Chapter 545: Celestial King, the Father and Son Reunion (8) |
Chang-Sun’s consciousness arrived in a place that was entirely different from Nyx. It was an endless, mysterious ocean of unconsciousness. In this place, numerous <Myths> disintegrated and piled up in layers, and countless souls of the same kind gathered like reflections in a hall of mirrors. In other words, Chang-Sun was not the only one in the midst of this place.
“Where am I…?”
“I was sleeping!”
“What in the world is going on?”
“W-Who are you?!”
“Why are there so many people that look like me?”
Lee Chang-Suns from infinite Worldlines had come together.
“It’s him.”
“He called us here.”
The turning point and singularity that created the many Lee Chang-Suns and allowed each of them to establish their own self-identity had been undone for an unknown reason, summoning the Lee Chang-Suns into their ocean of unconsciousness. That meant the causation that enabled their existence had gone missing from the law of causality, so the foundation of their existence could disappear.
The Lee Chang-Suns decided to find who was behind their summons, since they needed to get all the facts first. Some of them noticed something and looked up, and the others looked in the same direction one after another.
“…There he is.”
Chang-Sun was standing in the empty sky with his wings spread wide. ‘…So this is the result of undoing my Divine Class. I guess one of the ways to become one and only is going back to my origin.’
By undoing his Divine Class using [Peter’s Key], Chang-Sun had tried to lift the Worldline restriction that distinguished many Lee Chang-Suns. If that happened, the many Lee Chang-Suns would have to merge into one in the end. It could be considered a new way to become an Emperor, aside from ‘Transcendence’ beyond <Transcendence>.
Nevertheless, the turning point from the distant past that had made the birth of the being named Lee Chang-Sun possible was also undone. In other words, Lee Chang-Sun could no longer exist if they failed to overcome this moment.
[A Sudden Quest has been created!]
[You are currently facing many Lee Chang-Suns.]
[A new Worldline is being created even at this moment, and the Lee Chang-Suns from all the Worldlines have been summoned. They are watching you with fury for threatening their existence without their consent.]
[However, you have already used ‘Peter’s Key’, so they have no way to go back.]
[That is why you need to merge the Lee Chang-Suns to overcome this crisis. Persuade or subdue the Lee Chang-Suns to absorb them.]
[If you find a new way to become one and only, you will earn a great accomplishment that no one before you has successfully achieved.]
[If you fail, you will become an illusion that everyone will forget.]
Losing one’s existence meant that the person was eliminated from the records of all Worldlines, so Lee Chang-Sun would be treated as someone who had never existed in the first place. He would disappear from Ithaca’s memories and Peter’s nostalgic past. All Chang-Sun’s efforts to overcome his <Punishment> would amount to nothing. Despite everything, Chang-Sun was not afraid at all. He had known he would have to go through this moment someday in the future; the time had simply come sooner than he expected.
『You’ve finally done it.』
Just then Chang-Sun finally heard the voice he had been waiting for. The voice belonged to a person who was standing at the very back of the Lee Chang-Suns, but Chang-Sun had no problem picking that person out of the crowd, because Perkwunos was the only one who was smiling.
『I knew you could do it.』
Earning Perkwunos’ approval made Chang-Sun choke up for some reason.
『What’s with the look on your face? Today is a very happy day.』 Chuckling, Perkwunos continued, 『It’s been a truly long time. Truly… I can finally finish my atonement and rest in peace. It’s all thanks to you. I’m very grateful to you.』
Perkwunos had said that he regretted his past so much. He had been blinded by his greed for a moment and committed a sin, but too many people had to suffer for it. He beamed as he spoke again. 『Take good care of Ithaca.』
Paah―!
After his last words, Perkwunos disintegrated into particles, smiling until the end.
『The least he could have done was to say goodbye before he snuck off.』
The voice came from the direction opposite where Perkwunos had been. When Chang-Sun looked in that direction, he could see Hsan, who was grumbling brusquely. Hsan and Perkwunos had been working together for a long time, so Hsan was no doubt feeling sad after his partner left.
『I don’t think that’s the right way to put it,』 Chang-Sun answered.
Hsan tilted his head in confusion. 『Then what is it?』
『He’s going back to where he was.』
『Where he was… Yes, we were originally one person with one soul, so we’re going back to the way we were. To be honest, I’ve been wanting to go back for so long, but I never had the chance. I tried very hard not to let that fact get the better of me.』 Hsan smiled faintly and then closed his eyes, recalling his past.
Chang-Sun thought that it would be difficult to understand Hsan’s life in totality even after he became an Emperor. Hsan had been forced to be an observer in everything, so he had to have despaired and lamented a lot. The sorrow and pain Hsan had been forced to endure were no doubt as deep as an ocean.
『Thank you.』 Hsan opened his eyes again and calmly gave his last farewell, disappearing into particles like Perkwunos.
That was only the beginning.
Paaah―!
Many Lee Chang-Suns quickly disintegrated like fireworks, and their particles scattered into whirlwinds.
Tap, tap―!
Chang-Sun landed on the ground and walked past where the other Lee Chang-Suns had been. The further he walked, the quicker the Lee Chang-Suns disintegrated. At the same time, all of their powers, thoughts, and memories piled up within Chang-Sun.
Among those Lee Chang-Suns was Bel-Marduk, who still had his cynical tone as he commented, 『You’ve come a long way.』
Looking at Bel-Marduk up and down, Chang-Sun burst into laughter. 『How is your work coming along?』
『It’s going okay, but it’s far from over.』 Bel-Marduk playfully bumped his fist against Chang-Sun’s chest. 『It’ll be your job from now on.』
『No, it’s something we should do together.』
『You won’t take sole responsibility until the end, huh? Hahahaha!』 Bel-Marduk disappeared into particles, along with his laughter.
Sean li Arcadia, the Heavenly Dragon Emperor, was soon standing where Bel-Marduk had been. He said, “I have a request.”
Chang-Sun nodded.
“Can you revive my world?” Sean asked. He was talking about Arcadia, his home in Worldline #802. The place had been destroyed by Tiamat the Beast, so Sean wished for it to be restored again.
“Both Ithaca and I have treasured memories in Arcadia. I won’t desert it.”
“Is that so? I’m glad to hear it.” Sean smiled in relief before he disappeared.
Each of the Lee Chang-Suns’ wishes, hopes, and lingering feelings entered Chang-Sun. Only two people were left in this ocean of unconsciousness in the end. Asclepius grinned at Chang-Sun, who came to a halt for the first time after seeing his [Gnostic Eyes].
The fact that Ascle had a set of [Gnostic Eyes] in contrast to Odin’s and his own had always bothered Chang-Sun, but he realized that Ascle had used an expedient to get his [Gnostic Eyes] and they could not be compared to the [Foretelling Eye] or the [Omniscient Eyes].
“You were still alive?” Chang-Sun tilted his head.
“Why? Did you want me to die?”
“A little,” Chang-Sun answered. He had thought that Ascle could have died together in the fall of the <Grand Heaven League>.
Ascle chuckled. “I never die even if I want to. All I have to do is shed my skin.”
‘Ophiuchus’ was a Celestial of medicine and had the Divine Rank of resurrection, so if he could not be killed, the only way to deal with Ascle was to absorb him. Chang-Sun found the word ‘resurrection’ to be preposterous at this point.
“But it looks like I’m done with that too. Who could have expected that I’d be the skin that would be shed?” Ascle laughed self-mockingly.
Chang-Sun reached out to Ascle, who did not resist. Ascle knew he would only lose pathetically if he put up a fight.
“I should have done things with more conviction if things were going to turn out this way,” Asclepius murmured incomprehensibly, scattering into particles.
“…So that was how it was.” Chang-Sun could tell what Ascle’s lingering feelings were about only after absorbing all his memories.
On the other hand, Chang-Sun also became able to understand Ascle’s madness, Bel-Marduk’s fear for Ascle, the reason behind the creation of <Horoscope>, and everything else. Thinking that solving this conundrum would take quite a while… Chang-Sun looked up.
In the ceiling of the empty space where only Chang-Sun was left, golden machine eyes appeared and looked at him.
Click, click, click―!
It was impossible to read the golden machine eyes. <Deus Ex Machina> seemed to be disapproving, and yet proud of Chang-Sun at the same time. Even though those eyes looked emotionless, Chang-Sun could still feel warmth in them. In some way, <Deus Ex Machina> looked as if he was welcoming Chang-Sun to his world, so Chang-Sun smiled at the golden machine eyes.
Paahhh!
The ocean of unconsciousness closed completely. By the time Chang-Sun opened his eyes again, he saw Odin staggering backward in dismay.
“I-Impossible…! How…!” Odin stuttered.
Odin could see through his [Foretelling Eye] that Chang-Sun’s nature had changed in a moment that was brief even by the standards of Celestials, who were not really affected by time. However, the change was not ordinary. All of Chang-Sun’s <Myths> had been reassembled, and his entire Divine Class had changed and become sturdier. With his upgraded Divine Class, Chang-Sun initiated one more change.
Wooshhhh.
Chang-Sun’s Inferno Sight blazed more fiercely than ever, and he used the secret knowledge he had learned by absorbing Asclepius. The moment Chang-Sun acquired one more [Foretelling Eye], he completed the [Omniscient Eyes].
Swish―!
Just then, the [Peter’s Key] inserted in Chang-Sun’s temple reached its limit and disappeared into dust. Chang-Sun realized that it was the final preparation Peter had made for him.
Right at that moment in the Great Universe, Lee Chang-Sun, who was becoming one and only being across infinite Worldlines, looked at Odin.
Oin instinctively realized that he would not be able to defeat Chang-Sun, filling him with terror. Even before Odin tried to run away in fear, Chang-Sun reached out to him and said, “Come back.”
