NOVEL NEXT Chapter 486: Outer Celestial, Ubbo-Sathla (6)
Chang-Sun’s face darkened as he looked at the chains around his limbs. ‘Who in the world are they?’
Ubbo-Sathla struggled to free herself from the chains, but her futile resistance only served as a testament to the power of Divine Steel.
Chang-Sun had no idea who these people were. They seemed to be living just past the gate where R’lyeh was sealed and could easily control the Divine Steel chains, which even <Deus Ex Machina> was reluctant to use. he tried to think of anyone who had such a high Divine Class, but no one came to mind—no, there was one.
‘Those letters on the gate…!’
Some of those primordial rune letters were also on a great relic of great relics, which even most mortals knew about.
Luminous River Divine Steel Ruyi Golden Shackle Gate.
Like his [Golden Sutra Headband], the [Ruyi Jingu Bang] was known as Sun Wukong’s trademark. Chang-Sun learned about its true value during his trip to the Changgong Library.
―A symbol that represents a transcendental object or abstract concept called <Supreme Light>.
Due to the unstable and chaotic start of the Great Universe’s creation, people who represented <Supreme Light> showed up all over the universe. All of his avatars, also known as his symbols, had made grandeur accomplishments and become legendary heroes in all civilized societies, earning them the title of <Supreme Light’s Face>.
Most of those who had broken the laws of nature were Evil Celestials and fiends that disregarded the absolute words of <Supreme Light> and <Deus Ex Machina> for their own gain. That was why a [Ruyi Jingu Bang] was often perceived as a tool of punishment. Among all the <Supreme Light’s Faces>, Sun Wukong used it the best. In fact, it was his mastery over it that gave him the title of Grand Heaven, the center of the Nine Heavens and the representative of all directions.
However, the gate of Sun Wukong’s [Ruyi Jingu Bang] stood in this place. If R’lyeh was the body of <Dull Darkness>, was the [Ruyi Jingu Bang] the one that had been holding it down?
If so, did that mean that the known history was wrong? Perhaps <Supreme Light> and <Dull Darkness> were still in the middle of their fight when <Supreme Light> sealed the latter in this place using a [Ruyi Jingu Bang], causing his disappearance.
‘Didn’t <Supreme Light> appoint me to be one of his representatives because he was too tired from the fight…?’
All sorts of ideas flashed in his mind along with his many speculations. Nevertheless, he thought some parts didn’t seem to add up.
<Supreme Light> had ordered <Deus Ex Machina>, the twin brother of <Dull Darkness>, to take charge of the Great Universe’s law of causality. If another fight broke out between <Supreme Light> and <Dull Darkness>, Many of the Great Universe’s aspects would be heavily affected.
If his theory was right, <Deus Ex Machina> would have already given Chang-Sun a heads-up. After all, he was not just Mephistopheles’ student. He was also the candidate who spared no effort to become a <Supreme Light’s Face>.
‘Maybe <Deus Ex Machina> is up to something again, like how he pretended not to know anything about my <Mark>.’
There were too many possibilities, but he didn’t have any evidence to back them up. Nevertheless, he was still certain of one thing.
‘Considering they can use Divine Steel restriction devices, they have to be either the subordinates of <Supreme Light> or somehow related to him. They’re beings of Eros.’
『You reek of Nyx, which means you’re a new Outer Celestial. However, if you are, then why do you also smell of Eros?』
Chang-Sun could feel someone slowly scanning him. A moment later, he realized that the stare belonged to whoever had the evil voice. Their tone was casual, but their stare was anything but. More importantly, the energy they exuded seemed somewhat familiar to him. It was akin to a demon’s demonic energy, but there was something more fundamental about it.
Chang-Sun finally realized who the familiar energy belonged to. ‘Pure Evil.’
The person was beyond the Absolute Evil of <L'Infernal>. They were evil itself.
『Yet he certainly seems to be a Star Sign.』
In contrast, Pure Good, the person with the holy voice, was polite and observed Chang-Sun like a scholar. Just like Pure Evil, they were beyond the Absolute Good of <Maleakhe>.
『A mix of Nyx and Eros? And he’s a Star Sign too? Is it even possible to create that kind of mutt?』 Pure Evil asked in disbelief.
『Theoretically, it is.』
『It’s still a theory.』
『You have a point. Still, the result of it is right in front of you,』 Pure Good casually answered.
『That’s why I find this so strange. Even though they have reconciled, can Eros and Nyx even harmonize to this extent?』
『It’s been so long since the Big Wheel stopped rolling. They have likely made a lot of progress with their reconciliation, so we shouldn’t be so surprised to find something we’d never expect.』
『You’re basically saying that we don’t know anything because our seclusion has caused us to fall behind the times,』 Pure Evil grumbled.
『I believe that to be the case.』
『This is why I didn’t want to be trapped here! Seriously, I woke up one day and found myself in this mess. Shit!』
Sensing the deep wisdom in their voices, Chang-Sun grew certain. ‘They’re Elder Celestials.’
In the previous universe, which was filled with chaos, Elder Celestials had assisted <Supreme Light> in his first creation of light and the new universe. Considering they were the law of causality’s polar opposites, Pure Good and Pure Evil had to be related to <Supreme Light> in some kind of way.
‘What matters right now is how I respond,’ Chang-Sun pondered, looking at the chains around him.
Although his power and Divine Class were sealed, it wouldn’t be that hard to free himself from the chains. After all, he had already done it before using his golden key. Since they wouldn’t be expecting it, he could use their momentary confusion to escape. Opening the tightly shut gate of [Ruyi Jingu Bang] looked easy enough.
‘No, I doubt they plan to harm me right now, and I can’t leave Ubbo-Sathla here. I’ll just observe for now.’
For as long as they still hadn’t completely destroyed Ubbo-Sathla’s core, her avatars gathering their own egos would remain a possibility.
‘More importantly, they seem to have a lot of questions for me too.’
『Let’s call him over and have a conversation with him,』Pure Evil said. A snap then echoed.
Woosh!
The world around Chang-Sun changed. Soon, he found himself in front of two men, his limbs were still shackled.
Instead of a glass of liquor, the menacing man whom Chang-Sun presumed to be Pure Evil was holding a fork with a piece of strawberry cake on it. The other, who was quite well-groomed, adjusted his glasses as he observed Chang-Sun. He was likely Pure Good.
On the table between them was a cup of steaming coffee and a three-tier tray of cookies and more strawberry cakes. The two seemed to be in the middle of their tea time.
Thinking that noble ladies from the medieval ages were usually the ones who enjoyed activities like this, Chang-Sun couldn’t help but be surprised to see two scary-looking men having such a lovely tea party.
After a moment of contemplation, Chang-Sun finally noticed Pure Evil’s black wings and Pure Good’s white wings. They seemed to be a demon and an angel. Finally realizing their identities, he flinched.
“… Baal and Metatron?”
“Are we your friends or something? Why are you calling us by our names? You look really young.”
“It can happen when a person is genuinely surprised. The question we should ask right now is how he recognized us,” Metatron replied, essentially admitting that they were <Maleakhe> and <L’Infernal>’s former leaders, who had gone missing long ago.
Smiling at Chang-Sun, he continued, “I believe this is our first time meeting you. Do you know us by any chance?”
Chang-Sun nodded. “We have never met before. However, <Deus Ex Machina> has told me about you two.”
“Hmm…? Machina did?”
“He described you two to me and said that I might eventually run into you two. I didn’t expect that moment to come so soon, though.”
“I hope he didn’t tell you anything bad about us,” Metatron said, then quietly chuckled.
<Deus Ex Machina> had given Chang-Sun very simple information. All he said was that they were Elder Celestials who already existed long before they even got their current names and started helping <Dull Darkness> with his work. He then added that Chang-Sun could run into them while dealing with Star Signs so it would be best to remember what Baal and Metatron looked like.
Baal finished his cake and took a bite from a cookie. “Yeah, well, you’re covered with Eros and Nyx, so I have no doubt that you’ve met Machina. What I’m curious about is how a Star Sign managed to do this. Machina wouldn’t tolerate your existence. Above all, you also have an <Emblem>...”
Chang-Sun tilted his head in confusion. “<Emblem>?”
“Huh? You have it right there. Don’t tell me you don’t know what it is.”
At that moment, a crazy thought crossed Chang-Sun’s mind.
“Are you talking about my <Mark>?” he asked.
“A <Mark> is for a criminal. An <Emblem> is a little—” Baal grinned, cutting his explanation short. He had a rough idea of the situation now. “Ah. You didn’t get to hear why Machina left you the <Emblem>, did you?”
Chang-Sun couldn’t help but become sensitive about the topic. “If you know something—!”
However, Baal quickly stopped him. “I’m not obligated to tell you that. You’re our captive, and we’re your interrogators. We’re the ones who ask the questions here. That aside, would you lose the attitude already? I’m a lot older than you think.”
Although irritated, Chang-Sun calmed his anger. With cold eyes, he replied, “I’m the Face of <Supreme Light>, whom you serve as your master, and the Outer Celestial who made a contract with the symbol of <Dull Darkness>, so why don’t you show me some respect?”
Chang-Sun believed that he was making a legitimate demand. Baal and Metatron suddenly exchanged glances.
“You know, I’ve been feeling weirdly familiar with this guy even though this is our first meeting,” Baal commented. “I’m not the only one, am I?”
“This is surprising. I’ve been having the same thought too.”
“Right? I knew it.”
“He definitely reminds me of him.”
Baal nodded.
‘Him?’ Chang-Sun frowned, wondering what they meant.
The two suddenly turned to him.
“Don’t people tell you that your personality is similar to those of <Supreme Light> and <Dull Darkness>?” Baal asked.