Chapter 140 : Chapter 140

Chapter 140 : World of Recurrence (6)

The village chief looked completely different from when I had seen him before.

His stooped back was ramrod straight and instead of the stained clothes he had worn, he was dressed in a neat, black formal attire.

What was peculiar was that he held a red jewel, the size of a fist, in his hand.

The chief noticed that I was looking at the jewel.

“Ah, are you curious about what this is? We call this thing "I'm holding a signet.”

“We? Is there another group helping you?”

“No, I mean the people of my family. We have been waiting for the right time, holding this signet for a very long time.”

“Is the time you speak of when this red thread acts up?”

The village chief nodded.

I had expected the chief to come.

I thought he would appear like a pompous villain, but his attitude was surprisingly compliant.

Rather, because of that, I was also flustered for a moment, and then the red thread began to stir.

– Kehahaha! My servant has come. Quickly, quickly hand over the signet!

The chief and I looked at the signet at the same time.

The chief did not follow the red thread’s words and continued to speak to me.

“Honestly, I didn't think you would really cross this forest without the signet. It seems you're not called a hero for nothing.”

But I couldn't show him any good feelings.

“I’m not playing the hero to be used by people like you.”

“Hahaha.”

The village chief laughed heartily.

But for some reason, a sense of loneliness was embedded in his laughter.

“I’m sorry. This has been a long-cherished wish of my family.”

I gritted my teeth.

Because many people had been sacrificed for that family’s cherished wish.

“The strong, like you and your companions, do not know.”

“What are you trying to say?”

“The strong do not know the heart of the weak. Sometimes you might help the weak as if doing a favor, like you do. But the reason you help the weak isn't out of pure justice, is it?”

I didn't answer.

I didn't think the chief’s words were wrong.

There was a reason for Adjak’s good deeds and for my own.

To raise my profile and gather an expedition team to join me, that was certainly my goal.

But I didn't think the chief’s words were unconditionally right either. I wasn't going through all this trouble just for self-satisfaction.

“I don't think that's wrong either. At least it’s much better than those who just show off their power.”

“So, what are you trying to say?”

“Do you think the weak have no dreams? Even the weak dreams that have been passed down for hundreds, even thousands of years.”

The chief was calm.

Even though the moment he had long dreamed of was coming true, he was neither moved nor agitated.

“Our family has served a god for a very long time. We have lived here, preserving his legacy for generations. Mervis is also a village that was formed as people gathered where our family settled.”

“…….”

“We have stayed here for countless years to fulfill a wish we didn't know would be granted. Near a forest where crops don’t grow well and ghosts appear.”

Surprisingly, the chief’s words were captivating.

I, too, found myself just listening to the chief’s calm confession, and so did my companions.

“Today, we can break free from this cycle. Our family’s long-cherished wish has finally been fulfilled. What truly makes me happy is that at least my son won’t have to dream the same dream as me.”

The chief chuckled once more.

He was smiling brightly, but tears were streaming down from his eyes.

‘I can understand the chief’s feelings. But that doesn’t justify the evil deeds they’ve committed.’

Come to me with the signet! I am the only one in this world who knows your sorrow. I will make you the king of this world!

Even in the midst of that, the red thread shook violently and spoke.

I am the only god who has manifested in this world. Now, you shall inherit that position!

The red thread’s voice seemed full of greed, but strangely, it had a persuasive power that made it feel as if everything would be resolved if I just followed its words.

‘It’s deception.’

I quickly came to my senses.

I recalled the red thread’s true identity again.

He is the God of Deception.

I also clearly remembered the influence the God of Deception had on Adjak and his companions.

It constantly gave them mental debuffs, urging them to give up.

I looked at the chief with concern.

The target of the red thread's words was not me.

Even I was shaken by its words, so how much must the heart of the unarmed chief be swaying.

“I did not come to offer you the jewel.”

However, the chief spoke with force in his voice.

Even though it was the moment his family’s long-held wish was being fulfilled, he didn't seem to have any intention of handing over the signet meekly.

He shouted as if in great anger.

“You should be absorbed by the signet yourself.”

– If I do that, I won't be able to use even half of my power. Hurry and bring the jewel into the tombstone of death. You can be reborn as a completely new person!

“You truly are an evil god. After coveting so many lives, do you now want my life as well?”

The chief snapped coldly.

But contrary to his words, he began to stagger towards the tombstone.

I looked at him with puzzled eyes.

A red energy was surging in the chief’s eyes.

Against his will, he had been completely deceived.

I grabbed the chief’s arm.

Still, the chief tried to keep moving forward.

Because I was holding him tight, he couldn't move forward and flopped onto the ground.

Even so, without stopping, the chief tried to crawl towards the tombstone.

“If I put an end to that evil god, will you stop the war?”

Instead of an answer, the chief glared at me with red eyes.

But as if trying to resist the terrible mental deception, his body trembled, and the chief barely managed to nod.

A very ordinary, weak person had overcome the evil god’s deception, even if just for a moment.

Snatch.

I snatched the signet from the chief.

An ominous energy billowed from the red jewel.

As the chief lost the signet, the red light disappeared from his eyes and he collapsed on the spot.

Seeing him breathing softly, he wasn't dead, but it seemed he had overexerted himself resisting the deception.

“There’s not a single truth in your words. You said nothing would happen if we entered the tombstone of death without the signet.”

– Normally, it would be useless. But if it’s you guys…….

“If we enter, could it lead to a different result?”

– Kehaha, if someone with a status like yours sacrificed their life, what does a signet matter?

My companions looked at me worriedly as I conversed with the deception.

But having gone through the third trial, their faith in me was stronger than before, and they did not stop me.

In any case, we would have to sacrifice our lives even with the signet.

That greedy ancient god would never enter the signet on its own.

‘So it was a matter of status in the end.’

“What if the status of the one who touches the tombstone is too high for you to handle?”

– A status too high for me to handle? Do you think such a thing exists? I am a god! A god!

Only then did a way to reach a different conclusion than Adjak come to mind.

At that time, Adjak and his companions did not have the signet.

It was because they hadn't made a promise with the chief like now.

But in the end, Adjak’s party overcame the trial.

Adjak and his companions believed it was because Pieto had sacrificed his life.

But what if Pieto had sacrificed his life because his status wasn’t high enough to overcome the God of Deception yet?

‘If my status is higher than the God of Deception, everything will be resolved.’

This was a possibility I could deduce from Pieto’s sacrifice. His sacrifice was not meaningless.

‘……I have to solve this.’

I called Keldric.

“Brother, please take good care of the chief.”

“Okay.”

Keldric also seemed to have noticed what I was about to do.

“Do well.”

“Of course, don’t worry too much. I’ll be out soon.”

I exchanged glances with Everchen and Bea as well.

They knew what I was going to do, yet they didn't stop me.

Instead, they showed strong faith.

I walked towards the tombstone of death, gripping the signet tightly.

And I placed my empty hand on the tombstone.

– Kehahaha!

The loud laughter of the red thread echoed in my ears.

***

A space of nothingness, where nothing existed.

I was standing in the middle of the space.

No, I was floating.

It felt as if I had been dropped alone in the middle of a starless universe.

Not knowing what would happen, I waited, contemplating the darkness.

But nothing happened.

Only time flowed endlessly.

I clenched and unclenched my fist.

My five senses were intact, and I could move, but there were no other stimuli besides myself.

I decided not to waste this time either.

I tried out the Tunes that Adjak possessed and also performed swordsmanship with this body.

Only when I moved my body did my distracting thoughts disappear.

Through the second trial, the duel with the wooden doll, I had engraved in my mind the movements of how Adjak had fought.

In the infinite time, I strived to reproduce Adjak’s movements.

How long has it been?

Since there was nothing, I had no concept of time.

When I stopped moving, I felt a creeping fear.

When fear crept in, I thought of my companions’ faces.

Just being aware that I had companions who believed in me made my heart feel more at ease than before.

Pieto must have entered this space as well.

Did he suffer a similar ordeal as me?

How did Pieto endure it here?

What I knew was that Pieto, who had disappeared after touching the tombstone, came out of it shriveled like a mummy.

– Don’t be sad, Adjak. This happened because I was lacking. I could have overcome it…….

Until his last moment, Pieto did not resent anyone.

He just continued his last words, hoping Adjak wouldn't blame himself.

– Adjak, you must conquer Myeolji……. I know you can do it.

Those were Pieto’s last words.

Adjak was enraged and never used the red jewel obtained through Pieto’s self-sacrifice again.

I thought about Pieto’s words, ‘This happened because I was lacking,’ and about the status the red thread had mentioned.

If I was not lacking, I was confident I could overcome it.

So I continued to swing the sword with Adjak’s body.

I waited for the moment when whatever had withered Pieto would come for me too.

And in the space of nothingness where only I existed, I felt the presence of another.

Piching──!

A single red thread flew swiftly and wrapped around my right arm.

The thread swelled up, devouring the mana in my body.

Soon, more threads flew towards me.

It was the moment I had been waiting for.

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