C176
'What the hell is wrong with this guy?'
Cale stepped back with an uncomfortable expression.
"Human, Human! Of all the humans I've seen so far, this one is the worst! He's at 450 degrees, no, I don't know how many degrees he has turned! Not even Clopeh can surpass him! This guy, his gaze!"
So yeah, he's really crazy.
Cale finally deployed his Dominating Aura, but only towards Old Baek. He didn't use much, as he lacked martial skills, but this should be enough to subdue him.
"Ugh."
"Ugh."
Hoya and Yun trembled at the energy not directed towards them.
'This confirms it.'
They react particularly harshly to this enhanced Dominating Aura.
"Kugh!"
At that moment, a groan from Old Baek was heard.
'Now we can try talking a bit.'
Cale turned his gaze, thinking that Old Baek might have calmed down. But Cale was genuinely surprised.
"Kruah, ugh!"
Old Baek, although under the pressure of Cale's aura, lifted his head and looked at him. His eyes were bloodshot, with prominent veins, and at the corner of his mouth, strange foam formed as he drooled.
"I-I-I want you to become a g-god. Do you understand? God, do you understand?"
Wow.
-Wow.
Cale and Raon expressed their astonishment in unison.
"I admit it. Truly."
Choi Jung Soo, who had been fighting the True Jiangshis, clapped while praising.
Kwaah!
Of course, while this was happening, the attacks continued. The True Jiangshis kept attacking the two Choi Family members. Cale wanted to examine these True Jiangshis more closely, but...
"Kugh! This is noisy!"
Amidst his struggle, Old Baek twisted his body with difficulty, and then clapped.
Pa!
Then, the True Jiangshis stopped.
"Wow."
Choi Jung Soo expressed his amazement once again. At that moment, the white-haired elder, still under the influence of the Dominating Aura, stared at Choi Jung Soo.
"Shut up, human! Before I tear that mouth of yours! Humans are, humans are horrible! These beings create all sins and destroy everything! Humans must disappear! Ohh! I hate them so much! I hate humans!"
Choi Jung Soo was startled, and Cale was surprised too. Choi Jung Soo muttered quietly:
"...This guy is completely crazy."
-I agree with Choi Jung Soo's words.
Cale's group silently watched Old Baek twisting and complaining all over his body. Of course, Ron and Sui Khan maintained their usual expressions, calm.
Cale, looking at Old Baek lying on the ground like a spoiled child, asked disdainfully:
"The God you're talking about, is it an Absolute God?"
Old Baek's mobility abruptly stopped. Despite his distress, he raised his head and looked at Cale. Drool oozing from his mouth.
"Do you know?"
Old Baek's eyes lit up as he uttered those words, and he sat up straight in his place.
Cale looked at Old Baek and recalled a memory.
<Sacrificing Worlds to create an Absolute God.>
The Hunter Families, originally consisting of seven families, now had five families. They were protecting the Successor of the King and working to complete the Great Plan that the Successor of the King would carry out. Cale was almost sure that this Grand Plan was to create an "Absolute God."
'An Absolute God...'
The Team Leader said that there was no such thing as an Absolute God.
In the world of gods, the premise of "absolute" did not exist.
'If the Successor of the King is the one who will become an Absolute God, then we can call him a Vessel of God.'
Cale's mouth formed a mocking smile.
"Well then, Old Baek. Are you saying that I am a Vessel of God, whom you are pursuing?"
"Exactly."
Cale shook his head in disagreement.
"Nonsense."
If Cale had to talk about his Plate, it's true that it has increased significantly, but it wasn't fully restored yet. Even in his current state, if it broke, it would be challenging to repair. That's why Cale planned to fight to prevent it from breaking.
'And you're saying my Plate is the Vessel of God?'
What nonsense is that?
"Hahaha!"
Suddenly, Old Baek burst into laughter.
"You don't know, do you?"
He looked at Cale and let out a frenzied laugh.
"You haven't even realized that you're becoming a Vessel of God! Hahaha!"
Cale finally used more of his Dominating Aura.
"Kugh! Ughhhh... Ha... Haha!"
Still, Old Baek couldn't stop laughing.
"Hah~"
Then he stopped laughing with a deep sigh. He looked at Cale and said.
"If you get rid of all humans, I'll tell you everything you want to know."
The words made Choi Han pause.
"Alright."
Cale responded without hesitation. At the same time, a childish voice was heard between Cale and Old Baek.
"So, is it okay if I'm not a human?"
The Black Dragon, Raon, raised his front paw.
"Yes."
Old Baek responded indifferently. It seemed he was already aware of Raon's existence.
How could this old man, who had no magic or martial arts training, act like this?
"Let's go to my room and talk."
Old Baek got up from his place and strode into the messy house. Cale followed without hesitation.
"Haeil-nim."
Cale gestured to Choi Han, who was concerned, and then followed Old Baek without saying more.
--------------------------------------
The reason Cale followed Old Baek was simple. He had many questions. However...
"Are you going to drink tea?"
Old Baek seemed completely normal. In fact, his appearance did him justice. He wore a white academic robe, and his hair was neat. Despite his thinness, he had a very intellectual appearance and atmosphere. Even though he was a madman who created Jiangshis.
"No, thank you."
"Alright, then, I'll drink it alone."
Cale felt uneasy. Whether he looked at him or ignored him, Old Baek seemed completely normal.
"Speaking of which, it's nice that there are no humans around."
The smile on his face was peaceful.
"Human, that human is strange. He's also human, why does he act that way?
Cale agreed with Raon's words and wondered how to make Old Baek open his mouth without wasting time, as he had never imagined he would sit down to talk in this manner.
Threats won't work here; on the contrary, it's more likely to make him go crazier and wreak havoc.
After thinking deeply for a moment...
"As far as I know about the Successor and the Absolute God, you knocked down the Black Blood Family of Xiaolen, right?"
Old Baek brought up the topic right away. Cale felt surprised, but he answered anyway.
"Yes, that was us."
Old Baek opened his mouth immediately.
"How much do you know?"
"That the Five Hunter Families are trying to create an Absolute God, and the candidate for that Absolute God is the Successor of the King."
The latter was still an assumption, but he said it with certainty.
"You know almost everything."
And with Old Baek's confirmation, Cale turned his conjecture into certainty.
Old Baek sipped his tea calmly.
"I don't care about the human world or what the Hunters think. That's why I don't know details. I'm not someone who has devoted himself to martial arts, so they have no reason to share their stories with me, a guy who only moves by orders."
He spoke slowly.
'What?'
Of course, this was not a satisfying answer for Cale, who wanted detailed information.
-Human, it seems he's not lying.
According to Raon, Old Baek's words did not seem false. Cale's attitude stiffened. If he didn't know anything, the madman who made Jiangshis was only useful for purifying Jiangshis. It made no sense to waste time with him.
"I can see what's inside humans. I can see their limits. I was born with slightly peculiar eyes. It could be said that I can see their essence. So, in short, I don't like humans. They are horrible."
Old Baek continued talking incessantly.
"Anyway, when I was very young, I participated in a festival organized by the Transparent Blood Family."
Cale's gaze turned to Old Baek.
"It was there that I saw the Successor of the King from very far away. His face was covered by celestial fabric, and he wore a long cloak that concealed his small stature. Despite that, I could see him. His human essence."
Old Baek's eyes sparkled with a strange desire. It was like the gaze of an adventurer who had discovered a new continent, full of joy. It was also filled with admiration, as if he had seen the one he had admired all his life.
"He is a Vessel of God."
What exactly was a Vessel of God? Cale didn't ask because it seemed Old Baek would tell him.
"The Successor of the King already had a world inside himself. His small body was filled with all sorts of things."
Old Baek looked at his tea cup. His voice was serene but increasingly faster.
"There were countless despair and joys, pleasures and sorrows, good and evil. It was full of screams that would never be heard from a single human being."
The elder looked at Cale.
"You are like that too. Of course, you are different from the Successor of the King. Your Plate is too small in comparison and fragile. It could break at any moment."
Cale's expression turned gloomy. Although his Plate had grown in size, it wasn't as fragile as Old Baek described it. However, he didn't say anything about it.
"But why did you call me a Vessel of God?"
"I said I can see the essence, right?"
Old Baek's expression was clear, very clear.
"What is contained in the Successor of the King is different, but what is contained in you is similar to the creation of a world. To be precise, it's almost like you are creating a world."
What did he mean by that? Cale wondered.
"Within you, you have nature."
After all, Ancient Powers were representative of natural properties.
"Moreover, you have powers acquired from different spaces and times."
The powers of Kim Rok Soo and Cale Henituse. Two different power existences. Additionally, he also had the power obtained in the Central Plains. A power obtained beyond time and space.
"In other words, you carry nature and space-time within you, and you have been recording them."
Cale stayed silent at the precise words about his state.
"You have recorded yourself and your worlds. You have the foundation for creating a world."
Old Baek's voice slowed down again.
"But it's not yet balanced. Water flows excessively, and fire covers the earth."
Cale decided to remain silent.
"But it's beautiful. It's like the process of creating a world. Nature shines and forms the foundation. Countless records flow like a river, capturing everything."
Old Baek looked at Cale as if he were seeing something beautiful, and his expression became stiffer.
"What was contained in the small body of the Successor of the King was terrible. It wasn't beautiful at all. It was terrifying... But you, you are beautiful."
He smiled with an expression radiating kindness.
"The Vessel of a God is nothing in particular. It is the ability to contain a world and have the mental strength to endure it. That's what we call the Vessel of a God. If you keep creating your own world as you are doing now, you could become a god."
Then, a smile formed on Cale's lips.
"So, will you make me into a God?"
Speaking with determination, Cale asked Old Baek.
"How can I trust you?"
Old Baek brightened at Cale's reaction. When he saw the Successor of the King, he had been deeply impressed. He had wondered how someone could contain something so terrifying within themselves. Why didn't the other Hunters seem scared? Why weren't they terrified?
So, Old Baek decided to keep silent. He hadn't told anyone what he had seen. But he couldn't help but continue researching and admiring what he had witnessed. Although the terrifying world of the Successor of the King filled him with fear, at the same time, it was fascinating. Then, he finally found someone who might have the potential to create a world. Although it was just a world, it was small but beautiful, and above all, good.
'Yes, it's good.'
He wondered how nature could be so good. It was as if nature had been imbued with the souls of heroes.
But a person's power cannot be as strong as nature.
Old Baek didn't know what kind of strengthening process Cale went through to achieve this.
He just thought.
'I wonder what kind of God this man will be when he finishes creating his world.'
Old Baek didn't know who the man in front of him was. He didn't even know his name, but none of that mattered at all. All he needed was the essence of that person and their potential.
"I have everything I have researched so far. That should be enough."
"Are you referring to the Jiangshis?"
"The research on the Jiangshis is only a part. I've been investigating how to overcome human limits to create a world. Even the people in my family don't know this!"
"Hmm. I can't trust you."
Cale suddenly asked, "Where have you recorded all that information?"
At that moment, Old Baek stopped. Despite having something so fascinating before his eyes, he couldn't share his treasure with anyone.
"...I can't share that. It's my treasure."
Cale smiled at the response.
"Do you mean you've kept a record of it somewhere?"
...!
Old Baek shivered.
"Ron."
Cale looked at the ceiling and said, "Make this old man faint and look around for whatever he's recorded. There must be something."
Suddenly, Ron, who had fallen from the broken ceiling, appeared behind Old Baek.
"Yes, Young Master."
And then, Ron made Old Baek faint.
"T-This..."
The old man exclaimed as he fell unconscious.
"Why does someone with such positive energy as yours... receive favor from humans?"
And then, he lost consciousness.
Cale looked at him incredulously.
"Don't you like people, but you call yourself human?"
Then he said indifferently, "A god. Does that feed you?"
It wasn't necessary.
The voice of the Sky Eating Water spoke to Cale's snort.
"I hate Gods."
Even the Fire of Destruction murmured.
"Ah... Gods are a bit like that, aren't they?"
Raon's voice sounded.
"Human, Human! Watching the God of Death, it seems like you get busier when you become a God, right? You won't be able to play with us!"
So, in summary,
Cale also didn't like Gods.
From this side too, the answer was rejection.
Ding
At that moment, after a long time, the alarm sounded from the Divine Mirror.
Ding
Cale could confirm two messages that came to him.
<Dramatic negotiation concluded! The balance of power possible for Cale Henituse can be adjusted! ...See more details. - Sent by Jungwon>
A long message sent by Jungwon. The other message was sent by the God of Death.
<Are you awake...?>
"Sigh."
As soon as he saw the message, Cale let out a sigh. Seriously, he hated the God of Death.
"Really, it's annoying."
The moment his inner thoughts came out unintentionally.
Ding, Ding
With the urgent sound of incoming messages, the God of Death sent another message. When Cale saw the content, his eyes widened.
<It seems I've obtained some information about Alberu Crossman's father>
Zed Crossman, the current King of the Roan Kingdom. His whereabouts were currently up in the air. After the attack by the Hunters and the commotion that followed, no one had seen the King, and Crown Prince Alberu was acting as regent while searching for his father.
<His father's name appears on the list of candidates to die half a year from now.>
...List of candidates to die?
Half a year later?
<But it seems like they're taking him somewhere. And the location keeps changing.>
Ding
<This is special information I'm giving you. Originally, it shouldn't have leaked, but I took it secretly because you seemed to be having a hard time. Did I do well? Hehe. But, by the way, are you interested in the seat of God?>
Cale's expression stiffened.
"Oh, seriously, you're so annoying."
Ding
<Sob~. You're mean.>
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