Reincarnation Sword God

Chapter 830




Chapter 15: True Martial Home

The moment the Reincarnation Cannon was fired…

Whoosh!

The entire world was drenched in shades of gray. At that instant, everything I was witnessing froze dead in its tracks, including Yuju and Yunsa, along with even the tiniest details. Yet amidst this stillness, I could continue to think and perceive my surroundings.

‘Time has stopped…?’

I’d seen this time-stop ability before. It was a skill of the ultimate Divine Portrait user; its power had caused me a heap of trouble. Because of that, I immediately wondered if a Divine Portrait user had appeared right here, but since my sight was fixed and I could only think, I had no way of confirming anything.

Where could the Divine Portrait user be?

I waited and waited, but there was no sign of anything appearing. It felt like five thousand breaths had passed, yet there was no change. I was beginning to grow restless with this situation and tried to muster strength to move my entire body. However, my qi wouldn’t budge, and even attempting to use my willpower had the same result. It seemed that all movement was truly sealed.

‘Uh… Could this be the work of the Divine Portrait user?’

Did Yuju seal me?

No… That couldn’t be it. I mean, if this was a time-stopped space, I couldn’t be the only one able to think clearly.

‘Could it be Yuju is in the same state as me…?’

I had that thought, but again, there was nothing to confirm it. It was impossible to tell from the outside. Regardless, I instinctively knew I had to try to move, pouring all my will into attempting to shift my body.

……

Click.

Had it been about half a day? After tremendous effort, I finally managed to move a single finger. I couldn’t tell if this was a result of my effort or if this state was gradually easing up. Still, I decided to keep trying to move.

Another day passed, and I could finally move my arms. With each bit of bodily movement, hopeful thoughts began to surface. If things continued like this, I’d be able to move my whole body soon.

Not surprisingly, after about two days, I could move completely. I hadn’t taken a single step yet, but at least my entire body was under my control now. I glanced at Yuju and Yunsa, hoping they would show any signs of movement, but they were as still as ever. Seizing the moment, I cast a sword technique with my intent toward Yuju.

Thump.

“……”

As soon as my intended strike made contact with Yuju’s skin, it felt like my attack was stopped by an invisible wall. It didn’t seem like Yuju had constructed any defense, which was puzzling. I even attempted to unleash my Sword Strength, but I failed to deal any damage. The same went for Yunsa, leaving me in utter disbelief.

‘Damn… What in the world is going on here?’

I had fired the Heavenly Secret at Taehuh, and why on earth was this happening?

At least, there was one stroke of good fortune—I could still move.

In this situation, part of me considered taking the easy way out through suicide, but I decided against it. Dying without understanding what was happening felt like too much of a loss. Since I had come this far, I might as well gather everything I could before potentially departing; it solidified my determination to cling to life.

Suddenly—

“Agh.”

A wave of pain rushed over me, and I snapped my eyes open. A dull yet prickling ache emerged from my shoulders and lungs. It wasn’t unbearable, but the problem lay in the fact that this pain was continuous. I preferred brief intense pain over this incessant torment, which I found incredibly irritating.

‘Is time slowing down causing this pain to feel endless…?’

But surely it would get better soon. I practiced my breathing techniques and meditation to steady my body. Despite being battered and worn out by Ha Eun-cheon, I could boost my qi throughout my body, revitalizing my life force and healing some wounds instantly. While pressing my body to restore vitality, I noted a slight recovery.

After a while—

I realized I was able to stand. My legs felt as heavy as if I were dragging lead, but that weight was starting to lighten. It was as if I was getting used to the heavy pressure. I walked over to Yuju to strike again, but once again, I found I couldn’t hit or even touch him.

Why couldn’t I make contact?

As I pondered this, I considered the fact that my body was getting lighter. If I couldn’t knock down Yuju or Yunsa, then attacking blindly would only drain my energy. So, I slowly made my way toward the Heavenly Secret, picking up the book.

Boom!

“……!!”

Inside the Heavenly Secret, a resonance echoed. It felt as though something was announcing itself, and it appeared that the Heavenly Secret was welcoming whatever it was. Surprised, I thought,

‘Welcome? It’s welcoming something? How the heck do I even know that?’

The Heavenly Secret was undoubtedly something unusual. While I couldn’t logically piece together my current situation, my instincts told me that the Heavenly Secret was involved somehow. I began to consider what kind of existence the Heavenly Secret might be greeting.

An existence that aligns with the purpose of the Heavenly Secret.

“……”

That means there could be another entity moving in this time-stopped space besides me…?

Because it felt like this resonance was not welcoming ‘me.’ I sensed it was perhaps welcoming ‘another being.’

‘Damn… What is going on here?’

Boom!!

At that moment, the Heavenly Secret I was holding emitted an intangible wave. I could tell that wave was heading somewhere, and I could even sense its exact direction. Although it was invisible to the eye, I felt compelled to go where it guided.

I didn’t want to go.

What on earth awaited me at the end of this path…?

But at the same time, my instincts screamed that if I didn’t heed the Heavenly Secret’s demand, this situation would never change. It was highly likely the Heavenly Secret was the creator of this space.

With a hint of fear in my gaze, I looked at the Heavenly Secret.

‘Tis thing is alive. It has a will of its own.’

I hadn’t quite grasped this until now, but from the moment Changhil had been devoured, I felt it steadily. Something wantonly evil and alien was controlling the Heavenly Secret, and that same will was trying to manipulate me.

Suddenly, Zhuge Sa’s words came to mind.

[Listen closely. Even if cause and effect are linked when you reincarnate, do you know why the divine status tied to you was established?]

[… In fact, if we’re talking from a perspective where this is possible, it would be the strongest demon book of all time.]

During my twenty-third life, while liberating Gong Gong and strategizing with Zhuge Sa, we discussed the power of the Heavenly Secret. At that time, when Zhuge Sa told me that the Heavenly Secret was the strongest demon book, I had marked the words with skepticism and queried him.

[Is there truly no demon book as powerful as the Heavenly Secret in this world?]

[Of course not. Such a thing cannot exist.]

[You’re being too certain.]

[If you’re not certain, then you can’t be a Demon Sorcerer, can you? The powers of the Heavenly Secret transcend my demonic wisdom and common sense. Even gods would be awed at the moment they come to understand the power of the Heavenly Secret. No demon book comparably powerful exists throughout the entire universe.]

[There are demon books that can bring about the destruction of continents with mere readings or acquire divine abilities, right? Why doesn’t the Heavenly Secret offer such capabilities…]

I had muttered this, provoking Zhuge Sa’s response.

[Of course, they exist. Among the highest tier demon books in the entire universe, there are those that grant considerable powers, but did you know they all shared a common feature?]

[What is it?]

[They possess a sense of self. Among them, there are cases of those who were originally ‘Old Rulers’ being sealed away and transformed into demon books. And as long as there’s a self, it’s impossible to utilize those demon books effectively, only bringing about destruction upon the user. There have been instances of powerful races across galaxies being obliterated due to a single demon book.]

[……]

[The Heavenly Secret is more powerful than the collective of all demon books in this world. Therefore, it’s certainly true that a self exists within the Heavenly Secret. And when you confront that self… You will need to make choices regarding the types of destruction that may come.]

[Dammit.]

[Well, until then, let’s do our best.]

Right… Zhuge Sa was trying to expedite my reincarnation process for those reasons. There is a certain entity controlling the Heavenly Secret, or perhaps the self of the Heavenly Secret itself awakening would likely bring about my destruction, hence the urgency.

Could it be I’m about to face the self of the Heavenly Secret already?

“Cursed…”

Even as I cursed, I had no choice but to keep walking. Life has a way of throwing nothing but sh*t at you, and there are many things that don’t go your way. If I twisted in anguish for each and every instance, I wouldn’t be able to withstand it. All I could do was what I could, and accept what I couldn’t. Even if I’d end up facing annihilation, for now, I just needed to keep moving.

I advanced with trepidation toward wherever the wave was leading me. After what felt like about fifty paces, the internal structure of the Old Continent appeared before me. Walls made of some mysterious crystal surrounded me, and beyond those walls, I could see an array of unidentifiable machines. Time was in a standstill, so they weren’t moving, but without a doubt, they were not of the technology of the current age.

‘They’re technologies of the future.’

At the very least, I wanted to catch a glimpse of their form.

I continued walking while sneaking glances beyond the walls. Then, after walking about another hundred paces, I spotted someone.

Who’s that?

In front of the large, crystal-encrusted door, someone was standing. The figure wore a large straw hat, obscuring their face. They were about the same height as me, with a long saber hanging from their waist. Dressed in tattered robes woven from beaten fibers and adorned with a crimson scarf around their neck, they stood motionless.

Could it be that the wave had led me to them?

As I observed the still figure, I couldn’t tell if I could move within this space.

‘Let’s attack and see.’

In a test of sorts, I decided to unleash a sword technique using my Will Intent to swipe at the person’s neck. The sword flew with incredible speed, aimed at their throat, imbued with Sword Thunder.

“……”

Was it merely an illusion that the figure’s eyes flickered when the attack approached?

Slash!

At that moment, the vision of the new moon etched itself before my eyes.

‘They’re dodging…’

It wasn’t that I couldn’t defend against them at all—the opponent was not that incredibly skilled. I instinctively dodged their attack with the Three Treasure Technique while meeting their energy with my water element.

Clang!

Then something unbelievable happened. As the reflection of the new moon grazed past, my water element was cleaved in half. The cut was so clean that the surface sparkled transparently.

Huh?

The… Seven Luminaries were severed in two?

No way!

This can’t be happening…

Throughout all my encounters with strong opponents, the Seven Luminaries had never once met destruction, even in facing the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors. The Seven Luminaries was one of the most powerful weapons in the world, and breaking or cutting it would be entirely impossible.

But reality had proven otherwise.

Swish!

As my water element shattered, the First Character vanished into thin air, and I felt the strands of the Law of Cause and Effect tethered to the water element snap apart sharply. It was strange, but this wasn’t just the destruction of a weapon; it felt like the Law of Cause and Effect was being cut away as well.

What on earth was that guy?!

Suddenly, what happened next was even more astounding. The straw hat figure had raised their long saber horizontally. Suddenly, blood spouted from their arm, and their entire forearm exploded due to countless lacerations!

Boom!

A moment later, one of the figure’s arms exploded and tumbled to the ground.

What’s happening?! The figure had harmed themselves through their own abilities, leaving me in utter disbelief. Yet they clutched their shoulder and swung the saber again with their remaining arm. At the same time, a transparent fissure ruptured in the air, and I noticed the tremendous pressure of time and space that had burdened my whole body releasing at an exceptional pace.

Crack… crack!

The fabric of space-time began to swirl chaotically. The dimensional distortion twisted here and there. I observed the figure, surrounded by a chaotic swath, in the act of disappearing, akin to ink dispersing in water. The figure’s lips moved.

It’s not far off.

As they spoke those words, I felt their gaze pierce into me with a terrible ferocity. It was like the killing intent of a beast. And just as the figure completely vanished, I felt time resume its flow and shuddered. It was as if the knotted threads of fate were unravelling.

“……”

I stood there dumbfounded.

In that moment, an overwhelming heat enveloped me from my left. As my eye darted towards the source, I found myself staring into the abyss of annihilation, witnessing a scene where it swallowed everything whole. It didn’t take me long to decipher the situation.

Could it be the wave of the Heavenly Secret colliding with the Primordial Void just triggered?!

‘Damn! That brief moment was merely a fleeting respite…’

I desperately repositioned my body, avoiding the searing heat, as the annihilation began devouring the space where I had stood.

‘Is this it—am I going to die?!’

Boom!

And just as the annihilative heat engulfed me, I sensed death closing in. But death didn’t arrive; my vision transformed into a riot of colors, and I felt the scenery of the Old Continent dissolve into an unknown void.

Before I knew it, I sensed I was swimming in a complete sea of chaos. This place resembled the cosmic space I had seen in Dark Heaven Village, yet it seemed devoid of any physical laws. Breathing was no issue at all. It felt as if I were gliding through smooth, warm water.

Whoa-oh-oh-oh!

Amidst the distance of the cosmic expanse, obscure dark shadows danced and sang around a single axis. I caught a glimpse of a massive throne.

There, just near the throne stood a figure, though its appearance was obscured from my view.

As I briefly admired the scene, I felt the warped curves of space-time twisting around me.

Truly boundless.

‘Ahhhh…’

A space that far exceeded a trillion times what the human mind could conceive—such was the sensation I experienced passing through the distortions. I had no idea what was happening.

WHOOSH!!

Boom!

I landed on my backside as I was flung back to my feet. Rapidly scanning my surroundings, I found myself in a lush, dense forest. As I turned to take in my surroundings, an older Western man stood there, seemingly just as startled upon making eye contact with me.

The Western man briefly fumbled with his words before realizing that I couldn’t understand him. Then he offered me a small mechanical device, which struck me as oddly familiar.

‘That’s right. This is…’

The ear device that Miyamoto Musashi had once received from Ha Eun-cheon.

Once I inserted the device, voices began to chime in.

“Who are you? Within ten seconds of Commander Ha Eun-cheon passing through the barrier of the multiverse, what happened…”

It was a foreign language I had never heard, but somehow I understood it perfectly. It meant the automatic translation was activated.

“……”

I recognized that man’s face. It was the same physique Ha Eun-cheon had shown me from the Old Continent. With a quivering voice, I uttered.

“Dr. Faust?”

He nodded affirmatively.

“Right. You seem to be of Eastern descent. Did Commander Ha Eun-cheon manage to traverse the barrier again? What’s your relation to him?”

“……”

With a trembling voice, I asked.

“Is… the [End] already here?”

“Why speak of it as if it’s someone else’s tale? Humanity has perished long ago.”

“But you’re still alive.”

“Do I seem alive to you?”

Crackle!

The image of Dr. Faust flickered in and out. Upon closer inspection, it resembled a highly sophisticated illusion—he appeared to lack any physical substance. Dr. Faust continued.

“See, while my physical body has already perished at the hands of the [Old Ruler], I have merely reconstructed my consciousness with the aid of a highly advanced AI.”

“……”

“Truly strange. What on earth are you? How can you speak in medieval Chinese?”

I couldn’t answer.

‘Have I crossed into the multiverse…?’

Without a doubt.

I wasn’t sure how this had happened, but I landed in a world—similar yet different—where humanity had met its end.



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