1346——————==

Soul of the Evil God

So you say I’m on your side?

I couldn’t help but laugh in disbelief at his words.

“Hey, you crazy bastard! Would you believe that if you were me?!”

With my reaction, Hermes responded nonchalantly.

“Well, whether you believe it or not, all I need to prove is that I’m a helpful presence for you. I don’t expect your trust.”

“…So you’re saying that summoning that Yacha guy here and taking him down means I owe you something now?”

I continued, irritation creeping in.

“Don’t be ridiculous. You think I’ll thank you for taking out Yacha? Stop your nonsense and get out of here!”

“Heh heh heh… You’re not very bright, are you? You misunderstood what I just showed you.”

“What the hell!”

“Just as you said, you can’t expect to be indebted to a Reborn Person just because I got rid of the Eight Parts of the Divine. My true intention is simply the fact that I summoned Yacha.”

“Huh? What are you talking about?”

“Do you really not get it…?”

As Hermes grinned playfully, I felt anger rise but at the same time, a sense of confusion hit me. I sensed that he wasn’t doing this without reason; there had to be something behind it. After pondering for a moment, I finally spoke.

“I don’t get it.”

“……”

With a frustrated expression, Hermes sighed and said.

“Baek Woong, you were taken against your will by Nailatop to some unknown outer universe. But Yacha also went to that outer universe. Did you know where Yacha and his group were headed?”

“…I don’t know. How would I know that?”

Considering his plan was to banish the Eight Parts of the Divine from this world, he wouldn’t have thought about where to send them. When I replied curtly, Hermes smiled slyly.

“Right. Even if Yacha ended up in an unknown outer universe, if I had made a [contract] with him, I could still summon him here. Do you understand what that means?”

“……?”

“In other words, as the God of Magic, I can summon those who made a contract from one outer universe to another. I’d say that’s a pretty solid ability to assist you.”

With pride, Hermes said in a strange tone.

“Very convenient, indeed. I don’t feel even a twinge of guilt for it.”

“……?”

“Anyway, think carefully about what this ability implies.”

“Ah…!!”

Only then did I realize what Hermes was getting at, and my face went stiff.

‘Now that I think about it!’

It’s not important that Yacha is gone.

The real kicker is that he summoned Yacha, who had crossed into another universe, back to this realm!

This means he can bypass the tremendous barriers separating outer universes and summon others! Depending on how I utilize this guy’s ability, I could gain enormous benefits.

But I still couldn’t wrap my head around it, so I asked Hermes.

“That aside, have you been chilling in that wooden armor all this time? And why are you suddenly appearing in front of me after receiving the blessing of the Constellation? Were you hiding in there keeping an eye on me?!”

Now that I had confirmed the ability, I needed to ask more fundamental questions. Hermes, sitting on a pile of gold coins, leisurely replied.

“I decided to just wait until the time came, so I merely spread countless [eyes] throughout this world. And when I deemed it wasn’t the right time, I was prepared to simply let myself die.”

“…What? Can you explain that more clearly?”

“Sure. In simple terms, this is my [eye].”

Swish

In one hand, Hermes was now holding the wooden armor. It seemed to have been conjured by him; he fiddled with it for a moment before breaking into a faint smile.

“I continuously produced magical artifacts and scattered them throughout the world. Many of the unclear origins found in myths were crafted by me. All these magical artifacts were designed to provide information about the users whenever I desired.”

“……!!”

“This wooden armor was one of those [eyes]. The information gathered by these [eyes] informed me about Emperor Gong Sun Xuanwen’s seal. That’s when I thought it was time for me to step in.”

Hermes’ eyes narrowed.

“Yes… I needed to find the Reborn Person. And while searching through the [eyes], the one who seemed closest to being the Reborn Person was you, so I’ve been watching you ever since. Of course, while keeping an eye on you, I had to hide in multiple dimensions using magical artifacts.”

I strained to understand Hermes’ words. After a long moment of thinking, I finally spoke.

“…So you were watching me, huh? You bastard, why were you looking for a Reborn Person? Were you planning to use me for something?!”

There was no doubt about it.

That guy had linked his sight to the magical armor and, amidst all that, got dragged into the outer universe along with me!

“Use? That sounds hurtful. As I just mentioned, I have a sufficient ability to assist you, so I only wanted a mutually beneficial relationship.”

“Shut up with that nonsense and get lost…”

“For both you and me, this opportunity only arises in this life when Emperor Gong Sun Xuanwen is sealed.”

“……”

Hearing that the being before me sounded like a past Zhuge Bu made me want to get angry, but I paused abruptly at what he suddenly said. It was too significant a statement to just brush aside.

When I looked at Hermes with a wary gaze, he grinned.

“Why are you so surprised? I too am an Immortal and a Divine Being… I already knew that Emperor Gong Sun Xuanwen’s ability relates to the Law of Cause and Effect. I had also suspected that he was attempting to challenge ascension using that ability. It’s something that your people in the Central Plains had known long before the Yellow River civilization.”

“……”

“I knew. If one of the Evil God or the Emperor were to be defeated by a Reborn Person, it would undoubtedly be the Emperor first. Because the opposite scenario just couldn’t happen.”

With that cryptic statement, Hermes continued.

“And just as I predicted, the Emperor was sealed… Of course, from my perspective, I had no choice but to act after he was sealed. As long as the Emperor’s Law of Cause and Effect calculations exist, if I step in, there’s a high chance I’ll be outplayed and eaten up by the Reborn Person.”

He clearly knew what the Law of Cause and Effect calculations entailed. I looked at Hermes with guarded eyes and said.

“If that’s the case, the moment I wear the wooden armor, you can read all my information?”

“The wooden armor is just one of the [eyes]. Specifically, it only happens when my real body detects a significant anomaly and retrieves information from it, or when [conditions] are met. This time, I acquired information through the Prophet, which is how I figured out about the Emperor’s seal.”

“Eh?!”

I was taken aback.

“You mean you also bought information from the Prophet?!”

“Why couldn’t I? He’s the Tao King and a cosmic information broker. Being a god myself, I have the right to purchase information from him.”

“……”

“The Emperor’s seal was quite an expensive piece of information.”

Hermes spoke as if reminiscing.

“Heh heh… well, after obtaining that information, I felt a sense of crisis, and after recognizing an [eye], I kept an eye on you through the wooden armor.”

“Oh, you bastard!”

“I wouldn’t be surprised if you had caught onto my presence during your Rebirth. But you can understand it as I couldn’t make an appearance due to the Emperor.”

“…What the hell does it matter? So what now?”

“What now, you ask?”

I said firmly.

“I’m sorry, but I have no idea how to utilize the ability to summon someone from another universe! I’d rather take help from Nailatop and return to my original world than be used by some suspicious guy like you!”

Unlike usual, I didn’t know how to handle this. It felt like I shouldn’t get involved in any negotiations at such a confusing time; it’s better to play it safe.

“Aha… So that’s how it is…”

Hermes continued to grin at me.

“You really trust what Nailatop says about sending you back to your world?”

“What?”

“Even if you doubt me, let me just lay down some so-called facts.”

Swish

Hermes raised his hand, starting to count on his fingers one by one.

“First, Nailatop’s stated purpose was to lead you on the path of reincarnation. However, he realized that had become impossible simultaneously.”

“……”

“Second, Nailatop promised to give you the core of the World Tree to enhance your intellect. But how he handles the core, the fruit, or the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil hasn’t been disclosed whatsoever.”

“Well, he’ll figure that out himself, right…”

“Third, Nailatop is in a position avoiding the Observer.”

What followed from Hermes’ words shook my heart for a moment.

“Once you send me back to my original world, you’re bound to attract the Observer’s attention, right? Yet you were so caught up in the promise of an increase in intellect that you didn’t scrutinize the details.”

“……!!”

“While one aspect may not seem significant, when you add them up, it all becomes very suspicious. Especially the first one, doesn’t that get under your skin?”

“W-what’s so concerning about that?”

“Nailatop’s ultimate goal of ‘going on the path of reincarnation’ has shattered because of your words. Now imagine it from his position. If he were to have his greatest goal thwarted, would he just quietly follow through on promises made with another?”

“……”

“I don’t think you’d miss the opportunity by any stretch. But isn’t it ironic that right now, Nailatop holds the ultimate trump card, the Reborn Person?”

Hermes pointed at me with his staff.

“You are in a dangerous state. Very much so.”

Listening to Hermes, I felt like I was being drawn in. Every word felt like empty claims, yet somehow, it all made sense, and I could not shake off the growing doubts. I had felt something similar when facing Zhuge Sa in the past, but Hermes felt even more alien and sinister.

‘Damn it… I need to snap out of this!’

Coming back to my senses, I exclaimed.

“Hey! Even if that’s true, you’re just as suspect as Nailatop! What would you gain by telling me that?”

“Heh heh… I won’t deny wanting to use you under the guise of mutual cooperation. But that’s only meant to happen when you return to your original world.”

Hermes muttered, resting his chin on his hand with a dissatisfied expression.

“…Right now, it’s genuinely dangerous. If things continue like this, it’s clear both you and I could be caught in a tight spot. That’s why I could have just hidden even more when the Blessing of the Constellation fell upon me, but I came out purposely. I need your help to return.”

I asked with a doubtful voice.

“You mean it’s dangerous? Is Nailatop planning to kill me?”

“As a Reborn Person, why is your imagination so limited? In this world, there are countless evils far worse than death, and beings like Nailatop can carry out countless such methods. Moreover, if he has the battleship Gaia, he could attempt to seal you as a Reborn Person.”

“……”

“Just to make sure you understand, I want to establish an alliance and cooperation with you, and I won’t hold back my support for your return to your original world.”

“Who’s teaming up with you?”

“Listen closely.”

I saw a fierce malice brewing in Hermes’ eyes. At the same time, a formidable divine power began to flow from his body, a force far more powerful than anything I felt from Simon Magus, causing me to instinctively pull back.

‘He’s strong…!!’

The title of God of Magic wasn’t just for show. Just as I tensed up, Hermes spoke, his eyes radiating divine light.

“No matter how much a Sephirot exam-taker or God of Magic I am, I can’t counter Nailatop if he’s serious about using cunning. Even if you employ the Four Great Spirit Deities, Nailatop can either cancel it before you initiate or make it flop. It seems you don’t have a proper grasp of how dangerous things truly are…”

Feeling perplexed by the unthinkable statement from Hermes, I stammered.

“If Nailatop really descended as a calamity to your world, neither the Emperor nor the Evil God could ignore him. That guy is now targeting you.”

“……!!”

Is it really that serious?!

Not knowing whether to trust him, I stood frozen as Hermes sighed.

“Huh, Reborn Person. Since you mention trust, let me tell you something to gain this guy’s trust. I too have crossed from an outer universe.”

“…What?! Seriously?!”

“Yes. Long ago in human time… But I came here [officially]. While it was quite a challenging method, it means that my stay and influence over your world is absolutely not erroneous.”

Hermes said with a displeased face.

“Yet Nailatop ignores all of that and travels directly through the path of reincarnation. It’s something even I, who have spent eons honing forbidden laws, wouldn’t dare do.”

“……”

“He’s indeed a terrifying presence. You need to keep that in mind.”

“…I’ll take your word for that. But the fact that Nailatop seems to have ulterior motives doesn’t give me a reason to trust you.”

I said firmly, and Hermes chuckled.

“You’re more resolute than I expected. Alright… then, I have no choice but to reveal my trump card.”

“My trump card?”

Vroooom

Moments later, silvery light began to flow from the staff Hermes held, and the crystal ball at the tip began to shine with a brilliance akin to the sun. The dazzling light almost blinded me, then it stopped, and Hermes brought the crystal ball close to me, saying.

“Look.”

“What do you want me to look at… OMG!”

I was startled as soon as I peered into the crystal ball. I was left speechless, and Hermes continued.

“I can’t interfere just yet, but peeking is possible by the power of Sephiroth.”

Without a doubt.

Inside the crystal ball was Soeul Village!

But the villagers were vividly visible, practicing martial arts, working, or sleeping. I could clearly see the village chief from back then yawning while resting on his desk.

“…No way. You’re just conjuring an illusion with magic. This is the outer universe.”

“Heh heh. I’m the one who crossed over that outer universe with the power of magic.”

Hermes chuckled in a devious manner.

“You seem skeptical. In that case, let me show you something.”

Boom

After firmly placing his staff into the ground, Hermes spread both arms wide and gathered energy in each hand. Soon, a black aura started swirling in his left hand, while a white aura gathered in his right. Hermes murmured.

“Baek Woong. The concept expressed in the East as Yin and Yang actually exists within Sephiroth as well. While it was created by Taihao Fuxi in the beginning, our world too has a thesis-antithesis-synthesis. The only difference is in expression. After moving between worlds, I combined that principle with magic, splitting it into black and white magic to pass it on to humanity.”

“……”

“My disciple Simon Magus, after receiving all forms of magic, wished to apply that principle directly to humans in order to gain the ability to extract souls. The result was the Soul Exchange Technique you’re familiar with.”

I looked at Hermes as he said this.

“So you’re implying you regard me as your disciple in that context?”

Considering how he framed his words, it seemed he had an inkling that I had mastered the Soul Exchange Technique.

“Heh heh heh. I wish that were the case, but the Soul Exchange Technique has diverged completely from the Sephiroth I possess. It’s a heresy among heresies. No matter how much of a God of Magic I am, I can’t wield the Soul Exchange Technique better than Simon Magus or his disciples. But if I understand the foundational principle…”

The black and white energies held by Hermes began to be consumed by the crystal ball, and distortions started to shape the air around us. An endless darkness emerged in Hermes’ eyes.

“Whether it’s the Soul Exchange Technique or Sephiroth, when it reaches its peak, it ultimately leads to the same path.”

Zzzzz!

With a loud rumbling noise, the distortions briefly took on a shape resembling Taiji (Tai Chi). The crystal ball gradually grew larger, and Hermes reached his hand into it, making it look like he was drawing from what existed in Soeul Village.

[Ahh!]

[A giant hand from the sky…!]

Hermes’ hand seemed to be perceived as a calamity by the people of Soeul Village. Who could possibly expect a giant hand to suddenly appear in the sky? Moments later, Hermes pulled his hand back from the crystal ball and stated.

“Those who can utilize Sephiroth can also handle Qliphoth. Using the Tree of Life to manipulate souls allows waves to ripple into other universes. At the very least, you’d need to master over five Sephiras to do that.”

“W-what are you saying?”

Hermes made a cryptic expression.

“Heh heh heh… Anyway, weren’t you planning on finding Zhuge Sa later to ask him what kind of magic this is?”

“……”

This guy knows about Zhuge Sa.

And he knows well that Zhuge Sa is my master of the Soul Exchange Technique.

‘And presumably… he knows why I’m deliberately not seeking Zhuge Sa right now!’

Suddenly, a cold sweat broke out. The figure before me appeared to be rambunctious, but the reality was that he was someone I could not underestimate.

“What I want to say is this.”

Hermes was watching me closely.

“Baek Woong, I am Hermes, the God of Magic and master of Sephiroth. The best option to return to your original world is to formally [open a path] using my power. It’s the safest method to avoid the Observer’s potential obliteration. Then, you wouldn’t need to rely on Nailatop to return to your original world.”

“……”

Finally, he reached his conclusion.

“Bring me the core of the World Tree. Until Nailatop finds it, pretend to trust him.”

“What…?”

“I’ll leave my staff here. Use the wooden armor as usual, and only touch the crystal ball when you want to summon me.”

Swish

With that, Hermes began to fade, leaving his staff planted securely in the ground. Right before disappearing, he left me with one last piece of advice.

“Reborn Person, even my devious schemes can only be plotted after ensuring my survival… Do make a wise decision.”

Bam!!

In the next moment, I shot out from the wooden armor back to the real world.

My head felt like it was splitting open.

“Ugh…”

While massaging my temples, I looked around in a daze and realized where I was.

“Commander Seo Mun-gbaek. How long has it been since I went to the Celestial Realm?”

I had ended up back in the office of Commander Seo Mun-gbaek, the last place I remembered. It seemed that Hong Gil-dong had used a treasure to send me to the Celestial Realm, bringing me back to the last known location. Seo Mun-gbaek, startled, replied.

“It hasn’t even been ten seconds…”

“Really?”

I had been bouncing back and forth not just in the Celestial Realm, but even inside the wooden armor. Naturally, there would have to be some time discrepancy.

‘My mind is a mess. Damn it….’

I had gone through a whirlwind of events in an instant, leaving me confused. However, this chaos was just a part of my reincarnation cycle, so after digesting it somewhat, I turned my attention to Hong Gil-dong sitting across from me and said.

“Great Immortal Hong Gil-dong. I’ve taken care of things in the Celestial Realm.”

“That’s a relief. Then I will be on my way.”

“I won’t see you off.”

“Very well.”

Whoosh

Hong Gil-dong vanished from the hall using spatial movement. As soon as he disappeared, I felt my headache gradually easing and stared blankly at the air in a bit of daze. Then, Seo Mun-gbaek, who had been observing me, asked.

“Baek Woong. Are you alright?”

“Seo Mun-gbaek. You won’t hold it against me if I suddenly disappear from this world, will you?”

At my words, Seo Mun-gbaek blinked a couple of times before replying.

“Why would I hold it against you? You’ve done an extraordinary service for humanity.”

Swoosh…

Before long, dark clouds gathered, and rain began pouring outside the study window.

I leaned back in my chair, watching the raindrops and said.

“To be honest, the extermination of the aliens was merely a request from Nailatop. It wasn’t driven by a noble sense of justice or anything. And once I complete my business, I’ll soon return to my world. Truth is, I might have the power to completely save this world. However, even if I could, I probably wouldn’t go all the way.”

What I could actually do was just team up with the Triune and stab the Emperor in the back.

I believed that if I could incapacitate the Emperor, humanity would have a breather. That’s why I was engaging in such reckless actions — but in reality, I could do far more if I decided to.

“……”

“If the strength I could lend wasn’t enough and humanity faced extinction, you won’t blame me, will you?”

This thought lingered as I interfered with this world.

Could I really meddle with the outer universe to this extent?

It seemed like gods couldn’t intervene due to the Law of Cause and Effect, yet irrespective of how much I meddled, I never felt like the Law of Cause and Effect constrained me. It felt like a kind of lawlessness, but that gave rise to my sense of unease.

To find clarity on this uncertainty, I would only have the option of questioning the parties involved.

After a while, Seo Mun-gbaek, who had been mulling over my question, finally spoke.

“I won’t hold it against you. Because that too would be our destiny.”

“Destiny, you say…”

“However, after humanity reached this point, I often find myself thinking… perhaps the true protagonist of this world isn’t us.”

Taken aback by the unexpected statement, I turned to him.

“Protagonist?”

Seo Mun-gbaek looked somewhat awkward.

“Ah… well, it’s just my rambling. I had the thought while digging through the ancestral histories and various records for you, but amidst countless ancient and medieval events, it felt like something always went wrong.”

“Something went wrong…”

“Things that could have gone well, but didn’t… I kept feeling like there was a continuous ‘someone’s’ regret regarding alternative choices. Yet whose regrets those were, I have no idea… It’s like a despairing imagination that perhaps a story ended somewhere without us knowing, which meant no matter what we did, the outcome wouldn’t change.”

Seo Mun-gbaek smiled bitterly.

“Just brush it off as a joke. It’s merely a fantasy of mine, stemming from my dislike of this grim reality.”

“……”

I fell silent for a moment before speaking.

“No, it actually helped me a lot.”

I stood up.

“Don’t see me off.”

“If you want to know more about the Sword Demon, come anytime.”

“Of course. Just want to clear my thoughts today.”

“Take care.”

Swoosh…

I walked out to the entrance while gazing at the raindrops, pondering.

‘Is it time for a choice?…’

Should I trust Nailatop and extract the World Tree’s core, then return to my original world with his aid?

Or, should I obtain the core of the World Tree while following the instructions from Hermes, leveraging his power to return?

The issue is both options are incredibly suspicious and absolutely not allies.

I should be thankful that Hermes provided yet another choice.

What should I do?

If only I had some companions at times like this…

“……!!”

In that moment, I suddenly realized what Hermes meant earlier.

“That’s it….”

The ability to summon those contracted across universes.

It implied he could potentially summon my companions from the original world into this one.

‘But that absolutely can’t happen. I’m barely keeping myself together, and how in the world would I manage to bring back companions from this chaotic world?!’

If I were on my own, dying would just be that, but if it was a companion in danger, it would be much harder. I thought it was a good idea, yet it turned into a disappointing realization that it was altogether impractical.

“Tch. Like there could ever be a companion without a twinge of guilt while getting you killed…”

…….

Huh?

Could that really be what Hermes was implying?

I instantly recalled what condition that guy had suggested earlier and shook in horror.

“Damn…!!”

It was undoubtedly true.

Summoning the Eight Parts of the Divine!

He was suggesting I could call forth those Demon Kings, who were like slaves because of receiving pieces of Hermes’ crystal stele, and boss them around!