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“This standoff feels short, yet incredibly long.”

Shin Gong-pyo blinked in disbelief, as if unable to comprehend his own moment of weakness against Jin So-cheong. In an instant, he conjured a spear using his telekinesis and sent it racing back toward Jin So-cheong.

The spear flew at a tremendous speed, aiming right for Jin So-cheong’s forehead, but she effortlessly caught it midair. Shin Gong-pyo glanced at us, saying, “What’s the matter? You’re not exactly the rightful owners of that treasure, are you?”

With a heavy sigh, Gu Cheon-hyeon retorted, “It’s not yours either. What are you acting like a child for?”

“Anyway, it’s mine. Go away.”

For a moment, even the usually composed Gu Cheon-hyeon seemed at a loss for words, clearly not anticipating such audacity. Tian Woo-jin, standing beside me, leaned in and asked, “Baek Woong, what do you plan to do?”

“Hmm…”

This was definitely tricky. Everyone could see that Shin Gong-pyo’s antics were nothing but a temper tantrum. However, given his immense power, we couldn’t just disregard his stubbornness, and fighting him was definitely not a good option.

‘If we fight… we might win, thanks to Gu Cheon-hyeon’s help, but the damage will be too great.’

Without her backing, taking on someone on Shin Gong-pyo’s level was out of the question. Plus, with so much left to do in this life, I couldn’t afford to make an enemy of her. After a moment of contemplation, I stepped forward and spoke to Shin Gong-pyo.

“Fine, take all of that.”

[Haha.]

I glared fiercely as my aura surged. “But in exchange, I won’t help you with the assault on Golden Crow Island. If you try to interfere with our affairs or show up before us again, I will consider you a real enemy, and by any means necessary, I will make sure to end your life.”

Shin Gong-pyo flinched slightly before replying, “What? Where do you get off? You should help me!”

“No way! Why would we fight for someone who snatches the fruits of our hard work? Just get lost with all that!”

[… Fine. I’ll give you half of everything.]

Are you completely insane?

Why are you bargaining with us as if you’re doing us a favor?

‘What a jerk…’

I barely held back a stream of curses. While I desperately wanted to lash out at him, the balance of power was still tipping in his favor due to his overwhelming might. If he decided to attack us out of anger, the damages would be catastrophic. Without my countless past-life experiences, I would have exploded with rage and spiraled towards destruction.

I composed myself and replied, “You think being nice makes you special, but it doesn’t work that way. You may want those treasures, but you’ve shattered any trust we had. We’re not idiots you can mess with!”

[…]

“You can take that and get lost, but if you have something to say, spit it out.”

Shin Gong-pyo glanced around at our group, alternating his gaze between Gu Cheon-hyeon and Tian Woo-jin. His expression darkened as he finally realized what a colossal blunder he had made by turning potential allies into enemies.

Hesitating, Shin Gong-pyo said, [I was just trying to help you use that treasure properly since I thought you might not handle it well. Don’t misunderstand.]

“……”

Is that supposed to be an excuse…?

Anger roiled within me, making me want to throw everything I had at him for this ridiculous situation. Just then, Tian Woo-jin shot a piercing glare at Shin Gong-pyo, saying, “Get your words straight. Even someone who was the master of the Heavenly Cult can’t admit a single mistake? Where did all your pride and great ideals go?”

[Ugh. Alright, I was wrong.]

“Now hand over the treasure.”

[Here.]

With a whoosh, every piece of treasure that Shin Gong-pyo had dropped in our direction. I hurriedly stashed them all into my wooden armor before he changed his mind.

Gu Cheon-hyeon interjected, [Shin Gong-pyo. Let’s make this clear.]

[What do you mean?]

[We will soon confront the Guardian of the Golden Crow. Competing for ownership of the Golden Crow then will be much more significant than this petty squabble now.]

[…]

[The Golden Crow is something we can never abandon. Don’t go back on your word later.]

[Got it. Do as you please.]

It seemed like Shin Gong-pyo dared not clash with us any further at this point. Our persistence had finally paid off, and I felt a sigh of relief. I was also wrapped in a strange feeling.

‘Why does it feel harder to argue with these slick human beings than with beings from the abyss?’

With a jolt, I declared, “Let’s go.”

I realized there was no time to waste and raised the crystal ball given to me by Merlin, channeling my energy into it. The crystal responded, warping this chaotic void space, creating a passage that opened up with a crack. I believed the Guardian of the Golden Crow awaited us on the other side.

We stepped through the shadowy passage, emerging into a brightly lit area. A field filled with elemental spirits danced around us, a refreshing breeze flowing through. The sunlight felt sparkling fresh with not a hint of malice.

Moreover, the panorama surrounding us resembled a paradise. Towering cliffs harmonized with the Manjangan Cliff, and a massive waterfall lay before us like a breathtaking painting. Such a magnificent spot was rare even in the Central Plains, and I couldn’t help but feel awe at the beauty around me.

“Is this Paliyas?”

The prophet had mentioned that the Golden Crow was sealed in the sacred place of Paliyas along with the ancient divine tribes. What I learned from Merlin aligned closely with that, so this had to be the sacred site of Paliyas.

Meanwhile, the Western sorcerers led by Peng Zuo had besieged Paliyas, targeting the traditional elemental powers and trapping pure sorcerers trying to lend their strength. The sorcerers had rapidly expanded their influence, corrupting the land with malevolent techniques and civilizations during the time that the mages of Paliyas were trapped in this void.

Thus, Paliyas had become the final stronghold of humanity resisting the Old Ruler in the West.

Tian Woo-jin noted quietly, “There’s evidence of magical energy being spread everywhere. It seems peaceful, but they’ve continually suffered attacks from sorcerers. Many sorcerers must have perished.”

“Hmm… had we left it alone, this place would probably have been overrun by sorcerers by now?”

“Most likely. You have an idea based on your own experiences.”

“……”

That would be my guess.

In my ninth lifetime, the Imperial Palace forces had secured a new Monday while the Mangnyang Alliance of Chungju was placed in jeopardy. I had died fighting a monster during that life, so the specifics were hazy, but I now surmised that the new Monday obtained by the Imperial Palace was likely the Golden Crow.

Monday and Thursday were under the control of the Masters of the Twelve Joules, while the seal on Fire Friday was simply insurmountable, and Water Wednesday didn’t lie in the hands of the Golden Eagle Guard. Moreover, Earth Spirit Tydaht was already under the Demon Subduing Hall, and Sunday could only be grasped by obtaining all seven lights, so Golden Crow was the only one left.

The forces of the Imperial Palace had allied themselves with the Great Sorcerer Chi You, establishing a close relationship. Also, Chi You and the West’s Peng Zuo were practically comrades. Considering these connections—

‘In my past life, as time passed, the sorcerers must have broken through the Paliyas barrier and seized the Golden Crow from the Guardian, subsequently returning it to the East due to the alliance between Chi You and Peng Zuo.’

This line of reasoning lined up perfectly.

Yet, while contemplating this, I felt as if I was missing something crucial.

Some segment of causal relationships seemed to have slipped away…?

Something felt off, but I couldn’t pinpoint what.

Overall, the context made sense, but I felt like I was leaving out something incredibly important…

I shook my head, realizing it wasn’t the time to dwell on that.

“The Guardian must be sealed inside that temple,” I pointed to a modest white temple just beyond the breathtaking view of Paliyas.

Merlin had indicated that this was the sealed place of the Guardian.

Whoosh

We aimed to use the Transmission Technique to enter the temple, but there we stood before its entrance. It seemed this white temple had a barrier that prevented immediate entry. Tian Woo-jin peered into the barrier before saying, “The nature of this barrier suggests that the custodian will appear before us shortly.”

As he predicted—

Whoosh

A figure dressed like Merlin appeared before us, but unlike Merlin, this individual was young and had no beard, clearly feminine based on her shape.

She slightly lifted the wide brim of her hat and said, “I have heard the tale from Merlin. You’ve indeed excised the sorcerers, Eastern hero.”

“And you are?”

“I am Vivian, the Queen of the Lake.”

I wasn’t sure who exactly she was, but I felt a formidable energy radiating from her, comparable to Merlin. Unlike sorcerers, traditional Western mages drew power from spirits, not the Old Ruler. Although they had less might compared to the authority of the Old Ruler, they possessed their own unique strength.

‘She’s a Divine Being. Or no… she might actually be a spirit herself.’

Just as I was beginning to understand her essence through the ability of Fire Eye Golden Spirit, Vivian stated, “I deeply appreciate your achievements. By eliminating the sorcerers and capturing their leader Peng Zuo, the Guardian will soon recover. Until now, he has suffered continuous weakening due to the malicious seals spread by hundreds of powerful sorcerers.”

“That’s a relief.”

“But it seems you have a different objective for entering this sacred place.”

Nodding, I got straight to the point: “We need the Golden Crow that the Guardian possesses. We request it be handed over.”

“……”

Vivian wore a knowing expression, as if she had anticipated this very request. Indeed, I had no other motives to consider. After a moment of thought, she replied, “The Guardian just told me he wishes to see you alone, Baek Woong.”

“Just me?”

“Yes. However, to meet with him, you must temporarily sever your connections with the great beings that accompany you.”

“……!! Why?”

“You are too weakened. You don’t have enough strength left to engage with powerful divine beings.”

Severing ties with Gu Cheon-hyeon and the Fire Dragon Incarnate for the time being?

Of course, it was possible, but that would leave me facing the Guardians of the West completely unarmed. Naturally, that was a precarious situation, making me hesitant. But I steeled myself and replied, “Understood.”

“Baek Woong!!”

Tian Woo-jin interjected, “Isn’t that a hasty decision? He could kill you.”

“If I die, I die. That’s still something.”

“…Fine. Do as you will.”

Tian Woo-jin appeared to be about to express his concerns but refrained and turned away. Previously, he would have vented all his feelings and had no filter, but it seemed he had developed considerable patience over the last five years.

‘But what could I do?’

This time, with Gu Cheon-hyeon’s assistance, it would have been simple to break through and collect the Golden Crow, but the difficulty of acquiring the Golden Crow was undeniably high. Without some clever scheme, my past-life skills and current companions would struggle immensely. If I didn’t take this chance to confront the Western Guardian directly now, I might waste even more time later.

I temporarily halted my connections, separating Gu Cheon-hyeon and the Fire Dragon Incarnate from me. It was relatively easy to secure their cooperation and safely sever ties with minimal energy expended. Then, following Vivian’s lead, I stepped inside.

As we moved deeper, a vast plaza came into view, flanked by immense statues of giants. As we passed by, the pathway opened into a chamber where thirteen statues could be seen. I took a good look around before speaking to Vivian, “There are so many statues.”

Vivian, who was walking ahead with a torch, replied calmly, “They aren’t statues.”

“What?”

“The giant statues you just saw represent the Giant Race originally dwelling in Paliyas, and those thirteen are ancient mages protecting the Imperial Palace. They chose to seal themselves in preparation for the end of days. Presently, they play the role of protecting the human realm from the influence of the Old Ruler with their barrier.”

“……!!”

“They will awaken just before the end to fight for humanity.”

End!

As I heard that, my spine chilled.

‘So, the West is also aware of the End and the prophecy.’

Given their position, the sorcerers had to know well what was coming. About five hundred years later, as the Old Ruler awakens synchronously, humanity would plunge into doom, followed shortly thereafter by the great being’s return. Without a doubt, the sorcerers had endured some of the toughest lives free of the shield provided by the Three Sovereigns.

Finally, I reached the innermost room. In this narrow, dark chamber, I sensed the presence of ‘something.’ It was surely the Guardian.

A moment later, the Guardian spoke to me telepathically.

[Who are you…]

I flinched at the voice, replying:

[I am Baek Woong.]

[That name… it can’t verify your existence… yet… it simultaneously stands…]

[……?]

[You are… an unfathomable existence… a riddle…]

The Guardian murmured, sounding a bit bewildered as it continued,

[Your life is bound to both eternity and demise… No causal relationship can measure you…]

[……?]

[I shall concentrate my power to gauge you…]

What a bizarre line of questioning!

Couldn’t restrain myself any longer, I blurted out, “I don’t understand what you’re saying. Can I take the Golden Crow?”

[……]

A lengthy silence passed.

After what felt like an eternity, the Guardian finally said, [Take it…]

Huh?

It seemed permission had been granted. Just as I relaxed at the thought, a radiant Golden Crow appeared in my hand. Knowing this gem was given to me by the Guardian, I quickly placed the gleaming treasure into my wooden armor and bowed slightly, saying, “Thank you!”

When I stepped outside, however, I found Vivian oddly missing.

‘Where did she go?’

I tilted my head in confusion but soon exited the corridor. It wasn’t difficult since it was straight.

Once outside, I informed Berus that I had obtained the Golden Crow, to which he replied, “Baek Woong, my master has a message for you.”

“Huh? What is it?”

“He wishes to extend a generous invitation to you and asks you to visit again in the future. He insists.”

“Well… alright.”

It felt like he was putting extra emphasis on it, but I didn’t pay it much mind.

After all, I would likely return during my cycle of reincarnation. At long last, I had secured the Golden Crow for the first time in 24 lifetimes!

 

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