전생검신 86권 3화

I said to Mangnyang.

[Let’s go back. I don’t think I can break through here with my current strength.]

“…….”

At my words, Mangnyang stared at me and said.

“You seem relaxed. Something must have happened, huh?”

I grinned.

[You noticed, huh?]

“Hmm… this certainly isn’t the best place for a chat. Let’s visit Seimei before we return to the Central Plains.”

[Seimei?]

“He said he would provide clues about conquering Susanoo when you returned. It wouldn’t hurt to hear it in advance.”

[Got it.]

Wham!

I followed Mangnyang’s magic to the village of the Yin-Yang clan. Living in a giant tree, Seimei looked just like the beautiful boy I remembered, and upon seeing Mangnyang and me, he spoke up.

“Mangnyang. You’ve brought an unusual guest.”

“What do you mean by unusual?”

With a questioning tone as if testing me, Seimei gazed at me before saying.

“A user of power not from this world… This power resembles the forbidden arts used by Zhuge Sa. Is he also a disciple of the Baehwa Sect?”

At Seimei’s words, Mangnyang seemed impressed.

“Wow! Truly the greatest Yin-Yang Master of Dongyoung. To discern Baek Woong’s power at a glance!”

“……?! Ba, Baek Woong?”

Surprised, Seimei received an explanation from Mangnyang.

“Indeed. Baek Woong’s soul has returned to this world.”

[Long time no see.]

I explained what had happened to me. Seimei calmly listened before replying.

“What an astonishing thing… By your words, Baek Woong, you are already as good as a god.”

[As a god…]

At that moment, memories of my experiences in another world flashed through my mind.

[… Abe no Seimei. Have you heard of the Hwanin Project?]

Both Seimei and Mangnyang directed their attention towards me. Their expressions clearly showed they had never heard of it before. Seimei shook his head.

“I’ve never heard of that. I know Hwanin is a traditional deity of the Korean Peninsula, but what is this Hwanin Project?”

[I went to another universe before heading back to the past of Takrok. There, I saw a different future for humanity… A person named Yi Hon claimed he would summon Hwanin, the protector of humanity, using the Sacred Altar Tree.]

“……”

This transcendent scientist called Nailatop planned to create a Divine Being for humanity, using the [Vessel of the Gods]. I had to ask Seimei, one who knows about making Divine Beings.

Still wearing a shocked expression, Seimei managed a wry smile.

“Wow, so it was a test to confirm if you’re the real Baek Woong, but it’s unnecessary now. Who else could come up with such outlandish tales besides Reborn Person Baek Woong?”

[I’m the real Baek Woong.]

“Hoho… It seems I need to hear more of the details to make any deductions. Can you explain what happened when you were in the other universe?”

[Sure.]

As I continued to recount my experiences in detail for quite some time, Seimei seemed to ponder deeply. He then said.

“If that’s the case, then the Master of the Twelve Joules must have either already created the [Vessel of the Gods] within the Sacred Altar Tree or is in the process of making it.”

“I think so too,” Mangnyang added.

“If the Master of the Twelve Joules was an existence that traveled from that future to this present time, he would certainly have inherited the Hwanin Project. If he couldn’t make the [Vessel of the Gods] with Nailatop’s help, he would have to create it independently. Assuming he’s been alive for thousands of years… he must have expertly crafted the vessel over a long time.”

Listening to his words, I replied.

[But it’s strange. In fact, I’ve spent several lifetimes visiting the Sacred Altar Tree as if it were my home. I’ve even been to the top of the Sacred Altar Tree, yet I never saw anything like that. I even blew it up once, but there was no vessel or anything similar. Where on earth did he hide that?]

“……”

Seimei closed his eyes and seemed to contemplate deeply before replying.

“Baek Woong, I recall there was a suspicious moment when I saw your memories before.”

[A suspicious moment?]

Seimei nodded and spoke.

“During your past life, there’s a memory where the Extreme Tiger, Bright Dragon, and Cheongwol went to the top of the Sacred Altar Tree. At that time, the Extreme Tiger discovered something.”

[Ah.]

Now that I think about it, I might have had a memory of that?

I made an “oh” expression since I hadn’t thought of it before, and Seimei continued.

“I suppose you couldn’t catch it since it was indirectly relayed to you through Mangnyang’s Mirror of Clarity. Anyway, from that memory, it seems there was something massive at the top of the Sacred Altar Tree, looking at least twenty times larger than a human body.”

[Oh…!! Right!]

“At that time, the Extreme Tiger, Bright Dragon, and Cheongwol were martial artists who only knew martial arts, so they couldn’t grasp the true nature of that thing. However, thinking about what you’ve shared, that must have been an advanced artificial structure created by future technology.”

[No way…!]

“Perhaps that structure at the top of the Sacred Altar Tree is related to the [Vessel of the Gods].”

[Wait. If that’s the case, then when the Sacred Altar Tree exploded in my past life, that structure was destroyed too, right? So that means the [Vessel of the Gods] was also smashed.]

“The Master of the Twelve Joules had been suspicious that you would betray him. He probably anticipated this and wouldn’t risk keeping his important research materials in the Sacred Altar Tree with his enemies. He must have removed the important things before any war broke out at the Sacred Altar Tree.”

[Hmm.]

“To put it another way, that’s quite an interesting story.”

Seimei smiled.

“If it’s possible to stealthily ascend to the top of the Sacred Altar Tree while the Master of the Twelve Joules is less vigilant, that means it’s also possible to seize the [Vessel of the Gods] he created as part of his Hwanin Project.”

[……!!]

“We also need to go to the top of the Sacred Altar Tree in this life. If the Master of the Twelve Joules has truly vanished without a trace, it’s highly likely that he left the [Vessel of the Gods] there without finishing the disposal.”

[Alright… then I should visit the top of the Sacred Altar Tree later.]

What an unexpected gain!

I inwardly celebrated my fortune, feeling quite pleased. Seimei, who silently observed me looking happy, finally spoke up.

“How curious. They say someone can change noticeably in just three days, but it seems Baek Woong has actually been quite clever all along?”

[What? I’ve always been working hard. Are you doubting that I’m a fake?]

As I retorted angrily, Seimei chuckled.

“I’m complimenting you. At least it seems you’ve grown quite a bit in this life.”

[If you’re going to praise me, at least do it honestly…]

“I rarely show my true feelings. Haha…”

For once, Seimei laughed heartily.

“Now, since you have a secondary goal, let me also teach you how to conquer Susanoo. That’s what you came to hear for, right?”

[Seimei. Was there a specific reason you insisted I should return before teaching me? Other companions are strong too, so you could’ve passed it on to someone else.]

“Consider that there was a significant faction rivalry among your past-life companions. If I hastily taught the conquest method and someone with bad intentions misuses it, it could ultimately cause you more harm.”

[…….]

Hmm… so that was the reason…

It seems the rift among my companions turned out to be a headache.

As I pondered, Seimei mentioned.

“I actually witnessed Susanoo disappear.”

[What! You saw how he disappeared?]

Seimei nodded and said.

“There appeared a pattern symbolizing three Divine Beings near the Kyoto Imperial Palace where Susanoo was. That pattern exuded divine power to create a barrier, seemingly, Susanoo inside was resisting them for a while. But at some point, the barrier was engulfed in a grand darkness, and Susanoo simply vanished.”

[……!!]

“I don’t know the identity of those Divine Beings. I had never seen the pattern before in my life. But it was clear that each of them was incredibly powerful.”

[Is that so…?]

“And when Susanoo briefly appeared as a corrupted evil god, I noticed he was heavily imbued with lunar power, allowing me to discern his weakness immediately.”

[What’s his weakness?]

“It’s the properties of the sun,” Seimei said with a serious expression.

“Susanoo currently possesses an excess of lunar power that isn’t his, which renders him weak in terms of elemental properties. If you attack him with the sun’s properties, he’ll suffer far greater damage than usual.”

[Hmm! How can I use the sun’s properties?]

“……”

Seimei stared at me for a moment, looking incredulous, and then said.

“Earlier, I was complimenting you, and now I feel embarrassed… What was the power you came to seek from me during your past lives?”

[Ah!!]

“So you got it now.”

The powers of the solar god Amaterasu!

Using Amaterasu’s divine power or spells would deal significant damage to Susanoo. Since I often used Amaterasu’s powers whenever I was bored, I felt foolish for not having thought of it right away. Scratching my bald head in embarrassment, Mangnyang, who was nearby, spoke up.

“Seimei. This is a great strategy. But… you do realize, right? The mana surrounding the White Sea isn’t actually Susanoo’s.”

Huh? What do you mean?

I looked confused at Mangnyang, who nodded at Seimei.

“Exactly. That’s precisely why we didn’t relay the conquest details to you immediately.”

[Seimei. What are you saying?]

“The owner of the barrier protecting Susanoo from the outside isn’t Susanoo. It’s another deity’s barrier. The nature of that power is still unclear, so if you carelessly think only of Susanoo’s weaknesses and try to enter, you might face a dire fate.”

[What? If it’s not Susanoo’s, then whose is it?]

“I don’t know. But one thing is certain.”

Seimei’s following words filled me with bewilderment.

“The being who created the barrier surrounding the White Sea might be stronger than Susanoo.”

[……!!]

“Considering it’s highly likely that Susanoo’s downfall and abduction were not by his own will, entering the White Sea could turn into an absurd battle.”

[Hmm… Is that so…?]

It seems like a tougher challenge than I anticipated, huh?

As I contemplated this, Seimei handed me a large box filled with something.

“Take this, Baek Woong.”

[This is…??]

I opened the box and muttered.

[It’s a fake Divine Tool, isn’t it?]

“Correct.”

[Why give me this junk?]

Absolutely. Inside the box was a finely crafted fake Divine Tool modeled after the Master of the Twelve Joules by the Dongyoung Imperial family!

Of course, to someone like me, who had used the real Seven Luminaries, such a fake Divine Tool was practically useless. When I looked at Seimei with a puzzled gaze, he replied.

“By your own words, as of now, the Seven Luminaries don’t exist in this world, do they? Isn’t that so? You had all Seven Luminaries with you before suddenly crossing into this world, and you sold them all while raising the merchant’s powers in the Training World.”

[Oh… um, yeah…?]

“Because of that, your comrades left in this world couldn’t benefit from the Seven Luminaries and had to prepare on their own….”

Oh, that was indeed the case?!

Feeling a pang of guilt, I gasped as Seimei continued.

“Oddly enough, despite the Seven Luminaries being essentially obliterated, the Three Sovereigns haven’t reacted at all, and no peculiar occurrences have happened in this world. We all found that reasoning to be strange.”

[Um… that’s true…?]

Why is that?

As I wondered, Seimei continued.

“After hearing your explanation, I think a plausible hypothesis has been established.”

[What’s that?]

“Throughout all the events where you went to the other universe and traveled back to the past of the Great Cycle, your existence and belongings, Baek Woong, were not deemed to have perished. The world still considers you subject to the causality of this world, and that’s why the confusion stemming from the lack of causality has never been communicated to the deities.”

[……?]

What are you talking about?

As I displayed a confused expression, Mangnyang chimed in.

“Simply put, Baek Woong, the act of offering the Seven Luminaries as money to the Void Record was not considered the cause of their destruction. The world, however, still believes the Seven Luminaries exist in this world.”

[What?! Can that happen? It doesn’t make sense!]

“It does make sense.”

I was shocked as Mangnyang continued.

“Causality. The [Great Cycle] sees you as an existence that embodies causality and the [process]. As long as you possess the potential to remake the Seven Luminaries, they won’t be hastily dismissed as perished.”

[Huh? I don’t get it…??]

“Hmm… Is it still difficult for you to grasp? Let me simplify.”

As Mangnyang carried on, I began to understand the situation a little more clearly.

“According to the law of causality, it’s predicted that one day you will remake the Seven Luminaries using your [Merchant’s Power]. The world acknowledges that possibility, and thus, it can also be interpreted that the essence of the Seven Luminaries is still integrated into your [Merchant’s Power].”

[Oh…!!]

“Does that sound absurd? But if we’re suggesting it’s absurd, it’s strange that you even returned to this world at all. At the moment, this is the most convincing hypothesis.”

[If I don’t create the Seven Luminaries with the Merchant’s Power, what will happen then?]

“That is the [result]. It is not within the realm of the [process] symbolized by causality. Until the process concludes, all results dwell in the realm of uncertainty. Perhaps that could be the privilege of reincarnated individuals.”

[……?]

“Hoho. One day, it would be good for you to learn from your Master. It seems you still don’t fully understand the law of causality…”

Mangnyang, who smiled bitterly, opened his mouth.

“Seimei. Your intention in giving this fake Divine Tool is clear, isn’t it?”

“Of course, the intention is clear.”

The gazes of Mangnyang and Seimei focused on me. The moment I caught their look, I realized what that ‘intention’ was.

[Looks like I’ll need to create the Seven Luminaries again through my Merchant’s Power. This fake Divine Tool is just a sample.]

“Exactly. That is your mission—to resurrect the Seven Luminaries into this world.”

The light in Mangnyang’s eyes intensified.

“If possible… depending on how it’s made, it might even become a new Seven Luminaries that surpass the old ones!”