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When Balor initiated a battle using his poison eye and Chang-Sun counterattacked with his [Gnostic Eye], Chang-Sun analyzed Balor into letters and watched what he was seeing and feeling.

Thinking that Balor’s attempt would allow Chang-Sun to discover the secret of their soul, he let Balor sink deep into his subconscious, eventually learning that his subconscious realm was way deeper than he expected.

‘How is this possible?’

The depth of a soul depended on the karma that it piled up through samsara. In other words, it would weigh a lot only after going through samsara countless times and accumulating karma over and over again. However, the depth of Chang-Sun’s soul was so unfathomable that it was as if it had been around from the beginning.

‘I don’t think it’s just because I have the <First Star’s Fragment>.’

Odin, Balor, Tomte, Perkwunos… An ordinary soul couldn’t obtain a Divine Class no matter how many times they went through samsara, but he had done it and even been a top Celestial four times. Five if he counted himself. Judging from the surprising depth of his soul, that couldn’t just be a mere coincidence.

‘The being that Balor saw in the end… That was Hsan. He must have secrets of his own.’ Chang-Sun recalled the person who sent Ithaca back to him. ‘Mephistopheles said that he also doesn’t know who Hsan is exactly. All this time, I’ve been at a loss about how to contact him, but… I may have a way now.’

However, Chang-Sun didn’t act recklessly. Heading to the depths of his subconscious realm wasn’t an easy task, and there was no knowing how Hsan would react if he saw him. Even if that wasn’t the case, Balor’s end made it clear that exiting the area was impossible even if Chang-Sun should be able to.

It didn’t look like the right time to discuss it with someone, so he decided to keep what he discovered to himself for now and just focus on disintegrating Balor, who easily infiltrated his subconscious realm, into particles and making them his own.

Ding!

Ding!

[You have absorbed the karma of the ‘One-Eyed Magic Giant’ by dismantling his personality!]

[You have acquired the Authority ‘Magical Eye.’]

[You have acquired the Authority ‘Giant Strength.’]

…

[All the Authorities have become part of your ‘Gnostic Eye.’]

…

[You have absorbed the karma of the ‘Knife-Holding Maniac’ by dismantling his personality!]

[You have absorbed the karma of the ‘Magical Spearman’ by dismantling his personality!]

…

Considering Balor ate eighteen reincarnations, Chang-Sun disintegrated a total of nineteen. It made the Spiritual Color of ‘Divine Twilight’ more vivid. His Divine Class didn’t really increase, but he at least felt as if he could understand and control himself better now. Thinking that acquiring his past reincarnation’s karmas increased his dominance over his soul, he became certain.

‘I have to absorb all my past reincarnations to reach a higher level.’

Chang-Sun couldn’t say that his Divine Class was complete without complete dominance over his soul anyway. In other words…

Tap!

“He still got himself killed despite all my warnings.” Odin showed up. Clicking his tongue, he tapped the ground with his cane. “You look like you saw our soul’s covert aspect. Am I correct?”

Covert aspect. Odin seemed to be talking about Hsan, who was deep in the subconscious realm’s underground. Did that mean that someone other than Hsan was in the darkness? Since it looked like Odin already knew about it, Chang-Sun just nodded in silence.

“I knew it. I knew you would see the place someday. The other idiots are busy flaunting themselves, never getting to see that far because they delusionally think that their skills are the outcome of their sheer efforts.” Odin seemed quite delighted to meet someone who could see the world from a similar perspective as him. “You’re different, though. You kept fighting and achieved results on your own, so I have to hand it to you.”

“That’s why you have to cultivate yourself until you reach the highest place you can. At the end of it all…” Odin looked at Chang-Sun with his eye, smiling from ear to ear. “... the real owner of this soul should be decided, shouldn’t it? I think it’s going to be either me or you, though.”

He then mumbled incomprehensibly.

“That will be the actual beginning.”

‘Actual beginning?’

Chang-Sun was about to ask what Odin meant when the latter burst into laughter and vanished. What was Odin trying to do? Clicking his tongue, Chang-Sun thought Odin was still hiding his true intention. He knew he wouldn’t get any answer even if he pressed him, but he couldn’t just attack him either.

Just like Perkwunos, Odin was one of Chang-Sun’s strongest past reincarnations, so he still couldn’t fathom Odin’s full potential even after embracing the Incendiary Burial Whale. Fortunately, he didn’t need to put an end to him right now since he could just do that after taking care of <Purple Star Astrology> and <Horoscope>.

Chang-Sun held out his hand in the air. It was time to go back.

[‘Incendiary Burial Whale’ synchronization progress: 91%.]

The message window at Chang-Sun’s fingertips caught his attention, telling him that the Incendiary Burial Whale was already his.

“Come within.” Chang-Sun activated his [Wordwielding], turning all the linings into a whirlpool.

Craaaaack―!

Kiyaaaah! Kieeeeeh!

As Chang-Sun absorbed the linings, all the ghosts and past reincarnations near them were swept into him.

After a while, Chang-Sun opened his eyes.

Woosh!

* * *

“Qi Gong,” Suo Guan called. Qi Gong slowly turned to look at him.

Qi Gong’s eyes had been glued to Chang-Sun, who was taking over the Incendiary Burial Whale with his eyes closed.

‘He’s calm now,’ Suo Guan thought, realizing that Qi Gong had changed a lot.

How should he put this? Until several hours ago, Qi Gong seemed to be on edge and so frantic that he looked as if he was getting chased by something, making it difficult to approach him. Now that he was free from his sense of duty to follow their father’s footsteps, he looked gentle and seemed to be a lot more relaxed than before.

It was still hard to read what was going on in Chang-Sun’s head, and they actually still didn’t like him. Nevertheless, they couldn’t deny that Chang-Sun freed them. Suo Guan noticed that his voice wasn’t quivering anymore when he talked to Qi Gong, which meant that the fear he instinctively had of him had disappeared.

“Do you think Twilight can come back?” Suo Guan asked.

“Can? That is a stupid question.” It seemed Qi Gong’s sarcasm was still intact, though. “The possibility of him coming back doesn’t matter. He has to return so all our siblings will be safe.”

Suo Guan smiled awkwardly. Qi Gong thought of Chang-Sun as one of their siblings now.

“Why are you smiling?” Qi Gong asked sharply.

“I apologize if I upset you, but you used to hate Twilight more than anyone else. It felt awkward hearing you call him brother. ”

Qi Gong scoffed as if Suo Guan’s reaction was ludicrous, quickly turning his head to the side. Suo Guan didn’t miss the bridge of Qi Gong’s nose slightly reddening, though.

“I still hate him,” Qi Gong said. “No matter how much Twilight reflects on his mistakes, the fact that he left Father, hurt his heart, and put him in danger doesn’t change.”

“Then why…?”

“He’s still our brother.”

Qi Gong’s answer made Suo Guan’s eyes slightly widen, finding it surprising.

“It doesn’t matter if we hate or like each other. We’re brothers. Father embraced us with all his love as his children, so the fact that we’re brothers won’t change as long as Twilight acknowledges that he’s Father’s son.” Qi Gong took a deep breath. With a clear voice, he continued, “That’s why I won’t deny that he’s my brother anymore. I’ll stay by his side until the very end.”

Suo Guan nodded. Shi Lou and the other siblings quietly listening to their conversation had the same response.

‘Brother…’ Suo Guan still felt awkward to call Chang-Sun brother, but he should get used to it now. ‘Come to think of it, he really did resemble Father at the time.’

When everyone wallowed in fear, thinking their end had come, Chang-Sun came forward and said that he would take care of the problem somehow, which made them oddly see the Emperor’s Seat from him.

‘... Maybe you adored Twilight because you saw yourself in him, Father.’

Suo Gua and Qi Gong thought that perhaps they hated Chang-Sun because they envied him for taking after their father and were jealous because he had qualities that they didn’t.

‘I hope he returns safely’ Suo Guan looked at Chang-Sun in anxiety.

Following Qi Gong’s order, Suo Guan gave up on escaping, so their fates would depend on Chang-Sun’s success. After some time…

[The owner of the Anomaly ‘Incendiary Burial Whale’ has changed!]

[The detonation command has been canceled.]

Suo Guan and all the other siblings simultaneously looked in the air.

Thump!

Qi Gong sprang to his feet, slamming his armrest. Feeling his heart racing, he clenched his fists.

[The Anomaly ‘Incendiary Burial Whale’ is transforming!]

Crraaaack―!

Both their vacation home and the Incendiary Burial Whale started to change. The linings were reinforced, and the ghosts crawling all over them were sucked into Chang-sun, replaced by his <Darkness> and supreme sacred light. The destroyed parts were slowly restored but also bizarrely changed.

[Building ‘Naglfar.’]

[Please wait until the transformation is complete.]

[Transformation progress: 1%, 2%… 7%….]

A ghost ship. Suo Guan thought that the new Incendiary Burial Whale looked like a ship crossing a vast ocean. Unlike the <Troop>, which only used the Anomaly as a fortress and never dared try controlling it, Chang-Sun had the entire Anomaly under his control now.

Soon after, Chang-Sun opened his eyes. Although he looked as if nothing much changed about him, ghosts now circled him, making it harder to approach him. Once again, his siblings saw the Emperor’s Seat in him.

“…”

“…”

Chang-Sun and Qi Gong locked their eyes in the air.

“And your promise?” Chang-Sun asked.

Qi Gong nodded. “As our new father and brother desire, I will uphold it.”

Qi Gong fell to one knee and bowed. Suo Guan, Shi Lou, and the other siblings hurriedly prostrate themselves as well.

<Muspelheim> had subjugated the <Troop>.