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158. Test
After finishing a simple meal and before swallowing the black marble at Ifrit’s previous residence, I gave 6 of the 11 King’s Marbles to Jong Ho.
It was because I had no idea how long the test would take, and during that time, the Demon King could appear or Belkoseu could betray us.
Thankfully as of now, Belkoseu has not reached Jong Ho’s strength yet.
Taking the marbles, Jong Ho spoke with a calm expression.
“I’ll be waiting. Come back safely.”
“Yes. Don’t you already know? I did well in education. If it’s a test, I’m confident.”
“Yes. Don’t try to cheat, and just do as you normally do.”
“If the situation gets to the point where I’ll have to write my farewells to you, I’ll cause a ruckus and escape.”
“Whew. Try to be a little bit nervous. Just because I humored you once, you don’t know when to stop. I know I say this a lot, but be careful.”
“Yes. Please wait a bit.”
Jong Ho frowned and nodded.
It was a reaction that showed that he was used to this at this point.
Next to him, I saw Karin holding steak in both of his hands.
Despite having steak, something that he would die without, he wasn’t eating it and was looking at me instead.
“Keruuu. Min-Cheol…..”
“I’ll be back before these steaks grow cold.”
“Kehel? Despite having to risk our lives each day, I was glad to be with you. And I think I will continue to enjoy that going onwards. So please, just return back safely. I shall trust in your words and eat the steaks then.”
“Running your mouth till the end…. There’s no stopping you. Not at all. I don’t want to see your face, really. What? You’re coming back before the steak grows cold?”
“Pfft. I’m just trying to relieve some of his anxiety. I’m going for real now.”
While we were talking, Belkoseu focused on hiding magical energy signatures.
Unless the monsters were at the rank of a Chimera, they wouldn’t be able to find us.
Finishing our talk like that, I swallowed the marble.
The marble was the size of an adult’s fist.
I knew how large it was when I had held it in my hand, but unlike what I had thought, the marble went down my throat with ease.
I guess it was like drinking a bowl of maesaengi soup? 1
The lumpy and thick texture of the marble didn’t feel too good.
After consuming the marble, I lost consciousness and fell to the ground.
No, to be exact, by physical body lost strength and collapsed.
I had expected being transported to another dimension or someone appearing before me, but I was way off the mark.
Just like in the movies or drama shows, it seemed like I was in a situation where I was having an out of body experience.
After all, I was looking at my own body that had collapsed.
I also was able to clearly see Jong Ho and Karin standing guard next to me.
However, everything had lost color and had turned grey.
Being surprised at the changes didn’t last long though.
I could hear the sound of footsteps from somewhere.
I looked around the massive palace that Ifrit had resided in, but couldn’t find anyone.
However, I could hear the footsteps clearer as time passed on.
It sounded as if someone was walking on a light amount of snow.
I was drawn to the sound, moving towards it without much thought.
A bit of time had passed.
I was nearing the source of the sound, getting close to the edge of the demonic realm.
Everything around me looked grey, but far away, I saw someone letting out vibrant rays of light.
Almost as if they had taken all the light in the world to make themselves shine, there was nothing I could really compare to the beauty and majesty of the light.
I couldn’t even begin to tell how far away the light was.
Almost as if being lured in, I moved towards it.
After each step I took, from the edge of the demonic realm that seemed to fall down straight to hell, a narrow road was being made.
Passing through that pitch black darkness, I continued to walk towards the light.
An odd peaceful sensation overwhelmed me, and I did not feel any need to rush anymore.
Even the thought of needing to run there quickly dissipated.
Enjoying this strange situation, I followed the light lazily at my own pace.
I was acting as if I had forgotten about the Demon King, Ladin, Belkoseu, and the Gate and portals that have appeared on Earth, allowing countless monsters to pour in.
I was even considering that I had died.
However, that wasn’t the case.
If I had died, there was no way that Karin and Belkoseu wouldn’t have noticed.
However, my magical energy was still in my body undisturbed.
That meant that my life hadn’t been extinguished yet.
After all, magical energy was basically one’s life force.
I didn’t know why this was happening, but only my soul was floating around after having consumed the marble.
How long did I walk for?
I saw someone come into view.
A form of pure white that contrasted vastly with the pitch black darkness around us.
That someone was draped in clothes of white, walking towards me.
The outer form was identical to that of a human, but the clothing covered this being’s hands, feet, and face.
In a world that had changed completely, this was the first lifeform I was meeting.
However, I didn’t feel any fear at all.
I could instinctively tell that this wasn’t someone to be afraid of.
After arriving near each other, both of us stopped.
“Are you the one who has consumed the Piece of Space and Time?”
“……”
“Event after consuming it, you didn’t perish. Follow me.”
“Perish? There wasn’t anything like that on the description… That’s that, but are you the god that was mentioned?”
“I am the guide through space and time, Barub. I shall guide you to the god.”
“Well, I didn’t expect this god to come meet me.”
“Then……”
As soon as Barub finished talking, they turned around and started to walk away.
They had a voice that I couldn’t even tell if they were male or female.
Not only that, but their voice carried no emotions.
Other than not sounding awkward, there was no difference from an automated answering machine.
Due to how fast Barub walked, I had to rush to keep up in order to try continuing the conversation.
Since I had no information regarding this place, it was to find out as much as I could regarding the current situation I was in.
“Barub.”
“……”
“What is at the end of this road? And can you tell me about this one that has sent you here to guide me?”
“The light leads us to the entrance of another dimension that you’ve never experienced before.”
“Not to Earth or the demonic realm, but to another dimension?”
“That’s right. The place where this god you speak of so much exists.”
“So the celestial plane, basically?”
“Call it as you wish….”
“Are there any who have consumed A Piece of Time and Space before?”
“Yes. However, you are the first human to do so.”
“This item wouldn’t drop for monsters, so it wouldn’t be a monster…..”
“The worlds you’ve been in are only the tip of the iceberg…….”
“The description said that I had to pass the test of a god. What does that mean?”
“I do not know that either. My only duty is to guide those who are lost. I cannot leave this time and space.”
“Hm…. Is the dimension that we’re heading to similar to Earth or the demonic realm?”
“As I said before, I am simply a guide. You’ll have to see and feel for it for yourself.”
“The god that has ordered you to do so, do only one god exist?”
“……”
“You don’t even know about that? You really do live under a rock, don’t you?”
My questions continued persistently.
After all, I wanted to get even a clue as to what was going on.
However, Barub did not easily give up answers.
It had been long since that feeling of peacefulness that I had while walking had gone away.
Doubt and worry came in like a rising tide.
I continued to question.
“How much further do we need to go?”
“Time does not pass here. We merely go with the flow of the time space rift here.”
“I know you have time to spare, but my body is laying on the floor of the demonic realm. I’m not even sure if I’m still breathing or my heart is still beating. At this rate I’m going to decay like a corpse!”
“Do not worry. The moment that you met me, your time has stopped. The dimensions of Earth and the demonic realm that you have existed in are now only affected by what goes on here.”
“…..”
“If you’re unable to pass the test…… thus, not being able to receive my guidance back to the demonic realm…..”
“If I’m unable to? Then what?”
“Then your existence will be completely obliterated. You space. The things you have achieved. Even those you had personal ties with. Not a single memory of you will be left, and you will disappear as if you had never existed in any dimension. And those left will live on without ever knowing or being concerned.”
“What a refreshing answer. So let me ask you one more thing. You don’t have to answer this.”
“What is it?”
“Of those other than me who have consumed this marble, did you guide any of them back after they passed the test?”
“None.”
“You didn’t have to answer, but you gave a clear answer instead. There’s only unique folks around me, I swear.”
“None were able to return. However, just being able to come here is amazing in it of itself. Most who consume the marble perish from just the act of doing so. You’ve already proven how strong you are from just arriving here.”
“That’s not what I want. I don’t care about being acknowledged. I just want the very powerful abilities that the marble grants me from the god who had put it on this artifact in the first place.”
“Despite having served this being for so long, I still cannot figure out what they are thinking. I do not know why they call upon those who have consumed the marble. I also have no idea why they had not allowed a single one to pass the test.”
“You sure that there is only the two of us here? Since this is the place inbetween the demonic realm and the celestial plane after all.”
“That’s right.”
“I guess that means that they can’t hear us. I know the answer to your question. The reason for why this god does this is simple.”
“……”
“They’re absolutely insane.”
“How rude.”
“Do you think that they’d do this without being insane? But don’t worry about it.”
“…….”
“Despite how young I am, I’ve met plenty of crazies. So I know how to deal with them. If you meet me again after I pass the test, then you’ll know that I was right.”
“…..”
Even though I had insulted the god that Barub served, they did not respond.
It really felt as though I was talking with an emotionless machine.
Just like that, I continued to be guided by them until I arrived at the entrance of the celestial plane.
The size of the entrance was about the same size as what I had seen from the edge of the demonic realm.
The entrance completely ignored the rule of how objects further away look smaller than it actually is.
Finishing their duty, Barub turned around and headed back the way they came from.
It was then. I heard their low voice.
“There is something odd about you. I shall pray for you. I pray that I can guide you back to the demonic realm, that your existence won’t be erased, and that you will obtain the power that the marble brings…..”
“I guess you really weren’t a hundred percent tin can robot. Wait with the red carpet out for me. It’ll end up just as you said.”
“…….”
Barub left.
I was alone once more.
The area around me was pitch black, with only the brightly lit entrance to the celestial plane in front of me.
Through here was the being who would allow me to use the abilities of the marble.
More than anyone in the world, I needed this power.
I had to obtain it. If I could not obtain it, then I would steal it to make it mine.
Just like that, I went through to the place where this god resided.
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Time to meet this so called god.
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