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The bridle began to change as the gaps disappeared.
No, rather than changing, it reverted back to its original state.
The soot disappeared and the dreamy ground regained stability.
The scenery was still changing, but the flowing air and energy were gentle and stable.
‘So the bridle to reincarnation was originally like this.’
I stopped sharing my vision and looked toward the watchman breathing heavily.
He looked tired, perhaps because he used a lot of power consecutively, but his expression was bright.
“The bridle of reincarnation is stabilizing! The gaps are filled!”
The watchman ran near the stairs, cheering at the fresh wind.
Hwiii…!
Particles of light that seemed to be traces of the watchman’s power spread in the wind throughout the bridle.
The watchman smiled as he watched the light spread.
I waited for his breath to calm down and asked.
“Are you feeling better now?”
“Yes, it will be safe until that person finds a new gap. Though it seems like it will be impossible to escape your eyes.”
It won’t be safe until the Black Screen is gone.
If it was possible to prevent them from interfering here with a single tool, the superior beings would’ve gen them.
But the power given by the gods of death became mine.
That means that I would have to fight the Black Screen and protect the bridle of reincarnation.
The Black Screen is still alive, but today’s success wasn’t meaningless.
‘About ten years since the Silver Hero died, the Black Screen created that much damage.’
In order to create such gaps in the bridle of reincarnation, power equivalent to ten years has to be devoted to replacing them.
This power given by the gods blocked the Black Screen’s source of information.
This means something more than just holding them back.
‘Now the Hit List won’t be updated.’
The secret of the bridle was leaking little by little like grains of sand.
Since the leak has stopped now, it means that some of the information that the Black Screen had in PMH would not be obtained.
In other words, those whose names that the Black Screen hasn’t got their hands on will be safe.
‘But is there a way to know if the Black Screen touches this place again?’
I decided to ask the watchman.
“Is there a way to let me know of gaps that would appear after I leave the bridle?”
“I’ll contact you through Toyeon-nim’s mirror as soon as a shockwave occurs.”
I thought contacting through the mirror only works one way, but that doesn’t seem to be the case.
If the watchman can notify me of any abnormalities, then I don’t have anything to worry about.
The watchman looked at me and spoke.
“Thank you so much, Euishin-ah. The bridle of reincarnation is back to itself.”
It’s largely thanks to the Silver Hero who led me here.
She chose to remain in the mortal world to deliver me a message, risking her soul being extinguished.
I told that to the watchman, but he countered with a smile.
“I bet she’s going to say that it’s all thanks to you. Though I’ll still thank her.”
It may have been a mistake to bring up the Silver Hero.
The watchman used all kinds of exclamations to praise and thank me.
I’ve had this happen with the tigers a lot, so I got dizzy from deja vu.
“I’ll be able to watch my kids grow and… wait for her. Thank you.”
The gratitude ended with the mention of family.
The watchman will wait for the day when the Silver Hero comes someday.
It seemed like he was determined to die out waiting for a reunion.
“If you’re going to wait for her, then please don’t get extinguished here.”
“Yeah, I should! Thanks to you, that threat is gone.”
I spoke in a rather acrimonious tone, but he kept smiling.
The watchman had a bright look on his face even as we went down the stairs.
He may be excited to see the bridle closer.
But that smiling face disappeared the moment we reached the ground.
The watchman looked at me with a bitter face.
“Then we should slowly get ready.”
“For what?”
Isn’t his main mission over?
Is there still more to do?
Tears welled up in the watchman’s eyes.
I was flustered to see the sudden tears.
Have I made a mistake?
As I questioned, the watchman spoke with a grim and sad face.
“Get ready to send you back to the mortal world.”
***
Deep into Mt. Cheonik, near the peak.
There was a fierce battle here on Christmas Eve, but it was now cleaned up by the Tiger Clan.
Signs of clan heads fighting were no longer seen.
But there was still one thing left.
A crack in the ground that led to the underworld.
“…”
“…”
There were three tigers in front of it — two tigers and the Shinsoo.
Hwangho, in his Hwang Jiho alter ego, spoke.
“You haven’t said a word all day. You didn’t forget that I said I’d hear you out if you wanted to make an excuse, did you?”
“…”
“Do you still have nothing to say?”
Baekho didn’t speak, but Hwangho was guessing the situation to some extent.
Jo Euishin would’ve convinced him to let go, and Baekho trusted him.
He knew that Baekho didn’t voluntarily push Jo Euishin into the underworld.
However, recalling the scene made Hwangho angry.
‘If it was me, I would never have let go.’
That fact incited Hwangho’s anger.
Hwangho said he respects Jo Euishin’s will, but if such an urgent situation suddenly strikes, he will eventually prioritize his safety.
That’s why Jo Euishin decided to go to the underworld without prior notice.
He knew well what kind of tiger Hwangho was.
‘If I didn’t let go of Jo Euishin and things start to go wrong…’
The thought alone made him ashamed to see the benefactor.
In the first place, it is Jo Euishiin’s freedom to go and do whatever he wishes to do.
Hwangho didn’t have the authority to prevent him from going to the underworld.
That’s why he couldn’t question Jo Euishin suddenly going to the underworld when he contacted him through the mirror.
Staring at Baekho, Hwangho spoke again.
“My main body talked to Jo Euishin. That watchman too.”
Whimper?
“Are you curious about what we talked about?”
Grrr!
Shinsoo reacted first when Jo Euishin’s name was mentioned.
He stood up while crouching far from Baekho.
His harsh scratching of the ground seemed to prompt Hwangho to speak quickly.
However, Baekho only glanced at Hwangho, silent.
Only Shinsoo was anxious as he hit the ground with his tail.
“Jo Euishin is…”
Baekho opened his mouth after a long silence.
He opened his eyes wide and looked behind Hwangho.
Wondering what he was distracted by, Hwangho looked behind him.
His expression then became similar to Baekho’s.
‘Black energy waves…!’
Around 15% of the Korean population are players.
That is approximately millions of people.
Since there are that many players, energy wave colors are often similar.
But black energy waves are extremely rare.
It was the color of Jo Euishin.
‘No, I don’t think it’s Jo Euishin’s presence…’
At a closer look, the color seemed a little different.
Jo Euishin’s energy waves were the color of the night sky, this one was close to ink.
However, it was very coincidental to see energy waves similar to the color of Jo Euishin near the place where he disappeared.
The black energy waves, which were shaking in the distance, moved as if to attract them.
Hwik!
Baekho moved first.
Shinsoo followed Baekho, who disappeared after leaving only an afterimage like a shot arrow.
Hwangho followed after much thought.
***
After crying, the watchman showed me the way back to the mortal world.
We headed to the door leading to the space that turned into my dorm room.
“Isn’t this where I stayed?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
“Does this door lead to the mortal world?”
“It will. I can manipulate the door. I could send it where it needs to be.”
I thought it might be a different door, but it was the same.
The gate can create a new space according to the watchman’s will.
“It’s also my role to guide lost souls. There were quite a few souls who got lost in their sleep and wandered all the way here a long time ago.”
The watchman’s face was smeared with fear as he spoke with a heavy voice.
“There are two superior beings who didn’t attend today’s meeting, Euishin-ah.”
So many superior beings gathered, weren’t they all present?
I tried to think of a god that I didn’t see.
“One is served by the Demon Race, the ‘Demon God of Death’ and the other one is… Insomnium.”
Both didn’t exist in myths.
If Insomnium is eligible to come to the meeting, that means he must be related to death.
It may be possible to link nightmares with death as some people die in their sleep.
The watchman spoke in a hushed voice.
“Remember, those two didn’t delegate their strength to you.”
“Yes.”
“And, uh… I have a favor to ask. I’m sorry since I already owe you too much, but…”
The watchman mumbled as he held up a small package in his palms.
“Can you give this Christmas present to my children? Oh, I have a gift for you too, Euishin! It’s not as great as what Ereshkigal-nim gave though…”
Of course I can.
The descendants receiving gifts from their father is a great thing.
The watchman was delighted when I accepted the present.
The number of thank you’s was too difficult to count at this point.
After a long shower of gratitude, the watchman slowly opened the door.
“I’m so glad and grateful you came here, Euishin-ah. Don’t look back, and be careful on your way.”
The watchman must be sad to bid goodbye as his eyes became tearful again.
“Goodbye.”
After saying goodbye to the watchman, I walked toward the door.
The sound and light disappeared as I crossed.
It was so dark that I didn’t know where I was, but I kept walking and looking forward as the watchman said.
It took less than ten steps from the underworld to the bridle, but no matter how much I walked, there was no sign of the mortal world.
‘Don’t tell me I’m lost.’
I wanted to turn around without realizing it, but I got a grip on myself.
I decided to believe in the path that I’ve taken so far.
‘Oh, why is it wet under my knee?’
My thoughts didn’t last long.
Water began to fill up somewhere.
I was flustered as I began to submerge in the dark.
In an instant, the water rose to the tip of my chin and my whole body was submerged.
When I tried to use my light skill, I suddenly saw light pouring from above.
‘Don’t tell me this place is…’
I saw a familiar sight on the surface.
I swam up and reached out.
Someone grabbed my hand, which stretched out toward the surface, and pulled it up.
Shwaaak!
I escaped the water, breathless and heaving.
The view outside started to come to me.
As I expected…
I was back in Mt. Cheonik.
“…”
The light above the surface was a white fellow.
It was Baekho-gun who pulled me up.
After a short pause, I spoke up.
“I’m back.”
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