전생검신 Volume 95, Chapter 11

After being flung into the vastness of space, I found myself reflecting on who I am, if only for a moment.

‘Surely, as Niratsa Dag said, I’ve been charging in without a plan.’

Had I been successful in most of my missions so far? Moreover, because I had amassed formidable powers, including divine abilities, I naively thought I could handle anyone. That very confidence might have subtly morphed into arrogance. I should have considered the possibility of facing an absolute powerhouse like Niratsa Dag, but I didn’t.

‘If Niratsa Dag had set his mind to it, I would have died… No, as a god, he could have captured me and tortured me for an eternity… I was far too complacent.’

Moreover, judging by his words, it seems there are other hidden strong beings like Niratsa Dag in this vast great universe. If I were to cross paths with such a being, it would indeed spell my end.

And another thought struck—

… ‘Can I turn the tables?’

According to Niratsa Dag, I’m not actually sparring with Al Karda. Instead of a duel, I’ve been toyed with from the beginning, manipulated according to his whims. The realization of what that means finally hit me, awakening a sense of crisis.

What in the world is Al Karda’s goal after all this effort?

If his aim is to annihilate me, it’s not a good idea to go along like this.

If I can’t win this reincarnation play anyway, I need to come up with some trick to bail out.

‘……’

Let’s rethink… Niratsa Dag mentioned there might be a clue in “that room” where the reincarnation play is happening.

But honestly, that room didn’t seem particularly special to me—what could be so weird about it…?

As I pondered this, a thought suddenly flashed through my mind.

‘… Could it be that?’

But what could that even mean?

How on earth could I use that to put an end to the reincarnation play? Especially against an outer god…

Yet, if that was the clue Niratsa Dag provided, it’s the only thing I can think of… Even so, could I really use just that to find a chink in the outer god’s armor…?

… I still don’t have a concrete strategy. I racked my brain more, but no good ideas came to me, so I let out a sigh.

‘Phew. For now… I’d better finish this mission and think later…’

Regardless, it seems wise to first acquire Chi You’s body; it’d make things easier down the line. Besides, this is a chance to uncover the secret behind Chi You’s power that rivals that of an outer god. I coolly contemplated what I should do next.

After much contemplation, I realized what I needed to do.

‘Let’s further enhance the Thunder Soul!’

What began as a pastime turned into a surprisingly deep understanding of the Thunder Soul while I operated it. Now that I’ve gotten this far, I wanted to see just how far I could push it; it wouldn’t be easy to pull off something this risky again during a standard reincarnation process.

First, I needed to move a bit away from Niratsa Dag’s territory. I used my divine power to transport myself as far as possible to avoid causing him any trouble.

‘Will this do?’

After travelling for a while, I detected a nearby star and began making my way toward it. Once I sensed through the Wheel King’s power that the star had no life, I swiftly deployed the Thunder Soul Technique to carve into the star’s core.

Kugugugu!!

As the star shattered once again, the Thunder Soul expanded even further! This time, I didn’t sense the star’s soul like before, which puzzled me for a moment.

‘Hmm… Are stars with souls not all the same?’

Simultaneously, I noticed that the true nature of the Thunder Soul, previously suppressed within me, began to erupt forth violently like a volcano.

KRAAAAH!!

I had expected as much, so I yelled out.

‘You brat!!’

Thunder God Sword Dance!

Kiiing

I unleashed all my strength into the Thunder God Sword Dance while invoking the essence of the No-name Stage. I had learned from experience that the Thunder God Sword Dance kept its ferocity at bay during its execution, even if the Thunder Soul was wild.

Kududek!!

The resistance was much stronger than before. Gritting my teeth, I continuously executed the Thunder God Sword Dance. As I repeated the same movements, I found it increasingly difficult to suppress the Thunder Soul’s resistance, and as soon as I noticed this, I quickly switched the Sword Form of the Thunder God Sword Dance.

Mysterious Domain

Sword Dance Transformation

Understanding the realm of the Mysterious Domain, I found it quite easy to break the traditional form of the Thunder God Sword Dance and create a new one. In fact, having grasped the Mysterious Domain, I could connect with the No-name Stage, allowing me to smoothly execute all the movements in a way that surprised even myself.

Pababat

As I executed numerous forms of the Thunder God Sword Dance, I realized a momentary insight.

‘The direction in which power is released… This flow… It may appear infinite, but it’s actually consistent!’

Despite using the Thunder God Sword Dance thousands of times, I had never recognized this area before. No matter how many times I broke through and redefined the fundamental forms, it ultimately became clear that the influx and outflux of power had its limits. Therefore, what I had now understood wasn’t an absence of form but the fullness of form, realizing I had long fallen into the trap of misconception while expanding my martial arts.

Perhaps – what I had thought was an absence of form until now had all been the presence of form.

The only true absence of form is indeed the heart sword.

Just how many times had I executed the Thunder God Sword Dance? Eventually, the Thunder Soul’s resistance quieted, as if returning to a dormant state, and my Thunder Soul had grown to more than double its previous size, feeling larger than the Earth itself.

Pajijijik!!

The energy of the Thunder Soul surging through my entire body was beyond imagination. Just like before, it felt like I was charged with more strength than I had spent, becoming even more intense. By now, I wondered if I had received much more Thunder Soul than what I had from Seong.

‘… Alright. Let’s absorb more lifeless stars like this!’

Kugugugung!!

I continued to devour and absorb over ten stars using the Thunder Soul Technique. Whenever the Thunder Soul resisted, I unleashed the Thunder God Sword Dance to suppress its rebellion. As I grew in size, I suddenly felt something strange happening within the Thunder Soul.

Pajijijik… Pajijik…

The Thunder Soul had stopped growling and, instead, started to let thunder escape from my entire body. Suddenly, an unfathomable wave of power burst forth, momentarily leaving me stunned.

BANG!!

‘Kkega?!’

What in the world?!

The Thunder Soul’s power seemed to have suddenly multiplied by dozens!

Unlike before, the Thunder Soul didn’t thrash like a living thing, but its dormant potential burst forth, overwhelming me and enveloping the cosmos surrounding the Thunder Soul in brilliance. At this moment, I intuitively sensed that this capacity of power was beyond what I had handled merely with the Thunder God Sword Dance.

Yet I can’t give up now.

‘GAAAAAH!!’

I poured every ounce of focus into the Thunder God Sword Dance with a scream. I had struggled to suppress the Thunder Soul before, but now I’m faced with a colossal strength that far exceeded my control over the Thunder God Sword Dance and was on the verge of going insane. If I hadn’t realized the essence of the No-name Stage, I would have surely perished along with the Thunder Soul.

That’s right… the No-name Stage!

The No-name Stage must be my escape from this situation.

‘With the No-name Stage… I’ll draw out all my divine power…’

I gritted my teeth, my eyes gleaming sharply.

‘I’ll release it all…!!’

Originally, the No-name Stage was the realm to draw out maximum divine power through the shamans’ dance. But now, I needed to go beyond simply drawing it out; with the overwhelming amount of power threatening to break my soul, I needed to pour it into the universe as if ladling from a large bucket. The potential of the Thunder Soul felt like it would still be lacking after all of this.

It was my first time drawing out a massive amount of divine power like this and discarding it at the same time; I had no idea what the results might be. I might end up losing my divine power forever, but I had no other choice.

FLARUUR!!

The speed of the Thunder God Sword Dance accelerated, and soon enough, I was lost in a trance, performing the shamans’ dance. As the aura of divine flame ignited throughout my body, the rocky form of the Thunder Soul was consumed by divine power, and the material flesh was filled with divine energy that burned brightly. To be precise, although the space filled with divine energy was still dissipating, the sheer amount bubbled up within me, creating an illusion of being filled.

I was thirsty. It felt like everything I had was tied to this dance, leaving no escape. The vast body of the Thunder Soul shrank while my concentration intensified. Eventually, I even felt as if I were viewing myself from a third-person perspective.

Is this a dance of the shamans, or merely a dance?

What am I connecting with through this dance?

‘The divine power… with me… and the soul of lightning…’

Thoughts flickered through my mind, but simultaneously, I felt a contradiction. My body moving was not a simple flow of the three talents but rather an overwhelming sensation that this was not the case.

Instead, the hyper-charged fervor emanating from the divine flame created the Thunder God Sword Dance, continuously transformed, consuming my very soul. Is that what they mean when they say a god has descended?

Then, at some point, I recognized that what I had considered “connecting” wasn’t a bond between powers.

It was the essence!

An essence that couldn’t even be summed up with a single term transcended through metaphysics, playing out through the dance. This essence couldn’t be explained simply by divine powers or Thunder Souls. I came to the sobering realization that I could not express this “connection” through any theory of martial arts I was familiar with. Abruptly, the words of the Necronomicon flickered through my mind.

[Then, moving on… whose power are you calling forth with your Thunder God Sword Dance?]

[If you borrowed the power of the Thunder God, there are a few issues. But can the Thunder God Sword Dance call forth divine power in a world where the Thunder God does not exist?]

[Moreover, is the limit of the Thunder God Sword Dance the limit of the Thunder God?]

At that time, I could not comprehend the meaning behind the riddle posed by the Necronomicon.

However, now I was experiencing it directly, even if I couldn’t logically articulate it. The limitless power hidden within the Thunder Soul was not a singular divine capability. Rather, it differed entirely from the magic handled by other gods of chaos. The Necronomicon likely intended for me not to mistake this Thunder Power for the powers of the Thunder God Indra.

It’s a funny thing. If the Thunder Soul isn’t the Thunder God’s, then whose could it possibly be?

I couldn’t comprehend the ownership. There was no way to know who held the end of the thread. But, knowing that a hand existed beyond the thread, I had no choice but to believe the other party wouldn’t let go of it, and I could only keep this connection alive – which was currently expressed through the shamans’ dance.

FLARUUR…!!

When the flow of power hit its peak, I felt the rate at which my body was maintained begin to fail, and I sensed the Thunder Soul rapidly contracting. I had a terrible intuition that, if this continued, the Thunder Soul would be destroyed, yet I had no means to stop it. Maintaining the Thunder God Sword Dance consumed every ounce of my energy.

‘Thunder Soul, what are you? What makes you move like a living soul?’

I screamed out in frustration.

How could the Thunder Soul respond to the Soul Exchange Technique and move as if embodying its own will?

Moreover, what exactly lies at the origin of this immensely hidden power?

With every question remaining unsolved, I felt I was about to perish alongside the divine thunder.

And then, in the very next moment…

[Use… Me…]

‘……?!’

An unfamiliar voice echoed. I recognized it resonated from my soul’s forearm. Glancing at my forearm, the voice rang out again, shining brightly.

[Use… Me…!!]

From my forearm, the name “Blue Boy” glimmered.

Cough!

I could hold on no longer…!!

The moment I saw that, I instinctively wished to use the name “Blue Boy,” and simultaneously, the name vanished from my forearm, causing the searing energy of divine flame surging through my body to suddenly dial down.

Fwoosh!

All of that transpired in an instant. I realized the form of the Thunder Soul had burned and shrunk down to a fraction of its size, but unlike before, I could tell the fire energy had completely changed.

Azure Thunder Flame!

The shape of the Thunder Spirit surrounded by rolling blue flames—unlike before, there was hardly any pure matter left, with the Thunder Spirit appearing more dynamic. Yet, upon receiving the Thunder Spirit of blue flames, I could feel an intense realization.

‘That power from earlier… has been contained?!’

The colossal force I had desperately tried to suppress with the Thunder God Sword Dance remained undiminished and was now compressed within this tiny form. Precisely, the power that the rocky material couldn’t handle had anchored in reality, flaunting its presence. I realized I had gotten a glimpse of what was transpiring.

[Blue Boy]… The soul of a nameless planet is controlling this Thunder Spirit!

Perhaps it wished to meld directly with the Thunder Soul, synchronizing to gain control. I never thought I’d be able to use a “name” in this manner, leaving me bewildered.

‘What in the world…’

This feels like I’ve attached a leash to the Thunder Soul by offering up the spirit of a planet? I’ve never heard of such a way to harvest a force!

While I silently pondered this, I quickly felt a wave of overwhelming power surging within me.

‘Gah, not another…!’

Sure enough, as the wave of the Thunder Soul peaked, another powerful roaring wave erupted from me, violent as a lion’s roar, flooding in all directions. It wasn’t harming me directly, but I could tell I wasn’t able to control this impulsive movement, realizing the Thunder Soul’s violent nature still remained.

Kuwakuwaku…

In an instant, the wave swept across the vast expanses of the universe, the fearsome Thunder Soul expanding. As the wave widened, I felt as if I were physically experiencing it, as if truly gazing upon the expansive universe from a higher dimension—truly what one would call the sensation of a god. As I experienced this feeling, I recognized the potential lurking within this Thunder Spirit.

‘This… has already exceeded my divine capacity!’

An independent identity, distinctly separate from the source of my divine power!

Had the spirit of the planet not aided me, I likely wouldn’t have survived this ordeal, let alone not be entrapped in a firestorm. Just as I struggled to reclaim control over the power, the Thunder Spirit suddenly unleashed a burst of energy in every direction.

FIZZ!!

BOOM!

‘……!!’

I was utterly taken aback at the technique just executed by the Thunder Spirit. It was akin to casting a net of thunder across the cosmos, trapping even the smallest thing within it!

‘Indra’s Net!’

A technique previously solely wielded by Lee Cheong-un, the Grand Master of the Thunder God Lineage!

How could the Thunder Soul use Indra’s Net freely?

Kuwakwang!

As the vast net of thunder spun through the universe, countless stars shattered, the debris swirling back into the grasp of the Thunder Spirit. I could see the power and speed of absorption intensifying, allowing me to rapidly restore my colossal form. As my body grew, the Thunder Soul seemed to seize with a restless desire to destroy something.

GRRRRR!

While I figured I could control this wave to some extent due to Blue Boy, I sensed it would ultimately be futile.

The Thunder Soul possessed will, and even a semblance of intelligence.

Firing off waves aimlessly with Indra’s Net, devouring stars—this was an intentional act aimed at diminishing my regained control by increasing its own power!

If I allowed the Thunder Soul to grow like this, I would reach a point where I couldn’t even stop it with the power of the “name” anymore.

‘… Truly grateful this world isn’t my true home…!! In light of this, it seems like a last resort is necessary!’

I gritted my teeth. Then, I gathered the Suins and shouted.

‘Trimurti!!’

Wiying

Simultaneously, I stepped into the space of the red jewel representing Trimurti’s power. And then, I firmly voiced my desire.

‘Combine Blue Boy, the Thunder Soul… and all the divine power I possess!’

As Blue Boy’s “name” intermingled, the Thunder Soul lost much of its control.

If that’s the case, I’ll overwhelm it by fusing all my divine power with it!

Kikigig!!

Suddenly, an unprecedented scenario unfolded before me, leaving me in shock.

‘… The jewel?!’

The central red jewel symbolizing Trimurti’s power was cracking!

Shhoo!

While I was still processing my surprise, the soul of the planet known as “Blue Boy” emerged from one of the three aspects. It began to speak.

[Baek Woong. It appears the result from combining your power and the Thunder Soul has surpassed the limits of the original authority-holder of this capability.]

‘What?’

[No matter how astounding the techniques of a god may be, they cannot surpass the Creator’s capabilities.]

‘……’

Upon comprehending the words of this soul, my expression hardened.

If what he said was accurate, it meant that the combined results of my and the Thunder Soul’s powers had exceeded the full strength of the Creator God Brahma. Yet Brahma’s abilities surpassed even the Three Sovereigns in the realm of creation, making this hard to trust.

Does this combination truly possess the potential to shatter the framework of Trimurti, which typically combines every conceivable concept, tangible or otherwise?

Tsutsutsutsu

Simultaneously, from the last side of Trimurti, I noticed a creature that seemed to embody the Thunder Spirit in miniature form. Being in this mental realm, it matched my size, but recognizing what it was, I inadvertently let out a breath.

‘… The Thunder Soul.’

[That seems to be correct.]

‘Do I have to defeat that thing to complete the combination of Trimurti?’

[I am unsure, but… ]

[Blue Boy] continued, arms crossed.

[It’s not looking good for you. Do you not see the vast power standing before you?]

‘……’

He was right. The power conglomerating within the Thunder Soul was genuinely overwhelming, and there was no denying that facing it head-on would result in inevitable death. It was utterly meaningless to engage in a battle I was sure to lose, rendering me speechless when [Blue Boy] interjected.

[It cannot be done by the likes of me alone.]

‘What do you mean?’

[The balance of the three aspects of Trimurti weighs heavily; my available strength pales in comparison to both of yours. Though I may be a soul of a planet, I’m nothing compared to divine beings like you. You thus must offer up a more significant price.]

‘……!!’

I grasped the implication of [Blue Boy]’s words and clenched my lips tight.

‘To face the Thunder Soul, I must balance the scale of strength first.’

Realizing what he meant, I swallowed hard.

‘I shall offer up every name I possess!’

A humongous wave of existence!

Shortly thereafter, a myriad of beings rushed into the Trimurti space, engulfed in a colorful light.

KRAAACK!!

Two ancient spiders screamed unintelligibly! However, being mere underlings from the Moon Sovereign’s altar, they appeared remarkably weak.

Then, the Portrait Immortal named Yu Sin emerged with a bright smile.

“Baek Woong, I’m so glad I can fight for you!”

‘Long time no see…’

Seeing Yu Sin stirred nostalgia within me, but there were many others summoned as well.

“This incomprehensible fight is so unpleasant. Why must we battle such a monster?”

‘Hang-a. Just shut up.’

“Hmph…”

The heavenly figure Hang-a was summoned, still holding her power from her time as the Monster King.

“Ooo… To think there exists such a strong opponent… This is no simple matter.”

“Hmm. Although I’ve come out, I wonder if I’ll be of any help…”

Adam Cadmon and Dracula had also materialized. They both held power that surpassed ordinary humans, yet against the boundless might of the Thunder Soul, they could hardly compare.

[Hehe… A deity surpassing the upper gods… Quite the overpowering force, yet how in creation did such a creature come to be?]

‘Izanagi.’

[While I’ll follow your orders, it’s foolish to expect to win against that… ]

The ancient demon Izanagi, who had absorbed my name, had emerged in a diminutive form.

And yet, the one who approached me last was rather familiar.

“It seems there’s no likely chance of victory.”

‘Miho.’

The newly awakened machine god Miho was summoned to this realm, radiating golden light. Though she was strong enough to contend with Nüwa, worry lined her face.

“Myself and Izanagi both may hold divine statuses, but we will hardly be a match for that true monster.”

‘……’

“But let’s see it through to the end… Let’s give it our best shot.”

‘Yeah.’

Even though the machine god Miho showed reluctance, I understood her feelings well. The higher beings came to realize the disparities that lay before them, growing more pronounced the stronger one became. Miho, too, had been a formidable being in her own right on Earth, but even she seemingly had no answer against the mad chaos of the Thunder Soul.

Finally, seeing the last being made me chuckle.

‘Haha… Where’ve you been all this time?’

[Master…]

‘Heuk Woong! I worried so much when you vanished during the reincarnation play.’

Indeed. It felt like seeing a small avatar of Jeon Wook; the dark spirit Heuk Woong stood here. Oddly, during the entire reincarnation act, Heuk Woong hadn’t appeared or been summoned, leading me to fret over whether he would show this time.

Heuk Woong, with a voice full of concern, spoke up.

[The outer god did not wish for my assistance while helping you. During the reincarnation play, I was kept from being summoned.]

‘… Why?’

[Because if I helped you, it would be too easy… that figure always wanted to witness the true strength of the master.]

‘That’s true enough…’

I had plenty of tasks I could handle solo. If Heuk Woong had been summoned, it would have been a piece of cake.

[Regardless, it seems that while I was away, you’ve grown even stronger. You can now challenge that monster and force it into submission.]

And that remark came from Heuk Woong as he gazed intently at the Thunder Soul from afar.

[… However, even if everyone summoned here joined forces, subduing that Thunder Soul would likely be impossible.]

‘Even you say so?’

[You already know it yourself, Master. That thing can reach into the very laws of the universe, yielding an unfathomable potential.]

‘……’

[Master. There’s only one way to ensure victory now.]

‘What way?’

Heuk Woong spoke gravely as dark auroras swirled around him.

[… Somewhere among the “forgotten” names you possess lies one with the power to subdue the Thunder Soul. You must seek the strength from the owner of that forgotten name.]

‘……!!’

The moment I heard Heuk Woong’s words, I began recalling the six unnamed entities I held in my memories.

[?????]

[???]

[*]

[@@@]

[@@@]

[@@]

… Six names in total.

Strangely, while I remembered the others and when I received their names, I couldn’t grasp the identity of these six. Though they were names that had existed from the beginning, I had always intended to uncover their identities at some point.

I glanced at Adam Cadmon for a moment before speaking out.

‘He mentioned something about it too, but how can you be so sure that one among those six names could be strong enough to subdue the Thunder Soul? They’re just names…’

Heuk Woong replied cautiously.

[Master. Having been bound by your names, I possess an instinct as well. Those great names’ owners… are intimidating beings we can’t come close to. I infer that your inability to connect with them stems from your lacking “qualifications.”]

‘……’

[At some point, I hoped you’d elevate yourself to connect with them, but… given the gravity of this situation, it might be unavoidable.]

‘But how can I seek the help of those with no defined identities or names?’

[Master. I cannot discern how to attain their aid. Yet, I believe you will devise a solution.]

‘Hmm…!!’

I cast a sidelong glance at the Thunder Soul, which stood idly waiting. It felt like it was anticipating the moment when the red jewel of Trimurti would break.

If the red jewel shattered, it meant the powers of Trimurti would break, allowing it to unleash its fury upon me at will. Naturally, once the red jewel shattered, I might end up losing access to Trimurti forever, so I had to settle this with the Thunder Soul before that happened.

… What a cunning being.

I realized the more time I wasted, the more disadvantage I faced and began to frantically devise a plan.

If, as it was now, I placed only the owners of the names I controlled on one side to face off, my chances were looking extremely slim. Even if I had the numerical advantage here, the plain fact was, the Thunder Soul outclassed us in raw power.

As Heuk Woong suggested, I would need the aid of those higher names.

However, those higher names were unseen, whispers lost, making it difficult to call upon them.

How would I gain their support? What are these beings even…?

‘If only there was something I could offer like a sacrifice, similar to the earthly realms… Hmm?’

Suddenly, a thought struck me.

Could that actually be a possibility?

I found myself murmuring a method I hadn’t even consciously formed in my mind.

‘Outer Heaven Sect.’

“`

 

---