“What do you mean by [Boundary]?”

Hearing that left me totally confused, so I blurted out.

“What the heck are you talking about? I don’t get it at all!”

“Master said that if you’ve experienced [Boundary], you’d understand it from experience.”

Cheon Woo-jin replied slowly after that.

“To put it simply, this world is made up of three realms: [Dream], [Boundary], and [Void]. And the corpse of Tsukuyomi you see right now has become the catalyst for creating [Boundary], meaning he’s alive while simultaneously being dead.”

[…?!]

“Sigh, of course… you have no idea what I’m talking about. Even the divine beings struggle to grasp this. I can’t believe Master asked me to explain this to an outsider…”

Seeing my bewilderment, Cheon Woo-jin seemed more lamenting than angry. I felt utterly dumbfounded by his reaction.

“Hey! If you’re just rambling about something you understand alone, how am I supposed to get it? Try explaining it more kindly.”

“… Well, it’s originally a concept that requires a ton of basic explanation. Plus, it relates to some truths of the universe. Okay, let’s start from the very basics.”

Taking a deep breath as if to calm himself, Cheon Woo-jin continued.

“Baek Woong. I’ve heard you always meet the Master on a path. When you meet him, were you able to use your powers at that spot?”

[No. I could only speak as long as my mind was intact. I’ve never tried using any powers there, but I figured I wouldn’t be able to.”]

“Why did you think that?”

[Why?… Because it’s a dream! What kind of powers can you use in a dream?]

Given how obvious that was, I couldn’t help but roll my eyes, and Cheon Woo-jin replied.

“That’s precisely the recognition that’s vital. You were aware that you were dreaming, but it was just a prison of perception you created. Because that place isn’t a [Dream] but a [Boundary].”

[…?!]

“Think about it. That place may have felt dreamlike, but it was different from the dreams you know.”

I was stunned by Cheon Woo-jin’s unexpected words, as if my mind had just snapped back into focus.

[Huh? What do you mean?]

“The difference between [Dream] and [Boundary] isn’t that tough. In a [Dream], everything is free chaos, but in [Boundary], there’s a limit based on the laws of reality. However, [Boundary] is easier to interfere with reality than [Dream], which cannot be escaped unless you’re someone who transcends that world.”

[…]

“You’ve been mistaking the path where you meet the Master as a dream, simply because that’s how the Master pulls you in, but that place is fundamentally a [Boundary]. So, the reality is, if you set your mind to it, you could unleash your powers in that world.”

[…!!]

“Of course, even if you unleash your powers there, it would be useless in front of the Master.”

What?! That wasn’t a dream after all?!

It was somewhere in between dreams and reality?!

Stunned by this revelation, I froze as Cheon Woo-jin continued speaking.

“And that guy Tsukuyomi’s ability creates [Boundary]. It’s likely a technique activated under the premise of his own death.”

[What happens if you create a boundary?]

“To put it simply… a [Boundary] is the line between the reality recognized by existence and the dream. Thus, the two spaces created around the boundary are swapped entirely into [Dream].”

[What? A dream?]

Upon my query, Cheon Woo-jin nodded in affirmation.

[This place has turned into a [Dream]. Just like this.]

Divine Words!

Suddenly, Cheon Woo-jin transformed into a body radiating immense divine power, which startled me. No matter how I looked at it, Cheon Woo-jin looked just like an [Old Ruler], human-like in appearance, and my eyes widened in disbelief.

[Wait, how do you have divine power…?]

[I just wished to be a god. In a dream, anything is possible, right?]

Whoosh!

As soon as he finished speaking, Cheon Woo-jin reverted back to his human form with a smirk.

“Though, it’s all just a dream.”

[…!!]

In that moment, a memory flashed from my 28th life, when I clashed with Hang-a in the world of [Dream] alongside Jin So-cheong. Recalling that experience, I began to understand Cheon Woo-jin’s words piece by piece.

‘Right…!! Back then, when Hang-a pulled me into the [Dream] world and set a trap… I used the characteristics of the [Dream] to unleash my imagination and do anything! I could become stronger than Hang-a, who possessed the power of Chi You!’

Thinking it over, I said.

[Could it be… the reason for the appearance of Susanoo and Amaterasu, who shouldn’t exist in reality, is also… because it’s a dream?]

“Exactly. According to the law of cause and effect in reality, they shouldn’t exist. But since a [Dream] encompasses infinite chaos, those limitations become meaningless. In dreams, Susanoo and Amaterasu could very well be at their peak!”

[… So, fighting against those guys is meaningless too, right? It’s just a [Dream], isn’t it?]

“You’ve finally realized it. This whole battle is utterly pointless.”

[…]

I was utterly speechless. The thought that Tsukuyomi could artificially create boundaries, covering the world in a dream was mind-blowing!

‘This guy has omnipotent powers, what is he really?’

Confused, I regained my composure moments later and told Cheon Woo-jin.

[Then… I should inform those Celestial Immortals we’re currently fighting. This is a dream, and they can become as strong as their imaginations allow!]

Cheon Woo-jin let out a derisive laugh.

“Ha… you really think that’s possible?”

[Huh? What do you mean? I’ve fought in a [Dream] with imagination in past lives before.]

“That was only possible because you understood the difference between [Dream] and [Boundary]. You must dismantle the locks in your mind, and truly believe this is a dream to utilize the benefits of it. But if you suddenly tell those Celestial Immortals, ‘This isn’t reality, so feel free to fantasize, and whatever you want will happen,’ do you think they can accept that?”

[…]

“The barrier of recognition is incredibly solid. You talk as if it were simple, but utilizing the benefits of [Dream] means breaking down the psychological realism deep within. The higher-ranked spiritual bodies like those Celestial Immortals would find it even harder.”

Cheon Woo-jin made a valid point. Fighting with the benefits of a [Dream] was like manifesting fantasies, and it wasn’t possible for just anyone. I figured that trying to convey that to the Immortals would likely result in rejection.

‘Crap. This is turning out to be more complicated than I thought…’

Continuing to fight against a [Dream] as we are won’t give us victory or defeat. It’d just drain us while we suffer the losses.

I furrowed my brow, then suddenly had a realization and said.

[Wait. Then, if we eliminate the corpse of Tsukuyomi that’s creating the boundary, wouldn’t that work?]

“I knew you’d say that. But it’s not that easy since that’s the reality now overlapping.”

[Reality overlapping?]

In response to my question, Cheon Woo-jin folded his arms.

“Like I said earlier, Tsukuyomi is both alive and dead. The possibility of a living Tsukuyomi and a dead Tsukuyomi is intertwined. To deal with that, we need to break that possibility first.”

[…]

“Why are you looking at me like that?”

I shouted, confused.

[Hey, what are you talking about? Whether he’s alive or dead doesn’t make a difference!]

“The [Boundary] lies between existence and non-existence. Those residing in the boundary are connected to [Void], which allows them to exclude the possibility of their own existence becoming nothing. That’s why it’s troublesome to face sorcerers who wield the ability of [Boundary].”

[What kind of nonsense…]

I was about to argue but suddenly stopped myself.

Flashed before my mind were memories from the Takrok Era while talking to Lee Hwan-woong.

‘Lee Hwan-woong…!!’

I realized that Lee Hwan-woong had already showcased a similar technique!

[Schrödinger on the loop.]

[But… sometimes, unresolvable nulls can occur.]

[It’s an expression found at ASCII code 0. Literally, it means 0. To put it more simply, it represents nothing (無) and emptiness (空).]

[My master Nailatop always said this. If a creator god exists who created the universe and coded this world, then the existence of null is unavoidable. A middle ground between existence and non-existence must exist in this universe.]

[Hmm, so what you’re saying is… no matter how peaceful, there’s a probability of existence overlapping.]

[This is the creation of a presence by artificially overlapping my probability of existence. In other words, this is another version of myself. Interesting, isn’t it?]

……!!

This is…?

’The terminology is slightly different, but isn’t this almost identical to what Lee Hwan-woong spoke about? Especially regarding the overlapping of existence, thanks to his explanation back then, I could understand this to some extent.

‘Then… is the null that Nailatop and Lee Hwan-woong referred to… precisely what defines the boundary?’

And undoubtedly, Nailatop and Lee Hwan-woong manipulated the boundaries using scientific principles!

Feeling the interconnection of experiences from the past, I felt a slight thrill. So much so that I muttered to myself.

[So Tsukuyomi’s corpse isn’t fake; it’s another version of Tsukuyomi.]

“……!!”

At that, Cheon Woo-jin turned to look at me with wide eyes, surprised.

“What? You actually understood the principle of [Boundary]?!”

[…]

This guy seems stunned that I grasped something he explained…

I scratched my head and replied.

[So, I’ve heard… that Tsukuyomi’s current state is a unitary being capable of ignoring most external forces? So they say most attacks hardly work on them?]

“… So you really are a Reborn Person, huh? Seems like you’ve experienced every kind of thing Master mentioned…”

Cheon Woo-jin nodded slightly, with a hint of resignation on his face.

“That’s right. Not just any attack; even gods find it hard to land a hit. I don’t know what level of boundary practitioner you’ve faced, but if a divine being overlaps their existence, it becomes even harder.”

BOOM!

Just then, a thunderous sound erupted from the battlefield against Susanoo in the Celestial Realm. I glanced over and saw many powerful beings from the Celestial Realm converge around, but Susanoo’s immense strength made it seem like they might take a loss. Perhaps those like Xiang Yu or the Celestial Sage could handle it, but the lower-ranked ones might face serious trouble if they delayed.

Feeling an urgency creep in, I said.

[It’s not the time for wailing! You must have a way to take down Tsukuyomi, or you wouldn’t be talking about this!]

After my blunt remark, Cheon Woo-jin frowned.

“Damn… I came to help, and look at the attitude… Fine, there’s a method.”

[What is it?]

He stretched his hand forward and said.

“Tsukuyomi’s technique theoretically equates to entering the Realm of Illusory Gods. However, I received a temporary delegation of authority from Master, allowing me to temporarily disable his [Boundary].”

[What? You’ve become Master Mangnyang’s Apostle?]

I asked, shocked, and Cheon Woo-jin smirked.

“If that were the case, would I be explaining anything to you? I’d have taken care of it all myself. Master only entrusted me with enough power to dismantle that Tsukuyomi’s [Boundary].”

[Hmmm.]

“However, even if I disable his [Boundary], another trap remains. Master said only you can deal with that trap.”

[… Another trap? Damn it.]

“So, are you mentally prepared?”

I could grasp the situation. If Cheon Woo-jin momentarily released the [Boundary] technique in front of Tsukuyomi, it would be my chance to eliminate him, but ironically, there’d be another trap laid out during that interval.

‘Crap. It’s a total mess.’

But since he’s Master Mangnyang, there’s no avoiding that trap, so I steeled myself and said.

[Let’s do this.]

“Here we go!”

Whoosh…!!

The next moment, Cheon Woo-jin’s hand stretched forward, and Tsukuyomi’s corpse started to glow as a white spirit form began to flow out of him. After a struggle, the spirit split into two, one resembling the corpse and the other appearing alive.

‘Alright, now…’

I prepared to summon the Four Great Spirit Deities in my heart.

But then Cheon Woo-jin, sweating profusely, warned.

“Don’t be fooled! Don’t attack the living form!”

Like it was responding to Cheon Woo-jin’s words, the seemingly dead corpse slowly started to rise. I could already tell that a trick had been played.

‘Crap… Of course, it wants me to attack the living form to waste my skills!’

Had Cheon Woo-jin not advised me, I might have fallen into a huge trap!

What kind of lunatic even does this?!

“Fragmented existence… do not wander beyond the boundary…!!”

While I was internally sweating bullets, Cheon Woo-jin slowly joined his hands into a hand seal. The two forms began to struggle and forced themselves into unity. As Tsukuyomi’s spirit converged and glimmered, Cheon Woo-jin shouted.

“O Great Being! If you endure any longer, you shall be banished from this world! Do you dare oppose the great name of Master Mangnyang?”

Cheon Woo-jin’s bellow was directed at a stubborn Tsukuyomi, when unexpectedly, a sound broke through.

[Hey now. That’s not my real name, Senior.]

What?

At that moment, I could feel my surroundings grow brighter. Moments later, I noticed an explosive light emanating from Tsukuyomi engulfing me, and from outside the light, Cheon Woo-jin’s voice rang out in shock one last time.

“No way… to create a [Dream] by himself… what’s this guy’s real identity?”

Flash!!

…

Eventually, I realized that I had entered an inexplicable space of chaos. It dawned on me that Tsukuyomi had used some strange technique to resist Cheon Woo-jin’s powers and had abducted me here.

So I pondered.

[…].

Cheon Woo-jin is gone.

Looks like I’m the only one who got abducted…

When I reached out, I found my hand stretching all the way to the horizon. Every physical law was ignored, my sense of direction distorted, and each breath felt utterly chaotic. In this bizarre space, while quietly observing, someone gradually formed before me, revealing their figure.

“Not panicking, huh? Looks like you’ve already been through the chaotic hell beyond the [Boundary]?”

I stared at the figure that became clear before me.

[Tsukuyomi.]

Indeed, standing in this chaotic world was none other than Tsukuyomi!

Just like before, wearing a mask of Half White Half Black.

‘Wait… is it a woman…?’

At first, I thought it was a slender woman, but upon closer inspection, it was too beautiful to clearly determine whether it was male or female. As I thought that Tsukuyomi could be a genderless deity, I calmly inquired.

[Who the heck are you? How can you materialize the chaos of the outer universe here when you meet the Outer God Observer?]

Truthfully, I had indeed experienced this chaotic world as Tsukuyomi described. The first time was like trembling in a nightmarish hell, but once acclimated to the chaos, it was a manageable realm – which is exactly the chaotic outer universe one can view while traversing through it.

The issue at hand was that, as far as I knew, even gods couldn’t bring such things into manifestation. No matter how powerful a god might be, there are things they simply cannot do. Tsukuyomi’s ability felt strangely alien, something that transcended ordinary divine status.

Understanding my question, Tsukuyomi chuckled softly.

“Even as I create the path to eliminate you with omniscience, Master Mangnyang intervened each time. But in this place, even Master Mangnyang will struggle to interfere. It’s an area that seals even my own omniscience.”

[…]

“No one will help you any further.”

I understood that Tsukuyomi wasn’t speaking nonsense. For one to reveal the weakness of sealing their own omniscience implies an exceptional level of confidence. Just as he said, in this space of chaos, even Master Mangnyang couldn’t assist me.

It felt like I was truly cornered.

This must be the trap Master Mangnyang warned about.

Feeling tense but lack of understanding, I asked Tsukuyomi.

[You… what grudge do you hold against me? This is my first time seeing you, what on earth have I done to deserve this?!]

“Strange words. That ability of yours, the Rebirth Ability, is among the most insane abilities across the universe, so isn’t it only natural for me to try and take it from you with everything I’ve got?”

[…]

Suddenly, Tsukuyomi burst into melodic laughter.

“Hehe, I’m just kidding. In reality, you’re an acquaintance of mine.”

[What?]

“How long has it been? I believe Dongfang Sak is three thousand cycles, so perhaps that much time has passed?”

Clack…

Tsukuyomi slowly began to remove the mask. Moments later, revealing beneath the Half White Half Black mask, Tsukuyomi said.

“I’ve been waiting all this time for this very moment.”

[…!!]

“It’s been ages, Baek Woong.”

As I gazed at Tsukuyomi’s face, I felt my mind go blank.

It was hard to believe, leaving me in a daze.

[Yuso.]

The former village chief of Takrok Village, Yuso, stood before me.