Reincarnation Sword God

---

750——————==
Dark Heaven Village (암천향)

“In front of my eyes, the true body of Jeogok is about to be summoned, surrounded by the Immortals of the Celestial Realm. And since Dalgi is one of the three guardians, there are only two left. Plus, the Eight Parts of the Divine are all fully awake from their slumber.”

It was an incredibly confusing situation. In a fit of rage, I smashed the Imperial Palace, which was not a bad choice at the time, but now the real problem began. In this tangled mess where friend and foe were indistinguishable, what was I supposed to do with Dalgi’s body?

I grinned and immediately leaped up to smack one of the two Eight Parts of the Divine with my tail.

[ Usha! ]
Boom!

[ Kraak! You bastard… ]

Gin Nara and Yacha screamed in surprise as they were struck by Dalgi’s tail. Normally, such attacks would be ineffective, but Dalgi’s body was far too powerful, and they had just awakened from their stupor, making it impossible for them to dodge. Dalgi’s tail attack was strong enough to send entire mountains flying.

I smacked the annoying Eight Parts of the Divine and swung my fist to punch Mahuraga.

Puhack!

[ Kahak! ]

Mahuraga spun several times in the air before disappearing over the horizon. I couldn’t believe I could take on the Eight Parts of the Divine so easily, and felt a little relieved.

‘ Hehe. Annoying brats.’

However, what I realized after swinging my fist was that I couldn’t use Thunder God martial arts with Dalgi’s body. It was completely different from a human body, and the bloodline was entirely dissimilar. Also, perhaps due to the immense chaos swirling within me, I found it difficult to concentrate my energy.

But it was strange.

“Woo-woong!”

‘ Huh? I think I get it.’

Just when I was feeling disappointed about not being able to use martial arts, I began to get a rough idea of how to control the power flowing through Dalgi’s body. Unlike martial arts or Qi Techniques, it felt as if I instinctively knew how to move this body—as if I could manipulate the energy like I was breathing. Although this sensation was unfamiliar to me, I suddenly remembered Miho’s words.

[ Hahaha. You struggle with martial arts or techniques, but you have a remarkable sense for manipulating energy.]

[ In fact, using energy as a monster is as natural as swimming for a fish. However, it’s quite bizarre that you, being human, can use it so effortlessly… ]

“……”

Miho.

I suddenly missed her. Right now, with no way to rescue her who was practically the avatar of Queen Mother of the West, I had intentionally left her stranded in my past life adventure. How could I reunite with her? With Dongyoung facing destruction in this lifetime, I wondered how Miho was doing.

Momentarily lost in thought, I shook my head and shouted.

[ I fight for myself! ]

Murmurs—

In that instant, a bewildered atmosphere enveloped the battlefield. The Celestial Immortals were puzzled over why Dalgi suddenly shouted such words, and the Eight Parts of the Divine were just as dumbfounded. Just then, the true body of Jeogok, who had just completed more than half of its manifestation, added mischievously.

[ Hahaha… this is so amusing… ]

One of the Eight Parts of the Divine, Tianren, shouted at me in shock.

[ Apostle Dalgi! What are you doing? Didn’t your god agree to cooperate with us? What kind of betrayal is this!! ]

I grinned at Tianren’s words.

[ I don’t give a damn about that! ]

[ What the… ]

The Eight Parts of the Divine’s expressions clearly showed their confusion. Even Gin Nara, usually so calm, seemed unable to grasp Dalgi’s sudden change in attitude. The Celestial Immortals shared the same confusion, only circling around me without daring to launch an attack.

Then, it happened.

A colossal [voice] resonated in my head.

[ … Mortals… Have you taken my Apostle’s body with such overwhelming magic…? ]

Startled, I felt a chill at those words, which seemed to reach my very brain. Only the Old Ruler, who secretly controlled the Imperial Palace, could communicate directly with an Apostle and produce such intimidating pressure through mere words. It was clear that the original owner of Dalgi became aware of the anomaly and was addressing me.

I replied internally.

[ Why not make me your Apostle since we’re at this point? After all, this body is Dalgi’s. ]

It was a gamble. No matter what, it was better to say something.

[ …… ]

[ I do good work, you know… for real. ]

After a long pause, the Old Ruler responded to me.

[ The great chaos… is playing with even us… Fine… I’ll withdraw my hand from this game. ]

[ Huh? ]

[ You may use that body as you wish… ]

Paat!

At that moment, I felt the pressure lift from me, and several powerful blessings surrounding my body were gone. Dalgi’s innate strength remained, but the special abilities granted by the god had vanished. Yet, the connection to the Law of Cause and Effect, which could be considered the foundation of an Apostle, remained intact, leaving me momentarily bewildered.

‘ Huh?’

Soon enough, I understood the situation. The Old Ruler of the Imperial Palace must have sensed something suspicious and withdrew the blessings granted to aid me instead. It seemed, however, that the qualification of an Apostle was left intact. Of course, that didn’t mean I had been newly appointed as an Apostle.

Did the Old Ruler interpret the situation differently?

Why had he withdrawn?

‘ It’s as if he’s monitoring someone…’

I didn’t have the luxury to ponder that right now. Nevertheless, since my combat power hadn’t drastically dropped, I gained confidence and shouted.

[ I’ll do what I want! ]

[ ……!! ]

It was then that Natataja, who had been observing the scene, glared at me and roared in anger while attacking.

“Where does this trashy fox demon get off acting so proud?!”

Ku-gugugung!

The magical weapon, Geon-gon Circle, in Natataja’s hands suddenly trembled. The Geon-gon Circle, known for its immense attacking power, was one of the top five treasures even in the Celestial Realm; those struck by it would instantly perish. In a flash, the circle enlarged hundreds of times, matching the size of Dalgi’s true body, and came barreling toward me.

Natataja was attacking with everything he had!

If I had been in my original body, I would have barely survived such an attack, satisfied just to keep my life. That would be only if I summoned the powers of the Dragon King, Fire Dragon Incarnate, and the divine blessings to stand a chance. Normally, I’d be gasping for breath in a desperate life-and-death situation.

However— it was strange.

Now, possessing Dalgi’s body, I found the Geon-gon Circle utterly unthreatening. In fact, the gigantic whirl of the Geon-gon Circle seemed to be moving in slow motion, and I felt I could smash it with a single hit. Moments later, as I moved my hand, I understood why I felt that way.

The overwhelming chaotic power flowing through Dalgi’s body— it dwarfed even Natataja’s abilities, and I instinctively began manipulating that power.

Kagang!

In that moment, I struck the side of the magical Geon-gon Circle with my foreleg. The circle shattered into pieces, and with the destruction of the treasure, the spirit power scattered like dust all around.

“Ah, no?!”

Natataja was dumbfounded as his Geon-gon Circle collapsed. Seizing the moment, I lunged at him and took a firm bite.

Kwa-jik!

“Graah!!”

Natataja screamed, twisting his body, but I bit down hard, savored his flesh, and twisted my head from side to side. After all, he was a magical weapon, a high-ranking one at that; swallowing him carelessly could be perilous as he might rupture my insides, so I intended to chew him well.

‘ Ugh. So tough.’

Is Natataja really a high-ranking being? Even with Dalgi’s jaw strength, I could feel the unbearable hardness of his flesh, and his body showed no signs of breaking apart, only expressing excruciating agony. This must be what they meant by true indestructibility.

‘ Well, he is a being made during the Fengshen War…’

It felt like chewing on a hard shell. Yet, as I continued to chew, I started feeling him slowly crack, relishing the taste of blood that began to seep out before spitting it out.

[ Thwak! ]

Ku-gugung!

Natataja fell to the ground, drenched in blood, unconscious. I couldn’t believe that I had just taken down a high-ranking creature in just two attacks; that fight had been astonishingly easy. The attack from Natataja would have been nearly impossible to perceive for an ordinary human, but now it appeared to me like it was in slow motion.

Even the Eight Parts of the Divine observing the battle seemed taken aback by my overwhelming power. The thief gang observing the fight murmured in disbelief.

[ Incredible… Dalgi… taking down such a formidable opponent. ]

Swoosh—

The Celestial Immortals stepped back in fear, and the Eight Parts of the Divine looked at me in astonishment. As I gazed down at Luoyang from the sky, an overwhelming feeling surged within me— everyone here was terrified of me.

This was what it felt like to possess power!

As intense arrogance and elation filled me, the nearly finished manifestation of Jeogok spoke to me.

[ How intriguing. You aren’t the true master of that body, yet you move it so freely… Where do you come from? ]

[ …… ]

It seemed Jeogok had sensed my presence.

It appeared he realized that I took over Dalgi’s body. However, he didn’t seem to know I was Baek Woong. Jeogok continued, his form resembling that of a peculiar white giant adorned with thousands of wings.

[ But do not run wild any longer. That body is of great importance… it must be returned to Nüwa unharmed. ]

He knew.

Jeogok was aware that Dalgi was, in fact, a manifestation of Nüwa’s essence that had gone rampant! Given that they were both Three Sovereigns, it would be odd for him not to realize it, and it explained why Jeogok hesitated to attack me.

Since it had come to this, should I fight Jeogok after all?

‘ No… there’s no need for that.’

After all, Dalgi had been summoned as both a guardian and an Apostle to fight Jeogok. Engaging in battle with Jeogok wouldn’t change anything, and it would only serve to disadvantage me.

I surveyed the area. After spotting Jin So-cheong and my companions, I shot them a look filled with resolve.

[ Get the humans evacuated as much as possible. This might turn into a Chaos Zone. ]

Jin So-cheong nodded in agreement and responded telepathically.

[ Don’t worry. We’ve made arrangements with the Celestial Realm to evacuate more than half of the humans in Luoyang outside. We will move to minimize casualties. ]

Jin So-cheong was indeed reliable.

I turned back to the Imperial Palace. It had been almost completely destroyed, but the Celestial Gate and the Emperor’s Palace were still intact. This meant that there was a powerful barrier strong enough to withstand Dalgi’s flames there.

‘ Alright then…’

Bam bam bam!!

[ Break it down! ]

I kicked the Celestial Gate and the Emperor’s Palace, feeling the barrier shatter as I did so. Overjoyed, I executed the Nine-Tails Kick repeatedly.

[ …… ]

[ …… ]

Ku-gugugung!!

At last, the Celestial Gate crumbled completely! I felt the barrier weaken significantly, and a powerful magical force erupted from within. It was certainly responding to the “guardians” that Jin mentioned.

‘ That’s done! If I go in now, it should get easier. ’

With luck, perhaps Cheon Woo-jin or one of my magical skillful companions might find Dongyoung. Everyone was silent at my sudden attack on the Imperial Palace, astonished. I glanced around and declared.

[ I have no intention of fighting anymore, so figure it out yourselves! ]

Swoosh—

However, the Eight Parts of the Divine and the guardians quietly approached me. Regardless of my situation, I was still a key player to keep an eye on.

‘ Tch! Are they trying to suppress me? ’

I sensed the likelihood of difficulty against this attack, but at that moment, instinctively, all nine tails twitched together.

Ku-gugugung…

Suddenly, a massive vibration resonated from the Imperial Palace, and a brilliant ray shot out from within, striking the back of my head. Feeling a sharp sting, I turned around and instinctively felt a gaze looming from the heart of the Imperial Palace, causing me to flinch.

‘ W-What is that? ’

An overwhelming presence!

Instinctively marked in Dalgi’s body, I realized that ‘that thing’ was not to be trifled with. The gaze felt like a snake itself, imbued with fierce energy that flowed within its eyes.

‘ A snake…? Is it truly a snake? ’

As I concentrated on the chaos in Dalgi’s essence, I was able to see its true nature. It turned out to be a colossal dark serpent curled around the throne in the heart of the Imperial Palace, and it was clearly exuding animosity towards me.

The light earlier was nothing but a warning.

It was evidently stating that if I continued to misbehave, it would attack.

‘ Hmm… Challenging Jeogok here would be a fatal blunder. But I also lack the power to defeat the snake and Eight Parts of the Divine… ’

Caught in a dilemma, I glanced back at Jeogok and asked.

[ Jeogok, if there were a way to remove the mask, what would you do? ]

The situation worsened with Jeogok attacking me. Moreover, if that being is the most powerful entity present, it would be best to negotiate first.

[ ……!! ]

In that instant, the atmosphere shifted dramatically. The power radiating from the Three Sovereigns, Jeogok, surged, and the energy that had enveloped Luoyang until now began to swirl erratically.

Gooooo—

Even the Celestial Immortals felt suffocated and fell backward, while the chaotic power warped dimensions around us. From afar, distortions appeared around the moon, and the trajectories of shooting stars went haywire.

I was suddenly anxious that the civilians might perish, so I quickly drew up Dalgi’s chaos to prevent the shockwaves from spreading forth.

Jeogok, glowing with a dark hue that did not match his white exterior, spoke.

[ Now, think carefully before speaking… What is that method? ]

It was far more comfortable facing Jeogok than when I was merely human. Thanks to the chaos within Dalgi, it was incredibly easy to offset Jeogok’s power, making it feel as if I were just dealing with a neighbor loitering.

There was absolutely no pressure anymore.

[ As you know, I intend to go to the Emperor’s Imperial Palace. ]

At that moment, Jeogok seemed to realize who I was.

[ … I see. You’re the one aiming to gather the Seven Luminaries. ]

[ Hence, I would like to make a proposal. ]

[ What is it? ]

I grinned and suggested.

[ Please do not obstruct me. And do not hinder me from acquiring Dongyoung. After I ascend to the Imperial Palace, I will request that the Emperor remove the masks on behalf of the Three Sovereigns. ]

[ …… ]

[ Isn’t that a win-win proposal for both of us? ]

Jeogok seemed deep in thought. Then he suddenly opened his mouth.

[ You know the implications of releasing the Six Luminaries to reach the Seven? ]

[ I believe I know enough. ]

[ Very well… I just received word from the Five Sovereigns that they all agreed with your proposal. If you understand our objectives, there’s no need to hide any longer. I shall acknowledge that Dongyoung belongs to you. ]

I eyed Jeogok suspiciously.

[ You aren’t trying to snatch it back, are you? No changing your words, got it? ]

When I asked for confirmation, Jeogok appeared slightly flustered.

[ What?! How dare you speak of the Three Sovereigns like that… No, that’s not it. I wouldn’t do such a thing. ]

[ Thank you. ]

[ I look forward to what’s about to unfold… ]

Done!

The moment Jeogok accepted my proposal, Gin Nara from the Eight Parts of the Divine flew forward, criticizing me.

[ How foolish! Who do you think you are to make a deal with the Three Sovereigns! Handing over the initiative to them, humanity will suffer for eternity. ]

I retorted coldly to Gin Nara’s words.

[ But I can’t trust your lord either. So just try your best! ]

Let’s see how you fare against the true body of Jeogok!

Paat!

At that moment, I shifted my form dramatically and teleported. I learned the Golden Crow method from Cheon Gong-pyo, and now I could use the blood technique engraved in Dalgi’s essence.

I arrived inside the Imperial Palace. Though it was not what I had initially planned to negotiate with the Three Sovereigns, the name was not on the line, so there was no need to go to the Imperial Palace to ask for the mask to be removed. The Three Sovereigns would be satisfied as long as I gathered the Seven Luminaries to carry out their wishes.

Dalgi’s transformed human appearance still held beauty that could shatter nations. However, unlike Miho, she looked fiercer, more alluring, and dangerous—a peerless beauty, if you might say? Discomfort crept in as I transformed into the attire of the ancient Yin Dynasty.

When I returned to where I had just been, I noticed that the Eight Trigrams Diagram Jin had set up had vanished. It seemed Jin, seeing the situation was not progressing in his favor, had decided to retract it for the time being. I was curious about Jin’s ulterior motives, but now was not the time to rejoin my companions.

Now that I had gained the tremendous power of Dalgi, it would be best to use it to navigate through dangers alone. Moreover, since the technique could be exchanged back, I could always revert to my original body if need be.

Now, where could the guardians be hiding?

I recalled that I had seen a ‘snake’ earlier. I headed towards the location where I sensed its presence, where the throne of Changhil awaited.

‘ Jin isn’t here. ’

Swooosh—

A massive pitch-black serpent curled up, awaiting me. The serpent flickered its eyes and spoke.

[ How dare you… the one who seeks to assassinate the King… traitor… ]

“I’m not exactly trying to assassinate the King. Just hand over Dongyoung and I’ll be on my way.”

[ Dongyoung… that belongs to the doll… Why have you come here…? ]

A doll?

It was at that moment.

Kwang!!

Time seemed to freeze entirely. Within the confines of that temporal snare, I wanted to move my body, but instead found myself stiffened, as if caught in a trap, when Jin suddenly appeared, drawing forth a swirling mass of chaos in one hand and tossing it right at the serpent.

Boom!

As soon as the chaos orb hit the serpent’s head, it exploded, yet the creature showed no sign of dodging or retreating.

‘ Has the Divine Portrait Jin halted time? ’

Given any ordinary time-stopping ability, coupled with Dalgi’s chaos, I should be able to resist it, but what was going on? I tried to move, but I was completely immobilized. In response, the serpent, regardless of its shattered head, extended its body, letting out powerful energy waves.

Woo-woo-woo—

Suddenly, the time reversed! Well, to elaborate, it was the serpent’s chaotic power that had activated the [Small Snare]. The period of manipulation showed that the serpent was at least a being on the level of a Demon King.

“Initiate.”

But when the serpent attempted to rewind time to restore its body, Jin swiftly extended his hand to deliver a punch to it, causing the serpent to halt mid-restoration.

Swoosh—

The [Small Snare] ceased spinning. Upon seeing the dark serpent trapped in time, I realized I could finally move freely. Drawing on Dalgi’s energy, I glared at Jin.

“Who the hell are you?!”

This was absurd. To interfere with a mythical being capable of reversing the [Small Snare] and stop its recovery?! To halt the [Small Snare] entirely?! Even after a surprise attack, I could assert that Jin hadn’t shown such incredible power.

Simultaneously, I felt even more relieved that I hadn’t brought my companions here. With capabilities like that, they would all be rendered utterly helpless.

As I stared at Jin, he grinned slightly and said.

“Changhil is right ahead. Follow me.”

“Shut it! Reveal your true identity first.”

“I told you, I’m Jin.”

“Stop lying. Where’s Dongyoung?!”

I sensed danger. It was crucial not to get complacent after overpowering the guardians in this area.

If I failed to eliminate or subdue the being before me, I would certainly walk into a trap and lose my life. The inevitable moment of confrontation was approaching. Before anything else, securing Dongyoung was more important than meeting Changhil!

Jin stated resignedly.

“Ugh… You’re making this into a nuisance. I didn’t expect you to steal an Apostle’s body. You’re truly unpredictable.”

“……”

Jin continued.

“Fine then. If you say that, then let me know where Dongyoung is.”

Swoosh—

Jin’s hand moved slowly towards his right chest. Then, like pulling his hand through water, something appeared slowly from his chest.

Thump.

Thump.

Although it felt as if a heart was fluttering, it wasn’t that at all. The fluttering organ was actually a familiar scroll fused with slime-like essence. I recognized that scroll instantly; my eyes widened.

“……!!”

“Here you go.”

Jin chuckled playfully.

“My heart is Dongyoung, Hahaha!”

---