Overwhelming Firepower

”Why aren’t they waking up yet?” Lucen asked, seeing as the illusions were done.

”They have been through quite the ordeal; it might have been an illusion, but the effects it has on one’s mind and spirit are real. They will need to rest for some time.” The Martial God responded.

Lucen looked at Alexander and Cael. Both appeared peaceful, but their faces were pale. Sweat covered their foreheads, and their breathing remained uneven, as though their bodies still remembered the pain and terror they had experienced.

”How about you? Do you want to try and see what kind of illusion you’ll be seeing?” The Heavenly Demon asked.

Lucen looked toward the Heavenly Demon. For a moment, he was genuinely tempted. The technique could recreate an entire world using someone’s memories, heart, and soul.

He might be able to see his old world again. Even if it was just an illusion, it might be nice to see it one more time.

The streets filled with cars. The buildings that were covered in electric lights. The convenience stores that remained open throughout the night.

Television, games, anime, the internet, and food that could be delivered with the press of a few buttons.

They were ordinary things he had once taken for granted, yet after living in this world for so many years, even the thought of them filled him with an unexpected sense of longing.

Despite this world slowly gaining more convenience, it would take some time to reach a level near his past life.

There was also the fact that the technological development of this world was strange. Because of the existence of magic, many things that had taken centuries to invent on Earth could be replicated through mana, runes, or enchanted artifacts.

The result was a bizarre mixture of fantasy and steampunk. Still, it was not the same.

Lucen wondered what it would feel like to walk through the streets of his old world again. To enter a convenience store, buy a cold drink, and complain about the price. To sit in front of a computer and spend an entire night playing games without worrying about monsters, wars, or some hidden organization trying to destroy the kingdom.

The Heavenly Demon watched his expression with interest. ”So? Are you going to do it?”

Lucen did not answer immediately. ”If I enter the illusion, can I choose what I see?”

”No,” the Martial God replied. ”This technique does not show you what you wish to see. It reveals what you need to confront. It draws out your desires, fears, regrets, and attachments, then uses them to reveal what kind of person you truly are.”

Lucen already understood that it was that kind of technique. Still, he was interested in the illusion nonetheless.

If he decided to do it, the illusion would surely show his past life, and might expose that he knows certain events since in his old world, this world was just a game.

Seeing his reluctance, the Heavenly Demon spoke. ”Hey brat, if you’re worried about your secrets being exposed, don’t. Despite what we look like, I and that b*stard have already transcended and become actual deities. We already know a few of your secrets. We won’t show the world you see to the two unconscious brats even if they do wake up. So stop hesitating and just do it.”

Hearing the Heavenly Demon’s words made Lucen smile. He had already told them about him retaining his past life’s memories, and it seemed that their godly insights had shown them more.

Telling someone about a place was not the same as letting them walk through it. More importantly, there were things he had deliberately left unsaid.

The Heavenly Demon and Martial God knew that Lucen had read stories about the Central Plains in his former world. They knew he had lived in an era far beyond theirs.

What they did not know was that this world had also existed there, and it was a game. Lucen looked at the two unconscious boys.

What would they say or think if they learned that in his old world, everything they were, everything they stood for, was a predetermined story?

Lucen shook his head. ’As the Heavenly Demon said, they won’t see it, and this trial of illusions might help me get a new skill or trait. Yeah, what is there to hesitate about?’

The Heavenly Demon saw the change in Lucen’s expression and grinned. ”You finally made up your mind?”

”I’ll do it.”

The Martial God looked at Lucen for a second before speaking. ”The stronger the fear, the greater harm the illusion has on the person. Lucen Thornehart, you, who has the memories of two different lives, has more fear than most. Are you certain you wish to proceed?”

Lucen remained silent. That warning should have made him reconsider.

He had seen what happened to Alexander and Cael. The illusion did not simply show frightening images.

It created memories, pain, and emotions so convincing that their minds accepted them as reality. Moreover, he would not remember that he had entered an illusion. In that regard, it was similar to the Hollow.

Still, that was precisely why he wanted to experience it. This was something he would need to face at some point.

Better to face it now, while he had two powerful Martial Deities who could help him, than later, when he had no one supporting him.

Lucen looked toward the Martial God. ”I’m certain.”

The Martial God continued staring at him, as if searching for the slightest hesitation. After several seconds, he nodded. ”Very well.”

The Heavenly Demon leaned forward with an excited grin. ”Try not to disappoint me, brat. After seeing what those two experienced, I expect something even more entertaining from you.”

Lucen grinned at the Heavenly Demon’s words and gave a bow using Acting Adept as he spoke.

”As you wish. The Heavenly Demon Descends! Ten Thousand Demons Bow in Submission!”

Lucen’s voice carried absolute reverence. His posture, expression, and even the worship shining within his eyes perfectly resembled those of a fanatical member of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult.

The Heavenly Demon’s grin immediately widened. ”Kehahahahaha! I don’t know how you do it, but you feel like a true follower.”

The Martial God glanced at the Heavenly Demon. ”You are too easily pleased.”

”It is not my fault the brat recognizes greatness.”

The Martial God no longer bothered responding to the Heavenly Demon and approached Lucen. The Martial God tapped Lucen’s forehead.

The moment his finger touched Lucen, a cold current entered his forehead.

Nothing happened. Lucen remained standing, fully conscious.

The Martial God’s eyes narrowed. The Heavenly Demon looked at the two with utmost curiosity. ”Oh, did you fail?”

As the Heavenly Demon asked that question, a familiar transparent screen appeared before Lucen.

[Foreign spiritual interference detected.]

[An external force is attempting to access the host’s memories, emotions, and soul.]

[Interference has been blocked.]

Lucen was a little surprised that the system was able to block a technique used by a deity. The last time he was facing a deity, the system simply gave warnings but could not do anything about it.

’Maybe it’s because these two are only avatars of their true bodies.’ Lucen wondered to himself. Before Lucen could think further, another message appeared.

[The detected force does not contain hostile intent.]

[Would you like to temporarily permit access?]

[Y/N]

Seeing the options, Lucen was about to press Y, but the Martial God spoke first.

”There is something surrounding your soul. Whatever it is, it blocked my technique. If I exert more power, I believe I can force my way through.”

Lucen could feel that a sort of competitive spirit was starting to burn in the almost always neutral Martial God. So before the other party could do anything extreme, Lucen pressed the Y button on the transparent screen.

The moment Lucen selected the option, the transparent screen vanished. The barrier surrounding his soul disappeared. The technique that had failed immediately worked, and Lucen fell unconscious.

The Heavenly Demon crouched near Lucen. ”What was that?”

”I do not know,” the Martial God replied. For the first time, uncertainty entered his voice.

”Something protected his soul, and afterwards allowed my technique to happen. The child seems to know what it is.”

”This brat is getting more and more interesting.”

The Martial God looked down at Lucen’s unconscious body. ”His soul is stranger than I first believed.”

The Heavenly Demon grinned. ”That’s better. Ordinary people are boring.”

***

An alarm blared beside his ear. Lucen groaned and reached beneath the blanket until his hand found a phone. He silenced it without opening his eyes.

A steady mechanical hum filled the room. For several seconds, he remained still. Something felt wrong, very, very, wrong, but he could not understand what it was.

Lucen opened his eyes. A plain white ceiling stared back at him. It was a familiar ceiling with an electric fan.

He looked at his side, his screen was on, showing the game he was playing before going to sleep.

The monitor displayed the game called Aerok. The protagonist was standing before the gates of the Royal Academy, waiting for the player’s next command.

Lucen stared at the screen; for some reason, he felt his head aching when he looked at it. The protagonist in the game seems to look completely different from his memory, but he did not bother thinking about it too deeply.

Lucen stood up from his bed and turned off the monitor. Silence returned to the room. Yet as Lucen stepped away, a faint voice echoed inside his mind, calling a name that wasn’t his.

He pressed a hand to his temple and headed to the kitchen to drink some coffee.