Second Life Ranker

『Isn’t it obvious? The world of his unconscious, of course.』the Monkey King’s exuviae replied.『Currently, you and the Crawling Chaos are assimilating into each other, which means your minds are connected. You can do the same thing that he has done.』 The Monkey King was advising Yeon-woo to enter the Crawling Chaos’ unconscious.

Yeon-woo’s eyes flashed. “It’s a battle of time.”

The Monkey King’s exuviae nodded. 『Yes, in a way. It comes down to which of you can take what they need and swallow the other up first.』

At present, the Crawling Chaos was the one being swallowed, but all the achievements he’d accumulated over the years meant that he was enormous. He was trying to turn the tables and take over Yeon-woo. Of course, Yeon-woo wasn’t planning to wait around and be defeated. He was determined to claim victory.

『I don’t need to tell you all the directions, right?』

“Yes, I’m good.” Yeon-woo extended his hand. Since this was the world of his unconscious, he was a transcendent or absolute god of this place. He called up Vigrid’s image. Although he had plenty of other items to think of, Vigrid was the most familiar and easiest one. He’d used it since the Tutorial, and it was like another limb. He could easily remember its feeling and weight.

A sword that looked exactly like Vigrid appeared in his right hand. Its abilities likely didn’t differ too much from the real sword.

『You’ve definitely grown.』 The Monkey King’s exuviae chuckled. He had occasionally checked in to see Yeon-woo’s progress, but it was more fun to observe it right in front of him.

Kashing! Yeon-woo swung Vigrid up, and space opened to reveal another world. Yeon-woo’s unconscious was filled with blackness, but the place beyond was filled with an ashy fog. It was a horrific place that seemed like it would melt him as soon as he entered.

Entering the world of the Crawling Chaos’ unconscious meant entering a territory where the Crawling Chaos was an absolute god. It was a dangerous situation, but Yeon-woo entered without any hesitation. As he did, the tentacles of dark vestiges approached him. One of the vestiges looked like Jeong-woo, which infuriated Yeon-woo.

With a frown, he summoned Sword Thunder to strike it. Dozens of Sword Thunder bolts slashed through the tentacles and burned them. At that moment, Yeon-woo felt that something was off, and he instinctively whirled around. The tentacles that had evaded his bolts and the figure that looked like Jeong-woo were right there. They clearly had the ability to learn and adapt because something similar to Sword Thunder sparked from their hands as they aimed at Yeon-woo’s chest.

However, fire suddenly began to shoot from below the figure, blazing through its chest and to the rest of its body. The figure’s face twisted in pain. 『Hyung…!』

Yeon-woo blew the figure’s head off mercilessly. His face was full of anger. The Crawling Chaos had not only imitated Jeong-woo’s face but was making him say bullshit like that. Fury bubbled inside him. Even though he’d grown stronger and had the Giant Demonic Divine Dragon trait, the trauma of his brother still lingered.

『That looked like a defensive tactic. Was it intentional? How despicable. I never saw a guy that evil even in my true body.』 The Monkey King’s exuviae appeared next to Yeon-woo and grumbled after using the Flame Wheel. He was holding a golden staff that looked like the Ruyi Bang in his right hand, and it seemed to have sprung from his imagination just as Vigrid had from Yeon-woo’s.

“What a bothersome place,” Yeon-woo muttered to himself, looking around.

The Monkey King’s exuviae nodded in agreement. 『Indeed.』

“How am I supposed to find the revelations here?” Everything was a mess in the world of the Crawling Chaos’ unconscious. Normal beings would have already collapsed from the teeming chaos energy. All he could see were hot white cells that occasionally exploded like cannons, multiplying like cancer cells before disappearing. There were different ghosts in the cells who kicked and struggled, trying to leave their prisons.

「Save…me…」

「No…kill…me!」

「Please…please…get me…out!」

The ghosts thrashed in pain, unable to rest. There were multitudes of them—perhaps hundreds…thousands…no…millions. There were probably even more trapped ghosts that he couldn’t see.

『Are they all the victims he’s eaten? What a crazy bastard. How many planets and civilizations has he swallowed?』 The Monkey King snorted in disbelief, but his face was filled with rage. He acted as though he would kill the Crawling Chaos if it were only possible. To the chagrin of many beings, he’d lived his entire life doing what he wanted. However, he’d never crossed a certain line.

On the other hand, the Crawling Chaos didn’t care. Even though mortals were insignificant creatures to the Monkey King as well, he had never gone that far. Also, the only reason the Crawling Chaos had kept the imprisoned ghosts around like this was for his own amusement, as though he were collecting stamps. Once he was sick of them, he abandoned them here. That was the kind of being the Crawling Chaos was.

Yeon-woo remembered an incident from the Tutorial. ‘The Philosopher’s Stone.’ It was the same as back then. The Philosopher’s Stone was a magic organ created from the souls of the dead. Of course, this place was much larger in scale compared to the Tutorial, but Yeon-woo felt Arangdan’s lab was similar to this area of the Crawling Chaos’ unconscious.

Perhaps the Philosopher’s Stone was similar to the structure of the Crawling Chaos and otherworld gods. Actually, it had to be, since the Crawling Chaos was the one who had shared the knowledge to create the Philosopher’s Stone.

‘Then what are these?’ Despite feeling a sense of danger, he continued to expand his territory of recognition. Unlike the world of his unconscious, where it felt impossible to escape once he entered, the Crawling Chaos’ unconscious territory was vast, but it didn’t feel that dangerous. He needed to quickly understand the framework of this area. “This is… ?”

『Did you find something?』

Yeon-woo’s head shot up when he sensed something, and the Monkey King’s exuviae stopped widening his territory of recognition. He turned to Yeon-woo, who nodded heavily and quickly began to move forward. The Monkey King’s exuviae followed him curiously.

「Ha. Haha. I never imagined we’d meet like this again.」 Unlike the other ghosts who screamed endlessly, they found a ghost who stood silently despite the twitching veins on his forehead that showed he was in pain. He was enduring his agony with preternatural patience.

Yeon-woo was impressed that the ghost had not let go of its dignity and composure even in death. “You’re here as well?” Yeon-woo looked at the ghost solemnly. He was someone Yeon-woo knew well: the soul of the Great Warrior. It was the last king of the giants, Valdebich.

「I could only become a ghost after death, so where else would I be? There’s no place other than the clutches of this damned bastard. Still… 」 The soul of the Great Warrior looked Yeon-woo over with a faint smile. 「It appears you’ve finished the job well. How fortunate. What a relief.」 The soul of the Great Warrior could scent other holy artifacts aside from the one he’d given Yeon-woo, That could only mean one thing: Yeon-woo had heeded his last words. 「Have you become…a complete king?」

“No.”

The eyes of the Great Warrior’s soul widened. 「Hm? Then?」

“I’ve become a god.”

The eyes of the Great Warrior’s soul widened even more, and he burst into laughter once he understood. 「Ahh, so that’s what happened? A god…haha! Normally, I wouldn’t like the idea of giants depending on others as if we’re weak…but if it’s someone like you, it’s all right. I can leave them in your hands. My descendants won’t have to go through defeat ever again.」

“They’re already winning.”

「Yes. That’s brilliant. The weight is lifted off my shoulders. Haha!」 The soul of the Great Warrior was truly relieved.

Yeon-woo felt a sense of respect and wonder toward him. Although he hadn’t gained rest even in death and suffered for hundreds of thousands of years, he was only worried about his companions and descendants. He seemed like a true king. This was the real spirit of resistance. Yeon-woo thought he could do well to learn from him.

Just then, the exuviae of the Monkey King clucked his tongue next to Yeon-woo. 『Huh? I was wondering where you went…you came to visit the last king of the giants? I never expected he’d be here. Wow!』

「You’re… the Monkey King? How can you be here?」 The eyes of the Great Warrior’s soul widened.

Yeon-woo looked from one to the other. “You two know each other?”

The Monkey King’s exuviae crossed his arms and snorted. 『Eh. We met back when the real Monkey King guy ran free. They both go crazy for fights…sheesh! But anyway…』 The Monkey King’s exuviae clucked his tongue. 『The Crawling Chaos had something to do with the end of the giants?』

「It’s embarrassing…but yes.」

『Even the dragons too…gosh, this bastard gets in everyone’s business, hm? So that’s why I hadn’t seen you around for a while. Ha! 』 The Monkey King’s exuviae laughed in disbelief once again after realizing that the bad incidents inside of the Tower were related to the Crawling Chaos. What was going on in that bastard’s mind?

「Still, I’m glad that I was able to meet the new king—I mean, god—and greet you again.」

The Monkey King’s exuviae cocked his head. 『What’s up with that attitude? You’re acting like this is the end.』

The Great Warrior’s soul smiled bitterly and looked up. Along a massive gray wall hung countless ghosts in the same state as he was. 「I wouldn’t wish for anything else if I could follow you both…but where can I go in this state? Even if I try to kill myself, the damned bastard has my data, so he can restore me right away. Haha!」 He looked back down at Yeon-woo and the Monkey King’s exuviae. His bitter grimace turned into a smile again. 「Still, being able to cheer you on like this makes my resentment feel like it’s been washed away. I feel like I can remain here with a smile for all of eternity.」 He seemed to have no more attachments.

『Bullshit.』 The Monkey King’s exuviae grumbled in annoyance, and the eyes of the Great Warrior’s soul widened. 『Where’s the guy who used to act up until he got beaten up by the actual Monkey King? Didn’t you hear? Your race has been resurrected. You should think of returning; what are you doing spewing bullshit?』

「But…!」

『But nothing! This guy is your god, isn’t he? You should beg your god. Who knows? There might be a way.』 The Monkey King’s exuviae grumbled, and the Great Warrior’s soul looked at Yeon-woo with shaking eyes.

Yeon-woo nodded solemnly. “Would you like to come along?”

「Is that…possible?」

“You don’t need to worry about that. All you need to do is reply. Would you like to go?”

The Great Warrior’s soul pressed his lips together. He mumbled something with his eyes shut then suddenly opened his eyes. His sad eyes were blazing with passion. They were once again the eyes of the warrior who used to battle the Monkey King. 「I’d like to follow you. I’d like to stand by your side.」 The soul of the Great Warrior spoke to Yeon-woo politely, and Yeon-woo nodded as though it were no big deal.

“As you wish.” He spread open his palm to release Hades’ Spirit Eating Sword. Every cell of the Great Warrior’s soul that had been trapped for hundreds of thousands of years was sucked completely into darkness.

[You have activated ‘Summon of the Dead’.]

[Who would you like to summon?]

“Valdebich.” When he spoke the Great Warrior’s name, a shadow grew beside Yeon-woo.

「Ah!」 The Great Warrior’s soul began to sob as soon as his body was recreated, and he started feeling his hands and feet. The miracle he’d dreamed of for so long had finally arrived. Even the connection that bound him to the Crawling Chaos was gone. 「I, Valdebich, will walk whatever blessed path my god walks.」 The Great Warrior’s soul knelt with his head low. Tears dripped down his face.

Yeon-woo nodded heavily, thinking that the strength of his party had just upgraded. At the same time, he widened his territory of recognition. The fact the last king of the giants was present meant that another being similar to him had to be here. ‘Kalatus.’

The last king of the dragons was most definitely here.