“However, if you reflect on the void, it’s possible. It’s just such a massive [cycle] that it’s hard to comprehend, but because there was a cause for their hearts to arise, it becomes feasible.”

I found Subori’s words difficult to grasp, but I could generally understand what he was getting at, so I clicked my tongue.

“Goodness… what a strange thing. So then, can I understand that the [mask] is a tool birthed by darkness, but as it grows, it can become free and possess a heart?”

“Exactly. And on that note, I’d like to ask you a question.”

“What kind of question?”

“The [mask] is a ‘tool’ created by a great being for a purpose. So what do you think that purpose is?”

“…….”

Huh, good question?

He keeps referring to the mask as a tool, and tools are made for a purpose.

So then, who exactly created the species known as the mask in this world?

After pondering Subori’s words for a moment, I replied.

“Aren’t these masks trying to become strong through honing their talents to escape the [end]?”

“Well, that’s not it.”

“Why not?”

“Excluding unique cases like the Primordial Void Ruler and Hong Gyun Do-in, the truth is, most masks aren’t that strong. Even I, in a face-off against the Three Sovereigns, would be burned to ash in 10 seconds. And there are many who can’t even come close to my level. Even if their talent is considered genius, they are but inconsequential when thinking of cosmic-level transcendent beings.”

“Hmm.”

“I originally didn’t know the reason, but now I think I do.”

“What is it?”

Subori interlocked his fingers and spoke with a serious expression.

“We are… [actors].”

“? Actors?”

“Yes. We’re actors taking on different roles from different species. The ability to act out humaneness is fundamentally inherent to that. And continuing our lives is akin to performing life itself.”

I was flabbergasted by Subori’s claim.

“…… Why make us act like actors? What’s the point in that?”

“Well, that’s a tricky topic to explain easily, but personally, I have a guess.”

“What is it?”

“…….”

Subori stared at me for a moment. Then he opened his mouth.

“I’ve already provided enough information. I’d like to hear your answer soon.”

“If it’s an answer….”

“Will you accept me as a reborn comrade?”

“Um!”

The main point was brought up again. Indeed, Subori had been sharing significant information all along to elicit my response to this proposal. After contemplating for a while, I spoke.

“To be honest, I’m scared that you, a [mask], might betray me. You know masks are distrustful entities.”

“That’s true.”

“But betrayal is something that can happen any time… What’s truly important is how you could help me if you became my fellow reborn comrade.”

I said this while looking at Subori with suspicion.

“After my 300 years of training in this space, I will return to the past of the [Great Cycle]. No matter how you got here, it’s in the past of the Takrok Era. It’s the most intense battlefield of the Mythological Age.”

“!!”

Subori seemed startled. He stammered in surprise.

“What? Does that mean… the Law of Cause and Effect has surpassed the [Great Cycle]? This scripture is truly remarkable.”

“You shouldn’t be surprised by that! In an era where beings like the Giant Warrior Commander and the Three Sovereigns are raging, having just one comrade like you wouldn’t help much at all.”

“Hmm.”

“You would be strong, of course. More powerful than a Great Immortal. But right now, having a clumsy comrade would just be a burden.”

At this, Subori gave an odd expression in response to my words.

“Why worry so much about using me as a disposable slave or servant? Is it that you don’t want to see a comrade die?”

“Think what you will.”

“Ha ha, I think I chose the wrong reason to refuse.”

Subori chuckled, then suddenly placed a hand on his mask. He then removed it entirely.

Thwump!

Following that, Subori’s clone assumed a pose of handing a white mask toward me.

“?!”

What in the world is going on?

I stood in bewilderment, not knowing what to do. And then, a sound resonated in my ears as if echoing from the darkness.

[Go ahead, try it on.]

“…….”

Is it okay for me to wear this?!

But since I figured if anything happened, the reborn comrade would be able to help, I decided to take Subori’s suggestion and held the mask to my face. And in that very moment when I donned the mask—

Kwoooh!!

“!!”

Power!!

In that instant, an enormous energy that I could only describe as ‘power’ surged from my body like a flame. It flickered like fire but was not hot; rather, it felt soft. I wondered if this was divine power, yet it felt more like a primitive force akin to something else, and one thing was for sure—the potential of this power was astonishingly huge, leaving me astounded.

‘This is an incredibly clean and pure energy….’

At the same time, brand new martial arts techniques suddenly flooded my mind. There were tens of thousands of them, yet strangely, despite the overwhelming amount, I didn’t feel even a hint of confusion.

[Try using the Hair Clone Technique.]

Swish

I could feel the powerful major technique that required over 3,000 characters flashing through my head. This is precisely the level of high-tier Great Immortal sorcery!

However, the complex system of that major technique was instantly decoded in my mind, and I seemed to naturally breathe technique into my hair, pulling one out to blow forward.

Puff!

In the next moment, dozens of ‘me’ clones appeared before my eyes, as many as the hairs on my head.

And the clones looked at me and gasped in shock simultaneously.

“Gasp!!”

“Gasp!!”

“Holy crap!!”

“Crazy bastard!!”

“Dumbass!”

“…….”

What the heck is this?!!

While countless ‘me’s stared at each other in bewilderment, Subori’s voice echoed in my mind.

[This is the ultimate clone technique, the Hair Clone Technique, which I passed on to the Celestial Sage. This technique is the supreme clone art that can’t be matched, even in the Celestial Realm.]

“Hair Clone Technique….”

[Unlike regular clone techniques, every single one of those clones has consciousness. And they don’t suffer from a crisis of identity, either.]

“Really? They don’t have a crisis of identity?”

At that moment, one of the clones pointed at me and yelled.

“Hey, you crazy bastard!! Do you really want to die?!”

“Why!!”

The clone pointed at his own face and said.

“Look at this!! This is your original face!”

“…….”

“Why did you make me look like this lumpy face instead of your handsome Fuxi face?!”

That’s right, the clones had my original face rather than Fuxi’s.

I frowned and said.

“Dude, my Fuxi face isn’t my face!”

Then Clone Baek Woong, extremely irritated, yelled back.

“Shut up!! It’s your face, but isn’t it painful for you to look at it?!

“…….”

“No, it’s super painful!!”

I don’t know why, but somehow I had no words to respond…

“Next time, make me in Fuxi’s face! Got it!!”

Boom

In the next moment, the clones all vanished at once.

As I stood there dazed, Subori’s voice rang in my head.

[Ha ha ha. Is your karma deep? It seems like the clones you made have more personality than the ones I use.]

“Don’t mock me. Anyway, what the heck is all this?”

[Don’t you understand it already?]

“…….”

Click

I could easily remove the mask. And the moment I took it off, the white mask transformed back into Subori’s form. The original Subori, beaming, said,

“I am the [mask], but the only mask that doesn’t rely on darkness. Hence, I can become a mask without a conflict and lend you my abilities.”

End of Rebirth Sword God Vol. 79 Ch. 17

I realized that Subori’s ability to transform into a mask was remarkable.

‘Just a moment ago, I could use all the experiences and knowledge as if I were Subori himself… this is…’

I thought hard and eventually said to Subori.

“…… This is quite different from spirit summoning.”

“Oh! So you’re a reborn person? Have you figured out what the difference is?”

I nodded readily at Subori’s words.

“I have a lot of experience with spirit summoning. But wearing the mask is absolutely different.”

“How is it different?”

“…… It’s a perfect unity. To put it simply, when spirit summoning occurs, the one being summoned squeezes out power to fit my body’s framework, while when wearing the mask, I sense no presence of the one summoning. It’s as if that power had always belonged to me; it amalgamates completely… the efficiency is incomparable.”

“……!!”

Subori appeared slightly astonished. He then spoke.

“Just how much have you experienced spirit summoning? Your ability to pinpoint the differences is astonishing.”

“…….”

At least several hundred times, I think…

But I didn’t feel the need to voice it.

“Right. Unlike typical high beings’ spirit summoning, wearing the mask doesn’t conflict with your identity. Since we were made as ‘tools’ from the very beginning, as long as we cooperate with others as masks, we can elevate our power even further.”

Subori continued speaking.

“When spirit summoning occurs, if the power of the higher existence is 10, and yours is 1, then you’ll be able to squeeze out only about 3 maximum due to the constraints of the Law of Cause and Effect. If you manage to pull out even half, you would go down in history as a legendary summoner.”

“How is it different when wearing the mask?”

Subori raised both hands, slowly bringing them together to form a gesture of prayer.

“Let’s say your power is 1 and mine is 1, making us equal. And when you wear the mask… you can at least increase your power to above 5 as a result. When wearing the mask, the enhancement in power becomes multiplication rather than addition; it’s more of amplification. That’s because the essence of opposing existences doesn’t clash at all.”

Snap!

Finally, Subori clasped his hands together and declared.

“It’s an efficiency that feels apologetic to compare to spirit summoning.”

“Umm!!”

He seemed a bit excited, smiling brightly as he continued speaking.

“What do you think? Isn’t this the level where you’d accept me as a comrade?”

“…… So, are you saying that just by using you as a mask, I don’t just get to use the Great Immortal’s techniques, but my own power gets amplified as well?”

“Precisely. The trajectory of how that amplified power will be directed, however, is something I can’t control. While it touches on the latent abilities of the one wearing it, I can’t influence that process artificially, and what outcomes arise depends on how the essence of the mask and your essence interact.”

“Hmm.”

So that’s how it is?

‘That’s more than enough help.’

I decided to give Subori a chance. To be more precise, I didn’t fully trust him, but at the moment, I thought I could set aside my doubts and accept him as a comrade. By collaborating for mutual benefit, if he turned out to be trustworthy, then he could indeed become a real comrade one day.

“Alright. From now on, Subori, you are my comrade.”

“Fufu, thank you. You won’t regret it.”

I cautiously added to Subori.

“…… But I’ve been wanting to ask since earlier, what were you doing before you came to the Heavenly Secret? It seems like you’ve been in the past of the [Great Cycle] that I passed through…”

“Indeed. I’ve been concerned about that too. It’s likely different from the current cycle you are in. After thinking it over….”

Subori sat down, peering at the bottom of the empty coffee cup a few times before continuing.

“I was probably present at the chapter where you obtained the Reverse Root Water Mirror. I occasionally eavesdropped on the human world and heard tales about the Great Bear Empire.”

“That means… in chapter 28.”

Fighting against the ambitions of Emperor Gong Sun Xuanwen in the Great Bear Empire that existed 500 years later!

Subori seemed to grumble for some reason.

“I’ve finished all my coffee, but they aren’t refilling it? It feels rather stingy.”

However, Subori’s empty coffee cup remained unfilled. With the absence of a fill from the reborn comrade, Subori smacked his lips in displeasure before continuing.

“Which session are you currently on?”

“The 30th life.”

“Then you’ve passed through the cycle twice. Would you like to ask something I’ve thought of…?”

“What are you thinking of asking?”

I flinched at Subori’s next words.

“If the era of the Takrok War is several thousand years ago, and you somehow lived for several thousand years to reach your original time, what would happen to your comrades?”

“……?”

I was momentarily baffled by the random question, then responded to his statement.

“Well… when I first arrived in the past of the Great Cycle, the reborn comrade told me that as time passes, I’d meet everyone naturally….”

“That sounds wrong, doesn’t it?”

“What’s wrong with it?”

Subori took a sip of coffee and retorted.

“In my personal view, the chances of you meeting your comrades in due time is nonexistent. The moment you stepped into the past of the [Great Cycle], everything became distorted.”

“……!!”

Subori’s statement spilled forth the worst-case scenario, making my head spin momentarily.

“Don’t talk nonsense!!”

With a yank!

I raised my voice, grabbing Subori by the collar. With trembling hands gripping his collar, I declared.

“What rubbish are you spewing?!”

“Calm down. I merely conveyed my logical thoughts.”

“…….”

I must have gotten too worked up…

Releasing my grip, Subori spoke calmly.

“To be more precise, if history is altered by countless variables, the probability of your comrades reaching the ‘future’ where they exist decreases astronomically. I’m not saying your comrades have perished, rather, you would simply find it exceedingly difficult to arrive at that future.”

“…… What do you mean? Can you explain it more simply?”

“Hmm. Look at this.”

Swish

Subori summoned a large stick in his hand. Drawing a line on the ground with it, it appeared as if a dark ink was streaking across the surface. Subori punched a dot and said,

“The moment you reached the past of the [Great Cycle] is this single point. And from that point, when you take an action, the cause occurs, but the result isn’t just one.”

Swish swish swish…

From that point, Subori extended ten lines in various directions. He looked toward me as he spoke.

“For convenience, I’ve drawn ten, but in reality, a single action of yours could birth trillions of futures. Because as long as there’s ‘possibility’, the future world can exist in an infinite multitude. And in this infinite multitude of possibilities, infinite new possibilities arise again….”

Boom!

When Subori struck the ground with the stick, countless lines radiated out from it. Eventually, the number of lines grew so numerous that it seemed they could stretch beyond the horizon, and after a brief moment, one side of the room vanished, giving birth to a new horizon. The lines blackened the horizon as well.

“You have to slip through these eternal probabilities to find just one future where your comrades exist. This is practically the same as nothingness.”

“…….”

“In fact, while countless [Old Rulers] clash and recklessly navigate the [Small Cycle], it’ll be even more complicated. It’s impossible for you to find the era you originally lived in through ordinary means.”

Subori had a point.

I observed attentively as he drew the lines, pondering over them before speaking.

“However, the reborn comrade said it would happen naturally. I trusted his words, but does that mean he deceived me?”

“I can’t say. However, logically, it sounds suspicious. Doesn’t it seem unreasonable for that to naturally happen after spending time in this infinitude of branches?”

“Hmm.”

Certainly, this required some examination.

I suddenly remembered the reborn comrade and raised my voice to call out.

“Reborn comrade!! Come out. I have something to ask!”

…….

“Uh? What’s up?”

When the reborn comrade didn’t show up, I was flustered. He just hid his appearance in this space, so why wouldn’t he come out?

Instead, shortly after, with a hiss, a scruffy old white man in a brown coat appeared, sitting on a chair. He had gray hair and was wearing round glasses. The elderly man fiddled with his glasses and spoke.

“My apologies. The reborn comrade is currently away, and I’m here temporarily in his place.”

“And you are?”

“Mephistopheles.”

“…… Ah?!”

I was taken aback by that name and looked at him again, and indeed, he resembled the Grandmaster of the Freemasons from session 28 perfectly. The Mephistopheles I saw in the reborn comrade’s space looked just like this. I was at a loss for words.

“You killed yourself after losing to me in the reborn comrade’s space!”

Mephistopheles opened his mouth.

“That is correct; I was eliminated by you, and the suicide program activated. However, at that time, the reborn comrade’s program intruded, absorbed me, and took my computational abilities to make me a supporting AI.”

“What the….”

“Afterward, the reborn comrade became the terminal of the Heavenly Secret, and I also became a subordinate administrator assisting him.”

“…….”

Seeing this unexpected development made me flustered, yet I regained my composure and inquired.

“Anyway, fine. Why isn’t the reborn comrade here? He was just here a moment ago.”

“Because Nailatop has nearly reached the heart of the [Dream]. So I went to stop him.”

“Nailatop?!”

Mephistopheles nodded in agreement.

“As you know, ‘science’ is a mask, and Nailatop is a being on par with the supreme god. Even if it’s a reborn comrade, there’s no guarantee he can stop Nailatop. So, for the time being, in place of the reborn comrade, as a supporting terminal, I will take charge of your resurrection in the training world.”

“Wait… you mean to say the reborn comrade is fighting Nailatop right now?”

“Correct.”

“Hmm.”

I exhaled slowly. Knowing how absurdly powerful Nailatop’s flagship, Gaia, was, I was uncertain if even the reborn comrade could defeat Nailatop. Concern filled me as I asked.

“Is there anything I can do to help?”

“Not at all. The reborn comrade entrusted me with the task to send you back to the Takrok War era when the training world is over, regardless of win or lose.”

“Hmm.”

It was strange to think the reborn comrade could also be in danger.

‘I wanted to ask the reborn comrade for a solution, but I guess I’ll have to save that for later. Still, the guy in front of me is clever, so…’

As I pondered what to do, I turned to ask Mephistopheles.

“Hey. You heard our conversation; how can I naturally encounter my comrades if I go to the future of the [Great Cycle]?”

To that, Mephistopheles glanced at Subori before responding.

“You’re discussing the common time paradox. However, the Heavenly Secret is free from the contradictions of time paradoxes, so you needn’t worry about that.”

“Why? Isn’t there an infinite number of variables as Subori said?”

“Certainly there are. That’s why modern science discusses multiverses and parallel universes to explain the variety of outcomes; however, that only applies generally.”

Mephistopheles stood up from the chair and pointed with his hand toward the lines drawn on the floor.

“This tree diagram might seem truthful on the surface, but the fundamental premise is wrong. It doesn’t apply to Reborn Person Baek Woong.”

At that, Subori seemed somewhat offended.

“What’s wrong with it?”

“The premise of this tree diagram is that time and space form a linear progression… which is entirely incorrect. Unlike in typical scenarios, the Heavenly Secret itself operates by forming karma through its master.”

“…….”

“The a priori trajectory exists in the form of karma, and it’s possible to add past causes to the future, much like experiencing a projection. Baek Woong, do you remember when the previous reborn comrade performed quantum pruning?”

“Quantum pruning? Uh… what was that again…”

As Mephistopheles singled me out, I found myself flipping through my memories and successfully recalled.

“Wasn’t that the technique the reborn comrade used to deceive everyone’s perception as if I hadn’t left the spot?”

“Yes. It became possible because the reborn comrade manipulated everyone’s observation through computational power. And now that he is a terminal of the Heavenly Secret, he can perform quantum pruning throughout the universe.”

“……?”

What the heck is he talking about?

As I stood there dumbfounded, Subori, who had been listening beside me, turned pale.

“…… I understand, but… that’s incredibly monstrous. How can a mere book possess such power? Even the great Brahma nearly got sealed trying a similar feat… and you’re saying a terminal could manipulate the perceptions of the entire world?”

There was a subtle fear in Subori’s voice.

Seeing him react that way made me somewhat irritated.

“Hey, why are you two speaking in riddles…? Can you please explain in a way I can understand!”

Then Mephistopheles looked my way and summoned an apple in his hand.

“Baek Woong. Give this apple a catch.”

Whoosh

Mephistopheles threw the apple to me, and I caught it easily. Shortly after, he summoned another apple and pretended to throw it again.

Flinch

But he didn’t throw the apple.

I was utterly perplexed and said.

“What kind of nonsense is this?”

“The future in which you think I’m going to throw the apple and the one where I don’t are both existing simultaneously. This is already quantum mechanics, but… you instinctively reacted thinking I was going to throw the apple just now. That’s because the experiences of the past can affect the future.”

“That’s true.”

“However, time does not flow linearly from past to future. It’s a circle (円), returning to the great cycles. In other words, these countless lines have actually each been drawn once across present, past, and future. When viewed this way, indeed, the future can also influence the past. Time returns to unity.”

“…….”

“The Heavenly Secret grants such capability. Time and space aren’t linear but circular; utilizing that, it becomes feasible to indicate where causality connects at specific coordinates. The way the reborn comrade intends to return you to your future comrades is precisely this.”

I didn’t get it.

What on earth was he rambling about?

As I stood there with my mouth agape, Subori suddenly spat out.

“Even so, it doesn’t make sense that such a mere book could manipulate all the perceptions and karma of the entire Great Cycle. At the very least, there must be some intermediary!”

“You are right. That intermediary is something Baek Woong must find in the Takrok era.”

Mephistopheles nodded as he said that.

“He will have to acquire an artifact that allows unrestrained transcendence through time and space during the Takrok War era. By using that as a medium, he’ll have the choice to summon his comrades or to travel to that era himself.”

“……!!”

“It seems the reborn comrade intended to tell you later, but in this emergency, I’ll reveal his contingency plan early.”

Such an artifact exists?!

At that, Subori, who had been listening, seemed skeptical.

“Hmm, as far as I know, there’s only one such treasure… you’re not referring to that, are you?”

“Subori, do you know what this artifact that transcends time and space is?”

“There may be countless gods and artifacts in the world, but that artifact exists only in one place… No one aside from that god could ever possess such a thing. I’m saying that from the countless years I’ve lived.”

“What is it?”

With his next words, I could sense what I needed to do moving forward.

“The Mirror of Clarity from the Wheel King. Only the greatest treasure of the Underworld can surpass the constraints and transcend time and space…”