Chapter 180: Skirmish (5)

-Is this the ruins? As expected, the energy of defying heaven is overflowing.

Eternal Heaven said while wagging her tail. After infusing the energy of defying heaven, her tail had grown to seven. Additionally, the power she could wield had increased. Although Black Heaven had warned to be careful, Eternal Heaven, who could handle the energy of defying heaven, didn't need to be cautious.

'Even if something goes wrong, I still hold the initiative.'

Eternal Heaven, Black Heaven, and I went inside. Along the winding path, monsters occasionally appeared.

-Take this! Fox Kick!

Black Heaven and I remained still. It was because Eternal Heaven was rampaging. Eternal Heaven lightly blew a sharp black flame that turned into a blade and killed the monsters.

'But isn't it called Fox Kick, yet it's using sorcery?'

-Understand, master. Eternal Heaven has some odd traits.

I glanced at Black Heaven briefly. The taste of Heavenly Demon was peculiar no matter how much I thought about it. I, the only normal one, had to keep my wits about me.

-Master, didn't you just have an inappropriate thought?

Indeed, it was an existence that had once transcended. Its senses were sharp.

'No, I was just thinking that I'm fortunate to have you and Eternal Heaven with me.'

-Huhu, now you finally recognize my worth.

-But don't you think Black Heaven is no longer useful? It can't even descend in a possessed form like before. How about getting cozy with me, the top sorcerer of the magical realm?

-Gaaaar! How dare you wag your tail at the master!

-Hmph, I'm a fox, remember?

Watching Black Heaven and Eternal Heaven bicker, we reached the end before I knew it. Inside was something like an altar. On the altar was a black box, and when I looked at it with Divine Sight, there was a distortion.

'Is it the effect of a relic?'

-Hmm. Could it be that thing is sealed?

-Ah, could it be that thing...?

Seeing it, Black Heaven and Eternal Heaven reacted negatively.

'What's wrong? Do you know it?'

-Yes, it's a troublesome one.

-If a dragon has the greatest offensive power, Suzaku has infinite vitality, and the one in front of us has tremendous defense.

‘It's Genbu.’

-The problem is that barrier. Even a dragon has to hit it for seven days to break the barrier it creates.

‘Seven days?'

What made that barrier so strong? I could roughly guess. If it had talents that absorb surrounding magical power, skills that increased the barrier's strength with magic, and a retrieval ability like mine, it’s theoretically possible...

-Actually, it's not just the bad synergy between the two beings.

-If it's the master, you can break it easily. Its barrier is particularly weak against the energy of defying heaven.

'Hmm.'

According to Eternal Heaven and Black Heaven, it had tremendous defensive power. I recalled the dragon I saw in the United States. Although it had lost most of its power, I could sense its former strength. Enduring a week against such a being was impressive.

'I must persuade it.'

If not, I’d have to turn it into a follower. I was sorry to the next elder, but there was no choice.

Step.

I walked forward.

-An uninvited guest?

A voice that made the entire cavern tremble. A high-ranking existence spoke. A being appeared from within the altar.

Black. A black snake. It also possessed power close to death. Yet, it did not exude negative energy. It was a natural death, belonging to order. There was another being. Beside it was a turtle-shaped being with the power of water.

‘Genbu.’

It was one of the Four Guardians.

“I’m a guest with an invitation.”

-...The descendant of that Heavenly Demon.

There was hostility in the voice.

What did Heavenly Demon do?

-It's surprising. I didn't expect Eternal Heaven to follow you.

-What’s wrong with that?

-Well, you hated the Heavenly Demon so much.

-I entered this realm because I owed Heavenly Demon a personal favor, but I hated Heavenly Demon as a person.

-So you like your master as a person?

-Yes, of course.

-This fox!

-Eek! You crazy woman!

Black Heaven growled and bit the fox's tail. I looked at Genbu.

“Do you have many grievances against the Heavenly Demon?”

-Plenty. Forcibly dragged me out of my peaceful slumber to be the symbol of the church.

“...That must have been tough.”

I replied, glancing at Black Heaven, who was biting Eternal Heaven’s tail fiercely.

-It's done. All in the past. If your goal is to take the legacy, go ahead and take it.

"Yes."

-Take it, if you can.

Genbu spoke meaningfully.

I headed towards the altar. Genbu did not react as I approached.

‘Ah, it's because of this.’

As I got closer, I saw something like a spell on the box. The box was bound with the energy of defying heaven, making it difficult to open unless you had supreme power or conceptual stats.

Crack.

As I placed my hand on the box, the chains unraveled.

-What... did you say...?

"Easy. Easier than when I took something from the Heavenly Demon."

-You took something from the Heavenly Demon?

"When I created the Black Flame Arcane Spirit in the US, I was short on the energy of defying heaven. I almost forcibly snatched it then."

-No, more importantly, was Heavenly Demon alive?

"It was a remnant. But it was close to its real form."

I glanced at Black Heaven.

At that time, Heavenly Demon was close to its real form. When I annihilated the Brigade of Eternal Heaven, I witnessed Black Heaven's power. She had possessed my body, sweeping through them and promising to teach me a lesson.

'It was similar to that time.'

Heavenly Demon was too strong to be called a remnant. It might also mean that she was beyond the norm.

-If it's Heavenly Demon, it's possible. She regretted not being able to create a successor.

"Really?"

-Yes.

I looked at Genbu.

Talent, Reading(-).

system-start

[Name: Genbu]

Strength: 30 Agility: 30 Stamina: 50.

Magic: 50 Mind: 40 Dexterity: 25.

Special Stats.

Death: 50.

Water: 70.

◈Talents.

-「Eternal Armor (S+)」, 「Born from Death (S)」, 「Twin Personality (S+)」, 「Great Spirit of Water (S)」, 「Weather Manipulation (A+)」, and 5 more.

◈Skills.

-「Master of Water (S+)」, 「Heavenly Armor (S+)」, 「Shield of Water (S)」, 「Lightning Resistance (A+)」, and 10 more.

◈Constitution.

-X.

‘Desirable.’

Resisting all abilities with 「Eternal Armor (S+)」, nullifying instant-death skills with the death attribute, 「Born from Death (S)」. And 「Twin Personality (S+)」, controlling two powers with a dual personality.

Its stats were quite low, but compared to a dragon, it’s decent. A dragon was a threat to me, who was mid-tier.

-Sorry, but I refuse. I’ve been overworked. Now, I just want to rest.

-Seo-ha. Genbu likes water of good quality.

-Master, and Genbu loves salmon.

“…Modest?”

-Modest? It was hard to eat salmon in Zhongyuan. Even Heavenly Demon couldn’t properly get it…

“I can feed you dozens of salmon a day?”

-So where should I go, Heavenly Demon?

That was a quick change of attitude.

I chuckled.

The legacy left by Heavenly Demon was quite anticipated. It would be difficult to unlock it if it wasn’t me. So, I opened the box with high expectations.

“…”

There was a black long coat. And there was a note on it.

[To my future successor. From your great master, like the sky.]

-Sky…? I did all the teaching.

-As expected of Heavenly Demon… Still trying to take credit.

-Well, it’s true, but…

Eternal Heaven looked at Black Heaven with a dumbfounded expression. Black Heaven looked at me with a frustrated expression.

-Master! You know how sincerely I taught you!

‘Of course.’

I knew it well.

I had learned well from Heavenly Demon. I burned the note with black flames. Black Heaven smiled satisfactorily.

‘Reading.’

【Black Long Coat (S)】

A coat once used by the Heavenly Demon. Made from dragon scales, it cannot be damaged by ordinary blades.

: Built-in skill 「Ruyi」

: Built-in skill 「Auto Recovery」

: Built-in skill 「Subspace」

‘It looks cool.’

I put the black long coat over my hoodie. It adjusted to fit my body perfectly, even though it should have been larger.

The built-in skill, Ruyi. Did it mean I could move the coat as I wished? I swung my arm, and the coat extended to wrap around Black Heaven.

-M-Master?!

It was more useful than I expected. If it wasn’t for meeting Himmler…

‘This seems like it’s just for show but with added convenience.’

To be honest, it felt ambiguous. I believed the scales made from 「Black Heaven Dragon Blood (S+)」 were tougher. Well, since it’s a symbol of the Heavenly Demon, I’d wear it.

I tried using the other function, Subspace. It was more spacious than I thought. It seemed like it was time to graduate from the subspace bracelet the principal gave me.

“Not bad.”

-Not bad, you say? It seems true, but what…

Genbu seemed confused. I chuckled and spoke.

“Well, let’s go quickly. Do you have any conditions?”

-Hmm, as long as I can eat salmon, I’m good.

“I’ll let you eat as much as you want, whether it’s 100 or 1,000.”

-Master, may I pledge my lifelong loyalty?

“Of course. Oh, but that form stands out too much. Do you have another form?”

-Hmm, how about this?

Genbu transformed into a snake about 1 meter in size.

“…That’s good enough.”

Not bad. Summoners often carried their summons, so claiming it’s a summon shouldn’t be a problem.

I entered the guild. Many were training in the guild.

“Attention, everyone. Today, a new member joins our sub-guild, Amcheon, under the Galaxy Guild.”

“Another new recruit… Wait! Why is the new recruit so strong?”

“It seems he’s fallen in some way… but his origin is beyond me. He’s a ridiculous being.”

Ha Seong Hwi was shocked, and the Witch Maiden groaned.

“One of the Four Guardians who once served the Heavenly Demon in the Magical Realm, Genbu.”

-Nice to meet you all. By the way, Master, when can I eat the salmon?

“…Ha Seong Hwi. Take this card and buy all the salmon nearby.”

“Huh? Why should I?”

Ha Seong Hwi acted arrogantly.

I quietly showed my forearm. The mark of the Tower of Dreams, the slave mark.

“…I’ll go get it.”

After disbanding the group and instructing them to guide Genbu to the Elder, I headed to the guild master’s office.

-Huhu, Master is finally showing a demeanor befitting of the Heavenly Demon. With this momentum, you can establish the demon’s realm in Korea.

-Seo-ha, I don’t like seeing Black Heaven so proud. What should I do?

‘Eternal Heaven, lick Black Heaven’s sword body.’

-Eternal Heaven, Eternal Heaven!

-No, stop! Stop it! Huaaang♡