Chapter 568

Something that Fighting Victory Buddha lacks, but Wukong possesses.

Precisely, it is my teaching, Lily Elbrite’s teaching.

In an instant, Wukong seemed to gain a grand enlightenment, lifting his head up high.

“…Storm.”

Certainly, it isn’t the enlightenment of the Tathagata.

I’m no Buddha, and I don’t even know what this so-called enlightenment is about.

But one thing is certain: even if enlightenment is regained, it won’t be the same kind of enlightenment that a ‘Buddha’ achieves.

One thing is for sure.

[Chh!]

[Great Lily!]

[Rily’s teaching is a bit different, huh? 😂]

[“Win!”]

[Honestly, after training with Lily for a few years, you shouldn’t be losing. 😏]

[True. 😄]

“Then… please excuse me.”

Shift.

Wukong ascends into the sky.

The two Wukongs face each other, and Fighting Victory Buddha sneers mockingly.

“Just that kind of technique —”

KWAHAAAAAAAAAAAANG!!!

The roar obliterates Fighting Victory Buddha.

Wukong’s roar has been fully internalized as his own, and after surviving Zeus’s attack and regenerating, his power has grown.

When the storm completely shatters Fighting Victory Buddha, a crack appears on the serene face of the Tathagata who was observing.

—As expected…

“Huh, urghhhhhh…”

“Just collapsing from that much? That’s disappointing coming from ‘you.'”

“Wait, I’ll kill you!!!”

Creak!

The regenerating Fighting Victory Buddha cracks again.

This time, it’s due to a whack from the Magical Staff.

Of course, because of the superiority of Fighting Victory Buddha’s body and rank, the damage isn’t significant, but he was already in a mess from the roar.

Eventually, Wukong, who had been relentlessly striking, gets pushed back significantly.

The Fighting Victory Buddha, filled with lightning and cloud somersaulting techniques, dodges all attacks by flickering his divine eyes.

Judging by the state, it seems he’s using quite a bit of power.

Wukong is also putting out his full strength, so it seems their battle will continue for a while.

‘And while we’re at it…’

“Now, we must resolve our matter, right?”

—O thou one who inherits the light. I see you.

Uuum.

—A challenger from another world. However, the entity residing within you is not some mere mortal or someone with feeble enlightenment, leading to one conclusion.

“What conclusion?”

An immense amount of energy surged around the Tathagata, causing even Zeus to furrow his brows and take a defensive stance.

Dozens of palms materialized behind the Tathagata.

Each of them possessed a strength equal to that of unnamed intermediate angels and Demon-level powers.

—You are on par with the Master of the Tower. That strength is comparable to the creator Primordial Buddha, and your intellect and wisdom penetrates the universe itself.

“Hmm…”

—Furthermore, your rank has reached a height that can mock all Celestial Beings…

“Enough, enough.”

Clearly, there was an atmosphere of a clash brewing, but why was this happening?

A little flustered.

[😂😂😂]

[Sudden reverence? What is this? haha]

[Great Lily]

[Wow, Lily is indeed remarkable…]

[Why is the Tathagata bowing his head all of a sudden? hahaha]

[Info: Truly remarkable]

[That’s why Yena, who’s loved by Lily, is indeed special…]

[Not habitual reverence, is it?]

“What do you want to say?”

—I wish to hear the truth. A great truth that neither the Master of the Tower or the Primordial Buddha knows. With you, it might be possible.

“Ugh…”

The tone of the Tathagata’s voice had changed.

The Tathagata truly seeking the answer to a question.

Simultaneously, the ‘cognition’ itself of the Heavenly Realm greatly expanded.

Just like how I extended Wukong’s cognitive time, giving him nearly six years, this time the Tathagata had extended the time difference of the Heavenly Realm itself.

‘To hide from the external gaze? That’s why the broadcast briefly cut out.’

Of course, it was possible to resist or even destroy the space itself, but it didn’t happen.

‘There seems to be a lot he wants to say.’

Ultimately, even if you’re the master of the Tower or the universe, you’re still just the ruler of one dimension.

In comparison to those that control dimensions entirely, the Chariot and the Demons, these aren’t that remarkable.

As evidence, the Raccoon, thought to be receiving strength from the owner of DeoEn, was proudly showcasing its power, destroying countless celestial spheres.

‘And apparently, this Raccoon is still in the ‘growth’ phase.’

This world was modeled after the past of the Raccoon before it became the manager of DeoEn.

It was still very weak before it gained its full strength.

“Ah.”

I suddenly understood why the Tathagata created such a situation.

A world modeled after the past Journey to the West.

There was the past Son Wukong living there and Son Wukong who had become a Celestial Being in the future.

If the existence of the past failed to reach its intended position and ended up facing the ‘enemy’ named Son Wukong of the future, then…

“Are you also afraid of the predetermined future?”

—…!

Ultimately, the Ancient Growth Tower is no different from this space.

This is a dimension that mimics the past of the ‘Altar of Growth,’ and it was predicted that there would be no Celestial Beings or Celestial Spheres in the far future of the Growth Tower.

‘Only the Upper Demon Immensus and the rabbits that were exiled remained.’

In other words, their fate is to die or disappear in the distant future.

The face of the Tathagata was fully cracked.

“Did you expect possibilities from Wukong? Hoping there might be a way to escape from destruction?”

—I felt something extraordinary when I first encountered your existence. But it was just a sense of ‘power’ then.

But…

—When the Primordial Buddha ‘perceived’ you, something changed.

A Buddha is one who perceives all things.

When the one who is on a par with the Tower’s Master observed me, the renowned Buddhas saw a single scene.

—I perceived a fragment of all things. There was nothingness there.

“Nothingness?”

—A place where no trace exists. When ‘light’ appeared in the world, everything crumbled. The Tower, the universe, even dimensions.

A circular-shaped light floating in the void.

That light erased all worlds.

And that world reappeared in the world as the Altar of Growth.

“Light…?”

—I cannot know the details. Perhaps the Primordial Buddha would know more, but I’m not allowed much information…

“I see. Understood.”

This is quite important information.

The primary goal of coming here was the Raccoon.

‘The Raccoon was undergoing the trial given by the owner of DeoEn here. But then the Tower disappeared in an instant?’

Why did it happen?

This place was necessary for the Raccoon, and it wasn’t as if there was enough ill intent to wipe out everyone in another dimension.

The mention of ‘light’ implies a likely Celestial Being, but even a high-ranking Demon would easily deceive lower beings with hallucinations and illusions.

I got lost in thought for a moment, then chuckled as a familiar conclusion came to mind.

Although not fitting of Celestial or Demon Races, it’s a situation I’ve seen countless times recently.

“It’s been erased.”

—…?

“To make way for a ‘Reincarnator.’ ”

The Raccoon is a ‘Reincarnator’ who has attempted the Tower many times.

Of course, time absolutely does not flow backward, so higher beings have created the same environment with the same gods repeatedly, only to erase them when they’ve outlived their usefulness.

Parallel worlds could have been left behind, but he, or they, chose to erase everything.

“Just like a ‘Dungeon’ that endlessly generates and deletes.”

“I wonder if the Raccoon knows this. Perhaps he has suspicions.”

The Raccoon already knows that time does not flow backward.

Listening to all this, Zeus frowned and nudged me.

“…What are you talking about?”

“It’s better not to know.”

Truthfully, most life forms live whether they perceive the erasure and creation of worlds or not.

They wouldn’t even think about whether their world is a ‘fake’ based on the memories of the past.

And even if they wanted to know, they wouldn’t be able to with their abilities.

—…Isn’t it.

But inevitably, there are ‘mutants’ who come to understand the inconvenient truths of the world.

Like my eyes, which unwillingly opened despite a desire to stay closed.

“There’s no way this world is fake! With this body alive and well, who dares say such nonsense?!”

“There isn’t a world that is purely fake. Everyone lives, so how can it be fake?”

As I tousled Leo’s hair, Zeus flared up again.

There is no fake world.

Everyone lives their best, treating this life as the last one.

However, someone might think of the world as fake.

—Nirvana is far away…

And that person’s hand moves.

Changing.

The Tathagata’s liberation becomes a word game as great turbulence shakes his emotions, and all those insights are converted into ‘rank’.

The Tathagata’s power becomes as strong as Baal, who has absorbed all devils.

—Show the truth, O one who denies the light! From this day forward, I lay down the qualifications of Nirvana.

“That won’t change anything…”

—You did not share enlightenment yourself. Neither have I, therefore you carry the qualification to awaken to the truth.

“…There’s something you’re misunderstanding, so let me clarify.”

First.

“I’m not a Buddha. I don’t even know what your so-called Nirvana is, and the enlightenment you speak of is a totally different story.”

—But…

“It’s also insufficient.”

Ultimately, this fake—no, even saying it’s fake sounds funny. The ‘Lily Elbrite’ in the dungeon world was the same. To escape the world, you must choose one of two paths.

One is to receive help from an Upper Being, like how I incorporated the DeoEn system or Gapwoo into my soul.

“You need the power to escape that world.”

But with just Wukong’s strength which has merely approached the upper ranks, it’s completely impossible.

‘After all, it wouldn’t be fair if I were the one to help you escape.’

If I were to just let everyone out, my soul’s space would be filled with thousands, or tens of thousands, of monsters, gods, and humans.

Gapwoo was brought in because he was useful for controlling Karabus.

The Tathagata seemed to read my feelings and shook his head.

—I don’t seek escape or survival. I’ve let go of such desires long ago. What I seek is the truth surrounding this world.

“Unfortunately, the lack of ability is a problem for us both.”

—Prove it to me.

“…Didn’t you say you’ve entered Nirvana?”

Considering how much you’ve said to Wukong about attachments, it seems like you harbor the most.

The Tathagata smiles for the first time.

—I have let it go.

A palm presses down on me.

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