[But now that a being like you has appeared... why wouldn’t I be interested?]
Seo-jun looked at the Alliance Leader’s face, which was right up in front of him.
The corners of his mouth were lifted, but the eyes were indifferent. Even now, there was no way to tell if those words were sincere.
Tilting his head slightly, Seo-jun muttered,
“So what do you want me to do about it.”
[Just stating a fact.]
The Alliance Leader took a step back and asked,
[So what are you, then? You’re human, yet your soul’s presence is faint, and you aren’t crushed beneath my level.]
His face remained calm. He didn’t seem upset at all that Seo-jun could stand before him unaffected.
Seo-jun, for his part, wasn’t surprised that the Alliance Leader had seen through the puppet’s nature. If anything, it was odd that he hadn’t realized it immediately.
“How should I know? You don’t exactly look that impressive to me.”
[That’s surprising. Was it Ju Wonjang, perhaps? Even that little brat who inherited the blood of the Martial God couldn’t raise his head in front of me.]
“Him?”
Seo-jun let out a scoff. He imagined the Emperor bowing his head, drenched in sweat.
The image was so amusing that it made him chuckle.
“Anyway, let me ask you one thing.”
[Heh... You do realize your life is in my hands, right?]
“Is that supposed to matter?”
[Of course it does.]
The Alliance Leader still wore that twisted smile, but Seo-jun didn’t react. After all, the one standing in front of him was just a puppet.
No—what did it even matter if it were his real body?
Seo-jun didn’t harbor any deep fear of death, this phenomenon he had yet to experience.
The Alliance Leader seemed to pick up on that, letting out a breath through his nose. It sounded like a dry laugh.
[So, what is it that you’re so curious about?]
“I heard martial artists of the Transcendence Realm ✪ Nоvеlіgһt ✪ (Official version) have restrictions placed on them. What exactly are they?”
[Heaven’s restrictions.]
The Alliance Leader extended a finger and pointed to the ceiling of the Alliance Leader’s Hall. Seo-jun looked up—to the ceiling and beyond, to what lay above.
[The Transcendence Realm refers to a half-finished god, one who has not yet ascended. The heavens will not turn a blind eye to that.]
“You mean they can’t use their power properly?”
[Yes, and no.]
In an instant, the Alliance Leader’s form scattered. Without warning, as if the images were stitched together, a new vision appeared—he was now seated on a massive throne, gazing down.
[The heavens are flexible. In unavoidable circumstances, they allow the use of power.]
“So you can at least defend yourself?”
[Hmm... but then what defines 'oneself'?]
“Isn’t that when there's a direct threat to your own safety?”
[Even a bug crawling underfoot could be seen as a threat to safety, couldn’t it?]
“Splitting hairs.”
[Ask Heaven yourself someday. I don’t make the rules.]
Before he knew it, the Alliance Leader was now sitting beside Seo-jun, continuing the conversation.
[But that’s not what you’re really curious about, is it? You want to know why martial artists of the Transcendence Realm don’t act. That’s the question, right?]
“......”
[No particular reason. Ascension is a rough path. To walk it, one must store power.]
Once again, the Alliance Leader’s form dissipated. This time, he didn’t reappear anywhere. Only his voice echoed through the void.
[Even within the Transcendence Realm, there are two distinct stages. The Half-God Realm—where one struggles to earn the right to ascend. And the Deification Realm—where one prepares to ascend after earning that right.]
Seo-jun’s eyes tracked the faint presence of the Alliance Leader’s qi. About five steps ahead. As he stared hard in that direction, the Alliance Leader’s amused laughter rang out.
[From what I see, it won’t take you long to reach the Half-God Realm.]
“You’re being oddly straightforward.”
[There’s no reason not to be.]
“Then stop jumping around and sit still for a bit.”
[Hahaha!]
KUUUUUUUUHHHHNG────────────!!
A massive pressure slammed down on Seo-jun’s shoulders. It wasn’t just force—it was the weight of soul-level presence.
But Seo-jun casually shook it off. He’d already experienced the unknown energy this bastard used.
Soul presence, soul rank—whatever. In the end, it all came from Primordial Chaos.
He let it flow through him using natural qi, so only his clothes flapped violently in the turbulence.
[Fine, I’ll oblige.]
The Alliance Leader finally revealed himself again and plopped down on the ground.
[It’s been a long time since I’ve had a guest. I’m in a good mood. Ask whatever you want.]
“Then let me ask you something.”
Seo-jun also sat down across from him, elbows resting on his knees, chin propped on his hand, staring straight at him.
“Is it your will that the Western Continent's inventions are being rejected?”
[Ah. The West? Yes, that’s right.]
“Why? There’s no harm in accepting more advanced technology.”
[Do you think there’s no one in the Western Continent comparable to a martial artist of the Transcendence Realm?]
“I mean, there probably is.”
[Exactly. That’s the reason.]
The Alliance Leader stared at Seo-jun intently. Seo-jun clicked his tongue and waved his hand.
In an instant, the natural qi coalesced into form, creating a table.
The Alliance Leader’s eyes widened at the display, but Seo-jun casually followed it up by producing a liquor bottle and cups.
“What’s the connection between the Transcendence Realm and technology—?”
[Wait a second. How did you do that?]
“I just made it with qi. It’s a minor technique. So about the Transcend—”
[What kind of nonsense are you spewing? This isn’t some petty technique.]
“Whatever. Just answer the damn question.”
Ignoring Seo-jun’s protest, the Alliance Leader tilted the liquor bottle. Clear liquid filled the cup—it was actual alcohol.
He stared at it for a second, then downed it in one gulp.
[It’s liquor.]
“Well yeah, I made it, so of course it is.”
The Alliance Leader, dazed, poured a drink into Seo-jun’s cup. Seo-jun, in turn, accepted the bottle and refilled his.
That dazed expression on the Alliance Leader’s face was the most human look he’d shown yet.
[...So. You asked what connection the Transcendence Realm has to technology?]
“Yeah.”
[It’s simple. There’s a god of machinery in the Western Continent—that bastard’s the problem.]
“A god of machinery?”
[That’s right. The God of Machinery. I think the name was Deus Ex Machina, or something like that. Just like the title implies, every machine falls under his influence.]
Every machine is under his influence? Seo-jun frowned at the incomprehensible explanation.
“What kind of bullshit is that? Does that mean the Sword God controls every sword?”
[The Sword God doesn’t oversee the manufacturing of every blade.]
With that, Seo-jun came to a realization.
“So every machine in the West...”
[Yeah. Directly or indirectly, they’re all made through him.]
That’s ridiculous. If the West’s lifestyle was anything like the modern era Seo-jun knew, then that bastard was essentially the absolute monarch of the entire continent.
Hmph.
Thinking about it... a martial artist of the Transcendence Realm was pretty much an absolute ruler anyway.
“Wait. Back to what we were saying earlier.”
[The Transcendence Realm?]
“Yeah. Is it true that martial artists in that realm can’t influence the lower world much?”
The Alliance Leader gave a peculiar smile.
[Well... the one thing that’s clear is that it’s not entirely true.]
****
After chatting a bit more with the Alliance Leader, the puppet finally stepped out of the Alliance Leader’s Hall.
His head was spinning. As he walked through the Martial Alliance, brows furrowed, a familiar presence quickly approached.
“Yo, did you see it too?”
It was the Emperor. Wearing that sly grin of his, he came up beside the puppet.
“I saw it. I also heard you were bowing and trembling in front of that guy.”
“...What?”
The Emperor’s eyes widened.
“Wait, he actually told you that? Seriously, why would he say that?!”
“Pathetic bastard.”
At the blunt insult, the Emperor opened and closed his mouth a few times, then chuckled like usual.
“What does it matter? You probably weren’t much different.”
“For someone you called a real god, he didn’t seem like much.”
“Hah.”
The Emperor gave a dry laugh, as if taking it as a joke—but Seo-jun hadn’t meant it as one.
Most of the Alliance Leader’s emotional responses had felt artificial. Take that away, and what was he really? Just some overpowered neighbor uncle.
Well—minus the fact that his personality was total trash because he had no one to keep him in check.
That rude bastard. If he ever got the chance, he really should just slap the back of his head with his palm.
“The Alliance Leader, huh...”
Unlike Seo-jun, a bitter smile crept across the Emperor’s lips.
“I still can’t forget it.”
A vivid memory from the past surfaced.
****
—What is it you seek that brought you before me, child of the Martial God’s blood?
The Emperor hadn’t dared raise his head.
The Alliance Leader’s thoughts carved themselves into his mind. The phrasing was his own, but the meaning belonged to the Alliance Leader.
An incomprehensible pressure crushed the Emperor’s soul. This wasn’t the kind of power you could just shake off.
To lower one’s head to another—it was an unfamiliar act. Yet that strange motion triggered a surge of long-buried memories.
“I am Ju Wonjang.”
His internal energy roared like fire, barely propping up his body. His stiff neck slowly rose.
Blood spilled from all seven of his orifices. But his pride, his competitive spirit, and his innate thirst for pleasure eventually overpowered the weight pressing him down.
Still kneeling on the ground, he raised just his head and shouted at the massive wall in front of him.
“Heaven...!”
And then he realized. That wall—what he saw in front of him—wasn’t a wall.
The head he thought he had lifted was still pointing at the ground. His forehead stung where it was pressed against the dirt.
“Heh...”
Ju Wonjang laughed like he’d gone mad.
“I guess... it’s still too early for me.”
Then, as if the pressure had never existed, his head snapped up.
There he was, kneeling on the dirt before the towering wooden gate of the Alliance Leader’s Hall.
“Ha... so that’s the level we’re talking about...”
The gap between the Qi Deification Realm and the Transcendence Realm—was this really how massive it was?
In the presence of a true god, a mere superhuman couldn’t even raise their head.
Then what is “Heaven,” that which suppresses even these gods?
“Heaven... yeah. Heaven...”
Ju Wonjang stood up in one sharp motion and looked toward the sky above his head.
“I will rise to the seat of Heaven’s chosen and earn its recognition.”
Thus—the Son of Heaven.
And when that day comes, maybe then, just maybe, he’ll be able to lift his head in front of beings like them.
A meaningless smile curled on Ju Wonjang’s lips. Even with a god before him, his spirit hadn’t been broken.
Just like always, he took his steps forward with that unreadable smile on his face.
“Never again... will I suffer this kind of humiliation.”
****
The Emperor blinked, his eyes twitching slightly as the old memory hit him out of nowhere.
That crushing, soul-breaking shock from the sheer disparity in level...
And yet—
“You drank with the Alliance Leader? Are you sure your head’s okay?”
The Emperor thought to himself.
This guy, Myeolsa Cheon-gun... must be feeling bothered that he didn’t have to bow before the Alliance Leader.
Not digging into another man’s shame—surely, that had to be one of the virtues of a true ruler.
So, putting on a casual smile, he patted Myeolsa Cheon-gun lightly on the shoulder.
“Hey, it’s fine. I did the same, everyone does. Nothing to be ashamed of.”
“...The hell are you even talking about.”