전생검신 95권 12화

The realm of the Demon Path came to mind, particularly the Outer Heaven Sect, because of its bizarre abilities.

The Outer Heaven Sect is the realm of [Offerings].

Moreover, the special ability of the Outer Heaven Sect is that when you offer [Offerings], you receive back a portion of what you sacrificed!

‘I haven’t fully grasped the Outer Heaven Sect yet… but if I use this wisely…’

Could I possibly receive help from those powerful beings known as Upper Names without losing too much of what I possess?

Then… I need to think strategically.

I pondered for a while and spoke.

‘Heuk Woong, I have a question.’

[The situation is urgent, so I can’t give a long answer.]

‘Does what I can offer as an [Offering]… include my own [Power]?’

[……!]

Heuk Woong widened his eyes as if he understood something from my words.

Then he replied.

[Master! Don’t entertain foolish thoughts. Are you saying you want to give up the realm and power you have achieved?]

I nodded in response to Heuk Woong’s words.

‘Yes.’

[That’s absurd… Are you saying you don’t want to sacrifice us as offerings?]

‘……’

[You’d be better off sacrificing us. Offering your [Name] means you’ve bestowed the rights of all beings to you! There can be no resentment or dissatisfaction!]

‘Enough with the nonsense, just answer my question. Can [Power] itself be an Offering?’

[……]

Heuk Woong paused for a moment before answering.

[It’s possible. An ‘Offering’ refers to sacrificing what you possess, so [Power] can naturally be included. In fact, that would be a greater price to pay.]

‘That’s a relief.’

As I replied easily, Heuk Woong got angry.

[Ugh… Master! Why can’t you understand? No matter how many lives a Reborn Person lives, certain powers are hard to regain! It’s better to spend your [Name] than to lose that!]

I stared at Heuk Woong, who was surprisingly angry. It’s rare to see an emotional side of him like this.

I said to Heuk Woong.

‘You’re wrong. [Name] is more precious, so it’s better to lose power instead.’

[…… Why do you think that?]

‘As you said, some powers are difficult to regain, even after many lives. But someday, I can get them back. However, if I sacrifice my [Name]…’

I looked over at Miho, the Divine Spirit standing at a distance.

‘I would never be able to meet that bond again.’

[……]

Heuk Woong looked at me as if he couldn’t comprehend my words. Then he said.

[You must already know. While there are several beings among the names on your arm, many of them are weak and won’t aid you on your journey… What would you lose by sacrificing something so insignificant?]

‘……’

[You know it’s not a trivial situation, right? If you sacrifice your [Power], at the very least… you will permanently lose some very useful powers or realms that you plan to utilize. Can you even grasp how much you would lose?]

‘I understand. I have already made up my mind… so now you just need to help me, Heuk Woong.’

[…… Ugh.]

Heuk Woong let out a groan.

It seemed incomprehensible to him that I would make such a choice. To lose [Power] instead of [Bond] was far too significant a loss for me. Although Heuk Woong is like my avatar, he also possesses the personality of the Old Ruler, Jeon Wook, which adds to his reasoning.

But for me, what truly mattered was ultimately [Bond].

Remembering how much it hurt to lose [Bond]… even if I grow weak right now, I cannot afford to lose the bond itself.

After a while, Heuk Woong spoke.

[Alright. If that’s the case… let’s sacrifice powers instead.]

‘Thank you for understanding. What should I offer as a sacrifice?’

[Let’s weigh the powers of the Dragon of Regulation and the powers of Nüwa and Fuxi first. The Dragon’s power isn’t necessary for you, and Nüwa and Fuxi’s powers can be obtained again in your next life.]

‘Hmm!’

[Also, if you can, give up the Fire Eye Golden Spirit given by the Celestial Sage and the power of Sephira. These, too, are things you can regain.]

That sounded like a good choice. As expected, Heuk Woong, being my avatar, had precisely assessed my powers. I thought a bit regretfully about those powers, but I could bear it, so I readily agreed.

‘Okay, let’s go with that!’

[…… I respect your will, but be cautious. I was only suggesting powers that can be sacrificed, but… we might go beyond the limits we’re considering.]

‘I know.’

I might end up losing more than I anticipated in this gamble…

But I had a hunch that I could gain even more than that. I then reached out my arm towards the sky, shouting.

‘I, Baek Woong, sacrifice my powers to gain the strength to defeat that Thunder Soul! Oh enigmatic names sleeping on my arm… I offer this offering, give me strength!’

Simultaneously, I clenched my fist, drawing out as much of my divine power with the No-name Stage technique while shouting again.

‘I offer the powers of the Dragon of Regulation, Nüwa, Fuxi, the Fire Eye Golden Spirit! And the level of Sephira I have achieved so far!’

Boom!

Was my words acting as a command or a spell?

In the very next moment, the heavens and the earth flashed brightly, and one of the names on my arm started to glow with a dazzling rainbow light.

Zap…

The name was still inscribed in an unknown language, so I couldn’t read it, but as the letters symbolizing the name started cracking, something began to reveal its presence from within. And just as that presence spread outward…

Boom!

‘……!’

[Ugh….]

[No… this is…!]

“How can such power exist…?!”

In that moment, Heuk Woong, I, and all the beings tied to [Names] were overwhelmed by an indescribable presence. Even clear god-level beings like Izanagi and Divine Spirit Miho were rendered motionless, and Heuk Woong and I felt pressure so heavy that we could barely breathe. The lower beings were trembling in silence, unable even to react.

At this moment, the thought in all our minds was likely the same.

An Absolute Being who reached the superlative realm!

A being with enough strength to influence the origins and destruction of the Great Universe!

There was no need to explain what kind of power Upper Names possessed anymore. I had seen Outer Gods and similarly ranked beings, so I vaguely sensed the degree of power this existence held, and that sense told me just one thing.

A being I would never even touch, no matter how many hundreds or thousands of lives I lived…!

As everyone stood dazed and trembling, a voice resonated throughout the hall.

[You Have Sacrificed]

Crack!

‘Ugh!’

I felt as if I was being pinned to the ground like an insect, unable to even speak, let alone act. It was a serious level of pressure, and I realized that the worst scenario Heuk Woong had mentioned had come to fruition.

Even after sacrificing that much power, it was not enough to subdue the Thunder Soul!

And that implied that from now on, I would have to prepare for a serious reduction in my power and offer even more abilities.

I gritted my teeth and said.

‘Then… I will… additionally sacrifice the powers of Jeogok!’

[Oh, that’s not good!]

Heuk Woong sounded startled.

[If you sacrifice the powers of Jeogok… you won’t be able to use the technique of merging the three masks possessed by the Five Emperors! We have no idea how many trials from Outer Gods lie ahead, and if we lose that ultimate merging method…!]

‘I know!’

I firmly reinforced my resolve and struggled to sit up.

‘But… I can get it back! That means I can sacrifice it!’

If I get pushed back here, it would all be over.

I’m determined to go all the way, even if it costs me everything I have!

Wooooom—

As if symbolizing my words, a translucent apparition resembling the mask of Jeogok rose from my spirit and slowly flew into the air. Then, after a brief moment of silence, the voice resonated again.

[You Have Sacrificed]

‘I knew it…! Then I’ll also sacrifice the divine power of Shao Hao Jin Tian, the divine power of Shiva, and the divine power of Vishnu!’

WoooOOm!

At that moment, the masks symbolizing Shao Hao Jin Tian, Shiva, and Vishnu rose and flew into the air. Heuk Woong sighed deeply.

[Ah… Master! To suffer such great loss… why won’t you sacrifice your [Name]! How foolish an act this is!]

Hoo…

Heuk Woong’s words were not empty. The moment I sacrificed such substantial powers, I suddenly felt the tier of the divine power I possessed drop sharply. I realized that the divine powers I had accumulated were layered upon each other, enhancing their strength and levels, but that all dissipated in an instant.

If we calculated based on maximum output, it must have diminished by at least 30% compared to its peak!

Yet I didn’t back down, shouting.

‘Is that not enough after all I’ve sacrificed?!’

[……]

The presence of the Upper Name gazed silently down upon the hall for a while.

There was no physical form, but the fact that its existence was [watching us] came through clearly, signifying that it belonged to a dimension so high that even gods couldn’t perceive it. It felt like someone existing in a profoundly distant world.

After a while, I heard the words of the Upper Name.

[A Bit Insufficient]

…!

So, it means I have only just filled the deficiency!

From that statement, I realized how immense the gamble I was taking was. Until now, it was manageable, but from this point onward, what I offered would substantially affect the achievements of my past lives. Until now, it felt like having or not having was just fine, but now it truly meant betting everything.

But hadn’t I already made up my mind?

If I wish to negotiate with that Upper Being, I need to be willing to put everything on the line.

With that inner conviction, I refused to step back.

After a moment’s thought, I shouted again.

‘…The Language of Severance, Telekinesis, the magical knowledge of The One Who Turns the Stars, and the powers of the Jade Emperor!’

Then, a moment later, the Upper Name spoke.

[Sacrifice Your Spirit]

‘……?!’

I went blank for a moment, unable to comprehend the meaning of those words. But suddenly, I realized and opened my eyes wide.

‘No… no way!’

My spirit.

That meant I had to sacrifice Heuk Woong!

There was no way I could ever do that, and I felt a blockage rising up in me. How could I sacrifice Heuk Woong?

But upon hearing that, Heuk Woong spoke something unexpected.

[Master. There are no longer significant sacrifices left to offer. The powers of commerce, the Trimurti, the power of the Wheel King, and the powers of Saitan are the foundation of your divine power. Losing them would be far more costly.]

I yelled at Heuk Woong, furious.

‘Shut up! Don’t talk nonsense! Who would want to sacrifice you?!’

[……]

‘Power is just power! I can take my time to regain it!’

To that, Heuk Woong replied.

[I’m also ‘Power’. While I possess thoughts and will, in essence, I’m just a manifestation of power itself. So to ask that I be sacrificed as an offering is a reasonable request in the context of the Demon Path’s offering ceremony.]

‘What are you talking about! You are… my bond! While I can sacrifice power, I can’t sacrifice bonds!’

[Is that so? If so, then I refuse to be your bond.]

‘What…’

[This is my original essence, so take it away.]

Thud!

‘Kuh!’

In the next moment, Heuk Woong extended his hand and struck my chest, and from the torn-apart part of my chest, something glowing was caught in Heuk Woong’s grip. What Heuk Woong was holding looked like a mask of Jeon Wook, and as soon as I saw it, I realized that Heuk Woong had stolen the divine power I held from me.

I was taken aback.

‘Heuk Woong, you…!’

[You know what the Master intends. You aim to use the Outer Heaven Sect to reclaim what you’ve sacrificed. However, while [Power] can be reclaimed, there’s no guarantee that [Bond] can be returned to you through the Outer Heaven Sect, hence your choices keep narrowing down.]

‘……’

[However, Master, it’s time you’ve learned. The world operates on the principle that there are no results without sacrifices… Not everything can be smoothly dealt with without consequences. If you wish to gain something, you must offer something in return; it’s a cosmic law that you cannot escape.]

Heuk Woong, who had been calmly speaking, suddenly glanced toward the other beings with names distantly and shouted while extending his dark hands.

[You all come here!]

Fwoosh!

As Heuk Woong reached out with greater might, instantly, two giant spiders were caught, along with the [Blue Guy], Hang-a, Yu-Shin, Adam Cadmon, and Dracula. They seemed to resist momentarily but, perhaps due to Heuk Woong’s overwhelming strength, they were absorbed into Heuk Woong’s dark form.

I shouted in shock.

‘Heuk Woong! What are you doing?!’

[Master has only said he would pay the price with words. Yet he does not realize what delights a ruler most in a sacrificial ceremony.]

‘What do you mean…?’

Heuk Woong let out a bitter smile for a moment.

[A ruler doesn’t evaluate the value of items merely based on what’s presented. Sometimes, they only assess the true value when the opponent sacrifices their ‘most precious thing’ that brings them the most pain and sorrow. In that regard, Master’s thinking was fundamentally flawed from the beginning.]

‘You don’t mean…’

[Master, the real challenge begins now.]

As Heuk Woong slowly led his dark form and began to float in the air.

Moments later, Heuk Woong’s roar echoed.

[If you truly wish to dominate heaven and earth… then reclaim us from the grasp of that Great Being with your own power! Kha ha ha!]

Boom!

In the next moment, Heuk Woong’s body vanished. Then, dark drops of blood began to fall from the sky, and as I stood there, stunned and drenched in the drops, I heard the words of the Upper Name.

[The Contract Has Been Established]

With a thunderous cry, a radiant light flickered from my arm.

As the light danced, I quickly bit my teeth and activated the realm.

Outer Heaven Sect!

I connect with the strange energy when interfacing with the Spirit Body!

As the momentum of the Outer Heaven Sect flowed and linked to my arm, I sensed that the enormous presence glanced at me. The gaze of that presence was so immense that for a moment I couldn’t think of anything else. A fleeting thought crossed my mind.

[2 Remains]

What could that possibly mean?

Before I could even process that correctly, one of the names at the top of my arm burst forth with shimmering rainbow lights, revealing a hidden true name.

Gugugugu…!

A moment later, something appeared in the hall.

It was – a massive centipede.

That enormous centipede seemed dozens of times larger than my spirit, slowly floating in chaos, ready to face the Thunder Soul.

Zap…

The Thunder Soul seemed startled, its movements jittery.

It appeared to have no idea that such a being would stand before it.

I was confident of my victory from that attitude, but at the same time, my mind froze when I looked at the name floating on my arm.

Dark Heaven Village

‘Ah… ah…!’

That “thing” right in front of me.

That centipede-shaped being was – the Outer God’s presence of Dark Heaven Village.