전생검신 96권 03화

The first to react to Solomon’s words was Kalbiog, the leader of the Western Galaxy Alliance. He sounded like a growling beast, anger lacing his tone.

[Solomon! We’re not pleased to see you at all. Ever since the ancient times when you were active, our Western Galaxy Alliance has been fighting for freedom against your tyranny and outrageous acts!]

“…….”

[Whatever your scheme may be, you are clearly the public enemy of the universe and a vile creature!]

At Kalbiog’s words, Solomon fell silent for a moment, then chuckled softly.

“Descendant of the fleeing slaves, is that all you’ve got to say?”

[What in the……!]

“If your business here was to declare war, then there’s nothing more for you to do. I’d rather discuss more pressing matters with the remaining folks, so why don’t you take your leave?”

[……!]

Kalbiog seemed to be trembling in humiliation. But sensing he wasn’t a normal character, he quickly calmed his emotions and asked, almost as if probing.

[What do you mean? Are you saying you don’t care if we declare war on the Evil King?]

“Pretty much. That kind of thing isn’t important to me right now.”

[Then what…….]

Just as Kalbiog looked puzzled, the radiant figure seated in the Northern seat spoke up.

[Get to the point, Solomon. What is your true intent for gathering us here?]

“Alright, stop hounding me. Do you think I’m bold enough to disregard the authority of the great North Stars?”

[…….]

“I, Solomon, hereby relinquish control over the Evil King’s domain. I will also allow other forces to invade my territory. However, you, the three major factions, must not attack Belial or me, nor those who are allied with Belial. I called you here to propose this new treaty.”

[……!]

At Solomon’s statement, all three appeared simultaneously shocked, precisely because what Solomon said held tremendous significance.

Kalbiog couldn’t believe his ears and shouted.

[Are you… really serious? You mean to say we all become objective witnesses to this new treaty, ensuring there’s no backing out later!]

“Ha… the amusement’s shining behind your eyes. You seem pleased that the Evil King is turning to chaos before your very eyes since you couldn’t win in a fair fight.”

[Speak as you will. All I hope is that your proposal isn’t a deceitful ploy.]

“It’s sincere….”

Then, the radiant figure from the North spoke slowly.

[Great Demon King. What’s the reason behind this? You’d surely gain unrivaled strength, second only to the Southern King, if you restructured your forces… why choose the path of self-destruction?]

“I’m sorry, but I have no reason to share that with you. As long as our interests align, that’s what matters, right?”

[That’s true, but…….]

At that moment, the Tao King, who had remained silent throughout the discussion, spoke up.

[Solomon. Does this have anything to do with the unsealing of the Outer God that was placed upon you?]

His tone lacked hostility, yet there was a pressure behind his words, as if he was ready to strike at any moment without emotion. Solomon, who had been calm facing the leaders of the two major forces, finally showed signs of tension.

Whoosh.

Solomon seemed to channel his magical power into his royal scepter, deflecting the Tao King’s energy.

[Oh.]

The Southern King, the Tao King, appeared surprised and impressed that Solomon could withstand his pressure, prompting an incredulous smile from Solomon.

“Whether then or now, enduring the powers of the void is no easy feat. Please bear with me, O Tao King.”

[You scheming guy. You seem to have grown stronger since we last saw each other… It’s understandable why those two can’t trust you.]

Solomon humbly bantered.

“Even if I soar high, it’s true that I am nothing compared to those who gaze upon the universe. Please, don’t be too cautious.”

[…….]

The Tao King crossed his arms, deep in thought, then turned to the radiant figure seated in the Northern seat.

[I will give the Northern Star Lord the authority to decide.]

[Do you not think the great author is scheming something?]

To the Northern Star Lord’s question, the Tao King replied quietly.

[At least he doesn’t seem to be one to act out of greed for power. I have my eyes on this dangerous individual, so let him do as he wishes.]

[In that case…….]

The Northern Star Lord chuckled softly and said.

[All of our Northern Star galaxies agree to Solomon’s treaty.]

As the Northern Star Lord accepted Solomon’s proposal, Kalbiog, the leader of the Western Galaxy Alliance, quickly added.

[Our Western Galaxy Alliance also agrees to the treaty.]

[Our clan agrees to the treaty too.]

Thus, three of the four factions consented! This meant the treaty was virtually established.

But then, the Tao King let slip something ambiguous, causing Solomon to turn his gaze back toward the Tao King.

“Is there something wrong?”

The Tao King’s sight had shifted to me, standing beside Solomon.

[What is that powerful spirit? Such a terrifying strength it possesses…….]

With the Tao King’s words, I felt the gaze of everyone in the room upon me. They were likely aware of my presence from the outset but had refrained from mentioning me because the conversation with Solomon took precedence. Kalbiog, leader of the Western Galaxy Alliance, shot me a disgruntled look.

[He’s not some secret weapon of that great author, is he?]

[Who brings their secret weapon to a meeting and openly shows it? Heh heh.]

[…….]

At the Northern Star Lord’s remark, Kalbiog seemed taken aback, and the Northern Star Lord looked over at me and said.

[Please reveal your identity. The identities of all those present for the treaty must be confirmed.]

Hmm… so I’m suddenly revealing my name to the heads of the four great forces of the universe now…

Well, it’s not like it’s hard.

I absentmindedly planned to reveal my identity, but in that moment, I heard Solomon’s voice in my mind.

[Use a pseudonym. Revealing your true name here could put your journey in jeopardy. And even if someone knows, pretend they don’t.]

…What?

I didn’t quite understand, but I figured Solomon had his reasons. So I randomly decided on a pseudonym.

“I am the Thunder God. Nice to meet you.”

It was at that moment.

Ding!

Kalbiog, the leader of the Western Galaxy Alliance, pulled out a tiny device shaped like a button and pressed it. Curious at the strange noise it made, I turned to look, only to see Kalbiog glaring at me as if flames were dancing in his eyes.

[Thunder God… That name and appearance… our Western Galaxy Alliance will designate you as a cosmic target for eternity!]

‘…….’

Wh-what’s with this guy suddenly getting all riled up?

While I was dumbfounded, the Northern Star Lord chimed in.

[Thunder God. What relationship do you have with Solomon? You must explain.]

‘That is….’

Before I could say anything, Solomon interrupted me and responded to the Northern Star Lord.

“Why would I hide anything? The Thunder God invaded my planet, defeated all the demons, and rescued me from my seal. For now, he is the only ally I can claim to have.”

[……!]

[What the…….]

“My underlings, the demons, betrayed me and kept me sealed under the Outer God’s confinement. The Thunder God was the one who destroyed that seal. So, my only feelings toward my previous 72 demons are rage and resentment. Hence, this treaty has been made.”

[So, you’re giving up your territory outside of Belial to live in seclusion?]

“Indeed. I feel disillusioned with everything.”

Solomon grinned with an air of performance.

“In case you’ve been hesitating to attack the 72 demons out of fear of my presence, I wanted to let you know that this matter has now passed from my hands.”

[…….]

They looked doubtful and uneasy. Just as an anxious silence lingered, the Tao King said.

[It would be pointless to delve further. Let us all profit and leave the meeting.]

[Understood.]

[Let’s do that.]

“Then I’ll understand the treaty is settled.”

Shushushush.

Shushushush.

The leaders of the Northern and Western factions sequentially took their leave. Lastly, the Southern leader, the Tao King, shot a glance at Solomon and said.

[I don’t know what you’re up to, but I’ll let it slide this time. I hope you live quietly.]

Pa-at!

The Tao King’s specter then vanished.

With the treaties all completed, the seats that had been occupied also returned to their places, and Solomon let out a long sigh, as if relieved.

“Phew… dealing with the Tao King is always exhausting.”

I turned to Solomon and said.

‘Why tell me not to act cozy with the Tao King… and why the pseudonym too?’

If it weren’t for Solomon’s orders, I might’ve been inclined to greet the Tao King, since I thought there wouldn’t be a suitable opportunity to introduce myself. Moreover, being told to use a pseudonym felt like I was desperately hiding my true identity, which irked me.

Solomon glanced at me and said.

“Baek Woong, don’t you understand what it means that I don’t know anything about Chi You and the Takrok War?”

‘Why’s that?’

“I am, in fact, a human from a time not so long after yours in the history of humanity. If I, knowing so little about Chi You and Takrok, cannot share memories with you, it can mean only one thing.”

Solomon’s following words shocked me.

“Your Great Cycle differs from mine. Thus, revealing your true name here might expose you to the backlash of the Law of Cause and Effect.”

Huh…?!

‘What…?! Don’t spout nonsense! Even if I haven’t heard a lot, Chi You, the Southern King, the Western Galaxy Alliance and the Tao King were all during my time. Moreover, while I was reborn, you were merely sealed under the Outer God’s confinement, so how is your Great Cycle any different?!’

As I pressed him for answers, Solomon quietly stated.

“In other words, aside from reincarnators like yourself, who else could possibly unseal me from the Outer God’s seal? In your 30 life cycles, such an event has never occurred without your involvement. For you to rebel against the Outer God and unseal me seems miraculous, which isn’t something that happens by chance.”

‘Um….’

“If the Outer God’s seal isn’t broken, I would simply exist in that place as the ‘sealed one’, a lifeless entity with no part in history. However, the only one who can lift that seal is you. This means there has never been any opportunity for ‘me’ to share with you in the Great Cycle. Thus, even if your history contains ‘sealed Solomon’, it doesn’t constitute a contradiction.”

W-What?!

While I was trying to wrap my head around it, Solomon continued.

“Moreover, you’re the only one who can give meaning beyond being a lifeless entity. Therefore, to keep the authority over our current Great Cycle, it’s crucial for you to keep the name Baek Woong hidden.”

‘It’s still unclear how the different Great Cycles relate to hiding my name…?’

“It’s not only because of the backlash of the Law of Cause and Effect. Your unique position as the sole intersection between the Great Cycle of which you belong and mine means if you keep throwing around your name, the worst may happen.”

‘The worst?!’

Solomon nodded.

“The Law of Cause and Effect dictates that the past holds absolute superiority over the future. So the more you assert your presence in the past as Baek Woong, the higher the probability that the history of this world will be overlaid with yours.”

‘……!’

“It’s plausible that when you embark on your new 31st life cycle, it may entirely replace the current timeline’s history. The records could be overwritten.”

‘Th-This is ridiculous?! I was told that my reincarnation wouldn’t reflect back on Al Karda while causing havoc!’

“Baek Woong. Do you believe in the Outer God?”

‘…I don’t necessarily trust it.’

Solomon tapped his temple lightly with his finger.

“Consider it from the perspective of the Outer God. If you keep flinging your name and make no effort to account for your actions in your reincarnations, and in the process, insert an attempt to be reflected in the true history, what will happen? You’d find yourself enraged at the time of the 31st incarnation when everything flips, but even still, you’ll have no choice but to comply with the new reincarnation.”

‘……?!’

“Or you might be presented with a bill for your rebellious actions in your reincarnation.”

Uh?!

Th-That’s something I had never considered before?!

At that moment, icy dread pillaged through my veins. For a long while, I had been thinking of creating havoc during my reincarnation, but I hadn’t thought about the possibility of the Outer God suddenly shifting behavior.

But I couldn’t easily believe his claims, so I retorted.

‘E-even so, why would an attempt to change should occur during this reincarnation? If they wanted to, they could have done so anytime.’

“It’s the body of [Chi You]. That’s the problem.”

‘What?’

“If the Outer God were to change the starting point of your 31st reincarnation without any compensation, you would surely suffer despair and desolation, possibly ending your life as a reincarnator entirely. Everything you’ve amassed could vanish, along with everything else like comrades and romantic ties.”

‘That’s likely.’

A fierce light gleamed in Solomon’s eyes.

“But what if that compensation included the [power of Chi You]?”

‘……?!’

“As you said, the power of Chi You would be nearly absolute. Within the Cycle, even the Outer God would struggle against it. With such power, would it really be impossible to retain hope of recovering comrades one day? On the contrary, you might find yourself entranced by the transient hope of boundless power, constantly dragged around by the Outer God’s bait.”

‘……!’

Chills raced down my spine. Solomon’s words gripped my mind tightly, as if they could turn into reality.

If that really happened, I’d be forced to endlessly fight a lonely battle to recover my ‘true reincarnation’!

Yet I wouldn’t even be able to rebel if I became a puppet of the Outer God, simply because I had to reclaim my comrades.

While absorbed in Solomon’s words, I finally said.

‘Even so, your words remain only suspicions. There’s no certainty in them, is there?’

“Right. That’s true. Normally, my doubts would just be conjectures. However, before you unsealed me, you experienced firsthand the intentions of the Outer God Observer when it attacked you, didn’t you?”

‘…….’

“And didn’t the Great Being known as [Brain] mention that they were merely a bystander, indicating that the Outer God Observer and Al Karda might actually accelerate your reincarnation journey?”

‘Why would that be?’

Immediately following Solomon’s remarks, my face turned pale.

“Is there any path to shorten your reincarnation journey other than the [infinite power]?”

‘……?!’

“You already know various methods of reaching the [Throne], even if through underhanded means. If you set your mind to it, there’s a chance you could storm the throne and end it in just a few cycles. From the Outer God’s standpoint, it’d be optimal to grant you the [infinite power] as a way to shorten your journey as much as possible.”

Oh?! Th-That’s…

That could very well be true…?!

Solomon smirked and continued.

“If you think of me as the Outer God and manipulate you as I deem fit, it could certainly be the case… whether you believe me or not is up to you… but I’ve merely pushed the boundaries of what I could do on your behalf, for you released me from the Outer God’s seal.”

‘…….’

“And as for your remarks, you might just have a backup plan to escape this predicament… But I found it interesting that if you want to use that backup plan, you must refrain from making any unnecessary moves during this incarnation. The closer you are to this [Great Cycle], the stronger the claim of justification from the Outer God will be due to the Law of Cause and Effect.”

‘…… Is that what you’re saying? It’s better to be cautious though there’s nothing definite.’

“Something along those lines.”

I looked at Solomon and said.

‘Solomon. If your words turn out to be false, that’d be a headache. But if they are true… then you end up directly facing the schemes of the Outer God Al Karda. Aren’t you worried about the repercussions?’

If the Outer God had a vendetta, the damage could be unimaginable.

Solomon was wise enough that he wouldn’t be ignorant of that yet still decided to offer me counsel?

Then Solomon replied.

“Al Karda is an unusual type of Outer God, believed to establish its own set of rules and frameworks. Within that framework, if you confront it directly according to its rules, its retaliation wouldn’t exceed reasonable limits. After all, it is the librarian of the Void Record.”

‘I can’t be certain of that. Even gods don’t move purely rationally.’

“That’s possible too, but….”

Solomon chuckled softly.

“In the end, what difference does it make to me? You rescued me from wandering eternally in the void if you hadn’t saved me. So, I’m merely offering what I can in gratitude.”

‘……!’

For an instant, I could feel Solomon’s sincerity.

He too had been hiding behind a mask of reason, but just a moment ago, that clear emotion—pure rage towards the Outer God that mocks everything in this world!

As I sensed that fury, I began to think that perhaps Solomon could be someone I could trust and nodded.

‘Alright. I’ll do as you say. I’ll keep my name and identity hidden for this reincarnation.’

“Ha. Thank you for agreeing.”

‘So what’s our next step?’

In response to my question, Solomon said.

“Now that we’ve established a treaty, forces from other territories intending to invade the Southern Kingdom will now protect the weak and push the existing 72 demons out. With Planet Belial guaranteed safety, it’s the ideal condition for your training. You can now be sure you’ve accrued enough merit to start the Thousand Sacrifices and converse with the World Tree.”

‘Do I need anything else for the Thousand Sacrifices?’

“If I have to suggest anything, why not start accumulating the waves of the Star Realm you were already absorbing? It’s unknown how much power that conversation with the World Tree might require.”

‘Hmm. That sounds good.’

“And while we’re at it, I’ll share some knowledge about the Demon Path that I know. Although you’re working with the Necronomicon, my wisdom should still prove helpful.”

‘Sounds good.’

The knowledge from the Demon Emperor, who established the great empire during the dawn of the universe, should be quite beneficial.

So for the next few days, I absorbed the waves of the Thunder Soul and began learning magic from Solomon.

About ten days later?

Solomon spoke to me.

“The preparations for the Thousand Sacrifices are complete. Let us proceed.”

Whoosh—

Deep within Belial, in a strange magic device nestled right in the heart of the Imperial Palace—

A mysterious blue light emanated from this place, constantly moving through the pipes with transparent magical energy flowing. They had told me it was an ultra-advanced magic machine, impossible for humans to dream of, yet I still had no clue how it operated.

Standing atop a massive magic circle, Solomon proclaimed.

“I explained the knowledge from the Dead Sea Scrolls for ten days, but listen carefully again. The offerings you make during the Thousand Sacrifices are all the waves of the Thunder Souls you’ve gathered up until now, and throughout the ceremony, you must continuously communicate with the [Sealed One] according to the spell from the Dead Sea Scrolls.”

‘Hmm.’

“If the [Sealed One] responds to your requests, the Thousand Sacrifices will succeed; otherwise, it will fail.”

‘Um… what’s this [Sealed One] like? I’d like to prepare my mind a bit.’

“I can’t really describe how to do so… Just know that it’s an ancient entity far beyond my imagination.”

‘…… Alright. Let’s start.’

Moments later, Solomon slammed his scepter down onto the circle and yelled.

“Let the offerings of the Thousand Sacrifices commence!”

Whooooooosh…!

Moments later, a mysterious light engulfed my entire being.

And I felt my Thunder Soul waves being transported to an unknown location, along with my body and mind.

A void of nothingness.

As I steadied myself there, I heard the voice of [someone].

[You are Demiurge yet not Demiurge….]