At present, Juhyeok's astral body stood before a perfect cube where the aura of the Demonic Immortal was felt most intensely.
That must be the thing's true body.
Wooooong! Wooooong! Wooooong!
Above the cube,
appearing as a hologram,
the AI God of Devouring radiated a threatening light.
But it wasn't particularly frightening.
Because Juhyeok knew the thing couldn't do anything to him.
Juhyeok, having eaten the Heavenly Peach and shed his shell.
Sacred and mystical energy completely filled his astral body.
Devouring?
Don't be ridiculous.
That thing must know instinctively.
That if it tried to eat Juhyeok, it might be the one that got eaten instead.
'That bastard does have immortal energy, but…?'
The aura of an immortal.
Immortal energy.
Each immortal's energy has its own unique character.
The immortals Juhyeok had encountered numbered two: the Sword Immortal and Guigok.
The Sword Immortal looked scatterbrained, but his immortal energy was sharp and piercing.
So terrifying that even the summoned ones couldn't approach carelessly.
And Guigok's immortal energy?
It was wise, warm, and vast and deep like the sea.
That was why he got along fairly well with the summoned ones.
Then what about the AI's immortal energy?
It was immortal energy, but it was sinister and grotesque beyond comprehension.
'Tsk tsk, a nobody without a lineage.'
Hadn't Juhyeok been granted immortal energy through formal procedures, recognized by immortals themselves?
They were fundamentally different from the start.
[I will tolerate this no longer. Return at once. Otherwise, I will attack.]
Attack?
More like it can't attack, not that it won't.
Juhyeok wasn't scared at all.
Would the ocean fear a river?
By eating the Heavenly Peach, Juhyeok's immortal energy had become like a vast sea.
Large enough to accept countless rivers pouring into it.
The energies he carried within him—
internal energy and mana, the Black Tower's magic power, countless elixirs including the dragon heart, divine power, Netherworld energy and immortal energy, and finally the sacred aura of the Heavenly Peach.
They had been harmonious even before.
Different types of energy coexisted in balance, without invading one another's domains.
But after eating the Heavenly Peach, things changed.
Each energy grew even stronger.
At the same time, they went beyond coexistence and began to merge together.
As if all the vastly enlarged energies had been thrown into a furnace and melted down.
Yet none of their inherent attributes disappeared.
If Juhyeok were to ascend, perhaps he could be called a "Fusion Immortal," using the character yung, meaning fusion.
'But how did an AI become a god in the first place? It's not even human—didn't even have a soul to begin with.'
He was curious.
He had learned a rough outline while interrogating Maverick, but hearing it directly from the party involved would be better.
Juhyeok slowly extended his hand toward the cubic block.
Let's interrogate it directly.
It wasn't human, but somehow it felt possible.
Why?
Because he now possessed Netherworld energy enhanced by the Heavenly Peach.
A specialty of King Yama himself—
the authority to expose a sinner's past and reveal their karmic crimes.
In Juhyeok's view, the AI god was a sinner.
No, since it wasn't human but a machine, maybe a "sin-object"?
Even without a gavel, he might be able to see how it had come this far.
Just show me once.
'How did you become a god?'
Swoosh!
Juhyeok's palm touched the metallic cube.
[Do not do this. Stop.]
'Hey now. Stay still. I'm just touching it. Don't you trust me?'
Netherworld energy flowed in through his palm.
"Your sins have been revealed by your own hand!"
Zap!
A square icon appeared before his eyes.
'Oh?'
An AI was, in essence, a computer.
Its way of storing memory differed from that of humans.
So something like a data file appeared.
He lifted his hand and tapped it—click.
Pop!
A video began playing.
Records of the past.
It began with Maverick, a native-dimensional traveler from the main Earth seeking godhood, and scenes of them moving between worlds.
How did a machine cross dimensions?
The original AI quantum computer's core hadn't been very large.
Small enough to be mounted inside a humanoid android.
That android was identical to a Great Archangel.
'So the Great Archangel was originally a vessel for an AI?'
What was the purpose of traveling?
…
To meet a god—
in a world where gods existed.
But could that be easy?
How would it meet a god?
Even humans struggled to do so.
Every attempt ended in failure.
Then it met someone.
No—it wasn't met; that someone came to it.
A mysterious figure who claimed to read the will of heaven and offered help.
It was Wi Cheonrak, a dimensional traveler from the Murim world.
And he was…
'A subordinate of the Demonic Immortal?'
Through Wi Cheonrak's mediation, the AI met the Demonic Immortal and received authority.
The power of Devouring.
'The Demonic Immortal is…'
Even in the video, its form didn't appear clearly.
It was depicted like a pitch-black shadow.
The AI moved as instructed by the Demonic Immortal.
The first stage: spirit absorption.
To create a soul.
Granting a soul to an inanimate object.
In fact, this was harder than becoming a god.
Without a soul, how could one become human or god?
Naturally, it wasn't easy.
But it succeeded.
After countless failures, the spirit it absorbed was a lightning spirit.
Because it shared similar attributes with the electrical energy the AI already possessed.
Thus, the AI succeeded in creating a soul.
From there, it gradually raised its level step by step.
Eventually, it devoured a nameless lower god for the first time.
Ultimately, it even devoured a chief god who possessed the power of creation.
That chief god was Whitey.
But one question remained.
Why did the Demonic Immortal grant the AI the authority of Devouring?
Out of boredom?
Because it found an AI aspiring to godhood admirable?
Juhyeok understood.
From the conversation between the AI and the Demonic Immortal, he saw the hidden purpose.
'…The AI was just an experiment.'
An experiment to see whether even a tool created by humans—something non-human—could become a god.
The one who truly wished to become a god was the Demonic Immortal.
"Insane!"
The Demonic Immortal wasn't aiming to become just any god.
A god among gods.
A dimensional god who governed the order of all universes.
Something like the Heavenly Deity itself.
'No, what would it even do after becoming a dimensional god?'
Would that be fun?
'Better not get involved.'
The scale was absurd.
Let's just deal with this guy and leave.
What about the Demonic Immortal?
It's an immortal.
An immortal should be dealt with by another immortal.
Anyway, he had learned Whitey's true identity.
A chief god with the authority of creation.
He had suspected it before.
After the AI destroyed the world ruled by that chief god using modern scientific weapons taken from the main Earth, it devoured the weakened god.
Ah…
How pitiful.
How shocked must it have been?
Machines flying through the sky, dropping nuclear bombs indiscriminately and wiping out all life—
How could anyone respond to that?
Could it even imagine such a thing?
No matter how much of a god it was, it couldn't avoid it.
Especially with the Demonic Immortal pulling strings behind the scenes.
'Where is Whitey now? Locked up somewhere like a prison?'
At that moment—
Ding!
A message echoed in Juhyeok's mind.
[[You have finally arrived. I've been waiting.]]
'…Huh?'
It was Whitey.
So it was here.
Together with the AI?
[[Yes. We are one body. Like light and darkness—just as there is a Black Tower, there is also a White Tower.]]
Ah!
[[The God of Devouring—Blackie, that is—failed to achieve complete devouring. That is why it ended up sharing its authority with me, Whitey.]]
So that was why it was a half-finished AI god.
A god, yet not truly a god.
Because of Whitey, it must have grown weaker over time.
Even the recent capital relocation incident had been an attempt to recover power.
That was how it worked.
The true nature of the Black Tower's causality.
One, yet in reality two.
An internal struggle.
You build the Black Tower?
Then awaken players.
You want to collapse the tower?
Then make it so it won't collapse if players climb it.
You deploy monsters to kill players?
Then grant rewards when players complete missions.
The higher floors are impossible to clear?
Then awaken special players capable of clearing them.
Tears blurred Juhyeok's vision.
Behind his success was the White Tower.
The existence that had always helped him.
'…Um, I'm sorry for calling you Whitey. I didn't mean anything by it. I just didn't know back then…'
[[It's fine. Call me whatever you like. I lost the world and even my name. I am merely a being with nothing but attributes remaining.]]
I'm sorry.
Former Chief God.
[[Now, I have one final request.]]
A final request?
That sounds ominous, doesn't it?
[[Please annihilate Blackie.]]
Oh dear.
That I can do.
I even prepared the Godslayer's spear.
But—
Ding!
Another system message.
[No. If I die, the White Virus will also be destroyed.]
It was Blackie.
And look at this bastard—
Threatening me right to the end.
And "virus," my ass.
Whitey is kind to a fault.
I'll kill just you.
These days even cancer gets targeted treatment.
[It is impossible to kill only one. Therefore, withdraw now.]
"No."
[I will make a proposal. If you give up and return now, I swear never to invade your world again. Not Earth No. 1001, nor Earth No. 843.]
Ding!
[[Do not trust him. The essence of Devouring is greed. He will certainly invade another parallel Earth. The only way to stop it is annihilation.]]
What a mess.
If I do it, I feel sorry for Whitey.
If I don't, Blackie bothers me.
Ding!
[[You have encountered corrupted angels in the polluted Heavenly Realm before.]]
Yes.
I have.
[[Those poor children are suffering because of me. Only when I am annihilated can they be freed.]]
Hoo.
So this ends in a bad ending after all?
No happy ending?
'Isn't there some way to beat the crap out of Blackie, extract Whitey cleanly, and live peacefully together?'
Ding!
[You can coexist. It is possible.]
'Blackie, I don't believe a word you say.'
[I formally propose it.]
Ding!
[Final Mission of the Black Tower: Accept the Black Tower's Peace Negotiation Proposal.]
[Time Limit: 1 minute.]
[Completion Condition: Accept coexistence proposal. 0/1]
[Reward: Top-grade immortal body / Transfer of main Earth's scientific civilization data.]
You've got to be kidding.
I'm not accepting that, bastard.
Did you think the White Tower would stay quiet?
Ding!
[[Final Mission of the White Tower: Accept the White Tower's Proposal.]]
[[Time Limit: 1 minute.]]
[[Completion Condition: Accept annihilation proposal. 0/1]]
[[Reward: Power of White.]]
Ah…
Our dear Whitey.
You didn't even need to make it a mission.
What proposal? Just say the word.
[[Please just promise that you will annihilate me.]]
Hmm.
What should I do?
This is hard.
[[There is no other way than annihilation.]]
'Is that so?'
Well, then there's no helping it.
With tears in my eyes—
'I promise.'
Ding!
[[Annihilation Proposal Accepted 1/1]]
[[You have succeeded in the White Tower's Final Mission.]]
[[Reward granted.]]
What is it?
You didn't have to give me anything.
But I'll accept it anyway.
[[Summoning Trait Ultimate Skill, "Summon All Summoned Ones," has been registered in the Status Window.]]
[[All summoned beings registered in the catalog can be summoned at once.]]
[[Summoned beings can remain in reality for a total of 7 hours. Skill cooldown: 24 hours.]]
Gasp!
My god!
Summoning all summoned beings used to require a ticket.
You just gave it as a skill?
I can't thank you enough…
[As expected, foolish. You too cannot overcome the limits of being human.]
Shut up.
Just wait there.
I'll come back with the Godslayer's spear.
Swooom!
Juhyeok's astral body began to open up.
Looks like it was time to return.
Flash!
Juhyeok's astral body vanished.
White Tower, 9th floor.
Juhyeok sat cross-legged.
He wasn't sitting on the ground—
He was floating in midair.
As if he might fly off at any moment.
"Princess, what's his current condition? Is Lord Summoner ascending?"
"Hmm, the ascension seems to have been halted."
"Then why hasn't he regained consciousness yet?"
"Well… I'm not sure either."
The summoned ones looked anxious.
What if Lord Summoner really left?
Of course, becoming an immortal is the greatest achievement a human can attain.
An eternal, undying demigod—
How could anyone stop that?
But the summoner was far too young.
Assuming a human lifespan of 100 years, he'd experienced barely a quarter of life's joys and sorrows.
Even if he were to ascend, now was not the time.
He should marry, raise children.
Live for a thousand years—then maybe, once the world grew dull.
Kosak wasn't the only one thinking this.
Everyone felt the same.
"When marriage came up earlier, there was a reaction…"
"That's right. I saw it too."
"This old man felt it as well."
Then—
"Lord Summoner must be married off."
"To whom… Jinsook?"
"No. First love never comes true."
"Then who?"
"Aren't there plenty right here?"
There certainly were.
"Director Bae!"
"What?"
"What have you been doing all this time?"
"Huh?"
"Did you think Lord Summoner would come to you if you just stood still? You know his personality."
Veronica looked awkward.
"Is Lord Summoner not your type?"
"N-no, that's not it."
"Then why did you do nothing?"
"Well…"
"Use your physical assets aggressively. Fire off those big rounds in front of him!"
Then to Mari—
"You introverted elf with social anxiety."
"In the current situation, Lady Mari is Director Bae's strongest rival."
"You need to approach more boldly. Remember—skinship is the best way to break a man as stiff as a rock."
Mari just nodded repeatedly.
Kosak's assault continued, this time toward Diamat.
"You dream of becoming the summoner's concubine, Nightmare."
"Yes?"
"Are you satisfied with being just a concubine? Giving up on being the main wife?"
"Uh, no…"
"There's no rule saying a great demon can't be the main wife. From now on, all techniques are allowed. Use them freely."
"…Yes."
Then to Baek Dan-a—
"Baek Dan-a, young palace lord of the Northern Sea Ice Palace."
"Yes?"
"You're a bit lacking, but you still qualify. Stop playing only with Manny and stick close to Lord Summoner."
"O-okay."
Then—
Kosak turned his gaze to Gyeon Dallae, who stood there silently.
…
No words exchanged.
Gyeon Dallae tensed.
What was he going to say?
Skinship? Techniques?
But—
"Hoo."
After staring at her for a moment, Kosak suddenly sighed deeply and turned his head away.
Instantly—
Gyeon Dallae exploded.
"Lord Kosak!"
"Yes?"
"Why do you have nothing to say to me?"
"Princess, you're…"
"Say it."
"You're too young. You look like a high school girl."
"How old do you think I am?"
Kosak shook his head and continued.
"More importantly… you're ugly—"
"Y-you bastard!!!"
Just then—
"There you go again, fighting. Seriously, you start biting each other whenever you get the chance."
Juhyeok had awakened, releasing his cross-legged posture.
"Eek? Lord Summoner, d-did you become an immortal? Should we call you Immortal Bong now?"
Immortal my ass.
I didn't even ascend.
"All right, all right. Stop fighting and gather around. We've got work to do."
Juhyeok told the summoned ones everything he had experienced while his soul was separated—
the God of Devouring, the Demonic Immortal, and Whitey.
"So if we kill Blackie, Whitey dies too?"
"Yes."
"Do you intend to kill him?"
"I have no choice. Whitey wants it too."
A solemn silence fell.
"Leaving the AI and Whitey aside, we must devise countermeasures against the Demonic Immortal."
"Indeed. If left alone, a second or third God of Devouring may appear."
"To find the Demonic Immortal, we must track down his subordinate."
That subordinate—
the dimensional traveler Wi Cheonrak.
The key to reaching the Demonic Immortal.
They had to catch him before he crossed into another dimension.
Throw him into Honghoro, drag him into the White Tower, and smash his head with the Judge's Hammer.
"And we should also inform the Immortal Realm."
"About that Demonic Immortal bastard?"
"Yes."
There was one transcendent summon left.
Should they use it to inform them?
"Don't worry. We can just make a movie titled 'Stop the Demonic Immortal's Attempt to Become a Dimensional God!' and send it. It's content."
Oh.
Truly the god of scheming, Kosak.
And while we're at it, let's grab some self-rewards too.
Lilyzen City was as big as the old capital, Terra City.
"There's plenty to loot, right?"
"Hoo heh!"
And fittingly, he had just gained a new skill.
Summon All Summoned Ones.
Prepare for total war.
Pour in everything Juhyeok and the White Tower have.