A world was created, and a colossal being that devoured a single human.
Just to consume a single human, the appearance of a transcendental existence that creates an entire world.
It wasn’t something that could be expressed by its sheer size or intimidating atmosphere.
Just as it’s difficult for humans, no matter how imaginative, to conceive of the image of confronting an overwhelming universe.
In the sight of the Dark Ram Herd approaching, there was a sense of alienation and helplessness.
Something as vast as an endless universe, and as powerful as its vastness.
And yet, within this immense and powerful entity, there was an unmistakable sense of self.
It experienced joy and pleasure.
It got irritated, angry, and showed signs of disgust.
From such expressions, Lee Hyun-woo caught glimpses of humanity.
In the way it deceived, tested, and prepared countless trials, Hyun-woo felt a sense of familiarity.
A familiarity akin to that of humans.
However, the incomprehensible malevolence was the only aspect that resembled humanity; its power far surpassed any comparison with humans.
For this reason, Hyun-woo realized for the first time that a ‘monster capable of communication’ could be a truly terrifying existence.
An entity that could communicate, understand its opponent, deeply empathize, then lead them into traps, deceive, and strangle them.
A monster that understood humans.
An entity that knew exactly when revealing its true form would be most terrifying.
As the colossal being approached, Hyun-woo was taken aback.
“Oooh…”
The monk, too, seemed surprised that it had arrived so quickly, opening his mouth in astonishment.
“Oooh? What’s this? Fall back!”
The girl shouted, raising her assault rifle high.
Tatatatang! The ensuing gunfire couldn’t hold back the thick, sticky darkness like liquid.
Tatatatak! The bullets ricocheted off.
As the glowing bullet tips shattered in all directions, the girl clicked her tongue and swung her left hand backward.
“Fall back, you morons!”
“We’ll buy you some time!”
As if following the boy who stepped forward with his staff, Hyun-woo and the monk silently retreated.
Ignoring the cries emerging from the cracks spreading across the splitting ground.
There were those who countered the surging darkness with magic and bullets.
Briefly observing their forms, the monk clenched his teeth and spoke.
“…We don’t have much time, so listen carefully. Lay Hyun-woo.”
“I’m listening.”
Hyun-woo also realized they didn’t have much time.
Compared to the formless one, the Dark Ram Herd was far too massive.
As the explanation continued, Hyun-woo hoped to find answers and listened intently.
Despite the bizarre situation, the monk and Hyun-woo faced each other and continued their conversation.
Amidst the sounds of assault rifles and the thunderous roar of magic, the monk spoke calmly.
Strangely, despite the chaos, his voice was distinctly clear.
“This humble monk, along with these others… we pondered how to defeat ‘It.’ At the very least, how to stop ‘It’ from bringing people here to devour and deceive them.”
With a loud bang, the encroaching darkness was repelled, yet the monk stood firm, shoulders unwavering, as he continued speaking.
“It wasn’t something that could be solved by simply charging in blindly. So we thought and planned. Gathering our strength, preparing what we needed.”
Preparation. Plan.
Though mere words, Hyun-woo instinctively understood that all these plans and preparations were directed at him.
“With all that preparation, examination, and gathering of strength… we hit a limit.”
“…A limit?”
“Yes, a limit. Our inherent limitation.”
Inherent limitation. It sounded similar to the earlier mention about how things changed after entering the formless entity.
Indeed, it was exactly as Hyun-woo had sensed.
“This tomb you call the ‘formless one’ is a deep pit of immense selfhood.”
Even as the girl soared through the air, the monk pressed on without faltering.
“From the first possessed soul consumed by ‘It’ to this humble monk, countless possessed ones remain here—mere empty shells devoid of souls. We cannot maintain individuality here. We merely merge into a massive beast.”
A place stacked with soulless shells. To the herd, it was little more than a garbage bin.
This was the true nature of the formless entity.
Through this revelation, Aslan came to understand the meaning hidden behind the phrase “inherent limitation.”
“You couldn’t maintain your selfhood.”
“Correct.”
The number of consumed possessed souls was 4,377.
Yet, only three remained present.
Where the remaining 4,374 had gone was painfully obvious upon reflection.
They had been absorbed into the formless entity.
For some reason, it had become an evil deity consuming Geladridion’s humans, aiming to bring about its destruction.
Regarding this question, the monk answered thus:
“The instinct to resist ‘It’ remains. Collecting strength for that purpose. For this humble monk and the other two patrons, the remaining 4,374 possess an overwhelming selfhood that we cannot withstand.”
Though said with an awkward laugh, it was undeniable.
Thus, the following statement was also understandable.
“Therefore, before we reach our limits and disappear, we chose you, the current possessor. We arranged for you to overcome ‘It.'”
Hyun-woo could guess what these arrangements entailed.
The most representative example was the Impermanence Technique.
Purity was another.
Things not appearing in the game but within Aslan’s grasp.
The means Aslan used to survive Geladridion—all of it was likely due to their arrangements.
The monk confirmed Hyun-woo’s guesses, stating that Purity was something they prophesied to the local deity and created, while Impermanence was the monk’s personal arrangement.
“Impermanence Technique, Birth-and-Destruction Law. All things are impermanent, and this is the law of life and death… This humble monk wished to bestow the power to overcome this impermanent world.”
Fortunately, it seemed effective from what he observed.
Adding to this, suddenly a dark fragment-like object was shot down by magic.
Two unknown possessed youths—a boy and a girl—were buying time for the monk to convey everything to Hyun-woo.
But it wouldn’t last long. The time they could hold against such a powerful entity was limited.
Therefore, the monk glanced at their forms and opened his mouth with a serious expression.
“Right now, we will revive Lay Hyun-woo and send him back to that land.”
“…Revive? Is that possible?”
“It is possible. Rather, you should know well. We will send you back as what you call a High Priest.”
High Priest.
Hyun-woo’s expression changed, and the monk wore a look of relief.
“We lack both power and authority. What we can offer is a new opportunity, a new life. A final chance we stake our existence on.”
A final chance. A new body that could finally accomplish what couldn’t be done with Aslan’s waning lifespan.
Seeing the strange reluctance in Hyun-woo’s expression, the monk said,
“You will be able to taste with this body. You will feel sensations, your sensory organs will be alive. After all… it is a new body.”
“With this body… I might be able to fight again.”
“No.”
The monk’s abrupt denial startled Hyun-woo, who frowned as the monk replied with a gentle smile.
“This body is… meant to see the world clearly once more.”
“…What?”
It was unexpected.
Rather than urging him to use more strength for the mission, this was vastly different from what Hyun-woo anticipated.
With a hint of sorrow added to his gentle smile, the monk continued,
“It is a body to enjoy pleasures you’ve never experienced, to caress those who love you, and savor their warmth.”
Even as flying stones battered his body, the monk remained composed, hands clasped in prayer, his gentle smile unwavering.
“Be happy, Lay Hyun-woo. Please live happily and fight. Do not abandon your life, Lay Hyun-woo. Just because it’s something only you can do doesn’t mean you must sacrifice your happiness.”
Hyun-woo lost for words, his mouth agape, while the monk wiped the blood streaming from his forehead with a gentle smile.
“Your friend didn’t either. Be happy.”
“How could you possibly…?”
“What could obstruct a Buddhist seeking good karma?”
Looking at the smiling monk, Hyun-woo recalled.
The abyss where Astrid was met contained the memories of these individuals.
If it wasn’t one-sided, they might have known.
But the crucial point wasn’t how they knew.
What mattered was the two black eyes of the monk, gazing at him, imploring with their shine.
Ultimately, Hyun-woo had to nod reluctantly, pushed by an unseen force. The monk smiled contentedly at this and declared,
“That’s enough here!”
His resounding voice echoed.
Suddenly, amidst the echoing voice, a girl whose arm had been torn off tumbled between Hyun-woo and the monk, rolling along the ground.
Instantly regenerating her arm, she smirked, her sharp disposition evident.
“Finally.”
The rising girl gripped a pistol and smirked.
Then, glancing around, she looked at Hyun-woo.
“Don’t you recognize it?”
An unexpected question, not seeking an answer. Before Hyun-woo could respond, the girl grinned and continued,
“If you heard from this old fart, you’d know we can’t compel 4,374 people to do anything.”
Already known facts. Unable to grasp what Hyun-woo was trying to say, she pointed her pistol downward.
“But… we can inform them that we dislike having unwanted guests inside us.”
Click, the slide returned to its original position, loading a new round into the chamber.
“Come out, bastards! It’s time to fight!”
She shouted and pulled the trigger.
Bang! The pierced ground flipped over and stopped.
Inside the overturned ground lay a dormant warrior.
The moment the ground flipped, revealing his body, the warrior’s eyes snapped open.
“Til Valhalla!”
Breaking apart the chunks of earth, he ascended.
Shouting “Valhalla,” he immediately leapt out of the debris and charged toward the darkness.
Following his trajectory, cracks spread. From each chunk of overturned earth, new figures emerged.
Next to appear were the Knights of the Crusades.
Mounted on his steed, he drew his sword from his waist the moment he appeared, brandishing it overhead proudly.
Gradually, more figures revealed themselves.
They were all Possessors.
From ancient times to the modern era.
Those called by the herd, enduring trials, and ultimately consumed.
They drew their swords, roared, and began to reveal themselves.
A cyberpunk wanderer appeared, wielding a blade and gun.
A soldier from an SF worldview emerged, clutching a state-of-the-art assault rifle.
An ancient warrior, whose style Hyun-woo couldn’t identify, immediately drew his bow and unleashed arrows furiously toward the darkness.
Behind them, countless others appeared.
Mages.
Knights.
Warriors.
Clerics.
Fist Kings.
Heavenly Horses.
These countless figures wielded weapons, cutting through the darkness with their faint sense of self.
Their minds held but one thought.
To avenge themselves against the hunter who brought them here and consumed them.
As they charged, fired, swung, slashed, and severed, the darkness slowly began to retreat.
A temporary retreat that wouldn’t last forever, yet soon heralded impending doom.
Watching the Possessors stand against the darkness unleashed by the herd, the girl approached Hyun-woo and patted his back.
“Go. Go and do what you must.”
Patting him lightly and adding her words, her smirking face strangely reminded Hyun-woo of Angie, causing him to grin awkwardly.
As the girl sprinted forward, firing her assault rifle into the darkness, the boy approached Hyun-woo.
With a peculiar expression of betrayal, he stared at Hyun-woo before saying,
“When you return, please, definitely… read fantasy novels or light novels on my behalf.”
“…I will.”
Receiving the assurance, the boy smiled broadly and moved away.
The last one was the monk.
Approaching, he stood before Hyun-woo, smiling gently as he clasped his hands in prayer. Clasping his hands, he spoke earnestly,
“Lay Hyun-woo. This humble monk failed due to insufficient learning and impatience, forgetting what needed to be remembered and succumbing to defeat… But Lay Hyun-woo must remember and not forget.”
“Not sure what you mean…”
Confused by the series of events, Hyun-woo was flustered. The monk dismissed his confusion with a bright smile.
The following words were quite profound.
“Everyone has the potential to become a Buddha.”
A statement whose intent was hard to grasp. When Hyun-woo failed to react, the monk smiled.
“Do not forget.”
With that, Hyun-woo’s body began to transform naturally.
As if it had always been this way.
Slightly taller stature.
A more robust build.
Emerald green eyes with the same face.
Even the exact same hairstyle.
Though Hyun-woo had never customized himself this way, it was the form he took after falling into Geladridion.
Aslan.
The combat veteran.
As Aslan, Hyun-woo saw the Possessors being crushed as they charged towards the darkness.
He saw them being crushed as they did their utmost to send Aslan back to Geladridion.
Magic and arrows, bullets and energy beams surged.
Among them, lives that weren’t truly lives were being crushed.
Witnessing this, Aslan was enveloped in a swirl of light and disappeared.
