1335——————==

The Soul of the Evil God

As the situation settled, Gong Gong spoke to me.

[… So what exactly did you achieve by summoning Yu Shun? Did you acquire something greater than the information on Jinyou?]

I flinched at his words, but quickly composed myself and replied nonchalantly.

“I acquired powerful magical energy from Yu Shun!”

[Hmm…!! Are you talking about that tremendous power that was emanating from the Divine Sword just a moment ago?]

“Yes.”

I glanced down at the Divine Sword in my hand. The blade was still stained with dark magical energy, and the concentrated power seemed to pulse, ready to burst forth at any moment.

‘Seriously, this ridiculous amount of magical energy…’

Even after Daji greedily siphoned the magical power a couple of times, it had already swelled beyond its limit. This was definitely not something that could be discussed at a human level; it was on par with what a divine being could handle. I tried to restrain the power from overflowing and continued.

“It seems that, unlike before, the seal on this Divine Sword has lifted. If I offer it as a sacrifice, I might obtain an even greater reward.”

[Hmm…!!]

Gong Gong looked startled at my words.

[Are you serious? This magical sword has power even gods would covet. Are you sure it’s okay to dedicate it to the Three Sovereigns instead of keeping it for yourself…?]

“……”

Uh, is the Divine Sword really that strong?

As I felt flustered, King Dae Jo Young chimed in.

“I share your thoughts. If one can control that magical energy, that sword is more powerful than the Seven Luminaries. Sacrificing it seems a waste if we plan to face gods in the future.”

“Hmm… Is it really that powerful?”

“Ha ha. You yourself can feel the power of the Divine Sword, yet you still ask…”

King Dae Jo Young looked somewhat incredulous.

“You don’t need the Divine Sword at all? I never expected you to be so selfless.”

“……”

“That must be an extraordinary magical sword.”

I felt a bit uneasy. The truth was, I had the Four Great Spirit Deities and five of the Seven Luminaries, so I wasn’t particularly attached to the Divine Sword. Even though the power of the Seven Luminaries had diminished due to a broken contract, they were still usable when combined together.

‘Above all, too much power means a delay in the revival of Heuk Woong.’

So the Divine Sword was more of a necessary burden for me. No matter how powerful a magical sword, I had no choice but to sacrifice it.

After some thought, I said, “The Seven Luminaries should be enough. Let’s go to the next Heavenly Altar.”

[The next Heavenly Altar?]

“Yes.”

I replied with a smile.

“The Heavenly Altar is in the Five Great Mountains, and even if we used the one at Mount Hua, there are still four left.”

Despite needing to find the whereabouts of Jinyou, the reason I first conducted the summoning experiment with Yu Shun was precisely this. There isn’t just one Heavenly Altar; there’s one in each of the Five Great Mountains, so even if we used the one at Mount Hua and couldn’t perform the ritual immediately, other altars are available for use.

At that moment,

“Working hard, aren’t you, Baek Woong?”

Whoosh

Suddenly, Professor Nailatop appeared in the hall. It was as if he materialized out of thin air, and I suspected he used a teleportation technique. King Dae Jo Young and Gong Gong immediately tensed up, and I gestured to calm them down while saying,

“Don’t attack. He’s an ally.”

Nailatop chuckled and started to introduce himself.

“Ha. Nice to meet you. My name is Nailat…”

Puhak!!!

“Gah.”

Thud

I was shocked to see Nailatop’s heart pierced instantly, and I shouted in disbelief.

“D-Daji!! What have you done!”

Daji shot a magic bullet with her finger, taking out Nailatop in one blow, her expression unfazed.

“Are we supposed to leave a suspicious guy sending [dolls] alive?”

“Dolls?”

“Get rid of the dolls.”

Daji said, as if threatening someone.

Shushushuk

Suddenly, Nailatop’s corpse vanished like a hologram, and in its place, Nailatop reappeared. He smiled awkwardly and said,

“A clone is just a doll if you think about it. But randomly killing clones synchronized with Gaia’s main server is quite an inconvenience.”

“Hmph. Just what I expected from a divine being.”

Daji scoffed and narrowed her eyes.

“You must have been spying on this side the whole time. Have you come here to plot another scheme?”

At Daji’s words, Professor Nailatop shrugged his shoulders and laughed.

“Heh heh. Can’t say you’re wrong.”

“……”

He probably utilized Mephistopheles to gather intel.

He must have been wearing that wristwatch to use the teleportation ability, collecting all kinds of information and relaying it to Nailatop.

I listened to their conversation and said to Nailatop, “Nailatop, I don’t care how you use me. I just need to achieve my goal.”

“That’s true. It’s nice to acknowledge that we have a mutually beneficial relationship here.”

Nailatop continued, “But that said, reckless actions might not be a good idea. May I ask why you are suddenly gathering the Seven Luminaries?”

“You should already know if you heard it from Mephisto, right? I’m just collecting the Seven Luminaries as requested by Yi Hon of the Humanity Liberation Army.”

“I know that. But after hearing about the phenomenon that occurs when the Six Needs are gathered, I couldn’t sit still.”

Nailatop squinted.

“Baek Woong, are you not an outsider? Do you think you can perform such a grand ritual to gather the Three Sovereigns and then clean up afterward? That will undoubtedly cause upheaval in this world’s future.”

“……!!”

“Well, it could be fine for ‘you,’ but this is the realm of my disciple Lee Hwan-woong. As a master, I believe I have the right to express this level of concern.”

Nailatop seemed to have heard about my plan to gather the Seven Luminaries for the consolidation of the Three Sovereigns. It was clear that my words to persuade Gong Gong and King Dae Jo Young must have disturbed him significantly. I pondered his words for a moment and replied.

“On the contrary, I have a question for you.”

“What is it?”

“Do you genuinely care about saving this world from its end? I understand you’re nurturing Lee Hwan-woong to prepare for the apocalypse, but you’ve never stated that you are saving this world.”

“……”

Not wanting to back down, I shot back.

“If you have no intention of saving it, then you have nothing to say to me. Regardless, I’m engaged in the bare minimum acts required to save this world.”

Nailatop looked slightly taken aback, then smirked.

“Well… I have something to say, but it’s not appropriate for here.”

With a mysterious smile, Nailatop’s form began to fade slowly.

“Do as you please, Baek Woong. By the way, if you take down just two more groups of the other aliens, then you can consider Lee Hwan-woong’s work nearly done. I’ve already done most of the work for him.”

Whoosh!

Nailatop’s figure vanished cleanly. As I stared at the spot where he had disappeared in silence, King Dae Jo Young, watching from the side, spoke up.

“Baek Woong, that wristwatch with teleportation capability must be Mephisto’s. It surely passes our information to Nailatop, so get rid of it immediately.”

“Is there anything else that can replace that teleportation ability, since I’m keeping it for that reason?”

“I can use the Earth Walking Technique. Not only I, but those two must have skills or powers to do the same. There’s no need to stubbornly cling to a teleportation device that passes our information to such a fiend!”

“……”

That was perfectly reasonable. No matter how much Nailatop was my ally who would assist my return to the original world, I couldn’t fully trust him just yet.

I thought for a moment before saying, “Someone like Nailatop could monitor my actions with or without the watch. If it were impossible, he wouldn’t be showing up now and making it obvious he knows things. He’s not that foolish.”

Having dealt with those who try to manipulate me, I had a decent sense of this by now. Nailatop, who possessed the divine battleship Gaia, could monitor my movements without relying on a watch.

“Hmm… That’s true.”

“Nailatop isn’t an enemy yet. If I can use him, then I might as well.”

If I rashly decided to push him away, I’d end up with nothing but losses. The timing to properly cut ties would come in due time.

“So what do you plan to do?”

“Let’s head to Mount Heng right away. And this time, I’ll get the information on Jinyou.”

“Is there a particular reason it has to be Mount Heng among the Five Great Mountains?”

I nodded slightly.

“There’s something I want to find.”

Whoosh!!

We promptly moved near Mount Heng with Mephisto’s ability. This time, we discovered aliens camped around Mount Heng, and Mephisto explained their species.

[The ones occupying the Heavenly Altar of Mount Heng are the 3.5-tier Fizrolun tribe.]

I glanced at the fluorescent jellyfish swarms floating in the sky, like before. Each of those jellyfish must be aliens.

“They really resemble jellyfish… What’s so special about them?”

[They are a tribe that worships the evil god Relkrobos.]

“……”

Relkrobos? I’ve heard that name somewhere…

“Oh!”

That was the [Old Ruler] who appeared during the apocalypse and fought against Mephistopheles!

I remembered that he had leaped into outer space after getting the forbidden fruit!

‘At that time, Mephisto had helped to deal with him by utilizing the Red Bow!’

But what a coincidence to encounter a tribe that serves him in this outer universe!

Thinking this strange coincidence over, I said to those beside me, “They aren’t particularly strong, so let’s deal with them quickly.”

Boom boom boom

Moments later, we defeated the majority of the Fizrolun tribe’s forces and successfully secured the Heavenly Altar of Mount Heng. Unlike before, there wasn’t much actual combat; they lost morale almost entirely following Daji’s single strike, which was a far cry from the Lakio tribe, who had put up more of a fight. They felt embarrassingly weak by comparison.

‘There are no signs of human sacrifices either. Did they not dare to summon their ruler to resist?’

Kukuku…

Leaving behind the remnants of the slain aliens, I headed towards a place I recognized. After a bit of searching through the mountains, I found something.

“There it is.”

The statue of Pangu!

It was simple, but I had obtained a treasure worthy of Mount Heng.

‘We could go to other Heavenly Altars, but since we’re at it, it’s efficient to get the treasures as well.’

After completing that series of tasks, I stood atop the Heavenly Altar of Mount Heng. I raised the Divine Sword and placed it on the altar, when King Dae Jo Young spoke.

“Earlier, you mentioned that Yu Shun was heavily injured and could not participate in the Offering Ceremony, yet the Divine Sword is an artifact with the greatest connection to Yu Shun.”

“Well, that may be true.”

“Then by offering the Divine Sword, there’s a high chance a ruler unrelated to the Three Sovereigns will unexpectedly appear because of its magical power. What we’re aiming for is the Shao Hao Jin Tian that created Jinyou, so are there no artifacts related to him?”

“Hmmm….”

If I had an artifact that could certainly summon Shao Hao Jin Tian, it would be the National Seal.

It’s definitely summonable.

But right now, I didn’t have the National Seal in my possession, and it would be tough to find it now. While it was in the Imperial Palace in the past, it has been centuries since then, and the Central Plains have been turned upside down by aliens, so I couldn’t be sure it was still there.

So how can I offer something related to Shao Hao Jin Tian?

‘Ah, that’s it.’

I grinned, spreading my hand wide and placing my palm on the altar as I said, “Since it’s come to this, I might as well exert a bit more effort.”

“You? How…?”

“Just watch.”

I signaled Gong Gong to proceed with the ritual, and soon he began to recite an incantation to activate the Offering Ceremony. As I felt the flow of divine power gathering towards the altar, I focused my mind on my palm resting on it, opening my eyes halfway.

‘With my eyes… I’ll gather the flow of all the divine powers…’

I mustn’t be too powerful.

If it’s too powerful, I might get flung out into outer space by my own strength.

I needed to make it so that only minimal power would be detected as magical energy.

Moments later, as the flow of divine energy reached its peak, I instinctively realized this was the moment and shouted with wide-open eyes.

“Light – Beam!!!”

Surely, if I use my power, Shao Hao Jin Tian would pop out of curiosity!

Boom boom boom

The beam that shot from my eyes, a manifestation of Shao Hao Jin Tian’s power, resounded like an explosion as it struck the altar. Though I had minimized my strength, the impact seemed to blow apart the very altar, lifting both my body and the Divine Sword momentarily into the air.

Gong Gong, who was watching the scene beside me, was stunned.

[What?! How can the disciple of Fuxi wield the divine power of Shao Hao Jin Tian….]

Thud

As dust fell, I landed on the ruins of the altar, and at the same time, the divine power I unleashed began to fuse with the magical energy of the Divine Sword, creating a strange radiance. Soon after, the flow of the ritual surged, and a giant presence began to manifest in the void before my eyes.

Kukuku…

A scene similar to when Yu Shun was summoned unfolded before me. A misty energy flowed, creating the form of a sovereign, and through the avatar of the sovereign, Shao Hao Jin Tian revealed itself and spoke a divine word.

[Who are you? How are you using my power?]

I succeeded in the summoning!

I quickly prostrated before Shao Hao Jin Tian, saying, “Great Shao Hao Jin Tian! I am Baek Woong, the disciple of Fuxi. I’m here to offer the magical power of this Divine Sword.”

[Hmm… this is… ]

Shao Hao Jin Tian’s attention momentarily shifted towards the Divine Sword. After lifting and examining it for a moment, Shao Hao Jin Tian murmured.

[It’s quite a good item. No, without a doubt, this is… You knew its value, yet you had no greed for it?]

The fact that Shao Hao Jin Tian responded with such surprise hinted that the unsealed power of the Divine Sword was indeed beyond imagination, as King Dae Jo Young and Gong Gong had stated. However, I prioritized awakening Heuk Woong over any greed for the Divine Sword, so I nodded.

“Of course, I have no greed for it. If you could grant me a request, I would praise you for eternity.”

[Hmm… It’s not impossible to accommodate you.]

When Shao Hao Jin Tian delved into inquiry after a moment, the atmosphere turned tense.

[Baek Woong, you are the apostle of Jeon Wook, and you wield my power while also being Fuxi’s disciple. What on earth are you?]

Gah!!

I shouldn’t have said that!!

As I panicked, Gong Gong behind me spoke blankly.

[What… Did you say? Apostles of Jeon Wook?]

“……”

[So you are the apostle of that scoundrel!]

As I slowly turned to Gong Gong, I saw his face filled with rage as he summoned the power of the Giant Race. The blue flame radiated from him while his gigantic sword was engulfed in fire as well.

[You deceived me by claiming to be Fuxi’s disciple while intending to save the world!]

Even King Dae Jo Young’s expression hardened with discontent.

“What? Apostle of Jeon Wook?”

Daji, who maintained her expression, merely watched with a grin.

“Ha ha ha. Hee hee hee…”

It was clear that she was already concocting plans in her head on how to make me her slave once confusion ensued.

Here we go!

A slight feeling of guilt mingled with having deceived Gong Gong ignited a whirlwind in my mind as I contemplated how to handle this situation. In truth, I had somewhat expected such a scenario to arise; I had prepared myself for the inevitability.

‘Ugh… If I can just get past this, I’ll gather the Six Needs in no time…’

Once I gather the Six Needs and consolidate the Three Sovereigns, I would likely see tremendous benefits as a Reborn Person, and I cannot falter now!

At that moment, I suddenly concocted a ridiculous excuse on the fly.

‘Damn… there’s no helping it!’

I carefully diverted my gaze from Gong Gong and opened my mouth.

“… Great Shao, I offer the Divine Sword as a sacrifice.”

[Hmm. Are you saying you won’t answer my question?]

“……”

[Now speaking of which, what wish could you possibly have?]

“My wish is…”

I enunciated each word carefully.

“To become the apostle of the Four Emperors: Jeon Wook, Shao Hao, Jeogok, and Yu Shun!!”

[……?!]

I clenched my fist.

“So please make me the apostle of Shao Hao! Additionally, please tell me about Jinyou’s whereabouts.”

[……]

“If the Divine Sword is offered as a sacrifice, you should be able to grant me at least that.”

Both Shao Hao Jin Tian and the three others listening nearby clearly seemed puzzled by my unexpected wish. It was not something anyone could imagine. Shao Hao Jin Tian stood still, flabbergasted.

[You’re quite intriguing. So, you plan to call Jeogok next?]

“I intend to do just that.”

[As the apostle of the four of us, what do you aim to accomplish?]

I retorted bluntly.

“Aren’t you already aware to some extent of my motivations since you heard about them from Jeon Wook? You should have an inkling.”

[Oh… So what is it that you wish to accomplish?]

“It should be obvious.”

I looked squarely into the avatar of Shao Hao.

“I want you four to pour your powers into me. Then when I gather the Six Needs and the Emperor reveals himself, I will contribute a strike to assassinate the Emperor!!”

It was a shabby excuse, but that was my push now!

A moment of silence ensued.

Then Shao Hao’s avatar chuckled.

[A madman.]

Tap

The moment his avatar snapped his fingers, I suddenly felt myself being yanked toward somewhere. As I crossed through the enormous dimensional passage, I was tossed into a bright, formless space, where I could hear Shao Hao Jin Tian’s voice.

[But what an interesting story indeed.]

Dooong –

“……!!”

I realized that three colossal existences made themselves known in this void. The three figures were distinctly a white giant, a colossal bird, and a dark giant.

Simultaneously, the pressure bearing down on my soul was incomparably heavier than the pressure I felt at the Heavenly Altar of Mount Heng. In an instant, immense power whirled chaotically through this intangible space, to the point where it felt like my entire being might tear apart, and regardless of fear, I felt as though I might lose my sanity solely from the flow of this power.

“Ugh… ugh…”

I was unable to endure and let out suppressed groans.

“Gahhhh!!”

This ridiculous pressure was unbearable.

But it was understandable.

I was now in the direct presence of beings I had previously only seen from a distance or been granted leniency by, and there was no consideration for me. They emitted cosmic energy without regard for my circumstances, considering that I was of a caliber they didn’t even bother acknowledging.

‘What a daunting experience…’

As I barely managed to withstand the pressure, a deep voice echoed.

[Baek Woong, you’re not doing what you were tasked to do and are instead offering a sacrifice to Shao Hao? What a treacherous fellow.]

“……”

[But thanks to that, I’ve learned of your intentions, so that’s a relief.]

The white giant beside the dark giant snickered.

[Isn’t it alright, Jeon Wook? To dare confront the Emperor in this end-time, you have to be someone like him, don’t you?]

[Huh… Then explain yourself.]

Jeon Wook glared at me with a bitter expression.

[Can you truly assassinate the Emperor as you claim?]

Indeed.

I had been improbably called to the realm where the three emperors’ true forms resided.