전생검신 91권 08화

태양(太陽).

Seeing the first liberation of Il-yo right in front of my eyes was quite something. Up until now, it was just a single wish pearl, but in an instant, an indescribable divine light erupted from Il-yo, enveloping it completely, and it felt as if the waves of the galactic power were being absorbed into Il-yo.

As the galactic currents flowed in, Il-yo’s essence emitted an even more powerful radiant flame, making me feel like I had a tiny sun resting in the palm of my hand. Unbelievable, but it felt like the very energy of the galaxy was being used as kindling to ignite Il-yo.

Boom!!

The moment Il-yo was liberated and gained power, everyone except me staggered, as if crushed by a massive presence. Even though Jecheon Dae-seong and Shin Gong-pyo were already pulling out their full strength, it seemed they couldn’t avoid shaking, and even the heavenly demon in front of me changed color and had to shift their stance.

‘This… This is…’

Crazy.

There was no other way to describe it.

Despite its small size, the power dwelling within Il-yo felt unprecedented—enough to surpass the authority of any divine being I’ve encountered so far. I couldn’t express it in numbers, but it was far beyond the level where rulers exert their power equivalent to all the potentials of a planet. Moreover, there was something that made Il-yo feel terrifying.

‘Ah… It’s still… not fully liberated!!’

Yes. As its owner, I could feel Il-yo had only been liberated about halfway. Yet, it was overwhelming everyone present, and its limitations were incomprehensible. At least, it seemed like the heavenly demon, as a representative of the emperor, could gaze upon Il-yo, but even they appeared to be struggling to hold back as they constantly staggered backward without any sense of ease.

“…!!”

My spine tingled. As someone who has encountered numerous unique artifacts and divine items in heaven and earth, I was forced to acknowledge that Il-yo was something out of this world. The sheer power of this liberation state was too immense to even be compared to that of any other celestial beings! It’s possible that once Il-yo achieved its complete liberation, it could easily surpass even the Four Great Spirit Deities.

‘What the hell…?! How can there be such a gap even though they’re all part of the Seven Luminaries?!’

Grrrrr…

Il-yo continued to grow stronger. And while watching Il-yo, the heavenly demon suddenly spoke up.

[Looks like I need to test this out.]

¡Whoosh…!

In the next moment, a beam of light appeared around the heavenly demon and shot directly at me.

Flash!

The beam was, quite literally, the speed of light, making it impossible for a living being to react in time. I could respond using divine martial arts, but I had a hunch, so I chose not to counter the demon’s small attack.

Swish!

Sure enough, that beam shot toward me before veering off its course and absorbing into Il-yo. Il-yo continued to radiate light as if it absorbed the heavenly demon’s attack without a scratch. The demon muttered to itself.

[The function I designed for Il-yo is working perfectly.]

“What?”

[Il-yo can absorb divine power.]

“…!!”

Absorb…!!

Of course, absorbing divine power isn’t particularly uncommon. I had also absorbed divine power lodged in artifacts, and even that of foes defeated by gods. But that ability was only usable when the opponent was incapacitated; I had never seen divine power absorbed from a foe mid-battle.

‘No wonder I hadn’t seen it… If that were possible, it would grant an absolute advantage in a contest among divine beings.’

Indeed. Ultimately, the divine powers of gods manifest through divine energy, and if one could absorb that energy itself, it would effectively neutralize nearly all of a god’s abilities.

While I was shocked by the heavenly demon’s words, it continued.

[Curiosity has piqued. Let’s see if another function I inscribed works… ]

“What’s that?”

[You’ll find out for yourself.]

The demon’s golden eyes glinted.

Heavenly Demon Star Arrow Rain

Ziiiiing!

In the next moment, countless golden arrows sprang into existence around us. There were so many that it felt pointless to even try counting them—they were so densely packed in the vast sky that it seemed nothing else was left but light. Judging by a rough estimate, there must have been hundreds of millions of arrows, causing Shin Gong-pyo to let out a sigh mixed with despair.

“…Haah!! Each one of those is a divine arrow… Absolutely insane…”

While it seemed foolish for Shin Gong-pyo to lament like that, it was natural. Each one of those divine arrows possessed enough power to pierce any divine being, turning even the Great Immortal into a mere kebab! And now they were soaring in their thousands, millions! Furthermore, since they were divine power, they defied the laws of physics, making it impossible to evade.

Most likely, neither Shin Gong-pyo nor any divine being from the celestial realm could counter such a ludicrous attack. Even Shin Gong-pyo would doubt if he could block even one of those arrows. No, could this wipe out the entire celestial realm?

Jecheon Dae-seong, however, reacted differently than Shin Gong-pyo. He maintained a calm gaze ahead, not losing his fighting spirit. Yet, it seemed he could not help but sense the dire situation, quietly speaking.

“I don’t think I’ve felt this tense even when fighting against the Jade Emperor.”

“Of course… The being before us is one that even ten Jade Emperors wouldn’t be able to defeat.”

The strongest being in the celestial realm and the manifestation of the Three Sovereigns, even the Queen Mother of the West, was far below the heavenly demon. Right now, we were essentially facing one of the most powerful entities in the celestial and earthly realms.

“Haha! Regardless, we can’t shy away now.”

In that moment, I sensed something strange from the resolute Jecheon Dae-seong.

‘Huh? What is that?’

A very thin chain seemed to wrap around Jecheon Dae-seong’s brain, heart, arms, legs, and dantian. I had never felt such a thing before, but somehow, I could.

‘Il-yo is… sharing its vision with me.’

I could tell. This wasn’t my vision; it was Il-yo’s gaze. Il-yo was sharing what it saw with me.

‘What’s that chain?’

It was strange. I had learned various sensing techniques, including Hua An Gold Spirit, and could typically detect any enchantments; yet somehow, this particular binding on Jecheon Dae-seong eluded me, despite having seen him hundreds of times before. How could such an intricate enchantment be binding Jecheon Dae-seong that I had never noticed?

Is that truly sorcery?

What would happen if I broke that chain?

I became curious, but before I could ponder the question, Jecheon Dae-seong suddenly bellowed with the force of thunder.

“It’s coming!!”

Swoosh!!!

The heavenly demon’s Heavenly Demon Star Arrow Rain finally started moving. Countless divine arrows charged in from all sides—each horrifying wave made my head spin.

‘Crap, it seems I have no choice but to use the Four Great Spirit Deities!’

Four Great Spirit Deity Varuna!!

Please protect me with a water barrier!

“…?”

However, as I tried to summon the Four Great Spirit Deities, to my shock, I found myself unable to even access the mental realm to invoke one.

‘What?!’

This had never happened before?! Why couldn’t I suddenly call upon the Four Great Spirit Deities?!

Did an outer god play some trick?!

“Darn it…”

Swish!

Just as I was in a panic, the golden arrows of the heavenly demon’s Star Arrow Rain seemed to crystallize in front of my eyes.

Is this it…?!

“…”

But it was not the end.

“Hah, huff…”

Just as a golden arrow was about to graze my eye, everything came to a halt. Jecheon Dae-seong, shouting out warnings with clenched fists, and Shin Gong-pyo, who was surrounded by layers of counteracting spells, were both frozen in time.

Time Stop?

But everyone gathered here wielded strength equivalent to that of divine beings; time stop shouldn’t affect us…

“If you manipulate the [Small Cycle] normally, that’s the case.”

At that moment, a figure appeared in front of me and casually spoke.

I turned to look at its form, precisely where my gaze had been fixed. I was still conscious in the moment where time had stopped, unable to move, yet fully aware.

“If the power isn’t ordinary, then even resistance won’t matter. Just like when Nüwa did it.”

The being before me was a stunning beauty with golden hair and eyes. She wore a flowing white garment and had an arrogant look as if everything was insignificant. And her appearance resembled that of someone I knew, causing me to think and exclaim involuntarily.

‘Sagong Lin…?!’

That’s right. This form was strikingly similar to Sagong Lin, who had awakened into the heavenly demon!

Then the golden-haired beauty smiled and said,

“I’m simply using the form you liked most in your memories. Perhaps we’re drawn to each other because we share the same origin?”

Who are you…?

“Il-yo (日曜).”

…!!

“I am the spirit of Il-yo.”

I couldn’t help but be shocked by that answer.

That being is the spirit of Il-yo?!

How could the spirit of the Seven Luminaries just appear without performing an awakening ritual and use its power at will?!

Then Il-yo spoke with notable arrogance.

“What’s to stop me? I’m way stronger than you right now. I may very well be the strongest being here.”

Wait, what?!

“Fufu. It’s cute how surprised you are. You’re quite an entertaining one.”

……

Calling the master cute… For a spirit, that kind of self-importance seems excessive, but anyway, what’s the reason behind suddenly pausing time?

Then Il-yo opened its mouth, evidently displeased.

“It annoys me to see you relying on the Four Great Spirits after obtaining me. I’m the strongest; why do you do that?”

What?

Wait, are you the one preventing me from accessing the Four Great Spirits…?

“Yup.”

Oh, of course—not knowing how to use them properly! In a crisis situation, it’s only natural to fall back on familiar and reliable methods!

As I protested, Il-yo said,

“You already know the usage method, right? Just make a sincere wish.”

Is that all?

This is way different from other Seven Luminaries…

“Anyway, you’re so stuck in rigid views that you can’t be flexible. If you want, I can freely change my appearance like this.”

Swoosh!

In the next moment, Il-yo’s form, which was resembling Sagong Lin, suddenly shifted into that of Moon Sovereign in the state of liberation. Then one by one, it shifted through the liberation states of Fire Sovereign, Water Sovereign, Wood Sovereign, Gold Sovereign, and Earth Sovereign before returning to its original form and said,

“I can use all the powers of the Six Luminaries. Including their liberation states.”

…!!

So you can shift into other Luminaries and deploy those powers too?!

“Exactly. They all flow through me.”

I couldn’t help but be amazed by Il-yo’s incredible versatility. If what it said was true, I wouldn’t even have to regret losing the other Luminaries if I obtained Il-yo!

‘Truly the final Luminary…!!’

As I marveled, Il-yo chuckled.

“Why so surprised by this? In fact, such usage isn’t even necessary because I, Il-yo, am already the strongest. The real usage method is different.”

Real usage method?

“I also paused time to show you that. Just watch.”

With that, Il-yo turned its gaze for a moment at Jecheon Dae-seong and Shin Gong-pyo, then extended a finger and muttered.

“I, Il-yo, grant you the powers of the Seven Luminary Star Gods!”

Flash!

In that moment, the visage of the liberated Moon Sovereign appeared around Jecheon Dae-seong, while the liberated Earth Sovereign appeared around Shin Gong-pyo. Upon seeing that vision, I couldn’t help but be astonished.

No way…?

“As you can see, I can grant the powers of the liberated Seven Luminaries to my companions, be it in the form of weapons or protective blessings.”

…!!

“If those two are strong enough, just giving them one liberated Luminary will make them quite formidable, right? If you’re still unsatisfied, I can give them more.”

If this were possible… I could truly enhance all my companions at once!

This is the true absurd ability of Il-yo!

I couldn’t contain my astonishment, and quickly thought to ask,

‘Is there no limit on the number or frequency of granting the powers of the Luminaries?’

Il-yo casually replied.

“If there were to be a limit, it’d be based on the user’s divine energy. The number and stacking of the granted powers are free, but every time you grant one, the user continuously consumes divine energy according to their abilities. If you draw too much on credit, you might end up in bankruptcy.”

Hmm… So there’s some restriction after all…

‘But it’s still absurd…’

“So what are you going to do?”

Huh?

When I blurted out in confusion, Il-yo crossed its arms and looked at me with a nonchalant gaze.

“Are you going to keep behaving arrogantly while using the Four Great Spirits despite having such a powerful being as me? I’d like an answer to that.”

……

I… I do want to use the Four Great Spirits as well…

When I hesitated, Il-yo let out a deep sigh.

“Hah! It’s not just me who’s dissatisfied. All the spirits of the Seven Luminaries are also inwardly upset with you for relying on the Four Great Spirits more than on themselves, you know?”

What?! I had no idea about that…

“No other choice. As the head of the Seven Luminaries, I must show a more definitive blow to the arrogant creator!”

Whispering thus, Il-yo suddenly waved its hand.

Boom!

At that moment, the time stop was lifted, and the situation began to unfold rapidly.

Crash!!

With the power gained from the liberation of the Seven Luminaries, both Jecheon Dae-seong and Shin Gong-pyo easily deflected the attacks of the heavenly demon while a bizarre golden protective barrier formed around my body, shielding me from the massive hail of golden arrows.

Swish!!

And just like before, the golden barrier around me wasn’t merely blocking the arrows; it was also absorbing them. Instead of the arrows piercing through, I could distinctly feel that every time an arrow hit, it charged the barrier with divine energy.

‘The absorption property of divine energy applies to Il-yo’s barrier too!’

This is incredibly beneficial?!

As I was marveling at Il-yo’s strength, a surprised Jecheon Dae-seong exclaimed,

“What?! Why did the powers of the liberated Seven Luminaries suddenly pour into me? And who’s that?!”

The “that” Jecheon Dae-seong was referring to was Il-yo’s spirit, who appeared in reality along with us.

Thud!

The golden-haired beauty resembling the heavenly demon Sagong Lin landed lightly next to me and grinned at the heavenly demon ahead.

“Old master, it seems there’s another ability you wish to confirm from me?”

At Il-yo’s words, the heavenly demon gazed at it intently and said,

[Il-yo, I’ve been wanting to see it. Your proof as the King of the Seven Luminaries.]

“I’ve been waiting for that line.”

As soon as those words left its mouth, Il-yo strode toward the heavenly demon, who observed it with an analytic eye.

Thud… Thud…

Soon, Il-yo stopped ten steps away from the heavenly demon.

After a brief moment of silence, the first move was made by the heavenly demon.

Heavenly Demon Eternal Dance

With a golden light accompanying it, the presence of the heavenly demon began to tremble weightily, and its illusion materialized near Il-yo’s spirit, writhing like waves. The very fabric of dimensions seemed to tear, and the laws of physics warped in the air.

‘That’s…!!’

Eternal Dance!

One of the three great techniques of the heavenly demon that the Emperor of the Great Bear Empire, Sagong Lin, used against the Queen Mother of the West! What’s more, the Heavenly Demon Eternal Dance currently unfolding appeared massively more potent than before, and how in the world could one withstand the chaotic fluctuations in cause and effect it created?!

Just as the golden energy of the Eternal Dance surged forth, Il-yo suddenly extended both hands to the sides, and its eyes gleamed.

“How trivial!”

King of the Seven Luminaries

Great Liberation

Boom!

In Il-yo’s left hand, the Moon Sovereign, Fire Sovereign, and Water Sovereign emerged, while in its right hand, the Wood Sovereign, Gold Sovereign, and Earth Sovereign took shape. Forming three of the Seven Luminaries in each hand, Il-yo suddenly unleashed all of them in a grand liberation, as if refining the divine energy into one single force.

When the concentration reached its peak, Il-yo quietly stated.

“Infinite Star Realm.”

Bam!!

In an instant, it felt as if the visage of the solar system had illuminated from Il-yo’s very being! The energy of the Luminaries, arranged elliptically, suddenly began to expand rapidly and engulfed the entire territory where the Heavenly Demon’s Eternal Dance was set to unfold.

[Hmm! What is that…?!]

The heavenly demon, suddenly feeling its domain being repelled, let out a groan as it poured out more power, seemingly trying to push back the might of Il-yo’s Great Liberation. As its domain began to expand again, Il-yo grinned smugly.

“Old master, you should find this different from the powers you configured, right? My Great Liberation is the act of rapidly gathering all of the powers of the Seven Luminaries into one fluid force… Seems you were curious about that.”

[That ability is… what?]

The heavenly demon’s confused utterance indicated that the current liberated Il-yo’s capabilities transcended Emperor Gong Sun Xuanwen’s calculations.

Il-yo replied in its usual haughty manner.

“Simple. Thanks to the creation power the new master imprinted in me during my crafting, I also acquired the abilities of a creator god.”

[……!!]

“The infinite star realm exerted by the Seven Luminaries can birthe entire cosmos and consume it all.”

Kugugugu!!

The heavenly demon’s presence grew even stronger. It was drawing upon all the powers of the emperor, continuously boosting its might, making not only me but also Jecheon Dae-seong and Shin Gong-pyo, bolstered by the powers of the liberated Seven Luminaries, seem overpowered.

[That brat…!]

Yet even then, the heavenly demon couldn’t push back the domain of the infinite star realm. It was barely managing to defend around its body while the surrounding skies had already sunk into the pitch-black darkness of the universe, the light of the stars completely engulfed.

I realized that even with the overwhelming celestial power of the heavenly demon surpassing mine, it still couldn’t break through the infinite star realm.

‘That boundary… the boundary of the infinite star realm is devouring all of the heavenly demon’s divine energy!’

Divine energy absorption!

The very trait applied to the infinite star realm was effectively nullifying any upper hand based on the quality of divine energy! The power of Il-yo was weaving within the domain crafted by the infinite star realm.

While Il-yo seizing the spotlight of the moment looked down on the heavenly demon with a smug expression.

“The ability to devour divine energy, originally attainable only by you—the direct manifestation of the heavenly demon… That was your mistake in granting it to me. Normally it should’ve been limited to defense, but using Great Liberation means I can attack too. And originally, you were the only one who was supposed to utilize it, yet now I can use it as I please.”

[…….]

“How does it feel to be the weapon created to vanquish evil gods, only to find yourself topped by it, old master…?”

Oh?!

Upon hearing that, I finally grasped something.

‘That… That makes sense. Il-yo’s divine energy absorption capability can nullify threats based on divine power… It has the perfect synergy to face the malignant divine beings!’

So Emperor Gong Sun Xuanwen intentionally created Il-yo for that purpose, huh!

In a flash, I imagined the Emperor, now strong enough to take down even Pangu, utilizing liberated Il-yo to confront evil gods. Initially, it was believed that there’s no way to overcome the evil gods whose power grows infinitely, but if you come prepared with such a straightforward syringe-like weapon, perhaps the outcome could be very different.

‘Indeed, the Emperor…!!’

Creeeak! Creeeak!!

As the heavenly demon’s power gradually waned, its space began to be consumed by the infinite star realm. As the very dimension started twisting, the physical body of the heavenly demon also seemed to take damage. The heavenly demon, while silent at the appearance of fissures creeping into its form, eventually spoke.

[… You, this Il-yo, is truly what can be called the strongest weapon in the celestial realm and beyond…]

“Isn’t that obvious?”

[But… you haven’t attained true ultimate strength… You haven’t acquired the full potential of the Six Luminaries, so perhaps there are aspects of you that fall short compared to the original Il-yo I envisioned… ]

“……”

[Alright then… today, I concede.]

And with that, the heavenly demon slowly finished its final words.

[Concerning how to confront Pangu… the key is to take advantage of its most uncharacteristic traits.]

Crash!

With a short crash, the heavenly demon’s form shattered into pieces. Once the infinite star realm took dominion over its space, it faced inevitable death. Normally, with the heavenly demon’s strength, it could have drawn all the power from the emperor until the very end to resist, yet it seemed it had no reason to do so.

Whooooosh…

The azure sky returned as the infinite star realm vanished. Il-yo’s spirit sighed, apparently bored.

“…Hah~ How’s that?”

“……”

I stood there with my mouth agape, momentarily regaining my senses to respond.

“Y-You’re the strongest.”

This wasn’t just a superficial praise; it was genuine.

Who am I to even question that, when it was recognized by the heavenly demon, a proxy for the emperor?

The fact that Il-yo’s spirit alone could use Great Liberation to take down a fully powered heavenly demon is quite a feat!

It was something that wouldn’t be feasible for any other liberating spirit, nor even for most divine beings to match.

Just as I was lost in thought at the incredible nature of this power, Il-yo chuckled and pressed its finger firmly against my forehead.

“Not yet, you wuss.”

With every word it spoke, pressing against my forehead with a hint of emotion, I felt that panic rise within me.

“What’s with you again?”

Even after being complimented, why the attitude?!

Il-yo withdrew the liberating powers it had lent to Jecheon Dae-seong and Shin Gong-pyo and said,

“Actually, the current state I’m in hasn’t unlocked all potential. There were inadequate elements during my crafting.”

“What? That can’t be true… You went through all the trials of the Seven Luminaries until reaching the liberation of Earth Sovereign?!”

In shock, as I questioned, Il-yo replied.

“Each Luminary was infused with divine energy one by one, allowing them to grow, and only after the liberation state was I formed; I never truly perfected the ability to merge them all.”

“……?”

“I was completed without a perfect bond with the spirits of the Luminaries. That’s what the heavenly demon was hinting at.”

Wh-What?

I couldn’t help but feel flabbergasted by Il-yo’s words. It was simply unthinkable!

“No way… Even collecting all the Luminaries to perform the Offering Ceremony is hard enough—how on earth would I accomplish that?!”

“Not my problem… I’m simply stating fact.”

“Hold on… Wait. So, you mean… merging abilities? So far, the only time I used the offer was for combining the Fire Sovereign and Water Sovereign to summon the Sword God’s Might! Are you saying there are other possible combinations among Luminaries?!”

Il-yo looked at me, as though questioning my intelligence.

“Of course, there are multiple combinations possible. Would you think I’d only manage to fuse Fire Sovereign and Water Sovereign when there are six treasures in total?”

“……”

“Anyway, as long as you know that I’m not the ultimate Il-yo.”

“If you perfect the crafting process, what abilities will you gain?”

I asked in curiosity, and Il-yo contemplated for a moment before answering.

“There exists the Real Great Liberation ability. It’s something that belongs solely to me, but I don’t know what it exactly entails unless I go through another awakening.”

“Wow…”

“Fufu. It’s about time I take my leave.”

“Time?”

Il-yo smiled lightly and nodded.

“I can see the laws of cause and effect with my very eyes. I can also see the time set up for you by the outer god.”

“……!!”

“You’ll soon be returning to somewhere.”

Wait, does Il-yo already know I’m amidst the trials of the outer gods?!

As I pondered this astounding revelation, Il-yo said,

“Once the Seven Luminaries reach Great Liberation, they’re comparable to the Four Great Spirits. Make sure to remember that and put in the effort, Creator.”

“……”

In that moment, I just wanted to live in this world.

Having defeated even the heavenly demon of the emperor and possessing the strongest weapon, Il-yo, wouldn’t the Three Sovereigns dare disturb me?! Would I not become the ruler of Earth and possibly reign over humanity, living a life of leisure? And even the comrades who had died could be revived through the powers of the Wheel King so there’s nothing to fret about.

Just as I felt happiness within reach, I steeled my resolve.

“I’ll definitely see you again, Il-yo.”

Il-yo beamed.

“We made a promise.”

*

Before I knew it, I found myself gazing at the place where my stone was placed.

“……”

Had I returned to the place of the Rebirth Ritual?

As I stood in silence, deeply focused on the Go board, Al Karda responded dryly with one phrase.

“Aren’t you satisfied living in a world where you shattered the emperor’s conspiracy?”

Tap

At that moment, I was again flooded by an uncomfortable sensation as if past memories were aligning themselves. My stomach churned rapidly, but I held it down and replied.

“…After all, I can’t revive my comrades who were annihilated by Taehuhapjin during the trials of the Seven Luminaries.”

Not even the Wheel King’s powers could resurrect them.

That was not because their souls had departed to the underworld.

After hearing my answer, Al Karda stroked its chin thoughtfully before saying.

“Why do you want to bring them back?”

…What?

I stared incredulously at the unexpected question. I then replied,

“You must be quite aware of how much I value my companions; why ask me that?”

“They died as heroes, and granting them life again could amount to bringing them pain anew.”

“……”

“By restoring their lives, you might only be pushing them into another sorrowful existence.”

I retorted coldly.

“That’s absurd. If they wish to die, I could at least ask for their consent after bringing them back… Most people would rather prefer to live rather than die.”

“Like you?”

“……”

“Have you ever thought that your constant loop of life may be the most painful experience for anyone?”

Strangely, Al Karda had clearly invested significance in this conversation, refusing to change the topic.

‘This discussion must be important.’

Since the outer god wouldn’t engage in discussions without reason, I pondered deeply before speaking.

“I haven’t, but I’m moving forward with perseverance until I fulfill my duties.”

“Still bound to human thought. You haven’t fully comprehended a Reborn Person’s mentality.”

“…What does the mentality of a Reborn Person even pertain to? Must a Reborn Person think differently from others and lose their humanity?”

When I sharply retorted, Al Karda countered in a calm tone.

“Then I pose a question: What is humanity to you?”

“……”

I couldn’t readily answer. Because listening to an outer god ask about humanity is arguably the most contradictory act imaginable. I already anticipated that any common answer would fail to satisfy him.

‘Damn… I’ll just say something earnest.’

I clenched my teeth internally and stated.

“Humanity is… the desire to be more human.”

“Being human isn’t a prerequisite for possessing humanity, is it?”

“Isn’t it obvious? If one wishes for warm human qualities, anyone can be said to possess humanity.”

“……”

Al Karda observed me quietly before saying something odd.

“You are oblivious to how alien you truly are.”

“……?”

“I appreciate that constant irregularity.”

Al Karda, who had been muttering incomprehensible things, suddenly shifted its gaze back to the Go board and said.

“I’ll pause the reincarnation for a while. Let’s see your skills.”

“Very well.”

I welcomed the opportunity to play Go, as my stomach was still queasy from the earlier conversation.

Tap.

Tap… Tap.

Thus, in the blink of an eye, around twenty turns passed. Suddenly, Al Karda placed a stone onto the board.

Tap.

“Do you realize what is happening?”

“……!!”

I stared intently at the left side of the board with eyes wide, letting out a soft murmur.

“Lian Dan?”

Al Karda’s recent move was a Lian Dan.

Lian Dan refers to using a single-hand attack to encircle the stones in my corner, putting my own stones in jeopardy.

Simply put, Al Karda’s single move put my left-side stones in a scary predicament!

‘Uh oh…?!’

If this keeps up, I might just lose everything on that side! Can I survive this?

As I was mulling over my bad Go skills, Al Karda spoke up.

“The status on the board will reflect in the reincarnation. Make your move.”

“……”

I felt a sense of foreboding as I contemplated for a long time. Finally, while trying to read the live threats, I made my move.

Tap.

Flash!

In the next moment, I found myself somewhere else entirely.

Before me, a scruffy bunch of heretical sect members were speaking.

“Hey, young hero. Show up at Gabi Pavilion on the second day at Hai Time. Present the password ‘I wish to drink plum wine to my heart’s content’ and you will immediately enter the Dark Realm Martial Arts Tournament Venue.”

I knew exactly who that was.

The guy surrounded by a slew of heretical sect members was…

‘Black Snake Society Leader…?’

Could it be… is this time period…?

I asked the Black Snake Society Leader out of sheer curiosity.

“What’s the reward for winning at the Dark Realm Martial Arts Tournament?”

The Black Snake Society Leader answered in exactly the way I remembered.

“Crackle… Aren’t you a little late to be asking? You truly want to fight purely, hence accepting my offer.”

“……”

“The Martial Arts Tournament consists of five rounds and is irregularly held. To be precise, it only happens when all participants gather. The tournament is held when exactly thirty-two martial artists compile, at which point Tuma will make the hosting decision. You are the last martial artist I’ve recruited.”

Upon hearing that, I realized what time it was.

‘Wow.’

This feels so vividly nostalgic—is this really right now?!

The day I received the invitation to compete in the Dark Realm Martial Arts Tournament in Luoyang during my ninth life.