Side Story Chapter 50   - Marriage (5)

[You have regained a part of your soul.]

[The rate of discrepancy has decreased.]

[Your temporary rank of tester has been updated to ‘player’!]

The Martial King said that he didn’t notice any big distinction from before, but he was actually feeling quite different. ‘The heavy feeling… Most of it has disappeared.’

The Martial King was able to realize his condition because of the slight discomfort coming from a small part of him. The three parts of his soul, the body, energy, and consciousness, felt like they weren’t synchronized. These three were the main components of martial arts, so if they weren't in harmony, it would take a toll on his soul… If only his consciousness grew, his body might not be able to follow, and he could fall into a coma. If his body and energy became too great, he could lose control of his consciousness and become insane.

The Martial King’s body was currently unsynchronized. The three parts of his soul weren’t connected properly. The links from his body to his energy, his energy to his mind, and his mind to his body were blocked by something. Most of this disharmony was eliminated after he transcended, but he was still lacking in many ways. However, as the system message said, the rate of discrepancy had decreased greatly.

‘If I…can gather more…’ The Martial King muttered to himself and clenched his fists. ‘I will become closer to being complete.’

There was a height of strength the Martial King dreamed of for a long time. It was known as the highest peak that even his ancestor, Shaohao Jintian, wasn’t able to reach. This was a peak that any martial artist, anyone who dedicated his life to the arts—anyone who gave his life to the arts—wanted to reach: the peak of life and death.

The Martial King didn’t know what the boundary between life and death felt like. He could only assume it was complete and without any imperfection. But if he could find all the fragments and complete his soul, becoming the true “first star,” if he could become an emperor like the real Martial King that Yeon-woo knew…he could learn what the boundary was like.

No. Even if he couldn’t step onto that peak himself, the Martial King could see its shape. It was his greed and long-time yearning. When he believed his future was bright, he guaranteed himself that he’d reach this peak someday, but he’d forgotten this passion after facing the giant wall of Allforone. Now, the passion blazed inside of him again. He wanted to live for a long long time…

‘I thought I was free from worldly desires.’ The Martial King reflected on himself. ‘This damned disciple of mine has set fire to my passion again.’ He had awakened. It was the awakening of the man with the title of Martial King and the name Nayu. A man who wanted to rise again.

Swish!

[The level of your existence becomes more prominent!]

『Honey, you…?』The Psychic Medium was surprised after reading her husband’s resolve.

Yeon-woo smiled faintly. He was relieved.

Determination, greed, and passion, these were the emotions that moved life. Since the Martial King was determined to live anew, the Tower would be shaken due to his actions.

And Asgard? No matter how they tried to stop the Martial King, how would they be able to handle the man who desperately desired to become stronger? In the past, they were able to endanger the Martial King with a cheat trick, but there was no need to worry about the current Martial King, who had transcended and awakened. Most great divine beings wouldn’t be able to defeat the Martial Kings.

What of the gods and demons? The same went for them. Even if the heavenly world all worked together because they thought the Martial King might become the new Allforone, even if they tried to create another massive wall, the Martial King would eagerly try and overcome it. Then, he could continue to overcome the hurdles again and again to reach the one-hundredth floor that no one had reached. This was the future Yeon-woo saw

‘I can open it back up without any concern now.’ Yeon-woo finally decided to open up the door to the heavenly world and he looked up at the sky. He had locked the ninety-eighth floor because he thought the divine beings would become wild after Allforone’s absence, and he didn’t want the Martial King to be harmed due to it.

However, now, he could unlock the door without any worries. Of course, most of the gods and demons would descend to the lower world, and the conflict between mortals and transcendents would become worse. This would result in great chaos.

‘But that’s what the world of the Tower was intended to be like.’ Yeon-woo believed such chaos would only be positive in the long run. It was true that Allforone’s ideals were valid too. The difference between the mortals and transcendents was too large, and such chaos could result in exploitation by the transcendents.

However, that would only be the case if mortals couldn’t grow. The world of the Tower was different. There were various trials throughout the floors, and mortals could improve their strength through them. With talent and effort, they could hope to someday become transcendent too.

Yeon-woo planned on ensuring their hopes could be attained, and he also intended on having the transcendents continue to improve themselves as well with the threat that they could someday be overtaken by the mortals.

There would be no quiet day with all the battles and fights, but what did that matter? This was the world of the Tower. The best was contested at each civilization and planet, and those who wanted to reach higher pinnacles were invited to this world. That was what the Tower was.

[You have accessed the ‘system settings and controls’ with your authority as High Guardian.]

[What will you change?]

‘Release the lock on the ninety-eighth floor.’

[Starting your command.]

[In progress…]

Clunk! The tightly shut lock in the sky began to open. Creak, creak. The cogwheels were forced to spin, and the sleeping mechanisms awoke again. Urrrrng.

[All the locking mechanisms on the ninety-eight floor have been released!]

The invisible barrier that shut the sky was freed. At the same time, the disconnected channels were all connected, and all kinds of messages were delivered at once.

[The godly society <Olympus> is taken aback at the sudden system unlock!]

[The godly society <Chan Sect> expresses curiosity about your authority!]

[The godly society <Asgard> looks for a way to transport to the lower world!]

…

[The demonic society <Jie Sect> is confused at the absence of the seventy-seventh floor!]

[The demonic society <Niflheim> is surprised by you!]

…

[All gods and demons of death are flustered by the intense connection they feel to you!]

…

[Metatron, the celestial scribe of <Malach>, adjusts his glasses and sends you a message.]

[Message: I did suspect it, but are you… Has the battle of the Heavenly Demon and the Black King ended in the future?]

[Baal, the leader of <L’Infernal>, quietly puts down the strawberry cake he was eating and sends you a message.]

[Message: I see. I’ll have much to talk to you about when I head down this time.]

Baal and Metatron were unforgettable beings to Yeon-woo. They ruled over absolute good and absolute evil, but they were actually pulling the strings from behind so the order of the heavenly world could be kept. They were also Uranus’ companions and had attempted to protect his universe for a long time, and they were the guardians who tried to save people even while the Tower was collapsing.

Yeon-woo also had many things he wanted to speak to them about like Baal said.

[You send a message to Metatron and Baal with your authority as High Guardian.]

[Message: Please come visit anytime. I will accommodate you both as my grandfather’s friends.]

[Metatron flinches in surprise.]

[Baal hums while preparing cookie sets that you might enjoy.]

* * *

“Opening the heavenly world means those who were stuck on the seventy-sixth floor can also ascend, right?” The Martial King was ever the same. The moment the entrance to the ninety-eighth floor was opened, he saw what Yeon-woo’s plans were.

“Wasn’t this what you wanted?”

“Is the sky blue?” The Martial King grinned widely with crossed arms. “I did. Very desperately.”

“…”

“I am the king of martial arts. I didn’t credit myself with this title. It’s something everyone in the Tower calls me as a sign of respect.” The Martial King’s eyes blazed with life.

Yeon-woo could see the “beast” he saw within the Martial King the first time they met begin to move. It was the Martial King’s other ego and mirror of himself.

“But I still haven’t reached the end of martial arts. I haven’t dominated this Tower that’s made of martial arts. I’ve been stuck in this countryside because of a colossal wall. How can I be the king of martial arts when I’m so pathetic?” The sleeping beast began to wake very slowly. “But a new path has opened now. If I sit back and do nothing, I should just throw away that title and remain as an old neighborhood man, shouldn't I?”

There was an old adage, peng cheng wan li. The legendary dapeng bird stayed in its nest and never left it, so it was difficult to imagine what it looked like. However, once the bird spread its wings wide, that wasn’t the case at all. Its wings were so wide that human eyes could not capture them all, and they covered the entire sky like clouds. Each flap of its wings caused waves of three thousand li to soar up, and the bird was able to fly ninety thousand li forward.

“So I will climb to dominate. I will reach a higher peak than my ancestor, Shaohao Jintian, and speak of how low the Tower is.”

The Martial King’s beast was this dapeng bird.

“But before that, there’s something I must do.”

However, the bird wished to take care of something before spreading its wings.

“I still haven’t properly overcome the wall that’s blocked me until now.”

The chains that tied the bird’s feet had disappeared. However, the bird was not accepting of that fact. It wanted to find the owner of the chains.

“I can take the path my disciple has paved for me. It will be comfortable and easy. But as your teacher, I don’t wish to show such a pathetic side of myself.”

If not, the bird could be chained again.

“You want me to overcome a new obstacle when I still haven’t overcome the old one? Bullshit. How is that possible? I haven’t taken the first step, so it’s impossible for me to take the second. I’ll only fall.”

The dapeng bird wanted to be free of everything before flapping its wings.

“So…”

The bird would brush off everything that tied it down and fly so high no one could reach it.

“It may be a burden for you, but won’t you help your teacher to properly take the first step while you’re already lending a hand?”

The bird wanted to meet Allforone and have the final showdown.

Yeon-woo realized what the Martial King meant, and he nodded in understanding. “I will help you. He’ll come over here soon with Sesha, so I will prepare a meeting then.”

Now, it was time to cleanse the Martial King of his last regrets.