Chapter 332: The Apostle (3)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 332: The Apostle (3)
A new ruler could only emerge after all existing life in the world was destroyed?
The World Tree’s answer made my head throb.
…What kind of bullshit rule is that?
The world I came from needed a new ruler, as it currently had none. But for that to happen, every living thing would have to be wiped out.
“And who came up with this rule in the first place?”
What kind of lunatic would design something so cruel? It was utterly absurd.
[ It was not a rule made by anyone. That is simply the way of the world. ]
I let out a heavy, frustrated sigh.
Simply the way of the world?
“That’s ridiculous.”
If that were true, it meant the entire world would be erased the moment it sought a new ruler.
How could anyone believe such a thing?
It was unbelievable. I had never heard of such a concept in my life, and it was too far-fetched to accept.
“I’ve never even heard of a ‘ruler,’ and my world has functioned perfectly fine without one.”
The tree claimed no new life could be born without a ruler, but that wasn’t true for my world.
“If you’re not lying, then maybe there is a ruler in my world—one you don’t know about?”
If a ruler was what connected all life, did that make them something like a god? Was it the mysterious deity worshipped by the Shaolin and Wudang Sects?
I had no idea. The concept was so vast and alien that it felt like it would take a lifetime to fully grasp. Believing it wasn’t easy at all.
[ Apostle. ]
The World Tree called out to me, but its voice seemed distant.
[ A world that breaks its own rules is called a crack. ]
“A crack?”
[ Correct. The principles of your world have been shattered, and now it faces abnormalities. ]
“…What exactly is this crack you’re talking about—”
Oh.
A realization struck me just as I was about to speak.
A world with broken principles… if I had to name something that fit that description…
Perhaps…
“…The Gate of Demons?”
A strange rift that tore open in the sky, spewing forth hordes of demons. Long ago, it was said the ancestors of the Gu Clan triggered the start of the calamity.
If that was what broke the principles of my world…
Could it be…?
It had to be.
The existence of a ruler, the absence of one, and the broken rules of my world—what if the Gate of Demons was the cause?
…Are you telling me my own ancestors were responsible for all the world’s problems?
If the Gate of Demons was the crack the World Tree spoke of, it made sense why the Gu Clan was burdened with atoning for their ancestors’ sins.
Wait—could I even call it a sin?
Looked at another way, a world without a ruler couldn’t give birth to new life. But by opening the Gate of Demons, the Gu Clan allowed the cycle of life to continue. Maybe they had done some good after all—
…No.
I tried to put a positive spin on it, but I quickly shook my head. No matter how I framed it, I couldn’t justify what the Gu Clan had done.
If my ancestors had intended to break the world’s rules, that would be one thing. But they hadn’t. Their actions had only left a legacy of suffering—a sin that still lingered, impossible to excuse.
Right now, I needed to focus on what the World Tree was telling me and get to the bottom of it.
“Fine. Let’s say these rules and cracks are real.”
Even if I couldn’t fully wrap my head around it, I decided to play along.
Then I asked, “So where is the ruler of my world?”
If every world needed a ruler, where was the one for the Central Plains? That was the place I needed to start looking. After all, everything had fallen apart because the ruler was missing.
[ … ]
The World Tree fell silent at my question.
Did it not know? Or was a world without a ruler actually possible?
It had to be possible.
[ There is no such thing as a world without a ruler. ]
“Be honest—you can read my mind, can’t you?”
[ The world despises those who break its principles. ]
The World Tree ignored my question and continued.
[ Because of that, it strives to restore order. ]
“You mean it tries to bring in a new ruler to fix things?”
[ Correct. Where there is a world filled with life, there must also be a ruler. ]
“…And to make that happen, all current life has to be erased?”
[ That is what must be done for a new ruler to be placed. ]
“What a load of bullshit.”
What kind of rules were these? Just thinking about them made my head hurt.
“So what’s the plan, then? How do they stop new life from being born? How do they erase everything? Are they going to rain fire from the sky or something?”
If the death of a ruler meant the erasure of all life, then the crack in my world must be what was preventing that. But what could the world itself do to bring in a new ruler?
The World Tree’s voice grew strangely cold as it answered.
[ When the flow of the world is distorted, it strives to reset itself to its original state. ]
“How?”
[ It is simple. If life persists against the rules, it must be artificially erased. ]
“…Artificially erased?”
I frowned, a strange pressure building in my chest.
“…You mean…”
[ When the world’s principles are broken by a crack, it summons a delegate. ]
A delegate.
An existence capable of restoring the world’s flow to its original state. If new life was being born against the rules, and a new ruler couldn’t emerge, the solution was brutally simple: erase all life.
“And when does something like that start happening?”
The idea of wiping out all life was too violent, too unbelievable. If the World Tree was telling the truth, this was no small matter.
Did anything like that happen in my past life?
From what I remembered… nothing came to mind. Did that mean it wasn’t going to happen anytime soon?
Just as that thought crossed my mind, the World Tree’s voice cut through my assumptions.
[ …The world is not as patient as you think. ]
“What do you…”
[ When a crack forms and the rules break, the world acts immediately to repair it. ]
To uphold its principles.
“But…”
No matter how I thought about it…
[ Do you truly believe nothing like that has happened, Apostle? ]
“Something like that…”
Wiping out all life in the Central Plains to restore the world’s balance. Such an act couldn’t occur naturally, so a being was summoned to carry it out.
It happened around the same time the Gate of Demons appeared, when the great calamity began.
“…That’s seriously fucked up.”
The curse slipped out before I could stop it.
A cold chill ran down my spine as a terrible certainty settled in my mind.
I remembered.
I remembered exactly what had happened, just as the World Tree described.
The world was impatient. That meant something had to have occurred in the past.
And there was one event that fit perfectly.
That event was…
“…The Blood Demon War.”
Cold sweat trickled down my cheek as the words left my mouth.
Centuries ago, not long after the Gate of Demons first appeared, the Murim Alliance—the pillar of the Orthodox Faction—did not yet exist. People fought desperately against the demons pouring from the gates, struggling to restore peace.
But then, an event drenched the world in blood, as if peace itself were forbidden.
That event became the first recorded calamity in history.
It was the appearance of the Blood Demon.
“…So the Blood Demon was the delegate?”
Was the Blood Demon sent to erase all life?
Yeon Il-Cheon had once told me that the world was supposed to end—and that the Blood Demon was destined to bring that end about.
The heroes of the past managed to seal the Blood Demon away, but I was told the calamity did not truly end. I was told that I, myself, was a calamity.
[ Apostle. ]
I shot to my feet the moment the World Tree called my name.
[ It seems you have realized something. ]
“…Why do you keep calling me an apostle?”
[ Apostle… ]
If the Blood Demon was a calamity, and the calamity hadn’t ended, then it was only natural to assume the Heavenly Demon was one as well.
That much was obvious.
In my past life, it was the Heavenly Demon who brought calamity upon the world. Its power and presence were so overwhelming it was hard to believe it was even human. No being was more suited to the title of calamity.
Even though the Heavenly Demon was eventually slain by the Celestial Sword, its existence alone was enough to qualify as a world-ending disaster.
But…
“What do you want from me?”
What was my role in all this?
[ Apostle. ]
“What is it you want from me?”
The being before me was the ruler of another world. Why tell me all this? Why brand me with a mark and call me an apostle?
“Are you… asking me to become the calamity?”
The Blood Demon was sealed by the heroes of the past. That was the end of the first calamity.
But Yeon Il-Cheon said the world wouldn’t make the same mistake twice. He said there was a reason for my regression. He said I was a calamity.
[ You are mistaken. ]
“Mistaken? No matter how I look at it, I’m not mistaken.”
Don’t play games with me.
Do you have any idea how hard I fought to live a different life after my miraculous return? I saved those who died for me. I tried to be different from who I was before.
But if all of that was just part of a plan to destroy the very world I fought for…
“…I.”
If that were true, it might be better for me to die right here, right now.
[ Apostle. ]
“I said stop calling me that—!”
[ Long ago, there was a child just like you. ]
I froze mid-shout, the World Tree’s words hitting me like a physical blow. For some reason, the anger burning inside me began to soften.
Why?
[ That child coughed up blood in despair after learning the truth. ]
“…What are you talking about now?”
I had no interest in some ancient story. I wanted to tell the tree to shut up, but the words wouldn’t come.
[ They cried so bitterly. But this incompetent tree could not even embrace its own child. ]
“Child?”
Can a tree have children? The absurd thought crossed my mind despite everything.
[ Every living creature is, in essence, a child of its ruler. ]
“…”
If new life could only be born through a ruler, then I supposed every living being was a ruler’s child.
[ Did you know that, Apostle? ]
“How would I know? You never told me.”
[ Your world does not lack a ruler. ]
The Central Plains used to have a ruler? Did that mean the Blood Demon appeared to restore order after the Gate of Demons opened during the ruler’s absence?
“…Are you saying the ruler went somewhere else?”
If that was true, where did the ruler of my world disappear to?
[ A great many things are required for one to travel through time. ]
The tree had said this before.
[ And it is impossible for a single person to bear all of those burdens. ]
“Impossible?”
Then what about me?
[ A human cannot carry it, endure it, or even wish for it. Even greater beings cannot contain it. Such is the nature of time. ]
“Why are you saying this now—”
[ It is not that your world lacked a ruler. It was erased. ]
My eyes widened.
[ The ruler of your world altered the fate of a single human and was erased to atone for that sin. That is why you have never known of its existence. ]
“…What are you talking about? Are you saying the ruler of my world resurrected someone—”
Huh?
I stopped mid-sentence and looked up at the World Tree.
A former ruler, bringing a single human back to life. I knew of another regressor in this rulerless world besides myself.
How could I have forgotten?
That regressor was the one who stopped the Blood Demon and sealed it away.
But why was the World Tree bringing this up now?
“You…”
[ Apostle, do you believe I gave you this mark to use you as a tool of calamity? ]
Just like the first time, the World Tree’s voice was filled with profound sadness.
[ Every living creature is a child of its ruler… How could I ever do such a thing? ]
It sounded as if the tree was weeping. Its barren roots and leafless branches seemed to ache with longing.
[ Do you know, Apostle? ]
The World Tree spoke to me with unbearable sorrow.
[ The mark of a ruler… ]
I felt like I understood now.
The World Tree before me…
[ …Cannot be given to anyone other than its own children. ]
…was the ruler of the world I lived in.