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The library definitely seemed to be underground. A round, dark tunnel dug out, wide enough for people to pass through. The tunnel’s floor was finished with a material as tough as steel, and the earthy smell was hardly noticeable. It felt eerie with no signs of life, but it wasn’t something to worry about too much.

Wiying—

The round door opened. Oddly, it didn’t slide or swing; it just opened as I approached. It looked like it was automatically triggered by our presence. I had never seen such technology, so I curiously stepped through the doorway.

After climbing a spiral staircase a bit further, a rounded door appeared that seemed to lead to the surface. Unlike before, this door didn’t open automatically as I got close, so it seemed to be manual. Not knowing how to open it, Miho and I pondered for a moment.

“How do we open it?”

A moment later, Miho noticed a rectangular device next to the door and said, “Isn’t it supposed to involve touching that?”

“What if it’s a trap?”

“Don’t worry. This maiden will keep watch.”

“…”

No matter how superb Miho’s reflexes and sight might be, if it’s a prepared trap, she would be caught off guard and get hurt. But as she confidently said it, I took the risk and placed my right hand on the rectangular device next to the door.

Beeeeing!

At that moment, the door opened as if it had been waiting for me to do just that, the opening vanishing into the floor.

Wiying!

“It opened.”

I felt let down by how absolutely expected it was. Miho smiled and said, “Wouldn’t it be strange if there was a trap? If it’s going from outside to inside, that’s one thing, but having a trap activate when leaving goes against common sense.”

“You never know. Still, as long as we can get out, that’s what counts.”

Miho looked around the library exit and remarked, “It’s clear this library was built by otherworldly creatures. The internal partitions and the technology for opening doors seem quite advanced.”

“Right? Who made this?”

According to the Prophet, the otherworldly beings were not a single race but comprised hundreds of different factions within. So, the ones who built this library must belong to a specific faction. I felt curious as I headed toward the exit.

Stepping outside, I found myself in a dimly lit basement. Miho and I noticed many mystical Cyrillic letters etched into the walls. She examined each character and then said, “It’s a seal. It prevents anyone from entering from outside.”

“What do you mean?”

“This place is some structure local sorcerers designated as a forbidden zone. They probably thought it wouldn’t be good for outsiders to just waltz in, especially since it’s believed to be ruins of the otherworldly.”

I scanned the opposite side of the basement. It wasn’t far—only about three feet.

“There’s a door. Can’t we just open it and go?”

“Since we’re exiting, it shouldn’t be a problem. There’s no direct attack barrier set up. However, a detection barrier is in place, so the sorcerers will immediately know we’re here.”

“That’s annoying.”

As Mangnyang said, the question isn’t whether we would be discovered, but rather where we are located, likely Moscow, the capital of the Arasa Empire. If we cause a ruckus here, it would pose a significant problem for our journey to the North Pole. I asked Miho, “Is there a way we can sneak out?”

“I think it might be tough. This maiden doesn’t have the talent to unravel such complicated sorcery.”

“Well, it is what it is. Let’s just go.”

“Are you sure?”

“If it doesn’t work, we can always run away…”

I muttered as I approached the door and opened it. In that instant, I felt dozens of gazes scanning my entire body and a slight electric shock in my fingertips. There was no problem opening the door itself, but the residual magic power within me definitely sensed something odd.

‘So, this is what they meant.’

Right at that moment, sorcerers in Moscow would surely be rushing in our direction. I yelled to Miho, “Miho! Transform into an inanimate object!”

“What?! Are you planning to go on your own?”

“That’s probably for the best.”

“Hmm… Just don’t push yourself too hard.”

We could return to Jinrang Valley with Mangnyang, but doing so would be a waste. The distance from Moscow to the Central Plains is a few thousand miles, so if I could confirm key locations now, I could save time next time. Besides, if Miho and I fought together, there’s a chance we’d get in each other’s way.

As Miho transformed into a necklace, I stepped out and began to sprint. This place was definitely constructed in a different architectural style than the Central Plains.

‘Is this a palace?’

It had a massive and grand feel, almost like a royal palace. I confirmed there were no signs of life around me, and quickly advanced deeper into the interior. Utilizing the Soul Removal Technique, I reached the opposite side in less than ten seconds.

Pa-at!

As I ascended the stairs, I could see sunlight above. Once again, there were no signs of life. Suddenly, I felt something was off.

‘Why is there no sign of life?’

My Qi Sense easily picked up the presence of nearby living beings, but even after making it to the palace’s upper floors, I sensed nothing. It was strange that not a single soul existed in such a grand palace. As I caught sight of the palace’s outer gate, I found myself engulfed in thought.

‘… Should I go inside or leave…’

I might not get another chance to explore inside. With that in mind, it seemed better to search within at least a bit, but I also risked making unnecessary trouble if I just left without exploring. Either way, there were pros and cons to both, so I paused for a moment in contemplation.

Then, suddenly—

Shhhhw—

A smoky illusion appeared in front of me. It was an incorporeal illusion created by sorcery, and as I stared blankly, it morphed into the figure of an old man wrapped in a full cloak. The bearded elder began to murmur.

[ [email protected]-one… @$@@(*$?]

I couldn’t quite understand him, but I vaguely picked up that it was in the language of the Arasa Empire. I had learned it during my three months with the Lord of North Sea Ice Palace. But judging by how incomprehensible it was, it seemed the elder used quite sophisticated vocabulary. So, I performed my Martial Authority and spoke in the basic Arasa vocabulary I was familiar with.

“Hello, pleased to meet you. My name is So Woong.”

[ ……]

“Have you eaten?”

Maybe my pronunciation was off…

The elder fell silent, but it seemed I caught his attention. After looking deep in thought, he finally opened his mouth.

[ Are you a person from the Ming Dynasty?]

In Central Plains language. I sighed in relief internally and responded in kind, “Yes.”

[ How did you come out of the seal? Why have you come here?]

Fortunately, the elder seemed fluent in the language of the Central Plains. He looked like someone well-read. I answered cautiously, “While I was traveling, I needed the help of the Prophet in the Great Temple of Astana. He just transferred me to this ancient library.”

[ The Prophet of Astana, I see… Considering it’s a library created by his race… So does that mean you’re a traveler from the Ming Dynasty?]

“Yes. What’s going on?”

[ It’s a matter of trust…]

The elder murmured, then continued, [ Quickly leave this place. The Kremlin Palace has turned into a demon city and is extremely dangerous now.]

“This is the Kremlin Palace? Then who are you?”

[ I am Belov, the Archbishop of the Eastern Orthodox Church.]

Eastern Orthodox Church? Archbishop? I didn’t know much about it, but thanks to his fluency in the language of the Central Plains, I at least grasped that his name was Belov. It wasn’t a hard name to pronounce, so as I remembered it, Belov spoke up.

[ There’s no time to talk. You must escape from the palace immediately. If you’re late, there will be no chance.]

I took a quick glance back into the dark palace.

“What’s lurking inside?”

[ There’s something that drove Ivan IV into madness… a nightmare’s presence.]

“……?”

[ Hurry and escape! There are many of the demon tribes lurking around, but I will lend you the power of the sacred icon.]

Pa-at!

As Belov extended a divine energy towards me, the next moment, golden leaves infused into my body. I was startled, thinking it might be harmful, but it didn’t seem that way.

‘Is this a blessing similar to that of the Great Immortal?’

Belov’s figure vanished. He probably consumed all his magic powers to bestow the blessing of the golden leaves. I realized there was no time to hesitate and began to leave the Kremlin Palace. If such a mysterious ally urged me to leave, the situation inside must be dire.

Ta-daat!

The Kremlin Palace had impressive white castle walls. It was enormous, rivaling even the imperial palace of the Central Plains. As I made it past the inner walls and neared the outer walls, I sensed something suspicious.

‘What is it?’

Not merely an aura. It was definitely the presence of an animal, its killing intent palpable. I drew my sword and paused to remain vigilant in all directions. Sure enough, something soon began to slither out around the castle gates.

Grrr—

It was a beast. With skin peeled off and drenched in blood, appearing as a twisted human figure with the head of a frenzied wolf. Holding a mace in one hand, it was clear these beings wielded weapons.

‘What kind of monsters are these?’

Regardless, I aimed to sweep the beasts away using the blade’s qi. At the same time, I unleashed my internal pressure, but the beasts showed little reaction. Considering supreme experts couldn’t ignore the pressure from my internal power, it seemed these things had neither emotion nor survival instinct.

In an instance, I began to grasp the beasts’ true essence. It sounds strange, but they were already dead. Being dead, they were immune to techniques that triggered primal survival instincts.

Swish!

I lunged forward and beheaded two beasts. They collapsed, and the other nearby ones charged at me. But I just effortlessly dodged them with the Soul Removal Technique and fired the Thunder Spirit Seal.

Boom!

The Thunder Spirit Seal exploded, annihilating three of them in an instant. As their charge faltered and created a gap, I got the chance to observe the beasts and discovered something surprising.

“Regeneration?”

With a squelching sound, tentacles extended from the severed necks of the beasts, pulling back into their bodies. Soon after, the bodies fused back together, and the beasts grabbed their maces, getting ready to stand again. The ones I had destroyed with the Thunder Spirit Seal were also regenerating with tentacles sprouting all over their bodies.

Fighting these beasts for long would only drain my energy. I frowned and unleashed the Thunder Spirit Seal once more, diving forward using the Soul Removal Technique.

Ka-boom!

They splintered apart without a sound, confirming my suspicions about their true nature. They resembled the undead, akin to the tales of jiangshi.

“Ugh. This is unsettling.”

From above, snow began to fall silently. I dashed under the eaves of a house, shaking off the snow with my qi barrier. There was a risk of magic being triggered merely by contact with the snow. After about ten miles of running, an eerie laughter suddenly echoed loudly.

[ Uhuhuhuhaha….!!]

I hid beneath the roof of a house. Even calling it a house, it was practically just a building left standing, devoid of any signs of human presence. This city called Moscow was void of humanity, everything had simply evaporated. Just as the laughter diminished, an enormous illusion suddenly appeared in the air.

Pah!

It was a luxurious-looking young man. Appearing like a colorful-eyed person, his illusion swelled to a size of dozens of figures. The young man radiated a sinister yet powerful aura, proclaiming, “You’ve come uninvited to my palace. Do you simply intend to leave? Come here at once, barbarian!”

Since it felt like a mind-manipulating ability, I could understand the meaning despite the language barrier.

‘Jim? Then that guy is…’

From his words, I inferred his identity. This city was Moscow, and the palace I had just exited was the Kremlin, the heart of the capital. The person claiming to be Jim and ruling this capital could only be one: Ivan IV, the Emperor of the Arasa Empire.

But according to what I heard from the Lord of North Sea Ice Palace, Ivan IV was now an old man on the brink of insanity. Although he executed a powerful conquest policy, for some unknown reason he had lost his mind and descended into madness.

‘No, it’s not the time to think about that!’

Fighting him here would be terribly disadvantageous. This was his territory, and I had no clue about the capabilities and strengths he possessed. I realized to effectively utilize my Soul Removal Technique, I needed to escape Moscow first. Otherwise, appearing in the nest of demons would be pointless.

Ta-daat!

I pushed my light body technique even harder, darting forward with the Soul Removal Technique. I was several times faster than an arrow. It seemed my speed caught the eye of Ivan IV’s illusion, as a gigantic palm reached towards me from the air. The palm seemed to grow larger as it approached, eventually becoming nearly impossible to evade even using the Soul Removal Technique.

“……!!”

I gritted my teeth, amplifying my light body technique even more while unleashing internal power explosively. Without any preparation, I managed to open the third gate of the Eight Gates in an instant, resulting in nosebleeds, but as a trade-off, I temporarily surpassed the limitations of the Soul Removal Technique.

Baan!

With the sound of tearing space, I slipped past the palm’s reach. It seemed Ivan IV’s illusion was surprised by not capturing me and chuckled deeply.

[ Ho-ho… This is amusing, uhaha…]

I threw a quick glance back. The houses where the palm had landed crumbled to the pressure. This wasn’t just an illusion; it could exert real physical force. However, I was uncertain if my attacks could even affect that illusion. It turned out to be wise to leave.

I was overwhelmed with the impulse to use my technique and escape immediately. But the thought struck me that now was not the time. At the very least, I had to escape the city of demons before I could use it, otherwise, it would be the same as being inside.

Taaang!

“What?!”

As I attempted to leap over the city walls, a sudden wall of darkness blocked me, bouncing me right back. I should have been able to clear it, but this was fortuitously absurd. I tried launching my sword flame into the dark wall, but it didn’t budge an inch.

Hovering in the air, Ivan IV burst into laughter.

[ Uhaha… My power is immense… Barbarian, accept your fate.]

Growing furious, I turned back and shouted, “What do you know about my fate, you idiot!”

[ ……]

Even in the language of the Central Plains, Ivan IV seemed to comprehend my words, wearing a look akin to getting caught off-guard. I debated internally whether to use my technique, but at that moment, a golden leaf burst forth from near my chest. It was the sacred power Belov had mentioned.

Paah!

The energy of the golden leaves given by Belov bore a massive hole through the wall of darkness. Realizing this was my only escape route, I dashed right through it. Behind me, Ivan IV erupted into manic laughter.

[ Khuuuhuh!! Uhahhahahaha!!]

As I landed on the ground, I saw the wall of darkness surrounding the city of demons in Moscow beginning to restore itself right before my eyes. It seemed Ivan IV had no intention of pursuing me beyond the castle walls, leaving an eerie silence behind. Exhaling a sigh of relief, I suddenly heard a voice.

“You’re quite the martial artist for such a young age. Escaping from there…”

In the language of the Central Plains. I glanced at the old man walking out from behind a tree in the snowy area. He looked identical to the illusion I had just encountered.

“Belov. Thank you.”

Belov, who had identified himself as the Archbishop of the Eastern Orthodox Church, stood there, stroking his long white beard as he said, “Young man from the Ming Dynasty. Follow me. I believe we have much to discuss.”

“Before that, I would like to ask something.”

“What are you curious about?”

“The beasts I just encountered and this Ivan IV’s illusion weren’t demons. Yet they wielded tremendous power. What’s going on?”

Indeed, Ivan IV’s illusion possessed overwhelming strength that I found hard to handle, yet Miho hadn’t reacted. The same applied to the beasts. This meant that the source of Ivan IV’s power was not demonic in nature.

“You seem to know something about the lineage of demons.”

Belov muttered softly, saying, “His power indeed does not originate from demonic energy, but rather from the power of myth (Theosis).”

“Myth?”

“Anyway, the decision is yours. Will you follow me or not?”

After some hesitation, I replied, “I will follow.”

Finding the Divine Sword was important, but I sensed there was something I needed to learn about this matter. If it involved otherworldly beings, it seemed likely that crucial information lay at the end of this incident.

 

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