The Heaven-Breaking Sword Saint’s disciple.

In this world, there is only one person whose nickname fits that exactly.

「Tyrant King Yoo Joonghyuk.」

When I first found traces of the Radiant Sword Emperor at the screening grounds, I also thought of that person.

The problem is this.

「Is Yoo Joonghyuk really the Radiant Sword Emperor?」

If Yoo Joonghyuk really was the Radiant Sword Emperor, it makes no sense that Nirvana didn’t recognize that person.

Besides, there is more evidence that the Radiant Sword Emperor isn’t Yoo Joonghyuk.

「The main weapon of Yoo Joonghyuk of the 41st round is a “spear.”」

What I found at the screening grounds was clearly “sword traces.”

Unless Yoo Joonghyuk suddenly transformed into the Heaven-Breaking Sword Maiden and ended up gripping a sword again.

Of course, that possibility doesn’t exist, so if you judge by common sense, the “Radiant Sword Emperor” Cloud Mountain is talking about will be someone other than Yoo Joonghyuk.

【Heaven-Breaking Sword Saint…… you mean the Transcendent imprisoned underground in Murim. Was the Radiant Sword Emperor their disciple?】

I froze in place for a moment.

Who was imprisoned where?

【Yes, that’s what I’m assuming.】

Watching Cloud Mountain silently nod, I forced myself to take slow breaths again and again. I wanted to ask about the Heaven-Breaking Sword Saint right this second, but I had to hold it in here.

The last time I saw the Heaven-Breaking Sword Saint was already eight years ago. I had also heard the story that they had come to Murim together with the “Radiant Sword Emperor.”

But they were imprisoned?

Who, exactly, would dare—who could imprison them?

The Transcendents? Of course, the Transcendents of this city were strong. If you only went by grade, there were plenty of them who were comparable to fable-grade.

But even among the same “fable-grade,” the difference in grade is enormous. And the Heaven-Breaking Sword Saint wasn’t merely high in grade—their combat power was anything but ordinary.

Otherwise, why would Murim have called them a “god”?

And yet that person was imprisoned in Murim.

How, exactly? Could it be related to the “Radiant Sword Emperor”?

Just as I was thinking I needed to find out and was about to carefully open my mouth, Recluse spat out a true-word in a dissatisfied tone.

【Do you think I came all the way here just to hear something like that?】

I wanted to say, I’m dying to hear it, so please shut up.

Fortunately, Cloud Mountain didn’t back down and replied.

【“Something like that,” you say. Would your master think the same?】

……Master?

I was a little surprised. Recluse, with a “red mask,” didn’t look like someone who would ever claim to be under someone’s command.

【It’s not just any incarnation—this is the Heaven-Breaking Sword Saint’s disciple. If you’re a recorder too, you should know what kind of disciples the Heaven-Breaking Sword Saint has. Your master will be quite interested in this story. Because—】

In an instant, Recluse showed an uncomfortable look and quickly cut Cloud Mountain off.

【So who is the Radiant Sword Emperor?】

【Did you get a bit interested?】

【Say it, Cloud Mountain.】

【They always wear a skull mask, so no one knows their exact identity. A few months ago, they appeared like a comet together with the Heaven-Breaking Sword Saint and started being called the “Radiant Sword Emperor.” Their main activity region is “New Murim Earth.”】

【That’s the kind of thing you can ask a lower-tier recorder and find out.】

【I’m not done talking yet. You’ve heard the story that the orbital elevator of “New Murim Earth” was destroyed recently, right?】

【Don’t tell me the one who destroyed it was the Radiant Sword Emperor?】

It was a story I knew. I’d even witnessed the scene.

From the look of things, it seemed Recluse didn’t know that far, and Morality…… looked like they half-knew and half-didn’t.

Recluse asked.

【Why would they do something like that? If they do that, they’ll incur the wrath of the Great Nebulae.】

I was curious, too. Setting aside the Radiant Sword Emperor’s identity, the “orbital elevator” was a device that played a fairly important bridge role for the Transcendents here and for the nebulae of the upper regions.

And destroying that meant…….

【Because the Radiant Sword Emperor realized what kind of city “New Murim Earth” was created for.】

At those words, Recluse and Morality both fell silent. A cold agitation seemed to ripple over the table—

[Someone is activating ‘Lie Detection’!]
[It has been confirmed that the statement is true.]

Recluse stared straight at Cloud Mountain and asked.

【How on earth do you know information like that? Did you form a “record contract” with the Radiant Sword Emperor or something?】

【If you want to hear more, disclose your information. You said you brought something pretty interesting today too, didn’t you?】

【…….】

【You’re not going to be the only one who listens and leaves like last time, right? This time, a “penalty” will occur.】

At the word penalty, Recluse snapped and said,

【The information I bring is on a different level from yours.】

【Of course it is. You’re someone who follows a great “high-ranked recorder,” after all.】

A high-ranked recorder…….

Then did that mean “Recluse” was someone who followed a high-ranked recorder like the Heavenly Flying Fox or Cheon Inho?

As if sensing my gaze, Recluse glanced my way briefly and muttered, showing off,

【A lucky one, huh.】

I wondered what they meant, but Recluse tapped-tap-tapped the table as if pressing a keyboard and continued.

【The information I brought is about a “large fragment of the Oldest Dream.”】

It was information worth bragging about.

[Someone is activating ‘Lie Detection’!]
[It has been confirmed that the statement is true.]

After confirming it was true, Cloud Mountain and Morality glanced at each other and asked.

【That’s quite interesting.】

【If it’s a large fragment, just how large is it?】

【It may be comparable to the owner of the apocalypse region.】

For a moment, I thought they meant me. At this point, a “Kim Dokja fragment” that large really would be something you could count on one hand.

A bright ray of light flickered on Cloud Mountain’s mask.

【Interesting. So? Say more. What kind of fragment is it?】

【A newly discovered fragment. It’s definitely different from what’s been known until now.】

【Have other nebulae noticed too? Where was it found? Don’t tell me—】

【That’s as far as I go. I’ll tell you the rest after I hear your information.】

【Hmm…….】

Cloud Mountain looked displeased, but didn’t seem like they would press further.

Because at the point where it was certain it was information about the “Oldest Dream,” it was proven that Recluse’s information was worth hearing to the end.

Soon, the two people’s gazes turned toward me and Morality.

I turned to Morality, tossing their gaze over that way. Morality looked at me with a face like this is absurd for a moment, then flinched uncomfortably and opened their mouth.

【Well now…… as a duty of someone who became a senior, it wouldn’t be bad for me to speak first.】

They continued in their characteristic gloomy true-word.

【I brought quite a few things. If there’s anything among these you’re interested in, then in the direction of telling you more in detail…….】

【I didn’t expect anything anyway. You’re going to try to cover it with more trash that’s nothing, aren’t you.】

Even at Recluse’s sneer, Morality didn’t falter and started speaking.

【Just listen first.】

The first information Morality brought was about an upper scenario region.

【“Ragnarok” will begin soon.】

Ragnarok.

Along with <Eden>’s “Holy Demon Great War” and <Olympus>’s “Gigantomachia,” it was one of the “great apocalypse scenarios” representing <Star Stream>. At last, it had become time for that story to begin.

Since it was fairly usable information, I nodded to Morality with a meaningful look as a sign of interest.

But the other two recorders seemed to think differently.

【We already know that. Is there anything else?】

【There is.】

The second information Morality brought was that after the apocalypse region broke, the boundary of world-lines was gradually collapsing.

But this information also didn’t seem new to the other two recorders.

【As expected, you’re only flailing again today. Anything else?】

【To be honest, I also investigated the Radiant Sword Emperor a bit, but…… frankly, I don’t know as much detail as Cloud Mountain.】

【So what else?】

【I hear there’s a split forming inside <Olympus> recently.】

A split in <Olympus>.

So it was starting in this round, too.

【The “God of Wine and Ecstasy” has separated from <Olympus> together with their faction.】

Dionysus’s independence.

It was information I found fairly interesting again, so I nodded at them meaningfully once more.

Just as Morality gained courage from my reaction and was about to speak again,

【That’s information from months ago.】

Recluse’s cold true-word cut Morality off.

【You brought material even a lower-tier recorder would know and you’re saying you’ll trade it for information about the Oldest Dream?】

【That—】

【If it keeps being like this, we should remove Morality from the members starting next time.】

Cloud Mountain also nodded along in agreement.

【I’m a bit disappointed this time. A newcomer came anyway, so it’s about time to change members.】

【W-wait. It’s not over yet.】

I felt like I roughly understood the recorders’ positions inside this room.

Cornered, Morality broke out in a cold sweat and spoke again.

【This is information that’s a bit ambiguous to say, so I hesitated.】

【Ambiguous information?】

【An appraisal item has appeared at the auction house of “New Murim Earth” that renewed the top-level “appraisal ranking.”】

【What appraisal item is it?】

【An “end-of-the-world-grade horror fragment.”】

In an instant, silence flowed over the table. The first to speak was Recluse.

【This is the first time I’ve been surprised by information you brought.】

【Are you sure it’s definitely an end-of-the-world-grade horror?】

The two recorders looked genuinely shocked.

Of course, I was just as shocked.

Because that was about me.

Had that already gotten that far?

Maybe [N O V E L I G H T] “Morality”’s activity radius was near me.

【For now, that’s the result of the “scale” appraisal, but it’s not certain yet. I heard the Administration Bureau entered “Plausibility suitability judgment.”】

At the words “Plausibility suitability judgment,” Recluse looked like they’d lost a bit of interest. But Cloud Mountain was different.

【Who brought it?】

Was it my imagination? From Cloud Mountain, who had been relaxed from start to finish, I felt a strange impatience.

【Is it someone from the apocalypse region? A Transcendent, maybe—】

【That’s possible, but I don’t think so.】

【Why?】

【According to the witness’s record, they were just an ordinary incarnation. Their grade wasn’t high either.】

【What did the incarnation look like? What color was their hair? What clothes were they wearing?】

Cloud Mountain’s persistent questions were almost obsessive at a glance.

Recluse said with a sneer,

【Cloud Mountain. So it was true that you’re looking for a Transcendent from the apocalypse region.】

【…….】

【After the Heaven-Breaking Sword Saint, there are no returnees from the apocalypse region. You know that well.】

It seemed that was as far as the information known to the world went.

Judging by the situation, it looked like the “Horror Recorders” outside didn’t know exactly what happened inside the apocalypse region.

But Cloud Mountain, of all people, was looking for someone inside it.

It was a tricky situation where I had to decide what information to reveal, but I thought it was better this way.

【It seems none of you know, but there is another returnee from the apocalypse region.】

At my words, all three recorders turned to me at the same time.

【What nonsense. How would you know that?】

【Because I saw it myself.】

【What?】

【The destruction of the apocalypse region.】

[Someone is activating ‘Lie Detection’!]
[‘Lie Detection’ has confirmed that your words are true.]

A message rang out as if it had been waiting.

【That can’t be. You saw that? How?】

Along with Recluse’s shock, Cloud Mountain asked in a blank voice.

【How could you see what happened inside that place?】

【Did you form a “record contract” with a Transcendent or something?】

Facing the pouring questions, I answered with a deliberate smile.

【That kind of personal question is difficult. If I answer wrong, my “butt” might be exposed, you know.】

【If you think you can dodge it with that kind of talk—】

【You all know there were “high-ranked recorders” there, right.】

At my words, the three recorders watched each other’s reactions and nodded.

So everyone knew up to here.

【I met the “Heavenly Flying Fox” there.】

[Someone is activating ‘Lie Detection’!]
[‘Lie Detection’ has confirmed that your words are true.]

Cloud Mountain looked blank, as if thinking about something, and Morality looked somewhat excited.

【You really saw the Heavenly Flying Fox in person?】

Even Recluse, who had mocked other people’s information and sneered the whole time, couldn’t hide their emotion.

【Say it. What exactly happened there? What did you see?】

In a single moment, the initiative of the table was shifting to my side.

【Do you think you have the right to hear that with only the information you brought?】

A heavy silence covered the table. Anger, curiosity, and shock coexisting in a strange stillness. As if enjoying that stillness, I opened my mouth.

【Let’s do this. Tell me what I’m curious about first.】

【What do you want to know?】

【The exact time Ragnarok will occur. The Radiant Sword Emperor’s current situation. And the spacetime coordinates of the large fragment of the Oldest Dream.】

The three recorders looked at each other at the same time, then nodded.

【If we tell you that, what exactly will you tell us?】

【I’ll give you options, so choose one yourselves.】

【Options?】

For reference, the options I presented were as follows.

+

<Apocalypse Region Top-Secret List>

1. The story of the great catastrophe-grade horror “Ms. Kim Anna”.

2. Information on additional survivors of the “apocalypse region”.

3. The secret of the “Oldest Dream” that the recorder “Heavenly Flying Fox” was curious about.

+

The recorders stared at the options I held out with serious eyes.

The first to speak was Morality.

【Will you really tell us this? We just pick one of the three?】

【Yes. I’ll tell each of you privately only what you choose.】

I grinned and whispered meaningfully.