so no need for unnecessary suspicion.”

“…Hmm. Follow me. I’ll guide you to the Commander.”

I raised an eyebrow at Vice Commander Vladimir’s words.

“What do you mean? I clearly said I wanted to see Dr. Faust.”

“The Commander said he would meet you with Dr. Faust himself.”

“……!!”

“It should work out well for you, so just follow me.”

Dr. Faust?

In disbelief, I followed Vladimir. Gradually passing through the walls that turned white, I entered a building that seemed to incorporate advanced scientific technology, and went down an elevator leading underground.

Dookuung –

Arriving at the lowest floor, I entered a room where two strange individuals were sitting at a conference table, waiting for me. The man with black hair sitting directly across from me spoke.

“Are you Baek Woong?”

“……”

It was evident to me that the man sitting next to the black-haired man was Dr. Faust. It was because he wore a very distinctive outfit that I recognized.

‘The plague doctor mask…!! It’s Dr. Faust!’

When I met him back in my time, he wore that white mask with a beak! I never expected he would still be wearing it 500 years later, but now I was about to meet Faust.

The issue lay with the black-haired man who just spoke to me. I felt his Qi was extraordinarily powerful and replied.

“Indeed. You must be the Commander of the Human Alliance?”

“That’s right.”

The black-haired man answered in a flat tone.

“I’m Lee Hon, the Commander of the Human Alliance and previously the Commander of the Korean Empire Army. The person next to me is Dr. Faust, whom you’re looking for.”

As I looked at Faust, he lightly bowed his plague doctor mask in a nod. I briefly averted my gaze from Faust and asked Lee Hon.

“Strange… The Commander of the Human Alliance wasn’t Ha Eun-cheon?”

“……?”

Lee Hon tilted his head and replied.

“That’s a name I’ve never heard before. Did you perhaps come to the wrong place?”

“Um… So it seems.”

Something felt off. From what I knew, the Commander of the Human Alliance should have been that Twelve Joules Ha Eun-cheon. He had no reason to lie like this. I considered that this world might be different from what I knew and continued speaking.

“Also, Lee Hon, were you not a Reclusive Expert from Goryeo known as the ‘Fist Saint’?”

I’m no fool!

I already had information about that person!

‘Yeon Jong-hwi gathered the information. The future Fist Saint Lee Hon was indeed from Goryeo…!!’

Moreover, Lee Hon’s appearance was exactly the same as the dummy I saw in Yi Seong-gye’s Combat Training Room! As the Asura said, Lee Hon was undoubtedly connected to the Twelve Joules. I never expected him to be the current Commander of the Human Alliance, but I knew there had to be a lot to learn about him, just as with Dr. Faust.

“Goryeo…!!”

Lee Hon flinched at the mention of Goryeo and smiled wryly.

“Yes, I was called Fist Saint, and that name is still used. However, I’m of the Joseon royal family and have no connection to Goryeo.”

“……?”

I was taken aback and asked.

“Joseon…? What’s that country about?”

“Um? You’ve never heard of Joseon?”

I shook my head vigorously.

“I’ve truly never heard of such a country! The only thing I know is Goryeo.”

“Hmmm… So you must be from an even more distant past than Dr. Faust predicted.”

Lee Hon muttered that while glancing at Faust, who then spoke in a cold tone.

“According to Mephistopheles’ calculations, he likely came from 500 years ago. However, if he comes from an even earlier time, it could be during the transition period between Goryeo and Joseon. He could be a martial artist from a time even before you.”

“Is that so…? It’s truly the end times, with hermits appearing one after another all around the world.”

Looking bored, Lee Hon smiled and said to me, “I didn’t want to give you a history lecture, but Joseon was established after Goryeo fell to Yi Seong-gye. It seems you’re a bit confused…”

“……”

What? That can’t be…

I thought in confusion.

‘What’s going on? I’m certain that Lee Hon lived during Goryeo, yet what’s this about Joseon? Yi Seong-gye should be the one who colluded with Jeong Do-jeon to become part of the Goryeo aristocracy and would never have destroyed Goryeo!’

Something was profoundly different from what I knew.

As I pondered over this unusual discomfort, it felt like my head was going to burst.

“Damn it. I’m not that well-versed in history, so trying to figure this out won’t lead me to the truth. I guess I’ll need to ask Zhuge Hyun…”

But then I decided to let it slide for now. That wasn’t the important matter at hand.

“…I don’t care about history anymore. I just want to talk to Dr. Faust and you, Lee Hon.”

“We came to talk, so feel free to continue as long as you’d like, Master of Half-Transition.”

“Seo Mun-gbaek must have reported everything.”

“It wasn’t necessary for a report; I could tell as soon as I saw you that you were from the Absolute Realm.”

“That makes sense.”

I remembered the serene flow of Qi around Lee Hon, and the aura of the Intent Heavenly Pillar that briefly shone before me.

“You too must be from the Absolute Realm.”

The Lee Hon who would be the future Fist Saint and one of the Ten Great Masters in my time was currently maintaining his peak physical condition in this world after five hundred years!

Lee Hon then spoke up.

“That said, even I couldn’t achieve the incredible accomplishments you did against the Partelequians. Was that overwhelming martial art you showed, a technique from the Thunder God Lineage of the White Lotus Sect?”

I nodded at his words.

“That’s correct. I’m from the Thunder God Lineage. So you are familiar with the Four Great Families.”

“I am, but in my time, the Four Great Families were nearly wiped out, and the White Lotus Sect vanished without a trace. I don’t know if that legacy has continued into this era.”

“…Huh? W-What do you mean?”

I stuttered slightly and replied, “You mean the Master of the White Lotus Sect Dokgo Uncheon and the Dharma Protectors are no longer living?”

“……?”

Lee Hon said, puzzled.

“Dokgo Uncheon… That name sounds vaguely familiar. But if I don’t know of him, he probably wasn’t a martial artist in my time. Since he hasn’t shown up until this close to the end of times, he must have aged and died away amid the flow of time.”

I couldn’t help but yell in disbelief.

“That can’t be true!!”

“Why is that?”

“…….”

I clenched my fists tightly.

‘Dokgo Uncheon possesses the best martial arts in the world and is the owner of the Primordial Spirit! Though he appears human, he’s half a transcendent being! If he wanted to, he could live for five thousand years! There’s no way he could succumb to mere 500 years of time…!!’

Why is it that even in this close modern era, the Master of the White Lotus Sect’s existence is absent?!

And not just him, but the Dharma Protectors too?!

As I stood there dumbfounded, Dr. Faust finally spoke.

“It’s strange to say you’ve merely come from a [Small Cycle]. It feels like you’re something different entirely.”

“I think so too.”

“Ah…!! Dr. Faust!”

I suddenly realized Faust was present and hurriedly asked him, “I need your help! Using the fruit of the World Tree known as the ‘Fruit of Good and Evil,’ if combined with the Reincarnation Cannon, we can cross back to the external universe, and you’re the only one who can help! ”

“……!!”

Faust looked startled before speaking.

“I see. So you’re not a being of our world, but someone from beyond the universe! That explains a lot.”

“Please help me. Though I plan to accept Nailatop’s assistance, having your help would make it easier to return.”

“I’d like to know a bit more. How did you end up in our world from beyond the universe?”

“That is…”

I hesitated to reveal my full trust in Faust just yet, so I briefly explained how I crossed into this world without pulling out the Obsidian. As Lee Hon listened to my story, he looked understandably confused.

“Beyond the universe…? The multiverse? I had no idea such things existed!”

“Commander Lee Hon. There’s no need to panic. The entry to other universes or multiverses is originally blocked for guardians, making it difficult even for immortals to easily cross over.”

After calming the panicking Lee Hon, Faust looked at me and said, “You might be able to return just by receiving help from Nailatop. I don’t see a need for my assistance.”

“Ah, but… I still want to learn more about the Reincarnation Cannon.”

“Hmph. Even so, that’s something I’ve never heard of before. The theory may be established, but you speak as if you’ve handled a complete Reincarnation Cannon yourself. Talking casually about something that hasn’t even been properly established yet…”

Faust tilted his head and added, “Regardless, right now is not the time to discuss matters that cannot be resolved without the Seven Luminaries.”

Hearing that, my mind sharpened instantly.

Seven Luminaries?!

“Wait a second! Why are we discussing the Seven Luminaries? No, are the Seven Luminaries in this world?”

“It seems that there were Seven Luminaries in the world you came from as well.”

Faust continued, “Indeed. We cannot keep fighting these aliens forever, which is why we’re also conducting a project to locate the Seven Luminaries to develop the ultimate battle weapon. We need the Seven Luminaries to amplify the energy from the Primordial Void, as Nailatop mentioned.”

“……!!”

That’s right!

I had so many memories that I had momentarily forgotten, but that’s what it was!

I recalled our previous conversation when I encountered Faust before.

[No. The Fruit of the World Tree, the ‘Fruit of Good and Evil,’ only appears once, and that was already used when sending Ha Eun-cheon the enemy. Unless we sprout a new World Tree, we can’t acquire it. Additionally, the Reincarnation Cannon was also taken by him, so means of artificially generating the Primordial Void are lost.]

[Including Ha Eun-cheon, there were three of them. Two of them sacrificed their lives to create a resonant reaction with the Primordial Void, barely allowing us to produce a single Reincarnation Cannon.]

[How many Seven Luminaries did the future people gather to fight against the ‘Revelation’ and ‘End’ phenomena?]

[The total number of Seven Luminaries gathered by humanity was three: Moon Sovereign, Wood Element, and Golden Crow.]

According to Faust, what was needed to cross over to the external universe were the Fruit of Good and Evil and the Primordial Cannon. The Primordial Cannon would need a certain amount of Primordial energy stored and would likely require the presence of at least three absolute experts. Moreover, Faust mentioned that the humans of that world had gathered three Seven Luminaries, so it made sense that the Seven Luminaries must exist in this world as well.

‘It’s clear… if Faust is speaking correctly, then this world is the very one where the Twelve Joules lived! But why is the existence of Ha Eun-cheon, the Commander of the Human Alliance, absent?’

As I pondered this absurd contradiction, Lee Hon spoke up.

“Baek Woong, I have a request.”

“What is it?”

What followed his words left me in thought.

“It seems you know about the existence of the Seven Luminaries. Will you help the Human Alliance in locating them?”