BRDM 109

chapter 109

There is such a thing as cosmic horror.

That crushing sense of helplessness in the face of something humanity can neither oppose, reject, nor even begin to comprehend.

Fear born from that.

A god, from the very beginning, is such an existence to mankind.

Gods cannot be understood.
At most, they can only be guessed at.

No one can predict where their thoughts may leap, or how far their powers may reach.
And should they ever grow wrathful, it would be impossible to endure their fury.

Gods are, in the end, beings of the unknown.

And to Ihyeon, that was exactly what Sun Wukong was right now.

“A giant? Isn’t that cheating?”

Even in Journey to the West, there were such descriptions—
When Sun Wukong transformed into a giant for battle, his size was immense, his head touched the heavens, and his three heads each spewed fire, ice, and raging winds.

Compared to that, this was tame—
And yet, the pressure Ihyeon felt from the present Wukong was no less overwhelming.

And then—

KWA-KWA-KWA-KWA-KWA!!

Now Sun Wukong was trying to bring down the very sky itself.

Darkness pressed down. The air itself shattered.

For a moment, Ihyeon wondered if this was only meant to scare him.

“No. His aura is brimming with true killing intent. If I can’t withstand this, he really means to kill me.”

His Demonic Sense screamed the truth at him.

And so—

At the instant palm was about to meet palm, Ihyeon activated Jingoa, forcing his thoughts to accelerate.

[Jingoa flares with white heat, accelerating thought speed!]

The world slowed once more.

Even the speed of the massive shadow descending upon him grew sluggish.
But that only made it more terrifying.

Still—

“If I try to resist that power head-on, I’ll die.”

He considered escaping from that colossal hand.

“But I’ll face things like this countless times in the future. And each time… I can’t keep running away.”

He dismissed the thought.

No real reason.

He just didn’t want to run anymore.

Running away once, four years ago, had been more than enough.

Above all—

Now, he wanted to be someone he could stand proud as.

If it were Sun Wukong—
He would never run.

Even knowing he would lose.
Even knowing he would die.
He would still charge headlong.

“In Journey to the West, it was the same. When Subhuti expelled him, Wukong laughed. When he warred against Heaven, he reveled in it. When he was imprisoned under Five Elements Mountain, he savored the passage of time.”

Visions of Wukong’s many faces flashed before his eyes, including the will-form he had seen in Water Curtain Cave.

“After endless hardship, he ascended to Buddhahood—then let go of even that, completing himself.”

Wukong had always been drawn into peril. Each moment must have felt like the sky collapsing around him.

And yet, in the end, he always stood victorious.

“The power to turn what others call recklessness into true courage.”

That, surely, was Wukong’s freedom—his sovereign self.

If so—

FLASH!!

Ihyeon wrung his mana circuits dry once again.

“Then I’ll face it head-on!”

[Trait: Indomitable activates, maximizing magical output!]

BZZZT!!
RUMMMBLE—

Blue-white lightning burst forth around Ihyeon, chains of black-gold orbiting him and amplifying his energy.

FWOOOSH!!

He became a thunderbolt, streaking into the sky.

Toward that massive palm, he swung his twin axes once more, crossing their blades.

Even the smallest wound would sting and force that hand to withdraw.

A lightning strike split the palm.

KWA-KWA-KWA—!!

Fierce winds howled—

『Did I not tell you, brat? You’re still a million years too early to catch up to me.』

But all of Ihyeon’s assaults dissipated the instant they struck the black palm.
Not even the faintest scratch.

『How laughable, to throw yourself at me knowing it’s hopeless. You look exactly…』

Time snapped back to normal.

The vast darkness instantly engulfed Ihyeon’s head.

Even then, he clenched his teeth and readied his next strike.

『…like me.』

The darkness slammed into him.

Far away, he thought he heard laughter.

『That’s enough for the trial, brat.』

FLASH!

The world went dark with blinding light.

[All trials have ended.]
[Unexpected Event: Disciple Recognition forcibly terminated.]

WHOOSH!

With a violent rebound, Ihyeon’s senses snapped awake.

The scent of burnt gunpowder from the trial chamber was gone.

“…Where is this?”

“The real world, boy.”

Sun Wukong, in human form, stood with his hands clasped behind his back.

They were back in the park where it had all begun.

Sha Wujing and the Demon King of the Roaring Horse sat nearby in human forms, smiling at him.

Ihyeon ran a hand through his hair, reality finally settling back in.

“Whew… I really thought I was done for.”

“You almost were.”

“But since I made it back safe, I guess I wasn’t worthless after all.”

Wukong’s lips twisted.

“Hmm. Was it enough?”

“I’d say so, don’t you? Worthy of becoming your disciple.”

“How shameless. You couldn’t even push my palm away.”

“But I held out pretty well, didn’t I?”

“…I’ll give you that. Watching you charge in, knowing it was foolish, was entertaining. Like a moth into flame, like a mayfly grasping for each fleeting day.”

His solemn voice burrowed into Ihyeon’s ears.

“But every day stacked up like that is what forges who you become. If you keep that spirit, one day you may even resemble a speck of this old man’s greatness. So don’t forget it.”

“…Is that self-praise until the very end?”

Ihyeon chuckled at the arrogant tilt of Wukong’s head.

“I only speak truth.”

“Of course, of course. So? The result?”

A thin smile curved Wukong’s mouth.

“Passed.”

“…!!”

The words he had longed to hear.

Ihyeon clenched his fist tight.

“Pitiful for a sparrow to chase a stork… But what can be done? If the great stork doesn’t look after the little sparrow, who will?”

Ihyeon shook his head.

That level of self-regard wasn’t confidence anymore—it was illness.

But then—

DING!

[You have successfully completed the Unexpected Event. As a reward, you have become the disciple of ■■■■.]
[A new category, <Titles>, has been created.]
[You have acquired the new title: ‘Heir of ■■■■.’]
[You have gained a qualification far above that of an Apostle. Bonus: increased understanding of the Martial Combat Style.]
[Current Martial Combat Understanding: 5%]
[You have gained a vast amount of ■■■■’s Karma.]
[Your Rank has risen.]
[All stats increased by 10 to match the higher Rank.]

…

[Agility coefficient has surpassed 200. Preparing to unlock a new sub-ability.]
[Endurance coefficient has surpassed 200. Preparing to unlock a new sub-ability.]
[Prepare to unlock new sub-abilities.]

…

[Existing sub-abilities of Agility and Endurance are being enhanced.]

…

The messages poured in nonstop.

THUMP, THUMP!

Ihyeon felt it through both body and soul—he had truly become Sun Wukong’s disciple.

“Mana and Strength surpassed 200 already. Now Agility and Endurance too. Normally I’d unlock the new sub-abilities right away… but maybe I’ll wait a little longer.”

Smiling in satisfaction, he examined his newly granted title.

[Heir of ■■■■]

The one who inherits the true legacy of ‘■■■■ ■■■,’ who fought against the heavens. Granted only to those who shatter all shackles and carve their own path.

The bearer of this title is no longer an ordinary being. It is a crown bestowed upon the rebellious heir prepared to face the enemies of Heaven.

• Type: Title, Trait

• Effect: +50% to Perception, Intuition, and Reaction Speed. +70% synergy with all Divine Relics.

• Origin: Myth, Journey to the West

The power behind it was staggering.

“The title of Heir to the Great Sage doubles as a Trait. Then maybe all the new sub-abilities I’ll unlock can link to it too?”

If they were tied to Wukong, it would certainly be a huge advantage.

For now, though, he chose to wait until all six stats exceeded 200, to open everything at once.

Most importantly—

“The synergy boost with Relics is massive.”

He read between the lines of the description.

Not only could he wield his current relics better, but any he acquired—or stole—in the future would bend more easily to his will.

Just like Wukong, who stole the powers of many gods, Ihyeon could now claim the powers of the divine for himself.

It would be an enormous leap in strength.

“If I refine what I just gained… even Seo Changwoo won’t be a problem.”

A crooked grin spread across his face.

And then—

[■■■■ ■■■ begins to restore fragments of his lost Myth through his disciple, slowly emerging from decline.]
[Partial Rank restored.]
[Recovered one shattered character: ‘Great (大).’]
[■■Great■■ ■■■.]

Another message appeared.

“…!!”

Ihyeon’s head snapped toward Wukong.

Wukong’s eyes had widened slightly.

FWOOOSH—

His aura shifted, his form becoming more solid, more vivid.

“Senior… is this—!?”

“You…!”

Sha Wujing and the Demon King of the Roaring Horse gaped in shock.

Wukong only clasped his hands behind his back, smirking faintly as he looked up at the sky.

“At last… the time I’ve been waiting for comes. Ha ha ha.”

His Golden Fiery Eyes gazed somewhere far away.

His grin turned feral, fangs bared.

“By now, plenty of bastards must have sensed this, squirming in their seats, eh?”

And with his words—

The sky was suddenly plastered with bright red warning messages.

BEEP-BEEP-BEEP-BEEP!

[Warning! Leader of <Heaven>, the Jade Emperor, rises from his throne!]
[Warning! Leader of <Asgard>, Odin, senses heavenly disturbance and surveys his domain!]
[Warning! Leader of <Deva>, Brahma, furrows his brow!]
[Warning! Scribe of <Malakh>, Metatron, sets aside his quill and adjusts his monocle!]

…

[Many High Gods of the Divine Faction are alarmed at the emergence of a presence that should never exist!]
[Societies of the Divine Faction hastily cast their gaze across the world in search of its source!]

[Societies of the Demon Faction watch with keen interest.]
[Societies of the Giant Faction move quietly, seeking what the Divine Faction is tracking.]
[Dragon Faction glances at the uproar in the heavens, then sinks back into deep slumber.]

…

[Warning! The Logoi react in myriad ways, causing great upheaval within the <Heavenly Tablets>!]

…

“Heaven detected Sun Wukong’s return!”

The ripple of divine power from Wukong reclaiming part of his Rank had overturned the celestial order.

The High Gods were mobilizing their societies to track his whereabouts.

Meanwhile, Demons, Giants, and Dragons observed, plotting their responses.

“Especially the Demons—they must be thinking they could win him over.”

Wukong looked as though he relished the entire affair.

The fiercer their reaction, the more cracks would open for him to exploit.

But as time passed, their net would close ever tighter around this place.

Even Sha Wujing and the Demon King swallowed hard as they looked skyward.

And so—

“Things will only get more complicated. Both Heaven and Earth alike.”

Ihyeon realized.

Time might not be on their side.

“But still… we can do this.”

Just as he had stood his ground, axes raised, against Wukong’s crushing pressure—

So too would he one day truly split open the heavens.