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I brought back Huang Wu, who first used the Soul Exchange Technique, before me again. Then I spoke to Dharma.

“Dharma, who is the one you care for the most among your five disciples?”

[Stupid question… I care for them all.]

“I’m confident that using this method will reveal the identity of the Divine Thief. However, there may be great danger for your disciples…”

I trailed off. It was not a method that I could rashly use without the opponent’s consent. Then Dharma said.

[Then we need to talk for a moment.]

Swish!

I teleported with Dharma to a deserted area. Dharma, who brought me to a plain, was eager to hear my explanation, so I reluctantly spoke about the [final method] I was going to use.

“I’m planning to remove the [mask].”

[Mask…?]

I nodded and said, “I learned various techniques from the Divine Thief… It’s one of them.”

[You learned techniques? Does that mean you are a disciple of the Divine Thief?]

“It’s a bit of a different story.”

Last time, I had been very cautious about Dharma, so I hadn’t explained the details about the Divine Thief. This time, I decided to clarify everything, explaining how I met the Divine Thief and what I practiced at the seat (座). After listening to my entire story, Dharma seemed to understand.

[So, the second stage of the Technique of All Things, removing the mask means turning the opponent into an abyss and wearing it inside out…]

“That’s right.”

[Do you realize that this implies another fact? The reason your Soul Exchange Technique doesn’t work is…]

I could tell Dharma was quick on the uptake. I readily responded to his words.

“Exactly. The Divine Thief has likely turned one of your disciples into a mask, which is why even the Soul Exchange Technique that forcefully interrogates by robbing Baek doesn’t work.”

[……]

“However… I’m also unclear about the side effects that come if I use the second stage of the Technique of All Things.”

I had already found a way to reveal the identity of the Divine Thief.

But there was a reason I couldn’t easily use it: the existence of side effects.

[The abyssal mask has ‘eyes.’ If you can awaken those eyes, you might be able to take it for yourself.]

[This command has the ability to directly gaze at the opponent’s mask and awaken their eyes. As your mastery over the command increases, you’ll gradually be able to visualize the mask that exists behind the opponent and witness the scene of it awakening its eyes.]

[It means the opponent’s abyss has opened its eyes. In that state, you must quickly snatch the mask.]

[… I must say, it’s a calamity (天災). A great disaster will occur.]

[An awakened mask distorts reality. It will bring nothing good. I’m warning you, once they open their eyes, either make them close again or snatch it quickly. The mask must not keep its eyes open for long.]

[Either you or the opponent will face destruction.]

[Are you saying something terrible is going to happen? What kind of terrible thing?]

[… It’s something I can’t talk about. It’s a very painful memory for the main body.]

The clone of the Divine Thief seated nearby was reluctant to explain the details and side effects while teaching me the second stage of the Technique of All Things. It was clear that the main body had suffered a great emotional wound due to the ‘side effects’ that came from misusing the second stage. This was undoubtedly a very dangerous technique and ability.

Is it really okay to recklessly use something like that on a human?

Dharma, who was quietly listening to me, then spoke.

[There’s another problem. It’s a good attitude to seek my advice beforehand.]

“Huh?”

[Whether you realize it or not, as you said, this gives you a significant advantage.]

“An advantage?”

[The Divine Thief doesn’t know that you’ve acquired the Technique of All Things. That’s a huge advantage.]

“……!!”

My eyes widened at this unexpected point.

‘Oh, right!’

I hadn’t given it much thought, but that was indeed the case. The clone of the Divine Thief existed alone at the seat, and its memories weren’t connected to the main body. Therefore, even if the Divine Thief had trained me at the seat, the main body wouldn’t know anything about it!

Dharma continued.

[If you pick one of the five disciples to wear a mask, your chances of selecting the Divine Thief’s main body are only 20%. It would be nice if you could identify it in one try, but realistically, it’s a low probability. And if you fail your first choice, the Divine Thief, who has been dormant within his personality, will become wary of your abilities. He will likely attempt to escape from this place.]

“……”

[I don’t have the confidence to capture the Divine Thief myself. In fact, before you mentioned it, I could scarcely imagine that such a being could hide around me. It’s clear he possesses abilities that surpass those of an ordinary human.]

A 20% chance, huh?

I let out a low sound in response to Dharma’s words. It’s true that if I can’t catch him in one go, the Divine Thief would try to flee. Given his abilities, actually capturing him when he seriously tries to escape would be nearly impossible. He had been an absolute master aiming for supremacy in this realm and had been accumulating power for over two thousand years since he reincarnated in this world. If I carelessly provoked him, I’d likely be forced to watch him escape without being able to do anything.

Eventually, Dharma said monotonously.

[Therefore, the simplest way to capture the Divine Thief in this situation is… to kill all five of my disciples.]

“……?!”

Huh?!

I was taken aback by Dharma’s sudden suggestion, my mouth agape. It was something I’d never expected. Instead, I nervously responded.

“What do you mean? How can you… kill your own disciples?”

[If you can slice through their necks with your swordplay in a single blow, the Divine Thief would have no choice but to reveal himself.]

“… No way…”

[I can also set up a barrier to help out. And while the Divine Thief is wounded, I will seize him.]

“That’s not the point! If you could do that, there was no need to complicate matters from the start! Are you saying it’s okay to kill the disciples who trust and follow you?!”

Unable to hold back, I shouted, and Dharma replied.

[They are my longest-taught disciples… They understand the emptiness of life and death, and they hold little attachment to their lives. For the great cause, they would willingly die.]

“……”

[You must not recklessly expose the advantage of the Technique of All Things. It could give you a vital edge when facing the Divine Thief.]

I was left speechless by Dharma’s cold logic.

I realized what his mindset was.

‘Just like the Master of the White Lotus Sect, Dokgo Uncheon…!!’

If it’s for the greater cause, great martyrdom and sacrifice are absolutely necessary!

I felt as if I were seeing the Master of the White Lotus Sect right before me. Had the Master of the White Lotus Sect been here, he would no doubt have said the same things as Dharma is saying now.

From such a perspective, it might even seem reasonable. If you’re trying to save the world, what does it matter if five human lives are sacrificed? For Dharma, who is prepared to offer sacrifices of 30,000 or even a million people if necessary, such matters wouldn’t even warrant discussion. Even if they were his most loyal and trusted disciples, that wouldn’t change anything.

To protect the secret of my technique and gain an advantage for our side — to think of so doing with the lives of his disciples as mere collateral for what might as well be a minor benefit!

It must have been like this when the Master of the White Lotus Sect, Dokgo Uncheon, offered numerous White Lotus believers as sacrifices and plucked their hearts in the capital city of Luoyang. I still remember his last words.

[The Old Ruler was not satisfied with the humans of Luoyang… He demanded that I sacrifice the members of my sect, whom I could call precious… Because he is a demon… His pleasure lies solely in tormenting mortals, and for that, I accepted that sacrifice….]

[I am a great sinner, a harbinger of massacres… But it’s not that I feel no guilt. That’s because I am human.]

He didn’t regard the White Lotus believers as mere straw. He clearly bore the guilt and conscience for the slaughter he committed as a human. Yet, faced with a reality so desperate, he resolved to carry that evil upon himself. That was another form of madness.

Isn’t the Dharma in front of me just the same?

He wouldn’t be without regret for killing his own disciples.

Yet the madness called ‘greater cause’ was relieving his conscience and guilt.

“……”

No, I can’t allow that.

At the very least, I must not align myself with their greater cause.

If I become mired in the idea of sacrificing the small for the greater, I wouldn’t be any different from them. I wanted to demonstrate that I could achieve ultimate victory while saving as many as possible.

I gritted my teeth and said to Dharma.

“I won’t use that method. I’d rather leave it to luck.”

[Luck…? You mean to rely on a mere 20% chance?]

“Yes. But I will change my approach.”

I explained my plan to Dharma. After listening to me, Dharma said after a moment as if he found it absurd.

[… Should I call it incredibly pure? Are you truly a being like me? How can you maintain such purity after accumulating this level of power?]

“……”

[Do you think such a straightforward approach will work on a monster who has lived for thousands of years? He is an astute being, one who’s attracted the tricks of both the ghastly fox spirit and the Demon Lord. You will just end up being played for a fool, only to wake up from your nightmare.]

“But that’s fine. If I fail, I’ll take responsibility.”

[How do you mean?]

I muttered with fiery determination in my eyes.

“As identified as the world’s greatest thief, if he only pursues his own interests, then I will not hesitate to deal with him no matter what it takes!”

[……]

Dharma nodded.

[Alright. Let’s give it a try.]

Pa-at!

I returned with Dharma to the main hall where the disciples were waiting. I gathered the five disciples in front of me and said, “I know that the Divine Thief is inside here.”

The disciples merely stared blankly at me. I inspected each of them carefully, but I still couldn’t find any discomfort or anything unusual. It was astonishing that neither the Fire Eye Golden Spirit nor the Soul Exchange Technique could discern their true identities. I continued speaking.

“Divine Thief! I, Baek Woong, have come to this world in pursuit of you. I know that you’ve been tracking the Xuanyuan Sword’s whereabouts long before Yeodong-bin took down the Dragon of the Apocalypse and have passed through various realms to come here.”

There was no response.

Four of them were completely unaware of the situation and listened passively, while the fifth, who was possessed by the Divine Thief in his depths, had no intention of replying to me.

“If you’re targeting the Xuanyuan Sword, then my goal is the Four Great Spirit Deities. If our objectives differ, there’s no need for conflict; we could collaborate to achieve what we both want and return to our original worlds, right?”

Silence…

I sighed and said, “Fine. Then I’ll find you my way.”

Suuuu…

‘Please… Let it work!’

This time, I decided to start with Hye Ga instead of Huang Wu. As I activated the second stage of the Technique of All Things, a mask appeared behind Hye Ga, which I immediately snatched.

Swish!!

……

I stumbled due to the confusion of identity, but soon realized that Hye Ga was a pure monk, who had suffered due to the world’s darkness all his life, only to find enlightenment through Dharma and having one of his arms cut off. He was an exceptional character, but certainly not the Divine Thief.

Next was a scholar, who appeared frail. Upon forcibly taking his mask, I learned his name was Seong Jin and that he was a prince from a fallen small nation. He had become a disciple after Dharma saved him with his supernatural ability when he was about to be executed by rebels.

Next, there was a beautiful woman. She was Princess Ayuta, from a similarly small country but, unlike Seong Jin, had left her intact kingdom to become a disciple after obtaining enlightenment from Dharma.

That left two.

A heavily built man who seemed to be a martial arts expert and a lanky figure with sharp eyes, Huang Wu.

‘One of those two is it…’

I glanced at the two and said, “One of you is the Divine Thief.”

“……”

They stared at me in silence. There was a look of horror in their eyes, which was understandable, as the act of wearing a mask to steal their appearance is a bizarre scene in a world where no one possesses the ability for such transformation. I glared at them fiercely and said.

“Divine Thief! If you don’t come out willingly, then both my disciple and I will have to attack!”

But still, there was no response.

I reached out first to Huang Wu and cast the technique. Huang Wu looked terrified, but just as he transformed into a mask that draped over me, I was able to read his true identity. He was originally a remarkable figure in finance but became a disciple after Dharma saved his life. He was a rather cautious and worldly character.

‘If it’s not Huang Wu…’

I looked at the final remaining figure, Howol.

Howol, with his large frame, spoke in a blunt voice. He was originally from a renowned family of martial artists who had served as a general but had chosen to follow Dharma on his wandering journey with steadfast character.

“What are you doing? Go ahead, try it on me too.”

There’s no need.

Now that I’ve come this far, the identity of the opponent is clear.

If four out of five are innocent, then the remaining one must be the culprit.

“I too want to be innocent.”

“……”

Is Howol truly the Divine Thief?

I thought it didn’t need to be tested any further. I firmly declared.

“I find you most suspicious. Therefore, I will seal you.”

This is the best option.

As I turned my gaze toward Dharma, he slowly reached out.

He was trying to seal Howol with the command imbued with magical power.

At that moment.

Ta-dah!!

Howol suddenly charged at me with incredible speed and reached out. In an instant, he seemed to smile and say something.

[Come on, let’s see what you got, junior.]

His tone sounded like a test!

And at Howol’s fingertips, a strange power burst forth, and I felt a chill build in my back as something emerged. Realizing that it was the [mask] revealing itself sent chills down my spine.

‘What the hell!!’

Can he reveal his mask without chanting a spell?!

Did he deceive me when he was teaching me the Technique of All Things at the seat?!

No, it can’t be; perhaps it’s just that the opponent’s level is exceptionally high…!!

‘This is no time to be flustered! First…’

I panicked yet calmly reached out promptly. I’m someone who’s second to none in speed!

‘Damn it! If we’re pulling, the situation will be the same!’

As the moment of extreme tension came, Howol’s hand grabbed my mask while I grabbed Howol’s mask.

Pak…!!

Everything went white.

I momentarily lost consciousness.

And it felt like I was violently thrown back into reality.

“……!!”

As I regained my faculties, I saw Huang Wu beside me, looking worried as he helped support me.

“Are you alright, Howol?”

“……?”

“What in the world is happening? That Baek Woong character locked us all in the underground prison. How the hell did you fall for that guy?!”

What are you talking about?

Then from beside me, the stunning beauty, Princess Ayuta, said to me.

“Howol, please sit down for a moment. You look very pale.”

“……?”

I was bewildered when I suddenly realized that all five of us were trapped in an underground prison.

And after a moment, I understood.

“Uh… Wait a minute…”

That’s right.

I had switched bodies with Howol.