Chapter 75
Chapter 75
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 75
Chapter Title: Reawakening (2)
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The wooden chest was incredibly antique.
Made of top-grade ebony, its glossy black surface made it clear at a glance that this was no ordinary item.
But there was something far more important.
“How did you know?”
Kim Gunja’s gaze shifted from the wooden chest on the table to the abbot, Jeonghye.
He had only clutched his head for a brief moment.
The kind of action one might dismiss as a headache or some minor bodily issue.
Yet the abbot had stated without a shred of doubt.
That it was confusion from clashing memories.
‘He knew something like this would happen to me.’
There was no other explanation.
His excessively calm attitude only reinforced it.
The abbot fell silent for a moment before slowly parting his lips.
“When overlaid memories clash with the truth, confusion is only natural.”
It was a response laden with meaning.
“...So you’re saying my memories have been distorted, and you already knew that?”
“That’s right, benefactor.”
It was astonishing in every way.
“I’ve never heard of an Awakener or artifact capable of tampering with someone’s memories.”
“The world holds far more hidden truths than what’s known.”
It wasn’t wrong.
Even historically, the information revealed to the public was always just the tip of the iceberg.
Much like the secrets he kept—the Customizing Room and the Majesty Ring.
After a brief moment to gather his thoughts, Kim Gunja asked again.
“Was the person who tampered with my memories the very man I lived with here at this temple?”
“Heavens...”
Jeonghye couldn’t help but sigh in admiration.
Just two words.
And with them, Kim Gunja had come remarkably close to the truth.
It was an astonishing recovery and insight from someone who had just suffered memory confusion.
‘Truly, blood cannot lie.’
Answering the question was simple enough, but it wasn’t a fundamental solution.
Instead of replying, Jeonghye gently nudged the wooden chest forward again.
“This will restore your distorted memories to their original state.”
The key to resolving all his doubts lay within that chest.
Kim Gunja’s eyes turned to the chest.
Etched into its black surface were a pentagram and a dragon ascending to the heavens.
It oddly evoked the Pentagram guild as he cautiously reached out.
And then he realized it was an artifact.
With a faint hope, he tried forcing it open, but it didn’t budge.
‘According to the description, it needs the blood of the registered owner...’
The problem was he had no memory of registering himself as its owner.
But the abbot wouldn’t have given it to him without reason, so Kim Gunja looked to Jeonghye for confirmation.
Jeonghye nodded.
Whirr—
Kim Gunja drew Zarathu from thin air and without hesitation slashed his palm.
Slash.
As he clenched his bleeding fist, hot blood trickled down onto the chest.
The blood that fell onto the Eternal Casket was absorbed completely, and the pentagram began to emit a soft blue glow.
And then.
With a sharp click, the chest opened, flooding the room with a rainbow of colors.
“This is...”
As the brilliant light faded, a mystical orb lay revealed.
Its aura was utterly different from Stain’s Shadow Orb or the Giant Snake’s Neidan.
“It’s called the Cintamani. In the secular world, it’s often shortened to Yeui Jewel.”
The term felt strangely familiar.
‘Is this the one from myths and legends?’
To confirm, Kim Gunja reached out and picked up the Cintamani.
Kim Gunja’s expression turned dazed.
...Myth grade.
The existence of a Myth grade beyond the Master Ring was shocking.
Jeonghye continued, watching Kim Gunja hold the Cintamani.
“Benefactor, using the Cintamani may mean you can never return to an ordinary life. Is that alright with you?”
Unaware of his full circumstances, Jeonghye had to ask.
The Cintamani was powerful enough to upend a person’s entire life.
‘An ordinary life...’
The words tugged at his heartstrings a little.
Before meeting Kang Inhyeok, he wouldn’t have felt this way.
Back when he didn’t know how precious such normalcy was.
Kim Gunja smiled faintly.
“It’s fine. My life’s already far from ordinary.”
Kang Inhyeok and the Hero Guild.
Customizing Room and investors.
Majesty Ring and Master Ring.
Homunculus and Slayer.
That was just what came to mind offhand.
Adding personal ties and affiliated guilds would make it even longer.
For someone like him, normalcy was no longer easy.
That’s why he’d carved out this day to spend time with acquaintances.
Though even that had led to this unexpected turn.
From Kim Gunja’s demeanor and answer, Jeonghye gleaned much.
‘Heavens... so that’s how it was...’
Did fate truly exist?
Like it or not, Kim Gunja was already walking a path far removed from ordinary life.
Turning his prayer beads and chanting “Namu Amida Butsu,” Jeonghye nodded.
“Very well. Then let’s move to another location. I’ve prepared a suitable place for you to receive the Cintamani.”
It seemed using the Cintamani wasn’t a simple matter.
Considering it was Myth grade and single-use, utmost caution made sense.
“Yes.”
As Kim Gunja followed Jeonghye out, Choi Seyeon was waiting.
“Gunja! Are you okay?”
He smiled reassuringly at her worried face.
“Yeah. It was just a mix-up from something way back when I was little. Plus, I’ve been skimping on sleep with how busy things are, so I had a slight headache too. The abbot explained everything, so I’m good now.”
At the mention of a mix-up and mild headache, Choi Seyeon sighed in relief.
Kim Gunja told her he and the abbot had a quick stop to make.
“Sorry, can you wait a bit longer? I’ll be right back.”
“Sure. I’ll wander the temple grounds for a bit. It’s bringing back childhood memories.”
Leaving Choi Seyeon behind, Kim Gunja exited the building with the abbot.
Cradling the precious Cintamani.
The rear mountain of Cheokun Temple.
Ascending stone steps revealed several caves.
Jeonghye headed to the innermost one.
“This is a spot often used for wall-gazing meditation by lesser vehicle practitioners.”
Kim Gunja glanced at the inscription above the entrance.
Repentance Cave.
A place for atoning sins.
“Even you have times when you’ve erred, Abbot?”
It was a light jest.
Meant to ease the abbot’s recently heavy mood.
But the response wasn’t light.
“When I was in the secular world, I committed countless sins. A lifetime of atonement wouldn’t suffice.”
Caught off guard by the unexpected gravity, Kim Gunja scratched his nose awkwardly.
“...Sorry. That wasn’t what I meant.”
“Haha, it’s not your fault, benefactor. Soon enough, I’ll be the one apologizing to you.”
“You?”
Kim Gunja tilted his head in confusion.
A faint, bittersweet smile tinged with self-mockery crossed Jeonghye’s face.
“You’ll understand once your memories return.”
With that, they entered the Repentance Cave.
The cool air typical of caves flowed within, and it was deeper than expected.
At its end stood a stone Buddha statue.
Jeonghye approached quietly and pushed it aside.
Grrrrrind—
The statue scraped across the floor as it moved.
Too much for an elderly man with white hair.
Watching, Kim Gunja voiced what flashed in his mind.
“...You’re an Awakener.”
“Indeed, benefactor.”
He’d never dreamed it.
That the abbot was an Awakener.
Though his stamina did seem exceptional for his age.
But he’d chalked it up to good health, not this.
Chuckling softly, Jeonghye pointed to the space behind the statue.
An inner chamber hidden by the Buddha.
“This is the place for you to use the Cintamani. The safest spot around. I’ll guard the entrance, so use it without worry.”
Kim Gunja stepped into the hidden chamber.
The roughly 10-pyeong space was impeccably clean.
Impossible without regular care.
Gazing around, he turned to the abbot.
“May I ask why you’re going to such lengths for me? If you’d kept it secret, no one—not even me—would have known.”
Doubts were inevitable.
The chest, the Cintamani.
Items any Awakener would covet.
He could have kept them without anyone noticing.
But he hadn’t, and Kim Gunja was curious why.
Jeonghye laughed heartily.
“Because I received a debt of gratitude too vast to repay in a lifetime.”
He was like a lantern.
To him, and to the world.
Perhaps because it was fully sealed.
The cave interior felt surprisingly cozy.
“Hoo...”
To reach peak condition, Kim Gunja circulated the Heaven-Shattering Divine Art lightly and opened his eyes.
—The method is simple. Hold it and infuse mana.
Recalling the abbot’s instructions, he drew the Cintamani from his bosom.
Slowly infusing mana, the rainbow-hued orb began radiating a brilliant halo.
And then the alert sounded.
No need to hesitate.
“Yes.”
No sooner had he answered than the Cintamani melted like ice cream in his hand, absorbing into his body.
The energy within surged through his mana circuits, spreading across his entire form in an instant.
“......!”
He’d anticipated it somewhat.
That it would differ from anything before.
‘But this...!’
It was unimaginably vast.
Enough to make his whole body tremble.
The mystical, otherworldly energy permeated every corner of his being.
Purifying all malign influences and perfectly harmonizing disharmony.
As it reached his head, it detected anomalies and unleashed its true power.
And then a small problem arose.
Boom! Bang!
The two forces clashed violently, sending a skull-rattling shockwave.
“......!!”
His mind nearly blanked out.
Grinding his teeth, Kim Gunja strained to hold onto his consciousness.
Boom! Boom!
How many collisions?
Gradually, purification took effect.
As the overlaid memories lost power and faded, the true ones beneath surfaced.
Memories of a certain man sharpened from blurry to vivid.
‘Just a bit more... just a little...’
He’d know who it was soon.
As he focused every ounce of mind on the clarifying memory.
“......”
A chill ran down Kim Gunja’s spine.
He knew exactly what those alerts meant.
Ma Ilcheon’s right arm.
Stain’s left leg.
Abel’s left arm.
All customized parts.
The extraordinary Cintamani was detecting disharmony not just in memories, but in every customized area.
‘...No, wait, hold on...’
Not there.
Don’t touch that.
But how?
The force heedlessly rampaging had no one to hear him.
The terrifying energy began freely reshaping his entire body.
Crack! Crunch!
Pain as if his mind would shatter engulfed him.
“......!!”
No time for alerts or memories now.
Just clinging to consciousness took everything he had.
Boom! Bang!
Thunderous roars echoed in his head.
Crack! Crunch!
His body was kneaded like clay.
A chaotic symphony that made merely holding on a miracle.
How much time passed?
As Kim Gunja desperately gripped his sanity, new windows slid up.
Alerts that were almost absurd.