전생검신 86권 17화

Krishna seemed bewildered by my words. He spoke up defensively.

“Didn’t you read the contract? We’ve already shown our willingness to cooperate fully, and we’re willing to become blood allies. What does it change now that you assert your superiority?”

I shook my head at his comment.

[Sure, it sounds nice to say you’ll cooperate fully, but what exactly will you actually do? The contract mainly listed support for resources or troops, but deep down you know that’s not what really matters.]

“What do you mean…?”

Boom!!

I slammed my foot down hard, making a threatening noise. Then, in an intimidating voice, I addressed Krishna.

[I’ll say it again. I’m the one in charge here. I want something truly important from you, not some trivial thing you can offer up whenever. Are you still not getting what I mean?]

If I had been inexperienced and naive, I would have easily melted under the friendly proposals of the Tianzhu forces and agreed without a second thought. But I knew better; Krishna was far too cunning to just give away everything as it appeared.

All the “benefits” scribbled on the contract were essentially trivial offerings from someone like Krishna, a divine being, and I needed to get a lot more for my end of the deal. That was the conclusion I had drawn from my past experiences.

Krishna let out a low hum before speaking.

“Is there something you want? If you have a request, I’ll do my best to accommodate it.”

[Want something… Asking me first is quite presumptuous.]

“What?”

I smiled slyly.

[Why don’t you offer something first!]

Krishna, upon receiving my counteroffer, seemed to ponder more deeply than before. It made sense; if he were to make an offer from his side, he would inevitably have to divulge what resources he had. It was obvious that this shifted the odds in my favor considerably.

After some serious contemplation, Krishna finally spoke.

“I have no idea what you need the most… Are you looking to surpass the Three Sovereigns in the future?”

[You have no business knowing my goals. Just show your sincerity.]

“……”

Heh heh heh. That’s a tricky request.

I couldn’t help but smirk when Krishna, seemingly feeling pressured, suggested, “I can offer you the Avatar of Combat, Arjuna, for unlimited access in your battles. How about that?”

[Ooh.]

I realized it was a pretty tempting offer.

Divine Avatar Arjuna!

As another avatar of Vishnu responsible for battle, Arjuna was an incredibly powerful being. Considering his ability to effortlessly crush the powerhouses of the Great Bear Empire as well as his divine abilities, being able to summon Arjuna at will was undoubtedly attractive. Especially with Xiang Yu lurking in the Jiangdong region, it was something worth contemplating.

Just then, Mangnyang, who had been standing next to me, chimed in.

“Not enough for us. We have plenty of combat power, so we need something more creative in return.”

[Hmm, Arjuna is certainly strong… but…]

“Almost half of the combat power from the Celestial Realm is gathered here in Nanjing Castle. Whether or not we have Arjuna, it won’t be that big of a deal. While Divine Avatar Arjuna is formidable, he’s not a game-changer for this level of colossal forces colliding.”

[I see.]

As I acknowledged Mangnyang’s advice, I sensed Krishna scowl slightly. Perhaps he felt that Mangnyang’s input had raised his burden?

But I found Krishna’s reaction amusing, so I poked at him.

[Hey. Don’t you want to negotiate? If not, then just scram!]

“…Wait a moment. Don’t rush into this. If you want me to make a proposal, we keep wandering without getting to the point when I don’t know your goals, right?”

[Isn’t it your job to think about that? You’re famous for your cleverness, but it seems like you don’t have that much brainpower after all.]

“……”

Krishna’s expression clouded over. I could tell he was feeling the pressure of my noncooperation. Then Mangnyang gave my shoulder a light tap, and realizing it was a hint to avoid derailing the talks, I cleared my throat and said.

Ahem. [Well then, I at least want to know what you can offer. You need to answer this question honestly.]

“If I provide that information, does that mean you’ll ally with us?”

[No. Obviously, I’m just saying I’ll think about it. You better not try to take advantage of me!]

“…Alright. Ask any question you want.”

Feeling quite pleased about becoming the dominant party in this relationship with Krishna, I grinned and asked what I had been curious about.

[Krishna… or should I say Vishnu. You’ve definitely heard the rumors that if the Four Divine Beasts defeat the [Old Ruler] invading Earth, the Phoenix will reward us with superior status in your realm, right? Why then, have you thrown that mission aside to play emperor’s pet?]

The difference between the state of the Three Deities from the past Takrok Era and now was startling. I had to find out what went wrong with the mission entrusted to them by the Phoenix.

“…?!”

Krishna’s eyes widened. Was he truly caught off guard by my words?!

He exuded divine radiance as he regarded me warily.

“That’s a secret between just the three of us… Baek Woong, how do you know about that? Don’t tell me it was the Phoenix’s…”

[The questions are mine to ask. Now answer me.]

“…Now that you mention it, hiding it is pointless. We were in the midst of that mission when Brahma went to the other side of time and space and hasn’t returned. We ended up losing to the rulers of the netherworld, and out of necessity, we are currently serving under the emperor to create a place for Brahma to return.”

[So that’s what happened. It means Brahma has still not returned?]

“…”

[And Krishna… actually, I know where Brahma is.]

Boom!!

In that moment, Krishna sprang to his feet. His eyes were filled with unmistakable excitement and exhilaration, a stark contrast to his usual calm demeanor. He shouted, with bright eyes,

“Really!? Do you know where Brahma is!!”

[Yes. I can stake my name on it. I know where Brahma is located.]

“……!!”

I leaned forward, resting my chin on my hand.

[Ha… I’ve won this round. By now, you should have a clue about what you need to give up, right?]

“You want us to put forth a price that reflects us suffering a significant loss…”

[Didn’t I say that from the start?]

“…”

Krishna seemed to be racking his brain hard. After a moment, he said,

“No, I can’t believe it… I don’t know how you know about that, but Brahma’s situation is far too grave. If you’re trying to trick us using that information, it’s too dangerous.”

[Didn’t I say I’m the one in charge here, still not getting it?]

After a brief moment, Krishna sighed deeply as if he had given in and raised his palms in a gesture of surrender.

“This isn’t working. Just propose what you need from us instead.”

[Huh? Presumptuous of you…]

“If you really know that much about us, you must also know what we value, no? Now that you have a reason for us to cooperate fully, I can agree to anything aside from requests that are utterly unreasonable.”

[Hmmm.]

It felt like his demeanor had changed from earlier. I thought I could have a meaningful conversation now, contemplating what I should squeeze from the Tianzhu Three Deities to spread rumors about how well I championed our cause.

“Something better than unlimited collaboration with a divine being… what do I currently need… What I need now is divine power.”

Divine power? The Tianzhu Three Deities?

In that instant, I recalled experiences from the past Takrok Era and immediately shouted at Krishna.

[… Give me Kalpa!! The temple city of Kalpa is mine!]

“…?!”

[That would be perfect. Kalpa also contains nearly ten Celestial Reincarnation Jades, right? Hand them all over!]

“What, what did you just say…?”

Krishna’s expression shifted as if he was taken aback by my unexpected words. Then, as if he realized something, he added, “Celestial Reincarnation Jade… I see, so what you need is divine power.”

[Yeah.]

Celestial Reincarnation Jade!!

The ability of that rare, peerless treasure was to absorb the faith of humans and convert it into divine power.

‘While I’m also absorbing faith as divine power, it’s still at a very basic level. What I need is a device that can convert power, like Celestial Reincarnation Jade.’

It was certain that using or not using Celestial Reincarnation Jade would make a huge difference in the efficiency of divine power absorption. If I could absorb faith as divine power, the three deities should be able to do the same, making it clear why they created the Celestial Reincarnation Jade.

Thinking about it, maintaining Celestial Reincarnation Jade from the Temple City of Kalpa was exactly what I needed in my current situation.

The potential for recovery of divine power multiplied!

If I secured Celestial Reincarnation Jade, it would become possible.

Krishna spoke calmly. “I’m sorry, but that’s something we can’t concede.”

[What did you say?]

“Celestial Reincarnation Jade is a vital treasure for us. Its power to enhance and recover divine energy holds great value for us right now. Shiva will surely feel the same, so we cannot make a hasty promise about it.”

[…….]

Usually, I’d be irritated about this and declare our negotiations over right here. But I had a different thought in mind.

‘So I’ve struck a good question here.’

Someone who’s been acting all gracious and willing to offer anything suddenly draws the line at this?

That pretty much proves Celestial Reincarnation Jade is undoubtedly the maximum gain I could achieve from these negotiations.

I realized this and grinned as I spoke.

[Krishna! The fact that I know where Brahma is means I’ve indeed met him, right?]

“……”

[Pay attention. I’m now about to tell you why you have no choice but to trust me.]

I slightly closed my eyes and dove into my spiritual world.

Whooo –

In the midst of that spiritual realm, I found a glowing red gem and noticed it was divided into three separate domains. However, when compared to the strength I had before, the scale felt very humble, like comparing a mansion to a thatched house. I knew it was a result of my current divine power being minuscule.

‘But for now, it’s about skill, not strength, so it doesn’t matter.’

I placed different attributes of divine power in each of the three solo domains. Although it wasn’t the original me, the very nature of this skill allowed me to process and recognize various types of divine power merely by altering its original source. Then, after a brief moment, I extended my hand forward and said,

[Trimurti!]

Bang!!

Moments later, a dazzling gem emerged in front of my hand. This hexagonal gem, small enough to fit in one hand, radiated a brilliant white light, and I handed it directly to Krishna.

Krishna gazed at the gem in awe, and I couldn’t help but ask him.

[What do you think? This gem I made using Trimurti to create Celestial Reincarnation Jade?]

Of course, at this moment, my power was barely just a slim fraction, so it’s understandable that I could only create something this size…

‘It’s pitiful compared to the days when I used to churn out multiple pieces of Celestial Reincarnation Jade in one go.’

When I was feeling somewhat disheartened, Krishna spoke in a trembling voice.

“This… this can’t be… Did you really create Trimurti…?! And made Celestial Reincarnation Jade…? Is this… for real…?”

[It’s the truth. I learned this technique directly from Brahma.]

“……”

After a while, Krishna spoke earnestly.

“Baek Woong, if you really can get us Kalpa and Celestial Reincarnation Jade… and if you provide any cooperation you desire, can you tell us where Brahma is?”

[No promises.]

“Alright. I guess I have no choice but to trust you.”

Krishna continued on, “Kalpa was destroyed and vanished when we lost that war. Celestial Reincarnation Jade as well… but there is a way.”

[What way?]

“To prepare for unforeseen incidents, I hid one piece of Celestial Reincarnation Jade in each of the sacred mountains around the world. If you recite the command at the altar, it will be released. I stashed three of them, so if those will do, I can give them to you.”

[One of them would indeed be in Mount Barālasa, right?]

“……!! How do you know that…?”

[Just a hunch.]

The legendary ultra-ancient temple that the Asuras guarded for generations, Yusevik. There’s no way it wouldn’t be a formidable location, protected by rigorous barrier rituals and packed with ancient secrets of Tianzhu; I certainly believed Yusevik was the most likely place for Celestial Reincarnation Jade to be. Krishna’s reaction confirmed it was indeed the truth.

‘The Yusevik Temple was originally meant for recruiting Asuras, so now there’s one more treasure to obtain in the next exchange.’

As I was lost in thought, Mangnyang spoke up.

“I will chant the release command. I’ll let you know in a bit.”

[Good work.]

“Now, moving on to the next location…”

But at that moment, Mangnyang suddenly flinched.

“…Who goes there?”

At that line, all three of us turned our attention into the shadows of the Kapila Temple. The area near the altar was brightly lit, but the back behind the pillars was dim, and a figure began to slowly materialize from within that darkness.

Unexpectedly, the figure stepped forward and murmured.

“Foreigners, this is where Gautama Buddha entered Nirvana. How dare you trespass into the holy land of our Buddhist sect?”

Clack…

The figure wielded a long Buddhist staff and donned a rough, loose robe.

‘A monk?’

However, the attire wasn’t entirely of the Central Plains, and it reflected the styles of Tianzhu, which gave off a rather alien impression. Also, the figure exuded no remarkable energy, and I didn’t particularly sense any mastery from him either.

‘Can’t see his face…’

From the shadows, only his robe began to emerge. Just a few steps forward, and I thought I could see him clearly, but that was not the case.

Strangely, that darkness was hard to penetrate.

However, the moment we instantaneously moved to the innermost altar of the temple, the presence waiting as if on cue was certainly no ordinary person. I regarded the monk with wary eyes, as Mangnyang gasped in astonishment.

“I thought Gautama Buddha passed away beneath the Bodhi tree. But you’re saying it was here in Kapila? According to what I’ve studied, Kapila was surely the place of Buddha’s birth.”

“Indeed. It’s known that the Buddha passed away beneath the Bodhi tree, but his true birth and death occurred at this location. You are tarnishing a sacred place.”

“Hrmm…”

Mangnyang groaned awkwardly, while Krishna stepped in to absurdly laugh and mock the monk.

“Ha ha ha… Sacred? While I acknowledge the greatness of Gautama Buddha, he was fundamentally human. To speak of such a person as sacred before a true god is downright ludicrous.”

The monk seemed to glare at Krishna with an intense look. His eyes brimmed with an impressive vigor, piercing Krishna with a fierce gaze.

“Is that you, Krishna, the avatar of Vishnu? Do you dare to insult the Buddha?”

“……”

With those words, Krishna’s expression also shifted.

It was one thing to instigate without knowing Krishna; it was entirely different to provoke him while fully understanding his identity.

‘This monk is definitely no ordinary person. To discern Krishna’s identity at first glance and stay unfazed…’

Although Krishna isn’t the battlefield avatar of Vishnu, the simple concept of being an avatar already positioned him far beyond the Great Immortal. It was extraordinary for someone to be angry at such a figure while also aware of that fact.

What exactly is this monk?!

Step by step, the monk emerged from the shadows and spoke slowly.

“Oh, Blessed One. This humble disciple has always regretted and repented the sins I have committed against you…”

The moment the monk’s face was revealed, I flinched in shock.

The monk was wearing a mask.

Additionally, streams of clear and thick tears were flowing down beneath the mask.

The monk was currently crying.

“Please allow me to punish the impudent…”

At the instant the masked monk extended his hand toward Krishna, it all happened in a flash.

Bang!!

In the next moment, enormous bolts of lightning erupted from Krishna’s body, which caused him to let out a painful scream.

[Ahhhh!!]

Boom rumble…!!

Engulfed in searing lightning, Krishna evaporated and disappeared moments later.

“…!!”

[W-What the…?!]

No matter how weak Krishna might have been, he surpassed most immortals by leagues. Moreover, as a divine being, the sheer magnitude of his spell resistance was unparalleled, making it nearly impossible to take him down through spells alone. I never imagined he could be incinerated with a mere wave of a hand!!

The monk fiddled with his mask and spoke.

“Impudent ones… I shall grant you Nirvana…”