Chapter 449
The Sun King's laboratory.
"You actually succeeded this time?"
"Yes, the Dragon Lord's head has been successfully transplanted into the 17777th!"
When Martial God was created as the Sun King's 17777th son, he could understand language from the moment he gained self-awareness.
'This place...'
Twitch.
He opened his eyes.
And the first thing he saw through the glass of the test tube was a white-haired man with a haggard face.
"Vital signs are stable. There is no sign of rejection from the Dragon Lord's head. This body has perfectly accepted the transplanted head!"
The white-haired man was making a fuss and pointing at him.
And then—
Screeech...
A massive giant with grotesque features and glowing red eyes on its face pushed the white-haired man aside and peered down.
The giant's lips curled into a wide smile.
"Well endured, my son."
His voice was gentle and kind.
To the newly born child, it sounded just like a father's love.
However, the words that followed were in stark contrast to his tone.
"Your body will carry the name of the Sun King and shine even more brilliantly. I will gladly enter your body today, so be grateful for your birth."
"Ah! For the Master to choose his son so soon... This is unprecedented! 17777th, know that this is an honor!"
The white-haired man echoed the giant's words with zeal.
Then he abruptly stopped and flashed a sinister smile.
"Well, not that it matters since he doesn't understand a word of this anyway."
"Would he stay still if he did? The original host of this body put up quite a resistance to survive."
"It is unfortunate considering the time and effort we spent on the 14722nd son..."
"No need to lament, for once I claim that body, there will be no more need for transitions."
Their conversation didn't make sense to the newly born child.
'Does this mean I'm going to die?'
Perhaps it was due to having the Dragon Lord's head transplanted onto him, but the 17777th son could vaguely understand their words.
'...'
But as he had just been born, understanding their words didn't mean he had the ability to do anything about it.
He could only stay still in the test tube and watch them.
"Then, let's start with the branding."
However,
As soon as the Sun King finished speaking,
Sizzle...!
A scorching pain erupted from the center of his body, and letters began to engrave themselves onto his chest.
The first thing that was engraved was the number 17777.
"Hmm, this body is still too small for me to enter. Administer the growth stimulant."
"Yes, Master."
No sooner had he spoken,
Bubbling...
The liquid inside the test tube began to boil.
Then,
Crack. Crack!
Every part of the 17777th son's body started to swell and burst.
Beyond the glass of the test tube,
A giant head with a snake's head was trying to grow its eyes but couldn't.
"The body is not developing eyes... are the red eyes clashing with the Dragon Lord's head?"
"Yes, it seems so."
"We need to allow more time for growth. I'll give it a week to manifest the eyes."
"Understood!"
The Sun King turned his head, satisfied as he looked at the 17777th son.
With the father who intended to immediately take over his body leaving,
"Hey, Dragon head. Shall we grow a bit larger?"
The white-haired man manipulated something with a smile on his face.
Then,
Bubbling...
The liquid inside the test tube began to boil again.
* * *
Four days later.
"Oh dear, the eyes almost formed, then it molted again. This dragon head is really troublesome."
The white-haired man frowned as he looked at the 17777th son.
The master, the Sun King, had ordered the growth stimulant to be administered until the eyes formed.
The body was now large, and the Dragon Lord's head had grown significantly, making the test tube seem cramped, but still, the crucial red eyes had not appeared.
"If this continues, I will face terrible punishment again... Ah, what to do?"
While the man was contemplating what to do with the dragon head,
'The manifestation of the eyes can't be delayed any further.'
Inside the test tube, the 17777th son realized that he had reached his limit.
The entire body had already been branded thoroughly with the Sun King's marking.
Once the red eyes were manifested, the body would be immediately taken over by him.
'Would it have been better if I didn't understand?'
He didn't know how the Dragon Lord's head, which the Sun King coveted so much, worked on him.
Within his four days of existence, the 17777th son had developed the capacity to understand language as well as assess his current situation.
Had he been without consciousness, the Sun King could have claimed the body without protest.
'...I will live. I must live somehow.'
He couldn't die right after being born.
Driven by a sheer will to live, the 17777th son focused on every aspect of the laboratory's operations.
And then,
He discovered a possibility.
"Tsk, removing another shed skin again."
Whoosh...
A large shed skin was sucked into a vortex at the top of the test tube.
The skin that had been shed from the giant body with a snake head was ejected onto the floor of the lab.
"Let's see..."
The white-haired man squatted down to examine it and,
"Nothing of value, as expected. To the incinerator with it."
Snap!
With a snap of his fingers, the shed skin vanished in a flash.
'The shed skin takes an exit route...'
While the Sun King's body, of immense importance, could never be allowed to leave, the shed skin was a different story.
Initially, the white-haired man had examined each shed skin for research value.
However, upon finding nothing of value, he had begun sending them all to the incinerator after a brief inspection.
'Escaping via the shed skin is the only option.'
Having identified a potential escape route, the next step was figuring out the best way to execute it.
But this was overwhelmingly challenging for someone who had been born just a few days ago.
Time flowed rapidly by.
"No eyes have formed, just three of these."
Three eyes had finally manifested on the body.
"Please, forgive me...!"
"This won't do. I can't enter like this."
For the Sun King, it seemed, three eyes were not enough to meet his standards.
Instead,
"What kind of work have you done? You deserve punishment."
When the Sun King's gaze fell on the white-haired man, he spontaneously combusted.
Sizzle. Sizzle!
"Ah, M-Master...! I-I'm sorry, I'm so sorry...!"
Repeatedly burning and regenerating, the white-haired man's body was engulfed in flames. His screams of agony echoed through the lab, pleading for mercy.
"This punishment will last for one day, but if progress is not made by next time, it will be two days."
With those words, the Sun King vanished.
From beyond the glass of the test tube, the 17777th son observed the white-haired man burning and regenerating for a full day.
"I would rather burn to death... Why do I have to regenerate...! Agh..."
The man's screams pierced through the glass for a long time.
The 17777th son instinctively turned his gaze away as he watched the scene.
Watching a living being burn and regenerate was not something he enjoyed.
But then,
"You... Moved your gaze sideways to avoid seeing this sight?"
From within the flames, the white-haired man's voice rang out.
In disbelief, he saw the 17777th son's diverted gaze.
"You shouldn't have any consciousness..."
His eyes glinted from within the fire.
"I wasn't planning to do harsh experiments since you're the body the Master would eventually take over, but this changes things, doesn't it?"
Even amidst the flames, the man grinned sinisterly.
"Dragon head, let's conduct a proper experiment."
From that single gaze aversion,
His hell began in earnest.
* * *
"My lord, the message has been sent."
At Pythia's words, Martial God emerged from his recollections.
'That white-haired researcher... He must be dead by now.'
The white-haired man who was in charge of his experiments didn't seem like an ordinary being, but it was such ancient history that he was unlikely to still be alive.
'If he were alive, he would be subjected to the same experiments he inflicted on me.'
Or worse, a thousand times more painful.
Martial God briefly recalled the ordeals he had endured in the test tube and then,
"Shall we send the Tower of Babel now?"
[Do it.]
Turned his focus back to Pythia.
Now, he had to concentrate on this task.
He could retrieve the white-haired researcher and repay him once he became a Administrator.
[Then, I will open the portal.]
Sigh...
As Martial God's dark energy extended his hand,
Flash...!
The space tore open, revealing the landscape of the Earth within.
[Go. Bring him here through the medium of the tower.]
"I will obey your command, My lord."
Swish...
With Pythia and the golden tower slowly disappearing,
Footsteps approached from behind Martial God.
Step. Step.
Dongbang Sak walked up.
"Martial God, wouldn't it be better for me to follow along?"
[No, if you go, he might activate the button there. I'll handle the lure, you prepare the Nine Palaces Eight Trigrams Formation here.]
"Understood."
Although he couldn't guarantee that the Nine Palaces Eight Trigrams Formation could neutralize the button, it was still worth a try.
With Martial God's command, Dongbang Sak bowed and retreated.
'This long cycle... I will end it. And in the next cycle,'
Martial God looked towards the Earth.
'In the next cycle, I will kill Seong Jihan first.'
He thought of how far the variable had escalated things.
Determined to ensure this never happened again, he resolved to eliminate Seong Jihan at the beginning of every regression.
* * *
Meanwhile,
'Anyway, I can't find out the location of Tuseong... might as well train.'
Having ended today's game swiftly, Seong Jihan was about to visit the Void Training Room as usual.
Since there was still some time until Tuseong's ban was lifted, he planned to level up and train concurrently to upgrade his strength during that period.
Just then,
Buzz...
His phone vibrated.
[Seong Jihan, Martial God plans to act before his ban ends.]
It was a message from Gilgamesh, suspected to be held captive by Martial God.
'Violating the ban? Martial God?'
Seong Jihan immediately replied.
[Martial God defying the system's bans... Is that true?]
[Yes, Martial God was greatly provoked by the item you revealed last time. He intends to handle it immediately and has ordered the summoning of the Tower of Babel.]
If it's about the item, it must be the World Tree ignition device.
'Interesting. Even Yggdrasil couldn't identify it until I showed the item description.'
For Martial God to disregard the system's ban, it meant he understood the significance of the World Tree ignition device.
'Sending Gilgamesh to message me is openly inviting me to the Tower of Babel.'
Since they were summoning the tower despite the ban, they would undoubtedly face a penalty, whether minor or severe.
Should he take his time and prevent the tower from functioning?
'I need to find out where they're summoning it first.'
If it spawned in the middle of the sea like the previous lab, there'd be no need for an urgent response.
As he mulled over this, Seong Jihan sent another message.
[So where is the Tower of Babel being summoned? The Middle East?]
[No, near your home.]
[...What?]
While Seong Jihan was momentarily taken aback by the message,
Clunk!
His door suddenly opened.
"Uncle, you're here! Something big happened!"
"What is it?"
"Near Seolleung... something strange is appearing!"
Could it be that the tower is being summoned near Seolleung?
'...That's quick.'
Now that the once cautious Martial God was acting hastily, things were proceeding quickly.
"I'll go check it out. Have everyone evacuate for now."
"O-okay...!"
Seong Jihan took his phone and immediately left the house.