The 109th Patriarch's Eternal Vow

The figure of Jinri, wearing the face and form of a boy from the Otherworld War yet laughing like an old man, felt somehow misaligned. That old man's empty smile seemed to carry the endless agony of an immortal life and a resignation toward a future that could offer nothing new or better. Balanced against it was the passion and defiant spirit of a boy who still yearned to see a slightly improved world. Jinri, who constantly corrected this emotional dissonance through relentless training for absolute strength, affection for his bloodline, and the continued advancement of both the Absolute Realm and the Main Universe, stood at the very pinnacle of all Eternal Beings and Spiritual Beings.

When this Jinri lifted his gaze to the blue sky, he could see the gods of the Otherworld far off in the distance of space. A defensive line created by pouring tremendous divine power into it, born from their terror of him and the Wind Family who might burst forth at any moment, lay thick across the cosmos. It was no exaggeration to say every last elite fighting god remaining in the Otherworld was stationed there. If that military force were redirected elsewhere, the current collapse would have been delayed considerably.

Yet from the moment the rulers of the Otherworld were mercilessly crushed by him as he pursued the remnants who had fled through dimensional authority, they had been seized by an incomprehensible fear. Even though he had personally revealed the true nature of that terror to them, they refused to acknowledge it. Instead, they tried to brand both him and the Absolute Realm as false existences of the Void Realm and erase them entirely. After shattering every subjugation attempt with the Sword of Ruin and Soul, he had eventually claimed one of the ruling seats, but their evaluation and fear remained unchanged. The same applied to the title he had rightfully seized through power and the domain assigned to him.

The new ruler is naturally given an undesirable territory, but this was excessively harsh. He had been entrusted with a universe that contained no life whatsoever, not even sentient beings. The implication was a petty refusal to allow him to build a faction, forcing him to rely solely on his own power. It was so ridiculous that he had completely lost interest in them and left the position vacant. With all the fugitives dealt with and his hands full managing the Absolute Realm and the Main Universe, it was only natural.

At first they had tried threats, but eventually every request for aid that arrived left him utterly dumbfounded by their foolishness.

"Indeed, that is so. The Dimension Creation God Coa, who has been appointed as proxy this time, will teach them the humility of the weak. I shall handle everything that follows. Therefore, please rest well. Is this not a visit to the main house after so long? The children have been eagerly awaiting your guidance in their training."

"Understood. I leave the rest to you."

When a member of the Wind Family bowed deeply once more in response, Jinri nodded and began walking toward the main house. The river of light flowing along the road and the black buildings that filled his vision showed no irregularities. The blue sky and the gods of the Otherworld remained unchanged. Yet he and the Absolute Realm were still progressing. No, only this place continued to strengthen and evolve without end. In contrast, the Spiritual Beings of the Otherworld were gradually losing even their authority, and the Eternal Beings were falling deeper into slumber.

The Spiritual Beings and Eternal Beings of the Otherworld did not realize it, but the competition for life and existence had begun long ago. Of course, because he had personally issued warnings multiple times, he had granted them an empty domain and completely sealed this planet as well, just in case they attempted anything else.

But to him and the Absolute Realm, the spaces and territories of the Otherworld held little significance. Their failure to understand that sufficient vitality and power could be gathered through the construction of the Main Universe was their critical mistake. At first he had tried to maintain friendly relations because their constant provocations were bothersome, but their ugly, desperate attempts to entangle him caused him to lose all interest. To Jinri, there was nothing more repulsive than the sight of the weak clinging to the strong for survival and then relying on mercy to pick fights.

You are far too weak, Otherworld. That is why your fear and vigilance toward me and the Absolute Realm are entirely justified.

Anywhere, the new and the advanced will always replace the old. If the Spiritual Beings and Eternal Beings of the Otherworld were weaker than him and the Absolute Realm, they would naturally vanish and ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠their places would be taken. Just as those beings had once done in the distant past.

"It will have to be the same this time. It is the natural flow for something better to appear and for what has fallen behind to disappear. They will soon learn who the true one is."

The collapse of the Otherworld, which had grown intoxicated with stability, ceased developing, and begun to regress, had been decided long before he appeared. It had merely been delayed and rendered invisible because there was no means to deal with the rulers of the Otherworld. However, from the moment no one in the Otherworld could withstand him, who pursued the fugitives and defined everything that stood in his way as an enemy to be destroyed, the test of survival had truly begun.

The flow of decision that even transcends Eternal Beings has started. The beings chosen by that flow will seize dominion over this place. More accurately, they would be granted the meaning to exist. Naturally, defeat meant complete annihilation. This was a competition for survival that allowed no compromise.

Kuuuung—!

A drumbeat almost identical to the one before reverberated as the massive gate of the antique hanok swung open. Beyond the gates stretched a courtyard without visible end, where millions of men wearing the same black martial uniforms as himself and wielding wooden swords were swinging their blades in perfect unison. Not a single deviation in posture, speed, or power.

The Incomprehensible Eight Founders of the Wind Family begins with perfect bodily control attained through countless repetitions of training. Therefore, the Wind Family members, who had been engaged in their usual repeated basic training, spotted him, simultaneously swept their swords behind their backs, bowed their heads, and greeted him with a thunderous shout.

"The descendants of the Wind Family greet the 109th Patriarch, Grandfather Han Jin-an. May you enjoy ten thousand years of boundless health."

The power and authority carried within each of their greeting voices reached a level that would not lose even against the 10 Mainstays—his disciples whom he had taught and raised with all his strength, the greatest treasures of the Absolute Realm. No, as Eternal Beings, they actually surpassed the 10 Mainstays in every field except pure combat ability. The only thing they lacked compared to the 10 Mainstays was endless killing intent and fighting spirit, but such things were unnecessary.

The fundamental duty of the 10 Mainstays is to smash everything that obstructs the development of the Absolute Realm in my place.

Therefore, the tasks entrusted to these people differed from those of the 10 Mainstays, who must reign eternally as the strongest in their respective categories. Their role was the confirmation of dominion over the Otherworld. Since they had to clearly prove to every living being in the Otherworld who was superior as ruler, excessive killing intent and fighting spirit were like poison and had to be excluded. A ruler must be someone others wish to follow rather than an object of fear or raw power if governance is to be smooth.

In that regard, these individuals who possessed strength equal to the 10 Mainstays and even greater creative power were supremely suited to be rulers. Even when he examined each Wind Family member bowing their heads and offering greetings, they were perfect Eternal Beings to whom the Main Universe could be entrusted without concern. Moreover, equipped with endless potential and determination rather than the stagnant eternity of the past, they deserved to be called the Eternal Beings of the next generation.

There had been both meaning and reward in handing the Absolute Realm to the 10 Mainstays, relocating the Wind Family to the Otherworld to focus solely on training, and devoting every effort to pioneering the Main Universe. A smile rose naturally to his lips.

"Yes. Continue."

"Yes—!"

He crossed the descendants returning to their basic training in an instant and arrived at the massive tile-roofed hanok. Opening the stone door and stepping inside, the first thing to greet him was a row of incense burners with fragrant smoke rising from them. Large golden incense burners, each nearly the size of a small child, stood in line—exactly 108 of them. This was a place to honor the spirits of the ancestors and the memorial hall where members of the Wind Family arrived at the end of their lives.

Of course, because of him who had transcended even the Eternal Beings, the souls of all ancestors who had fulfilled the family's long-cherished wish had already entered the proper flow, rendering the place meaningless. The descendants also reached Eternal Being the moment they were born, so this hall was no longer necessary. Nevertheless, it remained the most precious location in the Wind Family's main house.

Because honoring the achievements of previous generations also becomes pride in the family. Whenever one's heart wavers, one reflects on the accomplishments of past ancestors, regains stability, and renews one's resolve.

Each incense burner bore the name of its generation's patriarch along with the authorities and profound truths they had attained in their ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠time. This place was therefore the history of the Wind Family itself—its entirety.

Jinri gazed at the incense burner bearing his own name and authority with a faintly wistful look. Without a word, he produced new incense sticks from the empty space and began inserting them one by one into each burner, starting with the first-generation patriarch of the Wind Family.

He then placed incense in the burner of his father, the 108th Han Jinho, clasped both hands together, and offered a silent prayer.

"Your son remains in good health. The Wind Family continues to develop. Therefore, please do not worry, Father."

Beside the name of the 108th Han Jinho was written Incomprehensible Eight Founders, and uniquely, directly in front of that burner stood another incense burner roughly half the size. The name and authority inscribed upon it read Grey Absolute Sian. Yggdrasil. While it was the 108th Han Jinho of the Wind Family who had given him life, it was the Grey Absolute Sian who had raised him as an Eternal Being. A special place had been prepared to honor that contribution.

After finishing his silent prayer for his father, Jinri once again took out incense, placed it in Sian's burner, and lit it. With an even more solemn expression, he bowed his head toward the rising smoke and spoke.

Clap—!

Jinri lightly brought his palms together before his chest in a prayer gesture. His figure was gradually obscured by the freshly lit incense smoke. Within that smoke, the images of ten figures appeared. All of them were smiling with satisfaction as they looked upon him. It was utterly ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠different from his own face, which remained frozen solid in a situation where the end could not yet be seen.

The first-generation 10 Mainstays were all my teachers and fathers. Until the very last moment.

They had gained bodies strong enough to surpass Eternal Beings, yet their minds could not keep pace and they had slowly gone mad. Unable to bear watching any longer, he had stepped forward to strike them down, and those had been the smiling faces they wore in that moment. Reflecting on the past and projecting the scene of their final duel, Jinri examined each of the ten faces one by one and smiled once more.

There was no doubt ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠about it. He had learned that composure to smile even in the moment of death after suffering complete defeat in their final confrontation. There was therefore no reason not to smile now.

As Jinri thrust both hands forward, every wall of the memorial hall opened as though they had become doors, and brilliant light flooded the interior.

Kuuuung—!

The newly lit incense burners inside reflected the incoming sunlight and shone with even greater splendor. All the Wind Family members who had been training around the memorial hall bowed their heads toward the burners while still holding their wooden swords and offered silent prayers.

Over the heads of the bowing Wind Family members, Jinri's voice rang out like thunder.

"We shall obey the command."

The unified voices of millions of Wind Family members answering Jinri shook the black buildings. This place, where more than five million Eternal Beings qualified to serve as Creators of the Main Universe had gathered to build power with all their strength and elevate their authorities, was the main house of the Wind Family.