Chapter 76
Reconstruction (2)
“Eh?”
“Since you’ve repaired the talisman before, I thought… perhaps you could do this as well… I’m asking for your help.”
Doyoung bowed deeply.
Sehyun let out an incredulous sigh.
‘There are limits even to stubbornness. This is too much.’
If simply asking could make everything happen, why would we painstakingly plan and aim for Hailhwan step by step?
There are things one can do and things one cannot.
‘Do you think a divine artifact is the same as an ordinary artifact?’
Absolutely not.
In principle, they may be similar, but fundamentally they are entirely different.
Even the materials are just materials, and the myths themselves involve combinations that cannot be artificially reproduced.
‘It’s not a myth confined to a single object—it must operate in harmony with the world itself.’
Like the talisman that controls Baekdu Mountain.
A divine artifact must be able to handle and influence all things in the world.
Doyoung, having witnessed the repair of the talisman, should understand this difference.
“I know it’s a difficult request… but…”
Haah──
Seeing Doyoung’s eyes, a sigh naturally escaped Sehyun.
It wasn’t that he couldn’t understand Doyoung’s feelings.
‘From their perspective, I’m already someone who accomplished the “impossible.”’
Even the idea of repairing a divine artifact would have been unimaginable to him.
This time, too, he was likely holding onto hope like grasping at straws.
How could one blatantly say, “I can’t do it, figure it out yourself,” to someone like that?
“Making the talisman is impossible. Still… it must be attempted, no matter how difficult.”
“…I’m sorry for the unreasonable request.”
Doyoung bowed once more.
Sehyun gently patted his shoulder.
“Let’s clear our heads first. Take a look around while we walk.”
Rushing in anxiety never helps.
Sehyun stretched and moved forward. Doyoung followed, exhaling with relief.
Step by step, they climbed the stairs.
These were the stairs Sehyun had descended when opening the ceiling before.
The view of the workshop below left Sehyun speechless.
“It’s a mess… just like you said.”
“……”
The workshop, which had supposedly been invaded, was utterly destroyed.
Of the seven core furnaces, only two or three remained functional.
And only one could reliably be used for fire.
The ceiling had been patched haphazardly, but it looked like it could collapse at any moment.
“This is as much as we could manage without the talisman. This place is… very special.”
“I understand.”
The hollow was saturated with Baekdu Mountain’s astral energy.
The level of energy rivaled that inside a fissure.
For that reason, just like in the fissure, even most electronics and heavy machinery were useless here.
The old-fashioned processes of the Cheonji Workshop weren’t followed without reason.
‘…We need to hurry.’
If it were just about restoring the talisman’s condition, more careful thought could be afforded.
But given the workshop’s current state, there was no time to spare.
Water could burst through the ceiling at any moment, flooding the place again.
People could evacuate, but the talisman, deeply rooted in the ground like an ancient tree, had no means of escape.
And the apprentices wouldn’t run away, either.
‘…Just like last time.’
Sehyun recalled the apprentices who stayed behind with the talisman to protect Baekdu Mountain’s last moments.
He brushed away a surge of irritation.
“Actually, making the talisman isn’t entirely impossible.”
“…Eh? Really?”
Doyoung’s eyes widened. He had just said it was impossible.
“More precisely, it’s possible to create an artifact resembling the talisman.”
The core ability of the talisman—to control Baekdu Mountain’s environment—could be replicated in a downgraded artifact.
‘We have the Sage’s Powder.’
By using it, a simplified version of the divine artifact’s power could be implemented.
After all, they had already created multiple downgraded versions of the black dwarf star artifact for practical use.
So it wouldn’t be impossible to replicate the talisman’s myth.
“Then why the hesitation?”
“There are two reasons.”
The first: the original was stolen.
“Eh? Why…?”
“It would’ve been easier if the talisman had been completely destroyed.”
If nothing remained, they could simply create a new one from scratch.
“Can two identical stories exist under heaven?”
“……”
“No. Common sense says no.”
A perfectly identical story is just an echo. Any difference makes it a different story.
Thus, even if recreated, the effects would differ or fail entirely.
“The second reason… concerns the talisman’s current state.”
Repairing the workshop with an artifact might be feasible.
But the talisman’s life had merged with Baekdu Mountain.
‘If we meddle with Baekdu Mountain’s astral energy recklessly… it might be irreversible.’
They couldn’t gamble with the talisman’s life.
“No shortcuts. What must be created is the divine artifact itself, not a downgraded version. That’s the only way.”
“….”
“Don’t feel too guilty. I had to face this mountain eventually, anyway.”
While repairing the talisman, Sehyun had sensed this truth.
‘If we can’t surpass the limits of artifacts, we’ll never surpass him.’
In the past, he monopolized the artifacts and had no reason to touch divine artifacts.
But now that artifacts were widespread, his next move was predictable.
‘He’ll seek the divine artifacts.’
Artifacts were born to mimic the divine power he desired.
They were imitations of heavenly objects, made by human effort.
But true divine artifacts, like the talisman, are different.
They are myths etched over thousands of years, meant to be used by those chosen and during the destined era.
If any element is off, their power cannot be harnessed.
But when the alignment of these elements—or “heavenly fortune”—occurs, their power is unimaginable.
The talisman alone shows this. It could control Baekdu Mountain and even extend life.
The gap between something inspired by heaven and something created by human effort is what separates divine artifacts from ordinary artifacts.
‘I expected him to monopolize the artifacts, but I didn’t expect him to act this quickly.’
They had revealed artifacts at the exhibition just yesterday.
And yet, within a day, he had moved so decisively?
‘He must have been planning this well before Sehyun’s actions.’
“What should I do…”
A sigh escaped Doyoung. Even with the talisman in such a state, he could only rely on Sehyun.
“Ah, I almost forgot.”
Doyoung handed Sehyun a hammer.
“This…?”
“This is the hammer given by the talisman at the last moment.”
The only person to notify was Sehyun. Hence, Doyoung came directly to him.
“I thought this was a task only you could solve.”
“I’m not even a formal disciple…”
In the past, they were master and disciple. Now, their relationship was simply cooperative.
Sehyun’s respect for the talisman as a master was one-sided.
“The talisman would say otherwise.”
“…Eh?”
“He told me: your level is the direction we apprentices should strive for.”
“……”
“So even if you’re not a disciple, you are looking toward the same goal.”
Sehyun shook his head.
“You can do it. Just like last time.”
“Last time?”
“When you resolved the fissure or repaired the talisman.”
Never settle for what’s given. If there’s no method, find one.
Doyoung recalled Sehyun accomplishing the impossible.
But Sehyun shook his head.
“I’m not a person who takes on challenges.”
He simply repeated tasks steadily.
And someone had provided the foundation.
‘Chainha.’
In the past, they had solved things together. Chainha would propose, Sehyun would implement.
A simple life.
But now, it seemed Sehyun carried both the planning and execution himself.
What would Chainha say if she were here now?
‘No question.’
When faced with a limit, her solutions were always simple: weave the story including the limit and apply it to reality.
‘She did the same with the Minotaur.’
Only Theseus could kill the Minotaur in the myth.
But Chainha didn’t despair. She found a workaround: Ariadne’s thread.
Like finishing the story in a sequel what couldn’t be resolved in the main tale.
‘…Sequel.’
Naturally, another story came to mind.
A hero group that, despite failing to stop an overwhelming villain and losing half the universe, used time travel in a sequel to ultimately defeat the villain.
“Doyoung.”
“Yes?”
“Do you remember the myth contained in the talisman?”
Doyoung nodded.
“Of course I do.”
The myth of the celestial god within the talisman.
Hwanung descended to bring heaven’s creation to benefit the land.
“Then, what comes next?”
“Eh?”
“The aftermath of the celestial god’s myth.”
“That would be Dangun’s myth, after Hwanung and the celestial god.”
Hwanung chose the bear and tiger to become humans. The bear passed the trial, became the wife, and bore Dangun.
Dangun carried out Hwanung’s will on earth.
“There was no need to recreate the same divine artifact entirely.”
Two identical stories cannot exist under heaven.
But the “next” could be told.
The myth of the earthly gods following the celestial gods.
“And that’s a story I can’t tell.”
Sehyun handed the hammer back to Doyoung.
“Doyoung, it’s your task. You must create the new talisman.”
“…Eh?”
Doyoung tilted his head in disbelief, his expression echoing Sehyun’s past self.
