chapter 27
Sha Wujing (2)
Sun Wukong and Sha Wujing’s expressions twisted in a strange way for a moment.
「Pfft! You conned some of the most renowned gods of Heaven?」
Wukong looked utterly delighted.
Sha Wujing asked him,
“Did you even teach him transformation arts?”
「As if. But I did hand him Zeus’ signature trick.」
“…That sounds even worse. Anyway.”
Wujing chuckled dryly, scratching the back of his head, then looked deeply at Ihyeon.
“So you must have had something in mind when you said that, didn’t you?”
Ihyeon nodded.
“Yes. That’s why I ask… would you be willing to lend me your sacred relic?”
“I see… You mean you’ll pretend you defeated me, take the relic, and make it look like you claimed it for yourself?”
“If it can also conceal my identity like a mask, that would be even better.”
“Kak-kak-kak. Our senior brother’s temporary apostle certainly asks for a lot. But…”
Wujing plucked a black skull hanging around his neck like a rosary bead.
“That’s exactly what I like. You’re as brash and confident as my senior was in his youth. Kak-kak-kak-kak.”
「Did you just compare me to a brat like him?」
“In terms of personality, this boy is far better. At least he doesn’t prance about like a thunderstruck fool.”
「What was that!?」
“Kak-kak-kak.”
Wujing tapped the skull lightly with the staff in his right hand.
In that instant—
Fwaaaa—!
The staff turned into a swirl of light and sank into the black skull.
At the same time, the skull shrank, reshaping into a mask. Radiance streaked across its surface, engraving itself as patterns.
Two small horns sprouted from its forehead.
A mask resembling a demon’s face.
“Take this with you. Kak-kak.”
[Mask of the Golden Arhat]
A mask once tainted by Mara, yet touched by a being who attained Buddhahood. Its horns are formed from the sacred relic Hangyobo Staff, flaunting its grandeur.
Perhaps because it resembles its owner, it seems extremely favorable toward you. It contains over ten thousand curse-scriptures—take your time studying them.
-
Type: Sacred Relic – Mask
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Origin: Myth, Journey to the West
“In the myth, my Hangyobo Staff was said to be a branch of the cassia tree raised in the Moon Palace, reinforced with an iron core, and threaded outside with jade string. That’s why I could change its length and thickness as I pleased. That’s what I planted here.”
Wujing handed the demon mask to Ihyeon.
“And the skull that forms its base belonged to a monk of tremendous spiritual power in life. It will certainly let you channel your thunder force well. Kak-kak-kak.”
“…!”
Ihyeon clenched his fist as he accepted the mask.
After the Fiery Golden Eyes and the Ruyi Jingu Bang, now even Sha Wujing’s Hangyobo Staff.
Treasures of Journey to the West were being entrusted to him one after another.
How much stronger would this make him?
Even better—
Bzzzzz!
The picky Ruyi Jingu Bang seemed delighted to sense the presence of the Hangyobo Staff.
Perhaps because they had fought together for so long.
Clack!
Ihyeon placed the demon mask on his face.
Ding!
Ding!
[You have acquired the Sacred Relic: Mask of the Golden Arhat.
The relic is now bound to you by the will of its former owner.]
[Congratulations! You have been appointed Temporary Apostle of ■■■■ ■■■. His karmic legacy will be greatly inherited.]
[You can now access all the relic’s unique abilities.]
“…!?”
「Hey! You!」
Ihyeon stared wide-eyed at Wujing. Wukong was just as shocked.
But Wujing simply grinned.
“If you’re going to receive help, it’s better to receive it thoroughly, don’t you think?”
Kak-kak-kak.
“Frankly, I’d have loved to appoint you a true apostle on the spot. But then my senior brother would scold me to death. So this junior settled for granting you this much. Temporary apostles have no limit in number, after all. Kak-kak-kak.”
[Your perception range has expanded, and your senses have become more precise.]
[Your understanding of mana has deepened.]
[Your understanding of curses has grown.]
[You can now combine the curse-scriptures within this relic into various skills.]
…
And the original curse-scriptures that had made this dungeon impregnable—
[You have accomplished a great feat! All stats increase by 10.]
‘I did hope I might someday receive Wujing’s relics or techniques… but I never expected him to hand them over immediately.’
Ihyeon found Wujing’s generosity to his liking.
“Thank you.”
“No thanks needed. You’re the one receiving help. Kak-kak-kak. Now I’ll be counting on you.”
「You… damn it… We’re having words after this is over.」
Groaning, Wukong faded away alongside Wujing, vanishing into some secret place deep within the sewers.
“Phew…”
Ihyeon steadied his breathing.
[00:01:46]
There wasn’t much time left before the apostles arrived.
‘But it’s enough to get ready for them.’
He thought quickly.
‘The ones coming here are the apostles of Nata and Indra. That means Qingxiao and Mukesh Ambani, right?’
Both were well-known rankers.
Qingxiao, famous as the “Lotus Queen.” Mukesh, known as “Vajrason.”
Ihyeon even knew them personally.
‘Especially Qingxiao, who was close to Seo Chang-woo.’
Naturally so—if gods were close, their apostles often were too.
‘My identity mustn’t be exposed. I’ll need to hide it completely.’
He glanced toward the Hidden Boss still lying unconscious in a corner.
“If you’re awake, you may as well get up.”
“…How did you know?”
The Hidden Boss’s eyelids fluttered, then slowly opened. His gaze was still full of hostility.
(Conversation with the Hidden Boss, his choice, and Ihyeon’s release of him continues…)
Ihyeon convinced him: “If you want to live, then help me.”
The Boss hesitated, but with enemies rushing closer, Ihyeon freed him and told him to gather his comrades. His parting words rang in the Boss’s chest— Don’t let your brothers and friends get hurt.
In the end, the Boss agreed to cooperate.
[00:00:37]
“Good thing we could talk it through.”
Ihyeon smiled faintly.
The quest’s condition was to keep Hameln’s citizens safe—and that included the Hidden Boss and his curse-wielding followers.
He didn’t correct the Boss’s misunderstanding of his motives. It wasn’t a lie anyway.
Their loyalty to each other reminded him of his old comrades in Cheongroe. He didn’t want to destroy that bond—even if this world was ‘false.’
‘Hopefully, he does well.’
Ihyeon focused, mana circuits whirring.
Crackle!
“Then, let’s begin.”
[Keraunos awakens!]
[The components of Dios are bound to “Sigh of the Dokkebi (B+).”]
[Skill potential greatly increases.]
…
[The Mask of the Golden Arhat links with Sigh of the Dokkebi (B+). Curse-scriptures now bear thunder affinity.]
[Skill proficiency increases.]
…
[Mana circuits overheating from rapid change.]
[Frozen Heart activates, cooling the system rapidly.]
…
Step by step, Ihyeon fused everything he had gained.
Thanks to that, he could now weave curse-scriptures into every bolt of lightning.
[Proficiency exceeded 100%!
Sigh of the Dokkebi (B+) evolves into Deep Breath of the Dokkebi (A)!]
By the time the apostles arrived, he had crafted thunderbolts of terrifying power.
‘First impressions matter. I’ll strike hard from the start.’
What he was imitating was none other than Zeus, chief god of Olympus.
Arrogant, proud, violent, lecherous—everyone knew Zeus’ character.
But equally, his overwhelming power was undeniable. An apostle of Zeus had to carry both his strength and arrogance.
Ihyeon knew his own skill was still just shy of ranker-level. That gap, he would fill with relic powers, curse-scriptures, and thunder’s destruction. A little bluff and intimidation wouldn’t hurt either.
‘Keraunos excels at concentration. Then I’ll match that with—’
[00:00:01]
[00:00:00]
[Unauthorized “Guests” have appeared in the clearing!]
As Qingxiao and Mukesh entered—
‘I’ll welcome them with curses mixed in.’
Rumbleee!!
[The Phantom of the Dokkebi awakens and rampages!]
Ihyeon unleashed the condensed lightning. A cascade of blinding white bolts crashed before them.
“…!?”
“…!!”
Both rankers paled.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The sewers shook, dust clouds rising, sparks crackling like beasts’ howls.
Screeching chills crawled up their spines.
The storm of heat made their hearts race.
Something was there—up ahead.
[Curse: Chill has taken effect.]
[Curse: Intimidation has taken effect.]
‘So the curses laced into the thunder worked better than I thought.’
Seeing their faces, Ihyeon knew his plan had succeeded.
On their own, the curses were weak. But combined with the thunderstrike, even rankers were shaken.
Satisfied, Ihyeon stepped forward through the dust.
“How dare you…”
He let his voice ring with contempt.
“…trespass on my land?”
Crackle—!
Lightning coiled around him, pure white like Zeus himself.
