전생검신 98권 02화

Emperor Lemuria I paused for a moment after hearing my words and then decided to play dumb.

[What are you talking about? Who’s Emperor Lemuria I?]

Honestly, if I were in his shoes and some suspicious intruder suddenly revealed their identity, I’d be skeptical too. His reaction was amusing, and I couldn’t help but chuckle as I replied.

“I’m Baek Woong. I’m in the midst of a rebirth, and we met in our past lives.”

[……?]

I explained my current situation and past events to Emperor Lemuria I in relatively detailed terms. It took quite a bit of time, but about half a moment later, he finally said, “Enough!”

[I get it. I’ll believe you. It’s too spot-on to be made up, especially since you even know about offering sacrifices to the Dark Sun……]

“So, you are Emperor Lemuria I, right?”

[Indeed.]

“When I last saw you, you were in the form of a rock giant. Why have you transformed into a grimoire now?”

[……It was an unavoidable choice to protect my soul from the curse.]

“A curse?”

At my question, Emperor Lemuria I sighed heavily.

[On the day the Evil God and Le Rue rose…… a horrible curse was cast on all the living of Lemuria. Those curses were unleashed by the demons of Le Rue, ensuring that none could survive……. Even I couldn’t escape the eternal torment of the curse with just my own power, so I resorted to a last resort.]

“A last resort, you say……?”

[I dedicated my all to the Dark Sun…… the ruler of the Imperial Palace of Huangdao. In exchange, I succeeded in saving many of the populace and sending them to Mars, a colony of Atlantis, but I ended up being reduced to just a grimoire.]

“……!!”

The Dark Sun, the ruler of the Imperial Palace of Huangdao, refers to the Outer God [Black Goat]!

I was puzzled and questioned him.

“Are you saying you petitioned the Outer God, the Dark Sun?”

[No…… I had already written it. It was a desperate plea to prevent the descent of the Evil God, but it ultimately failed.]

“What……? Are you saying that even the Outer God couldn’t stop the descent of that creature, despite being an Outer God?”

[Do you not understand the nature of the petition? It’s not a formal contract—it’s merely an appeal! Therefore, the success rate is quite low……. The only reason I even attempted it at all was because I borrowed the Navel of the Sun God from Memphis to increase my chances, but it seems it didn’t sway his heart either.]

I began to understand the situation. It wasn’t a lack of power on the part of the Outer God; rather, he likely had no interest in the request to stop the Evil God’s descent. It was hard to comprehend that a being as formidable as an Evil God would be ignored, but maybe that’s just the way an Outer God operates.

“I see…… But if you failed using a petition, logically, you should have been ignored when you offered yourself up too, right?”

[……I thought so too, and it was a desperate human sacrifice, but surprisingly, it was accepted. Perhaps it was just that being’s capriciousness.]

“……”

Why did it occur to me that the Black Goat likely preferred sacrificial offerings where mortals paid a cruel price? It seemed plausible that he had ignored most petitions because mortals never offered anything beyond a simple sacrifice.

Perhaps it was because Emperor Lemuria I’s desperate wish, made by giving up everything, that his latter prayer was granted?

While I contemplated this, Emperor Lemuria I quietly said.

[I am now just a grimoire, with even my soul bound to the Black Goat……. The price placed upon me means that if someone picks me up to bind me, my soul will gradually fade into oblivion for eternity. I accepted my fate, yet it doesn’t make the suffering any less.]

“……”

[Baek Woong. If what you say is true……. Bind me to your service. If I am to fade away in exchange for becoming your strength, I would have no regrets.]

I could sense that Emperor Lemuria I had fallen into a rather miserable situation. Once a transcendental archmage of humanity, revered as the Emperor of the magical empire Lemuria, commanding the powers of the constellations and Outer Gods, he is now waiting for the end as a mere grimoire.

Feeling inexplicably guilty, I scratched my head and said.

“Um……. Is there no way to recover you, like when you were alive? There’s no need for you to disappear.”

[It is possible. If I head to the altar that borrows the power of the constellations and conduct a ritual, returning all that I’ve received from the Dark Sun……. However, would you be willing to bear the loss just to save me?]

“…….”

[I succeeded in saving most of the populace, though not all. As an emperor, I have fulfilled my duty, so I have no regrets.]

This guy seems to feel like he no longer has any hope left in life.

But the thought of using him as a grimoire to vanish didn’t sit well with me, so I decided I wanted to save Emperor Lemuria I.

‘Ah!’

At that moment, a good idea struck, and I said to Emperor Lemuria I.

“Hey. Do you know what happened to the people of Lemuria you evacuated to Mars?”

[I have no idea……. ]

“I’ll find out their whereabouts, and if they’re in danger, I’ll save them. In exchange, you return from being a grimoire to your original self.”

[……!!]

“This is the condition I propose. I promise to make it happen in my name.”

Emperor Lemuria I appeared troubled.

[Isn’t this benefitting only me……? Why would someone I’ve never met before go this far for me?]

“You may have met me for the first time in this life, but I was your ally in the past. And thanks to you, I was able to summon Tezcatlipoca.”

[…….]

“I don’t want to see a loyal ally who helped me meet such a terrible end. And since I feel this way, my wish will likely come true too.”

[……Indeed……. I feel like the fool who doubted you for even a moment……. If it were someone else seeking a profit, they would never offer something like this……!!]

Wuuuu

As if responding to this, Emperor Lemuria I, now merely a grimoire, began to release Spirit Energy. With an unusual magical aura, he spoke.

[I, Emperor Lemuria I, will now grant the wish just mentioned to you, Baek Woong……!! Furthermore, I will bestow upon you the true control of this Lemurian Imperial Palace!]

“What?”

True control?

Kugugu……

In the next moment, vibrations echoed from all around as the landscape around me began to change. Suddenly, countless shining spirits resembling light began to be summoned, feeling like a stream of light. Instead of a desolate scene, a room filled with a magical atmosphere resembling the inside of a massive spaceship appeared.

The sudden shift left me stunned, and Emperor Lemuria I spoke.

[You now possess ownership of this Lemurian Imperial Palace. Hence, you will gain the authority to bind all Astral Weeds belonging to the Lemurian Empire, and you will unlock all facilities that were once under Lemuria’s jurisdiction across the entire world.]

“Eh……?! What does that even mean? I don’t quite get it and it sounds complex…….”

[I will teach you how to use the Astral Weed. Open the first page of my book.]

Chwak

As I looked at the first page of Emperor Lemuria I’s grimoire, I saw twelve different strange symbols etched upon it. Emperor Lemuria I said.

[With those twelve symbols, you can summon Astral Weed anytime, anywhere, to gain the power and blessings of the constellations. Each symbol will summon a different constellation, so use them wisely as references.]

“Hey, I’m sorry, but I’m strong enough without this…….”

[The authority to bind the Astral Weed can also be shared with others. In other words, it’s a power your companions can use.]

“……!!”

What!?

I was taken aback by Emperor Lemuria I’s words.

“Are you saying that even someone without any power could use the symbols to wield the strength of the constellations?!”

[As long as it’s manageable for the Astral Weed. But it would definitely help unless you’re fighting with a god.]

“Ohhh……!!”

[And this Imperial Palace has the function to naturally regenerate the consumed Astral Weed. You can use it freely.]

I realized I had unexpectedly gained something incredible.

Just by drawing the constellation symbols, I could command the power of the constellations! Considering that these constellations are merely a step beneath the Old Ruler, the potential for efficiency when my companions could utilize this was off the charts.

[Additionally, all across this earth are various facilities and shelters constructed by our Lemurian Empire. They will all currently be sealed, but when you enter, they will automatically unlock.]

“Is that so?”

[If you inspect the surfaces of those facilities well, you’ll find one of those twelve symbols etched on them. Alternatively, if you summon the Astral Weed to explore the area, hidden structures will reveal themselves.]

“Sounds fun…….”

[Lastly, I’d like to grant you another gift.]

“What is it?”

Vwiing!!

Moments later, the light spirits clustered together, forming a circle of light, spinning wildly.

Then, something dropped from the spinning circle, and I quickly caught it. As I checked the shape of the object, I muttered.

“A ring?”

[That’s right.]

From the continued words of Emperor Lemuria I, I realized that this final gift was the greatest one of all.

[This ring is a prototype magical tool created in tandem with the greatest treasure of Atlantis, the [Ring of Pangaea]. Its functionality can be said to be entirely identical to that of the Ring of Pangaea.]

“……!!”

The Ring of Lemuria!

I could tell that this was a top-tier magical tool, or even more than that.

Because, according to records from the Great Bear Empire’s past, when Emperor Sagong Lin discussed with Osiris, the ruler of Atlantis, the power of the Ring of Pangaea was remembered as formidable.

“As far as I know, the Ring of Pangaea had the ability to teleport freely to all colonies within the territory of Atlantis. Does that mean the Ring of Lemuria has the same capability?”

[You know well. The difference is that the Ring of Lemuria can only teleport to places that were part of Lemuria’s territory.]

“Ohhh……!!”

[However, since Mars and Venus aren’t our territory, you can’t use it to teleport there. Our Lemuria’s territory spans the outer planets of the solar system, Alpha Centauri, and the planets of the constellations.]

“……”

Where is that?

I was left puzzled about whether that was good or bad, so I tilted my head as Emperor Lemuria I spoke.

[And you might be wondering about the whereabouts of the [Navel of the Sun God].]

“Oh right! I almost forgot. I came here to find that. Do you think it might be here?”

Emperor Lemuria I’s response was slightly disappointing.

[Unfortunately, I don’t know where the [Navel of the Sun God] is. To begin with, the Outer God didn’t even receive the [Navel of the Sun God]. So, when the ritual failed and the Evil God descended, the last I saw was Osiris intervening directly to stop the Evil God. So, at least it’s not here in this Imperial Palace.]

“…….”

[I suspect that the chances are high that Osiris took it back. He surely thought that if the Evil God descended and Tezcatlipoca’s seal was released, all mortals would be annihilated.]

“Osiris…… Is that so…….”

So it means I have no choice but to search for Memphis, the Divine Temple that Osiris is affiliated with, in order to find the [Navel of the Sun God]. Osiris, after all, is practically the king and commander of Memphis, so to ask him, I must absolutely visit Memphis.

While I was lost in thought, Emperor Lemuria I spoke.

[Baek Woong. My soul won’t perish until you fully acquire this grimoire……. I hope you fulfill our promise before I fade away. I’ve exerted too much strength…….]

Shuuk

With those words, Emperor Lemuria I’s consciousness seemed to vanish. I gently tucked his grimoire into my arms and smiled.

“Don’t worry about a thing.”

I felt that I had achieved quite a bit since coming to this place and glanced around.

‘Astral Weed is a kind of spirit or magical energy……. Perhaps the reason Lee Hwan-woong was wary of it in this Imperial Palace was due to its exceedingly high density, causing incidents where power from the constellations was summoned out of nowhere.’

So how should I utilize this vast Astral Weed?

After contemplating briefly, I searched for one of the constellation symbols I had seen earlier and began to draw it in the air with my finger.

The Thirteen Constellations (zodiac)

Aries

Wiiing……!!

In the next moment, I felt the power of the constellations coming down brightly through the drawn symbol. I had not used any magical power, qi, or intent myself, but seeing the moment where power was easily summoned, I thought it would undoubtedly be a massive help to my companions. I addressed the summoned power of the constellation.

“I want to go to Mars, so send me there!!”

Aries is the constellation most associated with ‘speed’ and ‘movement’!

It seemed that it would fulfill my request in some way.

Chiiing!!

At that moment, brilliant light erupted as a colossal beam of light extended toward the sky. With an almost entranced feeling, I took steps toward that path of light, and in the next instant, I felt my body being pulled at an incredible speed into the void.

Shuuiing!!

In an instant, I shot through the Earth’s atmosphere, soaring into the depths of space. I had felt many speeds before, so though this speed was much slower than light, I could tell it certainly surpassed the speed of sound by a great deal.

That path of light offered no physical resistance or discomfort. I drifted along this path of light for about half a moment, lost in thought, when suddenly my perspective flipped entirely, and I thudded onto a surface.

Looking around at the red terrain, I muttered.

“This is impressive.”

The gravity and atmosphere were entirely different from Earth.

This must surely be Mars. Just by drawing a single symbol, I had been teleported safely and swiftly from Earth to Mars!

‘This is the magic engineering of Lemuria……!!’

It made even the technological prowess of the 21st-century Great Bear Empire look like child’s play. There was certainly a reason why the ancient Lemuria and Atlantis had thrived as empires.

“……”

But when I set foot on Mars, I suddenly realized what the problem was.

The only thing in sight was the red ground and wasteland!

How could I find the survivors of Lemuria in this place?

“Should I head back to Mangnyang for now?”

After pondering for a while, I decided to try to return using the Golden Lamp technique. However, as I attempted to use the technique, I suddenly heard a crackling sound, realizing the Golden Lamp was beginning to heat up slightly.

“……?”

What’s going on?

I stared at the Golden Lamp in disbelief, and no matter how much I rubbed it, my palm only got warm, and it wouldn’t work.

‘Now that I think about it, this is my first time trying to use the Golden Lamp after coming to Mars……. Is the distance between planets too far for it to work?’

Yet, when I had used the Golden Lamp from the lunar surface to return to Earth, it had worked just fine?

While I was bewildered, a voice suddenly called from a distance.

“Hey! You over there, kid from the village!!”

Someone was shouting from over thirty yards away.

The language oddly sounded similar to that of the Lemurian Empire, so it easily reached my ears.

As I turned to look, a more furious voice rang out.

“The storm of the Moon God will be here soon! What are you doing on the surface!!”

With that shout, an odd figure clad in a strange spacesuit, with a cape billowing behind, wielding a greatsword emitting blue light, revealed themselves.