전생검신 82권 14화

I flinched at Subori’s words.

“……So the dragon was actually a child?”

“Yep. I used a technique to reveal its essence and checked the shape of its soul, and it had the form of a human soul intact.”

“……!!”

“I found out it was originally a six-year-old child by interrogating nearby residents.”

What?

So humans also knew that the dragon was a child?

It was hard to believe, but there was no joke in Subori’s eyes. Sensing that it was probably true, I sharply stared at Krishna.

“Krishna. What’s going on?”

“……”

Krishna briefly made a dark expression before answering me.

“This Kalpa absorbs human faith and transforms it into divine power, but there are limits to this technique. Since divine power is so formidable, the humans who offered their faith would be mesmerized and transformed.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“Those who offered faith couldn’t help but be directly exposed to fragments of our divine power. What kind of reaction do you think an ordinary human experiences when they come in contact with the divine power of a cosmic being? They might go insane, feel terrified, or even self-harm out of reverence. The reactions are so extreme that they actually end up altering their own bodies and souls to assimilate with the divine power.”

“……!!”

“We can’t stop their transformations. It’s an instinct deeply ingrained in them since the beginning of time when the [Ancient Race] first created humans. I suspect it was designed to aid them as soldiers, but to fix it we’d have to transform humans into another race.”

Another race…

I picked up on what Krishna was explaining and clenched my teeth.

“You’re saying that due to divine power, those whose souls are altered are intentionally led to assume such forms?”

“Exactly. You know how terrifying it is for those whose souls have been completely shattered to become the Otherworldly beings that exist beyond? Rather, we are guiding their souls to mold them into relatively superior races. They’ve gained even more powerful abilities than when they were alive, and their memories remain intact, so we could call it evolution, couldn’t we?”

“……”

Are you saying it’s better to evolve them like divine beasts or monsters instead?

It seemed somewhat reasonable, but I felt a strong rebellious urge against Krishna’s words and yelled, “Damn it, don’t make excuses!! Regardless, the system of obtaining faith is incomplete, causing perfectly fine humans to turn into other races overnight! And you’re fully aware of that side effect while using humans to recover your powers and keep this Kalpa running!”

Krishna looked slightly flustered and said, “Well, if you call it an excuse, I have no retort. But isn’t it hard to accept that we can’t even collect a price for actively protecting the lives of humans? If we take further losses beyond this, it would turn into sacrifice, and that’s unacceptable.”

“Unacceptable, you say?”

I was dumbfounded and shot back at him. He spoke as if humans should inherently sacrifice a bit for gods! To assert that gods couldn’t sacrifice for humans felt completely out of line with my understanding of good.

But what was more astonishing was that Krishna wasn’t trying to provoke me. He was simply expressing his long-held thoughts and beliefs to an equal, and I could sense he was being cautious. Krishna, or rather the true form Vishnu, had been thinking that way since ancient times.

‘He thought humans were pitiful, yet he can’t even offer a sacrifice? What on earth…’

As I was lost in confusion, Subori, who had been silently observing the situation, finally spoke up.

“Humans are pets, you know.”

I turned to Subori in shock. He continued with a cold smile, “Baek Woong, why are you overthinking this? If ordinary evil gods consider humans bugs, these beings treat them as cute pets. But even the cutest pet wouldn’t have many humans willing to give their lives for it, right?”

“……!!”

“From a cosmic perspective, the Vishnu in front of us is certainly a benevolent god. As far as I know, there are very few gods that genuinely care for humans like this. In fact, if he wanted to be cruel, he could exploit them even more, but where is the rarity in helping evolve their race?”

I was taken aback by Subori’s words. “So, you’re saying we should be satisfied with being treated like pets? No matter how you slice it, that’s…”

“It’s surprising to hear you say that. You know very well how the wicked gods treat humans as bugs, right? You should have already understood how merciful Vishnu is.”

“……”

Subori smiled and said, “I can assert that there’s no such thing as a deity solely for humans in this vast universe! So, doesn’t even the gods deserve the right to pursue their own happiness? If they’ve cared for absolute weaklings in a world ruled by the survival of the fittest, they must be good beings.”

“That’s…”

I wanted to argue but eventually fell silent. Deep down, I couldn’t accept it, but I could understand it logically, just as Subori said.

No god exists solely for humans. And in this universe, no one is here to blame that.

‘Damn it…’

Even when I briefly spoke with Dharma in the outer universe, he said, [There is none. Not anywhere.]

The existence of no benevolent god for humans meant that humanity had been wandering aimlessly without someone to believe in since their birth.

I felt a sense of frustration.

‘I know humans aren’t exactly virtuous beings. They might not deserve salvation… but I’m still a human. How can I just stand by when I know they can’t be saved like this?!’

Is there any fundamental solution?

While I was lost in thought, Krishna spoke up.

“If I’ve offended you, I’m sorry. But please understand this was unavoidable with hundreds of [Old Rulers] attacking.”

“……Forget it. I don’t think I can blame you. Now, let’s get to the point.”

I looked at Krishna and said, “The real issue is that Brahma is not here. Why hasn’t Brahma returned?”

“……?”

Krishna looked puzzled at my words, but then he seemed to realize something.

“Ah, so Brahma returned to reality before you did at the Inheritance Site! You followed his lead back?”

“That’s right. Considering the time, Brahma should have arrived in this pavilion before me and waited for me.”

“Hmm… Then could you share more details? If you could include the context, that would help in understanding.”

“I can do that.”

I briefly recounted everything I had experienced up to now and spoke more in detail about the encounter with Brahma at the Inheritance Site. After listening in silence for nearly half a moment, Krishna pondered before speaking.

“A waterfall.”

“A waterfall?”

“It seems you created the [Gate] and returned to the real world, but Brahma followed the waterfall that existed at the Inheritance Site to travel through time and space. This means that the time and space you aimed for may be different from the ones Brahma targeted. It’s possible that Brahma could emerge in a time far ahead of now.”

“……!!”

Could it really be? I tilted my head as I asked, “What makes you so certain it has to be the future? He could also appear in the past.”

“What do you mean? If he had appeared in the past, it would have been obvious that Brahma would have come to find both of us. At the point we met, we should have undeniably been with Brahma. However, we haven’t found him since he used Brahmastra and vanished into the void.”

“Ah!”

“In any case, this means we’ll need to wait for Brahma to return, regardless of when that may be… Thankfully, you bought us 5000 years, but that amount of time is just too short to withstand the absence of Brahma and defeat the others.”

Krishna’s face darkened. The uncertainty of when Brahma would return seemed to weigh heavily on him. I looked at Krishna and said, “Hey, I’ve been thinking, do we really need to defeat those guys?”

“……What do you mean?”

“The reason you’re fighting against those [Old Rulers] is to secure a better position for the end of the [Revelation], right? Do you really need to do that?”

“That’s…”

“Don’t deny it. I’ve heard it straight from Brahma.”

“Huh! That’s true. So what about it?”

I crossed my arms and glared at him. “Stop fighting those guys and evacuate the humans in this Kalpa to a safe place. Honestly, if you don’t drag me into your battles, the humans of this Kalpa wouldn’t have to transform into other races, would they? Plus, it would eliminate the risk of you being wiped out.”

“……”

“You seem to be reluctant to that idea.”

As I spoke bluntly, Krishna wore a strange smile and said, “Why should we be the ones to give up first? There’s not a single opponent among them who can beat us in a one-on-one fight. If Brahma returns in time, can’t he provide a strategy to create our chances of winning?”

“Listen, damn it… what’s your basis for that? Just because Brahma claims the front seat by listening to the [Revelation], does that guarantee he becomes the divine messenger? The Void Record hasn’t said a thing; if you guys just keep fighting amongst yourselves, what’s the point?”

Krishna looked so foolish that exasperation made me shout, and he blinked in surprise, saying, “I do have proof.”

“Eh?”

What followed was so unexpected that not only I but also Subori and Heuk Woong seemed startled.

“The Phoenix, a messenger of the Void Record, told us that if we could defeat the [Old Rulers] intending to enter Earth, we would receive a superior position in the [Revelation]! The three of us believed him and combined our efforts to fulfill this mission.”

“……?!”

“Wait…?”

[What do you mean?]

Why is the Phoenix here?!

I was taken aback by the unexpected presence, but maintained my composure as I asked, “D-Do you mean to say that the Phoenix promised that?”

“Indeed. Otherwise, why would we be fighting them so fiercely? It’s because such a reward has been promised.”

“Hold on… let me think for a moment…”

In confusion, I waved my hands around. What the hell is going on?

Then, Heuk Woong, who had been pondering beside me, quietly said, [Master. If what he said is true, it all makes sense.]

“Heuk Woong.”

[[The one who descends to the earth for the [Revelation] is the main subject, the Void Record, so the words of the Phoenix, the messenger of the Void Record, hold sufficient credibility. Moreover, it also explains why the Three Great Gods do not retreat and face the hundreds of [Old Rulers] head-on.]

“……”

He was right. As I was trying to sort through the situation in my head, Heuk Woong continued, [And Master, you’ve already figured out what this situation implies.]

“……That’s right.”

The purpose of the Phoenix…

I recalled what the Phoenix had said when I went to seek him out.

[My mission, bestowed by the Void Record, is to cleanse all the [Old Rulers] and demons existing in this star system, including Earth, and return them to nothingness. In doing so, on the day of the [Revelation], no one should hear the [Revelation].]

That’s why the Phoenix empowered the three divine beasts on earth, exterminated numerous [Old Rulers] upon descending, and even commissioned me to assassinate one among the Wheel King, Fuxi, or the Emperor to bring back their head.

The Phoenix was precisely a neutral being aiming to eradicate all forces converging to target the [Revelation]. Therefore, it wasn’t strange at all that the Phoenix wanted to reduce the numbers of the alien [Old Rulers] using the Three Great Gods.

At that moment, a thought slipped through my mind.

‘Oh? Does this mean that those Three Great Gods were also being used by the Phoenix…?’

But I figured there was no need to mention this. They were not exactly warm companions given the grudges from my past life, and our trust relationship wasn’t established yet. So I decided to keep that fact to myself and told Krishna, “Krishna. I don’t know what you think, but I already have a vision of the future. You won’t be able to defeat those hundreds of [Old Rulers], and this Kalpa will be breached, forcing you to rely on the Emperor Gong Sun Xuanwen of the Central Plains in a pitiful manner.”

“Umm…”

“The uncertainty of when Brahma will return lingers. Given that, wouldn’t it be wise to follow my proposition, which can replace Brahma? The mission that the Phoenix mentioned can also be carried out after we ensure survival first, right?”

“……”

Krishna pondered for a moment and then said, “If you put it that way, I agree. However, I’m not sure what Shiva thinks.”

“Shiva?”

Just then, I heard a voice.

“You’re saying something rather interesting, Baek Woong, disciple of Brahma!!”

Kugung!!

Dust began to fall as the ceiling near the pavilion collapsed, and a giant the size of one palm landed before us. This giant held a massive rosary in one hand and was wrapped in evident divine energy and combat aura. If it was pure strength, it was clear he was far stronger than the Divine Avatar Arjuna I saw earlier, and for a moment, the overwhelming pressure made me want to step back.

I narrowed my eyes at the suddenly appeared giant and said, “The Destroyer God Shiva.”

There’s no doubt about it. Although his body had shrunk significantly, he was unquestionably the Destroyer God Shiva!!

He was the incredibly powerful destroyer who showed up during the 28th round and knocked Xiang Yu down like a child, and just recently, I saw him battling an Evil God with the rosary in the outer universe. Shiva was a mighty god comparable to Jeon Wook, so I had no choice but to feel tense.

‘If this is not his true form but an avatar, then the crushing pressure is something else… I suppose when it comes to combat prowess, Shiva is the strongest among the Three Great Gods.’

Shiva looked down at me, crimson light streaming from his eyes, and said, “It’s been thousands of years since we’ve waged war against those guys. And now you want me to dismiss everything and run away because you said so like some lowly goblin?”

“Yes.”

“Ha ha ha… Don’t make me laugh. Do you think our ambitions are so weak that they can be shaken by the words of a little bug like you? Also, as one who reveres power itself, I won’t be swayed by the cunning tongue of a mere mortal.”

“……”

I frowned, thinking I could grasp Shiva’s true intent.

“So, are you saying you want to have a fight with me?”

“You’re quick to catch on!!”

Laughing heartily, Shiva brandished a trident-like weapon towards me and declared, “If you can show me sufficient strength and qualifications, I will consider your words! Otherwise… I will join forces with Vishnu and eliminate you!”

“……”

Ku gugugugu

‘This guy is tremendously strong.’

The immense combat aura that I couldn’t even believe was from an avatar rushed toward me. This guy was definitely among the current strongest on the surface, and fighting him would surely not be an easy task. In fact, as a Divine Avatar and a Destructive God, there was a high chance that I would be the one to fall behind in this match. Naturally, if an opponent of this caliber truly came at me with sincerity, I would find myself debating my next reincarnation.

‘Perhaps if I fought hard, I could win, but…’

Is it really necessary to go that far?

Suddenly feeling annoyed, I replied with a blunt voice, “Oh? Then don’t follow me, you bastard!!”

This seemed to surprise Shiva significantly.

“……Huh?!”

“Heuk Woong, Subori! Let’s return to the Central Plains!!”

Woong

As I opened a [Gate] to the Central Plains using divine power, Shiva stared at me with a dumbfounded expression while Krishna couldn’t hide his shock and called out to me, “B-Baek Woong! Please hold on for a moment.”

“What should I wait for? For these worthless bastards!”

I couldn’t hold back my anger and shouted.

“Do you think I’m doing this out of desperation? I’ve been holding back my disgust ever since Brahma asked me to save you as a price for teaching me techniques at the Inheritance Site!”

“……!!”

“I’ve bought you 5000 years, so take care of yourselves, you clueless bastards!”

“Wait…”

Pa-at!

In the next moment, I flew through the gate, landing on the ground of the Central Plains with Heuk Woong and Subori. As I noticed that I had arrived near the bat cave where I had been killed by Indra, a slight sense of relief washed over me.

“Phew.”

I made it back somehow!

Feeling this place was like home, I closed my eyes, inhaling the faint smell of bat droppings when Subori, who was beside me, spoke with concern, “Baek Woong, are you okay? It might be easier if we borrowed their power…”

I scoffed. “Forget it. They’re clearly not in any need, as evident from their behavior. Rather than trusting or following me, they seemed to think I’m just a kid to exploit, didn’t they? Krishna acted all polite but was just trying to deceive me while relying on me to do their dirty work.”

“Hmm.”

“But then I thought, once I save them, I can do it when they inevitably end up feeble and broken from losing their main powers.”

Of course, I had bought them 5000 years of time, meaning those alien beings wouldn’t invade during that time, and if they felt fragile beforehand, they’d find their way to me on their own. I also figured that if I managed to live for 5000 years, I would drop by to protect only the humans of the Kalpa.

“Oh… That makes sense. You truly have the mindset of the Thunder God Clan!”

“Is that a compliment?”

Subori continued, downplaying his words, “But something feels off. Why does it seem like time has stopped around here?”

“What do you mean… huh?”

Just as Subori mentioned, standing near the bat cave gave me a strange feeling that all the grass and air nearby felt still. As I was about to investigate the oddity, suddenly…

Jjeojung…

Subori’s figure suddenly froze. It looked as if time had stopped, and moments later, the area around us was shrouded in a dense white mist, possibly fog. Realizing something was off, I nervously scanned the surroundings.

Then, moments later, an old man slowly revealed himself in front of me.

“It’s a pleasure to meet the hero who roams freely in this vast world.”

“……”

The old man had ethereal white hair and a long beard, like a gentle flame of white. Yet, the overwhelming presence exuding from him suggested he possessed immense power, plain to see as divine power.

This man was a god.

And I could hear Heuk Woong speaking softly beside me, warning, [Master, be careful. That person is…].

“I know.”

An immensely powerful god capable of stopping time and making Subori freeze in place.

And if he possessed power akin to what I just saw from Shiva, there was only one possibility.

I positioned myself and respectfully greeted him.

“It’s an honor to meet the Yan Emperor Shennong.”

To my words, the old man slowly nodded and responded.

“I’ve heard a lot about you from Fuxi. Young strong one.”

This whole Takrok area could only belong to the Yan Emperor Shennong!

No one other than the Yan Emperor could appear like this.

It was likely that because I am human, he chose to manifest himself in human form for my sake.

I bowed to Shennong and raised my head, asking, “Did you come here to say something…?”

At my question, Yan Emperor Shennong began to speak.

“You are Baek Woong, aren’t you?”

“That’s correct.”

What followed from Shennong’s mouth left me in disbelief.

“You shall serve as the commander of our Giant Clan.”