Chapter 90 | Omni Tales

My entire body was trembling uncontrollably, and my head felt like it would explode. I was in the worst condition imaginable. Yet paradoxically, this pain reassured me that I was still alive.

Clank!

”…Huh?”

As I tried to move, something felt off.

“What’s going on here?”

Both of my arms were sealed with massive handcuffs. My legs were chained together with iron shackles, and even around my neck, there was a steel collar restraining me.

“The castle lord has awakened!”

“Sungchul! Are you alright?”

I heard voices expressing concern for me, which contrasted sharply with my current predicament.

I raised my head.

“Ah.”

Standing before me was a figure with broad shoulders, towering at nearly two meters tall. Clad in traditional Eastern martial attire, he exuded a commanding presence as he held a wide-bladed sword.

Upon closer inspection, I realized there was more to it. Hundreds of men dressed in traditional Eastern attire surrounded me.

“Sungchul!”

“Do not approach.”

As a man without armor pointed his sword at my neck, elite soldiers filling up the central square became agitated.

‘What is this?’

It wasn’t a good situation, and something inexplicable was happening. Escaping seemed like the wisest choice.

“Log out.” I whispered as quietly as possible. After being cautious on Earth, I inadvertently resorted to ventriloquism following the Ice Queen’s interference in Ardenia.

Fwip!

I returned to Earth.

“But what just happened?”

Though puzzled, it wasn’t an urgent matter. Instead of dwelling on it unnecessarily, I decided to focus on resolving the immediate issue at hand.

“Hypothermia? But how? How is this possible?” The dedicated healer, present for the crew’s well-being, looked bewildered. It was indeed abnormal to see such symptoms on a set maintained at optimal temperature.

“Ha-ha… Just overused my abilities a bit.”

“Oh dear… While it’s not really my place to say, please don’t push yourself too hard. You’re the heart of our film, Ms. Jae-yeon!”

“Yes, ma’am.” As I politely acknowledged her concern, she poured advanced medical techniques and healing spells onto me. In Ardenia, this condition could have been life-threatening or possibly fatal, but here, I quickly recovered to quite a healthy state.

“Long live advanced medicine.”

After spouting nonsense, I returned to my private quarters and lay down on my bed while organizing my thoughts.

‘I’m glad I didn’t die. It must be thanks to the newly acquired element.’

Attributes were considered symbols of chakra wielders’ abilities. For example, Hye-young had awakened with dark attributes, allowing her to use Shadow Movement or Stealth among others.

‘It seems like these elements are forced upon me.’

I tried inserting other elements instead of coldness but couldn’t make any changes. This implied that this particular attribute was inherently meant for coldness.

‘So if I consume nine flower shops, will I acquire nine different attributes?’

While not unprecedented, this was extremely rare. Typically, even chakra masters specialized in one or two elements at most.

That wasn’t the only change he noticed.

I’ve reached the second floor.

He had completed the first stratum of the Unbounded Strata and now stood on the threshold of the next level. Despite years of training with his chakra, there hadn’t been any progress until now! The implications were clear:

My rank will increase every time I consume a flower.

The benefits from possessing these flowers were beyond imagination; each additional flower would make him stronger.

“Wait, hold on.” jae-yeon suddenly muttered while lying down on his bed.

“But if eating one flower shop gives me two floors… won’t nine flower shops give me ten floors?”

However, Unbounded Strata had only nine floors, and it was said that once completed, the distinction between layers would disappear as I transcended to another realm.

“Hmm. Maybe there is some other calculation…”

[Ding-dong~ Ding-dong~ It’s time for work~ Actors and staff please come quickly to the filming location~!]

“Ah…” Morning came without me realizing when I fell asleep. Lying on my bed, I muttered blankly, “If only the world would end…”

I used to be different but now I increasingly disliked going to work. My past self, who slept with a knife due to uncertainty about death, would’ve criticized me for being weak.

‘Well, lately, I haven’t been getting enough rest.’

No matter how much my body could endure, endless labor would make a person mentally exhausted. On Earth, I was acting while in Ardenia, there was continuous warfare. It was gradually wearing away at my spirit.

“Let’s capture more castles…and focus on internal affairs for a while.”

Now that I had taken over the flower shop and opened the path to Mythical Synthesis, there wasn’t any urgency.

“C’mon! We are almost finished! Everyone, let’s keep going!”

“Fighting!”

As the filming neared completion, the atmosphere on set became very good. After finishing my acting, I heard the staff buzzing with excitement.

“Wah, this movie will easily attract 50 million viewers?”

“The footage turned out better than expected… Sungjae-ssi is performing well compared to usual, and Hye-young-ssi, who we were worried about as a rookie actor, has exceeded expectations.”

“Actually, it is beyond imagination.”

“Yes. This really, initially she was just an extra.”

As filming approached its final stages, the atmosphere on set became increasingly intense. The madness in Alan’s eyes deepened, leading him to reshoot scenes multiple times and rewrite parts of the script if he wasn’t satisfied. Even I, with no prior interest in acting, found myself fully immersed due to the electrifying atmosphere.

One day, two days, three days passed without setting foot in Ardenia. It suddenly dawned on me as I lay down after finishing my scene at our accommodation.

“Oh right. No matter what, I need to complete the Mythical Synthesis.”

And for that, I had to resolve the situation in Ardenia.

“Login.”

The background suddenly changed. I was comfortably lying on the bed when suddenly, I found myself restrained with handcuffs as a prisoner. I heard the angry voice of Stonestone.

“Put away your sword. Cowardly fellow. Is this hostage-taking what the Heroic Alliance Master does?”

“Don’t be too angry, knight-errant. We just want to have a conversation.”

“You…!” Stonestone gritted his teeth, and he wasn’t alone in being furious.

Goo-ooh…

As the elite soldiers gathered together, their murderous intent formed a tangible aura around them. The Heroic Alliance Master, who had a sword aimed at my neck, started muttering in fear, “How strange. How strange… How did these cheap commoners obtain such strength?”

Then it happened.

Thud! Thud! Thud!

An army marched through the main gate seemingly controlled by the enemy. They wore vibrant uniforms of gold and red—the Myriad Swords Regiment.

Thud! Thud! Thud!

Countless reinforcements followed behind them. The soldiers stationed in the central square groaned audibly.

“A million-strong Ming army…”

“Are there still this many left? Even after losing their homeland and being driven out…?”

The enemy forces seemed endless, filling up the entire city to capacity. Suddenly, they parted.

“The sole sun of the continent! Descendant of Heaven! All hail His Majesty the Emperor!”

“Hail! Hail! Long live the emperor!”

“Hail! Hail! Long live our emperor!”

The countless soldiers kneeling on the ground shook the earth like it was about to crumble. Amidst them appeared a splendid palanquin adorned with red silk, gold thread, and various gemstones. It made its way through the ranks of soldiers until it stopped approximately thirty meters from me.

“It’s unfortunate we have to meet under these circumstances. I am Xuan Yuanrang.”

The Ming Emperor halted at this distance, revealing his fear despite my restraints.

Clank!

A middle-aged man known as the Heroic Alliance Master gently lifted my chin using his large sword so that I faced Xuan Yuanrang.

“I guess you saw me fighting.”

“Yes, truly brave. Your strength was legendary. The army led by you is impressive, but…they seemed inferior compared to just you alone.”

“So what?”

Xuan Yuanrang’s mouth twisted at my response. He might’ve found it impudent, but he had witnessed my power despite taking me hostage. Moreover, I commanded an army numbering in the millions. Knowing that his priority should be persuasion, Xuan Yuanrang spoke gently.

“I have seen your name written in floating letters countless times. At first, I didn’t believe it, but now I know you are qualified.”

“Qualified for what?”

In response, Xuan Yuanrang clapped his hands.

Then beautiful women approached with golden swords in hand.

“Become the grand general, Han Jae-yeon. The continent stands at the crossroads of survival. If you accept this sword and swear eternal loyalty, you and your descendants will enjoy glory throughout generations in the Ming Empire.”

”…”

I looked at the emperor’s face. Then I saw the Martial Arts Alliance Master aiming his sword at my neck, the imposing army of the Ming Empire, and my subordinates desperately watching me. Suddenly, I remembered when I first arrived in this savage world.

‘Land of Midgard.’

Even the average person in South Korea lived a safer life than the king of this world. Restaurants filled with various foods were within walking distance, and hot water flowed freely from every tap.

Through accessing the network with a smartphone, there were movies, dramas, and novels filled with various entertainment options, and everyone had clean and comfortable bedrooms. If someone else was dragged to this world instead of me, they would’ve trembled at life in Ardenia. They would dream about hamburgers and cola while being frustrated by unhygienic squat toilets. In this medieval land, they would suffer continuously for 24 hours, burning with resentment as tears flowed through their nights.

“Answer me, Han Jae-yeon. Do you want to become the grand general?”

However, during my time on Earth, I wished to be born in the Three Kingdoms era instead. I desired to live under the oppressive regime of a dictatorship.

A world where wars never ceased, law and order collapsed, and everyone had to struggle against each other. Paradise-like District 34 was actually hell for me. It wasn’t because I had to endure hunger, suffer at someone’s hands or work endlessly without rest. No one needed my existence.

[A] world that didn’t require ‘me’.

‘I am no different from my father.’

I was always filled with anger. In a world where nobody threatened my safety, it was possible to enjoy life through part-time jobs yet I remained unhappy. It was unbearable that as a human being, I was unnecessary, insignificant, and worthless to anyone.

‘It is really funny.’

It was only when I came to this hellish Land of Midgard…that I realized what I could become.

“Han Jae-yeon! Answer me!” The emperor shouted loudly. I looked at him again and then saw the Ming army numbering one million filling my castle. Their emaciated bodies were hidden beneath their elaborate clothes. It was clear they hadn’t eaten properly, as evidenced by their trembling limbs.

”…Now I am certain.”

“Will you swear your loyalty?”

Ignoring his meaningless words, I rose from my seat. The Heroic Alliance Master aimed his sword at my neck and yelled, “Show respect before His Imperial Majesty!”

I ignored him, instead focusing energy on the handcuffs restraining both my arms.

“How foolish! You’re using considerable force, but these handcuffs are made from black iron.”

Kiiiiiik---!

”…?!”

The screaming sound of the handcuffs changed the atmosphere. The Heroic Alliance Master swung his sword like lightning. The clear energy surrounding it indicated that he had reached the highest level among sword experts. Of course, it was useless against me.

Clang!

“Ugh?!”

One half of the broken handcuff struck him, causing him to tumble and spit blood. I threw away the torn handcuffs and spoke, “I wanted to be special. And you despised this fact.”

“You… What are you saying?” The emperor became angry. The martial artists around him, including those from the Heroic Alliance and Royal Family, drew their swords with sharp momentum.

I didn’t care about him.

“I will become the emperor.”

“…!”

“You! You bastard! How dare you speak to me like that?!”

He let out a scream. I calmly continued speaking. I infused my voice with Inner Force so everyone could hear my words clearly.

“I will be the emperor. I’ll be the flag that leads all of you. I’ll be the castle wall that allows you rest peacefully.”

I looked around. Numerous people were looking at me. Their eyes showed hatred and anger. Some showed admiration and love. Others displayed hostility and joy.

I realized it then.

‘Ah. In truth…this is what I wanted.’

I wanted to shine brighter than anyone else. I wanted others to look up to me. I didn’t want to be someone who would disappear without leaving any trace behind. I wanted to be indispensable. If such person disappeared, there would be dire consequences for those left behind.

This childish and selfish desire was at the core of my being.

“I shall be the sword that will fight against our enemies, and I’ll become the shield that protects everyone.”

I spoke calmly.

“At this moment…in this place…I declare the founding of the Human Empire.”

“Long live His Imperial Majesty!”

The shout came out faster than anyone else’s voice, so I turned towards its source. It was Haze.

‘She had it planned all along.’

It was quite exasperating, yet I smiled inwardly. In any case, she started it off.

“His Imperial Majesty! Long Live the Emperor!”

“Finally! Finally!”

“Oh Emperor! May you live long!”

“His Imperial Majesty!”

The soldiers prostrated themselves on the ground. Their voices were filled with joy, and some of them sounded like they were crying tears of joy.

Of course, not everyone felt this way.

“Kill him!”

“Wipe them away!”

“How dare he! How dare he do this before us!”

The elite force of Ming, the Sword Corps, angrily drew their swords. However, neither I nor my soldiers paid them any attention. Of course, it would be problematic if the Sword Corps attacked while my soldiers were on the ground, but naturally, that wasn’t my intention.

[A splendid Brick Castle (Advanced) is upgraded to a magnificent Fortress (Rare)!]

Kuu-gooong!

“Ack! The earth?”

“T-The buildings are moving away!”

“What?! What’s this?!”

As the axis shook, the Ming soldiers inside the castle screamed and fell over. Unlike my soldiers who had experienced similar situations multiple times before, they couldn’t overcome their fear and panic.

I spent an additional 50,000 diamonds, which equates to 5 million won.

[Upgrading a Magnificent Fortress (Rare) to a Perfect Fortress City (Hero)!]

Ku-gooong!

The castle walls rose to 40 metres high while the ground and buildings rippled and transformed like waves. Unlike my soldiers who were already crouching down, the Ming army trying to launch their attack stumbled over themselves. Many of them even sustained injuries from their own weapons that they had drawn beforehand. Of course, there were experts in the Ming Empire who could maintain their balance despite the situation, but even they didn’t know how to react amidst these rapid changes and adopted defensive postures only.

I consumed an additional 300,000 diamonds.

[Upgrading the perfect fortress city (hero) to Ice Temple (legend)!]

Ku-gooong!

The castle walls became higher and the city expanded further. The soldiers’ eyes widened as they saw buildings made of ice that had never been seen before. However, this wasn’t the end. I spent an additional two million diamonds, which was equivalent to 200 million won.

[The Ice Temple (Legendary) is being upgraded to Mythical grade!]

[Castle Lord’s Selection is underway.]

Choices appeared in front of me. It goes without saying, but I didn’t choose anything crazy like an amusement park or Securiland. Instead, I selected a theme I had already considered beforehand:

Finally, the steel fortress revealed itself where Zhimail, the capital of Chrome Empire once stood.