Episode 123

“Hello. Nice to meet you, junior. Shall I introduce myself properly?”

The Heavenly Demon looked at me with a delighted smile.

“I am the Heavenly Demon, the 10th Heavenly Demon and the founder of the Black God Martial Arts. And this body is Black Heaven.”

He seemed to reveal a tremendous secret with a joyful smile.

“Black Heaven?”

“Yes, it may seem a bit sudden. Shall I explain it in a way that’s easier to understand? Black Heaven was created by separating a part of my personality. She is a sword spirit.”

“So, you and Black Heaven are almost the same?”

“Right? Since it involves a part of my personality and strength.”

I looked at the Heavenly Demon. She was looking at me with a meaningful smile.

“A part of the strength has descended, enough to annihilate the Brigade of Eternal Heaven.”

The power of the Heavenly Demon was indeed extraordinary.

To the point that it could be considered a goal I should aim for in the future.

‘But does the Heavenly Demon also feel something when touching the Sword Soul?’

I had that thought, but I asked about the most important thing first.

“Where is this place?”

“It’s a place where I forcibly twisted the laws because I wanted to see my junior. It can be considered a kind of mental image.”

The Heavenly Demon said with a playful smile.

“But it’s good that I twisted it. My junior is so handsome. It’s been a while since I’ve enjoyed looking at someone. I almost fell for a man, you know?”

“Let’s skip that. What happens to me now?”

“Ha. This is what I wanted. Yes, as a Heavenly Demon, it should be like this. My worries were unfounded. I thought there was a high chance of being twisted somewhere because of a life under persecution.”

The Heavenly Demon twisted his mouth as he spoke.

“Alright. I’ll teach you. The berserk technique I left behind is my last arrangement. I hoped that my junior would not walk the same path as me.”

The Heavenly Demon extended his slender hand, and the Energy of Defying Heaven gathered above his delicate fingers.

The black, corrupt power formed into a sphere.

“To be honest, Black Heaven is a failure. Although I founded the Black God Martial Arts, Black Heaven was a ‘vessel’ I created because I wanted to trample the world.”

The Heavenly Demon spoke calmly.

“At that time, I was quite blinded by revenge. There were beings who should have known their place but were overstepping. Well, my appearance also played a part. Ah, I digressed, but Black Heaven was a small vessel made for quick achievement. And this is the large vessel (大器) I’m giving you.”

“I see.”

I half-opened my eyes and looked at my heart.

[Talent, “Inscrutable Talent (A-)” proficiency has increased!]

[Talent, “Midas’s Hand (A)” proficiency has increased!]

‘I think I can do it?’

I concentrated on the Spirit Ability.

I drew out the Energy of Defying Heaven.

“Junior, I’m sorry, but this is a vessel I created while achieving transcendence. It’s difficult for a genius like you to replicate this…”

I couldn’t hear what the Heavenly Demon was saying.

As my concentration heightened, I placed my hand over my heart.

‘It’s a large vessel, she said.’

Black Heaven was quite a spacious vessel.

Even though Black Heaven was destroyed, the increased Conceptual Stat forcefully held it together.

‘Should I break it?’

I decided to break it.

Acting simultaneously with the thought, I forcefully shattered Black Heaven once again.

A brief gap appeared.

And then, I created what the Heavenly Demon showed me at the heart area.

A sphere.

Imagining a vessel that was broad and sturdy.

And a vessel that, even if one wished to break it, could not be broken.

Whoosh!

Spirit energy swept through the surroundings. The newly created heart began to voraciously absorb the Energy of Defying Heaven, sucking in everything around it.

“Insane. A mere junior handles the Energy of Defying Heaven better than I do?”

The Heavenly Demon spoke in a hollow voice. I concentrated on crafting the heart.

The vessel was nearing completion.

The heart, as shown by the Heavenly Demon, was broader and sturdier than I had anticipated.

And that was all.

The Energy of Defying Heaven was inherently powerful. It seemed to imply that no special technique was necessary because of this strength.

‘Is this a test?’

The Black God Martial Arts, bequeathed by the Heavenly Demon, were exquisitely intricate.

With the Energy of Defying Heaven, I meticulously channeled it throughout my body, sculpting my physique to surpass its previous limitations.

Even a martial artist who dedicated themselves to the most rigorous training would be decisively overpowered by my body if we were on equal footing.

What about Divine Sight, then?

A vision that nearly eradicated the concern of surprise attacks by distinguishing the world in hues of magic. Eyes capable of discerning what magic will be employed, what move the opponent will make, through the flow of energy.

Yet, I could discern nothing from the Heavenly Demon’s expression.

I closed my eyes.

I resumed the task of creating the heart.

‘Just being broad isn’t sufficient.’

Something was missing. I sought to imbue it with essence.

Then simply add more.

I infused it with Spirit Flames (S-).

[Talent, “Spirit Flames (S-)” proficiency has increased!]

Flare!

The concept of combustion was integrated into the heart. As if destined to set the world ablaze, explosive might was etched into the heart.

I introduced the Seed of Origin.

[Talent, “Seed of Origin (S-)” proficiency has increased!]

Flash!

The heart expanded. The Seed of Origin, emerging from the very beginning, was inscribed within the heart. A broad, sturdy, and blazing vessel now housed the origin.

‘And here…’

The final power I sought to embed was the Seal of Absorption, emerging from the Conceptual Stat Energy of Defying Heaven.

But the Energy of Defying Heaven was insufficient. I turned my gaze to the Heavenly Demon.

“…An extraordinary junior has arrived. Well, do you have any requests?”

The heart held by the Heavenly Demon contained a vast amount of Energy of Defying Heaven. It was meant for me anyway, so it wouldn’t matter if I took it by force.

“Give it to me.”

“Huh?”

I began to dominate the Energy of Defying Heaven in the Heavenly Demon’s hand.

“Junior? Hey, junior? Hey, you little brat!”

Perhaps because it was the Heavenly Demon, stealing the Energy of Defying Heaven proved a bit difficult.

Difficult, but not impossible. I stole the Energy of Defying Heaven and reinforced the vessel.

Here, as the crowning touch, the Seal of Absorption.

Roar!

A tremendous intention began to sweep through the surroundings. I added the concept of origin and flames to the atmosphere. I inserted the seal that absorbs everything.

And here.

I added the special stat, Faith.

Previously, I had the option to choose between the divinity of flames and gold and the divinity of alchemy.

My main force, the Energy of Defying Heaven, could not be it.

‘If I make the divinity into the Energy of Defying Heaven.’

My divinity might turn out to be quite interesting.

Golden light flickered and wrapped around my heart.

The vessel of Energy of Defying Heaven contained a lot. Flames and origin. And the derived Seal of Absorption.

Here, I added divinity.

I could feel the power of faith.

Where Energy of Defying Heaven and faith met.

Crackle!

Both had a tremendous reaction of rejection.

I smirked bitterly. This just won’t work.

‘More precisely, it’s possible, but it produces a power of a different nature.’

I looked at the Heavenly Demon.

One divinity created only one god. That means the Heavenly Demon has already attained the divinity of Energy of Defying Heaven.

I completed the vessel with a bitter smile inside.

I slowly opened my eyes.

“…You’re finally looking at me.”

“You’ve embraced divinity?”

“The real junior lacks cuteness. But you’re handsome, so I’ll forgive you. To answer your question, no.”

“Not you either?”

“Yeah. That power isn’t transforming into divinity. Even if possible, it would become a different nature from the Energy of Defying Heaven.”

“…”

“Junior, I’m sorry, but give up on making the Energy of Defying Heaven into divinity. It’s not within our jurisdiction.”

“What do you mean?”

The Heavenly Demon raised a finger.

“A far-off being owns that power. Not just the birth of this world, but someone who created the universe’s birth and established the laws of the world. Even extraterrestrial beings dare not defy that entity who is in charge of the Energy of Defying Heaven.”

“…The Creator God?”

This was on a scale that’s too large.

“Yeah. That being harbors two types of power.”

“What’s the other one?”

“Junior, you want to find the other one? I was curious and looked it up, but it’s impossible.”

“Why?”

“Because of the laws created by that great being. For some reason, beings harboring two types of power cannot be born in the same dimension.”

“…”

“But, I, as the Heavenly Demon, will specially tell you, my junior. There are a lot of opinions about that power. In some worlds, it’s called the power of doomsday, and in others, the light of destruction.”

At the Heavenly Demon’s next words, I was dumbfounded.

“In another world, it’s called the magic of positivity.”

“That is.”

Seo Ga-yeon.

As I made a shocked expression for a moment, the Heavenly Demon tilted his head slightly and said calmly.

“Well, junior, you should start preparing to leave soon.”

“But what happens to the vessel made here once outside?”

“Don’t worry. It will be applied to reality just as you made it.”

“Is that so?”

“That’s how it is.”

“What about Black Heaven?”

The eyes of the Heavenly Demon twinkled mischievously.

“Did you like it? Asking about the life and death of a mere sword spirit. You’re not ordinary.”

“Black Heaven is not just a mere sword spirit.”

“Even more to my liking. Don’t worry. Black Heaven will remain as it is. Actually, this was quite a stretch for me too. Using Black Heaven and even the berserk technique. Junior, you shouldn’t be reckless with your body.”

“…It couldn’t be helped.”

“Is that so?”

The Heavenly Demon looked at me with a distant smile.

“But, junior. I have a wish. May I ask for one thing?”

“What is it?”

I looked at the Heavenly Demon.

Having been treated quite harshly, I was willing to consider any reasonable request.

“Can you call me ‘noona’?”

It was nonsense.

“Then, I’ll be going.”

“Waiiiit, juniorrrr!”

I intensely wished to escape from this place.

As my consciousness surged, I returned to reality.