912——————==

True Martial Home

I began to explore the interior of the Wheel King’s chamber, the heart of the Underworld.

‘In the past, Mangnyang arrived in this room and endured for five years while thoroughly investigating every nook and cranny. In fact, he could be said to know everything about this room, but…’

With those memories of Mangnyang, I was even more certain. There was still treasure yet to be discovered in this room.

For five years, Mangnyang had read an enormous quantity of books in the Wheel King’s chamber, spanning over forty rooms, and at times manipulated the Mirror of Clarity to influence other locations, yet even he was unable to grasp everything in this room. This was because there existed unique laws within these walls.

Chirirang

Leaves fell. Simultaneously, a gigantic circular shape emerged from the floor, releasing aromatic smoke.

It took me a moment to realize the scenery inside the room had completely transformed. In what had once been a vast space reeking of old books now stood a clear pond and a refreshing forest. The books were still there, but nature had intruded upon the library.

‘Has the sixth Mandala passed? Now it’s the seventh phase.’

I mumbled to myself as I gazed at the enormous tree in the center of the room. Whenever leaves dropped from that tree, the Mandala would shift.

Mandala.

Originally a representation from esoteric teachings that symbolized the principles of the universe, Mandalas came in various forms, and no one knew exactly how many types existed in this world, each carrying different meanings.

This room contained a total of seven levels of Mandalas, with the space continuously changing every seven cycles. I understood that the Mandalas centered around the great tree in the middle, with an approximate cycling period of seven days.

In other words, a total of forty-nine days had to pass for all the Mandalas to cycle through once. I brought to mind Mangnyang’s former knowledge, simultaneously aware that each of these transformed spaces held hidden treasures or secret devices. Although Mangnyang had diligently searched through each Mandala like a treasure hunt over the past five years, he had ultimately failed to uncover them all. What he found in this secret space were mostly secrets needed for managing the Underworld, or esoteric knowledge about the ten kings of hell and their concealed true histories.

I decided to speak with Mangnyang.

[I’ve just entered the seventh level of the Mandala.]

[So… you must know that the overall exploration rate of the Wheel King’s seven-level Mandala is about 70%. Baek Woong, you should find the parts of your memory that you didn’t recover and search for half a day. Contact me if you find something.]

[… How could I possibly solve the riddle that Mangnyang couldn’t unravel in five years in just half a day?]

I felt somewhat uneasy. How could I, the one with one of the greatest minds and strategies in the world, uncover a puzzle that had eluded Mangnyang for five years?

Then, Mangnyang chuckled softly and said.

[You’re right, Baek Woong. That would typically be an impossible task. But what kind of blessing are we under at this moment?]

[The Law of Cause and Effect.]

[Indeed. Thanks to Pangu’s blessing, we are the protagonists and conquerors of this world. Your luck in avoiding the suspicious Hat Warrior is likely influenced significantly by the Law of Cause and Effect, which you must know isn’t ordinary luck, right?]

[Um.]

That’s true. Even with my intuition, the choice to remain hidden was still part of the realm of luck.

[Given your current state, the likelihood of finding something is high, so don’t worry and give it a shot.]

[Understood.]

Encouraged by Mangnyang’s words, I carefully examined the floor.

Woowoo…

With each step I took, the floor’s Buddha imagery gradually melted away, changing to other colors. It started as red, but as I crossed the boundary, the imagery transformed to blue. After a few more steps, the imagery in the other space shifted to a gentle green.

‘Rainbow.’

The Mandala consisted of seven colors, resembling a rainbow. The transition of colors—red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet—occurred irregularly as I shifted across platforms. In this expansive space, there were precisely 529 platforms, arranged in a 23 by 23 grid. The appearance of secret spaces and treasures was determined by a specific pattern among these platforms.

During his five years in this realm, Mangnyang had experimented with every irregular possibility, occasionally discovering patterns that led him to find secret spaces. However, with such a plethora of combinations, even Mangnyang couldn’t uncover everything. Discovering the patterns wasn’t that difficult, but testing the unknown irregular combinations took an inordinate amount of time.

Without a clear method, it could take a millennium to uncover all possibilities, making the secrets of this Mandala Rainbow daunting. Therefore, I had previously told Mangnyang that finding the secrets in just half a day was reckless, but Mangnyang encouraged me to trust my luck to give it a try.

“……”

Mangnyang had about a hundred laws of the Mandala etched in his mind, passed down through memory. I felt a headache coming on as I mentally rolled through the laws one by one.

‘Hmm… red, blue, blue, yellow, green, green, red, purple… and purple, purple, orange, green yield a health recovery elixir… moving north with blue, blue, green, purple, then south with navy, navy… whoosh.’

This is way too complicated!

The rules also included shifts in the directions, and I couldn’t keep a clear head. I decided to look for items among the hundred laws, planning to collect three treasures first.

‘North-northwest: red, red, purple, green, blue, yellow, green, then two steps south, spin three times, and align purple, green, yellow, and purple here… it opened!’

Wiying!!

Flash!

As the space opened, a staff burst forth. I instantly knew it was a legendary artifact possessing powerful capabilities.

‘The Law Staff of the Great King of Equality!’

Originally, the Great King of Equality was an unidentified being from the Otherworld before becoming a king under the Wheel King. Records showed that the Wheel King had taken him in, masking him with a mask and crowning him. The weapon the Great King of Equality used before his kingship was this very law staff, which had been sealed within due to its terrifying aura.

Kurrr…

Just as I suspected, the nameless staff radiated a dangerous magical power. It was definitely not an object for a righteous being, and I knew it was sealed with a formidable command. Considering it likely belonged to a Demon King, I couldn’t help but make a hasty decision to tuck the staff into my wooden armor.

Next up!

‘Yellow, yellow, yellow, yellow… going yellow until the 12th step, then down for 9 steps, spin in place three times, then match these four colors: purple, green, yellow, purple!!’

Wiying!!

Clack!

As the space opened again, a doll, seemingly made of human skin, appeared. This too was undoubtedly a legendary artifact.

The doll was shaped like a small child, with its eyes, nose, and mouth stitched shut, covered in incantations and spells. Even Mangnyang couldn’t decipher these incantations, but it was suspected they belonged to an ancient and unidentified language from the far-off Otherworld. Who made it was entirely unknown.

According to texts, this doll was called the “Doll of the Ancestor of Shamanism,” having existed for thousands of years before the Underworld came into being, possessing the power to bring about the user’s doom. It was known that a famous giant beast of the Underworld had perished due to this doll.

“……”

Why are there so many ominous items in the Wheel King’s chamber…?

However, according to the literature, possessing this doll can protect the user from death, so I decided to keep it for now.

I referred back to Mangnyang’s strategies to gather the final treasure.

‘Blue, blue, blue, blue, yellow, yellow, green, purple, navy, navy, navy, navy, red, red… huh? No, is it green after red? No, yellow… yeah, green! Green is right. From green, again to navy, green, red, red, purple, purple… purple…? No… no, wait… huh…’

I got momentarily confused while following the strategy. With seven colors in the rainbow, and needing to account for both horizontal and vertical shifts, I must have messed up the sequence. Looking bewildered, I swiftly spun the platforms four times.

Swipe!

If you get it wrong, spinning the four cardinal directions sends you back to your starting position.

” Phew.”

I sighed in relief and began to follow Mangnyang’s strategy once more. Given that wrong actions could trigger a deadly trap, there was no room for recklessness.

‘Alright, here we go! Blue, blue, blue, blue, yellow, yellow, green, purple, navy, navy, navy, navy… aahhhhh!!’

I screamed in surprise.

“I went one more square! Damn it!!”

Whoosh!

At that moment, I found myself teleported to an entirely different location. I could see the starting position, but it was on a completely separate platform. My mistake seemed to have entangled my location again. Just then, Mangnyang’s voice came through.

[Baek Woong, quite some time has passed. Have you found anything?]

[Um… I acquired the Law Staff of the Great King of Equality and the Doll of the Ancestor of Shamanism, and I’m also trying to get something called the Yellow Springs Cloak…].

Mangnyang replied, as if he had guessed.

[The pathways to obtain the Yellow Springs Cloak are numerous and confusing. It would be quite tricky.]

I forced a smile.

[Haha… I accidentally moved one more navy square, so I plan to reset by spinning four times again.]

[Hmm… no.]

[Huh?]

[Ignore the rules and try to move freely. You can get the Yellow Springs Cloak later.]

I was taken aback by Mangnyang’s unexpected advice.

[Wait! Doing that could trigger traps that might lead to death…]

[It’s fine. You’ve already obtained the Doll of the Ancestor of Shamanism. In truth, that’s the most essential item for traversing the platforms, so now is the time to trust your instincts and move.]

[……]

[Even if you die, you won’t curse me, so move as you please.]

[Oh, alright.]

Trust my instincts?

Damn it… there’s no choice! Time to take a shot!

” Aahhh!!”

I pulled out the Doll of the Ancestor of Shamanism from my wooden armor and attached it to my waist, moving spontaneously. I disregarded the changing colors beneath the platforms, zigzagging east, north, and sometimes south, heading for the corners. Suddenly, my steps came to a halt.

Zzzz!!

Chuaaaack

” Aahhh.”

A binding spell took hold, and thousands of spear-like projectiles fell from the sky to attack me. Naturally, this was a death trap, and I quickly activated my Spirit Power to defend against the spear projectiles. Yet, as if the traps were stacked, it didn’t end there, and a destructive beam came flying from somewhere, attacking me again, shattering my Spirit Power barrier.

” ……!!”

Boom!

I barely managed to muster my defense, but a swarm of deathlike bees came flying toward me to sting. Though I cast the Thunder Sword to swiftly slash the swarm, sudden weight pressed down on me like hundreds of times the normal gravity.

Thud!

” Ugh.”

I crashed down to the floor from the gravitational force. I tried to strengthen my body to resist this overwhelming weight, but at that moment, the gravity surged to thousands of times heavier. Simultaneously, several bees shot their stingers at me. As I was stung, the wound swollen terribly, and in the next moment, it exploded.

Boom!

Am I… dying…

As my upper body burst apart, I anticipated my demise, but then it happened.

Paat!!

The Doll of the Ancestor of Shamanism suddenly shone bright. I found myself perfectly fine, standing right where I was, and the trap showed no sign of activation. No, it felt like I hadn’t even moved the platforms at all.

I hadn’t reversed time.

Just now, I experienced an illusion.

‘This is the power of the Doll of the Ancestor of Shamanism – it reads the prophecy of death!’

The Doll could vividly show the user the potential future based on their actions stemming from the [Fate of Death]. And if the user were to die, it nullified that reality and reverted them to a point where they could change outcomes.

In a sense, the user had a sort of “extra life”!

It was clear now why the legendary beasts of the Underworld carried the Doll of the Ancestor of Shamanism. Even though using it would eventually bring about the wielder’s doom, the benefits it provided were undeniably powerful.

In the context of navigating these platforms, the Doll was practically indispensable. Mangnyang had previously read the strategies through his cunning and intellect, leading to his flawless endeavors, but his speed had increased significantly after obtaining the Doll of the Ancestor of Shamanism.

If I could manage to bring this power to the surface, I would surely be of immense help without needing to rely on Jeon Wook’s abilities. I scratched my neck awkwardly from the eerie sensation of facing death and stepped forward.

“Alright. Let’s go again!”

This time, I figured I could manage without the Doll’s help!

Boom!

Boom!

” Aaaahhh.”

Once more, I saw the specter of death and was transported back to the same position. The traps here were extraordinarily strong and had such wicked power that even with my current strength, I couldn’t evade death when facing three overlapping traps. If it was this hard for me, a human would undoubtedly breathe their last even upon being caught once.

‘Oh, what the hell… why isn’t the Law of Cause and Effect activating?’

I felt a sense of disbelief, but quickly shook my head and moved forward. Mangnyang had told me it was possible, so I just had to try! Believing in Mangnyang, I continued to move as long as the Doll of the Ancestor of Shamanism activated.

Thud.

‘Oh good good… no traps! Then now…’

Boom!

” Aaaahhh!!”

I was once again thrown into the illusion, returning to the previous location. I stood there in a daze, shaking my head before waiting to try again.

How long did I keep this up?

By the time I attempted it more than ten times, I noticed the Doll of the Ancestor of Shamanism change from a blank expression to an increasingly smiling one.

” ……”

Is it possible that if this little guy fully smiles…?

‘No way…’

I shook my head, though the ominous feeling wouldn’t leave me. Just then, I heard Mangnyang’s voice through the Suspicious Fishhook.

[Baek Woong, have you made some progress?]

[Um, I guess… I’ve tried about twelve times, and the Doll of the Ancestor of Shamanism seems to be smiling now.]

[Be careful.]

[Careful…]

Mangnyang sighed.

[Then there’s no choice. It seems my hypothesis was incorrect; I shall prepare to send you back to the surface. Just get the Yellow Springs Cloak and call me back.]

[Understood.]

[The Law of Cause and Effect does not seem to activate merely from luck… rather, it likely operates on a larger, more overarching level.]

After resetting my position by spinning in the four cardinal directions, I chose to challenge the Yellow Springs Cloak once more. With the imminent threat of death looming, I performed each action with utmost caution, and finally, I was able to open the door to the space containing the Yellow Springs Cloak.

Click!

Paat!!

I tucked the glowingly radiant Yellow Springs Cloak into my wooden armor and called for Mangnyang.

[Got it.]

[Then now…—]

At that moment.

Bang!!

The Hat Warrior burst in through the door to the Wheel King’s chamber!

“Damn it!”

What a stroke of bad luck!

I widened my eyes, pooling all the powers of the Immortal Sword and Thunder Sword into a fierce Spirit Power barrier to confront him. The Hat Warrior still concealed his face, but I could sense he was staring me down. In the next moment, the Hat Warrior slowly drew a blade forward.

Piying!

The ominous sound of tension rising. And with that, my head was severed by an unidentifiable attack. There was no way to dodge or block in time. I couldn’t even comprehend how the attack had landed. Though I’d erected a Spirit Power barrier, he pierced through all of it.

‘W-What is going on…’

Is this death?

In that instant, I felt the Doll of the Ancestor of Shamanism activate, nullifying my impending doom while simultaneously returning me to the very moment I’d just tucked the Yellow Springs Cloak away! I had mere moments to breathe before the Hat Warrior burst through that large door, effortlessly intending to sever my head! I found myself pondering what I could do in that fleeting moment.

Grinding my teeth, I shouted.

“Jeon Wook! I call upon your power!”

Time Reversal!!

Paat!

By invoking Jeon Wook’s power, I rapidly returned to the moment I began searching for treasures in the Wheel King’s chamber. Simultaneously, I could hear Jeon Wook’s furious voice ringing in my head.

[You dare to invoke my authority in such a trying situation… You shall not escape my retribution unless you generously repay your debt.]

[I’m so sorry!! I promise to repay you!]

[Hmph… how did I end up with such a servant…]

Jeon Wook vanished with a sigh. I concentrated, resolving to focus once more.

‘Damn! Should I tell Mangnyang what happened and request immediate transport to the surface? Or should I hide in the Mirror of Clarity?’

Either way, the outcome would be the same. If I returned to the surface now, I’d forfeit the three treasures I could obtain from the Underworld. Regardless of hiding, I had to secure those treasures.

‘… I need to acquire exactly three treasures in the shortest time possible!’

At least if I didn’t waste time like last time, I still had some left. Clenching my teeth, I concentrated and systematically grabbed the Law Staff, the Doll of the Ancestor of Shamanism, and the Yellow Springs Cloak.

” Uooooo!!”

By focusing, despite the complexities, I managed to succeed! Then, I pulled out the Mirror of Clarity and stepped inside once more.

‘I need to hide again.’

Whoosh!

As I entered the Mirror of Clarity and waited a while, the door slammed open, and the Hat Warrior stormed in once more! The Hat Warrior scanned the area, glancing at the platforms below, and then resumed searching for me.

‘……?’

I watched his actions anxiously from within the Mirror, suddenly realizing one crucial fact.

He had no shadow.