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Rebirth Sword God Volume 83 Chapter 9

No matter how I looked at it, the figure standing before me was just the usual appearance of my companion, Mangnyang. Yet, even so, I couldn’t think of them as Mangnyang; an instinct told me they were Master Mangnyang. It felt strange to think about how every time I had seen Master Mangnyang, they had been in the form of a black cat.

Eventually, unable to endure the discomfort any longer, I spoke up.

“Ma… It’s not Mangnyang, it’s Master Mangnyang, right?”

The figure responded flatly without changing their expression.

“That’s correct.”

Just as I thought.

Though their appearance was different, this was truly Master Mangnyang.

‘… What the hell.’

I did guess right, but I really couldn’t understand. Was this perhaps intuition from being a Reborn Person? How could I differentiate between Mangnyang and Master Mangnyang? There must be some cause-and-effect relationship at play, but I had no way of knowing for sure.

As my head started to ache for no reason, the Mangnyang that looked like Mangnyang spoke up.

“What was the reason for turning [Great Cycle]?”

So Master Mangnyang does know. No, they are a Divine Being who can pull me into this dreamlike space from the boundary between life and death, so they must be aware of the circumstances. I had no choice but to look at Master Mangnyang and say.

“I didn’t turn it because I wanted to. I was struggling to survive somehow in another universe, and Cheon Woo-jin said the only option was to turn [Great Cycle].”

“……”

“Let me ask a question too. I think I just died, so what’s the reason for bringing me here?”

When I posed the question to Master Mangnyang, they gazed at me for a moment before responding.

“You might soon connect the present and the future. The cause derived from that choice revealed your traces that exist in the past of [Great Cycle], allowing your existence to be summoned in this [dream].”

“……? What does that mean……?”

As the words were too difficult for me to grasp, Master Mangnyang continued speaking slowly.

“The karma you’ve stacked in the past of [Great Cycle] has flooded, making it perceivable in the future. Every action you took in the past continues to derive the future and has started to collapse the very possibility of existence in reality.”

“The possibility of existence collapsing……?”

As I pondered over Master Mangnyang’s words, I finally understood and shouted.

“Are you saying that there’s no way to return to the reality where my companions exist?!”

“If there’s no place to return to, then that’s how it will be.”

“……!!”

Master Mangnyang spoke with a cold, emotionless face, just like when they resembled a cat.

“It wouldn’t be impossible to find something to cling to. You’ve already derived countless causes and changed a significant part of historical events. If the changed history continues to diminish its intersection with the reality of the future, ultimately reality will lose its law of cause and effect and cease to exist.”

“Damn it……”

I felt the grim situation I had feared was creeping up, so I bit my lip hard.

Changing the past would cause the reality of the future to disappear!

Even though I had considered this to some degree, I felt reassured since Cheon Woo-jin and Mephisto had said it was fine, but now Master Mangnyang appeared to say otherwise, and it felt like my mind was going haywire. In a moment of clarity, I spoke up.

“Didn’t Dr. Faust say he would connect the future using calculation abilities and the power of Heavenly Secret? Was he lying?”

“That’s not a lie. It’s true that one can find a path to achieve one of the infinite possibilities of the future. However, every action you take continuously derives causes, lowering that possibility more and more.”

“Ugh……”

“And what you should worry about isn’t the destruction of reality.”

“What?”

Master Mangnyang gazed at me, then said.

“The possibility of the starting point of your new rebirth being fixed in that past.”

“……?!”

Wha-what did you say?!

This was truly unexpected, and as I widened my eyes in surprise, Master Mangnyang continued.

“It might even be better for you to achieve ultimate victory. Depending on how you think about it.”

“Crazy!! Don’t say something that makes no sense! That absolutely cannot happen!!”

In the end, it meant that all my reborn companions, including Mangnyang, would completely cease to exist, cutting off all connections! That absolutely must not happen, so I yelled angrily, and Master Mangnyang responded.

“Then answer here.”

“What do you want me to answer?”

“Do you desire happiness, or do you wish for the truth?”

“……?”

What does this question even mean?

Still unable to grasp Master Mangnyang’s intentions, I felt a bit flustered hearing the question. But since I had conversed with Master Mangnyang many times before, I gathered my thoughts and pondered cautiously. After some time, I answered their question.

“What does the latter mean? Does knowing the truth lead to unhappiness?”

“That’s up to how you see it.”

“Damn it! How long are you going to keep talking in riddles……?”

“Whichever you choose, you will need a resolution. Depending on that resolution, I will be able to assist you.”

“……”

I hesitated, then finally spoke.

“Of course, I want happiness.”

“Why?”

“Isn’t it obvious? It just turned out like this, but I originally wanted to be happy. I don’t know what the truth is, but if I can’t handle it, I have no intention of forcefully facing it. Is that good enough!!”

As I yelled, Master Mangnyang stared intently at me.

“Is that your choice?”

Swish

In an instant, Master Mangnyang transformed into the usual black cat form. In that form, they spoke.

“Baek Woong. Then kill the Wheel King.”

What an unexpected comment!

“……!!”

“To recover reality, that is where it must begin.”

“Do I… really have to kill him?”

I could only hesitate at Master Mangnyang’s proposal. According to the Phoenix’s request, the easiest being to kill was the Wheel King among the three heads, but I was somewhat reluctant since the Wheel King also seemed to have his own circumstances. I was in search of a third option, so Master Mangnyang’s suggestion felt uncomfortable.

Then Master Mangnyang said.

“I have no intention of forcing a choice upon you. However, if you wish to return to reality, I can help.”

“……Can’t you just send me back to the current reality instead?”

“Even I cannot do that. The only being capable of directly connecting to [Great Cycle] within the universe of the heavenly realm universe is solely one unique existence.”

Master Mangnyang jumped up onto the large table and continued.

“Among those who have perished in the past but are currently non-existent, only the Wheel King stands. If you desire to piece together the fragments of reality, you must first manipulate the existence of a divine being.”

“Uhmm……!!”

Does that mean because the Wheel King perished in history, I must fit him into the future?

“And another thing. From now on, it would be best for you to avoid direct communication with the Heavenly Secret.”

“……You mean, don’t use the terminal?”

“That’s up to you to decide. Even without the terminal, there may be moments when Heavenly Secret tries to intrude into your fate.”

With Master Mangnyang’s following words, I had no choice but to contemplate deeply.

“The more you are connected to Heavenly Secret, the easier it becomes for you to approach the [truth]. However, it also becomes more difficult to pursue anything except the truth. What you choose is your freedom.”

“……”

Pursuing only the [truth] itself could be a constraint.

So was that the reason for asking about happiness and truth…?

While I was deep in thought, the scenery around me began to blur gradually. It was as if the fog was thickening and disappearing, with a faint scent teasing my nostrils, and Master Mangnyang’s figure also slowly faded away. As they vanished, Master Mangnyang left one last remark.

[Ultimate Absolute Being…… I wonder how long you can resist that temptation.]

***

Paat

“Ugh.”

I awoke, feeling like my head was splitting open. Unlike before, this place felt like absolute reality rather than a dream or illusion. It certainly wasn’t Soeul Village either, but rather I found myself atop a bed in a grand palace.

…… A palace?

Looking around, I realized I was lying on an extravagant bed adorned with silk. The dim yet lavish bedroom had decorations that were both intricate and elegant scattered around. While I pondered where exactly this was, a familiar voice echoed.

“You’ve awakened.”

I turned towards the voice and saw a figure walking out of the shadows. I quietly murmured.

“Wheel King.”

That’s right. Approaching me with my own face was none other than the ruler of the Underworld, Wheel King!

As I recognized him, I felt a slight sense of relief and sighed.

“Haah…… So I’ve died again.”

“That’s correct. You died, so you have come to the Underworld.”

Just as I thought?

I briefly observed the Wheel King’s demeanor before speaking.

“Wheel King, please bring me back to life.”

“……”

“Somehow, I’ve ended up dead, but it feels like there’s no benefit to being dead…”

Hearing my words, the Wheel King sat down on a chair beside my bed with an expressionless face.

“You were quite impressive, battling against Yu Mang with such boldness, yet here you are now?”

“……”

He saw me fight Yu Mang all the way through……!!

I felt embarrassed, my face flushing red, but I tried hard to act nonchalant and said.

“Uh… It wasn’t a calculated death. I just thought it was necessary at that moment…”

“Interesting. You show great concern for martial virtue… Do you live for those who have entrusted their hearts to you?”

“Something like that.”

The Wheel King had a mischievous expression playing on his face.

“That’s a contradiction. To gain great strength, one must acquire exceptional divine power, yet the path to that conflicts with reaching the peak of martial virtue… Can both be achieved?”

“I don’t know.”

“You are a Reborn Person, so one day you might reach the pinnacle. However, you must undoubtedly make a choice.”

“……?”

What does that even mean?

Perplexed, I stared at the Wheel King, and he returned my gaze with a disinterested expression before speaking again.

“Baek Woong, rise and follow me.”

Swoosh

With those words, the Wheel King strolled towards the door, and I hastily got up from the bed. But as soon as my feet touched the floor, I was taken aback.

“Kuh?!”

M-My feet are translucent?!

This is definitely a Spirit Body state!

Realizing my physical body had vanished, I rushed to catch up with the Wheel King, asking.

“It seems my physical body has disappeared. What happened? Last time I came, my body was intact…”

“……”

Creak

The Wheel King opened the door and replied to my inquiry.

“Where would a dead person have a physical body? You are dead.”

“No, what I mean is… Just bring me back to life. Isn’t that possible?”

“That’s not allowed.”

“Excuse me?”

As the Wheel King continued, I felt darkness closing in on me.

“In the past, I showed you immense kindness and resurrected you, but bringing back the dead is a universal taboo. The more taboos are violated, the more chaotic the laws of cause and effect in the universe become, so I cannot easily bring you back.”

Step by step, the Wheel King walked through the corridor, saying only what he wished.

“……?!”

Stunned, I shouted.

“Y-you could easily smooth that over using your powers…….”

“Of course, that’s not the only reason. An ordinary spirit could ignore such cause-and-effect.”

“Then why…….”

The Wheel King suddenly turned back to glare at me and spoke.

“Baek Woong, you possess both the qualifications and essence of the Wheel King. Since our existence overlaps, if you were to be resurrected, the Underworld would fracture, hence I must now prevent your resurrection.”