The 31st Piece Turns the Tables

Episode 553

Jeok…

Jeok…

A big man wearing a hood climbed the stairs. He climbed the entire spiral staircase and approached the dragon that held the tower’s secrets.

Ssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss

…

It was Mael.

There was a battle going on outside, but he didn’t join in. Something brought him here.

“…is that you?”

“….”

“The one who called me here.”

Fuuuu…

The first dragon, Nier, exhaled with difficulty and said. Mael asked, his whole body trembling at the thought of experiencing new knowledge.

“Please let me know. “What do you know?”

“….”

“What kind of being are you? “The secret you have… I want to know.”

Nier answered Mael.

“I already knew you would come. “A child full of curiosity.”

“… Did you foretell my visit? No, that’s probably not what’s important right now. I was interested in what secrets this rising land was hiding… but that changed after I met you. “Tell us your story.”

“What are you curious about?”

“What is your name?”

“Niere.”

“Is this a name you chose yourself?”

“It’s a name given to me by someone. He called me Nier, and from that moment on, I became Nier. No, I wanted to become Nier.”

“… It looks like you received a favor from the person who gave you the name.”

“….”

Gurgg, gurgg, gurgg…

As the fight outside intensified, even the Sunset Tower was not free from the aftermath.

The entire tower shook.

“Relax, there will be plenty of time to talk.”

“That’s a good thing. Let’s continue. “What have you been living for?”

“To convey lost knowledge.”

“… Did you tell me?”

“I told you. “Life after that was just waiting.”

“wait?”

“…waiting for the midnight sun.”

The person who hears words like snowfall.

Mael felt sick.

There is no time.

The opportunity to access more and deeper knowledge does not come easily.

“What is Midnight Sun? Is it just a phenomenon? Otherwise, it is ideological….”

“Realize for yourself.”

“…Who gave you this mission?”

“Mages.”

Kujik…

Kujijijijijijijik…

From that moment, the sunset tower began to collapse. Mael still hasn’t figured out anything clearly.

“… I thought my curiosity would take over my life one day, but it’s a little too soon.”

“Child, you will not disappear from here.”

“What is that…?”

“Look and listen with right eyes and pure ears.”

Mael confirmed that suspicious magical power was gathering around his body. It was a magic tuning so beautiful that I didn’t even think about rejecting it.

I just felt like I was covered in a cloth made of wind.

“Dragon!”

“So everything you saw and heard…”

The dragon’s pupils turned to Mael for the first time.

“Write it down.”

Huuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu

“Not…”

Mael’s new form has disappeared.

He will wake up on a secluded beach far away from here.

The first dragon, Nier, speaks from the collapsing tower.

“I have completed the mission given to me. I will end my long journey and finally reach rest. Looking back…”

Nier made an expression showing his teeth. Maybe it looks like you’re smiling.

“It all felt like fate. Yes… maybe…”

Kugugugugugung…

Nier’s tower tilts.

“You might not like it.”

* * *

The Land of the Judges.

A place where ‘Spider’s Web’, a trade route of faith and madness, and ‘Akashic’, a conceptual view of history, exist simultaneously.

This planet had a different name, but since the Judge reigned, it has been called his land.

Numerous space intermediary traders settled in the Land of the Judge and contributed to the growth of trade routes.

The existence of the spider web helped them trade safely and more efficiently than before, so it can be said to be a mutually beneficial relationship.

The judge is not the king.

Those who supported him simply by existing arose, and the perception of judges and middlemen as rulers and ruled was created.

The prosperity of the spider web also meant that the Judge’s land would become abundant. Therefore, among traders, those who brought a large number of these texts to the planet were bound to be important to the Judge.

Great merchants.

They were the Seven Colossi of the Judges. Not only did they have the right to enter the corridors of eternity where the Judge resides, but they also had access to Akashic, the history hall where they could read the history of the universe.

And now they are gathered together.

“I have an appointment with an important client today, and I’d like to get it over with quickly.”

“For someone who called us here, I don’t like how they treat guests.”

“You talk non-stop. “You’ve been complaining since a while ago, but would you have been able to say that even if the judge was in front of you?”

“Hmm… Are you saying I won’t be able to say what I want to say properly?”

“No?”

“Of course not. “I am from the planet Garin.”

“Is there anyone here who doesn’t know that? “That you were a noble from a wealthy planet?”

“Garin is not only rich but also noble. And I was always revered at Garin. “Can I say that I am different from the humble origins of a barren planet that perished after committing foolish acts somewhere…?”

“It seems like you’re trying to pick on someone.”

“My noble blood makes it impossible for me to say otherwise.”

Several giants looked at a woman.

A woman wearing a demon mask.

Although it gave off a fascinating scent, it was somehow difficult to approach.

“I heard… they keep getting involved with lowly things… I hope it’s just a rumor, but it somehow seems like it’s true.”

The woman wearing the demon mask did not react and just stood there staring at the throne where the judge would sit.

She was Janet.

The judge’s favorite 7 colossi.

She is the woman whose name was proudly named last.

‘The Corridor of Eternity… It’s beautiful. To come to a place like this and not be able to leave the insignificant snout alone… um…’

She was not interested in those standing side by side.

Since she was also one of the Seven Great Merchants, she was on equal footing with them, and since she did not think of herself as special or great, she decided that they would not be great either.

‘… came.’

Her interest was quickly piqued.

Before I knew it, a person wearing long robes was sitting on the throne.

“The judge…”

What the servant was saying was quickly buried.

‘Judge…’

It’s heavy.

It just… feels like something heavy.

Just looking at him made my eyelids twitch.

What is interesting is that none of the Seven Colossi bowed to the judge.

A lesser servant tried to threaten him.

“Unholy! Kneel to the judge…”

“….”

The judge instead looked at the servant and made him close his mouth.

He didn’t say anything, but it felt like things were going as he intended.

“I am not a monarch. You are not subjects either. I don’t want admiration. “You are not pure enough to respect someone without question.”

The judge looked at the giants.

Without any emotion, just with eyes that seem to be choosing an item.

I saw a variety of creatures of various races.

The one who broke the silence was one of those who had been chatting before the judge entered the room.

“Judge, we have no intention of becoming anyone’s servants. We only have a contractual relationship. It buys faith and madness from fools, fills your stomach, and leaves a mark. “That’s all.”

“Oh hoho… But the momentum alone is amazing. “Now I can’t even remember a universe from a time when judges didn’t exist.”

“That point is acceptable. “He deserves to be called the king of the universe.”

The judge spoke with bored eyes to those who spoke during the meditation.

“The universe… What is the universe to you?”

“What is it? Let me tell you in advance, I hate it when anyone tries to teach me. “If you try to teach me with vain questions and answers, even if you are the judge…”

“It is just a pure question and there is nothing to be wary of.”

“Hmm…”

The giant who was asked the question frowned and formed an answer.

“Space is… space. “I know that the multiverse exists, but the level of civilization can at best go beyond that boundary, but it can’t come back.”

“But the multiverse definitely exists.”

“Aha… Judge! “Do you want to become the ruler of the multiverse someday?”

“… What difference will it make if we add a few more toys?”

“What?”

Huuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuow

_ Then the Corridor of Eternity began to vibrate and change its appearance. “This is

…

”

“The power of stars! “Have you interpreted Akashic?”

“No, it’s different! “Even though it’s just an imitation… it’s incredible.”

Independent space.

Or microcosm creation.

Everyone in the room knew that this seemingly simple act required strength equal to the death of a small star.

“Amazing…”

The scenery changes.

Behind the judge’s throne, a storage bin was seen that was too large to fit the eye.

“This…”

“It’s huge…”

Janet didn’t pay much attention to the cargo box they were looking at in awe.

‘The coordinates keep changing. Is the expected range in gyeong (京) units? There will be rules that will change even if you find them with effort. It is clear that coincidence will bring about inevitability, so at least to prevent this place from being opened due to a twist of fate.’

She thought in the realm of the incomprehensible.

I continued to record the changing coordinates of this place where the loading dock was hidden.

She had an idea of what was in the cargo box.

“Is that so… are you trying to start a war?”

“It’s an incredible power… Never since the birth of the universe has such power been concentrated in one place.”

“If they found out about this, there would be no way the Universal Council wouldn’t take issue with it. I understand there is still a conflict, judge. Why are you showing us this power? “Could it be a weakness for you?”

The judge still has no expression.

“Let’s finish the story from before. “If the universe is not perfect… what will you do?”

“… what?”

“Are you denying the perfection of the universe? You…”

The universe is perfect.

It was a natural truth for those who existed here.

Except for one person.

said the judge.

“What would you do if there was a universe that was greater and closer to perfection than the one in which I exist, or if there was another universe that ruled over us?”

“….”

“….”

I couldn’t choose an answer easily.

Those who wouldn’t have noticed that the judge’s eyes changed at some point would not have been invited to this event in the first place.

“You can imagine it, but you can’t know it’s true. So, it’s useless.”

The judge refuted Colossus’ argument.

“See for yourself.”

Huuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuch…

At that moment, the Eternal Corridor changed its appearance once again.

Kwaaaaaaaaaa!

The floor they stepped on became transparent, creating the illusion that they were floating in the middle of space.

You can see it with your eyes, hear it with your ears, and feel it with your skin.

What the judge revealed was power stored in a place other than the cargo compartment.

Overwhelming and pure power created by combining faith and madness.

A power so great that my entire vision turns white and my whole body trembles just by witnessing it.

The Judge revealed his hidden power.

He said.

“I will take it away. And I will take it.”

“….”

The reason why the Judge is considered the king of the universe.

“I ask you, what attitude will you have when faced with a world you do not dare to understand?”

The Seven Great Merchants were divided into two groups on this question.

Push…

Four kneeling colossi.

“I will serve you, judge!”

“What a great meaning!”

“My will is with you! “I will support you with all my might!”

“What can I say? “I will follow!”

And the three colossi who do not kneel.

“….”

“….”

“….”

A meta called a giant, a dragon called a dragon with scales.

And Janet from the destroyed Supernova.

The judge says:

“You guys probably think the same thing.”

His eyes turned to Janet.

“Daughter of the Supernova, what will you dream of?”

“I’m not dreaming.”

“… Is it frustration?”

“I don’t change. Maybe if there is such a universe…”

Grinning…

She grinned.

“I’m sure it will sell well there too.”

“… Are you saying it’s the same as now?”

“You can grow in size and increase your dignity. Maybe a religion will be born just for me? One…”

Her attitude toward the universe was different from other people who bowed to the judge.

“Nevertheless, I will live as a merchant.”

“why?”

“Because that is my desire.”

The two giants standing next to Janet laughed when they heard the answer.

“My desire was big from the beginning. “The universe is getting bigger and bigger and it doesn’t really matter.”

“I’ll trade everything I can trade anyway. “That’s it.”

Those kneeling protested against the statement.

“Frivolous!”

“The judge….”

Giiiiiiing- Puhwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah

…

It was clear that the judge had a hand in it.

Otherwise, the heads of the four kneeling people wouldn’t have been rolling around on the floor.

‘… I couldn’t even see it. ‘Isn’t it faster than the idea that it has been achieved?’

Dragone asked.

“Why did you kill him? “There will be a backlash.”

“Your greed will fill their void.”

Pisik…

“That’s true, but.”

“I need someone who is greedy. “I do business with people who are greedy, not trustworthy and who do not serve me.”

“I see… Well, please take good care of me in the future.”

There were seven when we entered the corridor of eternity, but there were three when we came out.

As of today, those who have become the three great figures of the Judiciary.

Gulp… Gulp…

Janet held onto her pounding heart and entered an old store where no one was looking and drank strong liquor.

She whispered to the desire that was sleeping inside her, constantly knocking on the basement door and telling her to get out.

Wait a minute. Not yet.

To the unstoppable desire called curiosity.

What would happen if the world did not go as the Judge intended?

“Puhaaa….”

She lowered the temperature of her desire with a strong drink. To avoid getting caught.

“…I’m curious.”