NOVEL NEXT Chapter 827
True Martial Home
A moment of silence lingered.
Then, the Master of the Twelve Joules opened his mouth.
“Why is that?”
I looked at him and replied.
“The reason you should hand over the Heavenly Secret hasn’t been explained properly, and you’ve just been telling me to trust you since earlier. As if that would definitely lead to a good outcome… But honestly, I’m not sure what benefits I get from handing over the Heavenly Secret.”
It’s not something that can be decided lightly.
Handing over the Heavenly Secret would be like giving away everything I have.
“You mentioned extracting the reincarnation abilities.”
“And what good does that do me?”
“I didn’t elaborate on that. If we extract your reincarnation abilities and you can reincarnate with them, then you won’t have to give your memories to your companions one by one using obsidian.”
“……”
“For example, what if you could immediately have Jin So-cheong from fifty years in the future as your companion right after reincarnation? You could unravel the secrets of the world exponentially faster than before.”
That was a tempting story. It did sound like an attractive proposal.
“That’s true.”
“Now that it feels like we’ve reached an explanation, so can we just…”
But I shook my head once again.
“I won’t give it to you.”
“Why on earth not?”
“I need you to tell me more about the Primordial Void and what you experienced in the future. I can’t say I know enough about you, so I’m unable to hand over the Heavenly Secret.”
Then, the Master of the Twelve Joules sat down, resting his chin on his hand.
“The bad habit of a reborn person has come out. You’re digging into the other side’s information without a second thought. Since you’re an infinite reborn, are you thinking you’re done after just getting information from me? Treating me like an NPC.”
“If that’s how you see it, there’s nothing more to be said. But what’s actually been revealed aside from the fact you’re from the future? Sure, you’ve said some generous things, but you’ve shared none of the truly important details, so I can’t trust you.”
“Oh… But I would’ve said I’m anxious that you might just run off after hearing everything as a reborn person, right? Since you’re reborn, you have a much clearer advantage over this mere mortal. If you’re going to negotiate, you should at least consider that, don’t you think?”
“That might be true.”
“Then you should have no more reasons to refuse my proposal, right?”
In the end, I revealed my true feelings.
“…There are no reasons, but there are.”
“Ha ha… Is that the sixth sense of a reborn person?”
“……”
Honestly, that was the only reason I was rejecting it.
The feeling!
That ticklish sensation on the back of my head was something that occurred when something was terribly wrong during reincarnation. And when that feeling arose, if I didn’t change my choice, I often ended up bleeding quite a lot.
While there’s nothing as uncertain and untrustworthy as a feeling, for someone like me, who lives in constant chaos and can’t see a step ahead, I could grasp it more firmly than those logical and clear rationales.
I couldn’t trust the Master of the Twelve Joules –
It was just a simple sentence, but I found myself holding onto that one line. The moment I began to trust him, I felt a piercing sensation on the back of my head –
The anxiety that made my skin crawl!
The Master of the Twelve Joules said.
“Alright, so you really hate the idea of getting hit in the back of the head. In that case…”
His eyes twinkled.
“I could specially explain what the Primordial Void is, which I researched in the future world.”
“……”
Persistent!
I thought he would give up!
I muttered, overwhelmed by his tenacity.
“…That’s still not the answer I’m looking for.”
He needed to tell me the details of his past, but he kept sidestepping the issue.
To me, information about the Primordial Void seemed much more crucial, so why was he so reserved about it?
The Master of the Twelve Joules groaned.
“Alright, stop. Can’t you be a bit more reasonable? They say if we work together, we can achieve something great, so why can’t you trust me?”
“…….”
“If you still can’t be convinced by this explanation, just throw in the towel and think about what it means to send the wave of the Heavenly Secret.”
I had no choice but to nod.
“Please give it to me.”
Since I was already being deceived, I might as well be fooled once more.
There was nothing to lose.
The Master of the Twelve Joules stood up and walked towards the screen in front, projecting a hologram.
Whoosh!
The image showed the face of a man. A somewhat haggard-looking Westerner with deep-set eyes, but within those eyes, I felt a strong will.
He had a typical Western appearance, with brown hair. The man appeared to be in his mid-forties, and while staring at his face, the Master of the Twelve Joules spoke.
“Do you know who this person is?”
“I don’t.”
“He’s Dr. Faust from Germany. He’s a crucial figure in what I’m about to discuss.”
“Dr. Faust… that guy?”
“Right. He was the one who assisted you alongside Berus when you rescued the guardian of the West in your 24th reincarnation.”
I remembered.
[Berus. Dr. Faust. Assist them.]
[We need someone to distract them. You can’t break through this barrier without making a scene.]
[Baek Woong, I’ll play that role. When things get noisy, you should go in.]
[He’s the best scholar in Germany and a symbiotic being, an antinomy. While he conducted research on the technology humanity created to fight the rulers, he ended up solving contradictions himself. We need to get in before he loses his sanity.]
At that time, he had taken on the role of distracting the enemy when we invaded the British Empire, the stronghold of the Western Sorcerers. He had the ability to shapeshift, transforming into a creature that resembled a mass of black chaos, demonstrating incredible combat abilities that exceeded those of the strongest experts in the Absolute Realm.
We hadn’t crossed paths much since then, but given he was a comrade of Berus and Merlin, it was clear he was part of the faction protecting Western humans from the otherworldly races.
I stared at Dr. Faust’s face and said.
“I couldn’t see his real face back then because he was wearing a top hat and a plague doctor mask, so I didn’t recognize him…”
“If it’s the current Dr. Faust, he’s probably around 250 years old. And now, the plague in Europe has been alleviated thanks to his efforts under the alias Nostradamus.”
“Nostradamus?”
“While it’s the name of a seer, it’s also an alias used by Dr. Faust.”
I hadn’t heard of it before.
I wasn’t particularly interested but nodded vaguely.
“I see. So you’re saying Dr. Faust is still alive 500 years later?”
“Of course, he’d become a Grand Master leading the advancement of human scientific technology. And he’s also my mentor.”
“…What did you say?”
Mentor?
As I looked at the Master of the Twelve Joules, he continued.
“Not at this moment, of course.”
“Were you a scholar studying science?”
By “science,” I meant natural science, a systematic knowledge system regarding nature as well as philosophy.
Martial arts included science to some extent, and alchemy was intertwined with science, so I couldn’t just ignore that. Didn’t that mean he had also learned arithmetic or math to survive?
The Master of the Twelve Joules said.
“That’s one way to see it, but not entirely correct… Anyway, he was one of those who separated science from martial arts, developing it in civilian areas, partnering with scholars like the sorcerer Ibn Sina and Thomas Aquinas. Yet, for some reason, it seems science is advancing unusually quickly now… History has diverged from what it originally was.”
“……..”
“He originally was a powerful alchemist, but he aimed to save humanity, dedicating himself to science and alchemy. Dr. Faust believed that the pure forces of science could surpass the powers of magic, allowing humanity to achieve independence. In other words, he believed that a God of physics—a god of machinery—exists somewhere in the dimension, free from all human sacrifices and the interference of the Old Rulers. That’s why he developed pure science as much as possible before the predetermined ‘revelation’ occurred, aiming to reach that god of machinery and escape humanity from this planet.”
“Uh huh.”
“Of course, all of this was kept secret from ordinary human beings. In an age where electricity was invented, planes soared through the skies, and all economic activities were conducted with electronic currency, no one could sniff out his intentions and forces… The world appeared peaceful on the surface.”
I couldn’t quite wrap my head around what the Master of the Twelve Joules was saying.
“Today’s British Empire and the Western powers are quite openly being eroded by magical forces. We’re in a situation where the world could collapse in just a few decades, yet you’re saying it’ll be peaceful after 500 years?”
“That’s the weird part. And it might actually be due to you.”
“What do you mean?”
The Master of the Twelve Joules suddenly glared at me.
“In the history I lived through, firearms hadn’t even developed to shell casing levels yet. Did you know that the level of modern firearms utilizing casings wouldn’t be reached for another three centuries? Originally, this era was one of superhumans flying around due to martial arts legends and sorcerers, and even in the West, the best they had were matchlock guns. However, after you started your reincarnation, the technological advancements in the West accelerated at an unbelievable pace. What else could be the cause if not you?”
“……”
“Setting that aside… As the day of revelation approached, a crisis erupted. Heretical sects ravaged in bloodshed all around the world, and dimensional doors opened everywhere. The embodiment of absolute evil, the “Old Ruler,” didn’t even show up, yet the strength of his subordinates surpassed human civilization immensely.”
“Is it the Nine Lotus Sect?”
“In my time, we didn’t refer to them as the Nine Lotus Sect. More accurately, there were dozens of fleeing factions similar to the Nine Lotus Sect that appeared simultaneously.”
“Dozens of…?”
“Those like you, exceptional martial artists, rarely thought about stopping bishops or sect leaders. They were hopelessly outmatched.”
I was flabbergasted.
Dozens of factions like the Nine Lotus Sect!
Even just one of the bishops or sect leaders carried insane strength. They were powerful enough to wipe out entire celestial realms.
What kind of chaos would ensue with dozens of such heretical sects showing up?! As I wore a surprised expression, the Master of the Twelve Joules seemed to chuckle.
“Middle Ages Baek Woong. The time I lived in was the end times. Not a metaphor; it was genuinely an era right before the world’s end, so there was no longer anything humans could do.”
“So what happened?”
“Despite my best efforts, well… as I said, we were destroyed?”
“…….”
“However, through the grand war of the end times, Dr. Faust discovered one crucial fact. That chaos beings are most vulnerable to martial arts.”
“Martial arts… are you serious?”
The Master of the Twelve Joules nodded.
“You may not really feel this since all the chaos beings you’ve faced are god-level, but the more someone trained in martial arts, the easier it was to catch common monsters or beasts.
Magic based on chaos or spells borrowing Fuxi’s power often had diminished effects against chaotic creatures. This was simply because the Old Rulers reinforced their subordinates with divine blessings…”
“……”
It’s truly the worst. Even now, I can’t reliably defeat monsters with magic or spells, so if the world fills with chaos and their powers are enhanced by divine strength, what kind of chaos will that create?
“Thus, as humanity approached the end of wars, we dug up and researched ancient and medieval martial arts. And while we were studying Qi itself…, we stumbled upon what you refer to as the Primordial Void.”
Once the Master of the Twelve Joules said that, his expression sharpened.
“The essence created when Qi is completely broken down, the Primordial Void! Thanks to discovering the waves of the Primordial Void, humanity’s lifespan extended for several more years. Because the wave of the Primordial Void melted those chaotic beings.”
“It melted?”
“Yeah, it melted. It completely negates them.”
Hearing that made me leap for joy.
‘Indeed!! Using the power of the Primordial Void can allow for divine killings!’
My choice to delve deeper into martial arts and reach the Absolute Realm wasn’t the wrong direction!
Pleased, I asked him.
“Where’s the weapon that emits the waves of the Primordial Void? If that’s present…”
“Unfortunately, it wasn’t mass-produced; humanity could only produce one with all its technological strength. And that ultimate weapon is located right here, on the Old Continent.”
Snap!
As the Master of the Twelve Joules snapped his fingers, a strange weapon with six barrel openings appeared in the air with a rumbling sound.
Though small enough to appear as a mere size of a person, the Master of the Twelve Joules said.
“I called it the ultimate weapon, but this Reincarnation Cannon is actually not used for combat. It was utilized for experiments to observe multiverse phenomena.”
“Multiverse phenomena?”
“The true value of the Primordial Void isn’t its supreme ability to deconstruct chaos. Its real ability arises when it merges with chaos.”
Upon hearing the Master of the Twelve Joules’ continuation, my eyes widened.
“When the Primordial Void fuses with pure chaos, one can traverse the multiverse. That ability enables time-jumping.”
“……!!”
“Of course, the Reincarnation Cannon alone couldn’t produce the necessary singularity, so when I came to this era, I received help from the fruit of the World Tree, the Fruit of Good and Evil. Even combining two divine artifacts was a risky gamble.”
Only then did I understand the Master of the Twelve Joules’ words.
“…If the Heavenly Secret has the ability to cross the multiverse, then it could respond to the Primordial Void in the Reincarnation Cannon, allowing you to freely reincarnate.”
“Exactly! Hehe. Without the hassle of harvesting the fruit of the World Tree, we could transcend the multiverse.”
The Master of the Twelve Joules continued, walking beside the Reincarnation Cannon.
“If you make me your companion and successfully research that Heavenly Secret…, you could avoid your companions going back to square one.
All your other companions would probably also make the jump to the next round, and with just one hundred years of effort, you and your companions could easily defeat the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors. Especially if you cultivate Jin So-cheong or Cheon Woo-jin well, defeating any apostle would be an easy feat.”
“Uh huh.”
“It seems you no longer need to contemplate. Now, hand over the Heavenly Secret.”
I found myself extremely tempted by the Master of the Twelve Joules’ words.
It was clear that it was no longer an act of rejecting just based on a simple feeling. With such overwhelming benefits on the table, not giving it felt strange!
Alright, I made my decision.
I firmly exclaimed.
“Still, I reject!”
“……..”
“I can’t hand over the Heavenly Secret.”
Stagger.
It seemed the Master of the Twelve Joules was momentarily taken aback by my response. His reaction was one of sheer disbelief, as if he hadn’t expected this at all.
This was a stark contrast to my earlier rejection, and it appeared to be a moment revealing his inner turmoil. In a slightly bewildered voice, he asked.
“…Why?!”
I replied with conviction.
“Even if I don’t know what the multiverse is, crossing it doesn’t necessarily mean an ‘instant restart’ is possible.”
“Huh….”
“Isn’t that right?”
Swish!
I drew my sword. Then I glared at him.
“Master of the Twelve Joules Ha Eun-cheon. The reason you covet my Heavenly Secret isn’t for the ability to inherit reincarnation through the Reincarnation Cannon.
It’s just because… there is no substitute for my Heavenly Secret anywhere in this world.”
“……”
“‘Multiverse’ and the ‘Wheel of Destiny’ don’t appear to be the same thing.”
This wasn’t mere intuition.
It was a distinctly chilling sensation that felt like absolute disgust!
He was vague about explaining the ‘multiverse’ and the ‘Wheel of Destiny,’ merely glossing over them.
He only threw out stories that suited my taste. And this manner of speaking is exactly how someone tries to deceive!
If the multiverse and the Wheel of Destiny were indeed different,
And if transcending the multiverse could be achieved simply by picking the fruit of the World Tree, why on earth did Ha Eun-cheon claim there was only a ‘one-time’ opportunity?
Standing beside the Reincarnation Cannon, Ha Eun-cheon remained silent.
He merely regarded me with a fixed gaze.
I resolutely declared.
“I’ve made my decision. Whether I die or not, I will no longer compromise with you.”
“Alright….”
In the next moment, I felt the Master of the Twelve Joules smirking.
“You weren’t a fool. Then I must seize that ability, even if it requires sealing it.”