Chapter 165
Chapter 165.
Inside the Sacred Fire.
'My body isn't burning or anything.' Lee Ganghan, who had entered the fire pit and reached the Heavenly Fire Altar.
[Absorbing the Sacred Fire.]
As the absorption message appeared.
Only then did he feel the heat stimulation coming.
'My skin is quite hot...'
Currently wearing the Ring of Fortitude, his stamina was at 20, and with the ring's additional option of pain reduction, if he was feeling this much stimulation.
In reality, tremendous heat must be pressing against his body from all sides.
'Still, well, it's bearable.' The most painful experience recently was the battle with Son Goku.
Compared to that time, this level of pain was nothing.
Moreover, with the action of Divine Power, whenever his body seemed to get slightly burned, it quickly recovered.
If he could just endure inside this fire pit like this, it seemed he could absorb the Sacred Fire without much difficulty. 'This... waiting 8 hours might be harder?' Having gradually gotten used to the heat.
Lee Ganghan began to feel bored.
Looking around, there were just pure white flames rising up.
There wasn't particularly anything to do.
'It's not like I can watch TowerTube inside here either.'
If the Sacred Fire absorption progressed quickly, he would have thought about how to handle that energy while feeling it.
Whether the absorption itself was progressing slowly.
Only his skin stung slightly, but he didn't particularly feel any changes in his body.
'Hmm. Should I recite the Heavenly Demon Divine Art incantation?'
Lee Ganghan, who usually recited the Heavenly Demon Divine Art in his spare time.
Even now, having nothing to do and being bored.
It would be better to train in Heavenly Demon Divine Art during this free time.
Thinking so, Lee Ganghan recalled the Heavenly Demon Divine Art incantation.
'In the beginning, righteous, evil, and demonic were not distinguished...'
Since he was inside the fire, he didn't need to open his mouth.
Lee Ganghan began reciting the Heavenly Demon Divine Art incantation from the beginning in his mind.
Then.
Flare...!
The heat stimulation felt on his skin seemed to intensify a bit more.
The Sacred Fire's flames penetrated his body more strongly.
'Just by thinking of the Heavenly Demon Divine Art, the Sacred Fire responds like this.'
If this continues and I keep reciting the Heavenly Demon Divine Art, won't it finish in less than 8 hours?
Lee Ganghan thought this was going well and continued to recall the Heavenly Demon Divine Art incantation.
After reciting the incantation for a while like this.
'It hurts a bit now?'
Beyond his skin stinging.
The cycle of burning black and recovering with Divine Power repeated.
It wasn't as bad as when fighting Son Goku yet, but.
The pain gradually became strong enough to be concerning.
'But it's still bearable...'
I need to endure at least this much.
Lee Ganghan thought so and didn't stop recalling the incantation.
Even as the pain he was experiencing grew increasingly stronger.
[...O descendant, pull down the heavens and unite with them. That is the duty given to the Heavenly Demon.]
The end of the Heavenly Demon Divine Art incantation.
When he thought of the phrase the First Heavenly Demon conveyed to his descendants.
"Ugh..."
Suddenly, tremendous agony came from all directions.
This level was similar to the Son Goku incident?
As Lee Ganghan frowned and endured the pain.
Hiss...
The pure white flames that had been burning his body disappeared.
The entire world was suddenly engulfed in darkness.
'Hm? What?'
Don't tell me the Sacred Fire went out?
Oh no.
Should I have just waited for 8 hours even if I was bored?
If the Sacred Fire disappeared after unnecessarily reciting the Heavenly Demon Divine Art, it would be a complete waste.
As Lee Ganghan panicked looking at the darkness without a single point of light.
Flash...!
A single pure white light rose in the darkness.
'Oh. That's...'
A light the size of a fingernail.
It stood out because it was the only light in the darkness.
Normally, such a small light would never have caught his attention.
But as soon as Lee Ganghan saw this, his breath caught and.
Thump, Thump.
He felt his heart beating rapidly.
This is.
'The star I saw in the Heavenly Demon Sacred Blood Formation.'
Just like when trapped in the Heavenly Demon Sacred Blood Formation.
Without any basis whatsoever.
Lee Ganghan was certain that tiny light was a 'star'.
This star appears every time I recite the Heavenly Demon Divine Art in special situations.
Lee Ganghan felt the same intense pressure as before, but.
'...This time it's somewhat bearable.'
Surely it's because I've grown during this time.
Unlike when I was first overwhelmed by that star.
He maintained his consciousness relatively clearly.
However,
Shine...!
As the light that was just a single point gradually grew larger.
'Mmm...!'
Lee Ganghan felt the same sensation as before.
The feeling that his existence as 'me' was becoming faint.
Swept away by that star's power.
Lee Ganghan's ego would just disappear like dust.
And that light would replace it.
A light the size of a fingernail.
Just because it grew a bit, he immediately felt like this.
'Still... I won't be easily defeated like that time.'
Lee Ganghan bit his lips tightly and.
Firmly steeled his mind.
Now he also possessed Divine Power.
And had Extreme Demon Conversion as a trait.
Even if the star's light grew stronger, he believed he could endure it.
As the light gradually grew larger.
'Certainly, it's not easy...'
Lee Ganghan found enduring increasingly burdensome.
How did I overcome this situation last time?
Back then I was much weaker than now.
I was pushed back helplessly.
'Ah. Right. I endured thanks to the Conquer that Yoo Doa carved.'
If I have the power of Extreme Demon.
Can I overcome this light?
Lee Ganghan recalled the skill he obtained from the Sacred Fire last time, 'Extreme Demon Conversion'.
[Extreme Demon Conversion]
Temporarily explodes the Sacred Fire's firepower to forcibly draw out Extreme Demon energy.
When used, the Sacred Fire's firepower is greatly consumed, and in the state converted to Extreme Demon, demonic energy weakens.
When he obtained this skill, the Sacred Fire was evolving.
He never tested it once because using it would cancel the evolution.
Even now, it hadn't been long since the upgrade.
If he used Extreme Demon Conversion, the Sacred Fire's firepower would seriously decrease.
However.
'Right now I have my own problems.'
I can't let 'Lee Ganghan' be erased just to protect the Sacred Fire, right?
He immediately.
"Extreme Demon Conversion."
Used the skill.
As soon as he recited the skill name.
[Will you use Extreme Demon Conversion?]
[The Sacred Fire's firepower will greatly decrease.]
A warning message immediately appeared.
"Use it."
However, Lee Ganghan used the skill without hesitation.
Then.
Shine...!
Pure white light burst from his chest and.
His fading consciousness became clear.
'Phew... Certainly different.'
Extreme Demon energy.
Usually its use was ambiguous, but.
It definitely allowed him to resist this star.
Lee Ganghan continued to resist the light's pressure like this.
The star that was initially the size of a fingernail changed to about the size of a full moon.
Even as the pressure applied to his entire body grew increasingly fierce.
'...Bearable.'
Lee Ganghan stood firm and resisted.
Still bearable pressure for now.
But if that full moon-sized light grew just a bit more, it wouldn't be easy then.
As Lee Ganghan assumed such a worst-case scenario and.
Inwardly prepared himself.
Hiss...
Suddenly the star's light seemed to scatter and.
[Satisfactory.]
Letters of light appeared in the darkness.
***
'Satisfactory...?'
What's satisfactory? [You are worthy of becoming the new Heavenly Demon.]
Light that scattered again and reassembled to form sentences.
But a new Heavenly Demon?
'So I'm not currently a Heavenly Demon?'
As Lee Ganghan thought so while looking at the light's words.
[I will grant you authority.]
The letters changed again.
'...Why are you suddenly being nice to me?'
The star that tried to erase me is doing this, so something seems suspicious.
Lee Ganghan looked at the letters with suspicious eyes, but.
Whir...
The letters clumped together to create a circular plate.
On the circular plate made of light, darkness extended in streaks to divide it into three sections.
[Divine Power 50]
[Strength 99, Agility 99, Stamina 99, Mana 99]
[Authority of Command]
Letters appeared in each of the three sections.
What's this?
'Don't tell me it's a roulette?'
Like when choosing opponents in the First Tower.
And when using Celestial Coins.
I'm seeing roulettes quite often.
But leaving aside Authority of Command since I don't know what it is.
'The other two rewards don't make sense?'
Stats appearing as 99 when the maximum is 20.
Divine Power 50 was also an absurd number.
Looking at it saying it would grant 'authority' in the first place.
Those two are probably just fakes and Authority of Command will be selected.
And as Lee Ganghan predicted.
Whir...
The roulette seemed to spin briefly and.
The roulette stopped at the [Authority of Command] section.
'It didn't spin thrillingly at all.'
It didn't even seem like it might catch on adjacent sections.
The roulette just slowed down immediately in the Authority of Command section as soon as it started spinning.
If a roulette in an actual casino spun like this, they'd say it was rigged.
As Lee Ganghan thought so while looking at the roulette needle that stopped at Authority of Command.
[The essence of Heavenly Demon Divine Art is Heaven Defying.]
[O descendant, pull down the heavens and unite with them.]
As the roulette disappeared.
The light showed part of the Heavenly Demon Divine Art text once more and.
Hiss...
Soon lost its form and disappeared.
"..."
Why did it show that passage once more?
As Lee Ganghan's eyes deepened.
The world became bright again and.
Flare...!
The Sacred Fire's hot flames began burning his skin again.
'Phew... The heat is much better.'
Just a moment ago it was quite unbearable pain, but.
Having seen the 'star'?
Now this level seemed laughable.
As Lee Ganghan felt he had returned to Ten Thousand Demon Battle and sighed in relief.
Ding.
[You have encountered the origin of Heavenly Demon Divine Art.]
[Heavenly Demon Divine Art upgrades to 5-star.]
[You obtain 'Authority of Command'.]
Along with a message saying he encountered the origin of Heavenly Demon Divine Art.
Heavenly Demon Divine Art rose to 5-star.
"Origin...?" Don't tell me it's referring to the star I just saw?
'If it's origin, it would mean the starting point...'
Heavenly Demon Divine Art originated from that ominous star?
No.
Wasn't Heavenly Demon Divine Art a martial art anyway?
'Suddenly saying a star is the origin of Heavenly Demon Divine Art... absurd.'
Or maybe what I see only looks like a star.
The actual identity might be something different.
Well, it was strange to be certain that was a 'star' anyway.
Just because it flashed light against a dark background doesn't make everything a star.
However.
'...No matter how differently I try to think about it, instinctively considering that a star remains unchanged.'
Would that light really be a star?
Even trying to brainwash himself this way.
Lee Ganghan instinctively recognized that as a 'star'.
Then.
[Sacred Fire absorption is complete.]
[Heavenly Demon Constitution trait is enhanced.]
[Heavenly Demon Constitution trait upgrades to B.]
Saying the Sacred Fire absorption was finished.
Even the Heavenly Demon Constitution trait rose to B.
Then.
Slide.
As the Heavenly Fire Altar disappeared.
Lee Ganghan's body was pushed outside the Sacred Fire.
"They said it would take at least 8 hours... it finished quickly?"
Lee Ganghan said so while looking at the Sacred Fire, but.
[Currently, Heavenly Demon Lord has stayed in Ten Thousand Demon Battle for 23 hours and 56 minutes.]
[If 4 more minutes pass, the Sacred Fire will be completely absorbed by Heavenly Demon Lord.]
The Sacred Fire side.
Informed Lee Ganghan that he had used almost all of his 24-hour stay time.
"...That much time has passed?"
[That is correct. The Sacred Fire will be completely absorbed by Heavenly Demon Lord in 4 minutes.]
Another message warning that the Sacred Fire would be completely absorbed in 4 minutes.
"I understand. I should go out first."
Lee Ganghan was about to return home first when.
"Ah. Right. Do you happen to know anything about the origin of Heavenly Demon Divine Art?"
Recalling the 'star' he saw earlier, he questioned the Sacred Fire.
Then.
[The origin of Heavenly Demon Divine Art lies in the Sacred Fire.]
The Sacred Fire sent a message saying it was the starting point.
'Hmm. This one says the origin is itself again.'
Whose word is correct?
'Could that star I saw earlier be the original Sacred Fire?'
Lee Ganghan speculated whether there was a connection between the star and Sacred Fire and.
Decided to ask the party directly.
"I saw a star while absorbing the Sacred Fire earlier..."
He quickly told the Sacred Fire about what had just happened, but.
[I know nothing about the star you mentioned.]
[However, as I mentioned before, I feel nostalgic about stars.]
The Sacred Fire gave a similar answer as before.
However.
[Seeing that the nostalgia has grown stronger, perhaps Heavenly Demon Lord's speculation that the star is the original Sacred Fire might be correct.]
The Sacred Fire said the nostalgia had grown stronger and.
Additionally offered its subjective opinion.
'Hmm... there seems to be a connection.'
Well, if there was no connection, Heavenly Demon Divine Art wouldn't have risen just from seeing the star.
Having heard the answer to some extent, that's enough.
'There's not much time left, so let's go out.'
I originally planned to go to Five Elements Mountain for training too, but.
There's no time for that.
"When can I enter again if this happens?"
[The Sacred Fire's power was consumed more than expected, so I recommend entering at least 24 hours later.]
"I understand."
Lee Ganghan nodded after seeing the Sacred Fire's message and. Left Ten Thousand Demon Battle.
Returning home like that.
'I'm suddenly tired...'
Lee Ganghan unknowingly slumped down in the living room.
Maybe because he was in Ten Thousand Demon Battle for almost 24 hours.
Unbearable sleepiness rushed over him.
'Should I sleep a bit?'
Since the house was large, the bedroom was upstairs.
Lee Ganghan, who became too lazy to climb the stairs, just sprawled out in the living room and.
Closed his eyes as is.
As he fell asleep.
Whoosh...
Pure white haze rose from Lee Ganghan's body.
Like that, Lee Ganghan, unable to regain consciousness.
Continued falling into deep sleep.
How much time had passed like that?
"Oh! Heavenly Demon Lord is here!"
To Lee Ganghan's ears.
A frivolous high-pitched voice.
Father Esteban's voice was heard.