Chapter 44

I Am Not a Reincarnator Chapter 44

Secluded Training (5)

A shiver.

The eerie sensation running down his spine made his silver fur stand on end.

‘What is this?’

It was strange.

No matter how much he thought about it, no matter how much he retraced and pondered.

It didn’t make sense.

‘How… can he move?’

Reiak knew better than anyone the shock of death.

When he was deeply engrossed in training.

He had once asked Vega to create a sanctuary for him.

At that time, Vega was the one who faced him.

‘I… could only handle twenty times.’

Even Reiak, who prided himself on his mental strength, couldn’t move after experiencing twenty consecutive deaths, paralyzed by fear.

Death comes with unimaginable pain.

No, more accurately.

When your internal organs are crushed and shattered bones tear through your flesh, there’s no way your mind can remain intact.

‘But.’

Why.

After experiencing more than twenty deaths.

How can he smile so brightly?

“What? What are you spacing out for?”

Creak.

Dragging the window along the floor, he took one step, then another.

His head felt like it was burning, but.

His legs trembled as if he were about to collapse, but.

“—We’re not done yet, are we?”

He moved.

Gripping the thread of his fading consciousness.

Forcing strength into his trembling legs.

One step.

Another step forward.

“……!”

Stumbling back, Reiak took a step back with wide eyes.

At this moment.

He was completely overwhelmed by a weak human, someone he could handle with a single finger.

‘This is.’

His face pale, he bit his lip.

His clenched fists trembled.

‘It’s not just a matter of having strong willpower.’

This is.

‘He’s insane.’

Madness.

Beyond willpower, beyond belief.

Pure, unadulterated madness.

“Guh!”

Instinct warned him.

To run from this place immediately, not to face this human.

All his senses screamed.

“Nonsense!”

Ignoring the warning of his instincts, Reiak raised his fist.

Just as he was about to charge at the staggering human.

-Whirr!!

The silver light covering the temple disappeared.

“Ah.”

Ojin and Reiak’s voices overlapped.

Their gaze naturally fell on the goddess, who glared at them with a furious expression.

[Didn’t you hear me tell you to stop?]

“I’m sorry.”

Reiak bowed his head.

“……”

Ojin, with a somewhat regretful look, fiddled with the spear in his hand and then nodded.

“Sorry. I got a bit carried away.”

He apologized sincerely.

[Sigh. Truly… both you and Reiak are reckless.]

Vega sighed and approached.

Pinching Ojin’s cheek lightly, she continued.

[You’re such a naughty child. How far do you plan to worry me?]

Though she asked playfully, her voice trembled slightly.

She seemed genuinely worried.

Ojin smiled bitterly and bowed his head.

“I’ll be more careful from now on.”

[Do you promise?]

Vega extended her pinky finger cautiously.

Where did our goddess learn this?

“Yeah. I promise.”

Though it’s a promise from a liar, who knows how long it will last.

[Hehe. I’ll trust you.]

Seeing the goddess smile brightly, the urge to lie disappeared.

‘I did get a bit too carried away this time.’

From the middle, he fought almost losing his mind.

So fiercely that Reiak was terrified and took a step back.

‘But is this really that surprising?’

Certainly, the fear and pain of death were immense.

To the point where his mind felt like it was burning white.

But.

‘It was bearable, though.’

Certainly, it was painful and agonizing.

But wasn’t it just a matter of enduring?

‘Why are they making such a fuss about it?’

If he could endure and get through it, he could smile and bear it.

There were more things in his life that didn’t end just by enduring.

“Promises are bull!”

Haeun approached with an angry expression.

Glancing at Ojin and Vega’s pinky promise, she pulled his ear.

“Ah, aah.”

“Seriously, what do you think you’re always…!”

She seemed genuinely upset.

“I’m sorry.”

“…Sigh.”

She sighed deeply, as if she didn’t even want to talk to him.

“Are you okay? Anywhere hurt?”

Thinking of Ojin’s appearance, torn by Reiak’s nails, made her heart sink.

“I’m fine, as you can see.”

Ojin shrugged and answered playfully.

Haeun’s expression softened slightly.

“But I am a bit tired.”

Perhaps the tension had suddenly released.

A sudden wave of fatigue washed over him.

“Sis, sit here for a moment.”

“Huh? Why suddenly?”

“Come on.”

Song Haeun tilted her head and sat down.

Plop.

He collapsed onto her thighs.

“What are you doing!”

Haeun’s face turned red as she shouted.

“Haha.”

But that’s the charm of my sister, adjusting his position to make him more comfortable.

“I’ll just sleep for ten minutes.”

“Y-You…!”

Haeun trembled and raised her fist.

But only for a moment.

“…Hmph.”

Looking at Ojin, who had fallen asleep immediately, she gently lowered her raised fist.

“You’re really hopeless.”

She lightly tapped his forehead with a gentle smile.

[Hmm.]

Vega watched the two with a complicated expression.

After a moment of contemplation, she sighed and turned around.

[Reiak.]

“Yes, Lady Vega.”

[What do you think after experiencing the real battle? Do you understand what I meant?]

“……”

Reiak nodded firmly, his lips tightly sealed.

“…I understand, deeply.”

The explosive growth shown in the short battle.

The incredible talent to create skills on the spot during combat, even as a reincarnator, and the exceptional sense to freely control the power of the sacred mark.

Among the many Awakened he had watched on Vega’s behalf, none had such overwhelming talent as Ojin.

[Hehe. Yes. Indeed, he has talent that even you recognize.]

“……”

Reiak bit his lip.

‘No.’

He forced down the words rising to his throat.

‘That’s not the important part.’

Exceptional talent.

It’s bound to hit a ‘wall’ and be frustrated, just like he had.

But.

‘What’s truly terrifying about this human is.’

Wobbling, wobbling.

The image of Ojin getting up after experiencing dozens of deaths came to mind.

‘This human is insane.’

For example.

Imagine someone who can laugh and giggle while dipping their hand into boiling oil.

Can you describe such a person as ‘having great endurance’ or ‘having a strong will’?

‘Madness close to willpower.’

That is.

The true terror of ‘Ojin’ as a human.

“Why….”

Reiak clenched his fist roughly.

“Why couldn’t I… be as insane as him?”

In the distant past.

After receiving a part of Vega’s soul and being reborn as a transcendent.

He devoted himself to training to save Vega from the darkness of the ‘Black Heaven’ as predicted by the stars.

He struggled through hundreds, thousands of nights.

But.

‘I couldn’t overcome the wall in the end.’

For over a hundred years, he remained stagnant without achieving enlightenment.

Falling into deep despair, he stopped training altogether.

‘My will was lacking.’

The madness close to willpower that Ojin possessed.

If he had that, he wouldn’t have ended up in such a pitiful state.

[Reiak?]

“No, it’s nothing.”

He shook his head with a bitter smile.

“……”

Reiak looked at Ojin, who had fallen asleep on Haeun’s thighs.

‘My defeat.’

He couldn’t surpass Ojin in either talent or will.

He even lost his composure and lashed out in dirty jealousy.

A complete defeat.

There was no longer any excuse to deny his superiority.

-Thud.

Reiak knelt on one knee toward the sleeping Ojin.

“Star of Defiance.”

Bowing his head respectfully.

“Please—protect the light of Vega from the darkness of the Black Heaven.”

He pleaded with a desperate voice.

* * *

A month passed, and it had been three months since he arrived at the sanctuary.

“I should head back soon.”

Ojin said regretfully after the training session.

Reiak frowned.

“Head back?”

“Yeah.”

“Grr! Now that you can last for over five minutes, you’re going to neglect your training!”

Reiak spoke curtly, but his voice was tinged with deep regret.

Despite everything, he had grown quite fond of Ojin over the past three months.

“You could only last three seconds at first, so five minutes is a lot of progress.”

“Still, it’s just a bit longer than the time it takes to cook instant noodles!”

“Huh? You know about instant noodles?”

“I tried them after seeing you eat them.”

“Ah, I see. I thought a few were missing.”

“They were delicious.”

“This kid?”

They had become close enough to joke with each other.

Ojin smiled bitterly and shrugged.

“I can’t stay here forever, you know.”

He needed to pay attention to the association side.

‘And the training efficiency is starting to drop.’

No matter how much he cheated, there was a limit to how much he could grow by just sparring with Reiak.

He needed real combat.

Real combat without the safety net of ‘resurrection.’

“Grr.”

Reiak crossed his arms with a sullen expression.

“Haha. What? Are you sad I’m leaving?”

“W-What?!”

Reiak shouted.

“Don’t talk nonsense, human! A true warrior knows no loneliness!”

“Ah, yes, yes.”

“Grr!”

Ojin chuckled and gathered the various items he had accumulated over the past three months.

A sleeping bag, a pillow, various instant foods, and cooking utensils.

“Here, I’ll leave a few instant noodles. Eat them if you get bored.”

“……”

Reiak took the instant noodles and clenched his jaw.

“…Human.”

“Yeah?”

“……”

Reiak couldn’t speak for a while, his lips moving, then he suddenly turned his head and muttered in a small voice.

“…T-Thank you.”

Training with Ojin had reignited his will to challenge the ‘wall’ again.

It gave him courage.

How could he not express his gratitude?

“Hahaha!! What? I didn’t hear you clearly~?”

“Grr!! Yes, sir!”

Reiak’s silver fur stood on end, and he bared his sharp teeth.

Ojin laughed, clutching his stomach.

‘Well, shall we head back?’

He had reached a level where he could protect himself.

Now.

“It’s time to reveal who the Messenger of Vega is.”

It was time to stand confidently before the world.