Translator: Leyy3

  “I also died that day. He really was strong, that man called Aventador.”

  Julius spoke of his death as if it was only natural.

  This was what had happened:

  Two years ago, Saturnos sent one of the five Sword Masters of the Ancient Republic, the Crimson Flame Aventador, to get rid of Julius, and it was said that Julius came out as the victor.

  But that wasn’t what really happened.

  Julius and Aventador were equally matched. Unlike the report that had gone to Saturnos, both of them had died during the fight.

  “But using one of these runes, or more precisely the Rune of Resurrection, I revived.”

  “.……!”

  “And because of that, I also got stronger. Strong enough to defeat you.”

  Saying that, Julius stared at Saturnos with an arrogant gaze. It was as if he was telling him that he was no longer his match.

  You’re just a ghost of your glorious past; an empty shell.

  Look!

  Look at how this man, who was once the tyrant that ruled over the Pangaea Continent, was now.

  His face, which had been half-cut off, showed his bones.

  Blood flowed out from his pierced chest.

  A chopped off arm.

  Currently, Saturnos wasn’t the ‘Demon God’ of the past, but rather a middle-aged man who was about to die.

  “Now, look.”

  Julius spoke, holding up the Rune of Three lives once more.

  “The immortality that you so long desired is in my hands now.”

  “.……!”

  “How do you feel? This thing, that you weren’t able to get your hands on when you ruled the world, is in my hands.”

  At this, Saturnos’ eyes started to shake.

  For the first time, he was agitated.

  It’s hard to stay calm, isn’t it? I bet that this is the worst humiliation that you’ve ever faced.

  Looking at the shaken Saturnos, Julius laughed inwardly.

  From what he knew, this was the best kind of revenge.

  Torture?

  What use would that be against the already crazy Saturnos?

  Even though he had fallen quite low now, Saturnos once possessed the strength and might of a Grand Sword Master.

  It would be impossible to expect him to give in. There was a higher chance that he would die while laughing at Julius.

  But the method he was using now was definitely effective.

  By showing Saturnos what he had desired so much, he was able to make him feel at loss, as well as make him feel greed.

  “You bastard! Q-Quickly! Hand that rune…… hand it to me! Y-You can take the throne instead……”

  Saturnos spoke, almost as if he was begging.

  Looks like he’s fallen faster than I expected. Did I really come so far…… to defeat this guy? Did my mother really fall to trash like this?

  Julius’ gaze turned from arrogance to disgust.

  “Please…… give…… the Rune……”

  “Sorry, but……”

  Julius cut off Saturnos’ words.

  “I tried to give this to someone before in order to save one of my friends. But…… funnily enough, it’s impossible to give or lend this Rune to anyone else.”

  “.……!”

  “Basically, it’s impossible for you to live again.”

  “.……!”

  “Give up.”

  It was a death sentence.

  There was nothing worse than these words to Saturnos, who longed for an eternal life.

  And especially when he couldn’t have something that he wanted for so long that was right in front of him……

  “Lies……”

  Saturnos said, denying Julius’ words.

  “Lies…… you’re lying right now! In order to keep that Rune to yourself…… In order to trick me!”

  “I wish.”

  “Shut up! I will kill you! I will rip you to shreds and drink your blood!”

  \r \r \r

  “.……”

  “Kuh……”

  Outrage.

  This was a phenomenon that occurred when mana that was inside one’s body reacted to one’s anger, and went on a rampage. Basically, Saturnos had turned into a berserker that had no emotions, except for bloodlust.

  “Tut tut.”

  Looking at Saturnos, Julius shook his head and clicked his tongue.

  “Weakling.”

  It wasn’t easy for a human that was once a Grand Sword Master to fall to such depths.

  “Khyaaa!”

  At that moment, Saturnos ran towards Julius.

  “How disgusting.”

  This was nothing more than child’s play in front of Julius’ eyes, as he had already surpassed the stage of Grand Sword Master.

  “Die.”

  With those words,

  Suk!

  The sound of a blade cutting through something could be heard,

  Puaaak!

  And Saturnos’ body and head were separated, with blood spewing out from both ends.

  Tuk……

  Roll……

  Saturnos’ head rolled on the floor.

  It was quite a sad and ordinary ending for a man that was once known as the most powerful and fearsome man on the continent.

  “Hmph, you should have been crazy and confident until the very end.”

  Julius murmured, annoyed.

  It seemed a little too easy and simple for something that he had prepared for for a whole lifetime.

  ***

  “Huuu……”

  Julius sighed.

  Anyway, his revenge was over.

  And now that there were no other people of the royal family remaining besides him, it was only natural that he would ascend as the Emperor.

  “Julius.”

  At that moment, a woman’s voice pierced Julius’ ears.

  “You’ve come.”

  Julius didn’t turn around.

  It was because he didn’t want to show himself all bloodied up and looking like a demon in front of ‘her’.

  “When you were bored, you always talked about your dream of revenge as if it was nothing. But now, you’ve achieved it.”

  “Of course.”

  “But now, you’ll have to look for a new aim. After all, you’re not going to go crazy like the previous Emperor, now that you’ve taken revenge for your mother……”

  “Of course not.”

  Julius said, interrupting.

  “How funny would it be if I became like the man who killed my mother?”

  “At least you know.”

  “And now that I’ve become Emperor, I’m planning on focusing on the job for a while. They say that it’s quite a busy job.”

  “.……You’re saying that as if you’ve just joined a mercenary band.”

  “Well, there’s not much of a difference.”

  “.……Huu.”

  “I’m planning on working quite hard, though.”

  “Of course, as you should.”

  “But if it doesn’t fit me……”

  “No, even if it doesn’t fit you, you have to do it.”

  “Even if I don’t like it?”

  “You’re not a bachelor anymore, you know?”

  “.……I am, though.”

  “Oh, don’t tell me that a man that’s just gotten a family is going to ditch his job.”

  “.……?”

  “Please don’t tell me that the man I love is a useless man that is going to starve his only child.”

  “What are you even……”

  Julius couldn’t understand why ‘she’ was saying this.

  “Well, you’re going to become a father soon.”

  “I…… what?”

  “I’m pregnant.”

  “.……!”

  “I-I…… I’m going to be a father?”

  He couldn’t believe it.

  “They say that it’s a girl.”

  It was even harder to believe now.

  “What, are you sad that it’s not a boy?”

  “As if!”

  “Well then, make sure you take responsibility for our child.”

  “Of course! Of course I will!”

  When he was young, he had lost his mother to his damned father. Even though he wasn’t used to it, it was likely that his protection instincts for his child would be the greatest in all of Pangaea.

  “Well then, turn around and look at me.”

  “I’m covered in blood. I don’t want to.”

  “I don’t care. It’s not like this is the first time you’ve been covered in blood.”

  Julius shook his head.

  “Still, no.”

  “Why not? I want to see your……”

  “I’ve heard that it’s not good for childbirth.”

  “.……”

  “It’s not like you’re the only one looking at me. I don’t want my daughter to see me all covered in blood.”

  “So, you’re saying that my father-in-law’s chopped off head is fine for childbirth, while your bloodied body isn’t?”

  “T-That……!”

  “Quickly!”

  Even though she spoke quite forcefully, Julius had to be the one on the receiving end right now.

  “Your daughter and your wife want to see your face.”

  “W-Wait a little bit.”

  Julius quickly cleaned up the blood on his face.

  It was going to be his first ‘meeting’ with his daughter, and he wasn’t going to show his face all bloodied up.

  “I-Is it okay? Don’t I look bad……?”

  Julius said, turning around.

  “No?”

  But she denied that, smiling.

  “You look cool and manly, just as my husband and our child’s father should be.”

  ***

  Kang Chul-In couldn’t see her face.

  Because that flashback ended with Julius turning around.

  ***

  The next memory was Julius during the crowning ceremony.

  Wow……

  Kang Chul-In was shocked, looking at Julius’ ascension to Emperor.

  It was grand.

  That was the only word for this.

  Julius’ popularity couldn’t be summed up with words only.

  There were almost 10 million people near the royal castle, and there were more than 10 thousand subordinates around as well.

  And,

  Wahhh!

  From elsewhere, the sound of a baby crying could be heard.

  “Your Highness!”

  One midwife came to Julius, and spoke.

  “Congratulations! You have become a father! Your Highness, why not name the child immediately?”

  The midwife asked.

  “Her name……?”

  “Yes, your Highness. It’s one of the unspoken rules of the Royal Family to name the child as soon as they are born.”

  “I-Is that so? Fine, then. Her name will be……”

  After hesitating for a while, Julius spoke.

  “Arshelly, let’s go with Arshelly. Go tell the Empress. My daughter’s name is Arshelly Berlinetta Pon Aurangzeb.”


  Chapter 231: Kang Chul-In and the Emperor of Blood and Iron!

  Translator: Leyy3

  The next moment,

  “.……!”

  Kang Chul-In found himself standing on a spire of the Ancient Empire’s castle.

  “What now……?”

  Kang Chul-In muttered to himself in absurdity. He was no longer portraying Julius and was back to himself.

  Why was that so?

  Why did Kang Chul-In, who was witnessing his past memories through Julius’ eyes, now exist as himself?

  “How was that?”

  Suddenly, a voice could be heard.

  “.……!”

  Kang Chul-In turned around immediately.

  “Kang Chul-In, my reincarnation.”

  The speaker…… stood in front of the spire’s entrance.

  Long, black hair.

  Crimson-red eyes.

  Sharp features and with Kang Chul-In’s height.

  The two were similar.

  Other than the hair length and the eye color, Julius Berlineta Pon Aurangzeb was almost identical to Kang Chul-In in appearance. It was almost as if they were reflections in a mirror.

  “You bastard.”

  Kang Chul-In spoke.

  “You must be that Emperor of Blood and Iron, whom I’m sick and tired of hearing about.”

  Kang Chul-In made a caustic comment.

  “The bastard who kept dropping strange subplots in my path.”

  The existence of the Emperor of Blood and Iron was nothing but an annoyance for Kang Chul-In, who strived solely to become the greatest emperor of the Pangaean continent.

  Furthermore, he didn’t even know of this stranger’s existence before his return to the past.

  “I expected that response.”

  The Emperor of Blood and Iron replied with a smirk.

  “According to ancient literature, a man’s personality and traits are carved deeply into his spirit.”

  “What bullshit are you spewing?”

  Kang Chul-In asked with a grin.

  “It means, I can understand why you are reacting this way.”

  “.……?”

  “I would have reacted the same way in your shoes. After all, I, Julius Berlineta Pon Aurangzeb, am you, Kang Chul-In. And vice-versa.”

  Julius’ theory based on ancient literature had a catch, but the main point was simple and concise. He was claiming that Kang Chul-In was his reincarnation.

  “The Wheel of Three Lives.”

  Kang Chul-In spoke.

  “Are you telling me that you revived and reincarnated using that item?”

  “Well, I’m not telling you per se. I just wanted to show you.”

  “Show me?”

  “Judging from your personality, you wouldn’t have believed a single word of explanation. Why would I bother?”

  “.……”

  “I just requested the witch Agrippa to let you see, hear and feel my memories from my perspective.”

  Kang Chul-In was confused.

  What was this man’s intention?

  “The reason?”

  He asked.

  “Now’s not the time for explanation.”

  The Emperor of Blood and Iron shook his head.

  “For now, just know that you were me in your past life. And also, remember that the Wheel of Reincarnation is the reason why you could overcome your failures and enjoy a second life.”

  “The Wheel of Reincarnation? Are you referring to Soul Backup?

  “Whatever you call it.”

  Julius shrugged.

  “The name ‘Soul Backup’ is made up by the system ‘Erinyes’ for you to understand easily. Its original name is the Wheel of Reincarnation.”

  “So…… you even foresaw my failure and planned everything accordingly?”

  “Of course.”

  “.……!”

  “I contemplated what would happen if you claimed great power with that personality of yours.”

  “And?”

  “I came to a simple conclusion. You would go on a rampage.”

  “.……!”

  “Seems like my prediction was right. I hope you realized by now how dangerous a half-assed power is.”

  The Emperor of Blood and Iron was spitting out cold hard facts.

  He saw through Kang Chul-In completely from the very beginning!

  “Ah?”

  Kang Chul-In was about to give a sarcastic remark when,

  Chulkuk!

  The Demon Sword Kaiforce swung at lightning speed and stopped right before Julius’ throat. Kang Chul-In could no longer hold back his bad temper.

  “Go on.”

  Kang Chul-In pressured the Emperor of Blood and Iron.

  “Tell me what you, you bastard, are planning.”

  “As expected of my reincarnation.”

  Julius, however, was calm and composed.

  \r \r \r

  Swish!

  Kaiforce released a pitch-black light and slashed through Julius.

  Julius, however, was uninjured.

  He was just a form of an apparition. The place they were at was also not real.

  “I do wish to tell you everything as well.”

  “Bullshit.”

  Kang Chul-In growled.

  “You dare to say that without telling me all the important details? Are you trying to play charades with me?”

  “That’s not true.”

  Julius shook his head.

  “There’s an order to everything.”

  “Do I need to guess that order of yours?”

  “Certainly not…… but you need a qualification to hear the rest of my story.”

  “A qualification?”

  “Conquer Pangaea!”

  The Emperor of Blood and Iron reiterated Kang Chul-In’s goal.

  “Only the true conqueror of Pangaea deserves to know the truth. You, my reincarnation, are no exception. Hence, let me ask you, Kang Chul-In.”

  “.……!”

  “Can you conquer this vast continent and rise as the one and only emperor?”

  The great emperor of the Ancient Empire, also known as the previous ruler of Pangaea, was asking the man who dreamt of becoming his successor whether he was determined to fulfill his ambition or not.

  “No shit.”

  Kang Chul-In gave a smirk confidently.

  “Good, as expected of my reincarnation.”

  Julius laughed along.

  “When you become the emperor someday, we shall meet again. With that confidence of yours, I doubt it’s going to take long. So, why the haste to dig out the truth?”

  That made sense.

  The Emperor of Blood and Iron hadn’t had the slightest intention to leak the story’s crux to Kang Chul-In.

  “.……”

  Kang Chul-In remained silent. He knew he couldn’t force the emperor to continue his story.

  “Let me tell you one thing.”

  Julius added.

  “Everything was pre-planned from my reincarnation and return to the past, but the conclusion isn’t. If you lose and fail to become the emperor, my plans fail as well.”

  “.……!”

  “The Wheel of Reincarnation is no longer available. Remember that.”

  Kang Chul-In replied to that.

  “What are you, a coward?”

  “What?”

  “Speaking of redundancy.”

  Kang Chul-In’s expression had both confidence and derision towards Julius.

  “Don’t talk about failure in front of me, Emperor of Blood and Iron.”

  “.……!”

  “The Wheel of Reincarnation? One was enough. No, it was more than enough. Did you underestimate me so much, thinking that I need more than two reincarnations?”

  “Whoa……”

  “Get lost, Emperor of Blood and Iron. You can blabber on about your stupid plans next time, so suit yourself.”

  Kang Chul-In hated dealing with things that were out of his control.

  “Alright, I shall.”

  Surprisingly, Julius nodded in compliance. He was also notorious for his bad temper. ……

  This bastard.

  Kang Chul-In felt a strong unease from this response.

  There was disparity in action.

  The Emperor of Blood and Iron was in a different league from Kang Chul-In. Having already reached the summit, he was calm and composed despite Kang Chul-In’s vicious demeanor.

  Watch me you bastard.

  Kang Chul-In gritted his teeth.

  If Kang Chul-In was truly the incarnation of the Emperor of Blood and Iron, it was ironic how he was feeling inferior to his past self.

  “Well then, until we meet again.”

  Julius bid farewell.

  Ssss……!

  The emperor of the Ancient Empire began to vanish like mist.

  “Oh, and one more thing.”

  Julius spoke before he completely vanished into thin air.

  “Take good care of my daughter, Arshelly. My only regret in life is not being able to protect her to the end.”

  “Ridiculous.”

  Kang Chul-In smirked.

  “Why are you, you bastard, worrying about my daughter? Mind your own business.”

  “What bullshit are you saying, Kang Chul-In?”

  The Emperor of Blood and Iron rebutted Kang Chul-In.

  “Arshelly is Julius’ daughter.”

  “She is Kang Chul-In’s daughter.”

  “I’m her biological father. You are claiming to be her father without having a single drop of your blood in her?”

  The Emperor of Blood and Iron began to lose his composure.

  “Let me reiterate. Although you may be my reincarnation, Arshelly is my……”

  “Too bad. Try coming back to life, then.”

  “.……!”

  “Get lost, you lousy father.”

  Kang Chul-In mocked Julius, who had vanished completely.

  It was silly banter, but he was satisfied for having enraged the Emperor of Blood and Iron.

  ***

  Kang Chul-In woke up.

  “Husband!”

  Ninetails noticed first and wagged her nine tails.

  “Are you alright?! What if……”

  “I’m fine.”

  Kang Chul-In grasped Ninetails’ hand firmly, which she was holding while he slept, to comfort her.

  “It was slightly disturbing…… but not bad overall.”

  He witnessed Julius’ memories and Arshelly’s birth, and also learned that his Soul Backup originated from the Wheel of Reincarnation.

  He also learned that this gigantic system, Erinyes, was one of the Emperor of Blood and Iron’s arrangements.

  “Good job, Kang Chul-In.”

  Circe the Witch grinned.

  “Do you regret signing up for my ritual?”

  “Not really.”

  “That’s good then. It’s a win-win for both of us.”

  “Win-win?”

  “I upheld my predecessor Agrippa’s prophecy, while you gained insight into your past. Don’t you feel less burdened?”

  “I see.”

  “Oh, and……”

  The following conversation was done via telepathy. -

  I won’t tell anyone that this is your second life. My lips are sealed.

  “Right, I forgot about this issue.” -

  Well, I don’t want to die to be honest. You are the kind of man that would cut my throat without hesitation.

  “Hmm……” -

  That’s why……

  Circe offered a deal to Kang Chul-In.

  “Hmm……”

  Kang Chul-In pondered for a while.

  “Alright. Deal.”

  He then sent an OK signal to Circe.

  A few hours later.

  “Catch you next time, then. Let’s go.”

  Kang Chul-In stepped out of the Jeonse Mushroom.

  “Yes, dear husband!”

  “Yes, your Majesty!”

  The crew was about to leave.

  “Wait!”

  A familiar voice could be heard.

  “Wait for me!”

  Dorian Explorer was struggling to get out of the Jeonse Mushroom.

  Wriggle, wriggle!

  A few vines began to sprout out in front of the Jeonse Mushroom.

  Whip!

  They wrapped around Dorian’s ankle and pulled him back.

  Thump!

  “Ahhhhh!”

  Dorian crashed onto the floor.

  “S-Shit! W-What’s going on?”

  Dorian shouted in confusion.

  “Hoho~! I wonder what indeed?”

  Circe the Witch replied to him.

  “My cutie, where do you think you’re going?”

  “.……!”

  “Let’s have some fun together, shall we?”

  “E-Eeek?!”

  “Even your surprised face is cute. Makes me want to claw at it.”

  “Huk……!”

  Dorian gasped.

  “K-Kang Chul-In! Help me!”

  He requested help out of desperation.

  “Quick, let’s leave.”

  Kang Chul-In told the rest and pretended he never saw anything.

  “H-Husband? How about Mr. Dorian……”

  “I sold him out.”

  “Huh?”

  Ninetails’ eyes widened in surprise.

  “60 days.”

  Kang Chul-In explained.

  “Circe wanted to borrow him for just two months.”

  “.……!”

  “Hence I sold him out. A good deal for me.”

  “.……”

  “Well then, let’s make our way.”

  Indeed, that was the secret deal between Circe and Kang Chul-In.