Chapter 339 - Extra Chapter 1 – VIP Member Information Viewing (3)
The world where the special race Setula lived (their expression, as this wasn’t their home) turned out to be the land of Undon. It was neither Earth nor heaven nor hell, which meant the laws that made up the world were different from any other world that Kang Shin-hyuk knew. If he hadn’t become transcendent, he might’ve lost his ego and decomposed the moment he entered that world, but his power was already at the level it could twist the providence of a world, so he could adapt and endure it without difficulty. In that world where the top couldn’t be separate from the bottom nor front from back, he first had to firmly recognize himself as separate from others and create his own domain to make general actions possible.
“I didn’t know it would be so different from other worlds.”
“Grandpa, can you see my face properly?”
“Yes.”
“Wow, this is the first time an outsider has gotten a hold of their senses so quickly. It’s not easy even for transcendent people.”
From a distance, the world appeared as a huge disc, and everything on it appeared as small sparkling dots. Any person who couldn’t firmly establish themselves would only judge things by their total amount of energy. No, Kang Shin-hyuk was also aware of everything according to his own standards, so he couldn’t guarantee that it was actually the way it was. The most important thing there was a flow of energy and causality. Since Kang Shin-hyuk was well versed in both, he was able to regain his composure quickly.
“Then, take my hand and go there...”
“Huh, Loki?”
“Wow, Anvil’s coming.”
However, the moment Kang Shin-hyuk tried to step forward with Shu hand in hand, Loki appeared before his eyes. He was able to transform himself freely, but now he was in the form of a dark-eyed man with red hair in his mid-to-late twenties, as he met during the previous dimension quest.
“Oh, really?”
“Loki, why are you here?”
“I’m wandering here and there, you know.”
“Huh?”
They had collided with each other before, so while they exchanged greetings in embarrassment, Shu suddenly intervened with her eyes twinkling.
“Ah, it looks like my parents had it. Right?”
“Wow.”
Her gaze was on a black metal choker on his neck. Loki confirmed it with a nod.
“Because I was aching a little too much.”
“But how’d you get in? The door is open now.”
Kang Shin-hyuk was also curious about that. He heard that the door to Undon didn’t open at any time. However, Loki had a truly mysterious skill.
“There’s no way to enter a closed world without going through such a gate. Of course, I didn’t intend to find this place, but I have to say I was lucky.”
“Isn’t that bad luck, looking at the results now?”
“What is it? Even after doing this, I couldn’t get what I wanted...”
Loki nodded with a bitter smile. Looking at it, had something similar happened in the dimensional quest with Loki before? He had been wandering in search of something, but he couldn’t achieve it due to the turmoil that occurred in that dimension.
“...Well, let’s go anyway.”
Kang Shin-hyuk, suddenly remembering the trip they were on, looked away from Loki. Suddenly, a wand with a sharp tip, created in one hand, pointed to a small path in front of them.
“Come on... Oh, did your parents tell you to wait for us?”
“Ah.”
Loki guided them down the road, humming in a language that Kang Shin-hyuk couldn’t understand. The road before them was gradually changing, from a narrow street to a wide road. It felt like the energy was similar to the ability Shu dealt with, which was different from magical and spiritual power, and it became denser as they progressed.
“I guess mom and dad are together.”
“It’s tiring energy.”
We were originally living in an area unaffected by Gaia, grandfather. Do you understand that now?”
Looking at it, Shu never trusted Gaia the first time they met. A race with such power would’ve fully been aware of the Gaia system’s purpose and would’ve naturally not believed it.
“I’m getting stronger.”
“Looks like you’re actively welcomed. We need to walk for another twenty minutes.”
In a world where distance and time didn’t make much sense, what they were doing now was the preliminary work to stepping into another’s realm. It was like knocking on a door and waiting for a response. However, as Shu said it wouldn’t end quickly, he decided to get rid of the troubles on his mind.
“Loki.”
“Huh?”
That was an honest conversation with Loki.
“What the hell are you searching for?”
“...”
Kang Shin-hyuk thought that Loki’s unprecedented wandering was out of faith to his mission, given his initial hostility under Gaia, but it wasn’t. It wasn’t his will that he had moved according to Gaia’s will; he was mostly purely moving according to his purpose. So, was it the result of hostility towards Gaia, like Janus? That said, it wouldn’t explain why he wandered until Gaia died and the entire universe regained order. Particularly, the fact he had stopped in the same world now meant he had a clear meaning.
“Hmm...”
He didn’t expect it to be something that was easily said. If that were the case, he would’ve already told him. However, Loki couldn’t come out strongly, so he nodded after counting the number of steps left to where Shu’s parents awaited them.
“Didn’t I say I was a dragon last time?”
“Janus did.”
“Janus... Janus was the butcher who killed all the dragons other than me, and I was the last one left.”
“Ah.”
“Yes.”
Shu hung onto Kang Shin-hyuk’s arm and her ears raised in interest. Loki might’ve thrown her out to talk with him alone, but now he recognized her as Shin-hyuk’s woman, so he gave up on that idea and continued talking.
“The reason why Janus and I used the Chiral was actually that Gaia attacked us when he lost our strength fighting each other.”
“Well, she did such a cowardly thing.”
“Right. She had such a first impression, and her presence changed every time.”
At that time of the decisive battle, everyone seemed to know.
“So Loki, why did Janus try to cut you down? Because she’s crazy?”
“Ah, it’s true Janus is crazy, but there were the sins of our people.”
Kang Shin-hyuk decided to remember what he said about Janus.
“Dragons are lost and perfect beings. But that’s why I said too much. To be precise, I think they were trying to realize what Gaia was trying to do on a smaller scale.”
“Ruling all worlds?”
“Similar. But unfortunately, they collided with Janus, the strongest of the transcendentals from a pure human species.”
Janus had cut down many dragons and raised herself. Meanwhile, Loki inherited the power of those dragon spirits and gained the power to fight Janus. The two collided, destroying several worlds in the process, and were defeated by Gaia when they were weakened.
‘It’s a bit different from Janus’s story of him running away and turning into a human... Well, both have probably adapted their memories in a way that favored them.’
That’s how memories often worked. Unless there was a record, all memories were exaggerated to become more glamorous when you looked back. So, in reality, it was probably true Loki abandoned a dragon’s body to avoid Janus’s blade, but it was also true that his power was enough to threaten Janus. And Gaia beating them both by surprise was an unfavorable memory for both of them.
“So? How does it relate to your purpose?”
“I mean, Anvil... Since then, I’ve been looking for a newborn dragon.”
“Ha.”
It was obvious but also the clearest purpose. There were many monsters that fell under that classification, but perhaps the dragon he referred to wasn’t such a beast.
“I think it’s my mission to find them, take care of them, and guide them.”
“So you came here?”
“I’ve looked through countless worlds, so I’ve no choice but to look through the remote ones. And, these people’s abilities and traits...”
“Ah, we’ve arrived.”
Everyone stopped walking; a huge building appearing in front of them with an open door. Kang Shin-hyuk immediately grasped the existence of the two people before them and admired the tremendous ability they possessed. He had known it coming into this world, but they were transcendentals among the transcendent. However, they looked younger than Shu.
[It’s surprising to see it in person.]
However, it seemed they were also surprised by Shu.
[The warped causality and accumulated price aren’t small, but that is rather absurd. This is a pass without even needing to undergo an examination from us.]
“I told you!”
Kang Shin-hyuk immediately wanted to turn away as he grasped what test they had passed.
[Please wait, young transcendental. There’s no need to think so urgently about work. You and our daughter, Orchiena, will live for infinity in the future. The fates of the two who now seem as parallel lines will someday cross.]
A man who resembled Shu stepped forward and said that. Kang Shin-hyuk wanted to go back home as he thought of all the women he was connected to. However, the girl who read the rejection on his face — no, Shu’s mother spoke quickly.
[You’re the one who’s acting urgently. You said it was Anvil, right? Please come in first. I’ll guide you. I’ve something to ask of you.]
Perhaps this world wasn’t so complicated after all.
“...I came to do that from the start. Then, let’s go in.”
“Hey, grandfather...!”
“It’s not what you think, okay?”
“Ah.”
Kang Shin-hyuk sighed and moved forward with Shu, and Loki stayed a step behind.
“Let’s take a look before that. Tell me how to meet the dragon. If not, can you guide me back to the days of dragons?”
[Hmm.]
Shu’s parents looked back at Loki. The father, Ani Shu, glanced at Kang Shin-hyuk.
[As we said before, we don’t have that way. I can’t figure out why you cling to us, leaving much clearer possibilities in front of you.]
“...Huh?”
“Huh?”
Shortly as the two let out those blank noises, Loki looked at Kang Shin-hyuk.
[But, please resolve it after our business is over.]
“No, sir!”
Kang Shin-hyuk and the others disappeared as if they were sucked into the building. The door closed in front of Loki’s eyes.