NOVEL NEXT Chapter 54: The Heavenly Demon (10)
What he had feared might be true turned out to be exactly that.
Though he had no concrete evidence, he had felt uneasy for some time.
This wasn’t the first time Hyun Suho had encountered a version of himself from another world.
There was the Phantom from the dimensional world where he had faced off against the fog monster.
That Hyun Suho had also reached the pinnacle of strength in his world, commanding respect and fear from others.
But this time, the dimensional gate was on a whole different level.
The Heavenly Demon Sect, the most powerful organization in the central plains.
The god they worshipped.
They had no doubt that he would someday return to lead them.
Though this figure had ascended to immortality a thousand years ago, due to the shamaness’s strange sorcery, he was now standing before him.
He was none other than the Heavenly Demon.
Even if he was the same Hyun Suho as the Phantom, his stature was far greater.
He was so overwhelmingly powerful that his energy was impossible to fathom.
“Is this really the power of a human?”
The Heavenly Demon had ascended to godhood simply by training in martial arts, without any assistance from the Hunter system.
The belief of the Heavenly Demon Sect was not baseless at all.
“Why did you summon me here?”
At that, the Heavenly Demon—Hyun Suho—scoffed and replied.
“What a foolish thing to say. It wasn’t I who summoned you. You were the one who summoned me.”
“I summoned you… the Heavenly Demon? I didn’t do anything like that.”
His words made no sense.
The only thing Hyun Suho had done was enter the dimensional gate and fight for his life.
He had managed to clear the quest by defeating Hyeok Ri-gwang, but it had been no easy task.
If it hadn’t been for Nova’s support, he would have been torn apart by those sharp claws.
He neither wished for nor expected the involvement of the mysterious shamaness or the Heavenly Demon.
The Heavenly Demon spoke nonchalantly.
“You didn’t call me out loud. If you had, do you think your voice from the lower world would have reached me?”
“Then what?”
“Your fate called me. No matter how much I tried to ignore it, it buzzed in my ears like an annoying fly.”
When Hyun Suho’s expression showed he still couldn’t understand, the Heavenly Demon clicked his tongue.
“Do you think it was a mere coincidence that you came here?”
“It wasn’t a coincidence? Then you’re saying it was inevitable?”
“You and I are beings from entirely different dimensions, entirely different times. Do you think it’s possible that we would have even a passing connection, let alone destiny?”
“If it’s not destiny or coincidence, then why did we meet?”
“Someone interfered and manipulated your fate. Even I, who have traversed countless dimensions and mastered all forms of knowledge and dark arts, was impressed by the skill.”
“Fate… manipulation?”
At that moment, someone came to Hyun Suho’s mind.
[Laugh, laugh, laugh!]
Lakshmi, who had laughed warmly like a kind old neighbor.
If someone had indeed manipulated his fate as the Heavenly Demon suggested, it could only have been her.
“Why would she do such a thing…”
“Because she knew very well that I couldn’t live with a debt. Just by witnessing the great ritual that transcends dimensions, I’ve gained significant insight.”
It was a power beyond comprehension.
The fact that the Heavenly Demon had gained insight merely by glimpsing Lakshmi’s divine ritual was a testament to its potency.
With the Heavenly Demon’s power, he could have easily severed any fate that sought to bind him.
But he had recognized that the intertwining will itself was a kind of gift, a bribe.
So he had given the shamaness a hint, allowing her to arrange this meeting with Hyun Suho.
From beginning to end, it had all gone according to Lakshmi’s plan.
“Somewhere at the edge of the world, there exists a mysterious sorcery that summons the mind of one’s alternate self from the future or another dimension to receive their teachings. However, such practices go against the natural order. The price for even this brief encounter must not have been small.”
As the Heavenly Demon stood, the fiery throne disappeared into the ground, leaving behind a silent and eerie darkness.
Yet amidst this, the Heavenly Demon’s overwhelming presence remained as clear as ever.
“I am the Heavenly Demon; some call me the Phantom, some the Emperor, and some a God. In the vast multiverse, our presence always stands out, even though we walk entirely different paths. I once traveled through dimensions, seeking out other Hyun Suhos just like you. But you… you are especially unique.”
“You’re saying… I’m special? That can’t be.”
He couldn’t accept it.
Wasn’t it quite the opposite?
He was nothing compared to the Heavenly Demon, and even the Phantom had already established himself as the strongest in his world.
Yet the Heavenly Demon’s conviction remained unshaken.
“What foolishness. Even I, born with the greatest talent in history, had to train for decades to reach your level. But what about you? How long did it take you to reach this point?”
“Well… about a year?”
If he thought about it, it had only been about a year since Hyun Suho had seriously started his Hunter career.
The day he entered the dimensional gate with the Jinryong Guild and acquired Nova, reaching level 1.
“Hah, but that’s not because I’m special. It’s thanks to the Hunter system.”
“Is that so? Then what about the others? Did they progress as quickly as you within the same system?”
In less than a year, Hyun Suho had already reached level 5.
It was an astonishing rate of growth.
For others, it would take at least 9 to 10 years to reach level 5, and many would never surpass the barrier of level 5 no matter how hard they tried.
Even those with an EX rank were no exception.
The Silver Knight, who had received full support from the state, took 7 years to reach level 5.
“You’ve been blessed by the universe’s energy. While the sorcerer’s skill brought you here, perhaps even your connection with that sorcerer is just one strand in the intricate web of your destiny.”
“That… can’t be. I’ve always had terrible luck. I spent my youth working as a mechanic and porter. My life’s only just started to turn around.”
Despite his EX-rank job, he had lived a life of disregard and scorn.
He had narrowly escaped death numerous times, endured mockery from others, and was even abandoned by his girlfriend.
“Was that kind of life supposed to be lucky?”
He couldn’t accept it.
“Then let me ask you. If you had been recognized and revered by people, unlike your past, do you think your situation would be better now?”
“Of course it would be…”
He was about to answer without hesitation but suddenly stopped.
Because someone who perfectly fit the Heavenly Demon's criteria suddenly came to mind.
‘Silver Knight, Eun Hui-gwang.’
Unlike him, Eun Hui-gwang had garnered everyone's attention from the first day of his awakening and had received support on a national scale.
He had nothing to fear, nothing to regret.
He could have anything just by asking, and beautiful women would giggle and approach him with just a word.
He thought the world revolved around him.
Because of that, he was lazy.
That brilliant talent was buried in the mud.
‘Would it have been different if it were me?’
Environment shapes people.
If he had been coddled and raised with everyone's affection like Eun Hui-gwang, could he have become as strong and resolute as he was now?
He thought he was different, but it wasn’t something he could be sure of.
If that were the case, then perhaps all the trials he had faced were actually stepping stones for a higher leap.
Hyun Suho pondered for a moment before speaking.
“Even if what you say is true... why do you think such fortune was gathered around me? To stop the Death Star?”
Planet Devourer, Death Star.
A higher divine being that even a thousand top rankers couldn’t defeat.
A god of destruction who had already obliterated numerous planets and was now eyeing Earth.
Could it be that the universe's energy had gathered to ask him to stop it?
The Heavenly Demon didn’t deny it, but he wasn’t certain either.
“It’s a plausible idea. Originally, the Death Star is a being from a different dimension than yours. Its appearance could have accelerated your growth.”
“Then I have another question.”
“Ask as many as you like.”
“Is the Death Star... another dimension’s Hyun Suho?”
This was the question that had been plaguing Hyun Suho.
Since he heard that the Death Star was just one person, not some energy or force, it suddenly came to mind.
Could the Death Star be another dimension's Hyun Suho, like Phantom or the Heavenly Demon?
The Heavenly Demon sharply denied it.
“Absolutely not.”
“...Really?”
The Heavenly Demon’s easy answer was almost disheartening.
He spoke with a hint of irritation.
“That thing is a failure who couldn’t achieve the highest divine status. According to your memory... yeah. It fits that creature’s situation perfectly. Akula. A fool struggling to gain power he doesn't deserve.”
Akula, who couldn't reach level 8 with his own abilities, eventually clung to a hidden epic quest.
But he ultimately failed and became food for the demon Kraken.
According to the Heavenly Demon, the Death Star was the same.
“Devouring stars, consuming civilizations to gain the highest divine status? No matter how much it struggles, it’ll just end up with more scraps. If it were something that could be achieved with that, anyone could easily reach the highest divine status.”
The Heavenly Demon firmly stated again.
“There is no such dim-witted Hyun Suho in any dimension.”
The first thing Hyun Suho felt was relief.
Even if it wasn’t him, the fact that the one who mindlessly destroyed worlds was not another version of Hyun Suho was a relief.
But as he listened carefully, it seemed the Heavenly Demon was speaking of the Death Star as if it were on the same level as himself.
Hyun Suho couldn’t contain his curiosity and asked.
“Can you defeat the Death Star?”
Lakshmi had said even a thousand of her couldn’t win.
So what about the Heavenly Demon?
A hundred? Ten?
The Heavenly Demon confidently responded in his characteristic arrogant tone.
“If I fight, I’ll win nine out of ten times.”
“...Really?”
He was confident of a 90% win rate even in a one-on-one battle.
No matter what he said, it would have been surprising.
Whether the Heavenly Demon lost or won would be shocking.
But he didn’t expect him to speak so resolutely.
“You’ve got that stupid look on your face again. Does something like the Death Star seem like an invincible being to you?”
“...At least from what I know, yes.”
“Heh heh! You really know nothing. In your dimension, several higher divine beings have already emerged. There’s even someone who attained a great truth just by meditating under a bodhi tree. From a cosmic perspective, the Death Star is just that level of a creature.”
Even the top rankers had given up on resisting the Death Star.
But the Heavenly Demon belittled such a Death Star with the word “just.”
“Seeing someone who looks like me groveling before something as lowly as that is truly laughable. Enough with the trivial talk. Take up your sword.”
“What? A sword?”
“Did you think our meeting would end with just a chat? My lesson hasn’t even begun yet.”
It seemed Lakshmi’s teachings had been quite significant.
The Heavenly Demon was personally offering to train Hyun Suho with his sword.
“No matter how skilled the Heavenly Recorder is, there’s a limit to how much divine art he can perform. This will be your last chance to meet another dimension’s version of yourself. If it were me, I’d never waste such an opportunity.”
It wasn’t just anyone—it was the Heavenly Demon.
According to him, he had surpassed the Death Star and reached a higher divine status.
Just from this short conversation, Hyun Suho had already learned a lot. How much more could he gain from sparring?
Hyun Suho wasn’t foolish enough not to realize how great of an opportunity this was.
“Alright. That’s exactly what I wanted.”
At that moment.
A system window appeared before Hyun Suho’s eyes again.
《Emergency Quest Discovered》
◆Quest
One of One
(Difficulty ★★★★★★★★★★...)
▷Objective: Defeat the Heavenly Demon
“What the hell?”
The difficulty rating far exceeded ten stars, stretching beyond view.