전생검신 85권 19화

Dividends?

I blinked in confusion, not understanding what that meant. Then Relkrobos glanced at me and carefully said again.

[…… The god of Chulu Dragon said you bear all responsibilities. We came here to ask for the rights and the dividends owed to all of our investors…!]

“……?! Chairman? What in the world are you talking about… Stop with the nonsense!”

I shouted in surprise, but Relkrobos raised his hand and revealed something shiny.

[This is the evidence of those rights!!]

Flash!

The coin filled with divine energy shone a bright golden light.

“……!!”

A golden coin!

Seeing that coin hit me like a sledgehammer to the head.

‘Ah…!! That coin was obtained through [Power of Commerce]!’

That’s my coin!

And then I remembered the business that started in the Takrok Era at Lee Hwan-woong’s suggestion.

[So, what’s the first thing you need to do?]

[You need to establish your own corporation.]

[It doesn’t matter if they are Ancient Gods or Old Rulers; you can get investments from the hundreds of gods present on this planet! They are truly great beings, so it’s clear they can provide you a big investment!]

[At level 3, the phase of the Front Demon, it’s possible to trade all forms of intangible power. In other words, if you receive a constellation from the Ancient Gods or stars from the Old Rulers… you can convert that power into your own Demon Path.]

Reaching level 3, the Front Demon stage of [Power of Commerce], my strategist Lee Hwan-woong suggested this corporation plan! The plan was to collect the power of the gods and high-level existences in the universe efficiently, and I had even gathered the signatures of the first 10 shareholders for that purpose.

I vividly remembered after establishing the corporation.

[If you invest in our company… you will receive dividends of divine energy!!]

[Just by cooperating with our company, you will receive the essence of divine energy at set intervals.]

[We will share this coin with our investors! Using this coin as a medium, divine energy will be transmitted to investors at fixed intervals.]

[Hmm… how much divine energy can you provide in dividends?]

[5 percent of your investment!]

[What is the dividend period?]

[…… 5,000 years!!]

That’s right… I had promised to give dividends using that golden coin I obtained through [Power of Commerce] as a trust fee! And back then, the condition was definitely to give 5 percent of the invested divine energy every 5,000 years.

Considering the perspective of mortals, 5,000 years is a long time, but the problem is that all of those hundreds of spirits in front of me are gods. For them, 5,000 years is hardly a long time.

‘…… How many years have passed since then?’

How much dividends am I expected to pay?

I had no clue. Yet, asking Relkrobos in front of me would acknowledge my responsibility and seem like a weakness, so I could only keep quiet.

Come to think of it, I suddenly recalled Relkrobos’s identity. There was a point in my past life when I had gone to the future world where Dr. Faust was and witnessed the end of humanity. Back then, I used Red Bow to defeat that Old Ruler alongside Faust.

Does that mean… every single spirit behind him is an [Old Ruler]?

‘Oh damn….’

Realizing this made me feel a chill, and I stammered.

“I-I have no idea what you’re talking about… what does that coin even mean?”

[Look closely!]

Relkrobos flicked the golden coin with his finger, sending it flying towards me. The coin suddenly stopped in mid-air and began to emit a strange vibration.

Whoooooooom…

The golden coin started to rotate slowly near me, resembling a planet orbiting around the sun. Seeing this, Relkrobos appeared to smile.

[Just as I thought.]

“What do you mean by ‘just as you thought’?”

[That coin has a spell placed on it that only responds to someone with exactly the same divine energy wave. The fact it’s spinning means you are the owner of the coin… which means you are the chairman and obligated to distribute dividends!!]

“……!!”

What the hell?!

I was thrown off guard and panicking. So I decided to deny it.

“Whoa, hold on! You guys are gods, so you can manipulate spells however you want! Are you trying to pin this on me?”

[We expected you to say that. But we immediately asked Master Mangnyang to notarize it as soon as you arrived.]

“What?”

When I looked at Master Mangnyang, he yawned and said.

[Those guys didn’t manipulate the coin’s spell at all. They can’t even do that in this space. So I, Master Mangnyang, guarantee that you, Baek Woong, are indeed the owner of the coin.]

“……?!”

Damn it! That cat just hit me in the back of the head! How could he spill the truth?!

Does that mean I now have to pay dividends?!

I panicked, fumbling for words. Then, I quickly added.

“Chulu Dragon!! Wasn’t he the one running the business? I don’t know anything! Go talk to Chulu Dragon!”

[After becoming a senior member of the highest-level diamond group, Chulu recruited for personal investment presentations and created more victims, then mocked us and disappeared… We are all looking for Chulu now.]

“…….”

[Regardless, what’s certain is that you, Baek Woong, have an obligation to pay dividends!]

Crap…!!

‘That Chulu bastard… he’s making me take the fall!’

I realized I was in a corner. In any other situation, I would deny my responsibility, but the problem was that golden coin. Since that coin was created with my divine energy, and Master Mangnyang even notarized it, there couldn’t be any more solid evidence in the universe! The fact I am the chairman has already been proven.

I cautiously glanced at Relkrobos and asked.

“If… if I do have to pay dividends, how much would it be?”

I didn’t want to ask, but I had no choice at this point. I needed to understand the situation to respond.

Then Relkrobos calculated something in his head and replied.

[Since you joined as a member 53,281 years ago, you must pay 10 portions of dividends. Most others are likely the same as well.]

“How much is 10 portions worth?”

[Since it’s compounded, you’ll have to give at least 50% more than the energy we invested.]

“Huh?! That’s not fair!”

When I protested, Relkrobos grew pissed.

[What do you mean, “not fair”? We’ve never received a single dividend!! But all the securities we entrusted have never been returned! We’re just asking for what’s rightfully ours.]

“…….”

[Let’s settle this amicably; pay us the dividends. If not, based on the laws of the universe, we’ll summon the Collectors to collect what you owe.]

“Summoners?”

[You don’t know?]

Relkrobos looked to Master Mangnyang for explanations, and Mangnyang spoke slowly.

[With this level of karma, they can expend much of their power to summon a being to collect payment from you. That being will be an Apostle of the Outer God.]

“……?!”

An Apostle of the Outer God…?!

The sudden mention of an Outer God made it hard for me to gather my thoughts. How strong must an Apostle of the Outer God be?

But how on earth am I supposed to pay dividends?

Right now, I don’t even have my original body; I’m stuck in this empty shell!!

As I lost my words, Master Mangnyang addressed Relkrobos.

[That’s enough for today. You can all leave now.]

Relkrobos complained.

[Great one! We rarely have an opportunity to talk to that guy directly due to our constraints at this venue. If we don’t press hard for at least one portion of the dividends now, we won’t have another chance.]

Murmur…

[Right.]

[Ensure shareholder value.]

And as if in agreement with Relkrobos, the spirits behind him began to exude fierce divine energy.

[How dare you force me?!]

Spark!

In that moment, I saw Master Mangnyang’s aura blaze fiercely.

Whoosh…!!

Relkrobos and the hundreds of spirits standing behind him were blown away as if caught in a strong wind. Some couldn’t stand up due to the overwhelming pressure.

[Ugh.]

[Forgive me…]

In an instant, Master Mangnyang subdued hundreds of spirits and looked at them with a nonchalant expression.

[Baek Woong intends to repay his debts. I, Master Mangnyang, will prevent him from running away, so don’t worry and leave for today.]

[……!! I trust the great one.]

[Leave this land.]

Master Mangnyang added in a rather lethargic tone.

[Before the boundaries break any further…].

Swish!!

And just like that, as soon as Master Mangnyang finished speaking, Relkrobos and the hundreds of spirits vanished.

The peaceful cabin returned, but I was still in shock, dazed and sitting there.

“……What the heck… how did it come to this…?”

I just aimed to grow my [Power of Commerce] through investments from the gods in the Takrok Era, and now I’m in debt after over 50,000 years!

What on earth am I supposed to do about this?

Then, Master Mangnyang said.

[All of this is your karma. But it’s not entirely your fault.]

Huh?

Feeling a glimmer of hope, I looked at Master Mangnyang, who continued.

[The reason I’m helping you by mediating with the creditors is that you have grievances too. And also because, without you, there’s no one to stop this artificial boundary from collapsing.]

“What… what do you mean? So you do understand my situation?”

[…… Baek Woong, you’re dreaming right now.]

“Dreaming?”

Master Mangnyang jumped up and perched himself on the wall like a cat. Then he looked at me and said.

[In the primordial chaos at the beginning of the world, everything existed except one thing. And in the quest to find that one thing, omniscience and omnipotence opened their eyes, marking the beginning of everything.]

“…….”

[You’ve seen traces of isolation. Have you ever considered why that vast isolation emits a deathly aura no god can handle?]

As he spoke as if he knew everything, I gasped in surprise.

‘Does he know I met the Wheel King and saw the Desert of Isolation?’

What on earth is this cat’s true identity?

Despite my confusion, I calmly replied to Master Mangnyang.

“I don’t know. The Wheel King said he doesn’t fully understand the essence of isolation, even though he was born from it. How would I know what isolation is?”

[Breaking ties means erasing the foundation of all existence. It’s an outright denial of cause and effect. Thus, the act of breaking the ties consumes the law of cause and effect, doesn’t it?]

“……I guess it would.”

It seems the Wheel King had to bear the consumption of cause and effect when wielding the power of isolation.

[So, to break all ties, you’d need a corresponding amount of cause and effect. In the history of the universe, such transcendent cause and effect has only occurred once.]

“……?”

[That’s the essence of the Desert of Isolation.]

What is he talking about?

As I sat there baffled, Master Mangnyang continued.

[However, the birth of the Desert of Isolation also allowed the master of the [Vanished Story] to gain awareness in that void. That existence lost all memory of the past, yet like a creator, he drew forth the essence of chaos from nothingness. He’s not a god, but someone infinitely close to a god born anew in a new world. Who or what instigated this, we cannot know…].

“……?”

[The reason for the disturbance in the boundaries is linked to that being. Because of his intentions, everything became tangled up. Even the chaos of the [Great Cycle] is merely a tool he uses, rivaling Emperor Gong Sun Xuanwen in cunning.]

I wasn’t able to fully grasp Master Mangnyang’s words, but I started to sense something keenly.

“…..So you’re saying there’s a hidden mastermind that’s messed up my situation?”

[There might be.]

“Don’t just say ‘there might be’ after such an elaborate explanation… are you joking?”

[At least ‘now’ you exist in a way that’s not even present in the universe. The probability of your existence itself is uncertain.]

“……?”

[That being will only show up at the moment of his triumph, scooping all victory for himself. There’s no way you can confront him with any standard method.]

“What kind of jerk is that… how strong can he be?”

[It depends on how much cause and effect he’s gathered. But what’s important is whether you can track him down; currently, no being in this universe can locate him.]

“…….”

[If you continue like this, you’ll lose without even knowing why.]

I started to get a headache.

‘If he’s just overwhelmingly powerful, I could use various means to counter him… but finding him is the issue?’

This kind of opponent is something I’ve never faced before. Master Mangnyang wouldn’t be spouting nonsense, so it’s clear such a powerful enemy exists, but it’s impossible to defeat an enemy that might not even exist.

As I struggled with confusion, Master Mangnyang declared.

[Yet that being has openly intruded into my domain. Therefore, to protect the boundaries, I now have cause and effect to assist you. Thus, I’m going to give you some crucial advice.]

“……!!”

For a moment, I shouted for joy.

‘Master Mangnyang is helping me without asking for anything in return?!’

This is practically unprecedented, isn’t it?!

Focusing intently, I listened as he spoke.

[Baek Woong. The only way for you to repay the dividends and achieve victory is one.]

“What is it?”

Suddenly, Master Mangnyang’s eyes shone brightly.

[As a guardian of the boundaries, I will give you the chance to change the process.]

“The process?”

[Originally, such a thing shouldn’t occur, but the opponent has reversed the celestial principles of the universe and invaded my domain. So I won’t stay idle this time.]

“…….”

[Then make sure of what kind of world you desire. You need to determine what reality you want.]

As Master Mangnyang’s body and the area around him began to darken considerably, I felt my vision fading.

[And you yourself must become the one who connects the boundaries…].

*

Flash

When I opened my eyes…

“Huh?”

I realized I was standing in a strangely familiar landscape.

[According to my orders, I will eliminate you.]

Standing in front of me was [The One Who Turns the Stars].

The greatest servant of the Evil God, an Old Ruler in his own right, wielding incredible magic!

Seeing him blocking the entrance to the Mirror of Clarity while killing tons of judges and guards from the underworld reminded me of a past experience.

What… what is this?

Could it be that this situation is…

As I remained silent, [The One Who Turns the Stars] casually spread his arms wide and said.

[Go ahead, do your worst. I only need to buy time to win.]

I remembered hearing that phrase before.

I realized the same scenario was repeating and foresaw what was about to happen.

‘Surely, the King of Hell will….’

Zzzzzzzz!

[That won’t be happening.]

[What?]

Out of nowhere, the King of Hell appeared behind [The One Who Turns the Stars], grabbing him by the nape of the neck.

The King of Hell radiated light from his body and shouted.

[Baek Woong! Hurry and leave! I will bet all my powers to perish with this one!]

“……!!”

Right, this situation is definitely… the final battle I experienced before returning to the current era!

Just moments ago, I was conversing with Master Mangnyang, so why am I here?!

As I stood there dazed, I saw the King of Hell engulfed in even brighter light.

[Ughhhhhhh…!!]

Flash

In that instant, the King of Hell unleashed a tremendous burst of energy with a loud noise, exploding.

And in the aftermath of that explosion, [The One Who Turns the Stars] writhed on the ground, seemingly gravely injured.

Thud!!

However, after slightly regaining his strength, [The One Who Turns the Stars] firmly planted one foot on the ground and spoke.

[Indeed, King of Hell, you’ve sacrificed yourself and still couldn’t avoid grave injuries from my strongest defensive spell…].

“…….”

[However, I’ll make do for now, buying time against you. Thanks to the King of Hell’s delay, you’ve not escaped.]

I felt my head spinning in a daze.

Is this really reality?

If it is, then could this mean…

Right at that moment, the words of Master Mangnyang flashed across my mind.

[As a guardian of the boundaries, I will give you the chance to change the process.]

…….

Is that what he meant?

In that instant, I understood what Master Mangnyang’s words implied.

And just then, I gathered all my divine energy and charged forward.

“Hey you bastard! Try dodging this attack!!”

[All right! Bring it on!]

[The One Who Turns the Stars] boldly prepared to take my attack head-on. This showed he had great confidence in his skills, proving he was a deity capable of holding his ground against the best of the universe.

But I had anticipated this, so I immediately launched my technique.

Technique of All Things!!

Bang!

At that moment, both [The One Who Turns the Stars] and I froze, halted in place.

And right after, [The One Who Turns the Stars] shouted.

“Ah… no!! This can’t be!”

That voice was not the twisted otherworldly language unique to the other gods but the voice of ‘Baek Woong.’ Hearing that made me smile slyly.

[So it works just because he’s injured and has his strength diminished.]

“This can’t be… how could such a technique… how could this be…?”

While my opponent was left bewildered, I zipped past him and swiftly entered the Mirror of Clarity.

[Maybe I should’ve done this last time!]

That’s right.

With the Technique of All Things, I had taken over [The One Who Turns the Stars]’ body!

It was probably due to gathering all my divine energy that made this technique possible.

Of course, under normal circumstances, it’s not a practical technique. What would I do with the body of an opponent who’s gravely injured after consuming all my divine energy?

However, right now, my goal was simply to evade my opponent’s grasp and reach the Mirror of Clarity!

So, this was indeed the optimal way in this situation.