Chapter 353

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Chapter 353: Supreme Armament (4)

—What... what are you talking about? A spouse? For you?

Jiseon, who had just witnessed a fragment of Yeongwoo’s future, was even more shocked than he was.

She had imagined her son’s future might involve their family name, and certainly some infamy, but the concept of a "spouse" was so outlandish it had never even crossed her mind.

—You mean I’m going to have a daughter-in-law? What kind of fool would marry someone like you?

Jiseon berated her son mercilessly.

But Yeongwoo was just as flustered.

“...Ah, hold on a second.”

He waved a hand at his frenzied mother, trying to calm her down, and turned to Lemu, who was inside the protective barrier.

“President, what exactly does this mean? The ‘future fragments’ you mentioned earlier… Are these things that will actually happen?”

Lemu propped his right elbow on the armrest of his throne and rested his chin on his hand.

□ According to law of causality, everything in the universe has a rational basis and tends toward inevitability due to karma.

“…?”

□ Therefore, the Akashic Record that governs causality and karma predicts most futures and records them in advance.

“What did you say?”

Yeongwoo’s jaw dropped.

“You’re saying the future is already recorded?”

It wasn’t an entirely unfamiliar concept.

On the first day of the Reset, he had learned about the Chronicle of Destiny and how it had preordained his future.

However, the Reset system had claimed that everyone’s destinies were reset at the point of that catastrophe.

But now…

“So you’re saying my future is still recorded somewhere? But the Chronicle of Destiny doesn’t even exist anymore…”

Yeongwoo trailed off mid-sentence.

Come to think of it, wasn’t the Akashic Record itself the Chronicle of Destiny for the entire universe?

The Akashic Record, which all beings revered almost like a god.

The reason was simple: the Akashic Record determined their futures.

Just as humans on Earth prayed to their ancestors or gods for a good future, beings in the universe venerated the Akashic Record and sought its blessings for their well-being.

In other words, the fact that Yeongwoo’s family name, infamy, and spouse were already inscribed in the Akashic Record meant…

□ The Akashic Record is vast and profound. While we can only observe a tiny portion, one thing is certain…

Lemu gestured toward the fragments of Yeongwoo’s future displayed before him.

[Family]

[Infamy]

[Spouse]

□ These are the futures that await you. The Akashic Record has judged and recorded them, and we call this the priority future.

“…Priority future.”

Unless some unprecedented variable disrupted the course of events, this was a future that would inevitably come to pass.

And fragments of that future were right in front of Yeongwoo.

“Then… when the original Chronicle of Destiny was revealed on the first day of the Reset, my next future was already recorded in the Akashic Record, wasn’t it?”

Yeongwoo posed a sharp question, and Lemu interlocked his fingers, leaning forward slightly.

□ An intriguing question. While it’s beyond our capacity to verify, I’d say it’s highly probable.

Then, Lemu nodded toward the fragments of Yeongwoo’s future once again.

□ Now, choose. You may glimpse only one of them.

“Have you also not seen what’s inside these fragments yet?”

□ Observing the Akashic Record consumes significant resources. And since we are already monitoring many things, we cannot squander resources carelessly.

In other words, the opportunity to observe such precious fragments wasn’t something they would waste on “Jeong Yeongwoo07.”

Just days ago, Yeongwoo was nothing more than an anonymous inhabitant of a remote planet, Earth.

But now, thanks to his promised privileges, he had a chance to glimpse a part of his future.

“You’ve never seen my future before?”

Yeongwoo scratched his chin.

“Then this will be a good opportunity for you, too.”

□ …?

“You’ll find another person worth monitoring.”

Yeongwoo smirked wickedly, but Lemu, who had glimpsed countless fragments of the universe’s futures, found it laughable.

□ We are awaiting countless moments that have already been set. Events beyond your imagination.

It was a reminder that the vast events unfolding in the universe had already been observed, and they were simply waiting for their time.

But Yeongwoo wasn’t intimidated in the least.

“And yet, you’ve ended up using those precious resources on me. Isn’t that also beyond what you imagined?”

□ …….

Lemu had no retort.

“By the way, it’s unfortunate that the keyword ‘infamy’ is part of my future.”

That essentially meant he would become a villain in the future.

Jiseon immediately chimed in.

—Oh, infamy doesn’t surprise me. You’ve always done nothing but things that would make you notorious.

Then she pointed at the fragment labeled [Spouse].

—But that one’s a real shocker.

[Spouse].

The one keyword that had utterly stunned Jiseon upon its appearance.

—You? Getting married?

“…Why not? I could do it if I needed to.”

Unlike his earlier confidence with Lemu, Yeongwoo spoke with much less conviction.

Even he had to admit his life path seemed far removed from anything resembling marriage.

‘Who on earth would I marry? And why…?’

The idea of having a spouse was shocking enough, but the notion that he would choose marriage was even more baffling.

‘Would I need an absurdly large sum of money someday?’

That was the only plausible reason he could think of at the moment.

If he had to pay an astronomical amount in taxes to avoid prison or death, then marriage might make sense.

“So, Mother, are you most curious about my spouse?”

When Yeongwoo turned to Jiseon, she hesitated.

—And what about you?

Confronted with the possibility of glimpsing her cosmic daughter-in-law in advance, she felt a sudden pang of fear.

Yeongwoo returned his gaze to his future fragments.

Family, Infamy, Spouse.

If he wanted to teach Lemu, the president of the other side, a lesson, choosing infamy or family would probably be the better options.

But realistically, they weren’t likely to be of much help.

‘Family or infamy are somewhat predictable choices since they align with my current direction.’

But the spouse—now that was different.

Yeongwoo, for all his unusually cosmic thinking for an Earthling, couldn’t even begin to predict anything about his own marriage.

Why?

With whom?

“Let’s take a look at my spouse. I’m more curious about why I’d marry than who I’d marry.”

—Why would you even get married?

“Do you think I’d find someone I love and get married in this mess? Even if someone like that existed, they’d be dead by now.”

—Fair enough.

Jiseon quickly accepted the logic but then flared up in protest.

—But then why would you get married? Don’t tell me you’re planning to threaten someone into marriage again, you bastard!

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That was, in truth, Jiseon’s story.

Wasn’t she the first victim of a forced marriage thanks to Yeongwoo?

“Well, who knows? I’d have to see it to find out.”

Yeongwoo couldn’t entirely deny the possibility, stroking his chin thoughtfully.

After all, who could say what kind of person he’d become in the future?

“Alright then, let’s see for ourselves.”

When Yeongwoo turned toward Lemu, the mechanical emperor who sold pornography to fund its foresight ventures wore an odd expression.

□ Have you made your decision?

“Yes. If my future spouse exists, I’d like to know who it is and how we ended up married.”

At that, Lemu closed its eyes as if in contemplation.

□ What you see will be known only to the printing press.

And then it added,

□ Select a shard.

The future shards.

The three choices given to Yeongwoo were positioned inside Lemu’s protective barrier.

They rested on a gray metal plate with intricate electronic circuits etched into its surface.

‘So, I have to step inside to pick one myself?’

Lemu still showed no reaction, and the three future shards, displayed on a mechanical device, were about 10 meters away beyond the protective barrier.

It was impossible to touch the shards without stepping inside.

“Wait here for a moment.”

In the end, Yeongwoo entrusted the situation to his mother and boldly stepped into Lemu’s barrier.

Swish.

Immediately, a system message appeared in his vision.

「All equipment effects below the Epic grade have been deactivated.」

‘What?’

But that wasn’t all.

「You are now under the ‘Contempt for Life’ effect. All stats are reduced by 25%.」

As expected, within Lemu’s barrier, he couldn’t use his powers properly.

And that wasn’t the only concern.

“……”

The electronic circuits on the floor were essentially extensions of Lemu’s body.

He would be exposed to unpredictable attacks if he had to fight inside this space.

This was Lemu’s home turf, after all.

‘As much of a mess as our planet is, it’s impressive how Lemu can casually set up its domain here.’

It seemed there wasn’t a single pushover among the galaxy’s big names.

Quietly marveling, Yeongwoo carefully advanced toward the shards.

Clink, clink.

Finally, he reached out to the shard on the far right labeled “Spouse.”

‘Who could it possibly be? My future spouse…!’

As the future shard began to flicker, Yeongwoo stepped back cautiously.

Meanwhile, Lemu, seated on its throne, adjusted its posture and tilted its head toward the air.

Soon,

Flash!

A vibrant glow surged from the shard Yeongwoo had selected, forming a hazy halo in the sky.

It resembled a massive screen.

‘Why is the screen so big?’

Feeling an ominous presence within the glow, Yeongwoo instinctively stepped back again.

Roar!

The presence was far larger than he’d expected.

‘Something’s coming out?’

While Yeongwoo’s hand moved to his weapon out of reflex, his mother, Jiseon, who had a much better vantage point, widened her eyes.

She had already seen the inside of the glowing halo.

—Is… Is that my daughter-in-law?

Iron Empress Song Jiseon’s voice was thick with fear and disbelief.

“What is it? What did you see?”

Yeongwoo urgently asked.

At that moment, the previously white halo flared a vivid red.

Whoosh!

“……!”

Then, a colossal dragon with crimson scales, resembling dried blood, crawled out and let out a piercing yellow breath.

Roooaaarrr!

Beneath its blood-colored scales, fiery sparks crackled, turning its skin an even more intense red.

The creature’s monstrous wings entered Yeongwoo’s vision next.

No fewer than four wings—two pairs—stretched out menacingly.

“…Oh, shit.”

Yeongwoo muttered under his breath as he involuntarily covered his mouth.

That’s when he noticed Lemu, now standing from its seat.

“President! What the hell is that? Are you saying that’s my spouse?”

Lemu looked at Yeongwoo with a complicated expression.

□ That is Princess Parina of the Sun.

“What…?”

□ If she does not suit your tastes, it’s likely a political marriage.

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