'Great Mountain Supreme Deity...'
Oh Hyun-seok still vividly remembers that day.
After all, Oh Hyun-seok was once a part of the Wuji Religious Order.
They were those he became close with, and people who followed him.
The memory of those people from the Wuji Religious Order being torn apart like bugs at the will of the Great Mountain Supreme Deity is a memory that he still cannot forget.
It may not compare to the pain of Seo Eun-hyun, who was the actual protector and ruler of the Wuji Religious Order...
But the pain Oh Hyun-seok felt on that day is by no means something he could ever ignore.
However, while Seo Eun-hyun carried that pain and suffering and swore vengeance on the Great Mountain Supreme Deity, Oh Hyun-seok is different.
'The Great Mountain Supreme Deity...cannot be defeated...'
What remains more strongly in Oh Hyun-seok's mind than the slaughtered members of the Wuji Religious Order is the Corpse Mountain Blood Sea of the Great Mountain Supreme Deity.
The colossal mountain of darkness made of countless corpses!
That oppressive mountain, that seems to crush the universe itself, suffocates him just by recalling it.
Even after becoming a Heaven-Earth Dual Cultivation Great Net Immortal, it remains the same.
He still cannot say with confidence that he would be able to win, even when fighting only the projection of the Great Mountain Supreme Deity that was at most at the Great Net Immortal level at the time.
'No...I can't...'
Oh Hyun-seok collapses on the spot.
"Is there...no other way...?"
[If this were not within Sumeru Mountain, I could have given you the names of divine ranks I know from other dimensions and maybe mediated to receive some of their help. But inside Sumeru Mountain, even that is impossible. Right now, that is the only method available to you.]
"..."
[If you were at least someone like Seo Eun-hyun, there would be many more methods to attempt, but for you as you are now, that method is the best option.]
Oh Hyun-seok clenches his teeth.
The gaze of the Great Mountain Supreme Deity rises in his mind.
That cold gaze with which the Great Mountain Supreme Deity looked down on Seo Eun-hyun and the others as if they were nothing but bugs!
'I can't...I can't stand against him...'
In fact, if it were the weaker Oh Hyun-seok,
If it were Oh Hyun-seok during his mortal being days, before becoming Hyeon Rang's disciple...
Maybe he would've stepped up with courage.
But now, as a Heaven-Earth Dual Cultivation Great Net Immortal, he cannot face the Great Mountain Supreme Deity.
Because he can feel the presence of that being more vividly than when he was a mere mortal being.
"If, if that's the best option...is there not a second-best, some kind of alternative?"
[The only alternative I can recommend for your current self is to wait in this space for eternal time and hope that Seo Eun-hyun comes to save you. If it is someone with a mentality like him, he will probably come save you someday.]
"Someday..."
[If you are too afraid to go seek out the Great Mountain Supreme Deity and venture forth, then sit here and pray to Seo Eun-hyun. Perhaps someday he will really find you. Of course, he might not be able to recover your name that was stolen by Hyeon Rang...]
"Pardon? What do you mean by that?"
[If Hyeon Rang buries your name deep within the Head Realm, then aside from the Future King, there is no one in the current Mount Sumeru who can retrieve it.]
"...!"
Oh Hyun-seok grits his teeth at those words.
"...Could you perhaps...show me what Seo Eun-hyun and the others are doing right now?"
[Are you asking me to show you the current battle situation between Hyeon Rang and your comrades? Understood.]
Woo-wooong!
Moments later, a massive screen appears in the space of nothingness.
On the screen, a mountain divine spirit clad in a white round collar robe has arrived at the Palace of Radiance Hall in the Heavenly King Heavenly Domain, shown conversing with the Radiance Eight Immortals.
[Mountain Divine Spirit, what brings you here?]
The Radiance Eight Immortals are wary of Seo Eun-hyun, yet they still conjure a nebula-like throne and offer him a seat as they converse.
[I've come to propose an alliance.]
And Seo Eun-hyun extends his hand to Radiance Hall.
[You too, though in appearances only, are beings who use the title of Supreme Deity. The memories of different timelines felt from the Origin Essence of Radiance are probably beginning to return.]
[...]
[I believe you are now also beginning to recall the previous timeline. And as so...you will find it difficult to tolerate the atrocities Hyeon Rang committed in that previous timeline.]
[That is none of your concern.]
[I know full well that you are the type who would even join hands with a mountain spirit if it serves your goals. That much is clear just by seeing your secret pact with my Senior Brother.]
[...]
[If Hyeon Rang is left alone, he will become an uncontrollable variable. Just like us Enders. You Radiance Supreme Deities do not wish for that either...So, in a strategy of poison against poison, join forces with us and confront Hyeon Rang. It is a chance to cut down our strength without worrying about the Underworld, and an opportunity to subdue the troublesome Hyeon Rang.]
At Seo Eun-hyun's proposal, the Radiance Eight Immortals seem to exchange opinions among themselves, and then the Rain Dew Heavenly Lord speaks.
[There is something I find strange. The reason Hyeon Rang is able to suppress the Radiance Eight Immortals is due to the Heavenly Void Furnace in the Head Realm. To control the Head Realm, we embedded the Heavenly Void Furnace into the Head Realm, and to control the Head Realm, we bound a great portion of the Origin Essence of Radiance to the Heavenly Void Furnace.]
[Rain Dew!]
[It does not matter, Great Forest. If they received the protection of the Underworld, it is a truth they would learn eventually anyway... We, whose Origin Essence of Radiance is bound, cannot resist if Hyeon Rang uses his authority as the rightful heir of the Head Realm to control the Heavenly Void Furnace there. It is not a matter of strength but a difference in compatibility... But regardless, it is true that to overcome that incompatibility, we need external help. But what about you?]
At the Rain Dew Heavenly Lord's question, Seo Eun-hyun taps the armrest of the nebula throne with his finger and speaks.
[What are you referring to?]
[O Immortal Beast King who is an Ender, you lack neither strength nor authority. If it is someone like you, alongside those Heavenly Kings with special authorities, you could have already subdued a mere Hyeon Rang. Yet why have you not done so, and instead extend your hand to us?]
[...Getting rid of Hyeon Rang with my own hands is not what's important... It is about needing the being who will personally defeat Hyeon Rang.]
[Who is this being?]
[One of my comrades. A being among the Enders you also know. ■■■. The one who entered as a disciple under the Naming Supreme Deity Hyeon Rang!]
At those words, many of the Heavenly Lords, including Great Forest and Rain Dew, show confusion.
[...Seeing that I cannot quite remember, he probably suffered from Hyeon Rang.]
[Still, it is strange. An Ender...and one who is sought after to such an extent by an Ender who reached Immortal Beast King is surely a powerful being. If such an Ender has been erased from our memories, there should be some dissonance...]
[There is no dissonance. How can that be...? Are you saying that such a powerful Ender had no presence even before his name was erased...?]
At that moment, when the Radiance Eight Immortals are feeling a strange sense of incongruity about Oh Hyun-seok's presence—
Seo Eun-hyun calmly begins to explain.
[That is precisely the terror of the current Naming Supreme Deity. He steals a name so naturally that there is not even a trace of a backlash. He has currently awakened into something incomprehensible, probably something terrifying related to the Head Realm. To confront such a being means unavoidably suffering immense loss.
[Therefore...there is but only one way to face him and minimize damage. ■■■, who became his direct disciple, must clash with Hyeon Rang and awaken the heart of the 'original Hyeon Rang' that still remains. If that happens, surely...Hyeon Rang will be weakened by the internal conflict of the heart, and he will weaken again to a level within the range of our understanding.]
[So you are saying that through ■■■, you intend to revive Hyeon Rang's old personality and pit it against his current personality, creating a personality split and weakening him through it? Not a bad plan.]
[It's more about the heart than the personality...but sure, let's leave it at that.]
However, at Seo Eun-hyun's words, the Great Forest Heavenly Lord lets out a snort and speaks.
[Torch Candle, administrator of the Heavenly Void Furnace. Tell the Mountain Divine Spirit.]
At the Great Forest Heavenly Lord's words, the Torch Candle Heavenly Lord steps forward and raises something above their hand.
What appears are faint, misty clumps.
Everyone who sees those clusters can tell they are masses of immense wisdom.
Seo Eun-hyun seems to realize something and questions the Torch Candle Heavenly Lord.
[Is it Omniscience?]
[It is the Akashic Records. As the Immortal Beast King, you would probably know it best. Look.]
Tsuaaaah!
Oh Hyun-seok trembles as he watches the scene beyond the screen.
The pale, misty clusters are observing everything within Mount Sumeru, recording information in real time. Inside them are seven faint colors of light.
They appear to be light clusters recording the information of the Enders.
However, one of the seven light clusters is growing increasingly faint and is gradually vanishing in real time.
[■■■'s presence is disappearing. The Akashic Records have determined that ■■■ is as good as non-existent! Even if one loses their name, if they are a being who accomplished great feats, their presence would be strong and hence be recorded in the Akashic Records for a long time... But this?
[No matter how powerful he might have been, he must have been a being who never established any great feats. The moment his name was taken, he is now nearly on the verge of erasure! At this rate, even if you kill Hyeon Rang, you might not be able to retrieve his name!]
Kugung!
At the shocking mention from the Torch Candle Heavenly Lord, Oh Hyun-seok can't help but flinch in surprise.
Though he heard to a certain extent from Silver Basket, he didn't know that aside from being buried in the Head Realm, one could also vanish like this from having failed to establish feats.
He grits his teeth, so shocked he can't even properly hear the following conversation between Seo Eun-hyun and the Radiance Eight Immortals.
'Is it truly...a matter of choosing between two paths...?'
Oh Hyun-seok clutches his head and collapses to the ground.
'What am I supposed to do...? Just what can I do so...'
Just then,
After several exchanges between Seo Eun-hyun and the Radiance Eight Immortals beyond the screen, Seo Eun-hyun speaks as if he's made a certain decision.
[...By now, I believe we have sufficiently explained our position. ■■■ can certainly be saved, and only ■■■ can drag down Hyeon Rang from a being we cannot comprehend, to a being we can. So, will you accept our alliance proposal?]
[...Very well. We accept.]
The Radiance Eight Immortals also nod toward Seo Eun-hyun, seemingly having concluded their internal communication.
[But we have a condition.]
[What is it?]
[As you are now, you reached the realm Immortal Beast King, are a Great Net Immortal, and even possess Governing Immortal-level martial power. You are an existence beyond standard measure...a dangerous being. Furthermore, we cannot fully remember this strange divergence of timeline. Since it is presumed that you are the one who caused this timeline divergence, we have no way of knowing what tricks you might attempt. Therefore, we must have a means of controlling you in order to trust you.]
At the Great Forest Heavenly Lord's words, Seo Eun-hyun's eyes gleam as he asks.
[What do you propose?]
[That is...]
[Split your Nascent Soul in half.]
The Sword Spear Heavenly Lord speaks.
[If it is me, even if Seo Eun-hyun tries to betray us, as long as I hold half of his Nascent Soul, I can counterattack in an emergency. I will hold his split Nascent Soul. Even if he causes a divergence in the timeline, the Radiance Supreme Deity is now also aware of the divergence, so what has been exchanged with us cannot easily be reclaimed. Therefore, if I personally hold half of his Nascent Soul, we can be freed from most worries of betrayal.]
[I see, Sword Spear. With the Vestige of Seo Eun-hyun you possess and half of his Nascent Soul, you can indeed sufficiently control him. So that is why you kept that Vestige—for a time like this, huh, Sword Spear!]
At the Sword Spear Heavenly Lord's words, the Great Forest Heavenly Lord laughs heartily and praises them, while Seo Eun-hyun silently gazes at the Radiance Eight Immortals.
Not long after, Seo Eun-hyun thrusts his hand into his own chest without hesitation and pulls out a blazing mass of light.
Kurururururu!
That searing cluster of Glass True Fire is half of Seo Eun-hyun's Nascent Soul.
[Take it. If it means forming an alliance with you, this much is a small price...]
The Sword Spear Heavenly Lord sharply snatches Seo Eun-hyun's half-Nascent Soul and takes it within their body, and Oh Hyun-seok's pupils tremble at the sight.
'Seo Eun-hyun...why...!?'
Even the Great Forest Heavenly Lord seems taken aback at the bold move and glares at him.
[What is this? Why would you so willingly hand over your Nascent Soul that is no different from your lifeline to us?]
'Why... Why would you so willingly give your lifeline to the enemy?'
Seo Eun-hyun simply rises from his seat and speaks quietly.
[Because I trust my friend.]
Kururung—
At those words, Oh Hyun-seok feels as though thunder has struck his mind.
"...Seo Eun-hyun..."
Suddenly, he feels ashamed of himself.
Even though Seo Eun-hyun has forgotten his name, he still trusts him.
Though he must be on the verge of completely forgetting the name Oh Hyun-seok due to Hyeon Rang's authority, Seo Eun-hyun still continues to firmly believe in him.
Oh Hyun-seok grits his teeth and slams the ground.
Kwaaaang!
At Oh Hyun-seok's punch, the colorless space vibrates with a hum.
"Damn it...!"
He's furious.
Seo Eun-hyun, who trusted and followed him, and always guided them while moving ahead—still believes in him even now.
And yet, Oh Hyun-seok is still trembling in place from fear of the Great Mountain Supreme Deity.
'You called me your friend...! And yet, what the hell am I doing here right now...!?'
"...O Silver Basket..."
[Have you made up your mind?]
"...To be honest, I am still afraid. I still remember the terrifying authority of the Great Mountain Supreme Deity. But..."
He recalls the foolish heart of his younger days.
He remembers the reckless courage that once made him charge at the Great Mountain Supreme Deity while full of rage.
"Still...I must move forward now. Because...there is someone who believes in me."
There was always someone who believed in him.
Oh Hyun-seok's wife.
His daughter in Penglai Island.
And yet Oh Hyun-seok failed to protect them both.
But precisely because he failed to protect anything, now is the time he must protect.
"I have no confidence in defeating the Great Mountain Supreme Deity! Please make me able to defeat him!"
[Even if you offer the worth of the tale you gave me and your Absolute in full, it would barely reach the point of being on the verge of defeating the current Ra Cheon. You cannot win. Ask for something proper.]
"...Then, the plan to steal his Origin Essence, escape from his belly, return again, and face Master... Please give me the method to make all of that succeed."
[If it is only that much...]
Tststststs—
Silver Basket's size shrinks.
Soon, the silver sphere returns entirely to its original form.
[I have granted it. Receive my wisdom and secret strategy, and complete your task. I shall bless you...]
"...Thank you, O Silver Basket."
Tsuaaaah!
As he reads Silver Basket's wisdom, Oh Hyun-seok gradually feels the world of nothingness blur, and senses himself returning to within Hyeon Rang's body.
It is then.
'Wait, this wisdom...'
[The worth of the tale you gave me was slightly lacking. So I have taken something else from you as payment.]
"...!? What did—"
[Your fortune (福). Fortune is the finest resource in Mount Sumeru. I have taken part of your fortune, and bestowed misfortune (厄) upon you.]
At Silver Basket's words, Oh Hyun-seok gradually drifts away, gazing back at Silver Basket.
[But as it is not the fortune and virtue of Mount Sumeru, until the day you face the Future King, you shall not feel any lack in this world.]
'Not the fortune and virtue of Mount Sumeru...?'
[What I have taken from you is the Fortune of Peace. Through you as the medium, I have taken the Fortune of Peace from your home dimension. From now on, your homeland will be engulfed in great chaos and be met with calamity.]
'Earth...!?'
Only now does Oh Hyun-seok fully realize once more that the being he made a deal with is by no means a benevolent one, but a transcendent existence.
He contemplates whether he should swear at the vanishing being before his eyes or simply offer a silent curse.
But before long, Oh Hyun-seok steadies his heart and bows his head toward Silver Basket.
"Thank you."
[Hoh...? O mortal being, why do you thank me?]
"Because...even if you have scattered disaster upon my world...I will one day stop it. Therefore, regardless of the calamity, I thank you purely for the solution you have given me in this current situation."
[How naive. Do you truly believe you can return to your homeland?]
"I will return."
At Oh Hyun-seok's continuing words, Silver Basket—who had seemed to mock him—falls silent.
"Because my family is still there. If it is to protect my family, I will return no matter what!"
With the price of his tale fully paid, Oh Hyun-seok is completely expelled from Silver Basket's world with a bright smile.
For a while, Silver Basket watches in silence as Oh Hyun-seok vanishes from the world of nothingness.
Then, within the nothingness, Silver Basket lets out a faint laugh.
[I thought you were nothing more than a crumble of dust, but it seems you are at least a soil capable of sprouting a [sprout].]
Having truly transcended both past and future, Silver Basket gazes toward a certain dimension that exists in a distant future.
[O those who carry the sprout of the Creator God. I pray...]
Silver Basket's gaze, surpassing the future, arrives at Oh Hyun-seok's home dimension—
The dimension where Earth exists.
[You reach higher than hope itself...]
In a point far into the future,
The universe that holds Earth is being shattered and scattered dimensionally by a single sword of the [being wearing a black mianguan].
Looking upon that distant future, and having taken the doomed dimension's fortune and virtue to stabilize their own space...
Silver Basket, defeated by the Future King and now a nameless being, offers only a quiet cheer for the one who holds a [sprout].