The Lesson of the Ruinous Wandering Soul Sword
The chaos of the Otherworld War and the light sensation of something settling onto his left shoulder hit him like a lightning strike. Thwack! It was exactly as he feared—the Sword of Ruin and Soul belonging to Cha-ho, the Dimensional Origin of the Wind Family. The wooden sword that had been tracing circles in Cha-ho’s hand was already pressing down on his left shoulder before his mind could even process its movement. He crushed his body’s instinctive urge to flail and explode into motion, forcing it down with everything he had. Don’t move—! Responding the same way will only get me beaten again.
The Dimensional Origin of the Wind Family stood on a completely superior level to the Origin of the Mage God, just as the latter had warned. Though both drew from Dimensional Authority, the perfected version that the Origin of the Mage God had analyzed and the Wind Family had refined created an insurmountable gap. No matter how cleverly he tried to evade or flee using his own Dimensional Authority, the result would be the same as before: a thorough beating followed by being dragged back. Besides, the defining trait of the Wind Family was to achieve the impossible through endless, seemingly meaningless attempts until the desired answer finally emerged. Fail to produce that answer, and the beatings would simply continue.
“Why… why are you doing this? Weren’t you speaking about human behavioral patterns?”
At the trembling question, Cha-ho, the Dimensional Origin of the Wind Family, smiled. He lifted the Sword of Ruin and Soul from the protagonist’s shoulder and rested it on his own right shoulder before answering.
“It’s a very simple verification. When dealing with a superior, never respond emotionally or reflexively. You must respond logically. As expected, learning through the body is the most reliable method. You’re doing very well right now.”
“Ahahaha—! Thank you for the compliment.”
Couldn’t you have just said it with words? I understand perfectly fine.
Though he grumbled inwardly, the Dimensional Mage God’s tension spiked to its limit as he offered a hollow laugh in response to the praise. If I try too hard to please him and still fail to produce the desired results, the scolding will never end. His opponent was the Dimensional Origin of the Wind Family. As the pinnacle of Dimensional Authority—the comprehensive power over time and space—he could extend training time indefinitely if he wished. If displeased, he might stretch a few tens of thousands of years into hundreds of millions. One wrong move and I could receive every beating of a lifetime right here.
As if reading the Dimensional Mage God’s anxious heart, Cha-ho began speaking with a bright smile.
“First, the Origins of the Wind Family are extremely emotional by nature. Any logic or compensation discussed here is meaningless to us, blood relatives of Grandfather Jinri. If we want to do something, we simply do it. That is our behavioral policy. Of course, we compensate for damages properly and contribute sufficiently, so even Grandfather Jinri does not intervene. Being Origins, the positive effects usually far outweigh any side effects. As long as it doesn’t directly involve the 10 Mainstays, nothing is impossible for us.”
“Ahahaha—! That’s incredible.”
“Kya-ha-ha-ha—! Hardly. I put in quite a lot of effort to reach this point. I designated the training ground right at the entrance, and the moment new dimensional authority data arrived, I elevated it to the highest level and completed registration immediately. Only then did my descendants come running, their faces utterly bewildered at the fact that I had claimed the position of Dimensional Origin. Kya-ha-ha-ha—!”
“Wa-ha-ha-ha—! It must have been truly amusing.”
The two faced each other, laughing together in what seemed like a warm, harmonious atmosphere. But the laughter did not last. The Dimensional Mage God’s head suddenly snapped backward as if struck by an invisible blow.
THUD!
“Gah—!”
While the Dimensional Mage God clutched his forehead with both hands and writhed in agony, unable to tell when he had been hit, Cha-ho spoke in a calm tone.
“You let your guard down at the opponent’s smiling face and felt relieved just now, didn’t you? Matching the mood by laughing along when a superior laughs is fine, but you must never drop your tension. The weak must maintain logical thinking and remain alert at all times.”
“Y-yes—! Yes—!”
“Aah—! You’re giving another hasty answer to a superior without any logical thought process. Aah! How annoying—!”
The Sword of Ruin and Soul in his grip moved at blinding speed, vanishing for an instant before slamming directly into the Dimensional Mage God’s head.
Thwack! Thwack! Thwack!
His skull bounced in every direction so rapidly he couldn’t even register the impacts. Just as he was on the verge of losing consciousness, words echoed inside his mind.
“If you don’t know, it’s better to remain silent. Answering carelessly will only result in more punishment like this.”
“Understood—! I’ll keep my mouth shut.”
The Dimensional Mage God answered frantically as the merciless barrage disguised as education finally showed signs of stopping. Through the continuous beating, he had learned one thing clearly. The Origin of the Mage God at least explained fundamentals, sparred, and offered guidance when mistakes were made. This person offered no mercy whatsoever. The damage and pain he had just suffered were on a level he had never experienced before. His face is always smiling and his behavior seems mostly playful, but he is colder and more ruthless than even the Origin of the Mage God. I have no idea what he’ll do if something fails to meet his standards. Yet his standards are impossibly high and his responses instantaneous. It’s worse than the Origin of the Mage God. No wonder he handed over the representative position of the Wind Family Origin and went into closed-door training.
Watching the thoroughly tense Dimensional Mage God, Cha-ho floated the Sword of Ruin and Soul into the air once more and spoke calmly.
“To behave emotionally like this and still survive, you need abilities no one else can match. If you act emotionally with insufficient power, it will end in rebellion or uprising from those beneath you. If your strength is inferior to your subordinates, you must never become emotional.”
“……”
It’s true, but what a cold way of thinking. Ah—! I mustn’t have stray thoughts.
As if sensing the lapse in the Dimensional Mage God’s focus, the wooden sword hovering in the air dipped slightly before rising again. Only when his attention returned did the sword remain elevated. He forgives not even the slightest distraction.
With character education imprinted so thoroughly into the body, it was no wonder the Wind Family’s level was so high. The lesson continued for the Dimensional Mage God, who now focused his mind to its absolute limit.
“Emotional types collapse the moment they lack power. To live emotionally, you must become an unmatched powerhouse within your domain. However, power is relative. Encounter someone stronger and you become the weak one. And if you fail to respond with perfect logic when facing a superior, you will end up in serious trouble just like now. In other words, it is difficult with the current power of the Origin of the Dimensional Clan of the 499th Master Universe. Furthermore, those who move for compensation will eventually be treated as tools no matter how strong they become. Keep that in mind and never act so recklessly. From the data I’ve reviewed, the Origin of the Dimensional Clan of the 499th Master Universe has a very serious problem in this regard. When the reward is large enough, he charges in without regard for fire or water. Thanks to his title and magic, he has surpassed Main Gods and survived until now, but the 499 Creator Gods are quite capable. That alone will no longer suffice. If you cannot restrain your desires, it would be wiser to become a special-duty Creator God directly under the Creator General to stabilize your position. But you dislike that idea, don’t you? You’re thinking emotionally that it would be better to perish than to abandon everything you’ve achieved by staking your all. Yet because your power is insufficient, you don’t know what to do. Correct?”
“…Yes.”
The words struck directly at the core of the troubles the Dimensional Mage God currently faced. Had this been during his days as a Main God, he would have already flared up at the mere mention of subordination and caused an incident. The reason he could not was that he had personally experienced the overwhelming difference in power between himself and the Creator Gods. Moving freely was terrifying because of the possibility of their intervention. And since it was clear they would not side with him, his actions could only become more cautious.
Even his future self among the 10 Mainstays was busy taking care of his own affairs, and with the Origin of the Mage God now in closed-door training at the main house, the only one who might become an ally and offer help was the Dimensional Origin. He had indirectly voiced his complaints hoping for assistance, never expecting to be beaten so thoroughly before the main topic was even raised.
“Think logically, act emotionally, and thoroughly secure compensation. That is the mindset of the Origin of the Dimensional Clan of the 499th Master Universe. Since he can trust no one, he seeks to maximize personal gain and avoid loss. To achieve that, he will win by any means, deviating from the opponent’s predictions. It is an excellent survival strategy, but it belongs to the position of a mercenary god who must survive alone. If you wish to succeed properly as the Origin of the Dimensional Clan, you must stop acting on emotion, seeking compensation, and moving unpredictably. No superior likes a subordinate whose reactions cannot be predicted. However, changing your behavior immediately is difficult. Therefore, as the Dimensional Origin of the Wind Family, I shall give you your first mission.”
“Yes—!”
The fact that a Dimensional Origin was personally assigning a mission meant formal recognition as an official subordinate. Having risen to Lord God as a human-born mercenary god with no support among superiors, the protection of the Dimensional Origin of the Wind Family was like rain in a drought. The moment joy surged at obtaining what he desired so easily, the next instruction froze him solid.
“From now on, immediately order the gathered subordinates to begin the war. Observe their reactions and execute your orders without delay.”
“Pardon?”
“Rewarding those who obey and punishing those who refuse is the foundation and starting point of any logically operating entity. If a superior issues a command yet subordinates reject or alter it according to their own circumstances, how can any organization be maintained? You cannot even predict whether they will follow your orders. Such basic subordinates whose behavior cannot be anticipated are useless and must be disposed of. No exceptions, even for past connections that still tug at your heart. Origin of the Dimensional Clan of the 499th Master Universe.”
The Dimensional Origin maintained his warm smile, yet his eyes now emitted a cold, piercing light.
“A subordinate who does not follow a legitimate order is an unforgivable enemy—more so than any powerful adversary.”
A chill ran down his spine. The killing intent he felt for the first time in his life seemed to carve directly into his soul. There was no doubt that the target was himself. If… if I truly refuse the order, he intends to dispose of me on the spot.
His body began to tremble uncontrollably. The sincere killing intent from an existence possessing at least equivalent 4th-circle authority or higher shook him to the core. The Authority of Black Flame and the Incomprehensible Eight Founders surged wildly in response to a level of true killing intent he had never encountered before, but he barely held them back. He realized that showing even the slightest hint of resistance toward the Dimensional Origin would mean the end.
Watching the Dimensional Mage God crushed beneath the killing intent and drowning in fear, Cha-ho gave a light laugh.
“Hehe—! Since this is your first time, I’ll also offer the reward the Origin of the Dimensional Clan of the 499th Master Universe desires most. It has been completed, so I’ll lend it to you for your dispatch to the Otherworld. You may borrow it until your return. Make your own once you come back—though whether you’ll be capable of it remains to be seen.”
Sliiide—!
Absolute Weapon of Dimensions
Grade: Transcendent (Non-Killing, Non-Destruction)
Effect: Engraved with the signatures of all 10 Mainstays, granting access to their maximum authorities. The powers pulse as if ready to activate at any moment. Even a weakened version can be wielded by the current user.
The wooden sword that had been spinning in the air, aiming at him until now, descended lightly before his eyes. The Dimensional Mage God received it in a daze. From the blade held in his hand, the names of the 10 Mainstays engraved upon it radiated brilliant light. His eyes widened to their limit as he sensed the authorities swirling within that glow. The maximum secrets of each faction that the 10 Mainstays had signed into Jinri’s Sword of Ruin and Soul were pulsing as though they might activate at any second. Moreover, the certainty that he could wield them—albeit in a weakened form—flooded through him.
“Th-this…? No way?”
At the trembling voice of the Dimensional Mage God, Cha-ho smiled brightly, as if the long-awaited chance to boast had finally arrived.
“It is the Sword of Ruin and Soul of Non-Killing and Non-Destruction, the Absolute Weapon of Dimensions known as ‘Signature of the 10 Mainstays.’ I poured my heart and soul into its creation as the representative Origin of the Wind Family. It is currently capable of using the maximum authorities of the 10 Mainstays. Originally such a thing would have been impossible, but it became reality thanks to the 10 Mainstays signing with their full power. To think I exchanged this for the mere qualification of a Master Universe Origin—I truly hit the jackpot. I can’t wait to see how envious my descendants will become when they witness it. I’ll lend you this in exchange for carrying out my instructions. Do you like the compensation? Kya-ha-ha-ha-ha—!”
“Of course—! Leave it to me!”
The Dimensional Origin of the Wind Family grinned as he watched the Dimensional Mage God clutch the Signature of the 10 Mainstays tightly, his earlier terror at having his life threatened completely forgotten in the face of such joy. He added a few more words.
“Such a simple reaction is excellent! Truly easy to predict as a superior. Perform well in the Otherworld. If I am satisfied, I’ll create a dedicated absolute weapon just for you.”
“I will succeed even if I must stake my life on it.”
An absolute weapon capable of using the authorities of the 10 Mainstays was nothing short of a miracle at the level of a Master Universe. Even though it was only a temporary loan until his return from the Otherworld, his heart pounded wildly. All the worries born from his lack of power vanished completely. With this, there is no longer any reason to be pushed back in battle against the Creator Gods.
An additional reward had been offered. There was no reason left to hesitate.
“Now that I’ve given you power, sweep away every weak and displeasing thing in the Otherworld.”
“Yes—! Sweep them awa—”
He began to answer reflexively in his joy but stopped mid-sentence. He now understood that responding carelessly to those words would be more than he could handle. His opening mouth snapped shut.
“……”
The Dimensional Origin stared for a moment at the Dimensional Mage God, who was breaking out in cold sweat and remaining silent, unsure whether the statement had been serious or a joke. Finally, he laughed and concluded.
“Kya-ha-ha-ha—! The education is taking effect. From now on, continue acting logically like this. Handle your proxy duties in the Otherworld appropriately on your own.”
“Ah—! Yes—! Understood.”
With the difficult situation successfully navigated, the Dimensional Mage God became completely absorbed in accurately analyzing the power of the ‘Signature of the 10 Mainstays’ now held firmly in his hand.