Chapter 657:


    ‘Now, thest remaining thing is the transcendent being.’


    Seong Jihan, havingpletely eradicated Urd, gazed toward the light of the transcendent being.


    Since Urd''s clock had vanished, the light had intensified even more.


    It was slowly but steadily eroding the domain of defiled mixed world that he had unfolded.


    ‘The problem is that we can’t get out from here.’


    A world consumed by light, except for the domain of defiled mixed world.


    If he were to exit and bask in the light of the transcendent being, there was a risk of being charmed again.


    Of course, with the mental protection he had obtained from Id, he wouldn''t be helpless as before.


    ‘Even Jiang Shang, wielding the Infinite Sword, could barely withstand that light... We should consider that it''ll be difficult once we go outside.’If they exited, they''d be immediately dazzled by the transcendent being''s light.


    But staying solely within defiled mixed world, this domain wouldn''tst indefinitely.


    A dire predicament, unable to act either way.


    Still, Seong Jihan wasn''t without options.


    ‘We need to use Urd’s authority first.’


    The time reversal operation he had indirectly learned from Urd, who had struggled desperately to survive.


    Especially when she was rampaging within the realm of defiled mixed world, Seong Jihan had gained a deeper understanding of the time reversal authority.


    Swish.


    As Seong Jihan spread his hands,


    Pazhik. Pazhik...


    Sparks flew from his hands, forming a circr boundary of pure white light.


    “What are you trying to do?”


    “I was attempting to create a clock of light like Urd’s... Hmm. It’s noting easily.”


    The time reversal authority was originally said to be usable only on himself.


    Yet, by creating a clock, he could interfere with external time.


    Urd had nearly fused with the transcendent being, and her authority was supercharged because of that.


    “Still, it seems to be taking form decently...”


    “It seems that the power of the authority is insufficient.”


    As someone whose time reversal authority wasn’t sufficiently strengthened, even if he understood the method, hecked the power to create the clock.


    ‘If Urd’s level in time reversal were 99, mine would be around level 5.’


    If he had known his power was insufficient, he might have kept Urd alive to use her authority.


    Seong Jihan thought for a moment.


    ‘…No. If she were kept alive, she would have betrayed me at any moment.’


    Recalling how Urd had struggled desperately, that regret quickly vanished.


    As Seong Jihan dismissed his lingering feelings toward Urd and focused on creating the clock of light,


    “Hmm... The power of the authority is insufficient. Then can I bring you the clocks of light?”


    “The clock of light?”


    “Yes. Aren’t there clocks of light that Urd had scattered throughout the Ark? Extract power from them.”


    “Hmm... Are there any left? Urd is dead.”


    “They’re still attached to the bodies of other new humans.”


    Jiang Shang then pointed to the istes scattered outside the realm of defiled mixed world.


    The istes who had flown here when Urd made her final struggles.


    Despite her disappearance, the clocks of light were still attached to their bodies.


    “I see.”


    “I’ll take one.”


    Whizz.


    As Jiang Shang moved his hand,


    Chiiik...!


    With the sound of skin tearing, the clocks of light embedded in the istes’ skin were sucked into the realm of defiled mixed world.


    At the same time,


    “Kuuugh...”


    Flinching. Flinching...!


    The bodies of the lying istes convulsed several times,


    “….”


    Aging rapidly proceeded, and their bodies shrank quickly.


    The new humans were said to be ageless and immortal, yet they aged quickly.


    ‘Is it because they’re trapped in the prison of time?’


    As Seong Jihan calmly watched their copse, the iste who had been panting for a moment soon stopped breathing.


    Then his body seemed to droop,


    Shuuuuuuu….


    The light of the transcendent being swiftly engulfed him.


    “Did you... extract the clock, and the transcendent being consumed the iste?”


    “Seems so. To be exact, after confirming that he stopped breathing and waspletely dead, it appears he was absorbed.”


    Seong Jihan looked at the other istes sprawled on the ground.


    They were no longer breathing, but since the clock was still attached, they hadn’t been confirmed dead.


    As Seong Jihan scanned the other istes,


    “Hmm... Son-inw, look at that.”


    Jiang Shang, stroking his beard, pointed seriously to the boundary of defiled mixed world.


    There,


    “The power of the transcendent being seems to have strengthened a bit.”


    Ayer of pure white light was further eroding the boundary.


    * * *


    ‘It seems that the transcendent being got stronger by absorbing the istes.’


    Seong Jihan recalled when Id had willingly died.


    Originally, ''istes'' were beings who only possessed one authority, recognized as useless in the society of the new humans and discriminated against.


    ‘Also, Ashoka wasn’t born with istes from birth. The system deliberately modified them.’


    All the authorities that the istes possessed were necessaryponents for the transcendent being to beplete.


    Therefore, istes weren’t born without potential but were created intentionally to cultivate their authorities.


    ‘In fact, when Ashoka lifted Id’s head seal, didn’t the light spread throughout his body?’


    Originally, his light was destined to emanate only from the head.


    But, Id, whose ''protection'' authority was enhanced to develop it further, along with all the authorities possessed by the istes, if they were crucialponents toplete the transcendent being,


    It made sense that the transcendent being''s power slightly increased after an iste died.


    “Istes were originally thest puzzle pieces forpleting the transcendent being. People being consumed earlier, making the transcendent being stronger now makes sense.”


    “Hmm... I see. But why are they leaving those out? Is it because of the clock of light?”


    “That seems to be the case. If the clock disappears and they’re left alone while still barely breathing... It seems they need to be dead to be fully reimed.”


    “They leave them alone when they’re alive, and reim when they die...”


    “The real reason Ark was created was to enhance the istes'' abilities further. It seems they''re left alone while breathing to cultivate their powers.”


    Jiang Shang stroked his beard at this.


    “That evil woman’s authority is useful even in death. Then, son-inw, let''s absorb her clock.”


    “Understood.”


    Following Jiang Shang’s signal, the clock of light floated and Seong Jihan grasped it.


    Jiiiing...


    A subtle radiance emanated from the clock of light he created,


    Bringing forth a more vivid coloration.


    ‘Certainly, time reversal has been enhanced.’


    Though it was still far from Urd''s level, as he recovered the clock of light Urd left behind, he could partially block the light of the transcendent being.


    However, the problem was,


    ‘If I remove the clock of light from the istes in Jiang Shang’s way, they die and strengthen the transcendent being again…’


    Attempting to enhance the clocks of light might inversely make the transcendent being stronger.


    Seong Jihan pondered for a moment.


    He recalled when Ashoka transformed Id into a normal person.


    If he could disperse the power of the istes as Ashoka did and make them normal people... the transcendent being wouldn’t be strengthened much.


    After all, the istes were created specifically to enhance the necessary authorities for the transcendent being.


    In terms of levels, resetting their properties from level 99 down to level 1 would prevent the light mass from gaining significant strengthening effects.


    “Hmm... Emperor. This time, let’s just bring the istes inside.”


    “Yes. Have you figured out the method?”


    “Like how Ashoka reversed Id, we intend to make istes normal people and extract their clocks.”


    “Hooh... That seems feasible. Then, let’s bring someone over.”


    Jiang Shang reached out towards a copsed new human lying on the ground.


    Suuuuh...


    A man, slumped and limp, was sucked into defiled mixed world.


    The man, whose chest was the site of the manifestation of his authority, had light leaking from there.


    Bang...!


    Upon entering the realm, the light concentrated in his chest began to spread throughout his entire body.


    ‘Indeed, entering this realm allows control over the istes'' power.’


    Originally, he could live normally, but topensate for the transcendent being''s shorings, he unintentionally became an ''iste.''


    With the clock of light attached, forcing him into an infinitely painful loop of time.


    ‘I guess it’s better to turn him back into a normal person.’


    Thinking that, Seong Jihan ced his hand over the man''s chest.


    Pajijijik...


    As his hand made contact, a strong resistance of pure white current surged.


    One.


    ‘If I’m within this, I can untie the knot.’


    Seong Jihan, inheriting Ashoka’s realization, possessed the power to sever this resistance.


    As his hand glowed blue, the current weakened.


    Jiiiing...


    The light in the man''s chest fully dispersed into his entire body.


    “Is this what they mean by bing a normal person?”


    “Yes. Now, let’s remove the clock.”


    Seong Jihan said, as he extracted the clock embedded in the man''s body.


    Pasusus...


    The man''s body rapidly aged, with his flesh quickly shrinking.


    ‘Maybe he was already dead. Unlike when dealing with Id, I can’t grasp any authority from him.’


    In Id''s case, thanks to his cooperation, he had even gained the ''protection'' authority.


    But the man before him would die once the clock was removed, preventing him from obtaining any authority.


    The pure white light spread within the realm of defiled mixed world and then vanished.


    As the light in the dead man''s body weakened, Seong Jihan sent him outside.


    Then,


    Shuuuuuuu...


    The transcendent being''s light engulfed his corpse.


    “This time, it seems the transcendent being wasn’t strengthened. Using the method of turning istes back into normal people and releasing them appears effective.”


    “Yes. Also, through the extracted clocks, my clock of light was strengthened. For now, this should suffice.”


    Removing means of strengthening the transcendent being and enhancing his own defenses.


    It was a double-edged approach.


    As Seong Jihan looked at the scattered istes outside the realm of defiled mixed world, his eyes gleamed.


    “First, one by one, and proceed continuously.”


    “Understood.”


    Suuuuh...


    Following Jiang Shang’s signal, istes were sucked in one by one.


    Seong Jihan processed them as per the earlier method.


    As they were handled one by one, the clocks of light became gradually moreplete.


    “Now, there are no more istes around...”


    At some point, all surrounding istes had vanished due to Seong Jihan''s actions.


    “Then, bring the istes who haven’te here yet with your clock.”


    “But if we go outside now, won’t we be attacked by the transcendent being’s light?”


    “We can endure that much.”


    No, how could he be so confident when he had barely survived earlier?


    Seong Jihan tried to stop him,


    “But isn’t it true that you let me finish off Urd? I will repay the favor of enabling my revenge, even if it costs my life.”


    Jiang Shang showed a determined attitude, seemingly grateful that Seong Jihan had allowed Urd’s demise,


    “I... am grateful for your help. But...”


    ‘Well, I’m thankful in heart but…’


    Seong Jihan looked toward the light of the transcendent being.


    If hit directly by that dazzling light, even someone like Jiang Shang would struggle to withstand it.


    “Then, please wait a moment.”


    Seong Jihan reached out and transferred the clock of light he had created to Jiang Shang.


    Soon, the clock had taken on an eptable form.


    “With this level, the clock is quiteplete.”


    As Jiang Shang nodded upon seeing it,


    Bang...!


    From the clock''s circumference, radiance spread out,


    “Hooh...?”


    A protective barrier made of pure white light formed.