전생검신 96권 15화

I couldn’t quite wrap my head around the situation suddenly unfolding before me. I mean, I’ve faced unexpected situations before, but how do I deal with a phantom suddenly showing up in this void and saying they’ve been waiting for me for a long time?

So, I decided to ask the obvious.

“Why’ve you been waiting for me… for so long?”

For some reason, I couldn’t bring myself to speak casually. It wasn’t that they had an overwhelming presence or anything; I just felt this fundamental aura about them that made me shrink back. I couldn’t shake off the feeling that they were an Absolute Being, someone I shouldn’t even be meeting unless it was some kind of special circumstance.

After looking at me for a moment, the phantom simply responded.

“Because I have to.”

“……”

Wait… if you answer like that, how am I supposed to keep this conversation going? What am I supposed to do?

As I fumbled in my thoughts, the being adjusted its seating position, sitting directly across from me. It then said,

“Sit down.”

“Uh, okay.”

Again, just like before, I was drawn to this mysterious presence and sat facing them as instructed. After we positioned ourselves about a palm’s length apart, the phantom spoke softly.

“You’re aware things have gotten quite tangled, right?”

“……”

This phantom was acting like they knew everything.

“……Yes.”

But I couldn’t really deny that, so I nodded along. For some reason, I just felt no urge to lie or dodge any questions in front of this being. It felt less like intimidation and more like an inevitable reality.

No, it was more like… I had a sense that this being was beyond the need for any humor or tricks.

While I was caught up in this strange sensation, the phantom continued speaking.

“The threads of cause and effect are getting tangled because you’re trying to unravel them.”

“Hmm? What do you mean by that…?”

“Here.”

With a flick, the phantom tossed me a large ball made of some kind of thread. When I caught it, they said,

“Try to unravel that.”

“Um….”

It looked like the threads forming this ball were all knotted up pretty complexly. It was clear I was in for a struggle to untangle this. But I decided to give it a shot and started working through the knots, one by one.

…… However, after about a half an hour, I realized I wasn’t making any progress. No matter how much I unraveled, it only felt like the thing was getting more tangled. The ball began to sink in on itself, leaving me baffled as to where to start.

Is this gonna be tough?

Just as that thought crossed my mind, the being spoke again.

“Do you understand why you can’t unravel it?”

“Is it because I’m trying to?”

“That’s right. In your attempt to unravel it, you’re just making more knots. If you had great experience and precision, you might avoid creating those knots, but….”

Boom!

Suddenly, a massive ball appeared in the air like a planet. I gasped and looked up at it, only to hear the phantom say,

“If that thread ball is as enormous as that, the level of skill needed to handle it rises tremendously. Do you think you can untangle it without making it knot up more?”

“…….”

If that’s a thread-made ball…

It hit me like a ton of bricks, realizing just how daunting that would be, and I shook my head.

“I don’t have confidence.”

“If that ball were as massive as the universe?”

“…….”

“Unraveling the threads of cause and effect is just that. Once they are knotted up, it’s impossible to untangle them completely.”

Now I was beginning to faintly grasp what the being was getting at.

Trying to untangle the situation I’m in is only causing it to get more tangled.

That was something I had subconsciously realized over my past lives, but putting it into practice was a different matter altogether. Often, if I didn’t make an attempt, I would end up losing out on a lot.

So, I felt curiosity bubbling up and asked the being,

“If I shouldn’t try to unravel the threads… what should I do instead?”

“There are two methods. The simplest method, you probably already know.”

In the next moment, the being raised their hand to the sky.

Swoosh!

Then, with stunning precision, the gigantic thread ball was sliced cleanly in half! As I marveled at the skill, the being said,

“You cut the very essence of cause and effect. It might still take a considerable time to untangle, but at least it guarantees that it will eventually be unraveled.”

“……I see. So what’s the second method?”

Whoosh!

Then, the divided thread ball caught fire and began to vanish. Before long, the massive ball completely burnt away, and the phantom quietly said,

“Destroy the source of the cause. It means annihilating the world.”

“……!”

“Which method do you prefer?”

In that instant, I realized what the being’s question implied based on my past experiences. I was familiar with both methods. I lost myself in thought for a moment and finally stammered,

“……I think that both methods might not be the answer. I’m searching for a third option.”

The first method was likely absolute isolation. Severing all cause, the very technique of death itself! The isolation technique I learned from the Wheel King could potentially become the ultimate blade capable of breaking all causality at its peak. But considering that could create the Desert of Isolation, I couldn’t easily choose that path.

The second method was clearly the true True Martial Home. If I were to destroy the world and sever all causes, that’s the only option. Yet the question of whether the True Martial Home is the answer continues to nag at me, forcing me to seek out alternatives.

Then the phantom spoke.

“Someone has already contemplated the third method. And they executed it.”

“……! Who is it? And what method did they employ?”

“…….”

The phantom fell silent for a moment before replying.

“I will ask you this. What do you think is the most disrespectful thing to say in this world?”

What? Why wouldn’t they just answer and instead ask a bizarre question?

But there had to be some significance behind this question, so I pondered it thoughtfully.

‘The most disrespectful thing to say in the world?’

Being disrespectful means acting in a way that tarnishes another’s honor and dignity.

Thus, we could interpret that which is most disrespectful as “the rudest of all.”

Considering respect can be incredibly variable, especially among different nations or races, it can change dramatically even among the same species.

If you include all beings in the universe, including gods, the concept of respect becomes practically meaningless. Surely there can’t be a universal concept of respect that applies universally.

Therefore, even the concept of the most disrespectful thing might not even exist.

What is the most disrespectful word in the world?

I began to think of this question as a riddle and replied,

“I’m not sure. Do you know what it is?”

The phantom retorted,

“Those called Outer Gods all know, and they feel it deeply. In fact, to feel that is possibly the minimum qualification of being an Outer God.”

“……!”

I was startled for a moment. I stuttered out,

“Outer… Outer God?”

“Yes. A wandering fool.”

“…….”

What? Being called a fool in such an elegant manner feels oddly new…

But wait, who exactly is this Outer God? I’ve never seen an Outer God that looks like this…

Just as I was lost in my confusion, the phantom continued.

“The third method is to confront that disrespect head-on. However, it is a million times harder than the first two methods… the stakes have risen tremendously, and everyone is going to get swept up in it.”

“What do you mean?”

“The fact that you are even contemplating unraveling the threads might be a trap. There’s no need to find an answer nor any reason to, yet have you ever thought about the trap that compels you to seek out an answer?”

“…….”

I don’t know… But I have a foggy understanding of what they’re getting at.

Could it really be that everything I considered a problem was actually a setup?

As I sank into thought, the phantom stated,

“You need to be yourself. Only then will the truth present itself before you.”

“I am already myself. I’m no one else.”

“Is that so? Do you really think you are your own master?”

After saying this, the being slowly rose from their seat and took a few steps away. They then summoned a sword.

Swoosh

“Prove that fact with your sword.”

Whoa

“……!”

Before I knew it, a sword had been summoned in my hand as well. It was just a nameless iron sword, but I knew exactly what kind of sword this was. I remembered every tiny scar engraved on the blade.

This was the very sword I wielded during my life as a lowly warrior in my first life.

As I realized this, I looked at the opponent’s sword—it was the exact same one.

I tightly gripped the sword and said,

“If you’re trying to defeat me with Outer God’s powers, then I have nothing more to say. But I won’t back down.”

“Is that what you think?”

“Why wouldn’t I think that?”

“Thought is free, but….”

Right then.

From the sword the being was holding, formless qi began to accumulate, and in the blink of an eye, it launched outward at lightning speed, slicing straight through my throat.

Swoosh!

…… Huh?

As I felt my neck flying through the air and my vision starting to spin chaotically, I was struck with horror. It was not merely the despair of having been killed in an instant, but the realization of what I had been hit by.

This isn’t power!

This is the formless taking form!

The ultimate intent that transcended the limits of law, crossing over into ‘something’ once more!

Thud

With the sound of my body collapsing and my head landing on the ground, the phantom said,

“If you think like that, it will take you eons to leave this place.”

“……!”

Even though my head and body were separated, I wasn’t dead. However, the pain of my bones and flesh tearing apart was all too real. Realizing this was a device to execute a life-or-death decision with nearly real combat, my body restored itself to its original state.

“…….”

The being continued to hold their sword in an ordinary stance.

I stared at them intensely and asked,

“If I defeat you with this sword, will you let me leave this space?”

“Don’t be absurd….”

The being shook their head. I frowned in response.

“Ugh, so there are conditions after all.”

“If you so much as graze me with your sword, I’ll let you go.”

“……?!”

“I can’t impose the harsh condition of having you defeat me in your current state.”

I was taken aback by how calmly the being said that.

Do they really mean it?!

They are saying if I just brush them with my sword, they’d consider it a win against an Absolute Being?

While feeling bewildered, I also felt a flicker of anger rising.

“No matter how much of an Outer God you are, you’ll regret this! I don’t care what power you invoke to fight me! I’ll beat you decisively!”

Then, the being’s next words shocked me immensely.

“No. I can stake my name as Pangu on my word that every means I’m using against you is pure martial.”

“……?!”

Wait?

What was that I just heard?

The being is Pangu?

This Outer God Pangu is declaring they’ll fight me with just pure martial skills?!

As my mind froze in disbelief, Pangu smirked and swung their sword down from above.

Divine Realm

Colorless

Directly Assaulting the Yellow Dragon

Swoosh!

“Gah!”

In an instant, I felt my body splitting in two from an invisible strike. As I collapsed and my consciousness began to fade, it dawned on me.

This is a technique even third-rate warriors use: Directly Assaulting the Yellow Dragon!

But even I, who had grasped the extremities of intent, was unable to detect its speed or block it.

This insane Directly Assaulting the Yellow Dragon was the first time I had faced something like this since my reincarnation!

This is insane!

The gap in skills is just ridiculous!

Instead, I could feel the disparity between us even more clearly because I was currently in the Divine Realm.

With this pace, I couldn’t even begin to guess how many times I’d be struck down by that Directly Assaulting the Yellow Dragon before it’s all said and done.

“Get up, junior.”

At Pangu’s following statement, I realized my reincarnation was about to enter a new phase.

“Here, it won’t be as an Outer God… but as a higher rank within the Palace of Martial Gods.”