Chapter 148

– “Ahem.”

The Shadow Shepherd King let out a low groan at the alien being’s proposal.

‘A game where we both win…’

In truth, the being before him was unimpressive.

From what he could roughly sense, it was around the level of one of his executive children.

No—at best, it might not even reach that.

However.

The reason he had no choice but to keep a subordinate posture was clear.

‘Because of the aura of a being similar to my old master, Light…’

His body trembled.

The mere sensation made every strand of fur stand on end.

Although it was a master he resented so much he wanted to chew up and swallow whole, he knew.

How strong his master was.

In this vast universe, how many beings could survive after turning their backs on his master?

Wouldn’t it be nearly impossible unless they were another god-level being?

The throne of a God and the origin of all things.

That was precisely the position his master held in this universe.

‘There are definitely two such auras… I know for certain because I’ve served a master before. Could it be another god? Or another unknown being?’

The universe was vast and mysterious.

There could very well be beings capable of wielding power similar to a god’s.

After all, this was a universe even his master had yet to fully grasp.

‘Hmm, I can’t tell what exact attribute it is.’

The Shadow Shepherd King shook his head.

The aura he felt was so distant he couldn’t even dare to comprehend it.

It was the same principle as an ant on an elephant’s foot being unable to see the elephant’s full form.

‘That is why.’

The ink-black dog had no choice but to bow his head.

Even if that being revealed 0.001%—no, even a speck of its power—he and his children wouldn’t be able to stand against it.

Was there any reason to get on the bad side of such individuals?

‘Just why…’

Suddenly, the Shadow Shepherd King grew curious.

Why were such beings lingering near that person?

The person claimed to have obtained them through a game, but that made no sense.

For a being of that caliber to be moved by a game, just how absurd an amount of Probability would be needed?

‘In any case.’

One thing was certain.

– “Very well. I accept.”

He knew instinctively.

– “I will pass on my techniques and help you fill your Probability with my Shepherds. In return, you must allow yourself to be eliminated by me in the end.”

That the moment he eliminated the being before him, he too would gain an immense amount of Probability.

And at the same time, he could advance once more into the sunlit place he had dreamed of.

For that, he was willing to do anything.

Even if it meant sacrificing his own life.

The ink-black dog extended its legs and rose.

Black shadows flickered in all directions.

—

‘Sssst!’

– “Use my children as your practice partners.”

The Shepherds began to circle the area.

– “My children will each face you with all their might, but they will not go so far as to harm you.”

‘Sssst! Sssssst!’

Faint sounds, almost like Silence, could be heard from all over.

A land covered in shadows.

The puppies’ movements were smooth, light, and fluid.

– “Now, you try moving as well.”

I moved too.

But how?

It felt like I should be mimicking the movements of those Shepherds, but I’m not of the Shadow Clan.

No—before that, they’re dogs and I’m a human.

I have two feet, to begin with.

Should I get down on all fours?

– “You crazy bastard…”

The Elder, as if reading my thoughts, looked pathetic.

– “I told you to learn that dog’s state. Who told you to become a dog?”

‘…No, Elder.’

I grumbled.

‘Of course it was just a thought. Do you take me for a complete idiot?’

– “I always did take you for an idiot. Phew, just thinking about how you were in the beginning…”

‘No, and why do you keep reading my thoughts as you please? Isn’t that rude?’

– “Rude, my ass! Hmph, so you’re saying I should just stand by while my disciple entertains such ridiculous fantasies? And if you don’t like it, you can just cancel the summon, can’t you?”

‘Cancel the summon?’

– “Ahem, it’s just an expression. I’m not telling you to actually do it, you punk.”

‘Yes, yes. Phew, anyway. I’ll move on two feet.’

‘Thud.”

I took a step.

Recalling the Unrivaled Supreme Footwork the Elder had passed down, I melted into the space.

– “Good movement.”

The Shadow Shepherd King nodded.

– “However, it is a movement far from the direction I wish to teach you.”

I’m sure it is.

I can’t use things like shadows.

– “The movement is fine. With that same movement, try to dodge the attacks my children will perform. The children will move according to your state. But.”

The ink-black dog added a condition.

– “Dodge with your eyes closed.”

“My eyes?”

– “Yes. You may use any means necessary. However, you must close your eyes, erase the thought of ‘seeing,’ and then dodge. In short, even when something approaches, you are forbidden from picturing in your mind how that something will approach.”

The creature’s voice echoed.

– “That is the fastest path to my state, Silence.”

“…”

Erase the very thought of seeing?

This is a bit… tough, isn’t it?

I could tell right away this wasn’t something I could do in a single try.

Then again, it was the state of an absolute being of a world, so it wouldn’t be easy to obtain.

I closed my eyes.

– “Just think that you were born in the shadows.”

The Shadow Shepherd King muttered.

– “Think that from the very beginning, there was no such thing as light, and from the very beginning, there was no such thing as sight. Touch, smell, taste, hearing—besides sight. You may use any of them. No, you must use them. It is fine to crawl like a newborn baby.”

“…”

– “To fully understand Silence, you must first understand the Shadow Clan.”

I raised my arm.

Alright, let’s just do as he says for now.

Didn’t the Elder say it too?

That my body-handling skills had now reached the level of a genius.

‘Swooossh!’

The wind blowing from all directions brushed the tip of my arm.

– “Grrrrowl! Woof woof!”

I heard the howls of the Shepherds, and the scent of agarwood and earth spread into my nose.

“Hmm, the image of the Shepherds keeps naturally popping into my head.”

– “Forget it.”

The ink-black dog said calmly.

– “To be able to see the world is a great happiness, but my true state is born from misfortune.”

There is light.

But it is a being that can only exist where light does not reach.

All living things perceive something through the wavelength of light.

– “Seeing is relative. Because each has different sensory organs, they can see the same thing differently. Hmm, this would be easier than explaining with words.”

“Hmm?”

Information from the Shadow Shepherd King began to seep into my brain.

Specialized and new knowledge.

Making me ‘understand’ it literally, without ‘explanation.’

In short, to explain it roughly, it was like this.

The wavelength of light that humans can see with their eyes is called the visible spectrum.

I see and perceive things within that range.

But what if it’s a life form with a different visible spectrum range?

For example, if a life form could perceive X-rays, when that life form looks at me, I would look like Sunny or Eldrin.

Meaning, only my bones would be visible.

X-rays would pass through soft skin but not through hard bones.

Also, what if it was a life form that could perceive with gamma rays?

The wavelength is so short it passes even through bones, so it wouldn’t even be able to perceive us.

The light that should bounce off would slip through, like minnows through a wide net.

‘So that’s why it’s relative.’

If I obsess over ‘seeing,’ I will forever be unable to perceive anything beyond our sensory organs.

– “Hoho, what a novel concept.”

The Elder muttered in admiration.

– “That what is seen is not all there is. Yes, there was no need to be trapped in a fixed idea.”

‘It’s a little difficult, though.’

– “It’s bound to be difficult. You know well enough without me telling you how hard it is to break the mold that has been set throughout your life.”

‘That’s true.’

I clenched my fist tightly.

The Shadow Shepherd King laughed.

– “It is difficult, but feel it. This is a necessary process not just for the state of Silence, but for understanding this vast universe.”

“This is fun.”

There was a scent.

It wasn’t that old of a memory, but I felt a certain nostalgia.

In the clearing on the back hill, the memory of training with the Elder came flooding back.

It’s been a while.

The feeling of learning something.

– “Hmm.”

The Elder’s lips twisted into a smile.

Was he pleased to see me improving?

– “You punk, why are you staring at my mouth with your eyes open again.”

‘Ah?’

– “Get a grip and close your eyes.”

‘Yes.’

I closed my eyes again.

And I raised my spear and swung it powerfully.

The training had begun.

—

The training was harsh.

Harsh and annoying.

Why was it annoying?

– “Grrrrowl! Woof!”

You’d know if you saw the behavior of those Shepherds.

– “Woof woof woof!”

Shepherds with all sorts of auras would rush in and smack me on the back of the head!

‘Whooong!’

And when I, furious, swung my spear in that direction—

They’d dart away like a flash, as if mocking me.

– “Keereuk! King!”

Seeing as I occasionally heard strange noises, those bastards were definitely enjoying this.

They dared to tease me.

“You crazy…”

I wanted to open my eyes, pierce their necks with my spear, and eliminate them, but—

– “You are a newborn of the Shadow Clan. How can a newborn try to run before it can even walk? If you wish to learn something, be patient.”

I couldn’t.

Not with the Shadow Shepherd King watching me.

“Still, this is too much.”

This wasn’t a game of tag.

These were guys I had trouble catching even with my eyes open, and now that they were deliberately tormenting me, I couldn’t focus.

‘Grit!’

Just as I was gritting my teeth and swinging my spear—

– “You punk! Focus properly!”

The Elder shouted.

– “You can’t be hasty. Is it right for the successor of the Ten Thousand Arts to be swayed by something so trivial?”

‘It’s frustrating because it’s not going as I wish.’

– “You dullard! Do you still not know that you shouldn’t be filled with impure thoughts during training?”

The Elder shouted in frustration.

– “What will you do if your energy flows backward and you suffer from Qi Deviation? The human meridians are more sensitive than you can imagine. When controlling your energy, you must always have a righteous mind.”

‘Yes, Elder.’

– “Keereek! King king!”

Even while the Elder was talking, the Shepherds relentlessly teased me.

I’ve been hit on the back of the head so many times, what if I go bald from this?

And at that moment—

‘Hmm?’

Something about the feel of the world changed.

I felt a strange sense of dissonance.

Rather than ‘seeing,’ the sensation that someone was definitely present next to me carved itself into my senses.

‘Here?’

My body moved on its own.

‘Srrrt!’

Along with the sound—

– “Oh?”

– “Hmm?”

I heard the voices of the Elder and the ink-black dog.

‘Did I do it?’

I just moved, that’s all.

I moved, and somehow, toward this place—

‘Puk!’

A sensation traveled up my fingertips.

It felt like the spearhead was piercing through someone’s neck.

– “Yelp!”

With the sound of a dog being caught, it vanished.

“U-hya!”

I shouted.

‘Finally… did I eliminate one?’

My heart blazed.

A sense of pride and accomplishment rose from the tips of my toes.

Yes, I definitely caught it.

Something I couldn’t have caught even with my eyes open, I landed a counter on it!

– “You punk?”

The Elder called out in an excited voice.

– “A shadow-like thing just came out of your body! You definitely moved just like those mutts!”

‘Really?’

– “Yes, you punk!”

Seeing the Elder so happy made my own heart race.

The feeling of meeting someone’s expectations isn’t so bad.

The Elder wasn’t the only one surprised.

– “You’re progressing faster than I thought.”

When I opened my eyes, the ink-black dog was nodding as if impressed.

– “To already understand the Shadow Clan… Good. We can move on to the next stage.”

“The next stage?”

– “Come forth. Shadow Shepherd Lord. My child.”

“…Lord?”

Something about that title.

Is it just my imagination that it feels similar to the path I’ve walked?

– “I have answered the King’s call.”

‘Sssst!’

Something appeared before my eyes.

A ferocious-looking giant Shepherd with a cross-shaped scar on its left eye.

– “This child is the strongest among those who have never seen anything since birth. From now on, you must face this child.”

What is this.

It’s not like Jenny of the Chain Scythe.

One by one, there are stages—is that it?

Alright, let’s give it a shot.

“Whatever. Bring it on.”

I raised my spear.