Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors
I followed Velof through the pine forest in the snowfield. After walking about five li, I spotted him entering a dark temple. The temple resembled the Grand Temple I had seen in Astana, though slightly smaller in size.
Upon entering the temple, Velof approached a Formation in the center and stood upon it.
“Come over here.”
As I stepped onto the Formation following Velof, small blue beads began to rise beneath my feet. A moment later, a blue glow swept around us, and the next second, I realized we were in a different location.
The surrounding scenery looked like that of the temple but had subtle differences. We had been teleported. As I marveled at the phenomenon, Velof spoke.
“I have a question before we head to the headquarters.”
“What is it?”
“What is your purpose? Did you come to this country just to gain knowledge?”
Without hesitation, I replied.
“We are gathering knowledge to get to the Arctic continent—maps, information, and the like.”
“The Arctic continent? Why do you wish to go there?”
“I have no reason to explain that.”
“I see…”
“By the way, what do you mean by ‘you’? Are there more of you?”
Velof answered,
“I know that the necklace you are wearing is not just a simple adornment. It’s a form of transformation.”
“……”
Puuh
At that, Miho dispelled her transformation and returned to her human form. She had taken on the appearance of a slender beauty and said discontentedly,
“What a bothersome old man. Were you pretending not to know?”
“Not at all. It was merely out of consideration.”
“Hmph…”
I calmed Miho down and turned to Velof.
“Since we’ve shared our situation, you should explain what is happening. We need to know if there’s a crisis before you can decide to help us.”
“Understood. I guess I’ll have to explain the situation before we reach the headquarters.”
Velof walked over to a chair in the temple and sat down. Miho and I took a seat opposite him, and he began to speak.
“The incident originated three years ago. The madness of Tsar Ivan IV became a catastrophe from that point on.”
“Typically, humans don’t act out like that just because of madness.”
“That’s true, but Ivan IV was already not an ordinary human by then.”
“What do you mean?”
Velof sighed.
“I mentioned that the power I sensed from Ivan IV was not magical, right? That was correct. It’s because he became obsessed with curing his illness and grasped the power of Theosis.”
“Theosis? I think you mentioned that before. What is it?”
“It’s just as I described. Theosis refers to a human that has approached the realm of the divine, as referred to by the Eastern Orthodox Church.”
“……”
“Right now, Ivan IV can be considered a Demigod.”
Demigod!
It implied a being standing at the boundary between man and god. I certainly couldn’t explain the power I felt from Ivan IV in Moscow unless he had reached that level. I realized he was laying down the groundwork to share something significant and spoke up.
“Ivan IV must have undergone some significant change without any prior signs. Please explain how he obtained the power of Theosis.”
“Gladly.”
After a brief hesitation, Velof continued,
“He was originally poisoned by mercury. Similar to the emperor of the Ming Dynasty, he was reckless in seeking longevity through alchemy, and it nearly cost him his life. So, Ivan IV reached out to our Eastern Orthodox Church to cure his mercury poisoning and its complications.”
“Mercury poisoning? Alchemy?”
I furrowed my brows, prompting Velof to smirk.
“You seem to be unfamiliar with alchemy. Among the many alchemical practices aimed at prolonging life, there are many charlatans, and often, one might use mercury carelessly and suffer the consequences.”
I crossed my arms, contemplating, and replied,
“But the alchemist I saw was quite skilled.”
“What do you mean?”
I recounted my experience of being summoned to the palace of the Ming Dynasty, where the alchemist was plotting against me and his formidable skills. Hearing this, Velof responded with a serious tone.
“Possessing a Crystal Stele… He must indeed be a genuine alchemist. It must have been quite troublesome to turn such an individual into an enemy.”
“In any case, please continue with the rest of your story.”
“To heal Ivan IV’s mercury poisoning, the Eastern Orthodox Church used the power of Sacred Icons. If the power of the icon continuously blesses him, it can revert his lifespan to normal.”
Upon hearing the term “sacred icon,” I recalled something and asked,
“Are you referring to that golden leaf?”
“Exactly.”
Swish
Velof pulled out a small statue of a woman from his robe. This must be the object that granted me the blessing of golden leaves. I could feel considerable spiritual energy contained within.
“This is an item commonly carried by monks and serves as the source of their spells. It enables them to perform miracles through the refinement of their faith. The healing effect of the icon was significant, resulting in marked improvement in Ivan IV’s poisoning symptoms.”
Velof sighed.
“…That was before a certain entity appeared at the Imperial Palace and seduced Ivan IV.”
“That entity?”
“Three years ago, a mysterious being suddenly appeared and seduced Ivan IV, expelling the monks of the Eastern Orthodox Church and granting him wicked wisdom. As a result, Ivan IV unexpectedly gained the power of Theosis and ascended to the level of a demigod while the humans in Moscow were likely kidnapped by him and imprisoned in another realm.”
“Hmm…”
The fact that the massive city I had seen was completely devoid of inhabitants made sense now. Common folks must have been trapped in that so-called ‘other realm.’
“My comrades and I are with Fyodor, Ivan IV’s son, keeping watch over Moscow, which has turned into hell. Meanwhile, you activated the detection barrier when you exited the ancient library in the Kremlin.”
From Velof’s words, I gathered the gist of the situation.
“So, while trying to heal the king’s dire illness, a mysterious being invaded and transformed him into a demigod?”
However, the abruptness of it all felt disjointed. I sensed there were missing pieces in the explanation, much like Miho, who crossed her arms and questioned,
“I still don’t get it. What is this Theosis you keep talking about, and how does one gain it?”
“Hmm… Theosis is a holy blessing bestowed by the Holy Spirit. It involves emptying the heart (kenosis), merging (henosis), and achieving the ultimate state, where the highest monk reaches the end of their life, termed Theosis.”
To put it simply, it meant becoming like a spirit by discarding one’s human form.
I was astonished and replied,
“Humans can turn into spirits? Does that mean they transcend to a higher realm?”
The closest concept I had that resembled Velof’s description of Theosis was the idea of transcending to a higher state. The similarity between shedding the human body to become a divine being and his explanation was striking. Considering that immortals are often treated as a kind of spirit further strengthened that connection.
“I’ve never experienced either Theosis or transcendence, so I can’t answer that question. However, if a human reaches the ultimate state, ultimately becoming a spiritual entity, it may be similar.”
I shook my head.
“That’s truly strange. Are you saying a tyrant, who suffered from a serious illness, suddenly reached this divine state that even a monk with a lifetime of cultivation might struggle to achieve?”
“It’s bizarre, but that’s the reality.”
“……”
Miho’s eyes gleamed sharply as she asked,
“That existence in the Imperial Palace must have awakened him. What kind of being is that?”
“He claims to be an Apostle. A being of immense magical power.”
“Apostle?”
“The true identity of the Apostle is something we can’t ascertain. However, even the archbishops and powerful Eastern monks, despite their combined might, could not withstand his magical energy and eventually had to flee from Moscow.”
Although Miho seemed puzzled, the mention of an Apostle triggered memories in my mind.
Demon King Dalgi!
The Apostle of the ancient deity!
That terrifying being who annihilated my allies during my last life’s climax, claiming to be the Apostle of the [Ancient Ruler]. The encounter had been short but left a significant impression on my mind. Had it not been for Xiang Yu’s rise to godhood, everyone remaining would have met a gruesome end.
‘So, the being within the Kremlin Palace is comparable to Demon King Dalgi?’
A chill ran down my spine!
The power of Demon King Dalgi was on a completely different level, making it impossible for me to face such an opponent. I forcibly controlled my fear and began to strategize.
‘Apostles acting under the direct command of the Ancient Ruler are usually of Demon King caliber, and below them are lesser beasts that operate like minions… Now, I get the general idea.’
As I pondered this, Velof spoke up.
“It seems I’ve shared all the pertinent information. Now, please make your choice.”
“What do you want me to choose?”
“We are aiming to regain Moscow with the help of Prince Fyodor. To do that, we are gathering information and strength. If you assist us, we can fully support your journey to the Arctic.”
It seemed he wanted to negotiate with us before revealing the location of their headquarters. Quite the cunning sorcerer.
“That seems like an unbalanced exchange. The information we’ve gathered so far should be sufficient.”
I initially dismissed his offer. Then Velof said,
“Are you merely planning to leave with information? That’s rather uncouth.”
“Regardless, what you just mentioned doesn’t seem like the critical information. We have no means to deal with that creature associated with Theosis, so there’s no reason for us to take risks.”
“……”
After a moment’s hesitation, Velof spoke.
“There’s a way to deal with Ivan IV. If you side with us, I can teach you how.”
“We don’t need any help. Just knowing there is a method doesn’t benefit us.”
“Benefit, you say? How about this?”
Continuing, Velof elaborated.
“If you help us successfully defeat Ivan IV, I’m willing to give you our most precious sacred relic.”
“A sacred relic?”
“In the Ming Dynasty, there’s something known as a treasure, right? It’s equivalent to that.”
I glanced at Miho. Upon catching my gaze, she seemed to sense something. Miho sent me a signal.
[Are you thinking of joining forces with them?]
[Yeah. We need to gather information first.]
[The enemy seems too formidable; it would be better to avoid this operation. You could lose your life.]
I couldn’t help but sigh inwardly. Since Miho prioritized keeping me alive above all else, our opinions often diverged in such decisions. Most times, I wanted to discover something while she wished to avoid danger. However, it also felt morally wrong to run away without a solution until Miho found me again.
I resolved to persuade Miho.
[Miho, if the situation gets dangerous, I’ll make a quick escape. Trust me.]
[Trust you? Haven’t you died more than 14 times already?]
[Ugh… You’re right, but this time is different. Because…]
As I explained my reasoning, Miho’s expression softened. After some contemplation, she said,
[… If it gets dangerous, you must escape. Got it?]
[Understood.]
With our perspectives aligned, I turned to Velof and said,
“I accept your proposal.”
Though heading to the Arctic might be delayed, I had no choice. If I could gather even a little bit of additional knowledge or leverage, I had to make the most of it. After all, I could utilize it to gain further advantages in my next reincarnation.
“Good choice.”
We followed Velof out of the temple. After walking about ten li, we came upon a small village. Unlike the towns in the Central Plains, it had a foreign style akin to the unique architecture of the Arasa Empire.
“This village will serve as our base of operation. The monks of the Eastern Orthodox Church generally gather here.”
Velof led us toward a building in the center of the village.
Upon entering, about a dozen monks dressed like Velof waited inside. They greeted him with respect as soon as they saw him, indicating his high position.
“Was it called the Archbishop’s seat?”
I wasn’t sure what the title entailed, but it obviously held considerable weight within the Eastern Orthodox Church. After accepting their greetings, Velof spoke to them in Arasa, and the monks glanced at us, seeming to understand.
Shortly after, Velof said,
“I would like to introduce you to a comrade who shares our ideals.”
Clang clang…
From the back of the building emerged a huge man clad in iron armor. His primary weapon appeared to be a spear transformed into an axe-like weapon. A powerful aura emanated from him, making it clear he was a Master.
‘Why is he wearing such heavy armor?’
Seeing him made me tilt my head in confusion. Martial artists typically relied on agility, so they rarely donned heavy armor. After all, since their offensive power stemming from Qi was incredibly potent, wearing heavier armor just made them cumbersome.
The armored man laughed heartily and shouted something. He seemed to be focused on me.
“&$%@*$(@(…!!”
Of course, it was in Arasa, so I couldn’t easily understand, but once Velof cast a spell, I could finally comprehend.
“Haha! A traveler from the Ming Dynasty, huh? Quite a pretty lad you are.”
“……”
“If you come to my bed tonight, I’ll take good care of you.”
I was flabbergasted and replied in Arasa,
“I’m a man.”
Hearing this, the man squinted his eyes and responded.
“As long as it’s tasty, I don’t mind. I’m not picky.”
“……”
I never imagined I would face such a gaze from a man in my life, causing a mix of anger and embarrassment to rise within me. It was clear from the nervous glances of the nearby monks that they were also affected by this. Some of them were even visibly aroused!
Aside from that, I sensed the proximity of their lustful energy.
Was Miho watching what was happening? She appeared to chuckle quietly.
[Ahahaha! You’re quite popular!]
“Uaaaaah!!”
Grinding my teeth, I charged toward the armored man with a clenched fist. I poured all my annoyance and frustration into the punch. If it had been an ordinary person, my attack would have obliterated their torso.
Bam!!
“Uwaah…”
The armored man screamed and flew backward, crashing through a wall and landing twenty feet away. It seemed he hastily defended himself with a steel shield, but even that had crumpled horribly as he soared through the air.
Thud thud…
Dust settled around me as I bellowed,
“Keep your eyes down, you bastard!!”
With a thunderous roar that echoed, the surrounding monks fell to the ground in fear. They couldn’t withstand the force of my shout that was infused with my internal energy. Only Velof, clearly of a different level, calmly endured the shout and sighed.
“It seems our great knight, Karl, has behaved with excessive arrogance and offended you. I apologize on his behalf.”
“That bastard is named Karl?”
“Despite his appearance, he’s our best knight with great valor, yet here you are making him into blood pudding.”
“Thank goodness I didn’t kill him.”
I managed to quell my irritation, and following Velof, I moved deeper into the building. Miho next to me was giggling quietly.
[Looks like Western knights are not all that impressive, huh?]
[I wouldn’t say that.]
[You’re being modest.]
I decided not to entertain any more unnecessary banter.
That Karl fellow had used Qi to bolster the defense of his shield. Furthermore, he seemed to be able to channel Qi into his armor too. Therefore, it was no surprise he survived my attack which would have otherwise shattered three large rocks into pieces.
If he fought in such a manner, he could maximize the advantages of his heavy armor and effectively block his opponent’s attacks. He was likely a far cry from the typical martial artists in the Central Plains, possessing considerable strength.
In short, their defensive capabilities were off the charts!
If a bunch of them fought together, even some formidable martial artists might struggle against such a united front.
‘This could be fun.’
Perhaps I could also enhance my combat power using iron armor or a shield?
If that were possible, this mission to eliminate Ivan IV wouldn’t be in vain after all.
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