Chapter 358: Return to the Origin (3)

Chapter 358: Return to the Origin (3)

4.

Lets talk about the old days for a moment.

When Director was young, instead of smartphones, staring blankly at the television was a childs pleasure, it is said.

On TV, you couldnt choose whatever video you wanted freely. You watched whatever the broadcasting station played.

Since broadcasting stations are places where people work, nothing is broadcasted during the times when people drift off to dreamland.

Its just like a restaurant that doesnt operate 24 hours. Rest. Closed. There is certainly a stop, but its function does not operate.

Zzzt-

And when the television rests, it shows a strange screen. Black dots and white dots intertwine messily with a crackling sound. Flicker, flicker. As if machines AIs are playing their own game of Go at high speed, black and white dots mix together. Dizzily. Dizzily, dizzily.

Zzzt, zzzt-

That was the scene where I was standing now.

[The 76th stage has been forcibly terminated.]

The once blue sky had suddenly cracked open. From the split crevices, like the proliferation of mold, black and white vomit poured out. The sky was devoured first, then the humans wandering below the sky, and finally, the horizon was eaten away.

Zzzzt!

[The sixth pillar, The Wand Of Ages intervenes.]

[The Wand Of Ages wishes to maintain control of the stage.]

In the midst of a world where black and white fornicate, there was a wizard leaning on a lonely staff.

One of the pillars operating this tower. It was The Wand Of Ages.

Thats an interesting story youre telling. Death King.

The wizard looked at me.

So, you just said, my choice was wrong? Who is suitable to be the judge of this layer of heaven. Who is willingly able to judge pass or fail for you. Considering all of that, my choice of Yoo Soo-ha as the judge, my judgment, was wrong?

Yes.

The wizards pupils were like water in which a knife was soaked, silvery. I did not avoid the gaze of the silver blade aimed at me.

Yoo Soo-ha, even if he were to face death, he would never wish to be reincarnated here.

The wizard did not answer immediately. Press. After a long time, the wizard gripped his staff tightly.

Maybe theres some merit to your words. However, what about here?

The wizard raised his long staff high. And with all his might, he slammed it down on the ground.

[The Wand Of Ages manifests its power.]

Whoosh!

Centered around the spot hit by the staff, waves arose. White waves. The white waves instantly became violent torrents, driving away the blackness that was devouring various places in this world.

At the same time.

[The Wand Of Ages is teleporting you.]

The world of crackling noise was transformed.

[You have entered the 77th stage.]

[You set foot in a place where you originally could not enter.]

This place is Machine Heaven.

Was it magic cast by The Wand Of Ages? We were floating in the air.

Dazzlingly far below was a splendid future city. The skyscrapers rose smoothly without a single pillar or joint, and buildings were connected like neurons in the brain. The pathways draped like spiderwebs between skyscrapers constantly emitted light.

In this world, countless mechanical dolls live. If I were to borrow your terminology, they are NPCs.

In the future city, numerous people were bustling about.

If what the wizard told me is correct, the vast majority of them are NPCs. That is, they are not hunters who have been reincarnated with souls.

The constellation of this world [The God of Machinery] controls millions of mechanical dolls. Of course, humans reincarnated here are unaware of such facts. NPCs too believe they are just like themselves, humans. Naturally. The dolls controlled by [The God of Machinery] are vividly indistinguishable from humans. And then

And then?

The dolls always lose to humans at [lifes decisive moments].

A boxing-like match was being shown on the citys electronic display.

Humans reincarnated here always win against the dolls. So cunningly that they never realize the dolls deliberately lose to them. No, they never notice that the people who lost to them were actually just dolls.

Thump!

A boxer with red gloves knocked his opponent down. Wow! Cheers from the audience could be heard beyond the display. The boxer with blue gloves staggered into a corner, and the red player aggressively pushed his opponent.

Those reborn here lead a life of constant success. Even when crises that seem like defeats loom, they ultimately win. The sweetness of victory. The confidence of having overcome lifes challenges. All these joys are gifts prepared by [The God of Machinery] solely for humans.

Eventually, the red players uppercut landed squarely.

Boom! The blue player couldnt stand and fell on the ring. The referee hurriedly ran over to separate the two players, but a bright certainty of victory, the joy of having won, was already smeared on the face of the red player.

Its a game. A kind of play. A game where one always receives victory. But, the suspicion that [I am being treated] never arises. One cant help but believe that theyve earned every victory through their own merit.

The layers of heaven you manage have erased the meaning that the tower barely managed to create. Its the same. Youve just rebuilt the same world as the outside, inside the tower.

I said, standing in the sky.

You are not fit to be the judge of heaven.

The Wand Of Ages hissed.

Just because you have a mouth, doesnt mean you should spout nonsense!

Yes. And its not over yet.

I looked up at the sky.

Yoo Soo-ha!

Zzzt-.

You must be listening! You choose! You decide! Whether there is a layer of heaven among the 76th, 77th, and 78th floors that you willingly wish to go to, as judged by [The Wand Of Ages]! And whether [The Wand Of Ages] is qualified as a judge! Or else

The sky crackled and opened a gap.

Or else, tell them to get lost! Whether the Lion World, the world where you are alive, where I am alive, is your world! If you die, tell us if its the place you wish to be reborn in! So decide who is right between [The Wand Of Ages] and me!

What will you give me?

The same noise peeked through the opened gap in the sky as before. White and black dots were noisily flickering. From there, Yoo Soo-has voice flowed out.

Choosing barehanded like this doesnt seem right. I dont understand it all, but youre in a contest with that pillar or whatever, arent you? Youre asking me to take your side. Then, this too is a deal. Tell me what youll give me.

This fucking realist asshole

After getting killed once by some damn punk, I started to take care of reality too.

I gritted my teeth. But between my teeth, it wasnt a grinding sound that flowed out but laughter.

Crazy bastard.

I laughed.

You were like that even before you got fucked by me, you bastard.

Yoo Soo-ha. Thats the kind of guy you are.

A guy who prefers this life even if he rolls in a field of dog poop, and even if this life is like dog poop, as long as his memories of living remain, hes the type to flip off the whole world. A man who cant and wont go to heaven. A human who would tell the afterlife or whatever to get lost if it doesnt bring him pleasure in his current life.

Ill do the Cossack dance for you!!

I shouted with a damn laugh.

It doesnt matter if its a day, two days, or a week! Ill show you my dance moves until you tell me to stop! Ill dance 10, 20 times more than the time you dance, you damn bastard! Tell heaven to get lost and keep living in my world!

Hmm

The sky was silent for a moment.

It sounds like not a bad world?

Before The Wand Of Ages could contort its expression, the judge had already raised a hand in my favor.

Deal.

Warning tones embroidered the consciousness.

[The 76th stage will be forcibly terminated.]

[The 77th stage will be forcibly terminated.]

[The 78th stage will be forcibly terminated.]

Really,

The moment The Wand Of Ages, holding its forehead, spat out curses,

These damn brats.

The towers declaration fell.

[An objection has been raised that The Wand Of Ages is unfit as a pillar.]

[Confirmation is requested from Zrakua.]

[Confirmation impossible.]

[The question exceeds the authority of the tower.]

It was a declaration I hadnt heard in a long time.

[The tower reconfirms the question.]

[Passed. The issue raised is currently valid.]

[The tower formally acknowledges the Death Kings issue as an agenda.]

And then.

[The Tower requests a majority vote among the Six Pillars of Manseng (10,000 Lives).]

White and black sands once again covered my sight.

*****

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