전생검신 89권 03화

Brrrr

I moved closer to the glowing light underwater, trying to unleash my lightning, and as the distance shrank suddenly, I felt a powerful shock of thunder coursing through my entire body.

Crackle!!

“Ugh… this seems much stronger than before.”

While the total amount of thunder was certainly more massive compared to when it filled the lake earlier, the bolt now felt intensely concentrated, making the quality of the attack different. If I felt even slightly sore from the lightning, then any average demon beast or demon king wouldn’t be able to escape unscathed from this attack.

At the same time, my curiosity piqued. What could possibly be so intensely guarded by such a powerful protective force?

A moment later, through the Fire Eye Golden Spirit, I caught a glimpse of a gigantic hammer embedded at the bottom of the lake.

A hammer that looked heavy and cumbersome!

That must be the culprit that has been sending lightning into the lake.

“Protected by divine power, it must be invisible to the naked eye unless you’re using the Fire Eye Golden Spirit. What incredible defense…”

I focused on that giant hammer, which was about ten or so panels away. It was a given that there would be a protective barrier using divine power around it, so I knew that reaching out without careful planning would lead to a nasty surprise. I considered smashing through the divine barrier with brute force, but another thought crossed my mind.

“I don’t know what this thunder hammer is, but it was likely used by a renowned divine being. If I disturb it carelessly, I might lose its functionality and it could turn into a tin can.”

From my experience, relics of extremely high quality tended to have their own will. Notable examples included the Seven Luminaries and their spirits. If one were to forcefully attempt to take such relics and be rejected by the willful artifact, no matter how powerful they were, they would find themselves completely unable to wield it. While wicked gods sometimes corrupted such artifacts to use them, a corrupted artifact would inevitably be much less powerful than its original capability.

“That hammer seems comparable to the Seven Luminaries. But why is such a powerful divine weapon sealed away in this remote pond?”

I pondered and decided to survey the surroundings a bit more. Considering the unusual circumstances, I felt I needed more clues if I was going to acquire that hammer intact.

While swimming around for a bit, I managed to spot another relic resting on the lakebed.

“Hm, what’s that?”

A spear with tremendous might!!

“……!!”

Oh my!

This is insane!

The thunder hammer I saw earlier had a majestic aura, but this spear possessed an entirely different dimension of intensity. The smooth, white spear shaft radiated a palpable energy of martial excellence.

What to say, it was like the iron-blooded spirit forged into the shape of a spear, feeling solid and robust only a martial artist could sense.

A sensation as if my soul was piercing through the universe – !!

The moment I laid eyes on that spear, my heart raced.

“I… I want it!!”

Why was it? I had never felt this greedy even when looking at famous swords, but the moment I laid eyes on this spear, a pure desire surged within me. Perhaps it was because my primary weapon was a sword, but I had trained with spears for so long that the moment I touched that spear, I felt an exhilarating leap in my martial spirit.

Suddenly, I shook myself from that thought and denied my desire.

“Ah, no. I must see the situation objectively first. Better yet, this spear might be even stronger than the liberated Seven Luminaries…”

It could very well be the best weapon I’ve encountered over thirty lifetimes. The power of the liberated Seven Luminaries would have to reach its peak to be comparable to this spear!

What in the world is this spear?

It was undoubtedly something used by a god. My curiosity propelled me to look further. After scanning about fifty panels of the underwater bottom, I realized one more significant fact.

“Not only the thunder hammer and divine spear, but there’s also another sword…”

Swish

Another divine weapon stuck to the lakebed. However, this one was a sword, and its blade looked so rough that it seemed almost like a plant’s stem. I doubted whether it could even cut anything, but the moment I looked at the sword, I could sense something.

“It emits an intense ice spirit. It’s every bit as formidable as the thunder hammer’s lightning. Then that must be…”

The Ice Demon Sword!

Without a doubt, it could boast a reputation as a demonic sword. Moreover, such a powerful demonic sword was priceless beyond measure. Realizing that this was an artifact comparable in demand to the Seven Luminaries, I was shocked.

“Goodness. Who would have guessed such powerful divine relics would all be gathered here…”

And then I realized something else.

“Hmm. Come to think of it, I feel no evil aura from these weapons at all.”

This was different from the Seven Luminaries. There were many instances during their creation when human sacrifices were made, and since their creators were among the Three Sovereigns and the Old Ruler, it was only natural they had demonic energy. However, the three divine relics I discovered now all emanated pure energy without an ounce of demonic taint.

“…… No more divine weapons are merely lying at the bottom of the lake. And these three divine weapons are arranged in a triangular formation, spaced apart.”

It seemed to intentionally form a trinity circle. This was likely not a coincidence. The trinity figure had deep magical significance in Western sorcery, so placing three divine weapons in the trinity formation could plausibly maximize the barrier guarding the treasures.

That made things simple. If I could break the trinity formation, I should be able to acquire the divine weapons quite easily.

I concluded my exploration and exited the lake.

Splash

“Lee Gang-ryong. Listen to what I found at the bottom of the lake.”

I shared what I had seen with Lee Gang-ryong. He had an intrigued look on his face as he remarked.

“Oh, what an interesting story! Three peerless divine relics?”

“What? However… trying to smash them might risk losing the chance to use all three. Do you have any brilliant idea?”

“Hmm. Normally, one would call on an exceptional Western spirit magician or seek blessing from an ancient god to obtain them. But with the power of such mighty treasures, I would question if this method would even work.”

“Why would the former fail? And why the latter?”

“The owner of these treasures is undoubtedly a powerful being among the ancient gods. It could be a true combat god among them, right? However, in my era, the ancient gods that humans could seek blessings from were predominantly weaker beings.”

“Hmm…”

“Most higher-ranking beings were sealed away by the Old Ruler or had retreated under a pact.”

So that was the situation…

I nodded at the newfound information about the gods, and Lee Gang-ryong gazed at the lake thoughtfully before speaking.

“The original owners of the divine weapons that sank at the lake bottom are probably the ancient gods who lost in the old war I just spoke of. There had been a clash long ago between the ancient gods ruling the Old Ruler and the Northern continent, known as Ragnarok.”

“Ragnarok? That’s the first I’ve heard of it.”

“In your language, it seems to mean ‘the last battle.’ After Ragnarok, the ancient god races of the Northern continent fell into decline, and I believe that the remnants allied with druids to join the protector clans of the West.”

“Hmm…”

“Regardless, though they were defeated, they were originally renowned deities. As you speculated, it would be risky to touch recklessly.”

“That’s why I’m looking for a way… Is there a neat method?”

“…”

Lee Gang-ryong paused to think before he spoke again.

“This time, I’ll dive in myself. I need to see it to understand.”

“Let’s go.”

Splash

Lee Gang-ryong and I headed back to the spot where I had discovered the treasures. As we got closer to the treasure, I suddenly remembered and sent a mental note.

[Ah! Watch out for the lightning’s power…!]

Boom!!

[Huh!!]

Just as expected, a fierce bolt of lightning erupted from the thunder hammer, striking Lee Gang-ryong right in the chest. I was astounded since I had firsthand experience of the bolt’s might earlier. Any average demon clan would crumble in an instant from such power, and it would be no surprise if Lee Gang-ryong were to perish from this one hit.

However, Lee Gang-ryong appeared merely startled. Not even a drop of blood was spilled.

[Why didn’t you tell me earlier? Though I suppose I wouldn’t be able to avoid it even if I knew.]

[Ah, no… That had an extreme amount of power! How are you still standing? Even a protective technique from the Martial Artists can’t block something like that.]

It was no joke; even a technique wielded by the Master of the White Lotus Sect would be pierced through by such strong lightning. I simply couldn’t comprehend why Lee Gang-ryong remained unscathed.

Lee Gang-ryong chuckled.

[I possess the blessing of ancient gods, granting me significant resistance to all their divine powers. Therefore, the shock you felt earlier is nothing compared to what I experienced. I’d say it’s barely a fraction of its original power.]

[……!!]

[To be honest, during my mercenary days, I often waged battles against the wicked gods of the Old Ruler faction, so I thought their blessings were useless, but they turn out to be quite helpful here.]

So is it thanks to the blessing of ancient gods…!!

Fortunately, no further lightning bolts came from the thunder hammer afterward. As Lee Gang-ryong calmly examined the arrangement of the divine weapons, he sent me a mental note.

[Just as you feared. Given this arrangement, the moment we forcibly break the barrier protecting a single artifact, the other two divine weapons will unleash their divine energy, triggering a chain destruction. The physical forms of the artifacts may remain, but the divine energy they possess will all be obliterated.]

I frowned. If the divine energy vanished, they would just be ordinary weapons.

[Ugh. As expected…!]

[Looks like you’ve barged in without taking any turns, huh?]

[What do you mean by that?]

[This place isn’t one you can just waltz into. There’s an initial dungeon where treasures that can absorb the lake’s lightning are hidden, and only after obtaining that treasure and being recognized as the successor of an ancient god who has passed the trial could one reach this place. But you skipped straight to the end and have ended up in a deadlock with no solution.]

[…….]

[Who would’ve thought that a human could absorb all the lightning in this lake? From the perspective of the one who created this site, you’re just an uninvited guest and an intruder.]

Oh, is that so?

I understood the situation and wore a blank expression as Lee Gang-ryong continued.

[In cases like this, the only way to resolve this is to use what they call external methods. The normal breakthrough method is long gone.]

[External methods… like tricks?]

[Exactly. It seems more appropriate to attempt a breakthrough by working outside the rules. However, merely relying on brute force doesn’t count as crafty tactics.]

[…… If you’re a disciple of the Thunder God lineage, shouldn’t you advise me against using tricks?]

[By principles, yes, but the world isn’t so simple. Too many dangers arise if you don’t use tricks, so I’ve survived using them abundantly. As long as you achieve your goals, some leniency in methods is unavoidable.]

[…….]

What has Lee Gang-ryong been through while living as a mercenary for ancient gods in the West…?

I was momentarily taken aback, but I felt it was for the better.

“That’s right… For a while, I’ve thought tricks were wrong and tried to confront everything head-on, but if this situation can’t be resolved through proper means, there’s no need to seal away my crafty ways. This place isn’t even a domain of martial arts!”

Then tricks are my specialty.

I’ll utilize my wits to explore this relic fully!

“Hm… then…!!”

At that moment, an idea suddenly struck me. A bit later, I clasped my hands together, focusing my mind.

Trimurti!!

Flare

I entered the realm of Trimurti and gazed at the three territories centered around the red jade. Then, I distributed [power] to each realm.

“The divine powers contained in those three divine artifacts are completely unknown to me. I don’t even possess them. Thus, I can’t replicate the method I used to breach the defense system using the Celestial Reincarnation Jade from the divine capital city of Kalpa.”

However, just because I’m ignorant of the divine power doesn’t mean there’s no way. Conversely, it might be even easier to manipulate.

I just needed to go through some trial and error.

“… Where should I start?”

I hesitated briefly, then created a coin of trade rights and flicked it into one of the domains.

Ting

A coin of trade rights, the Lightning Spirit of Venus, an ancient manipulation from Jeon Wook!

I had never tried a combination like this before, but I had a nagging feeling that the trade rights coin might yield some unexpected results! My heart raced as I watched the outcome of the combination.

Zzzzzzz!!!

With an eerie thunderstorm accompanying it, the coin absorbed blue lightning. While I didn’t precisely know this coin’s effect, I decided to try it out and hurled the coin, now saturated with green lightning, toward the giant hammer.

What would happen??

Eventually, the white barrier of divine energy surrounding the giant hammer revealed itself, and as the lightning-imbued coin collided with the barrier, an ear-splitting explosion ensued.

Chiri-rin!!

Kugugu

For a moment, the booming sound echoed, shaking everything. However, aside from the coin vanishing, there was no change to the giant hammer itself.

I muttered in frustration, thinking it was a failure.

[Ugh, dang it. This combination isn’t great.]

[Baek Woong. Did you use Trimurti?]

[Yes.]

[What combination was that?]

As I explained the combination to Lee Gang-ryong, he pondered for a bit before speaking.

[I think I understand the effect. Quite a useful one, actually.]

[Huh?! Really?]

[Take a look. That divine barrier is now significantly weaker. Its thickness is below half.]

[Oh!!]

Now that he pointed it out, I finally noticed the change. As I recognized that alteration, Lee Gang-ryong continued.

[The coin was the medium, the lightning spirit was the fuel, and the time manipulation was the result.]

[What do you mean by that?]

[To put it simply, the ability you just used means the more lightning spirits you infused into the coin, the more you manipulate the Small Cycle to reverse the time of any object it touched.]

[……!!]

[Using Trimurti seems to have resulted in a formidable ability that far exceeds the Great Immortal’s techniques. Thanks to that coin, the divine barrier protecting the thunder hammer has greatly weakened.]

So the coin turned back the time on the divine barrier’s power!

I couldn’t help but cheer, pumping my fist in the air.

[This is fantastic!! Then I can use the same ability again and make that barrier as fragile as an eggshell.]

[Wait just a moment.]

[Why?]

Lee Gang-ryong stopped me and sent me a mental note.

[Though it’s not a bad ability, it doesn’t feel like the right solution for this situation. After all, it results in manipulating the Small Cycle once more.]

[Hmm… even if you say that, nothing else comes to mind.]

[You seem to possess numerous types of “powers.” Why not try using an ability you’ve never used before?]

[An ability I’ve never used before?]

[Yes. It feels like you tend to only use what you’re familiar with. Having gone through several adventures, you must have gathered many abilities; think carefully.]

[…….]

An ability I’ve never used in combinations before?

What could that even be?

I felt like there was something but it had been so long that I needed to think for a while.

‘Ah… wait a minute… I’ve received this but never used it!’

Suddenly remembering, I reflected on what ability I had failed to use was revealed to me.

“Why haven’t I used this? Without a doubt, it’s an incredibly powerful ability…”

Given the entities that granted me this ability, it had to rank among my strongest powers. However, as I considered the circumstances under which I had received it, I realized why I had refrained from using it.

It felt uncomfortable.

I was worried that using it might attract the attention of those who granted it.

Having previously used divine-related powers had flipped my world upside down more than once, so it made sense to be cautious!

“But this world is a Training World. Those divine beings do not exist here. I should be able to use it freely.”

I thought that while extending my hand forward.

“Let it come forth, the Mask of Destruction!”

Chime!

As I mentally chanted the invocation, the Mask of Destruction manifested in my hands, and I immediately threw it into one of the three domains. Then I consecutively tossed the other two masks into the remaining areas.

The Mask of Deception and the Mask of Conspiracy filled the last two slots, and with a sly grin, I muttered.

“While wearing it myself might be risky, using it as a material for Trimurti shouldn’t cause any problems.”

Indeed.

What I just combined were the three masks given to me by the Three Sovereigns! Especially, the Mask of Destruction left a strong impression since it was granted by Jeon Wook.

Each mask is a powerful ability, yet they’re also a restriction, which made me hesitate immensely at the time to utilize that power. After all, I was reluctant because I feared that I might inherit the same restrictions the emperors received from the Old Ruler. However, in this Training World, and by using them as materials without donning them, there shouldn’t be any cause for worry!

Buzzing…!!

As the three masks occupied their respective domains and emitted light, I could see beams of light emerging from each mask. Unexpectedly, the three masks began to swirl and merged into a single mask before the red jade.

Ding!!

As the Trimurti came to an end, I now held a magnificent mask that seemed to embody the features of the three combined.

“What?! Combining three masks creates one single mask?”

This was a first. As I stared in surprise at this unexpected outcome, Lee Gang-ryong urged me on.

[Have you created a powerful artifact? In any case, try it out!]

[Uh… well… it’s a mask, so…]

[A mask? So just wear it; what’s the problem?]

[…….]

Why was I hesitating? Normally, I had no issue wearing masks, but something felt off about this one.

Moments later, I realized the reason.

‘T…This mask is incredibly powerful. It’s on a whole different level compared to those I typically wear…’

Of course.

It was a remarkable artifact created from the powers of the Three Sovereigns themselves!

Considering that it was dangerously close to the powers possessed by the Emperor Gong Sun Xuanwen, it was natural for me to feel an instinctual anxiety that I might not just control this mask but rather be overtaken by it! This uneasiness made me pause momentarily.

But soon after, I felt an indescribable sense of mockery flood through me.

After all, it’s just a mask.

…

What is going on? Why am I feeling so sentimental all of a sudden? I briefly panicked at the emotional current I didn’t recognize, shook my head, and slowly donned the mask imbued with the powers of the Three Sovereigns.

In that instant.

Ka-POW!

The moment I wore the mask, I understood just what I could do.

“I… I know the method to break through! Something is teaching me…!”

That was the ability integral to the Mask of Conspiracy bestowed by Jeogok.

Automatically generating the causal link that counteracts all divine powers!

Moved by a trance, I extended both hands, weaving divine energy like threads into the barrier formed by the three divine artifacts. As all the threads brushed against the barrier of divine energy, the ability of the Mask of Deception began to unfold.

Assimilation!

Kiiiiiing –

With a strange sound akin to scraping metal, the divine energy began to transform. It was an ability given by the Mask of Deception which allowed my divine energy to imitate the energy of any object it touched temporarily.

A moment later, the threads of my divine energy connected to the divine barrier had each completely melded with the energy of each artifact. There was no opposing reaction, and the previously felt resistance of the divine barrier had vanished. This was the signature capacity of the Mask of Deception.

Lastly, I began to unleash overwhelming power through my divine energy, a process of direct transmission of pure strength.

Gurgle gurgle

Initially, the power wasn’t overly impressive, but as time passed, it continued to amplify. The energy, while building up, maintained its increase and eventually reached a level of physical destruction that couldn’t even be quantified by the standards of the material world.

‘This is infinite strength…’

The unique ability of the Mask of Destruction granted by Jeon Wook!

The theoretical ability to utilize a physically infinite amount of power in the material realm!

A moment later, that unprecedented destructive force exploded in an instant.

KABOOM!!

I realized as the barrier of divine energy collapsed simultaneously that the individual self-destruct devices would not activate at all. From the outset, the ability of the Mask of Conspiracy given by Jeogok had been interpreting the properties of the ancient divine barrier to begin with, breaking it down. Being a chaotic god, Jeogok possessed an ethereal quality that no matter how formidable the ancient god might be, it was impossible to invalidate.

“……!!”

I’m…I’m powerful!!

At this very moment, I had used the powers of Shao Hao Jin Tian, Jeogok, and Jeon Wook to dismantle the barrier of the ancient combat god!

Swoosh

And as I broke through the barrier, I noticed the mask disappearing into dust, which had covered my face. At the same time, I became acutely aware of the massive depletion of divine energy within me, leading to dizziness as I staggered.

“Ugh… Is it one-time use?”

It seemed like there was indeed a limitation on its use. Still, I recognized that even with such restrictions, its strength was chillingly significant.

‘This time, I’ve merely used it to breach the barrier of the ancient god, but if deployed in a direct confrontation against the gods…!!’

Those opposing me would feel like they were facing the three chaotic gods all at once!

‘Now I understand why Jeon Wook seemed so generous when he gifted that power to me…’

Even without wearing a mask that combined the powers of the three, each individual mask was tremendously powerful. Certainly, a mere mortal would stand no chance against them.

I suddenly felt strange.

‘…But it feels like the individual powers are completely different from the original capabilities those three gods possessed. How come?’

While Jeon Wook’s Destruction mimicked its essence, the qualities of Jeogok’s Conspiracy and Shao Hao’s Deception differed utterly from the powers they typically wielded. Particularly, while Shao Hao was known for mindlessly firing destructive beams or black holes in combat, the ability of deception depicted a much more intricate and skillful imitation.

As I continued to mull over it, Lee Gang-ryong interjected.

[Incredible!! I’ve never witnessed such a powerful entity born into this world.]

[Thanks for the compliments… but…]

[What stirs your curiosity now?]

I relayed my recent questions to Lee Gang-ryong, believing he would offer useful answers relevant to this line of inquiry. He listened intently and then promptly replied.

[It’s simple. That mask contains the abilities that were sealed during primordial times.]

[Sealed in primordial times?]

[Yes. The Emperor Gong Sun Xuanwen placed masks on them to weaken them. Originally, they could still use that power, but after being sealed in a mask, they became permanently unusable. Of course, the three sovereigns gained the ability to meddle with mortals much more freely compared to other Old Ruler entities, so it wasn’t entirely a loss.]

[……!!]

[Jeon Wook was indeed capable of wielding Destruction, while Shao Hao had once fought using deception. Although they were likely used as supporting powers, that was their potential.]

[Oh, I see…]

If that’s the case, this merging of the three masks I’ve secured holds more power than I anticipated…?

I began to feel spirited as I thought about it, my excitement building when Lee Gang-ryong spoke again.

[Now, the divine weapons have completely relaxed their defenses. However, since the spirit energy remains, be careful.]

[You mean the spirit energy might attack me?]

[A divine weapon of such caliber will certainly possess its own will. So it’s possible it might test you.]

[Hmm. That makes sense.]

[Alright, let’s gather them one by one.]

I squinted at the front and swam toward the spear first.

“Of course, this spear is what I desire most.”

This spear was undeniably impressive. Just looking at it, one could palpably sense the incredible aura that would make any martial artist’s heart flutter. There was something about it that only practitioners could feel. It was a realm apart from the energy of artifacts or spirits.

And the moment I grasped the spear.

Swoosh

Suddenly, a torrent of white spirit energy erupted from the spear, creating a white figure.

The Battle-hardened Old Warrior!

Goooh!!!

Radiating an overwhelming fighting spirit, even from a distance, Lee Gang-ryong flinched at the aura wielded by the one-eyed old warrior.

Daringly

‘Not at all surprising…’

Standing nearby made me feel as if I faced a colossal storm. This warrior had undoubtedly reached the pinnacle of an existence transcending the martial realm.

The obsession and intent this warrior possessed in battle were formidable. While I had seen countless peerless masters before, none had emitted such an intense fighting spirit as this old warrior with a patched eye.

To think that a mere manifestation of thoughts could carry such power…

‘This is certainly a remnant of thoughts. Compared to the original strength, these are just traces without even a fraction of a yuan…’

How strong had this being been in life?

This must unquestionably have been an apex combat god among the ancient gods. It was hard to believe I had unknowingly overlooked such a powerful ancient being until now.

The one-eyed warrior, with a crow perched on one shoulder, stared right at me. Gripping a spear, he scrutinized me intently for a while before suddenly speaking with a voice laced with contempt.

[Loki… mask-wearing fool… How dare you attempt to toy with us again!! Have you come for Gungnir?!]

Loki?

As I tried to comprehend that name, the fierce, one-eyed warrior abruptly seized another spear beside him and hurled it at me.

[Die!!]

Boom!!

In that moment, I found myself unable to evade as the spear pierced my head. No, it felt like it had pierced my head, but in reality, it was the thought projection looming over me. I never would have imagined an essence could deliver intent like that.

Swoosh

The vision of the one-eyed old warrior faded slowly. Even after disintegrating, the lingering unwillingness he bore likely propelled his remnants to take action against me.

[W-What is this?]

Could an ancient combat god’s remnants hold such resentment?

While I was bewildered, Lee Gang-ryong spoke from behind.

[As expected, it was Odin…!]

[Odin?]

Lee Gang-ryong released a few bubbles underwater before nodding his head in affirmation.

[He was once known as the mightiest combat god among the ancient gods, serving as the leader of the Aesir divine tribe, and the god-king. And this is undoubtedly where Odin met his end.]