전생검신 83권 20화

At the girl’s reply, Subori clicked his tongue, clearly disappointed.

“That’s such a pity. It seemed like it was the easiest path.”

He then turned to me and asked, “Baek Woong, so which path do you want to choose?”

“What do you mean?”

“In the end, you have to pick one among chaos, order, or moderation. I want to hear where your heart leans right now.”

Though there was a gag order imposed by the Phoenix on me, I could at least express which of the three I was considering, as long as I didn’t mention that I could meet the Void Record by losing my head. So my companions, including Subori, knew to some extent where I was planning to lean among the three forces.

“……”

Three paths……

After pondering Subori’s words, I finally spoke up.

“I still don’t know.”

“Don’t know? You must really dislike the emperor then.”

I flinched at Subori’s unexpected observation.

“Why do you think that?”

“Well, the emperor’s conditions are much more lenient than the Wheel King’s… Didn’t he actually let you take this girl with you? Whatever the Wheel King can do, on the surface, the emperor is the one who should be your ally.”

“……”

“Looking at power, the emperor’s influence is quite strong. It would probably be the easiest way for you to achieve your goals. Yet your heart doesn’t lean towards the emperor; it indicates a deep-seated disdain for him.”

I couldn’t help but nod reluctantly.

“……That’s right. The emperor is the one I hate the most among the three.”

“Hmm… I guess you must have a big grudge against him for playing with the fate of the Great Bear Empire.”

“It’s not just that. Honestly, I didn’t ever want to face that guy in this way.”

As I couldn’t hide my disgust, Subori gave a bitter smile.

“Then it can’t be helped. What you must do is already decided.”

“What do I have to do?”

“Naturally, you have to seek out Fuxi.”

“……”

“If you’ve heard the proposals from Chaos and Moderation, isn’t it only fair to hear Fuxi’s proposal representing Order? That way, you can say you’ve been impartial.”

I responded warily to Subori’s words.

“To outright state that I’ll pick one among the three and eliminate the other two, wouldn’t even Fuxi treat me coldly? The Wheel King couldn’t help read my memories, but how could I honestly say something like that?”

“That’s a valid concern. However, Baek Woong… There’s no need to worry about that.”

“Why is that?”

“Because Fuxi knows perfectly well what kind of existence you are. And he’s the sage who understands that he has no right to interfere with your choice better than anyone else. He’s likely to suggest what he can offer plainly and if that doesn’t work, he’ll swiftly come to terms with it.”

“……”

Could it really be that way?

Just as those thoughts circled in my mind, I heard a voice.

“Sorry to interrupt the conversation, but I have something to say, Baek Woong!”

Yulsan suddenly jumped in. When I looked at him, he spoke cautiously.

“I genuinely appreciate you bringing my blood-related girl back. But… do you know where Yuso is?”

“Um.”

I made a thoughtful noise as I gazed at the girl, who answered on my behalf.

“I don’t know where Yuso is, nor do you, brother.”

Yulsan exclaimed with a face full of shock.

“That can’t be… Does that mean I won’t be able to see her now?”

Grrrrr

As his emotions heightened, I felt a powerful force, concentrated in his body, burst forth like a whirlwind. I couldn’t help but flinch at the overwhelming flow of that power.

‘Th-this is divine power…? No, it’s different. It’s a completely different unknown power!’

And for some reason, I sensed that facing this enigmatic power Yulsan possessed would be extremely dangerous. I wouldn’t lose, but I had a clear instinct that I would take significant damage without a doubt.

Then, the girl placed a hand on Yulsan’s shoulder and spoke softly.

“Calm down. Yuso will definitely appear in front of us again.”

“What do you mean? Explain it in detail.”

“Before we parted, she definitely said this.”

The girl continued with clarity in her eyes.

“When the Law of Cause and Effect connects and the power of infinity is born, she will be there… She said we would meet again then.”

“Um……”

“I’m not entirely sure what that means, but I trust that girl. She knows her future, so she won’t say anything wrong.”

“I see. I too must search for that girl and wait for her……”

Sssss

Yulsan sighed as he calmed his power. I felt a strange unease at the girl’s words and questioned her.

“What does that mean? If you’re talking about infinite power, aren’t you referring to the infinite authority you currently possess?”

“I thought that sounded strange too and asked her. But Yuso said it’s entirely different. She mentioned that ‘power’ becomes complete in the moment a complexly intertwined Law of Cause and Effect connects……”

“I have no idea what that nonsense means……”

“Yuso seems to be aiming for the moment something is completed. If you want to meet Yuso, you’ll need to figure out what that moment is.”

“Hmm……”

Even after saying that, I couldn’t even begin to guess what it meant. I shook my head and replied.

“Anyway, I have to go meet Fuxi. Just wait a bit……”

“Wait a moment.”

At that moment, Subori interrupted. As I glanced at him, he continued.

“I have a few things to discuss, so follow me for a moment?”

Swish

I left where everyone was and followed Subori. He led me to a location about a league away from the village, where I saw a sheer cliff with something embedded in it.

“What’s that…?”

A gigantic sword, almost the size of one palm!

It was also in a shape I was quite familiar with.

“Try pulling it out.”

Ta-da!

I leaped up the cliff and grabbed the handle. When I returned to my original position with the sword in hand, Subori said.

“You already know what that weapon is, right?”

I murmured as I watched the bluish energy swirling around the sword.

“This isn’t Yu Mang’s sword.”

“Exactly. Yu Mang left that sword embedded in the cliff before he departed, after taking Cheongyang as his disciple. He left a message to hand it over to you when you returned.”

“……”

“If it’s the weapon of the strongest warrior of the Giant Race, it will certainly be a great aid to you in the future.”

Yu Mang’s sword contained powerful divine energy, but strangely, I felt no resistance from it. Perhaps it was because the original owner, Yu Mang, had already permitted it to belong to me.

‘Perfect timing! I really needed a good weapon.’

Swoosh!

I quickly infused it with divine power and compressed it to a perfect size for me to wield before equipping it at my side. After obtaining Yu Mang’s sword, I peered thoughtfully at Subori.

“It feels like there’s more you want to say.”

“Did you catch on? It wasn’t the kind of talk suitable for a crowd.”

I sighed.

“Hurry and tell me. I want to meet Fuxi and settle my mind quickly.”

“Don’t rush into a decision. You don’t need to.”

“What do you mean?”

At my inquiry, Subori smiled.

“I pondered while listening to you. Right now, the rulers of the Three Realms are forcing you to make a triple choice, but do you really need to hurry with that decision?”

“……”

“No, eventually the choice is yours. And if you think about it, those rulers are probably hanging on your every word! Furthermore, the deities have a sense of time that feels like molasses compared to ours, so you could actually take decades or even hundreds of years to decide, and it wouldn’t matter. Because to the gods, even hundreds of years are just a fleeting moment.”

“So, you’re saying I should delay the triple choice as long as possible?”

“That’s not the essence of it either. Because if nothing changes after a hundred years, then dragging out time is meaningless.”

As Subori said this, he gazed at me for a moment before adding.

“The important thing is… whether you have the skills to stand alone beyond the influence of whichever faction you choose among the three!”

“……!!”

“For example, let’s say you ally with the emperor and wipe out both the Wheel King and Fuxi. Do you really think the emperor will regard you as an equal and remain your companion all the way?”

“That wouldn’t happen.”

“With Fuxi and the Wheel King, there’s less risk of betrayal, but the situation is the same. You will ultimately live in a world saturated with their influence, and restrictions will be imposed upon you as you move about. Not now, but once they defeat their rivals, they will gain an incomparably greater strength at that moment.”

“Really?”

“It’s not an empty statement. You’ve lived in a world where the emperor won historical supremacy. The emperor from your time was already a ruler of history. He manipulated all the Laws of Cause and Effect with ease and was a perfect victor until the very end, wasn’t he?”

“……”

“Likewise, it would be the same if Fuxi or the Wheel King wins. It’s just a difference of who sits on the throne.”

“So what do you want me to do? Am I supposed to strengthen my skills more?”

As I asked, Subori’s eyes sharpened.

“Wait… if you choose one of them, will you not get some additional reward?”

I jerked!

Because of the communication ban, I couldn’t respond, but it was as if Subori knew.

“I expected as much. There must be some sort of restrictions on that condition, right? I won’t pry further.”

” ……”

“Think well. Is there a way for you to use that ‘reward’ to strengthen yourself?”

A way to strengthen myself…?

‘When I take one of the three heads to the Phoenix, I might get a chance to meet the great Void Record. If I can use that to enhance myself…?’

In that moment, my mind began to race.

‘Until now, I hadn’t thought about it, but isn’t it time to consider what to ask when I meet the Void Record?!’

I rummaged through my memories while pondering Subori’s words.

‘The Void Record promised that it would allow me to know whatever I desired in this universe. But what does knowing just one piece of knowledge even mean…?’

I had no inkling at all on how to unravel this ‘one piece of knowledge.’

If it was a single piece of knowledge that could enhance me, then what on earth could it be?

At that moment, Subori spoke up.

“If it really doesn’t work out, how about asking for the power of the being who proposed to you?”

“Um?!”

“I don’t know who it is, but that being must be a formidable higher existence. Wouldn’t it be great if you received a blessing or something like that?”

“……!!”

Though Subori was speaking generally without specifics, I suddenly got a clue from his words and opened my eyes wide.

‘Could it be that asking for the powers of the Void Record would be the solution?!’

An unexpected method of strengthening!

‘Wow… that’s definitely an incredible privilege!’

The Void Record…!!

The power that being possesses is probably immense, just looking at how the sage race became known across the universe just from a fragment of that ability. No matter how difficult the conditions might be to obtain the powers of the Void Record, once I find out the method, being a Reborn Person would almost guarantee my success.

Moreover, that being ranks as the second highest in the entire universe, an Absolute Being rivaling [Father], which means that the moment I gain that power, I would likely reach a realm entirely different from before.

But… why did I feel that the question itself might be a waste of time?

“……”

I shook my head at Subori’s words and said.

“I won’t think about that right now.”

At my response, Subori seemed disappointed.

“Huh, then dragging this out like this will be meaningless… your power needs to be strong enough to sink its teeth into those three.”

” ……”

“Anyway, it’s fine. Come to your conclusion.”

Subori shrugged as if there was nothing else to say and continued.

“Before you go to Fuxi, make Takrok Village a more livable place [to create]. That’s all I have to say.”

“I understand.”

Swoosh!

I harnessed the power of the Trimurti to transform Takrok Village into a luxurious place reminiscent of future Luoyang. I felt that if I made it into a cutting-edge scientific city from the Great Bear Empire era, it would be too much for them to adapt, so this level would be sufficient.

“Well then, let’s go, Heuk Woong!”

[Opening the door, Master.]

Pa-at!

I opened the door and headed towards where Fuxi resided. Just like before, I was summoned to the Cloud Bridge near Fuxi’s location, and one of the ancient immortals stepped out to greet me.

“I predicted that you would come, and it seems I was right.”

“Princess Yonggil.”

“It’s nice to see you again since we last met in the Underworld.”

Princess Yonggil smiled gently and greeted me with a bow. I returned the gesture and, as she lightly tugged her silk clothing, she said.

“Please follow me. He is waiting for you.”

I followed Princess Yonggil to the pavilion where Fuxi was seated. I could see Fuxi sitting there, casually puffing on a long tobacco pipe.

Fuxi, staring out at the misty expanse, didn’t even glance my way as he opened his mouth.

“Princess Yonggil, step back.”

“Yes.”

Swoosh!

As Princess Yonggil vanished in an instant, Fuxi glanced my way, and I walked over to sit beside him. Fuxi took a puff from his pipe, creating a small wisp of smoke, and I felt the mysterious fragrance of Dragon Abyss fill the hall. As the aroma wafted through the air, Fuxi spoke.

“Baek Woong. Have you received any proposals from the Wheel King or the Emperor?”

I flinched at Fuxi’s inquiry.

“……Yes. How did you know?”

“I could feel the ripples you caused as you stumbled through different dimensions. You visited the Wheel King and the Emperor in succession and brought the girl back, so it would be unreasonable to think there were no negotiations.”

“……”

“If you have something to say, go ahead. I’ll listen without reservation.”

“……Alright.”

I took a deep breath and began to explain my current situation to Fuxi as best as I could. Naturally, I did not mention the additional meeting with the Void Record from the Phoenix. That process took about a meal’s time, and throughout, Fuxi listened to my tale with mild interest, casually puffing on his pipe.

‘I cannot mention the Wheel King’s technique of absolute severance…’

I had to divest myself of the Wheel King’s complete support as I spun the tale. When I finished my story, Fuxi said.

“Baek Woong. You’re hiding something from me.”

“Huh?”

“I can sense from your tone that there is an additional precondition you hold. Perhaps it’s a preference suggesting that it would be better to kill the Wheel King… Did someone demand that you kill him?”

“Ah!!”

I hadn’t meant to mention Master Mangnyang, yet had he guessed it?!

Feeling reluctant to share that detail, I kept it hidden, but since Fuxi caught on, I had no choice but to confess.

“……Master Mangnyang appeared at the boundary of life and death like a dream and suggested that it would be better to kill the Wheel King. It’s the only way to restore reality.”

“Master Mangnyang?”

“Yes.”

“……”

Puff…

Fuxi closed his eyes thoughtfully as he exhaled smoke. After quite a lengthy pause with the pipe held, Fuxi slowly opened his mouth.

“Baek Woong. As a representative of the ancient gods of order, I don’t have much to offer you.”

“Huh?”

“To be precise, most of what I can present would be useless to you. Even if I grant you influence, it could never be greater than that of the emperor. As for divine power, you’re already quite capable, so there’s nothing much I could add, and the knowledge that might help you is probably limited as well. If you want divine arts or treasures, I can offer those, but I doubt they’d prove useful to a Reborn Person.”

“……”

“If I wanted to lend you wisdom, it would be good, but in truth, I already lend it well, so what more could it accomplish? Hahaha.”

As Fuxi laughed brightly, I responded incredulously.

“U-uh, is it really okay to say that? What would you do if I chose another faction and tried to kill you, Fuxi?”

“That would also be fate. And I could likely persuade you to join my side through my wisdom, but I wouldn’t wish to do that.”

“Why not?”

“Because I know the ‘destruction’ the girl spoke of.”

“……!!”

“I was informed that if you follow my will, at the end of that path, your father Pangu would be resurrected, right?”

I nodded heavily.

“Yes. The girl heard that from Yuso.”

“That is to say, it’s akin to how events that took place at the dawn of time unravel unexpectedly now. I cannot prevent that ending.”

“What do you mean?”

“……”

Fuxi took a puff from his pipe, then sighed heavily.

“Why do you think Pangu was sealed?”

Taken aback by the unexpected question, I blinked and replied.

“I understand that… Pangu is a singularity of order and that the universe was born when he died. I’m not sure why he was sealed.”

“Pangu was not born to die. There was indeed a period during which he descended as a foreign deity to exert influence over this world. It was during a time when the power of order overwhelmingly surpassed the power of chaos, and there was no being more powerful than Pangu in the entire universe.”

As he spoke, Fuxi’s eyes sharpened momentarily.

“Let me make this clear: Pangu did not die of his own accord. He fought against the challenge of another foreign god who descended under the influence of chaos, and they both perished simultaneously.”

“……?!”

Wait, Pangu died together with another foreign god?!

I gasped in shock, unable to contain myself.

“Who was that foreign god?!”

“You know him very well.”

“……No way……”

As I murmured in confusion, Fuxi dropped the shocker.

“The Lord of Masks, the most hideous king of chaos… the harbinger of doom, the heir of chaos. [Coming Chaos] was precisely the one who perished with Pangu. Moreover, the Central of the Five Elements we visited previously was, in fact, the place of their final battle.”