Chapter 651:

Chapter 651:

Ashoka closed his eyes.

With his eyes closed, he recalled the inside of the transcendent being.

Being there was truly a special experience.

'This place is even more complete than my ideal world.'

A world even more perfect than the Pure Land that Ashoka and the people of his time yearned for and longed for.

Just by being in this world of light, one felt a sense of completeness.

'I don't know why I was brought here, but…'

In this world of light.

Ashoka felt more comfortable than ever before.

Compared to when he kept turning the golden wheel, repeatedly causing humanity's destruction.Being here gave him a comfort incomparable to any time in his past.

Yes.

For someone like him who contributed to countless deaths, this was happiness far beyond what he deserved.

'…If I'm here, others should be here too.'

If even he, the most corrupt person in a corrupt world, was brought here, surely those who lived innocently and kindly should have reached this Pure Land.

He recalled his past actions.

His past sins.

The countless times humanity was destroyed.

And the Martial God who turned back time just to accumulate power.

Under the pretext of saving people, he had cooperated in mass slaughter by turning the golden wheel.

In human history, he was probably the one who committed the most evil.

'If the gates of the Pure Land are open even to me… everyone should be here.'

Ashoka, who was about to be influenced by the pure white light, came to his senses.

He should first sincerely repent and apologize to people for his sins.

How could he try to gain enlightenment and be influenced by the light first?

From the beginning, he was a person unqualified to come to such a world.

Even if the Pure Land embraced everyone,

'I should be the very last.'

If there was anyone in this world not assimilated by the light, he should help them.

If they all gain enlightenment first and melt into this Pure Land, only then would he, a sinner, gain the minimum qualification.

Thinking this, Ashoka walked through the world of light, but.

'…There's no one here.'

In the world he thought was the Pure Land.

No one existed.

He could only feel something strange in the dazzling light.

Ashoka couldn't find any trace of humanity besides himself.

"Then, this is not the Pure Land."

A world allowed only to him couldn't be the Pure Land.

Ashoka's body, half-submerged in light, became clear.

In the world of light, only he fully maintained his form.

Then.

[No. This is the Pure Land you envision.]

[Others have already joined the light.]

[You too, accept the light.]

[You are the last.]

A strong will was heard from the mass of light for the first time.

"…I see. So everyone has transcended."

If so, it made sense.

The reason why people weren't visible in this world of light.

The reason why his turn was the very last.

He nodded and tried to accept the light, but.

Sss sss…

Ashoka's form still didn't submerge in the white light.

[Accept the light.]

Once again, the will of light urged him.

Ashoka stared at it blankly, then opened his mouth.

"Do I deserve that?"

[No one deserves it more than you. You will be honored.]

"Hearing that makes it even less convincing."

The will of light urging him to enter the Pure Land fully, and Ashoka unable to fully accept it.

[Can you not forget your past sins?]

[Very well. Sinner. Accept the light and atone for all people.]

[Your task will be to serve everyone eternally.]

[Is this acceptable to you?]

But when the will of light changed its approach to Ashoka, only then did he nod.

Servant to all people.

Even that seemed a bit light as punishment for himself.

"That's a bit more convincing."

Flash…!

As soon as that answer fell, the light began to engulf Ashoka.

At this rate, he should soon become one with the light, but.

Zing…

His form still maintained itself even in the most intense light.

[Didn't you say you accepted it?]

"Servant to all people… that seems too light as payment for my sins."

[…How troublesome.]

As the other side reacted like that towards Ashoka who wouldn't become one with the light,

Sss sss sss sss…

Suddenly, a blue light flickered on Ashoka's body.

"This is certainly…"

As Ashoka's eyes filled with doubt at seeing this,

[Are you trying to summon him through the Tower? …That might be better.]

Ashoka heard the will of light speaking in his ear.

Tower? Summon?

What could that mean, he wondered.

[End this long confrontation through you.]

Flash…!

With those final words, Ashoka's body disappeared from the world of light.

The place he was summoned to was the Tower that Seong Jihan had created.

At first, he came here without knowing why,

But after hearing the situation from Seong Jihan, he could understand everything that was going on.

'As I thought, it couldn't be.'

How could he set foot in the Pure Land?

He thought something was strange.

Was it the intervention of the being called the transcendent being?

Swoosh.

Ashoka opened his eyes.

"The world where I should be is indeed the defiled mixed world."

As Ashoka said this and twisted his foot,

Sss sss sss sss…

Black shadows began to spread in all directions on the floor dyed with blue light.

* * *

"Defiled mixed world…?"

"A dirty and turbid world… Originally it would mean the current world."

Jiang Shang stroked his beard and looked at Ashoka with sunken eyes.

More precisely, he looked at the ground where Ashoka had set his foot.

'This is…'

The shadow gradually encroaching on the blue-dyed floor.

As the blue light and darkness mixed, the color of the ground Ashoka created was incomparably turbid.

Was that what the defiled mixed world meant?

As Seong Jihan quietly observed this,

Fwoosh…!

Pure white light tried to burst out of Ashoka's body again.

"The transcendent being is trying to control me…"

As his body split, pure white light stretched out from the cracks.

Seong Jihan and Jiang Shang hardened their expressions and tried to respond to the light.

"Ooh…!"

On the other hand, Id tried to approach Ashoka with an ecstatic expression upon seeing the transcendent being's light, but.

Swoosh swoosh swoosh…

The light flashing from Ashoka's body,

When it touched the realm of the defiled mixed world he had created, quickly weakened and went out.

"Ah, no…!?"

Id, who had been running towards the transcendent being's light as if entranced, was startled.

Tap.

His feet had already entered the realm of the defiled mixed world.

Then.

Flash…!

Not just Id's head,

But his entire body began to shine with intense light.

"W-what! What are you doing to me…!"

As Id was startled looking at his own body,

"As I thought."

Ashoka looked at him with sunken eyes.

"Didn't you say that beings who can only master one light power are isolates?"

"Y-yes, but…?"

"Your talent wasn't originally so biased."

"…What? What nonsense are you talking about?"

Id reacted as if he couldn't believe Ashoka's words.

Well, it was natural not to believe when a suddenly summoned person in the Tower said such things.

But.

"The defiled mixed world… In this turbid land, not only the influence of the transcendent being, but even the influence of the system is excluded."

"System… You. Are you talking while knowing my situation?"

"Yes. Wasn't it called the light body system?"

"…We isolates can't access that."

Id glared at Ashoka, gritting his teeth.

New humans who could only have one light characteristic, the isolates.

They couldn't join the transcendent being because they weren't connected to the light body system.

But Id, who had experienced the world of the transcendent being, was desperate to enter it.

Why was he born as an isolate, unable to enter the transcendent being?

It was heartbreaking to be pushed around by the server beings here.

What was this summoned being blabbering about without knowing the full story?

Id was furious to the point his head was about to explode, but.

'…But this is strange.'

Upon entering this realm, the defiled mixed world, that the summoned being had created, the light power that was mainly concentrated in his scalp was now spreading evenly throughout his entire body.

If this state could be maintained outside this realm,

Perhaps.

By some chance, could he become a normal person…?

As he was falling into confusion,

"I said earlier. Your power is something the transcendent being needs."

"…So?"

"The same goes for other isolates. The powers they possess must be necessary for the transcendent being to become a complete entity. That's why isolates were modified to be 'isolates' from birth through the system."

"…What?"

Seong Jihan's eyes widened at those words.

Isolates weren't born that way from the beginning.

Those with necessary powers were forcibly made into isolates?

Considering how isolates were treated among the new humans, if compared to the present, it would be no different from forcibly cutting off a newborn baby's limbs at birth.

"No. What nonsense…! What do you know! A mere summoned being…!!!"

Id seemed to sense this too, showing an even more disbelieving reaction, but.

"Then let me ask you one thing. Why is the light power trying to manifest throughout your entire body here?"

"T-that's…!"

At his question, Id was momentarily at a loss for words, just biting his lips before, he just started screaming loudly.

"No! You think I'd believe your words! The light body system never applied to me in the first place…! There's no way that could be! Don't try to deceive me!"

"Deceive…"

At those words, Ashoka smiled deeply.

"Alright. Then let me truly deceive you."

"W-what are you trying to say…!"

"Don't you want to become a normal person?"

"…What?"

"I mean, don't you want to live with that body not just in the defiled mixed world, but outside too?"

At those words, Id looked down at his own body.

A brilliantly shining body.

This was similar to the bodies of the 'normal people' he had so longed for.

No.

At this level, it was far superior to most normal people.

It was a powerful light that could rival even high-ranking officials.

He was saying he could live outside with this state…?

'Of course, if I go out in this state, I'd merge with the transcendent being…'

In the current situation, having experienced the transcendent being, merging was rather what he desired.

Especially now that the atmosphere had become hostile with these server beings, becoming a normal person and just merging would be easier on his mind.

However.

"…Then what happens to the power of protection?"

"Why are you concerned about that?"

"Didn't you say it's an ability the transcendent being needs…!"

At those words, Ashoka chuckled.

"I thought you weren't listening to the words of a mere summoned being, so why worry about that?"

"T-that's…!"

"Don't tell me you think the great transcendent being would struggle without a single power of protection?"

As soon as those words ended,

Flash…!

Ashoka's body split again, and light tried to burst out, but.

"It seems the transcendent being strongly agrees."

Swoosh.

Ashoka calmly said while blocking the crack with his hand.

'…Protection seems to be quite a necessary ability for the transcendent being?'

As Seong Jihan was thinking this while watching Ashoka's gesture, Id stared quietly at Ashoka before opening his mouth.

"Looking at how things are going, it seems you'll make me a normal person whether I agree or not."

"It would be easier for both of us if you cooperate."

"…I have one condition."

"Let's hear it."

Swoosh.

Id pointed his finger behind him.

What he was pointing at was the metal tree Yggdrasil.

"Write my name in Yggdrasil's Registry. Then I'll do as you say."

He seemed to have finished his calculations, speaking with a triumphant expression.