The Foreigner on the Periphery

Asiph-1 swallowed hard.

He waited, his throat tight with anxiety. Would he refuse? Or accept?

The Creator's next words caught him off guard.

"I think... we should ask his opinion first."

The person Minjun pointed at blinked slowly.

"Huh? Me... again?"

Minjun gave a silent nod.

"Because if we go through with this, Dong-cheol, you'll be the one taking on the biggest risk."

"...Ah?"

It made sense. Of course they needed to ask for the goblin's consent.

The reason he hadn't was out of habit—lingering tendencies from his days as a Frying Pan had naturally led him to dismiss Dong-cheol.

Back then, Dong-cheol had rarely asserted himself, usually just going along with whatever the others decided.

Asiph-1 had simply assumed it would be the same this time.

'I messed up.'

While Asiph-1 reflected on his mistake, Minjun elaborated.

"The guy radiating light over there—yeah, Fourth—is in no danger. He just has to keep pouring out his Divine Power like he is now. My son here has peeked into enough minds to be sick of it, so this is nothing new for him. And as for me, I can just sever the mental connection if things go south."

Back when Minjun had lost his memories, the only reason the Frying Pan had managed to influence him even slightly was that he hadn't firmly asserted his own will.

But now, there was no way Asiph-1 could manipulate his mind.

"Ultimately, you're the one in the most danger. As explained, you'll be imitating the power a Demonic Goblin unleashes in its final moments. Even with my help and our reliance on the fragments carried by Earthlings, the risk isn't zero."

Dong-cheol tensed up.

Asiph-1 grew just as pale.

He had forgotten how fiercely his Creator cared for those within his fold. Some might wonder why he was fussing so much over a mere goblin.

But that was a thought only possible for someone who didn't know Ye Minjun at all.

He asked himself anxiously: was the Creator trying to talk the goblin out of it?

"But..."

The next words almost made him cheer.

"Even so, I want you to participate in this experiment."

"Oh... really?"

Dong-cheol started to nod without a second thought, but Minjun stopped him, gesturing for him to hear him out.

"When we reunited, I guessed that you were a Demonic Goblin. I didn't say anything because I thought living a normal life—at least until your awakening—wouldn't be a bad thing. But since you already know, I'll speak plainly."

His eyes were as deep and tranquil as the ocean.

"As things stand, your fate hundreds of years from now is all but set in stone. The inevitable sacrifice required of a Demonic Goblin. It's a noble destiny, without a doubt, but..."

The king who had willingly sacrificed himself for his people so long ago spoke.

"If there's another way, it might be worth trying."

If Asiph-1's method worked, the future where Dong-cheol's soul and flesh collapsed could change.

Minjun wasn't condemning sacrifice. He was encouraging the search for an alternative because he knew just how agonizing that burden could be.

No one understood the crushing weight of a self-imposed duty in life better than he did.

"...Yeah."

The goblin, who had intended to agree anyway, gave a fearless nod.

At that moment, a beaming Asiph-1 chimed in.

"Oh, right."

He belatedly brought out the argument he'd prepared to persuade Dong-cheol.

Even though he seemed to have already made up his mind.

"This is something his soul mentioned in the mindscape..."

Asiph-1 offered a wink.

"It seems Father will be able to grant your wish through this experiment, Dong-cheol."

"...Oh, really?!"

The goblin's face lit up, but...

Minjun frowned at the unnecessary comment.

"...Like I told you before, your wish will be granted anyway once all this is over."

He spoke to Asiph-1, his tone somewhat stiff.

"This isn't an agreement to change all my plans to suit your wish. We're strictly running an experiment. There's no harm in figuring out exactly how much Divine Power I can handle."

Asiph-1 grinned.

The son of man had a feeling he knew the other reason his Creator had approved this experiment, aside from his consideration for Dong-cheol.

But he didn't say it out loud. He knew Minjun's personality too well for that.

"Alright, let's begin."

Flash!

After checking the barrier surrounding the battleship one more time, Asiph-1 wove their four minds together.

In that instant, the scenery around them completely changed.

*

A moment later.

Minjun was met with an uncontrollable churning.

Having rarely had the opportunity to peer directly into the mindscape of a living person rather than the dead, he felt a strange sensation.

A place where his mind overlapped with Fourth's, Asiph-1's, and Dong-cheol's.

He wasn't sure how the others were faring, but Minjun at least managed to avoid the chaotic mess of his ego bleeding into theirs. He simply observed their mental symbols like a landscape.

'What's that?'

The first thing to catch his eye was Asiph-1's mindscape.

Countless fragments clumped together, creating a chaotic harmony.

It seemed to reflect the very depths of Asiph-1, a single entity stitched together from countless gathered fragments.

'It's dizzying.'

Thinking he would get vertigo if he kept watching, Minjun exerted his will.

Without him so much as shifting his eyes or turning his shoulders, the landscape smoothly rotated.

The surroundings completely shifted.

The sight that unfolded before him was what Asiph-1 had already seen.

'Hmm.'

It was entirely different from the previous mindscape.

He could perceive a desperate, burning longing for his separated family, tangled with a raw craving for food brought on by seven days of starvation.

Minjun instantly knew it was Fourth's mindscape. His stream of consciousness brushed across the space like intense lines.

'...It's a pretty straightforward mind.'

Beneath the surface consciousness lay a realm closer to instinct.

Perhaps because he was also linked to Asiph-1, Minjun was able to interpret it without difficulty.

The first elements of Fourth's mind to reveal themselves were fragments shaped by his Dragon and Elf genetics.

They were species known to be absolutely incapable of awakening Divine Power. According to Asiph-1, Dragons and Elves could never reach the realm of self-transcendence. Dragons because of extreme selfishness, and Elves because of their suspicion toward others, failed to overcome that wall.

'And yet, this kid managed to awaken Divine Power.'

Among the fragments drifting in the subconscious, Minjun found what seemed to be the cause.

It was a psychological inclination unique to those who inherited the genes of a Guide Dragon.

The descendants of that special gold dragon had inherited the faithful nature that had served the primordial race so long ago.

However, no other Dragons carrying the Guide Dragon's blood had ever awakened Divine Power. That inclination clashed with a Dragon's arrogance and pride.

Then what was the other reason Fourth was able to do so?

'Ah. That's it.'

Where Minjun cast his gaze, fragments left by human and Ober spider genes were drifting.

Humans: highly collectivist, revering mystic power and authority.

The male soldier spider: revering its mother as a flawless and perfect being, yearning for her and remaining fiercely loyal its entire life.

'Those traits helped him bypass the ironclad wall of ego raised by the Dragon and Elf.'

Because his ego was that resilient, transcending it created a massive shockwave. Minjun finally understood why Fourth had become such a powerful ability user. And he had a good idea of how his future would unfold.

'Male Ober spiders typically die young within a year, but...'

Even Jenkinson's subordinates had been certain of that in the past, but...

Minjun thought differently.

'At this level, it should be enough to restore his failing body on his own.'

Minjun intuited that, aside from the title of the strongest Divine Power user in the universe's history, Fourth would also earn the moniker of the longest-lived male Ober spider hybrid in history.

Next.

Fwoosh!

This time, he had no intention of averting his gaze, but...

Minjun found himself unconsciously staring at 'himself.' Just like in a dream, he could look at himself.

Crackle! Fwoosh!

There burned a blood-red flame, using darkness as its fuel.

'Why is it...?'

A moment later, the answer naturally surfaced in his mind.

'Ah. This is Dong-cheol's mental image.'

The sprawling shadow, spreading like a sea, looked like a beast at first glance, but upon closer inspection formed the shape of a human.

Its surface looked like an oil spill burning out on the ocean. Relentless crimson flames flared atop the black ripples.

This wasn't a symbol of the goblin's ego. Rather...

"Yeah, that's how Dong-cheol sees you, Agent."

Minjun didn't have to turn his head this time, either. A single beam of light bloomed through the seams where the mindscapes of Fourth, Dong-cheol, and Asiph-1 were tangled.

It soon surged into an intense torrent spreading in all directions. The current cracked the other mindscapes to carve out a path. Golden stardust unfurled like a carpet, guiding the way.

Minjun had a good idea who that voice belonged to. So he headed there without hesitation.

The center of the golden galaxy bubbled, and a human silhouette surged up like foam. The swelling golden light transformed into the figure of a young man.

Minjun didn't realize he could produce a voice here until he let out his first words.

"Is this how it works?"

"Yeah, this is how it works."

The young man nodded.

His appearance was entirely different from when Asiph-1 had made contact. Minjun's son had claimed that upon their encounter, he could only perceive a dimension devoid of coordinates where only direction existed.

But right now, Minjun could see him.

A young man in ordinary clothes. The ridiculous Penguin Costume in his memory was nowhere to be seen. The Dagger once lodged in his throat was also gone.

"Hello. It's been a while."

Ha Eunseong smiled and pointed in a certain direction.

"Shall we take a walk?"

The moment he exerted his will, Minjun found himself walking beside him.

And Minjun realized why this situation felt so awkward. When Ha Eunseong had been a ghost, Minjun had always moved behind his spiritual body. It was to monitor him, as a ghost could move far more freely and quickly than someone bound by flesh.

And when Ha Eunseong possessed the dragon's body, the opposite occurred: Minjun always walked ahead while the other followed. Or Minjun simply rode on his back.

In other words, this was the first time they had ever walked side-by-side in the same direction. Even if it was happening in a mindscape.

Wherever they stepped, a bright haze rippled out, creating shockwaves. The moment a thought crossed Minjun's mind, Ha Eunseong answered it.

"You don't need to worry. You aren't going to wake up to find that seven days have passed. Your son... I had a reason to bind him for seven days. He needed to stay linked to me while Fourth scattered enough seeds."

"When I wake up..."

"Not even a single second will have passed in reality."

He said, gazing at the flames enveloping Minjun.

"You lied to Adkiel. Seeing these flames... I think I understand."

Minjun listened to him but harbored other thoughts. The reason they were able to converse like this was likely because Asiph-1's mind was woven together with theirs.

He also knew instinctively that the other was telling the truth.

So he asked the most important question first.

"Who are you mixed with right now?"

Ha Eunseong laughed.

Minjun was considerably taken aback. It was because of the warmth mixed into that laugh, transmitted through their minds. The other had every reason to hate or resent him.

Perhaps, he had already become something far greater than the ghost of a human youth who had died. Just as Asiph-1 had testified. He had already merged with countless entities.

Instead of answering directly, Ha Eunseong said.

"You were a truly beloved king."

"...!"

Ha Eunseong gazed down the extending path.

"The feelings your people sent you were far beyond simple respect and worship. Even after they fell asleep, they dreamed happy dreams, walking each other's lives beneath each other's skin, and through that, they came to understand you even better. And they finally realized: just as they loved their king, the king also loved his people."

Ha Eunseong remembered just how much Ye Minjun—that agent, that prisoner—cherished the people around him.

Some interpreted it as a rebound effect from having lost too much.

But was that the truth?

Just what kind of person was Ye Minjun as one of the primordial race?

"For someone who so deeply cherished even the connections he made as a prisoner... what must your connections from the primordial race era have meant? The king's people."

Their eyes met.

"It's hard to grasp from just a single gaze. But as everyone's memories merged, 'we' were able to cross-verify our experiences. By retracing the king's footsteps left in everyone's memories, we found out. The answer we failed to discover before falling into our long slumber. Because... back then, we weren't in our right minds. You remember, don't you?"

Minjun replied, unaware of how his own voice even sounded.

"It was after you had broken out of that machine-like state where you had lost your free will."

"Yes, those aftereffects still lingered within us. So we failed to see the obvious truth. My answer was a bit late. 'All' of us are mixed in here, little by little."

"...!"

"That's why I don't need to specifically tell you who and who is mixed in here. But you know what's funny? Even if I were to say the names of everyone inside me right now... you would remember them all. It's impossible for an ordinary person. Even considering you are one of the greatest geniuses in the history of our race... one normally doesn't put in that much effort. Yet you could remember the names of all your people, an astronomical number. You still remember them now, don't you?"

Minjun barely managed a nod.

It was true. He could easily recite them. Minjun remembered the face and name of every single citizen. He could even say how many shared the exact same name, and what each person's unique characteristics were. It was a feat only possible for a superhuman who had surpassed human limits.

Engulfed in flame and darkness, he thought he couldn't even tell what kind of expression he was wearing right now.

"We were imperfect beings. We easily made the wrong choices and often committed terrible sins. Yet the king loved us. Come to think of it, you really resemble Earth's Dragon Lord. That dragon thought his kin were a terrible bunch, but he couldn't abandon them in the end. That is why Jenkinson also chose sacrifice. The path of hardship. Just like you."

Ha Eunseong looked down at the path the two were walking. A beautiful light stretched out in the distance.

"Now, I need to tell you why your plan failed."

Minjun felt a simultaneous shudder run through his body, whose location he didn't even know, and his mind, which was anchored here.

"Everything went against your calculations."

"...Yes. Originally, my people were supposed to wake up far earlier than this. Before Dragons turned from beasts to humans. Before the Ancient Race developed enough to try their futile tricks. Before I consumed all the dragon blood and reached a state near starvation."

"But we showed no sign of waking on our own. And the rate at which we merged slowly decelerated."

Ha Eunseong made a face as if he were about to cry. His sincerity was transmitted entirely to Minjun.

"I'm sorry for giving you such great pain once again. But we... thought we had to do it."

It was Ha Eunseong's words, and at the same time, the words of all the people merged with him.

Minjun asked for the truth.

"Don't tell me... the reason the progress slowed down was...?"

"Yes. We decided it ourselves. We thought we needed to wake up once before being completed as the blood of the universe. In an incomplete state."

"Why?"

"You lied to Adkiel."

Ha Eunseong, Minjun's people, spoke.

"And you lied to us, too. After discovering that truth belatedly, we made our decision."

The secret the king had tried to hide from them.

"Because we couldn't just leave you behind here all alone."

Visit and read more novel to help us update chapter quickly. Thank you so much!